Page 53 of Wicked Enemy

“I’ll get you the location of another healer,” she said, as if that wouldn’t be an impossible task for practically anyone else. “Now, what kind of stekta do you want?”

I was still reeling a bit from the way this conversation had gone, to the extent that all I managed to reply was, “Beef and scallions.”

She chuckled, and I swore that conspiratorial gleam was back in her eyes as she dunked her ladle in the bucket of batter and replied, “Of course it is.”

Chapter22

The mass of oil lamps on the wires above painted the whole street in shifting colors of every hue. Music spilled out from the red door on my left, and the mouthwatering scent of fried street food hung in the air. It mixed with south Malgrave’s signature scent of rich perfume, alcohol, and blood. This side of the river was messy and violent and wickedly depraved, and yet it called to my soul in a way the north side never had.

I felt free here. Free to dance, free to drink, and free to fuck whoever and however I wanted. As if I could shed all of the stifling rules of propriety and instead just… be me. Just live.

And I hated myself for that. I hated the way the south side called to my soul. I hated the way I craved the freedom it provided.

This dark mage-infested part of the city was the reason why my father was dead, and I was betraying his memory by secretly enjoying it. What an awful daughter, awfulperson, I was. How could I possibly feel at home here among the very people who had killed him? It was sick.

Guilt seared through my chest like a hot knife. And suddenly, the colorful lights and the pulsing music and the cacophony of scents felt like a thick blanket that was pressing in on all sides, smothering me. I couldn’t breathe. It was too much.

Taking a sharp left, I darted into an alley between two buildings. My heart was slamming against my ribs. I needed air. I needed to get out of this oppressive pit full of memories and longings and feelings. And I needed it right now.

I whipped my head from side to side as I reached the next cross street. There was a low one-story building on one side, so I picked up speed and sprinted towards it. Right before I reached it, I jumped up onto a wooden box full of half-dead flowers, and pushed off.

Wind rushed over my face and tugged at my hair as I flew upwards. My fingers curled around the edge of the roof as I reached it, and I used my grip on it to hoist myself up. After rolling to my feet, I jogged over the roof and approached the next building. The roof was higher on that one, but since I was already standing on this one, I could reach it without too much effort.

Relief crashed over me as I straightened on top of the highest roof. Now, all the colors and music and scents were below me. Just a simmering surface of activity far below instead of a boiling pot around me.

Tilting my head back, I stared up at the dark star-dusted sky above and drew in a deep breath. My heart rate began to slow again.

Cool night winds blew across the rooftops, swirling through my hair and clothes, but I welcomed the slight chill. It helped ground me in the present again.

My father was dead. There was nothing I could do about that. But I could honor his memory by continuing to work for the constables and helping the north side to reclaim the lawless south so that no one else’s father would be a victim of a dark mage war again.

After blowing out a long sigh, I at last tipped my head back down.

I had come to the south side tonight to… do what? I wasn’t even sure why I had come here. I had just felt that irresistible tug on my soul and answered its call. It had been so stupid. What if someone had recognized me as a constable?

Shaking my head at my own stupidity, I moved over to the edge of the roof and scanned the streets around me for threats.

My heart stuttered in my chest.

Levi was walking along one of the roads, heading in my direction. Indecision flashed through me. Part of me wanted to thank him again, properly, for saving me from White. The other part of me wanted to go down there and tell him that he could take his ridiculous demand of me staying away from him and shove it up his fucking ass. No one told me what I could or couldn’t do, or where I could or couldn’t go.

He brushed his hands together in the way he always did when he discreetly wanted to summon his magic.

Alarm shot through me. Had he spotted me?

But then movement from both sides of the road drew my attention, and the pulse of alarm was replaced by dread.

Two groups of people were rounding the corner. One behind Levi and one ahead. He trailed to a halt, but made no move to attack as the men and women welled around the corner, blocking his way in both directions. There were two side streets, but they were halfway between Levi’s current position and the two groups.

With my pulse thrumming in my ears, I flicked my gaze between the people standing at the very front of each group. Even from this distance, I recognized them instantly. After all, their faces were plastered on wanted posters on every floor where I worked. Aaron Reyes, the leader of the House of Onyx. And Connor Bale, the leader of the House of Lightning.

And Levi was trapped between them. Alone.

Fear sliced through me.

Levi was going to get killed right here before my very eyes.

I didn’t even stop to consider the consequences. Or if it was even going to work. I just reacted on instinct.

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