The way she said that made me shiver as well, but I focused on the other questions I wanted answers to.
"Why wasn't Loki there today? At the auditorium?"
"The Reapers didn't want to risk bringing him out of hiding if there was a chance that the ritual might fail-or that you might find a way to save your friends," Nike said. "I'm proud of you, Gwendolyn. You saved many lives today, and you kept Loki from gaining more power. You did well, my Champion."
I thought of the dead bodies that had been piled on the stage, and all the others who would have been hurt or killed during the battle. I didn't know that I deserved Nike's praise, but at least I'd saved Logan. Still, I knew the goddess wouldn't have come to me without a reason.
"So what happens next?" I asked. "What will the Reapers do now that the transformation ritual has failed?"
Nike looked out across the library, her eyes distant and far away. In that moment, she reminded me of Grandma Frost, having one of her visions of the future.
"Since Loki is still trapped in his own body, he and his Reapers will move on to the next part of his plan," she said. "They will go after objects that they think will help them win the coming war. Weapons, armor, and other artifacts with a variety of magic. Some with obvious power, and some without. We need to prevent that from happening, Gwendolyn."
The goddess turned her gaze to me once more. "You need to prevent that from happening."
I'd figured as much since stopping the Reapers from doing Bad, Bad Things was sort of becoming a regular gig of mine. I just hoped I was up to the task once again.
"Okay," I said. "So tell me what artifacts you want me to find and where they are."
She shook her head. "You know I can't tell you that. I can only guide you."
Yeah, yeah, the gods weren't supposed to meddle in mortal affairs, but that didn't stop them from getting their Champions to do it for them. I sighed again. I'd figured she'd say something like that, but hey, it didn't hurt to try.
"You know, we really need to find a way around you only being able to tell me certain things. There's a loophole for everything else when it comes to magic. Why not this? Because, honestly, I would love a map or a list or a picture or whatever you had in mind . . ."
My voice trailed off. Wait a second. I had seen a picture-the fresco on the ceiling-the one with all the people, weapons, and creatures on it. The one that was always cloaked with shadows, the one I'd never been able to see before.
I eyed the goddess, but she just smiled, her face calm and serene. Stupid magic loopholes. I was really starting to hate them. Still, I persisted.
"Okay, okay, I get it. At least, I think I do. But in case you've forgotten, I didn't do such a great job protecting the Helheim Dagger," I said. "I don't want to find the artifacts only to let the Reapers take them away from me like Vivian did with the dagger."
"That is always a risk," Nike replied. "And it is not just a matter of finding and protecting the artifacts. It's making sure they get into the right hands as well. In a way, that's more important than whether or not the Reapers find the artifacts first. Weapons and armor may have power, may have magic, but in the end, that is all they are-weapons and armor. It is the people and creatures who wield them and their intentions that really matter. It is their free will that makes the ultimate difference."
I sighed. There she went speaking in riddles about free will again, something Metis always talked about in myth-history class. I had free will, and I made my own choices, which was what the Reapers wanted to take away from me by enslaving us all. I got it. Really, I did. Lesson learned.
Still, all the talk about artifacts and people made me think about my friends and the items they'd picked up in the Crius Coliseum a few weeks ago.
"Is that why Daphne has Sigyn's bow?" I asked."And why Carson has the Horn of Roland? They tried to give the artifacts back to Metis, but they just keep reappearing in their dorm rooms. The bow seems pretty straightforward, but Carson doesn't have a clue what the horn does. He's played it and played it, and nothing much has happened, except for him giving Loki a headache that night at the Garm gate."
"The Celt will know what to do with the horn when the time comes, and so will the Valkyrie with the bow," Nike said. "Just as you will know what to do with the artifacts you find, who to give them to and when."
"And what about Loki?" I asked. "I'm assuming I'm still supposed to find some way to kill him. Is there an artifact for that too?"
I'd meant my words as a joke, but Nike just stared at me, her twilight gaze steady and serious.
"There is," I whispered. "There's an artifact that can actually kill Loki. What? What is it? Where is it? How can I use it to kill him? Please, you have to tell me-"
Nike arched her eyebrows and tipped up her head. I followed her gaze and realized that I could see the fresco again. A shimmer of silver caught my eye, centered on the image of, well, me. With one hand, I was holding Vic, but there was something in my other hand, something silver, something that looked like an arrow, or maybe a small spear-
I blinked, and shadows covered the ceiling once more. "But what is it? You have to tell me what that is-"
Nike held up her hand, cutting me off, and cocked her head to one side, as if she was listening to something. I didn't hear anything, but the goddess slid off the counter and turned so that she was standing in front of me.
"And now, it's time for me to go," she said. "And for you to return to your friends. Can't you feel it? They've done an excellent job of healing you."
I pressed my hand to my chest. That thin line still slashed over my heart, but I realized I no longer felt cold. I looked down and realized my whole body was glowing the same warm, rosy color as Daphne's magic, mixed with the golden tinge of Metis's healing power.
"So I'm going to make it after all?"
Nike smiled. "There was never any doubt of that, Gwendolyn. Self-sacrifice is a very powerful thing, especially if you do it of your own free will. Remember that."
The goddess leaned over and kissed me on the cheek, as was her custom whenever she said good-bye to me. As always, a wave of her power blasted over me, even stronger than before, one so cold and fierce it made my breath frost in the air between us.
"Good-bye, Gwendolyn," Nike said, stepping back, her body melting into this bright, silvery light. "Be well and brave until we meet again."
I held up my hand, trying to keep her in sight, but the light was too intense, and I had to turn away from the glare.