“If Nyx knew about your brother, she could easily concoct a reason to take you into custody. You’re not exactly an obedient soldier.”

“If you’re referring to how I went back out on the Black Plains to rescue you—”

“Nyx doesn’t even need a reason that big,” he said. “But that reminds me that I still haven’t come up with a suitable punishment for your misconduct.”

“What do you call all that extra evening running you made me do for the last month?”

“Training. Punishments are less pleasant.”

I sighed. “Maybe you’ll just let it slide?”

He gave me a hard look. “Does that sound like me?”

“No, not really.” I smiled at him. “But how about if I cross my heart and hope to die that I will never do it again?”

“Will you swear an actual oath to that effect? An oath bound by blood, not gilded over in teenage girl bubblegum promises.”

“Well, I…” I snorted. “Sorry, no. I can’t. If you got yourself captured today, I would totally go save your ass all over again.”

“I had the situation under control,” he said coolly.

“No, you didn’t. You could at least be honest enough to admit that.”

His eyes narrowed as he continued to stare at me. “You’re incorrigible.”

“Why, thank you. It’s one of my better qualities,” I said brightly. “And you’re changing the subject.”

He stiffened, and indignation rippled across his face. “I most certainly am not.”

“Are too.”

“I refuse to engage in this juvenile dispute.”

“Too late. You already did,” I told him.

“Let us return to the matter at hand,” he said, folding his hands calmly together. “Even if Nyx’s lover is the god behind Harker’s actions, it is questionable as to whether he would tell her anything about it. The gods don’t share everything, even with their lovers.”

“They’re a lot like angels then.” I blushed, realizing what he might imply from that. “I mean about not being big sharers of information. In general. Not specifically about lovers.”

Nero laughed—like really laughed. I’d dug such a big hole for myself that I couldn’t even see the top anymore, but at least he was enjoying my senseless fumbling. I glared at him.

“Unless you have the magic to back up that glare, I suggest you quit while you’re ahead, Pandora,” he said with perfect calmness.

“Ahead? You call this ahead?”

He shrugged. “Things can always get worse.”

“And on that happy note, I think I’ll head to bed now,” I said, walking toward the door.

“On your way down, don’t forget to pick up the first two books on your list. There will be a quiz tomorrow evening.”

I froze in the doorway, then pivoted around. “Are you serious?”

“No, I’m joking. Please pick up a trashy tabloid magazine instead so you can tell me all about Angel Fancy Pants’s latest lover. I’m dying to know.”

He said it with such a straight face that I couldn’t help but burst into laughter. I was still chuckling to myself as I checked out Magic Botany and The History and Politics of Witchcraft in New York City from the library, which drew a disapproving look from the night librarian, a man who defied the librarian stereotype. Well, he was wearing a vest. He just wasn’t wearing any shirt under it. As to why he was grumpy, I had no idea. Maybe he didn’t approve of fully-clothed people reading books.

I returned to my apartment with my new books in my hands—and, seared into my brain, was the image of the librarian’s pierced nipples puckering up under the vest. That piercing must have hurt like hell.

“I thought you were going to see Colonel Sexy Pants,” Ivy said as I shut the apartment door behind me.

“I did.”

“So you mouthed off to him, and he punished you with homework?”

“No, this isn’t punishment homework. It’s just regular homework. Tomorrow morning, I’m on Nero’s team to visit the New York University of Witchcraft. While he, Captain Somerset, and Jace are grilling the witches about inter-coven disputes, I’m supposed to sneak around to look for evidence that they’re behind the poisoning at the Brick Palace.”

“Ah, so that’s why you and Mr. Brat drank from the Nectar tonight.”

“Right.”

“Do you want to talk about what happened after that?”

“Which part?”

“The part where Nero Windstriker handcuffed you to his desk.”

“No, I don’t want to talk about it,” I told her.

“Leda, your underwear were on the floor when Drake and I came in.”

“Ok, I experienced a moment of Nectar-induced insanity and might have tried to jump Nero’s bones.”

Ivy laughed. “You two have an interesting relationship.”

“We don’t have a relationship.”

“Uh-huh. Right.” She winked at me.

“It was the Nectar,” I insisted.

“Honey, the Nectar just made you drunk. It got rid of your inhibitions. And as soon as those were gone, you made a move on him. What does that tell you?”

I sighed. “Nothing good.”

“It’s telling you that you’re into him.”

Yeah, like I needed the Nectar to know that. I knew I was into Nero. But that was a bad thing. A bad, bad thing.