“That’s the winterbloom I picked for you at the Eir Ruins. I found it in my pocket the next day. It seemed like it was still alive, so I put it in this pot. I’ve been watering it for the past few days, and I think it’s going to make it.” Ian cleared his throat again. “You told me how pretty you thought the winterbloom was, so I’d like you to have it.”
Emotion clogged my throat at his thoughtfulness, and I reached out and stroked one of the soft white petals. The single blossom was one of the most beautiful things I’d ever seen, and I knew I would keep it forever. In a way, it was even more precious than the winterbloom charm Sigyn had given me.
“Thank you,” I rasped. “Thank you so much for this. For everything.”
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing—it’s amazing.”
And it truly, truly was. I smiled at Ian, trying to let him see how much this meant to me, how much he meant to me. An answering smile spread across his face, and the emotion in his gray gaze took my breath away. He stepped closer to me, and once again, I found myself swaying closer to him. And closer…and closer…
Brono snorted, upset that we’d stopped petting him, and wormed his way between Ian and me. But I didn’t mind—too much. I had a feeling there would be other nights, other moments, just like this one.
Ian and I looked at each other, laughed, and started scratching the gryphon’s head. And we stayed there on the roof, petting the gryphon and enjoying the quiet of each other’s company, for a long, long time.
*
Despite my new healing magic, the fight with the chimeras had taken a lot out of me, and I slept most of the next day, between hanging out with Gwen and Zoe. Monday morning rolled around all too soon, and I begrudgingly got up, took a shower, and got dressed for school.
By the time I stumbled into the kitchen, Aunt Rachel and Gwen had already eaten, but they sat with me while I inhaled two plates of peach waffles and hash browns, along with loads of bacon. Once again, we talked about everything that had happened at the museum, but none of us had any new ideas about how to open the jewelry box, what was inside it, or why Covington wanted it so badly.
“Takeda texted me,” Aunt Rachel said. “He’d like the two of us to meet with him and the others in the library this afternoon after classes.”
I nodded. Now that Team Midgard had foiled the Reapers’ plot to steal the box, Takeda and the others would be going back to the New York academy like they’d planned. The thought made me sadder than I’d thought possible.
Gwen got to her feet, picked up her gray messenger bag from the floor, and slung it over her shoulder. “I should be going too. Walk me out, Rory?”
Gwen hugged Aunt Rachel good-bye. Then the two of us stepped out onto the front porch. Gwen looked out over the rolling hills, the thickets of pine trees, and the mountain towering above it all. A strange look filled her eyes, as though she were seeing something that was very far away. I wondered what she was thinking about, but I didn’t want to be rude and ask.
Finally, she turned to me. “I’m going back to the North Carolina academy.”
I’d expected that, but I still tried to talk her out of it. “So soon? Why? You just got here.”
“There’s still a lot of work to be done cleaning up campus,” she said. “And now that we know that Covington and his Reapers are targeting artifacts, I’m sure that Nickamedes will want to increase security at our Library of Antiquities. Just in case the Reapers decide to strike there again and try to steal more artifacts.”
I hesitated. “But I thought you might stick around here for a while.”
Gwen smiled at me, understanding flashing in her eyes. “I’ve done my part to stop Loki and the Reapers. I’m ready for a little peace and quiet. But more important, Covington is your enemy, Rory, and this is your fight now. Sigyn picked you to be her Champion because she believes in you, and I do too. You’re the best warrior for this battle, and I think you know that, deep down inside.”
She was right. I did know that deep down inside. But I was so used to living in the shadow of Gwen Frost, legendary Gypsy girl and warrior supreme, even when she wasn’t around, that I wasn’t quite sure how to step out into the light. But I knew I would find my way. I’d come this far, and I was eager for the next step—artifacts, Reapers, battles, and all.
“Thank you,” I said. “For believing in me.”
I held my arms open. Gwen stepped into my embrace, and we hugged for several long moments before breaking apart.
Vic’s violet eye snapped open, and he let out a wide yawn from his scabbard on Gwen’s belt. “Well, I, for one, am glad all that mushy nonsense is over with. Besides, we need to go home and check on the fuzzball. I bet she’s chewed up all of your sneakers by now for being left behind.”
I laughed, knowing he was referring to Nyx, the Fenrir wolf pup Gwen was taking care of.
But Babs wasn’t to be outdone. Her scabbard was attached to my belt, and her emerald-green eye snapped open as well.
“Oh, sure,” she told Vic. “Run away when things are getting interesting, and leave me to fight the Reapers all by myself.”
Vic glared at her. “I’ve killed more Reapers than you’ve ever dreamed of, you cursed bit of metal.”
Babs’s eye narrowed. “I most certainly am not cursed. At least, not anymore. You take that back, you tarnished piece of tin!”
And so it began, with the two swords trading insults, each claiming that they were the best weapon ever and had killed far more Reapers than the other sword could ever hope to.
Gwen and I looked at each other and laughed.
With all the craziness of Mythos Academy, it was comforting to know that some things—especially talking swords—would never, ever change.
Chapter Thirty
Gwen left to take a cab to the airport, while I went back inside the cottage, grabbed my messenger bag, and headed off to my first class of the morning.
I walked across the main quad, listening to the conversations around me. Of course, all the other kids were talking about the Fall Costume Ball, who had brought whom, who had hooked up, and who had broken up. A few of them mentioned seeing several guys in vampire and skeleton costumes running around the museum, but they’d thought those guys were just goofing off. Once again, the Protectorate had managed to keep everything quiet. As far as the other kids knew, nothing important had happened at the ball besides the usual teenage angst and drama. That was probably for the best.
I slogged through my morning classes and headed to the dining hall for lunch, but Zoe, Mateo, and Ian never came in to get something to eat. They were all probably in their dorm rooms, busy packing up their things to head back to the New York academy.