Crimson Frost Part 24

The more I looked at the drawing, the more certain I felt about things. Somehow, I knew that when I found these mysterious artifacts, I'd find Logan too. After that, well, I didn't know what would happen, only that I wanted to see him again as soon as possible.

"Get ready, Spartan," I whispered. "Because I'll be seeing you soon."

I picked up my pencil and started drawing again.

BEYOND THE STORY.

Gwen's letter to Logan

Dear Spartan,

You have nothing to apologize for-nothing at all.

It wasn't your fault that the Reapers performed all that evil magic mumbo jumbo on you. That they'd secretly been targeting you for years. And most of all, it wasn't your fault that the Reapers killed your mom and sister to try and get to you.

I know you, Spartan. I know you think that if only you'd been braver or stronger or smarter, none of this would have happened. That your mom and sister would still be alive.That things wouldn't have been so bad with your dad all these years.

That you wouldn't have hurt me.

But don't you dare blame yourself for any of it-not one thing.

What the Reapers did to you was horrible-so horrible it makes my heart hurt just to think about it. I saw it all as soon as I touched the letter you sent me. I know how you fought against the magic. How you fought against Loki. How you even tried to turn your sword on yourself to keep from hurting me.

No one could have been braver or stronger or fought harder than you did-no one.

I understand why you left, but it hurts all the same. I miss you, Spartan. I miss your laugh, your smile, even you teasing me. But most of all, I miss how you give me hope that we'll actually win this terrible war after all.

I was afraid of what I could do to you with my touch magic. Now, you're afraid of what you could do to me with your fighting skills-especially if you're still somehow connected to Loki.

Well, I say it's time that we both quit being afraid.

The Reapers are always going to be plotting against us. They're always going to try to hurt us, kill us. But as long as we stick together, we can handle anything they throw at us. But if we let them keep us apart now, then they've already won half the battle.

You are Logan freaking Quinn.

The best fighter at Mythos Academy.

The guy who can take my breath away just by smiling.

So quit feeling sorry for yourself and get back in the fight. Spartans never give up. I learned that from the best of them because I learned that from you.

You promised me that you would always be there for me. I'm going to hold you to that, Spartan. Come back to Mythos. Come back to me.

Please-because I can't do this without you.

Love,

Gwen

Mythos Academy Warriors and Their Magic The students at Mythos Academy are the descendants of ancient warriors, and they are at the academy to learn how to fight and use weapons, along with whatever magic or other skills that they might have. Here's a little more about the warrior whiz kids, as Gwen calls them: Amazons and Valkyries: Most of the girls at Mythos are either Amazons or Valkyries. Amazons are gifted with supernatural quickness. In gym cla.s.s during mock fights, they look like blurs more than anything else. Valkyries are incredibly strong. Also, bright, colorful sparks of magic can often be seen shooting out of Valkyries' fingertips.

Romans and Vikings: Most of the guys at Mythos Academy are either Romans or Vikings. Romans are superquick, just like Amazons, while Vikings are superstrong, just like Valkyries.

Siblings: Brothers and sisters born to the same parents will have similar abilities and magic, but they're sometimes cla.s.sified as different types of warriors. For example, if the girls in a family are Amazons, then the boys will be Romans. If the girls in a family are Valkyries, then the boys will be Vikings.

However, in other families, brothers and sisters are considered to be the same kind of warriors, like those born to Spartan, Samurai, or Ninja parents. The boys and girls are both called Spartans, Samurais, or Ninjas.

More Magic: As if being superstrong or superquick wasn't good enough, the students at Mythos Academy also have other types of magic. They can do everything from heal injuries to control the weather to form fireb.a.l.l.s with their bare hands. Many of the students have enhanced senses as well. The powers vary from student to student, but as a general rule, everyone is dangerous and deadly in their own special way.

Spartans: Spartans are among the rarest of the warrior whiz kids, and there are only a few at Mythos Academy. But Spartans are the most dangerous and deadliest of all the warriors because they have the ability to pick up any weapon-or any thing-and automatically know how to use and even kill someone with it. Even Reapers of Chaos are afraid to battle Spartans in a fair fight. But then again, Reapers rarely fight fair. . . .

Gypsies: Gypsies are just as rare as Spartans. Gypsies are those who have been gifted with magic by the G.o.ds. But not all Gypsies are good. Some are just as evil as the G.o.ds they serve. Gwen is a Gypsy who is gifted with psychometry magic, or the ability to know, see, and feel an object's history just by touching it. Gwen's magic comes from Nike, the Greek G.o.ddess of victory.

