“You compelled them?”
“Every single one of them,” he said without a shred of shame.
I chuckled. “So, do you really think those relics are under the city?”
He gave me a hard look.
“What? You’ve got them all oblivious to us, right?”
“All but the waiter. He’s been compelled to bring us our dinner as soon as possible.”
“I don’t think you needed to do that. Your wings are a pretty compelling argument on their own.”
“I haven’t shown my wings here.”
“It doesn’t matter. Arlo knows they’re there.”
“How do you know our waiter?”
“We went to school together,” I said with a shrug. “We didn’t hang out in the same circles, though.”
“And what circles did you hang out in?”
“Just with my sister Bella mostly—when I wasn’t hunting down criminals to turn in for cash.”
“You’ve led an interesting life.”
“It’s gotten more interesting recently,” I said, stirring my juice.
His hand closed over mine. “So has mine. For better or for worse.”
“Do you think we’ll find the relics?”
“Nyx thinks we will.” His thumb traced small, slow circles into my hand. “I called her on the drive back. She confirmed that she’d known all along about what the Pilgrims were after. She’s keeping too many secrets.”
“Well, she is an angel.”
“What do you think I am keeping from you?”
“A lot, I’m sure. The Legion guards its secrets well.”
Disappointment flickered in his eyes, and he dropped his hand.
“I’m not asking you to tell me,” I said.
He watched me for a long, silent second, then he replied, “You are too good.”
“For the Legion?”
“To survive this world.” He brushed his hand against mine. The spark of heat returned, taking on a life of its own, waking me up as though from a dream, from a life I’d never been truly living.
Arlo came with our dinner, and we unlinked hands.
“So, what was it like growing up as the only known child of two angels?” I asked Nero. “Did you always have powers, even as a child?”
“From an early age, yes. I couldn’t control those powers very well, but they were there.”
“Do the children of angels always have these powers before they join the Legion?”
He finished chewing the piece of chicken he’d cut off, then said, “You’re wondering if you are the child of two angels.”
“The thought did cross my mind. I don’t react to Nectar like other people. I react like you do.”
“In response to your question, yes. All children with an angel parent manifest at least some powers, even early on. Did you ever manifest any powers?”
“No.” And there went my theory.
“There is something different about you,” Nero said. “Something special. That’s why Nyx put you on the Legion fast track.”
“There are a lot of people on the fast track now. Why? What is the Legion gearing up to do? Fight?”
Nero took a long, slow sip from his glass. “Asking questions like these will get you into trouble.”
“So you’ve warned me before. And so has Captain Somerset. In fact, she’s warned me about more than just that.”
“What do you mean?”
“She is scary sometimes, you know? I’m getting the feeling that she’s going to skewer me with her swords if I don’t sleep with you. Or if I do sleep with you. I don’t think she’s decided yet.”
Nero’s face was impassive.
“I think you really need to teach me to use a fire sword. Just in case.”
“I take it from that statement that you don’t plan on sleeping with me.”
“Well…I…um…”
A deep, low noise rumbled in Nero’s chest.
“Are you laughing at me?” I demanded.
“Yes.”
I glowered at him. “That wasn’t funny.”
“Firstly, it was very funny. And secondly, I told you not to glare at me like that until you have the magic to back it up. You don’t, Pandora.”
“Yet.”
A slight smile touched his lips. “Yet,” he agreed.
“So about those fire swords,” I began.
“What about them?”
“I need you to teach me how to wield them. I want to be able to do more than just spin them around while trying not to burn myself.”
“Not burning yourself is an important first step.”
“I’m serious, Nero. I want to master them.”
“I’m not sure I want to help you set things on fire. You’re dangerous enough already.”
“Very funny.”
“When you gain the power of elemental magic, you’ll be able to set more than swords on fire. Clothes lines, sticks, ropes, everything in your vicinity that you want to misuse as a weapon.”
I stuck my tongue out at him.
“Very scary, Pandora.” Nero slipped a vial out of his jacket.
“Nectar?” I whispered, recognizing the liquid flowing like shimmering rainbow lava inside the tiny bottle.
“Just the drops.”
Nectar drops were the diluted form of Nectar, the drug of choice of the Legion’s soldiers. A drop or two added to a drink made us happy, high, and really relaxed, the perfect combination after a long and grueling day.