Under different circumstances, Levi would’ve been happy to submit to her touch. But he could already see the unease in her eyes. He swatted her hand away and smiled, a bit too widely. “I’m fine.”
“You look terrible.”
“Really? I feel great.”
She crossed her arms. “Are you really not going to tell me what happened?”
“I... I had a bit of an argument with Chez.”
“Looks like he won.”
He winced. “Take it easy on me.”
“But Chez is your third...” She bit her lip. “I thought oaths prevented things like this.”
Levi took a deep, shameful breath. “It’s called a challenge, when someone tries to overthrow the lord. It’s normally a duel to the death. And it would’ve been, if Jac hadn’t shown up.”
She made a face likeshewas the one who was ill, exactly the sort of pity Levi didn’t need.
“Never mind that,” he said quickly. “Did you visit the bank today?”
She gave him a pointed look, like she knew he was stalling. “Yes. There was barely anything in the vault. We found a strange black orb and an even stranger Mizer token. I don’t know what to think of either of them.”
Levi had never heard of a black orb before. “Can I take a look at the orb?”
“Yes, I’ll bring it tomorrow,” she answered. “There was an address listed on the account. Some place called the Street of the Holy Tombs. Lola said it was in Olde Town.”
Levi crinkled his nose. “I know that place. Mysterious black orbs and old coins? That’s exactly the neighborhood you’re looking for. It’s full of the Faithful. Gives me the creeps just to walk through it.”
“Well, I’m going tomorrow to call on a woman named Zula Slyk.” The name sounded vaguely familiar to Levi, but he couldn’t remember why. Enne hesitated for a moment before continuing. “It would be great if you could come with me, but do you think you’ll feel up for it?”
“Of course I will.” He cracked his neck. “Takes more than a broken rib and a cut to slow me down.”
Truthfully, entering Iron Land was a dangerous notion right now, but Olde Town washisterritory,hisclaim. He refused to let himself fear it. Besides, he’d brave worse than that for Enne—all she had to do was ask.
“Lola also suggested trying Scrap Market, if this doesn’t pan out.” Her face was doing that expressionless thing—she was upset.
What heshould’vedone was console her. Of course something would turn up. Problem was, that something would probably be Lourdes’s corpse. Levi was already struggling to pick up the pieces of his own shattered life—he couldn’t bear to watch Enne go through that, too.
Instead, he said, “Scrap Market is a bad idea. It’s dangerous, now that Scavenger is Scar Lord. I wouldn’t risk it myself even if I didn’t get the muck kicked out of me today. And you shouldn’t go, either.”
“I wasn’t asking for your permission,” she snapped. His instincts were correct—she was definitely upset.
He stepped closer and placed a hand on her shoulder. “I know that. I just think it’s better if you stay away from there.” His voice sounded more forceful than he meant it to.
She pushed his hand off her. “I know you’ve had a bad day, Levi, but don’t do this. I don’t need to be patronized.”
He sighed. “I know that. I’m just...”Trying to protect you.He pulled the box of cookies out of his pocket. “I brought you these. Truce?”
The corner of her lips tilted into a smile. “Thanks,” she said, tearing into the box, easily appeased.
He shifted the weight off his bad leg and closed his eyes. Even so, he could still feel the pity of Enne’s stare.
“Stop looking at me like that,” he said.
“Like what?”
“Like you’re sorry for me.” He shook his head. “I deserved what I got.” He meant it, too. It was a hollow feeling—less like guilt and more like dejection. He was a pawn playing at being king. If he’d ever been anything more, if he was evermeantto be anything more, he wouldn’t have fallen so low. Saint or crook, it didn’t matter; if New Reynes was a game, then he’d already lost.