Bogatyrs: Bogatyrs are Russian warriors. They are exceptionally fast, and most of them use two weapons at once, one in either hand. Bogatyrs train themselves to always keep moving, to always keep fighting, which gives them great endurance. The longer a fight goes, the more likely they are to win, because they will still be going strong as their enemies slowly weaken.

Want to know more about Mythos Academy? Read on and take a tour of the campus.

The heart of Mythos Academy is made up of five buildings that are cl.u.s.tered together like the loose points of a star on the upper quad. They are the Library of Antiquities, the gym, the dining hall, the English-history building, and the math-science building.

The Library of Antiquities: The library is the largest building on campus. In addition to books, the library also houses artifacts-weapons, jewelry, clothes, armor, and more-that were once used by ancient warriors, G.o.ds, G.o.ddesses, and mythological creatures. Some of the artifacts have a lot of power, and the Reapers of Chaos would love to get their hands on this stuff to use it for Bad, Bad Things.

The Gym: The gym is the second largest building at Mythos. In addition to a pool, basketball court, and training areas, the gym also features racks of weapons, including swords, staffs, and more, that the students use during mock fights. At Mythos, gym cla.s.s is really weapons training, and students are graded on how well they can fight-something that Gwen thinks she's not very good at.

The Dining Hall: The dining hall is the third largest building at Mythos. With its white linens, fancy china, and open-air indoor garden, the dining hall looks more like a five-star restaurant than a student cafeteria. The dining hall is famous for all the fancy, froufrou foods that it serves on a daily basis, like liver, veal, and escargot. Yucko, as Gwen would say.

The English-History Building: Students attend English, myth-history, geography, art, and other cla.s.ses in this building. Professor Metis's office is also in this building.

The Math-Science Building: Students attend math, science, and other cla.s.ses in this building. But there are more than just cla.s.srooms here. This building also features a morgue and a prison deep underground. Creepy, huh?

The Student Dorms: The student dorms are located down the hill from the upper quad, along with several other smaller outbuildings. Guys and girls live in separate dorms, although that doesn't keep them from hooking up on a regular basis.

The Statues: Statues of mythological creatures-like gryphons and gargoyles-can be found on all the academy buildings, although the library has the most statues. Gwen thinks that the statues are all super creepy, especially since they always seem to be watching her. . . .

Who's Who at Mythos Academy-The Students Gwen (Gwendolyn) Frost: Gwen is a Gypsy girl with the gift of psychometry magic, or the ability to know an object's history just by touching it. Gwen's a little dark and twisted in that she likes her magic and the fact that it lets her know other people's secrets-no matter how hard they try to hide them. She also has a major sweet tooth, loves to read comic books, and wears jeans, T-shirts, hoodies, and sneakers almost everywhere she goes.

Daphne Cruz: Daphne is a Valkyrie and a renowned archer. She also has some wicked computer skills and loves designer clothes and expensive purses. Daphne is rather obsessed with the color pink. She wears it more often than not, and her entire dorm room is done in various shades of pink.

Logan Quinn: This seriously cute and seriously deadly Spartan is the best fighter at Mythos Academy-and someone who Gwen just can't stop thinking about. But Logan has a secret that he doesn't want anyone to know-especially not Gwen.

Carson Callahan: Carson is the head of the Mythos Academy Marching Band. He's a Celt and rumored to have come from a long line of warrior bards. He's quiet, shy, and one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet, but Carson can be as tough as nails when he needs to be.

Oliver Hector: Oliver is a Spartan who is friends with Logan and Kenzie and helps with Gwen's weapons training. He's also one of Gwen's friends now too, because of what happened during the Winter Carnival.

Kenzie Tanaka: Kenzie is a Spartan who is friends with Logan and Oliver. He also helps with Gwen's weapons training and is currently dating Talia.

Savannah Warren: Savannah is an Amazon who was dating Logan-at least before the Winter Carnival. Now, the two of them have broken up, something Savannah isn't very happy about-and something that she blames Gwen for.

Talia Pizarro: Talia is an Amazon and one of Savannah's best friends. Talia has gym cla.s.s with Gwen, and the two of them often spar during the mock fights. She is currently dating Kenzie.

Helena Paxton: Helena is an Amazon who seems to be positioning herself as the new mean girl queen of the academy, or at least of Gwen's second-year cla.s.s.

Morgan McDougall: Morgan is a Valkyrie. She used to be one of the most popular girls at the academy-before her best friend, Jasmine Ashton, tried to sacrifice her to Loki one night in the Library of Antiquities. These days, though, Morgan tends to keep to herself, although it seems she's becoming friends with Savannah and Talia.

