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So I focused on Covington’s hand wrapped around ht hand, butdown bymy free hand up toward the librarian’s

"Stand still or I’ll cut your throat!" he snarled

I froze, her than my hip I couldn’t ood on his threat Frustration filled ic worked But I realized there was another way I could usehiainst the collar of ainst ers to slip up over the edge of the cloth and press against et it to work More frustration surged through ether, for in theon theh the air in anticipation of cutting into my friends And I realized I was almost out of tiet Covington to touch me, then I’d have to touch him instead All I had to do was turn my neck into the blade at my throat It was a risky plan, and I didn’t kno ht do to me, but it was the only way I could save myself and my friends

Out of the corner ofme, a frown on her face, and I felt a sharp, sudden pain ininto ic to peer into my mind After a moment, her eyes widened Too late, she realized what I was planning

"Covington! Don’t let her ritted er sliced into , turning, turning my neck, even as the blade cut deeper and deeper into ht I couldn’t stand the pain a second longer, I felt the librarian’s cold fingers scrape against ton’s thoughts and feelings flooded my mind the second his skin touched h every part of his being ales of hi down on all the students and professors,whatever foul thing Agrona asked of him Metis, Nickamedes, and Ajax were even in a few of his ton had visited the North Carolina acade hatred of them, particularly of Nickae of our Library of Antiquities, a job Covington had always secretly coveted

I blinked, and anotherwith two people dressed in black Reaper cloaks They weren’t wearing masks, so I could see their faces - the same faces, the same people, I’d seen in that photo with Rory I kneatching her parents - Rebecca and Tyson

"You’ll have to find another waywe’re not going to do it" Rebecca’s voice sounded in my mind "We’re tired of thisof the Reapers All ant to do is live a nice, quiet, peaceful life with our daughter"

Tyson nodded, agreeing with her

The two of theton picked up the sword he’d hidden underneath the library’s checkout counter Quiet as a whisper, he advanced on theh their backs were turned -

The rest of the memory rushed by before I could latch on to it, but I kne it ended - with Covington e took its place - one of Covington alone in the library, poring over book after book, looking at pages covered with plants, herbs, and flowers Searching for a poison - the poison the Reapers had es away Instead, I let myself sink even deeper into the librarian until I saw the black spark flickering at the very center of his being - the ugly thing thatain - even harder than before

Covington screaic, his power, his life into my own body The wounds on er and stronger even as the spark inside his body started to di more than to snuff that spark out coo of her!" I heard Vivian screaton let out one er from my neck and shoved me away I stumbled forward and fell to ton snarled "You think you can use your pitiful psycho you are, Gypsy!"

He raised his dagger high I brought up Vic, although I kneouldn’t be quick enough to block his attack -

A figure darted between us It took irl had her hand locked around the librarian’s wrist Rory’s free fist snapped up, and she punched Covington in the face He cursed and staggered back, and Rory ser froetting a feel for it, her green eyes glinting with that Spartan coht to coot this, Gwen," she said in a cold voice "You help the others Covington is mine"

"Alive!" I heard Ajax yell "We need hi so far as to duck behind a pile of rocks, but Rory followed hi him as coolly as a Fenrir ould its prey A second later, the librarian screaer I just hoped she’d let him live, like Ajax had said No doubt the coach wanted answers about the Reapers - answers Covington hts that raced through ht whoever came my way - and immediately had to duck down as a Reaper’s shistled by ht, exchanging blow after blow after blow, before I was finally able to cut through his defense and bury Vic’s point in the irl!" Vic crowed "On to the next one!"

I pulled the sword free, stepped over the dead Reaper, and started forward Then, I stopped, unsure where to go

Because the ruins were in complete chaos

The Reapers had launched the around the forward into the flower-filled courtyard Ajax, Alexei, and Rachel were at the front of the fight, holding the first surge of Reapers at bay Ajax and Rachel were using their swords to battle the evil warriors, along with their daggers, while Alexei swung his tords every which way, cutting into all the Reapers he could reach

Behind the Reapers, the Black rocs screamed out their fierce battle cries So theh the air, join in the attack, and dive-bomb my friends froht, Daphne raised her bow and loosed a golden arrow She was one of the best archers at Mythos, and her airound, already dead before their bodies hit the rocks Carson and Oliver flanked Daphne on either side, protecting her froed to slip past Ajax, Alexei, and Rachel

"Gwen!" Alexei shouted

He used his tords to cut down first one Reaper, then another But before he’d taken more than a half dozen steps in my direction, two more Reapers had moved to block him

I waved him off "I’ll be okay! Help the others protect Daphne! She’s the only e can keep the rocs fro in the attack!"

Alexei didn’t like it, but he nodded and started working his way back to the others

"Oh good," a voice purred behind uard"

I turned to find Vivian and Agrona standing behindwith their two rocs Both of the Reapers were holding swords They slowly advanced onLucretia, and the red glow of the fehter than before