Page 78 of The Demigod

“And by that, he meansIt’s nice to meet you, Nox,’” a pretty blonde said as we walked into the library.

That must be Jo, Ace’s woman. The nurse-turned-immortal. Through some sort of magical whammy that involved pieces of souls or something like that. For some reason, that part had been a lot less interesting to me than the whole demon thing, so I hadn’t been paying that close of attention.

Ace moved over toward the fire, and I remembered Daemon saying that he was always cold. That they all were, but it was worse for Ace for some reason.

“You’re Jo,” I said, wanting to give the woman a smile, but I didn’t seem capable right then.

“I am. I’m going to go check on Daemon, but I wanted to remind my man toplay nice. You’ll keep an eye on him, right?”she asked the woman leaning in the doorway with her pale blonde hair in a bun and gold wire-rimmed glasses on her face.

“Sure,” the woman said.

“I’m sorry; I don’t know you.”

“Charlotte,” she said, giving me a tight smile. “I’m with Bael.”

“Oh! You must be the professor, then.”

“She is,” Ace said, eyes slitting at me, suspicious. I couldn’t blame him.

“Well, that makes this part easier, I guess,” I said.

“How’s that?” Ace asked.

“Because everything that Daemon and I have gone through since we met has to do with the old gods,” I told them.

Then I launched into it. From the first time I saw him in the basement, the trips to Arick’s and the Underworld, and everything in between.

Minus the spice.

And maybe playing down my weaknesses.

“Have you tried to give Daemon the ambrosia?” Ace asked.

“I didn’t think he could have it,” I admitted.

“He likely can’t,” Charlotte agreed. “Or, at least, it probably won’t do anything. You said it was Oizys who had Daemon?”

“I’m almost positive, yeah.”

“What are you thinking?” Ace asked.

“That she not only physically tortured him, but mentally tormented him as well. Maybe enough to… break his spirit.”

“That was what Nemesis said. She mentioned him being ‘broken.’ At the time, I thought she just meant the state of him.”

“Maybe she did,” Charlotte said. “We will have to see what Lenore has to say.”

“Can I go see him?” I asked, looking at Ace. “Please?”

“I doubt I would be able to keep you away,” he said, waving toward the steps.

“I’ll take you to his room,” Charlotte said, giving me a tight smile before we fell into step on the wide staircase to the second floor.

The place was massive. Daemon’s room was no exception. I was pretty sure it was bigger than any apartment I’d ever had.

There were classic touches: the wide crown molding, the large windows, the beautiful hardwood floors. But Daemon had put personal touches in the space too.

The walls featured both modern pop art and classic prints of beautiful women. He had a record playeranda five-CD changer straight out of the aughts. A massive TV was mounted to the wall over an old brick fireplace.

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