Part 6 (2/2)

”Murderer.”

”Reaper b.i.t.c.h.”

Those were some of the nicer things the other students muttered as I walked past them. If Alexei heard the Greek chorus of mean, he gave no indication. I was beginning to wonder whether he ever did anything but look blankly at other people. Other than that soft smile he'd given Oliver this morning, his expression hadn't changed all day long. Or maybe that was just because I was public enemy number one at Mythos.

As I hurried toward the library, I realized that not all of the kids were going to be content with just cursing at me. A couple of guys broke away from their group of friends and started following me across the quad.

”Where are you off to, Reaper girl?” one of them called out. ”Got some more of our friends to kill? Going to run through some more kids with your sword?”

Anger surged through me at his words, and my steps slowed. For a moment, I thought about turning around and confronting the guys, but there was no point in it. They would believe what they wanted to about me, and nothing I said would change their minds. Besides, out of the corner of my eye, I saw another guy moving off to my left, flanking me. I didn't want a repeat of what had happened in the dining hall this morning-especially since Logan wasn't around to help me.

I quickened my pace, and the guys following me did as well, their hoots and hollers growing louder and louder the faster I walked. I'd just reached the library steps when the guy on my left threw his soda at me. I managed to jump back before the can hit me, but the liquid inside still splattered all over my jeans. I was so surprised that I just stood there, staring down at my soaked pants.

Of course, the guys who'd been following me thought this was the funniest thing ever. A second later, another can of soda came my way. I managed to avoid this one too, and it sailed through the air and hit one of the gryphon statues that were planted on either side of the library steps.

Eagle heads; lion bodies; wings tucked in against their sides; razor-sharp beaks; long, curved claws that glinted in the weak winter sun. The gryphons were some of the fiercest-looking statues at Mythos. For months, I'd found all of the statues to be sinister and creepy with their all-seeing eyes, but the gryphons had especially freaked me out since it seemed like they were always watching me, more so than any of the other statues, even the sphinxes. But ever since I'd learned that my mom had hidden the Helheim Dagger in a secret compartment in the base of one of the statues, I'd come to admire the gryphons and think of them as protectors of the entire academy-including me.

So while maybe I deserved to get doused with soda, the statue did not. Instead of hurrying up the steps before I got beaned in the head by another can, I walked over to the gryphon statue, grabbed a pack of tissues out of my messenger bag, and started wiping the sticky, orange-colored liquid off the dark gray stone.

”Sorry about all this,” I mumbled. ”It's me they're really after, not you. Because of what happened with the dagger. Because the Reaper girl used it to free Loki.”

The gryphon didn't speak to me, but it almost seemed like its eyes narrowed in thought. Okay, protector or not, that was still a little creepy.

I managed to wipe off the last of the soda. I glanced over my shoulder at the guys, who were still watching me. One of them had another can, this one unopened, which he viciously shook. He smiled at his friends, then started walking toward me, the can held out in front of him. I sighed. I knew what was coming next-Gwen getting sprayed in the face.

I thought about going inside the building, but the guy would probably just follow and unleash the soda on me as soon as he got close enough. No doubt that would happen when I was in the middle of the library and among all of Nickamedes's precious books. I weighed getting a lecture from the librarian versus getting soaked out here on the steps. I decided to get soaked. Nickamedes and I were on better terms these days, but I still didn't want to give him any reason to be upset with me. Getting soda all over his books would do it, even if it wasn't my fault. Oh, I knew he wouldn't be mad at me, given the circ.u.mstances, but a ruined book was still a ruined book. My day had already sucked. There was no need to make his as bad as mine had been.

But that didn't mean I was going down without a fight.

I knew better than to draw Vic out of my bag. If I did that, the guys would pull out their own weapons, and things would be even worse than they had been in the dining hall. So instead, I reached into my messenger bag, my fingers clutching around my own soda, the one I'd grabbed during lunch and hadn't drunk yet. If I was getting soaked, then so was the guy coming at me.

The guy reached the bottom of the library steps. He grinned at his friends, then turned and headed in my direction- A low growl ripped through the air.

The guy stopped. His head snapped left, then right, as he tried to figure out where the sound had come from. After a second, he shrugged it off as just his imagination and started up the steps again.

Once more, a low growl sounded.

The guy took a step back, suddenly uncertain. The growl kept going and going, like a rumbling train getting a little louder and a little closer with each pa.s.sing second. His friends also looked around, confused by what was happening. I was the only one who noticed that the eyes of the gryphon statue had narrowed to slits and that its angry gaze was fixed on the guy in front of me.

The guy looked at me, and I casually crossed my arms across my chest and leaned against the statue. He stared at me, and I glared right back at him.

