Page 16 (2/2)

The librarian’s voice got a little louder and a little sharper with every word, but I just stood there and listened to his lecture in silence I figured I owed Nicka the library for the second time in less than a year

Chapter 14

Nickaood five h to call Metis, Ajax, Raven, and Linus

I knew he had to tell Linus what had happened, but it wouldn’t do anything to raise the other an had been involved Linus thought I was a bad influence on the Spartan, and part of ht I was a Chaet for the Reapers That was bad enough, but the fact that I was Nike’s Champion prettyas Logan ith er-and so would an, and I loved my friends, but sometimes I couldn’t help but wonder if they would all be better off without me Carson had alo, and it was only a ot hurt-or worse But I also knew I couldn’t be a Champion without them I just couldn’t They were my rocks, my friends, my family now Without their love and support, I would have been dead long ago But I didn’t knohat I could do to protectI still had no clue how to do

Those were the dark, guilty thoughts that swirled through my mind as my friends and I sat at the study tables in the back of the library I’d already grabbedfrom underneath the counter, wiped the blood off Vic, and put him back into his leather scabbard I didn’t knohat, if anything, the Protectorate knew about the talking sword, but I had a feeling it would be better if he was out of sight Besides, Vic was happy to take a nap now that the fight was over

"It was a good night’s work," Vic said in a satisfied voice before letting out a loud yawn "Would have been even better if we’d gotten the last Reaper, but you’re coet the awhen Metis, Ajax, and Raven arrived, along with urneys For the first time, I noticed that the men and women all had the same emblem stitched into their collars in white thread-the hand-and-scales symbol It must be some sort of Protectorate mark because the sas the workers had brought with thean and watched Ajax, Nickamedes, and Raven oversee the workers, who cleaned up the urneys to roll over to the ue was The bodies were quickly reered on all the blood still on the floor I shivered Once again, I couldn’t help but think that could have been our blood splattered everywhere-ht made me sick

Professor Metis came over to the table and laid a hand on my arm "Are you okay, Gwen?"

I nodded "I’otten a few bu with so the artifact case that had held the Ruslan swords In fact, we’d all coash on his left bicep, Alexei had a nasty cut that slashed across his right cheek, and Logan had several scrapes and bruises on his hands and aric to heal us all

Once that was done, Alexei grabbed a rag fro the blood off the swords Oliver and Logan clustered around hi in that they weren’t nearly as cool as her boas While my friends talked, I sat still and silent and watched the bodies being loaded up, with Metis standing byused to this?" I finally asked

She gave , but sad-definitely sad"

We watched the workers a few more minutes before Metis jerked her head "You said that the Reaper took some artifacts Shohere and which ones"

I led her into the stacks and showed her the slass Logan followed us, and so did Alexei Apparently, he was back to guarding ht was over

Metis studied the mess for athe saic to see if I could get any vibes off anything I nodded, crouched down on my knees, and wrapped my hand around a broken piece of wood

My psycho a sword into the case and splintering the wood filled lass I concentrated, touching other pieces of wood and glass, but all the ot to ?" Metis asked

I shookimportant, just like with the bodies I touched earlier All I saas the Reaper ripping into the case"

Metis picked up the ID card and read it, just as I had earlier Then, she looked at the empty case "I don’t understand," shelike this? Why go to all the trouble when there are so ht?" I said "The box and the jewelry are beautiful, but it doesn’t seem to me that they have any real power at all"

"Or maybe this is all just a clever ruse to throw the Protectorate off your trail," a low voice cut in

I turned to see Linus striding down the aisle, followed by Inari and Sergei Agrona ith the behind the others The Protectorate hed Here ent again

Linus fixed ht in the middle of a Reaper attack, Miss Frost That’s a nasty habit of yours Care to tell me what happened?"

I looked at Metis, who nodded I drew in a breath and told hi up on Alexei and Oliver, warning the after the Reaper, realizing that the evil warrior was stealing artifacts, and finally how the Reaper had escaped

When I finished, Linus focused his frosty glare on Alexei

"You were not supposed to let Miss Frost out of your sight," he barked at the younger man "So why is it that she was in the stacks alone, supposedly shelving books?"

A flush spread across Alexei’s cheeks, and he opened his mouth, but I cut him off

"Because I had work to do and I was tired of hi to the bathroo Oliver where I hen the Reapers attacked"

Alexei’s brows drew together in surprise, but Linus’s face got even frostier than before

"You were chosen for this assign warriors in the Pantheon," Linus snapped "Yet you didn’t even irl"

Maybe I’d been hanging around Vic too long, but I couldn’t help but speak up "Well, I am rather clever that way," I said in a snide voice

A vein started to pulse in Linus’s teether

"Even the most dedicated warriors can have a momentary lapse," Inari said "It happens to the best of us"

"Give ei chimed in, his voiceworked out okay in the end, didn’t it?"

Linus turned his glare to the otherinto the Library of Antiquities without raising any sort of alar artifacts, then yes I suppose everything worked out okay"<ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>