Midnight Frost

off. Daphne’s black eyes fixed on the dead Reapers, then her gaze flicked to Alexei, Oliver, and finally me.
    “So,” I asked. “How was breakfast?”
    Daphne arched an eyebrow. “Obviously not as exciting as yours.”
    I grimaced at her words.

Chapter 13
    Ajax shouldered past Carson and Daphne. The coach went from one Reaper to another, looking at them all in turn. Finally, he shook his head.
    “I thought they’d at least wait until we got to the ruins before they attacked,” he rumbled. “I’ll have to call ahead and report this. Everybody stays in here where I can see you until we get to Snowline Ridge. Understand?”
    We all nodded.
    Ajax pulled out his cell phone and moved to the front of the car. He punched in some numbers and started talking in a low voice, probably alerting the members of the Protectorate about the battle—and the fact that they needed to come and deal with the blood and bodies.
    We took turns using the bathrooms, cleaning the Reapers’ blood off our hands, clothes, and weapons as best we could. Once that was done, Alexei and Oliver moved from body to body, pulling out the Reapers’ wallets and looking at their driver’s licenses, credit cards, and more. But they were just names that went with dead faces. None of the information told us anything important about the Reapers, like why they’d decided to attack us now—or what they might have planned next. I even leaned down and touched a few of the dead Reapers’ hands, but the only flashes I got off them were of the battle—nothing useful. Ajax also went through the other cars on the train, in case Vivian or Agrona might be on board, hiding in the midst of the other passengers, but they were nowhere to be found.
    “What do you think they wanted?” Carson asked, leaning down to peer at a guy who wore the same sort of black glasses he did.
    “Other than killing us?” Daphne said. “I think that’s enough for them. Don’t you?”
    Carson’s words made me think back to the way the first Reaper girl’s eyes had fixed on Vic. Sure, maybe she hadn’t expected me to have the sword propped up in the seat beside me, but it seemed like there had been something more to her sharp gaze than just curiosity. I couldn’t imagine what it could be, though, or what her interest in Vic could have to do with the attack.
    Daphne turned to the mystery girl, who was leaning against the back wall of the car, her arms crossed over her chest once again. “And then there’s you. Gwen says you’re a Spartan. Female Spartans are rare. I’ve never met one before.”
    The girl shrugged. “Not so rare to me, since my mom and dad were both Spartans. Lucky for you, you get to meet me first, Valkyrie.”
    Pink sparks of magic crackled around Daphne’s fingers, and she narrowed her eyes at the other girl. I stepped in between them, trying to diffuse the situation before things got any crazier.
    “Well, thank you,” I said. “For saving me. For fighting with us against the Reapers. You didn’t have to do that.”
    The girl laughed, although it was a harsh, bitter sound. “Oh, you know us Spartans. We can’t resist a good fight.”
    “What’s your name?”
    The girl glared at me, as though I’d asked her to reveal her deepest, darkest secret. Finally, when she realized that I was serious and expected her to, you know, actually answer me, she let out a long, deep sigh, as if giving me the information was some sort of cruel torture I’d devised specifically for her.
    “Rory Forseti.”
    My mouth dropped open in surprise. I didn’t know what name I’d expected her to give, but it hadn’t been that one—because Forseti had been my dad, Tyr’s, last name. Tyr Forseti. My parents had been married, but I had my mom’s last name of Frost since that was the tradition for the women in our family.
    It took me a moment to close my gaping jaw and gather my thoughts. “Forseti?” I asked, wondering if I’d heard her right. “F-o-r-s-e-t-i?”
    The girl’s eyes narrowed, and her hands balled into fists like she was thinking about stepping forward and attacking me the same way she had the Reapers. “Well, give you a gold star, for being able to spell. You got a problem with that name?”
    Alexei stepped forward, shielding me from her. “You’re the one who’s going to have a problem if you take another step toward Gwen.”
    She let out another angry, bitter laugh. “In case you didn’t notice, dude, I’m the one who saved your