”She's not worth it,” he finally muttered to his friends. ”Let's get out of here. I'm freezing my a.s.s off.”

Grumbling, the guys headed the opposite direction across the quad. I stood in my tough-girl pose until they were out of sight, then I sighed and slumped against the gryphon.

”Thank you for that,” I whispered.

The side of the gryphon's mouth curled up, almost like it was smiling. I patted it on the head, then turned to go inside the library.

Alexei, who'd been hanging back through all of this, finally stepped forward. He gave me a strange look, as if he couldn't believe that I was talking to a statue, but at this point, I didn't care what he thought of me.

”You can stand out here in the cold if you want, but I'm going inside the library where it's warm,” I said, walking away.

I reached the doors that led inside the library and looked over my shoulder. Alexei was following me, although he was striding up the exact center of the steps, giving the gryphon statues suspicious looks and as wide a berth as he possibly could. For the first time today, a smile pulled up my lips.

Maybe there was something to be said for creepy statues after all.

Chapter 9.

I went inside the building, walked down a hallway, and stepped through the open double doors into the main s.p.a.ce of the Library of Antiquities.

With its seven stories, the library was the largest building on campus, and it simply had the biggest and best of everything-the widest balconies, the tallest towers, the most lifelike statues. And it was just as impressive inside as it was on the outside. The main room was shaped like an enormous dome that let folks on the first floor gaze up at each one of the library's many levels. Supposedly, the curved ceiling featured amazing frescoes, images of great mythological battles, embellished with layers of gold, silver, and sparkling jewels. But I'd never been up to the top level to look for myself, and all I could see from the ground floor were shadows. Maybe it was better that way, since the statues of the G.o.ds were already staring at me.

The second floor of the library featured a balcony that boasted white marble statues of all the G.o.ds and G.o.ddesses from all the cultures of the world. Egyptian deities like Ra and Anubis. Norse G.o.ds like Odin and Thor. Native American figures like the Coyote Trickster and Rabbit. The only G.o.d who wasn't featured in the circular pantheon was Loki, and there was an empty spot where his statue would have been.

After seeing the evil G.o.d in person, I was glad there wasn't a statue of him here or anywhere else on campus. He terrorized my dreams enough already, his one red eye burning into both of mine. I already had to live with the sick knowledge of how I'd failed everyone. I didn't need to look up and see Loki's twisted face grinning down at me, another reminder of the horror I'd unleashed and the death and destruction that he and his Reapers of Chaos were planning.

Instead of going down the main aisle toward the checkout counter, I headed back into the stacks. Alexei followed me, still as silent as a shadow. I kept going until I came to a familiar, remote spot, then looked up. Nike's statue stood right above me.

The Greek G.o.ddess of victory looked the same as she always did. A toga-like gown wrapping around her body, ringlets of hair falling past her slim shoulders, wings peeking up over her back, a crown of laurels resting on her head. Every time I came into the library, I took a moment to walk back here and speak to the G.o.ddess. It seemed like the polite thing to do.

”Well, here I am in trouble again,” I murmured. ”But I'm sure you already know all about it. You always seem to know everything. Want to give me some clue as to how I can get out of this? Without being executed?”

But of course, she didn't answer me. Like the other G.o.ds, Nike only appeared to mortals on her own terms, and I was no different, despite the fact that I was her Champion. She was rather mysterious-and annoying-that way.

Then again, the G.o.ddess was probably busy trying to fix the mess I'd made by not stopping Vivian from freeing Loki. Nike had told me that there was a war coming, one we all needed to prepare for, including the G.o.ds. But how could I help her win a war when I was in danger of losing everything?

”Anyway, I'm going to go to work now. But if you want to drop by the checkout counter later, well, I'll be there, just like always,” I told the statue. ”Just don't let Nickamedes see you. He'd probably tell you that togas aren't allowed in the library or something silly like that. You know how he is.”

The statue's lips lifted up into a smile at my words. It was a small gesture, but it made me feel a little better, like Nike knew exactly what was going on and she hadn't forgotten about me. Like she was watching out for me. Like she knew that everything was going to be okay in the end.

Alexei gave me a wary look, obviously thinking I had a serious case of the cray-cray and was off my rocker for talking to yet another statue, but I ignored him and headed to the main part of the library. As soon as I stepped out of the stacks, all eyes turned to me, and the students sitting at the study tables put their heads together and started whispering. I squared my shoulders, lifted my chin, and pretended I didn't even see them, much less realize that they were talking and texting about me.

”I can't believe she actually showed her face here.”

”What is she thinking?”

”Doesn't she know that everyone hates her?”

I snorted at that last comment. Oh yeah. I knew exactly how much everyone despised me, since they'd all made it so abundantly clear all day long.

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