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Sadness and heartache similar toabout Agrona and how she’d fooled hiht have left, but at least I knew he cared about me Linus didn’t even have that sy "Howhow is Logan? Is he okay? Where is he? Is he ever co back to the academy?" The questions tuan had had a long, long talk after the battle at the auditorium Metis hadn’t known all of the details, but she said that father and son had worked through sorona had wreaked on them-and what they’d done to thean is safe andas well as can be expected right now He’stroubled by what happened, as I’an asked me for some time away froet to know each other after all these years I’ over soan iswell again But don’t worry However long it takes, I’ll be by lad that Logan and his dad were going to spend soether I just wished I could have been a part of the Spartan’s plans

Linus hesitated "Logan asked me not to tell you where he is He also wanted me to ask you not to use your psychoaze fell to the checkout counter I was standing on one side, and Linus on the other, but his hand was only a few inches away frorab Linus’s hand, and find out exactly where Logan was It would be easy-so freaking easy-and the te

But I’d proift like that-that I wouldn’t pull secrets out of people just because I could If I did that, I’d be no better than Vivian, who used her telepathyaround in their heads and mess with their e I wanted was to be like the Reaper girl, even if it an was

Still, I curled my hands into fists and stepped back from the counter, just so I wouldn’t be tempted

"He needs soive it to hi h Never doubt that"

I nodded again, blinking back the tears in an needed some time and space to himself It was selfish of me to want hiht now, but still, I wanted to see the Spartan I wanted to hold hiht I wanted to comfort him the way he’d coic to track down the Spartan rose up in ain

After aeven htened up to his full height "And we have one more piece of business to attend to before I leave, Miss Frost Given what happened at the auditoriureed that you are indeed a target for Vivian, Agrona, and the other Reapers We’ve decided to assign you a personal guard to help you deal with anythreats that ht couard," I said in a dull voice "The Reapers weren’t even after an I was just collateral dae"

"Well, think of me as a friend then," a soft voice called out

My head snapped around, and Alexei was there, his backpack at his feet, leaning against the wall of the glass office coain, I hadn’t heard him come up behind ht with you, Miss Frost, Alexei has decided to stay at Mythos Acade his third-year classes, he’ll also be watching over and helping you in any way you need, whenever and however you need it With the full authority of the Protectorate behind hiave me a shy smile, which I returned I hadn’t seen lad he was staying at the acadeht I had cooing to need all the friends and allies I could get in the co at o, could I ask you to do so for me?"

"And ould what be?"

I reached into my jeans pocket and pulled out a san It’s a letter telling hiive hi in rabbed a pen and a piece of paper, and I’d written down everything I was feeling I’d poured an to come back to the acade it would make a difference to the Spartan, but I wanted him to have it all the saers brush ets it"

"Thank you," I whispered

He nodded at one, I turned to Alexei

"So you’re uard now, huh?" I asked

He nodded "I am From what I’ve seen these past few days, I have erous around you?"

I arched an eyebrow "Why, Alexei, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were actuallya joke"

His smile widened "Just a little one"

Alexei bent over and ruive these back to Nicka to return thehtened up, and I realized he was holding weapons-tords sheathed together in one scabbard The swords were fairly plain, with a slight curve to the blades, but a sy tords that were crossed over his chest I hadn’t paidthe last few days, but I recognized theave e look "How do you know that?"

"There was an ID card in the artifact case the swords were in," I said "I saw it the night I grabbed them"

I didn’t tell him about the memories I’d seen when I’d touched the swords and scabbard The blizzard, the battle, and the raceful way Alexei did