I wanted to believe him—I really, really did—but I had also believed that my parents were good people and that they couldn’t possibly be Reapers. And look how well that had turned out.
“It doesn’t matter,” I muttered. “I need to go.”
I started to walk past him, but Ian stepped in front of me, blocking my path.
“Wait. What about getting some hot chocolate and hanging out?”
I looked at him. The overhead lights brought out the honey-colored strands in his dark blond hair, along with his handsome features. I wavered, but then Kylie’s voice whispered in my mind.
Did she really think that just because she helped out in North Carolina, we would forget what her parents did? Or what they were? Isn’t it bad enough that we have to sit through classes with her? Does she have to come to the library too?
And those were some of the nicer things she’d said about me.
I didn’t want to be just a girl to Ian, and I definitely didn’t want to compete for him, especially not with Kylie Midas.
“I’m not hungry anymore. Besides, I should go. I still have homework to do.”
“Oh. Okay.” Disappointment flickered across his face. At least, that was what I thought it was, but the emotion vanished as quickly as it had appeared. “Well, then, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
“Yeah. See you then.”
I walked past him. Part of me hoped that Ian would call out, that he would ask me to stop, and that he would tell me he cared about me as much as I cared about him.
But he didn’t—he didn’t do any of those things.
I reached the double doors. I should have kept going, pushed through them, and left the library, but I couldn’t help but stop and look back over my shoulder.
Ian was still standing in the aisle, staring at me. He hesitated, then lifted his hand and waved good-bye. I gritted my teeth, but I lifted my hand and waved back. Then I turned and pushed through the doors, leaving him behind.
I didn’t know what was going on with Ian and Kylie, and I especially didn’t know what was going on with Ian and me, but I needed to be careful. My parents had already crushed my heart with their lies, and I didn’t want to get hurt again, especially not by the Viking, who could break my heart in a completely different but equally painful way.
Chapter Six
I trudged through a hallway, opened a door that led outside, and plodded down the library steps.
The sun had already set behind Snowline Ridge Mountain, and shadows cloaked the library, along with the other buildings on the main quad—math-science, English-history, the dining hall, and the gym. All the structures were made of dark gray boulders that had been stacked together, but the shadows made them look like pillars of black ink that were about to start oozing everywhere.
Cobblestone paths snaked across the grass, leading to the buildings and out into the landscape beyond. Tall wrought-iron lamps lined the paths, although their golden glows seemed to create more shadows than they banished. Or perhaps it was my own jumbled, troubled thoughts about Ian and Kylie, along with Covington and Serket’s Pen, that made everything seem darker and more sinister than usual.
I stared out over the quad, examining the statues that populated the area. Fenrir wolves, Nemean prowlers, and dozens of other mythological creatures perched on top of or crouched beside all the buildings.
The other kids didn’t pay any attention to the statues, but I always loved seeing the creatures. They might be frozen in place, but they were only a few seconds and a little bit of magic away from breaking free from their stone moorings and springing into action to protect the students, as they had during the battle at the North Carolina academy earlier this year.
I spotted a few Typhon chimeras among the mix of statues, but I didn’t see any Serket basilisks. Perhaps the basilisks were simply too grotesque, with their spiked rooster combs and rattlesnake tails, for anyone to want to make them into statues.
I glanced at the statues that were closest to me: two Eir gryphons that perched on the boulders on either side of the library steps. I nodded to the gryphons, the way I always did. The statues looked at me for a moment before their stone eyes slowly moved down, then back up again in sly winks. I grinned at the statues, and another thought occurred to me.
Why stare at statues when I could see the real thing?
Excitement surged through me. Still grinning, I nodded at the statues again, then set off across the quad.
A few other students moved across the quad, heading to the dining hall to grab some dinner or to the gym to get in a final bit of weapons training for the night. I glanced around, but I didn’t see Kylie anywhere. Good. I had zero desire to run into her again. For once, I got lucky, and everyone ignored me, and no cruel words or whispers chased me across the grass.
