Now a new plan formed in his mind.
“Someone else will accept my offer, if you don’t,” he said smoothly, and the deep green of his eye had never so perfectly matched his mother’s.
But Levi was already making his way toward the door. “I wish you luck with tomorrow’s election and your other plans. But I’m going to claim my own throne.”
* * *
A knot tightened in Levi’s stomach as he entered Luckluster Casino. The last time he’d stepped foot here, he’d received a death sentence. And even with its signature red lights dimmed and its lobby empty, he still saw the ghost of Sedric Torren stalking him from the corner, smiling wolfishly and clutching a deadly invitation.
Levi couldn’t simply go up to the concierge and ask for Jac Mardlin, a wanted criminal. He knew Jac had been using an alias, but he had no idea what it was. So instead he cleared his throat and asked for Sophia.
“She’s not here right now,” the concierge replied.
“Then I’d like to see her partner.”
This request was understood, and the concierge led Levi to an office much like Vianca’s. Jac sat on a leather chair beside a fireplace, grinding a barely smoked cigarette into an ashtray. His gray aura wafted throughout the room, cooling and familiar and steady.
He looked up as Levi entered and shot to his feet.
“Levi,” he let out.
“It’s good to see you,” Levi managed. Out of habit, he inspected his friend’s appearance for any signs of Lullaby, but thankfully found none. Instead, he noticed other changes. Jac seemed to stand taller, and there was a faint scar on his lip that he wore well.
Levi swallowed. “I heard Charles Torren is dead.”
“He is,” he answered darkly. “And just in time for you, isn’t it?”
Levi couldn’t tell if that was an insult, but he still winced. “I ended my arrangement with Harrison.” When Jac’s eyes widened, Levi blurted, “I’m sorry for all the things I said. For the way I acted. I trusted you with everything except yourself, and I didn’t consider what you wanted.”
Levi held his breath as time passed in silence. It was only seconds, but he felt the weight of these past months inside them—months of looking over his shoulder for whiteboots, of leaking voltage, of reassuring everyone he had the situation under control. But he didn’t. And without Jac, without Enne, he had struggled alone.
When Jac didn’t respond, Levi made his way toward the door and sighed, defeated. “Well, I said what I came to say.”
“Wait,” Jac said, and Levi stopped. “I’m the one who’s sorry. I was never doing this for you—I was doing it for me—so I shouldn’t have asked you anything in return. It was unfair. And pretty mucking low.”
Levi’s shoulders sagged with relief. That sounded like forgiveness.
He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Jac, and his friend squeezed back.
Levi wanted to unload everything from these past few weeks, about Vianca and Harrison and Enne. But instead, he sat on the opposite armchair, swallowed down his own problems, and said, “Tell me the story.”
Jac grinned. “The exciting version, or the truth?”
“Whichever one you’d rather tell.”
And so Levi learned what had happened since he’d last spoken to Jac. How Charles had toyed with them before attempting to have them killed. How Sophia had used every volt they had to try to push him out. How Charles had arrived at the match bloody and wounded. How Jac had finally finished him.
Jac, Levi realized, was very good at telling stories. He always had been. He had a story after every fight. He knew Faith legends; he knew street ones. Levi had spent so many years listening to Jac tell stories that he’d never realized his friend, too, wanted to become one.
“So are you and Sophia...?” Levi asked, because it seemed the only part of the story missing.
Jac flushed. “Um—”
“Are we what?” Sophia asked from the doorway. She wore all black, as though in mourning for the half brother she’d despised, and she carried a large clothing bag. “Dating?” She kissed Jac on the top of his head, making him flush deeper. “Nah. We’re cohorting.”
“What do you have there?” Jac asked her.
“Harrison invited us to the party at St. Morse tomorrow night.” She unzipped the bag and revealed something shiny and burgundy. “I already got your tux.”
