"I know," I said. "How are you? How do you feel about your magic? You could have told me, you know, that you were freaking out about being a healer. I would have listened."
"I know you would have listened," Daphne said in a low voice. "I just-I wanted someone to blame, you know? I wanted it to be someone's fault that my magic didn't turn out like I thought it would. That it's this instead."
The Valkyrie held up her hand and that rosy glow coated her palm again. I leaned over and touched my fingers to hers. Once again, I felt the healing power emanating from her.
I thought about what Metis had said about my own magic, about how I could maybe use my psychometry to tap into other people's powers. I don't know exactly how, but I reached out and gave a little yank with my mind, and I felt the tiniest bit of Daphne's magic pour into me.
It wasn't just that the Valkyrie's magic healed a person's body. There was also a soothing quality to it, which reminded me of the feeling I got whenever I was around Metis. Vic always claimed the professor's lectures put him to sleep, but to me, they were just calming. Even when Metis was talking about Reapers, Loki, and other horrible things, they seemed distant and far away. I got the same sort of soothing feeling from Daphne's magic. It was kind of funny, since the Valkyrie could be so quick to anger-
"Gwen?" Daphne asked, the glow on her palm dimming. "What are you doing?"
I dropped my fingers from hers, and the feel of her magic vanished. "Nothing. Just-nothing."
I didn't feel like explaining things to her, not when I was still trying to figure them out for myself. The Valkyrie closed her hand into a tight fist, and the rosy glow disappeared in a shower of pink sparks. The tiny flickers of magic cracked and hissed before slowly winking out one by one.
"I don't like it, but I guess I'm stuck with it," Daphne said, shaking her head. "Me, a healer? Can you imagine it?"
I could, maybe more than my friend realized. There was so much strength in her, so much goodness. Now, she had a way to share her power with others. "I think your magic is amazing, and I'm sure you're going to do amazing things with it."
Daphne stared at me, her lips splitting into a wide grin. We didn't say anything for a few moments. Finally, the Valkyrie cleared her throat.
"Anyway, I'm sorry that I've been such a total bitch this week," she said. "It was just Carson's getting stabbed and my magic's quickening and everything. It made me a little cranky."
I'd say cranky was an understatement, but I let it slide. I'd been so wrapped up in my own problems that I hadn't exactly been the greatest friend, either. "That's okay. That's what best friends are for, right? So we can be cranky together."
Daphne gave me another grin, then playfully punched me in the shoulder, her Valkyrie strength almost making me fall off the bleacher. We both started laughing, and just like that, everything was right between us again.
We were still talking and joking around when the door to the gym opened-and Logan stepped inside.
Chapter 19
Logan strode toward me, and my heart rose up in my chest. By now, the Spartan was sure to have heard what had happened with my grandma, Preston, and the Reaper girl. I hoped he, well, I didn't know exactly what I hoped. I was just glad he was here.
I got to my feet and started to smile at the Spartan-until I realized that he was trailed once more by his first-year student entourage. The kids, including several more girls than before, hurried after the Spartan, like groupie fans trailing after a rock star. I rolled my eyes.
Logan said something to one of the first-year guys, who herded everyone else over to the bleachers so they could watch us practice. Only I didn't know if we were even training today. I hung back, holding Vic, and waited for Logan to make the first move.
"Hey," the Spartan called out, going over and grabbing a sword from one of the racks of weapons.
"Hey," I said, playing it cool.
On the bleachers behind me, Daphne let out a loud snort. "Oh, just go ahead and kiss and make up already," the Valkyrie said. "You know you both want to."
I would have liked nothing better. But we couldn't kiss-not without my flashing on Logan and learning the rest of his secret. Finding out what he was so afraid to tell me, the deep, dark thing he thought would change my feelings for him. I could see the same thought filling the Spartan's eyes. That, yeah, maybe he would have liked to kiss me, but he didn't want to give up his secret just to touch me. It hurt, knowing his secret was more important to him than I was. It hurt more than I ever could have imagined it would.
Tears pricked my eyes, but I blinked them back. Once again, my Gypsy gift was what was keeping us apart. I'd always loved my magic and the secrets it revealed to me, but for the first time, I wondered what it would be like not to have it. To be able to just let go and not worry about whom I was touching and what I might see. To just step into Logan's arms without any kind of fear of learning that he didn't care about me as much as I did him or the secrets he just didn't want to share.
The Spartan swung his sword from side to side, getting a feel for the weapon as he walked over to my position in the center of one of the mats. Logan stopped in front of me. Even now, when I knew how angry he was at me, my heart thudded at the sight of him. Black hair, blue eyes, strong body. All that was missing was his usual teasing grin.
I smiled at him, hoping he'd smile back and I'd know that everything was going to be all right between us. Instead, Logan's eyes were ice-cold as he raised his sword and lightly kissed the blade against my weapon.
"Ready, Gypsy girl?" he asked in a neutral voice.
My heart quivered with pain, but I nodded and tightened my grip on Vic.
For the next hour, we sparred, with Logan mock killing me again and again. Too bad the deadly Spartan couldn't put a dagger in my feelings for him as well.
Logan left the gym as soon as we finished training, followed by his entourage. I stood in front of the bleachers and watched him push through one of the doors. The Spartan didn't look back at me-not even once.
"Don't worry, Gwen," Oliver said as he packed up his things. "He'll come around. You'll see."
I thought of the coldness in Logan's eyes this morning and the things he'd said to me the other night. I didn't think there was anything I could do or say to Logan to make him forgive me. Not this time.
"Gwen?" Oliver said.
"Yeah, I'm sure you're right. Logan will come around sooner or later." I forced myself to smile at my friend, even though the lie burned my tongue like acid.
The rest of the day passed by like it always did. Classes, lectures, homework assignments, the usual froufrou food in the dining hall. Finally, the last bell rang after myth-history class. Metis glanced in my direction like she wanted to come over and make sure I was doing okay, but I didn't have time for the professor today. I had a hunch that I wanted to check out-and unfortunately, Daphne insisted on going with me.