It was mid-October, but the nights were already chilly in Snowline Ridge, and I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my green leather jacket as I left the quad and walked down the hill toward the student dorms. More kids were hanging out down here, texting on their phones and moving from the girls’ to the boys’ dorms and back again, but everyone was in a hurry to meet their friends or dates, and they ignored me as well.
I left the dorms behind, walked through a stand of pine trees, and reached the stone cottage where I lived with Aunt Rachel on the outskirts of the academy. Several lights were on inside, and I could see Aunt Rachel in the kitchen, flipping burgers on a grill pan. Yum. Even better, I spotted a bowl full of chocolate chips melting on a back burner on the stove, which meant that she was probably making chocolate fondue for dessert. Double yum. My sweet tooth was as fierce as my fighting skills, and I could eat a bowl of chocolate fondue—or three.
Aunt Rachel was busy cooking, and she hadn’t set the table yet, so I still had several minutes before dinner was ready. Just enough time for what I had in mind.
Instead of going inside the cottage, I plunged back into the trees and climbed up a nearby ridge. It was even darker in the woods than it had been on the quad, but the moon and stars were shining big and bright in the night sky, providing more than enough light to see by. Besides, I had long ago memorized this steep trail. By the time I reached the top, my legs were aching, and my lungs were burning, but I didn’t mind the pain.
The view was worth it.
I broke free of the pines and stepped out into a large, flat clearing on top of the ridge. Winterblooms dotted the area, their white petals gleaming like pearls in the moon- and starlight. I picked one of the flowers, brought it up to my nose, and drew in a deep breath. The dark green heart-shaped blossom in the center had a crisp, clean scent, like flowers mixed with cold, fresh snow. The same aroma blanketed the Eir Ruins, since so many winterblooms grew there. I drew in another deep breath, then tucked the flower into my hair behind my ear.
The clearing formed a half-moon shape before giving way to a sheer, rocky cliff, and I went over to the edge and looked down. I could see the entire academy spread out in the valley below, and the building lights gleamed like golden Easter eggs nestled in the carpet of dark green grass.
“Great view,” a voice piped up.
Startled, I glanced around, wondering if Ian had followed me up here, but then I realized that Babs was the one who had spoken. The sword had been quiet ever since I’d gotten off the library elevator, and I’d almost forgotten that she was still strapped to my waist.
I unhooked her scabbard from my belt, then leaned down and propped her against a boulder so she could enjoy the scenery too.
“Really great view,” she repeated.
“Yeah. It’s one of my favorite spots on campus, along with the library roof.”
She looked at me. “The library roof, the Eir Ruins, and now this. What is it with you and high places? You must be part goat to climb up here on a regular basis.”
“Ha, ha. Very funny.” I shrugged. “I don’t know why I like high places so much. Maybe because they’re usually good hideouts from people like Kylie Mid
as.”
“I saw her flirting with Ian.” Babs winced. “I’m sorry, Rory.”
I shrugged again, trying to pretend it didn’t matter, even though we both knew it did.
“Anyway,” I said, changing the subject, “I didn’t climb all the way up here just for the view. I have something else in mind.”
I pushed up my shirtsleeve. Freya’s Bracelet dangled off my wrist, and I slid the tiny silver whistle off the chain. “Let’s see if the gryphons are out there and listening tonight.”
I brought the whistle up to my lips and gently blew on it. The whistle didn’t make a sound—at least, not one that I could hear—but I blew on it twice more. The whole time, I pictured the Eir gryphons in my mind, especially Balder, the leader, and Brono, his baby. Then I lowered the whistle and hooked it back onto my bracelet.
“And now we wait,” Babs said.
“I guess so—”
A gust of wind ruffled my hair, and two shadows swooped down from the night sky.
The gryphons were already here.
