Page 93 of Wicked Enemy
“Why?”
“To make sure that your claim about a deal going down looked as real as possible, so that you wouldn’t get into any trouble.”
I blinked at him. “Oh.”
Shinji cast a glance towards the windows. “We need to leave. Now.”
He was right. Outside, the noise of thundering footsteps drew closer. It would be less than a minute before the entire constable force came charging through the doors.
After giving Shinji a nod, Chris hurried over to the large red carpet that covered most of the floor. With Shinji’s help, he rolled it back to reveal a trapdoor.
Tyler grabbed my shoulder, turning me towards him while the other two opened the trapdoor. “Levi said to tell you, please come to my Court.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Those exact words?Pleasecome to my Court?”
A smile ghosted across Tyler’s lips. “Yes. Those exact words.”
But before I could reply, he gave my shoulder a quick squeeze and then darted over to the trapdoor. I watched as the three of them disappeared into the escape tunnel it no doubt housed, and then pulled it closed again.
A crash sounded as someone threw open the front door.
I lurched forward and yanked the carpet back into place before sprinting into the corridor.
Air exploded from my lungs as Frank’s muscular body crashed right into me. The force of his momentum sent me flying sideways and crashing into a side table. Pain shot up my hip. A vase wobbled and then toppled over the edge as I hit the table hard enough to push it backwards a few inches. The noise of shattering ceramic mingled with pounding footsteps as Jamila and Captain Wright and several other people burst through the door.
“They ran out the back!” I called as I pushed myself up from the table. “West side.”
“Go!” Captain Wright bellowed loudly enough for everyone both inside and outside to hear. “Everyone spread out! Intercept them before they disappear into their strongholds.”
Straightening my rumpled clothes, I took off in a rush to follow his orders. Or part of them anyway.
As we all spread out, I quickly slipped away from the others and instead made my way towards Levi’s Court using the back roads.
When I reached it, Chris was one of the people keeping guard outside. I ran my gaze up and down the massive doors. Surprise flickered through me when I realized that they were once more blood red. Just like they should be.
“He’s in his room,” Chris said as he pulled the door open for me.
I nodded and started to walk past. But before I could cross the threshold, his voice stopped me.
“Eve.”
I turned to face him. Awkwardness flitted across his features as he drew a hand over his blond hair.
“Thanks for coming through for us,” he said at last. A small smile tugged at his lips. “Again.”
Warmth spread through my chest. “You’re welcome.”
The throne room beyond looked exactly like it had the first time I had been here. Massive, imposing, full of metal chains and burning torches and oil lamps. There were more people inside it now, though. A lot more. Many of them were ones I had never seen before.
As I made my way across the floor and towards the door that would take me to Levi’s private wing, I couldn’t help but wonder what exactly had happened on Levi’s side of the city today.
Those people I had never seen before jerked back and summoned magic when they noticed the white and gold leather armor I was wearing. But the dark mages I had freed from our prison quickly stepped between us and snapped at them to stand down. Turning towards me, they inclined their heads in respect as I passed. The others stared in open-mouthed disbelief.
Amusement swirled inside my chest as I left them behind and started down the corridor. I wondered how they were going to explain who and what I was.
The thought sent a stab of panic down my spine.
Ididn’t even know who and what I was anymore.