“I contract dealers and workers to casinos,” he said flatly, as though offended she didn’t care more about his business.
Enne nodded like she understood what that meant. “I need a way to pay for this gang, and itoccurredto me... Of all the worries we have, why should volts be one of them? When both of us—”
Levi shook his head. “Enne, making volts is dangerous. What youareis dangerous.”
His concerns weren’t anything she hadn’t considered herself only the day before. But she could feel the volts in her skin constantly, pulsing in tune with her heartbeat. It was an incessant reminder that real power was so easily within reach.
“We could berich,” she said.
He threw his head back and let out a sound somewhere betweent a sigh and a groan. “Careful. You’re appealing to my vices.”
“When Lourdes led me to you, we could think of no good reason why she’d give me your name. Now it seems obvious. An orb-maker and a Mizer, ofcourseshe—”
“Enne, do you know any other orb-makers?” Levi asked seriously.
“No.” It wasn’t a very common talent.
“That’s because almost all the orb-makers are dead. The estates in the Ruins District belonged to them, too.” Levi took a deep, steady breath. For all his broken bones and bruises, it was obvious the pain on his face right now was a different sort. It came from older wounds. “This is all very new for you. Not only did you notknowyour true talents until a few days ago—a shock I can’t even imagine—but you also didn’t grow up on the Republic’s mainland. There aren’t Revolution landmarks on every other block in Bellamy.” His expression darkened. “I grew up in the shadows of that history.”
Enne knew that Levi hadn’t been born in New Reynes, as much as he liked to call himself a Sinner. But the details of his past were a mystery to her. “Do you want to talk about it, then?”
“I... There’s nothing to talk about. I’m a different person now.” He said it like he was trying to convince himself. “My father’s father was the personal orb-maker to the king of Caroko.” Enne knew Caroko was the capital of one of the seven Mizer nations that existed before the Revolution. “The monarchists believe the First Party went too far after the Revolution. Families like mine, who served the Mizers, were forcefully relocated closer to New Reynes, where we could more easily be watched. My parents lost their home and the lives they knew, but they were considered the lucky ones. Plenty of other orb-makers were executed.”
Enne realized how insensitive she must’ve sounded. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have suggested it.”
“We’ll think of something else,” he offered.
“Before I meet Bryce?”
He closed his eyes. “We have to try.”
Enne allowed a few moments of silence to pass between them. Part of her was still ashamed for her suggestion, and so she glanced at the empty space between their hands, looking for assurances.
Later, Levi had promised her.I will be the most attentive listener.
There was no one to interrupt them now.
And so she placed her hand on his.
Levi stiffened and looked down to where they touched with a pained expression.
“Enne.” All of his wry smiles from last night were gone. He moved away from her with slow, reluctant restraint. “This is dangerous.”
Enne’s cheeks burned. “Everything in our lives is dangerous—”
“This is different,” he said suddenly, almost forcefully. “I’ll help you—of course I’ll help you—in any way I can. We’re a team. We’re partners. But this...it’s not a good idea, for either of us.”
“But last night...” Enne swallowed. “You seemed—”
“It was a mistake,” he answered, looking away from her.
Enne didn’t pretend to understand everything going through Levi’s mind these past few days, while his entire life had fallen part. But a memory stirred in her of Luckluster Casino, when Levi had been a moment away from kissing her, like it was the last chance he’d ever have.
So that was it, then. She was a danger he would only risk when he had nothing left to lose.
He was allowed to feel that way, but that didn’t make it hurt less. They had faced the worst together and sacrificed for each other. She could tell he was holding back from the way he spoke, that he wanted this as much as she did.
But he’d decided he wouldn’t. He couldn’t.
