After a moment, I forced myself to take another step back, putting even more space between us.
Linus straightened up to his full height. "And we have one more piece of business to attend to before I leave, Miss Frost. Given what happened at the auditorium, I and the other members of the Protectorate have agreed that you are indeed a target for Vivian, Agrona, and the other Reapers. We've decided to assign you a personal guard to help you deal with any . . . threats that might come your way here at the academy."
"I don't need a guard," I said in a dull voice. "The Reapers weren't even after me this time. Not really. They wanted Logan. I was just collateral damage."
"Well, think of me as a friend then," a soft voice called out.
My head snapped around, and Alexei was there, his backpack at his feet, leaning against the wall of the glass office complex like usual. Once again, I hadn't heard him come up behind me.
Linus cleared his throat. "If it's all right with you, Miss Frost, Alexei has decided to stay at Mythos Academy. Along with attending his third-year classes, he'll also be watching over and helping you in any way you need, whenever and however you need it. With the full authority of the Protectorate behind him."
The Bogatyr gave me a shy smile, which I returned. I hadn't seen much of him since the fight in the auditorium, but I was glad he was staying at the academy. Alexei was right. I had come to think of him as a friend, Morgan too, and I knew I was going to need all the friends and allies I could get in the coming days.
"Good-bye, Miss Frost," Linus said, staring at me. "Until we meet again."
I nodded. "Actually, before you go, could I ask you to do something for me?"
"And what would what be?"
I reached into my jeans pocket and pulled out a small purple envelope. "This is for Logan. It's a letter telling him that I understand . . . and that I forgive him-for everything."
Last night, after I'd finished crying in my bedroom, I'd grabbed a pen and a piece of paper, and I'd written down everything I was feeling. I'd poured my heart out in the letter, asking Logan to come back to the academy-to come back to me. I didn't know if reading it would make a difference to the Spartan, but I wanted him to have it all the same.
Linus took the envelope, careful not to let his fingers brush mine. "I'll make sure that he gets it."
"Thank you," I whispered.
He nodded at me and left the library. Once he was gone, I turned to Alexei.
"So you're my bodyguard now, huh?" I asked.
He nodded. "I am. From what I've seen these past few days, I have my work cut out for me. Are things always this dangerous around you?"
I arched an eyebrow. "Why, Alexei, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were actually making a joke."
His smile widened. "Just a little one."
Alexei bent over and rummaged through his backpack. "Besides, I need to give these back to Nickamedes. I've been meaning to return them ever since the Reaper attack in the library."
He straightened up, and I realized he was holding weapons-two swords sheathed together in one scabbard. The swords were fairly plain, with a slight curve to the blades, but a symbol had been etched into each one of the blades-a man holding two swords that were crossed over his chest. I hadn't paid much attention to the weapons Alexei had been using the last few days, but I recognized them now.
"The Swords of Ruslan," I whispered.
Alexei gave me a strange look. "How do you know that?"
"There was an ID card in the artifact case the swords were in," I said. "I saw it the night I grabbed them."
I didn't tell him about the memories I'd seen when I'd touched the swords and scabbard. The blizzard, the battle, and the man who moved the same graceful way Alexei did.
"Ruslan was a great Russian warrior," Alexei said, admiring the swords. "A Bogatyr, like me. It has been an honor to carry his weapons."
An odd suspicion filled my mind, and my gaze zoomed up to the top of the dome. For a moment, the shadows that cloaked the fresco lightened, and I saw two gleams of silver forming an X shape-like two swords crossed over each other.
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. Nike's words echoed in my mind.
"I think you should keep the swords," I said.
Alexei shook his head. "No, I couldn't do that. They are important artifacts, pieces of history. They should be put back on display here for everyone to see."
I arched an eyebrow at him. "In case you haven't noticed, the whole library is full of artifacts. I don't think anyone will mind if you use the swords for your own. I'll talk to Nickamedes. He'll understand. Besides, that will be one less case for me to dust."
Alexei hesitated and looked at the weapons again. "If you really think Nickamedes would let me use the weapons . . ."
"Don't worry. He will."
At least he would after I talked to him. I hadn't told the librarian about the new mission I'd gotten from Nike, but I would. He'd understand that the swords belonged with Alexei, and so would Metis and the others.
Alexei admired the weapons a moment longer before he tucked them and the scabbard back into his gym bag. He straightened up, and I smiled at him.
"I'm glad you're staying," I said. "For my sake-and Oliver's too."
A blush flooded Alexei's cheeks, but he just leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. And he stayed there, right by my side, until closing time.
Late that night in my dorm room, I read Logan's letter again, smoothing it out on top of my bed. Some of the words were smeared, thanks to my tears, and the page was wrinkled where I'd read it so much.
"How many times are you going to go over that bloody thing?" Vic said. "The words aren't going to change just because you read them a dozen times. And can you please get the fuzzball off of me? Her slobber keeps dripping on me."
Since I'd been cleared of all charges, Nyx had come back to the academy with me this morning, with the Protectorate's blessing. Since Linus had given me a full pardon, I figured it wouldn't hurt to get Nyx included in the deal as well. Linus had muttered quite a few words about rules and procedures and This girl will be the death of me, but in the end, he'd agreed to let Nyx stay with me.
I'd propped Vic up on my bed, and Nyx had decided that the sword made an excellent chew toy. The wolf pup had been gnawing on Vic's hilt, well, his head actually, for the last ten minutes. Still, despite the sword's cross words, I knew he enjoyed the drool-filled attention, especially when Nyx curled her tail around him and decided to go to sleep on my bed a minute later.