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"Why do you look so shocked? You didn’t think that dagger was the only weapon I had, did you?" Morgan said "Geez, Gwen You really haven’t learned much about Mythos kids, have you?"

"Apparently not You actually drive around with this stuff in your trunk?" I asked "All the time?"

A faint blush stained the Valkyrie’s cheeks, and a few green sparks of ertips Shadows darkened her hazel eyes "Ever since Jasmine basically turnedweapons I have them everywhere In my car, in my dorm room, in my purse I even stashed a few in Metis’s classroo weapons around makes mefeel better"

I touched her ar else"

Morgan pulled herself together, and the three of us raided the weapons stash Alexei took an axe and slid it through a loop on his belt He also pulled a double scabbard out of his pack and strapped it to his back, although he carried the tords that went in it in his hands I wasn’t sure, but the scabbard and the weapons looked like the ones I’d given hian strapped a quiver of arrows to her back and slung the bow over her shoulder I stuffed a couple of the daggers into my hoodie and jeans pockets, then belted Vic’s scabbard around my waist since I already clutched the sword in my hand The Valkyrie shut the trunk and locked the car Then, we headed toward the auditorium

A park took up most of the block across from the auditoriu behind some thick holly bushes The bushes served as a sort of wall for the park, so ere able to skulk along behind them until ere directly across the street froap in the bushes The two uard by the doors They both wore long black coats, although I could lint of swords underneath the fabric

"Do you know those guys?" I asked Alexei

He shook his head "I’ve never seen them before They aren’t members of the Protectorate"

"I haven’t noticed thean said

"They’re Reapers, then," I said "Which e already Agrona has to be inside overseeing things Vivianfor?" Vic de in anticipation of the battle to come "Let’swith any others who are foolish enough to get in our way!"

I tightenedto muffle the sound of his voice The sword narrowed his eye at me, but he fell silent

We crouched behind the bushes and stared at the two et past the the other Reapers inside know that ere here The elee we had, and I didn’t want to lose it

Alexei opened hisI pulled it out of my jeans pocket and answered the call

"Pumpkin?" Grandma Frost’s voice filled my ear "I’m at the auditorium Where are you?"

I told her that ere in the park staking out the front of the building, and a minute later, she slipped down behind the bushes with us She wore a long coat, but I noticed that she had her sword strapped to her waist underneath the gray fabric, just like the Reapers did

Granded me, then cupped my cheek with her hand The war with her rock-solid support, and I knew that she would do whatever she could to help save my friends and everyone else

"We think the Reapers are inside already, getting ready for the transformation ritual," I told her in a low voice

"I can’t believe they want to put Loki’s soul into that boy’s body," Grandma muttered "That’s pure evil, even for the Reapers"

"They’re not going to do that because we’re going to stop them" I made myself sound braver and ure out how to get past the guards and get inside Logan and the others are probably in the main concert hall"

Grandma’s lips curved up into a sly sot to her feet and winked atto the far end of the park

"Grandma!" I hissed "Grandma!"

But she didn’t pay any attention to me

Alexei put his hand onher part Let’s do ours We can come up on the Reapers’ blind side while she distracts thean, Alexei, and I left our hiding spot We went back through the park down to the end of the block, out of the Reapers’ line of sight, then jogged over to the auditorium A couple of cars were parked on the street, so ere able tobehind the car closest to where the Reapers were standing guard

Morgan drew an arrow out from the quiver on her back and nocked it in her bow Alexei hefted his swords in his hands, while I tightened rip on Vic I didn’t know exactly what Grando according to her plan

Grandma appeared at the opposite end of the street and walked toward the Reapers at a slow pace that was not at all like her normal, brisk stride She hunched over and shuffled forward, as though she was older than she really was The sun glinted off the silver strands in her iron-gray hair,it look ed it, but she suddenly changed from a vibrant woman into an old, decrepit crone She sort of reine Raven ever being young

The Reapers whirled around at the sound of the coins jingling together on the ends of Grandma’s many scarves, but they relaxed when they realized that it was just one wo them

Grandma lifted her head as she neared the two men "Beautiful day, isn’t it?" she called out in a cheery voice

The Reapers nodded Grandot in between the two men, then she pretended to sturound, scarves fluttering and coins jingling even louder and harsher than before