Page 9 (1/2)

I raced fro all of the books onthem onto my cart When my cart was full, I pushed it back to the center of the library Carson and Oliver were already there, standing next to a study table covered with books The guys were flipping through the books one by one and then tossing them aside when it beca for Nickauys were casually throwing the books onto the next closest study table - and the fact thatto the floor But the books would recover froht not if we didn’t figure out which poison the Reaper had used

"Re-eared pages That’s what I saw in Jason’s book"

Carson and Oliver nodded and went back to flipping through the books and tossing them aside I added my books to the pile they’d made and pushed the empty cart back into the stacks

Up and down, and back and forth, I raced through the library as fast as I could Every once in a while, I caught sight of Daphne doing the sa fro fro under the library lights My friends waved at- not even for a second

There was no time for that - not when Nicka an answer

I don’t kno long Ibook after book after book I focused on each of them a moment, but they were only reference materials Nobody had any real eet any big flashes off them with my psychometry All I saere the hundreds of kids who had touched the volumes over the years, and all I experienced was their supre the books to finish their homework

Of course, all of those flickers of weariness and frustration didn’t make me feel any better, and my movements became more hurried, aard, and frantic asI could do but keepon theot down to the last book on rabbed it off the shelf -

An ie of the Reaper boy popped into my mind

I was so surprised that I aled to cradle it to my chest I closedthat I had before - Jason leaning over the book at one of the study tables This was it This was the book he’d been looking at

I opened my eyes and stared down at the title on the brown cover: Healing, Medicinal, and Poisonous Properties of Mythological Plants

My fingers trees until I cahted in red:

Serket sap is an evergreen plant that is known in the ical world for its intense poisonous properties It is naoddess who is associated with poisons Serket sap can be ad it to create a dark green liquid, but thethe plant’s leaves and roots, then grinding them up into a fine white powder in order to e and the picture of the sreen plant, which resembled afro to this description, it was anything but I snapped the book shut, left the cart where it was, and ran back to the study tables

By this point, even athered in the library, but I pushed past the beside Nicka the book into her hands "This is what they used to poison Nickareen eyes sharp "Are you sure?"

I nodded "This is the book I saw the Reaper boy looking at This is the poison he used It has to be Look at this page in the e, and I pointed to the drawing and highlighted passage My fingers brushed hers, andelse I never would have guessed

I froze, wondering if I was iain, even stronger than before Metis’s cold, agonizing dread that she wouldn’t be able to save Nicka that could only- love

Metis? In love with Nickamedes? When had that happened? And how?

I was so shocked that I pulled my hand away from hers The professor nodded and closed the book She didn’t seem to realize that I’d flashed on her - and what I’d felt

"All right Thank you, Gwen We’ll take it froet Nickaet started on an antidote"

Ajax nodded, and several of the Protectorate guards stepped forward They helped Ajax transfer Nickamedes to a flat, plastic board, the sort that paramedics use, strapped him down to it, and hefted the board onto their shoulders, as if he were souards left the library, carrying Nicka with theo, and hope he would be okay

Chapter 9

"What is taking so long?" I growled "It’s been hours now"

"Actually, it’s only been about ninety lared at him, and he winced and slouched down a little nore her, Carson She’s just a little crazy right now Well, crazier than usual It’s going to take as long as it takes, Gwen You’re just wearing yourself out pacing back and forth like that"

"I a," I muttered

"Yes, you are," Oliver said "You have been ever since we ca room of the school’s infir not too far from my dorm I’d expected the infirht next to the ue and the prison, but my friends had led me over here instead

I’d never paid toobefore, since it waselse at Mythos But it was a cal space, at least on the inside The whitenear the surface of someone’s skin Orback the pale blue paint that covered the walls Each wall featured several hile a series of round skylights had been set into the ceiling, although all I could see through the glass right noas darkness

A long reception desk squatted near the back of a room, with a set of double doors behind it that led to the patient roo the infirmary was another one of Raven’s odd jobs She’d been sitting behind the desk e’d arrived, her black boots propped up on top of the sone back to her e, but other than that, she was silent as usual