Jasmine Ashton: Jasmine was a Valkyrie and the most popular girl in the second-year cla.s.s at Mythos Academy-until she tried to sacrifice Morgan to Loki. Gwen battled Jasmine in the Library of Antiquities and managed to keep her from sacrificing Morgan, although Logan was the one who actually killed Jasmine. But before she died, Jasmine told Gwen that her whole family are Reapers-and that there are many Reapers at Mythos Academy....

Preston Ashton: Preston is Jasmine's older brother, who blamed Gwen for his sister's death. Preston tried to kill Gwen during the Winter Carnival weekend at the Powder ski resort, although Gwen, Logan, and Vic eventually got the best of the Reaper. After that, Preston was locked up in the academy's prison.

Alexei Sokolov: Alexei is a third-year Russian student who most recently attended the London branch of Mythos Academy. He's a Bogatyr warrior who is training to become a member of the Protectorate. Alexei has met some of Gwen's friends before, including Daphne, Logan, and Oliver.

Who's Who at Mythos Academy and Beyond-The Adults Coach Ajax: Ajax is the head of the athletic department at the academy and is responsible for training all the kids at Mythos and turning them into fighters. Logan Quinn and his Spartan friends are among Ajax's prize students.

Geraldine (Grandma) Frost: Geraldine is Gwen's grandma and a Gypsy with the power to see the future. Grandma Frost makes her living as a fortune-teller in a town not too far away from Cypress Mountain. A couple of times a week, Gwen sneaks off the Mythos Academy campus to see her grandma and enjoy the sweet treats that Grandma Frost is always baking.

Grace Frost: Grace was Gwen's mom and a Gypsy who had the power to know if people were telling the truth or not just by listening to their words. At first, Gwen thought her mom had been killed in a car accident by a drunk driver. But thanks to Preston Ashton, Gwen knows that Grace was actually murdered by the Reaper girl who is Loki's Champion. Gwen's determined to find the Reaper girl and get her revenge-no matter what.

Nickamedes: Nickamedes is the head librarian at the Library of Antiquities. Nickamedes loves the books and the artifacts in the library more than anything else, and he doesn't seem to like Gwen at all. In fact, he often goes out of his way to make more work for her whenever Gwen is working after school in the library. Nickamedes is also Logan's uncle, although the uptight librarian is nothing like his easygoing nephew. At least, Gwen doesn't think so.

Professor Aurora Metis: Metis is a myth-history professor who teaches students all about the Reapers of Chaos, Loki, and the ancient Chaos War. She was also best friends with Gwen's mom, Grace, back when the two of them went to Mythos. Metis is the Champion of Athena, the Greek G.o.ddess of wisdom, and she's become Gwen's mentor at the academy.

Raven: Raven is the old woman who mans the coffee cart in the Library of Antiquities. Gwen has also seen her in the academy prison, which seems to be another one of Raven's odd jobs around campus. There's definitely more to Raven than meets the eye....

The Powers That Were: A board made up of various members of the Pantheon who oversee all aspects of Mythos Academy, from approving the dining hall menus to disciplining students. Gwen's never met any of the board members that she's aware of, and she doesn't know exactly who they are, but that could change-sooner than she thinks.

Vic: Vic is the talking sword that Nike gave to Gwen to use as her personal weapon. Instead of a regular hilt, a man's face is inlaid into Vic's hilt. Gwen doesn't know too much about Vic, except that he's really, really bloodthirsty and wants to kill Reapers more than anything else.

Linus Quinn: Linus is Logan's dad and the head of the Protectorate. He is also a Spartan and has always pushed Logan to be the best warrior he can be. However, Linus and Logan's relationship is often strained, due in part to the murder of Logan's mom and sister. Linus feels that Logan should have done more to protect his mom and sister that terrible day, which adds to Logan's guilt that he survived the Reapers' attack.

Agrona Quinn: Agrona is Logan's stepmom and a member of the Protectorate. She is also an Amazon.

Sergei Sokolov: Sergei is Alexei's dad and a member of the Protectorate. He is also a Bogatyr.

Inari Sato: Inari is member of the Protectorate. He is also a Ninja.

Who's Who at Mythos Academy-The G.o.ds, Monsters, and More Artifacts: Artifacts are weapons, jewelry, clothing, and armor that were worn or used by various warriors, G.o.ds, G.o.ddesses, and mythological creatures over the years. There are Thirteen Artifacts that are rumored to be the most powerful, although people disagree about which artifacts they are and how they were used during the Chaos War. The members of the Pantheon protect the various artifacts from the Reapers, who want to use the artifacts and their power to free Loki from his prison. Many of the artifacts are housed in the Library of Antiquities.

