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“I agree with you, Leda,” said Nero. “I truly do. This is big. Bella believes Thea’s lost grimoire is the key to decoding the mysteries of Thea’s wand.”

Bella had been trying to get Thea’s wand to perform magic, but so far she couldn’t get it to do anything at all, including even turn on again. Ava must have given the wand to Bella for a reason, though none of us had come up with a reasonable guess as to why.

“Yes, finding Thea’s grimoire is important,” Nero said. “But what you’re doing in that classroom is also important, Leda. As you said, you are at the center of this all. Whatever is coming, you are going to lead the charge—or defend against the charge. And to do that, you need powerful allies. Angels.”

“I know.”

“We angels aren’t easily swayed. You are the Angel of the People, Leda, but you aren’t an angel of angels. The other angels have known each other for years, decades, even centuries. You’re an outsider. You need to learn how to persuade angels, how to charm them and inspire them. How to lead them. Because it’s so very clear to me that this is all about you. You will fight the coming threat, but only with a powerful army at your back will you succeed.”

“You know all of the other angels,” I said. “You’re part of the angel in-crowd. Won’t they listen to you?”

“They might—when faced with a common threat. But you need to convince them, not I. Because it will be you leading them. Only you can convince them to follow you.”

“That won’t be easy.”

“No, it won’t,” he agreed. “That’s why you need to be in that classroom, learning strategy, etiquette, and anything else that will help you deal with the other angels. The day will come when you will need angel allies, and it will come soon.”

“Finding Thea’s grimoire is also important,” I insisted.

“It is, and that’s why Harker, Bella, and I are all looking for it.” Nero gave me a crooked smile. “Don’t micromanage, Pandora. You’re not the only one who knows how to hunt for treasure. And the rest of us can tie our shoelaces without your help.”

I chuckled at the image of angels tripping over loose shoelaces. “Ok. So what are you three fearless shoelace-tying heroes up to tomorrow?”

“We’ll start again on the streets of Purgatory early tomorrow morning. Bella and Harker are back at Calli’s house, planning our search.”

I latched on to the most important part of what he’d just said. “Ooh, so Calli had Harker stay for dinner.”

“For dinner. And to grill him,” he said. “Calli had that look in her eyes, the same one she gave me the first time I was over for dinner at your house.”

I laughed.

There was a knock on my front door. I rose from the table and walked across the living room. When I opened the door, I found Ivy and Nerissa on the other side. And Zane was with them.

“So, what’s the scoop, ladies?” I asked.

“Nerissa and I have both cleared your brother, physically and mentally,” Ivy told me.

“His magic is quite odd, a mixture of light and dark,” Nerissa added. “But that’s to be expected after spending two years with the Guardians. Zane said they’d given him their Life potion several times.”

“His mind is sound,” Ivy said. “No sign of manipulation.”

Zane walked past them. “Thank you, ladies.” He turned and bowed to each of them in turn.

Nerissa blushed. Even Ivy looked like she was receptive to my brother’s charms.

“You both have boyfriends,” I told my friends. “And, as for you...” I snatched Zane by the hand and pulled him into the apartment. “… you know you’re only supposed to use your gifts for good, not evil.”

“Sorry, Leda, it’s been two years since I’ve had a chance to flirt with anyone who’s not evil or brainwashed,” Zane replied.

His sheepish shrug was so convincing that even I nearly bought his boyish charm act. Half of the sixteen-to-twenty-year-old ladies in Purgatory had had their heart broken thanks to my brother, and the other half of them were lining up to be his next big mistake.

“I will forgive you,” I told Zane. “This time. But you really must learn to behave yourself. Learn from my stellar example.”

Nerissa snorted, and Ivy choked on her own laughter. They’d followed us into my apartment.

I spun around and gave them a good angel glower. “Excuse me, I will have you know that I am an angel.”

“That’s hardly news, Leda.” Ivy coughed.