I looked up to see two Eir gryphons hovering in the air above me. Each creature had the head and strong, powerful wings of an eagle, along with a lion’s body and long tail. Their wings and fur were a beautiful bronze, and their eyes glowed the same lovely color, almost like two lanterns had been set into their faces. The moonlight bounced off their black beaks and claws, making them gleam like polished ebony and highlighting the razor-sharp points. The creatures could easily tear me to shreds, although I knew that they would never hurt me.
Balder, the full-grown male, dropped to the ground first, followed by Brono, his smaller son. I ran forward and hugged Balder’s side.
“Thank you so much for coming! I couldn’t hear the whistle, so I didn’t know if it was working.”
The gryphon huffed, indicating that I had worried for nothing, then nudged me with his wing. I grinned and started scratching his head.
Brono was a few feet away, staring at Babs with wide eyes. The baby gryphon hunkered down and slowly crept closer and closer to the sword, stalking the metal like a cat would stalk a mouse. Then he leaned forward and opened his beak, as if he were going to bite the sword—
“I am not a dandelion,” Babs said in a sharp voice. “So don’t you even think about trying to eat me.”
Brono let out a loud screech and jumped back, as though the sword’s voice had startled him. But he quickly got over his surprise, hunkered down, and peered at Babs again, even more fascinated.
I laughed, went over, and petted him as well.
The two gryphons took turns letting me pet them. Then they wandered around the clearing, using their beaks and claws to tear the flowers out of the grass before gulping down the petals and stems. I sat on the ground next to Babs and watched the creatures.
It was after seven now, and the night was steadily growing colder. A hard frost had already crept across the land, starting here in the clearing and rolling all the way down the rocky ridge and into the trees below. The tiny ice crystals stretched out as far as I could see, covering everything with their slick, silvery sheen, but I didn’t mind the chill.
Way up here on the ridge, with just Babs, the gryphons, the flowers, and frost for company, I finally felt like I could breathe again.
Even when I was having a good day, I still sometimes felt the need so slip away from everyone and be by myself for a while. Here, in the cold, dark quiet, I could think about everything that was happening. And I had plenty to think about tonight.
Serket’s Pen and the dangerous basilisks that it could summon. The Reapers, who were probably going to try to steal the artifact tomorrow at the Idun Estate. The mysterious black jewelry box in the Bunker. Covington’s sinister plans for the box. Whatever was going on with Ian and Kylie.
All those thoughts and more swirled through my mind, but way up here, high above the academy, they didn’t overwhelm me anymore, and I could put them into perspective.
The Reapers might try to steal the artifact, but my friends and I would stop them, and we would finally capture Covington and Drake. Then it wouldn’t matter what Covington wanted with the jewelry box or with me, since he would be back in prison. As for Ian and Kylie, well, I still didn’t know what to make of them, so I decided to quit thinking about it. At least for tonight.
“I told you already. I am not a dandelion.”
Babs’s voice cut into my thoughts, and I looked over to find Brono creeping up on her again. The sword opened her mouth to further admonish him, but the baby gryphon darted forward, snatched her up off the ground, and started running around the clearing with the sword clutched in his beak. He let out little screeches of pleasure the whole time, as if he thought the two of them were playing a game and he was totally winning.
“Put me down!” Babs yelled. “You’re slobbering all over me!”
Brono screeched again and ran even faster. Balder let out a loud snort, as if he were laughing at his son’s antics. Yeah, me too.
I sat and watched Brono, smiling and laughing right alongside Balder. The gryphons, the view, even Babs’s annoyed shouts. I soaked it all up, determined to enjoy this happy moment and make another good memory to help drown out all the bad ones in my heart.
Chapter Seven
Eventually, Brono grew tired of his game and set Babs down. I petted the gryphons again, thanked them for answering the whistle’s call, and said my good-byes. They bowed their heads to me, then flapped their wings and shot up into the sky to fly back to their home near the Eir Ruins.
I grabbed Babs from where Brono had dropped her and hooked her scabbard to my belt.
