Read Jennifer Estep Bundle for Free Online Page A

covered with something rather surprising—weapons.
    Racks and racks of weapons—swords, daggers, throwing stars, staffs, axes, a variety of bows with arrows to match. More weapons than I had ever seen before in one place.
    But the really freaky thing was that the kids were using them.
    A couple dozen kids stood around one of the mats, holding weapons and watching two guys fight with swords. At least, that’s what I thought was happening, as ridiculous as it seemed. Metis noticed me standing on my tiptoes, trying to see what was going on. The professor climbed halfway up the bleachers and gestured for me to do the same so I could get a better view.
    I hadn’t been imagining things. Down below, two guys who seemed to be my age were trying to hack each other to pieces with long swords.
    Clang-clang-clang!
    The metal blades crashed together in a furious roar, so loud and sharp that it made me want to cover my ears. But I couldn’t look away from the mock battle. Back and forth, the two guys fought, attacking and retreating, each one trying to get the upper hand.
    My eyes locked on to one of the guys. He had thick black hair, a totally muscled body, and he swung his sword like he knew exactly what he was doing with it. He was power and grace and elegance, and I could see the intense focus burning in his blue eyes even from up here on the bleachers. I didn’t know anything about weapons, but even I could tell that he was the better fighter. Again and again, he attacked, while all his opponent could do was try to get out of the way of his whistling sword.
    Finally, the second guy wasn’t quick enough. The first guy, the fighter, knocked his opponent’s sword away, then stepped forward, his blade an inch away from the other guy’s throat. I blinked, wondering how someone could move so fast.
    The other kids watching the battle started clapping, and the winner gave a little flourish with his sword and bowed to his classmates. A grin spread across his face, and I realized just how gorgeous he was—the kind of guy who could take your breath away without even trying.
    â€œGood job, Logan.” The praise came from a big, burly man standing on the edge of the mat. He was even more muscled than Logan and looked like he could break bricks with his bare hands. He wore a white polo shirt, shorts, and sneakers, and a whistle dangled around his neck.
    â€œThat’s Coach Ajax,” Metis said, pointing to the burly man. “He’s responsible for training all the students at Mythos. And the Spartan who just won the sword fight is Logan Quinn.”
    Spartan? Like an ancient warrior kind of Spartan? My mind spun, trying to latch on to all these new ideas and fit them in with what I knew of the world, but I wasn’t having much success.
    Logan walked over to the bottom of the bleachers, grabbed a towel from the steps, and wiped the sweat off his face. He noticed me staring at him, and our eyes locked, his a brilliant blue and mine a confused violet. He gave me a sexy smirk before turning away to talk to one of his friends. A minute later, Logan picked up his sword again and stepped back into the ring of kids to fight someone else.
    Metis and I stayed where we were and watched the Spartan win another battle. After that, the kids split up into pairs and started fighting each other with the various weapons. Coach Ajax walked from one pair to the next, offering hints, suggestions, and praise.
    â€œSo gym class is really what here? Weapons training?” I asked. “Why?”
    â€œBecause this is what you’re here for, Gwen,” Metis said in a serious voice. “What all the kids are here for. To learn how to use weapons. To learn how to fight. To learn how to protect yourself and the people you love.”
    â€œProtect myself from what?” I asked. “What’s out there that’s so bad?”
    Metis hesitated. “I think that’s a discussion best left for