Page 35 of Heartless Enemy

Another few seconds of stunned silence passed as we all stared at him.

“Fuck, you’re brilliant,” Chris blurted out. “And kind of terrifying.” Then he seemed to remember himself because his cheeks flushed and he cleared his throat sheepishly. “Sorry, sir.”

Satisfaction glittered in Levi’s eyes as he waved his hand, signaling that he didn’t mind the outburst.

“It is an excellent solution,” Shinji said with a considering look on his face as he nodded. “Using one problem to solve another problem.”

“I agree,” I said, almost a little annoyed that I hadn’t come up with that cunning idea myself. Furrowing my brows, I drummed my fingers on the smooth tabletop. “But how do we get White to bring his army and threaten the whole city instead?”

“We take his healer,” Levi replied immediately. “It’s what started this whole chain of events. He desperately wanted a healer, and only left when I gave him one. So if we steal the healer back, White is going to come charging down from the north with swords drawn.”

A smile drifted across my lips as I watched Levi and the others talk about strategies for getting the healer.

This was why Levi had managed to build himself an empire.

Yes, he was ridiculously powerful and ruthless and possessed an unusual magical ability. But what made Levi Arden such a formidable foe was that he was intelligent.Dangerouslyintelligent.

In just the past few months since I first met him, he had killed no less than six gang leaders and wiped out all remaining dark mage Houses.

Wicked anticipation sparkled inside me as I watched him sit there and scheme in his black and gold dining room. I almost pitied whoever would try to challenge him next.

“The problem is that we don’t know where White’s castle is,” Tyler said, raking a hand through his brown hair.

Levi ran a hand over his jaw. “I know someone who can probably find out.”

“No need,” I said.

They all turned to me with raised eyebrows.

“Chief Anderson has a contact in the city close to where the castle is,” I explained. “So I already know where it is.”

Levi smirked. “How convenient.”

“Isn’t it?” I grinned back. “Anyway, White has apparently made his home in a castle outside Helmark.”

Levi froze.

A whole host of emotions flashed behind his eyes.

I blinked. “What?”

That strange expression on his face disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Giving his head a short shake, he shrugged and slouched back in his seat again. “Nothing. I was just surprised. Helmark isn’t exactly the north.”

“It’s north of Malgrave.”

“Yeah, but notthenorth. The true north. With the way people were talking, I expected it to be at least past the Gray Peaks.”

I studied Levi carefully. There was something else going on here. His tone was too casual. His replies too light. And that slew of emotions that had flickered in his eyes earlier had not just been from surprise.

Opening my mouth, I was about to ask him what was really going on. But before I could, Levi shot me a quick look so full of silent pleading that I started in shock.

Levi didn’tplead.

But the look in his eyes was clear.

Please don’t. Not here. Not now.

So I quickly switched paths and instead said, “True. At least Helmark is much closer. What is it, a two-day ride?”