Nico shrugged, feigning indifference.Â
âJasper is busy on a mission, Adia is with him.â She glanced around the room, trying to distract herself fro the pit in her stomach. âI decided not to go.â Another lie, one of many. She wasnât cleared for missions, not by the Clave, not that she thought that mattered. Nico thought they would be glad to have her tag along for epic magical assistance, especially since she was now being trained by the High Warlock of Brooklyn. But Jasper had said no, and she refused to speak to him until he apologized for leaving her out. He could do things the hard way, the boring way, without her. I mean, Alec was cool with bringing Magnus along without the Claveâs permission for a long time. I donât see what the big issue is.Â
She wondered what Magnus had ordered, and if he really knew as many people as he made it appear. He had been on the phone for a little while, talking to the chef, she supposed. Nico was always trying to remember how much older her brother was than her, and that it wouldnât be unreasonable for him to know everyone in the city, their grandmother and their dog.Â
While she was looking around, she noticed a picture on a shelf. It was Magnus and Alec, and she could tell that Alec wasnât aware of the picture before it had happened. His eyes were half shut, smile blurry as Magnus beamed next to him, holding his Nephilim close. The background was filled with people and multicoloured lights.Â
Nico recognized it almost immediately as Pandemonium, the Downworlder club where everyone who was anyone in the community hung out. She also knew it was often where Magnus held his many parties, and if invited, you attended, because you were in for a show. Nico had always wanted to go but the bouncerâs wouldnât let her in, even when she tried to pretend she was older than she was. It was unfair. Just because she had accidentally set one of them on fire that one time during a magic trick for the line, really, some people just hold stupid grudges.
âMy day is free.â She grinned at her brother. âSo, you and Pandemonium. Whatâs the deal there?â
Magnus raised an eyebrow. Chosen not to go? That wasnât likely. He knew Nicoâs friends although new were her primary source of socializing. Magnus also knew his little sister wouldnât like not being involved.
â Alexander didnât mention he cleared you for missions, kitten, â he said, knowing full well she wasnât cleared. He also knew that she wouldnât be cleared until Magnus gave Alec the go ahead. â However, itâs their loss, and you get to spend the day with me. â Magnus grinned, taking it as his job to rectify her rejected feelings.
Upon her question Magnus made sure not to let the smile he felt tugging at the corners of his lips to bloom. He regarded her carefully. She was not old enough to go to any of the clubs in New York. Of course, neither had Alec and his friends when theyâd appeared on Pandemoniumâs doorstep so many years ago. This was different, though. Did she want to party? Would he let her?
â I own it, â he said simply, finishing his glass and snapping it out of existence. â Have for many years now. Saw it, wanted it, bought it, â he shrugged. â I was going through a phase, â he insisted. â But, itâs a good business, and it is always good to have legitimate credit, even if I donât need it. Why? â