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Morgan nodded I started to leave, but Alexei stepped in front of me

"I’m sorry I ever doubted you," he said

"I know," I said in a soft voice

I touched his arhter, and went down toall the way around the catwalk, down the stairs, through the control rooh the hallways until I reached the main entrance The two Reapers stationed there snapped to attention as soon as they saw me, but they didn’t try to stopthem to raoes nothing," I h one of the doors

"Don’t worry, Gwen," Vic said "I’h this battle just like we have all the others You can’t lose with ged nerves I nodded at him, unable to speak

The doors led out to the top tier of seats ringing the concert hall, and it was a long, slow, agonizing walk down to the bottom row and then across the floor My heart picked up speed with every step, but I forced -in and out, in and out, in and out

I stopped about fifty feet in front of the stage My gaze locked with Metis’s, and the professor shook her head

"No, Gwen," she said "No! Turn around and run! While you still can-"

A Reaper stepped forward and punched her in the face

Some of the students screamed I started forward, deterain-

"Stop!" Agrona snarled

I froze in my tracks and looked up at her She pressed her sword a little deeper into Nicka the trickle of blood into a steady stream The librarian winced, but that was his only reaction

"If you try to escape, Gypsy," Agrona said "I’ll run the librarian through and then do the sahtened up "I’rona said "Then come up here with the rest of us"

I headed toward the left side of the stage, keepingto an and Alexei as et into position

I clie Metis had pushed herself up into a sitting position Blood trickled down the corner of her mouth from where the Reaper had hit her The professor stared at reen eyes full of worry and fear, but she didn’t tell ain We both knew there was no point in it-not now

So I turned away froe, ainst the wood I looked over at the students huddled together Daphne, Carson, Oliver, and Kenzie all stared back ather head toward the front of the stage, like she was trying to tell ure out what it was And I still couldn’t see Logan’s face, just his bowed head He hadn’t rona held up her hand when I was about fifteen feet away froh, Gypsy"

I stopped where I was, glaring at her "I’ht now"

I thought she wouldn’t do it, but Agrona dropped her sword from the librarian’s neck and stepped away from him Vivian crossed her arms over her chest and sirl said "Because noe’re going to kill you and your friends"

"I know that," I replied "I just thought it would be fun to watch Agrona slap you around some o, I thought you were the one in charge of everything But you’re just another little Reaper underling, aren’t you, Viv? You don’t give the orders You take theirl’s cheeks, and her knuckles hite around Lucretia’s hilt Vivian started forward, but Agrona held out her sword, stopping Vivian

"Let me kill her now," Vivian snarled "So we can finally be done with this"

Agrona shook her head "You’ve had your chance twice now, and you’ve failed miserably both times Besides, we need a blood sacrifice for the next part of the ritual, and I think Gill do quite nicely You kno much power a Champion’s blood has, especially Nike’s Cha Loki’s soul that much easier"

I tensed, ready to counter any attack sheto kill an I still couldn’t see the Spartan’s face, but surely he knew that I was here-that I was trying to save hihtoff ic The Valkryie had a stricken look on her pretty face

"Run!" she an I had to save thean, Alexei, and Grandma Frost as much time as possible Surely, they were almost in position now All I had to do was hold out another rona said in a sweet voice "Do me a favor Take this sword, and kill Gith it, please"

My head snapped around at her words Logan? Kill me? He would never, ever do that I didn’t care what kind of creepy ritual Agrona and the other Reapers had performed on him I didn’t care what kind of mind-controlled zombie they’d turned him into I knew the Spartan I loved hian’s hand jerked forward, and he took the weapon froround

"Coood boy"

The Spartan slowly got to his feet, his back still to rona stepped away fro even brighter now I could feel a force eems-the same malevolent force I’d felt when Loki had stared atred eye My dread increased thatthe sword in his hand, getting a feel for the weapon the way I’d seen hiym class

After a few seconds, he lowered the sword to his side, adjusting his grip on it