“Ugh!” she said. “Brono slobbered all over me! What does he think I am? A bloody chew toy? I have never felt so disgusting in all my life…”
The sword continued her rant. I hid a grin and walked down the ridge and back to the cottage.
By the time I got Babs cleaned up, Aunt Rachel had finished making dinner, and the two of us sat down in the kitchen to eat. She had made classic bacon cheeseburgers with all the fixings, along with Parmesan-crusted french fries and honey-mustard dipping sauce. It was one of my favorite meals, and I wolfed down my burger and fries, along with some raspberry tea.
For dessert, Aunt Rachel had whipped up some chocolate fondue, just as I’d thought, and she set out a tray of fresh strawberries, oversize marshmallows, and slices of her homemade butter pound cake to dip into the warm, melted chocolate. Yum. So good. Dessert always made everything better, and the chocolate fondue was the perfect end to a not-so-perfect day.
I helped Aunt Rachel wash the dishes, took a shower, finished my homework, and went to bed.
My alarm went off way too early the next morning, but I groaned, crawled out of bed, and got ready. I put on my usual black jeans and boots, along with a long-sleeve green T-shirt and my green leather jacket. My silver bracelet with its three charms hung off my wrist, and Babs’s scabbard was hooked to my belt.
I brushed my black hair and dabbed some raspberry balm on my lips. Then I grabbed my bag, made sure I had my notebooks, pens, and other school supplies, and headed into the kitchen.
Aunt Rachel was waiting by the front door with a brown paper bag in her hand and a worried look on her face. She had to work in the dining hall, so she wasn’t going to the Idun Estate with the rest of the Midgard.
“I made some cranberry-almond granola bars in case you get hungry before lunch,” she said.
I took the bag from her. “Thanks.”
Aunt Rachel nodded, then opened her mouth like she was going to say something, maybe even ask me not to go to the estate. But she had promised me a few weeks ago that she would support my being on the Midgard, so in the end, she just wrapped me up in a tight hug.
“Be careful,” she whispered.
I hugged her back. “Always.”
We broke apart. Aunt Rachel smiled, but worry still pinched her face. Her worry matched my own, but I forced myself to smile back at her. Then I hugged her again and left
the cottage.
As I walked across campus, I ate one of the granola bars. Crispy golden oats, tart cranberries, and crunchy toasted almonds, all covered with a sticky-sweet honey glaze. It was so good that I downed another one. I could have polished off the other two, but I forced myself to slide them into my bag for later.
I fell in with the students streaming out of their dorms and climbing the hill to the main quad. I stopped at the edge of the quad and glanced around to make sure no one was watching me. Then I drew a small piece of plastic out of my jeans pocket and slid it into my ear.
“Can you hear me? Where are you guys?” I asked in a low voice.
A Roman walking by gave me a strange look and quickly hurried on, thinking that I was talking to myself. I might be paranoid about the other kids secretly being Reapers, but I didn’t talk to people who weren’t there. Wearing an earbud was standard protocol on Midgard missions so my friends and I could hear and talk to one another.
A second later, Zoe’s voice sounded in my earbud. “Mateo and I are in the middle of the quad, enjoying our breakfast and watching everyone get ready for the trip.”
I spotted my friends sitting on one of the iron benches that dotted the grass. Zoe was holding a cup of coffee, while Mateo was pulling glazed doughnuts out of a bag and stuffing them into his mouth as fast as his Roman speed would let him.
Our plan was simple. Ian and I would go on the field trip with the other students to the Idun Estate as planned. Takeda had gotten Zoe and Mateo excused from their classes, and the three of them would drive over there and meet up with the Protectorate guards who had been watching over the mansion for the past few weeks. Mateo would access the estate’s security system, and everyone would be on high alert. The second Covington and Drake showed up on the security cameras, the Protectorate guards would move in, isolate the Reapers, and capture them.
I nodded at my friends. Zoe nodded back, while Mateo waved a doughnut at me. Then I headed toward the English-history building.
Spartan Promise Page 6