Page 102 of Heartless Enemy

All at once, the dark mages across the field broke rank and hurried back the way they had come. I chuckled. The first person to reach Helspire would have a much better chance of keeping it. No wonder they were all running like their asses were on fire.

I cast one last glance down at the dead worldwalker at my feet before starting back towards our own forces. Eve did the same.

We had only made it a few steps when she said something that made my heart stop.

“Your wife, huh?”

Panic shot through my body like crackling lightning. I had just killed a worldwalker, but three words spoken by my little spitfire was the thing that made me absolutely fucking terrified.

I flicked a quick glance at her. She was watching me with a neutral mask on her face, betraying none of her emotions.

“I, uhm…” I began, trying desperately and failing miserably to figure out what to say. “Well, I…”

“Your wife,” she repeated, rolling the words over her tongue as if tasting them. And at last, a brilliant smile spread across her lips, and her eyes glittered with mischief as she met my gaze. “I quite like the sound of that.”

Chapter38

News about the worldwalker’s death and our victory spread like wildfire. On our way back, we had been met by Anna and the rest of Levi’s runners. They had taken off towards the city immediately, so the moment we stepped foot through the gates, everyone already knew what had happened.

There was an excited buzz, full of relief and joy, pulsing through the entire south side as we made our way through the streets and towards the Main Square.

The Parliament of Malgrave had of course stayed on the north side, hiding where they thought they would be safe, during the entire battle while leaving the rest of us to fight and die. But Anna brought word that they had apparently deigned to come back to the Main Square now to meet us and to formally acknowledge that Levi’s side of the bargain had been fulfilled. Though I had a feeling that Levi, via his runners, had threatened them into doing that.

Levi and I walked at the front, with his dark mages marching behind us. People quickly cleared the streets when they saw us coming, but there was no fear on their faces this time. Instead, it looked more like… awe. And respect.

They had all known that a worldwalker was coming to wipe out the whole city. Scores of them had come to the Court of Metal this morning, begging Levi to protect them. He had told them to stay inside the city walls. That he would take care of it. And he had.

Levi Arden, the one dark mage who ruled with an iron fist and expected complete obedience but who actually kept his side of the bargain too. All the shops and homes that had been damaged or destroyed in the battle against the constables would be repaired, the costs covered by Levi, and the threat that the worldwalker had posed had been neutralized.

Most people on the south side might be scared shitless of Levi, but they respected him in equal measure.

My heart swelled as I stole a glance at him now.

He walked with confident steps and his shoulders rolled back. The helmet and the back- and breastplates were gone, but he still wore his imposing shoulder plates. His chin was raised and his eyes scanned the road ahead with utter control. He strode through these streets like he owned the place. Which he did.

A smug smile played over my lips.

Mine.

The King of Metal was all mine.

Up ahead, the road opened up into a wide space. Just like yesterday, the Main Square was packed with people. They parted before us as we strode straight for the group of men and women who stood on the ground in front of the dais. The Parliament of Malgrave.

People wearing white leather uniforms were also positioned there. They were no doubt the constables who had been ordered to stay inside the city and guard the parliament members instead of joining everyone else on the battlefield. They all glanced between us and the smudge of white that was visible behind the procession of dark mages. The white boots who had been at the battlefield had been much slower to regroup and start towards the city, so they were still a few minutes behind us.

The Parliament of Malgrave exchanged a look as we came to a halt before them. Dark mages fanned out behind our backs.

“The worldwalker is dead,” Levi announced without preamble. “And his army has gone back to the north.”

Parliament Member Nikita Dreary nodded. “Yes, so we’ve heard.”

When Levi only continued watching her with eyebrows raised expectantly, she shifted uncomfortably on her feet for a few seconds and then cleared her throat.

“We hereby consider your part of the deal fulfilled,” she finally forced out with what sounded like great effort.

Levi’s lips lifted in a half-smirk. “Nothank you?”

Displeasure flickered across her face as she narrowed her eyes at him. “Don’t push it, dark mage.”

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