“But Harrison killed Vianca!” Lola snapped, shaking the radio. “The whole room saw it! This is a blatant lie. They’re going to use St. Morse as an excuse to do everything that—”
Levi shushed her so they could hear Fenice.
“After the tragedy and treason that occurred tonight, it is vital that I end this message with a statement of hope. Despite the best efforts of criminals and of the monarchists, our sovereignty has prevailed. I have just received news that the election results yielded a two percent lead in favor of Harrison Augustine, the next representative of New Reynes. On behalf of the First Party, the city, and the entire Republic, I offer him sincere congratulations on this victory. We will not let such progress be overshadowed by violence. We—”
Levi swatted Lola away before she blew the radio’s speakers and switched the dial off.
“There you have it,” he said drily. “The new era.”
The room fell into silence.
“When Bryce left, his last words were about the devil,” Enne said. She held the golden Shadow Card Bryce had given her in her hand. “He said the same words Sedric once said to me. I don’t think that’s a coincidence.”
“Malisons and shade-makers are part of the Faith,” Lola told her. “But the Bargainer is a legend from New Reynes. They can’t both be true.”
“Of course they can,” Sophia said. She was the last one in the room, and she lay on the other couch. This was the first Levi had heard her speak since Lola told her about Jac. Since then, all she’d done was burn a series of matches and watch them snuff out.
She stood up abruptly, making everyone in the room blink and wake up. She stomped over to the table and threw down something with shining gold foil. A Shadow Card.
“How did you get this?” Levi asked. “You weren’t inside the casino with us.”
“I found it in my pocket when I got here.” Levi was about to respond that that was impossible, but of course, he’d learned better by now. “Check yours.”
The others nervously rummaged around in their own clothes. Roy was the first to find his, tucked away within his shirt. “That wasn’t there earlier,” he murmured, paling. He pushed away Grace’s feet, as though it was her touch that had caused this trick. Then he turned it around, revealing the Justice card.
Levi and Enne revealed the Shadow Cards they already possessed: the Emperor and the Empress. Then Lola found the Hermit folded within her boot, Tock brandished the Chariot from the front of her dress, and Grace pulled the High Priestess from a slit in her skirt. Sophia reached out and flipped over her own card: the Wheel of Fortune.
“Every legend about this city is true,” Sophia said.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Whether it was the countdown of a timer or the spin of a roulette wheel, Levi had escaped one game only to fall victim to another. But he no longer had a taste for destiny. New Reynes could take his throne and bury it beside his best friend.
For so long, Levi had wanted to be better than the other lords; he’d thought he would take his kingdom but keep his conscience. But now he didn’t see the point in being better if he couldn’t protect the people he cared about.
He didn’t need to bebetter. He needed to be smarter.
He didn’t need to be righteous. He needed to be ruthless.
For several moments, none of them spoke. Not until Enne pointed at Levi and said, her voice strained, “There’s one more. In your front pocket.”
Levi looked down, and his shoulders relaxed. He pulled it out. “This one is always there. It’s the Fool...” But he frowned when he saw the writing scribbled across the Fool’s face in red ink.
You have been invited to play...
ENNE
Today a gangster would hang, and half the city had gathered in Liberty Square for the occasion.
Enne wrapped her coat tighter around herself and leaned into Levi. She was hyperaware of the number of whiteboots present, standing watch at every corner.
As much as it pained her, Levi was right. They couldn’t save Jonas.
But they could stand witness...and say goodbye.
Not that Enne had any particular attachment to the Scar Lord. He’d helped her once, and she appreciated that. The City of Sin was full of villains, but she was starting to believe that maybe he wasn’t one of them.
Not that it mattered now.