Black rocs: These creatures look like ravens-only much, much bigger. They have shiny black feathers shot through with glossy streaks of red, long, sharp, curved talons, and black eyes with a red spark burning deep down inside them. Rocs are capable of picking up people and carrying them off-before they rip them to shreds.

Champions: Every G.o.d and G.o.ddess has a Champion, someone that they choose to work on their behalf in the mortal realm. Champions have various powers and weapons and can be good or bad, depending on the G.o.d they serve. Gwen is Nike's Champion, just like her mom and grandma were before her.

The Chaos War: Long ago, Loki and his followers tried to enslave everyone and everything, and the whole world was plunged into the Chaos War. It was a dark, b.l.o.o.d.y time that almost resulted in the end of the world. The Reapers want to free Loki, so the G.o.d can lead them in another Chaos War. You can see why that would be a Bad, Bad Thing.

Fenrir wolves: These creatures look like wolves-only much, much bigger. They have ash gray fur, razor-sharp talons, and burning red eyes. Reapers use them to watch, hunt, and kill members of the Pantheon. Think of Fenrir wolves as puppy-dog a.s.sa.s.sins.

Loki: Loki is the Norse G.o.d of chaos. Once upon a time, Loki caused the death of another G.o.d and was imprisoned for it. But Loki eventually escaped from his prison and started recruiting other G.o.ds, G.o.ddesses, humans, and creatures to join forces with him. He called his followers the Reapers of Chaos, and they tried to take over the world. However, Loki and his followers were eventually defeated, and Loki was imprisoned for a second time. To this day, Loki seeks to escape from his prison and plunge the world into a second Chaos War. He's the ultimate bad guy.

Mythos Academy: The academy is located in Cypress Mountain, North Carolina, which is a ritzy suburb high in the mountains above the city of Asheville. The academy is a boarding school/college for warrior whiz kids-the descendants of ancient warriors, like Spartans, Valkyries, Amazons, and more. The kids at Mythos range in age from first-year students (age sixteen) to sixth-year students (age twenty-one). The kids go to Mythos to learn how to use whatever magic and skills they possess to fight against Loki and his Reapers. There are other branches of the academy located throughout the world.

Nemean prowlers: These creatures look like panthers-only much, much bigger. They have black fur tinged with red, razor-sharp claws, and burning red eyes. Reapers use them to watch, hunt, and kill members of the Pantheon. Think of Nemean prowlers as kitty-cat a.s.sa.s.sins.

Nike: Nike is the Greek G.o.ddess of victory. The G.o.ddess was the one who defeated Loki in one-on-one combat during the final battle of the Chaos War. Ever since then, Nike and her Champions have fought the Reapers of Chaos, trying to keep them from freeing Loki from his prison. She's the ultimate good guy.

The Pantheon: The Pantheon is made up of G.o.ds, G.o.ddesses, humans, and creatures who have banded together to fight Loki and his Reapers of Chaos. The members of the Pantheon are the good guys.

Reapers of Chaos: A Reaper is any G.o.d, G.o.ddess, human, or creature who serves Loki and wants to free the evil G.o.d from his prison. Reapers are known to sacrifice people to Loki in hopes of weakening his prison, so he can one day break free and return to the mortal realm. The scary thing is that Reapers can be anyone at Mythos Academy and beyond-parents, teachers, even fellow students. Reapers are the bad guys.

Sigyn: Sigyn is the Norse G.o.ddess of devotion. She is also Loki's wife. The first time Loki was imprisoned, he was chained up underneath a giant snake that dripped venom onto his once-handsome face. Sigyn spent many years holding an artifact called the Bowl of Tears up over Loki's head to catch as much of the venom as possible. But when the bowl was full, Sigyn would have to empty it, which let venom drop freely onto Loki's face, causing him great pain. Eventually, Loki tricked Sigyn into releasing him, and before long, the evil G.o.d plunged the world into the long, b.l.o.o.d.y Chaos War. No one knows what happened to Sigyn after that....

Maat asp: A Maat asp is a small snake with shimmering blue and black scales. It is named after Maat, the Egyptian G.o.ddess of truth. The Protectorate uses the asp to question Reapers, since the snake can tell whether or not people are telling the truth. The asp's venom can be poisonous-even deadly-to those who lie.

The Protectorate: The Protectorate is basically the police force of the mythological world. Among other duties, members of the Protectorate track down Reapers, put them on trial for their crimes, and make sure that the Reapers end up in prison where they belong.

What's the next Bad, Bad Thing

Gwen and her friends at Mythos

will have to face?

Turn the page for a sneak peek at