Chapter 466: Streetlord

Chapter 466: Streetlord

Liquid magma pumped through Aylin’s veins. His entire body felt like it had grown ten degrees hotter. He could feel every single one of his nerves — and not in a good way.

“So?” Violet asked, eagerness and trepidation mixing in her voice. “Do you feel different?”

Her heartbeat thudded in her ears, a constant rhythm that cut his words off every time he tried to form them. Aylin’s brow furrowed in concentration as he blocked it out.

“Yeah. It’s... strange. I don’t know how I’m supposed to describe it.” Aylin rubbed his fingers together. The beds of his fingers warmed and a crackle of energy ran between them. He flinched, freezing in place. “I’m so much more aware. It’s like I was walking around with my ears sewn shut before. Now there’s so much information that I can barely handle it.” He caught the concern in Violet’s expression and quickly amended, “but I can tell that I’ll adapt to it. My body is just different. Not worse.”

Violet glanced over her shoulder. “He’s not here, is he?”

Aylin hesitated for a second before shaking his head. He was pretty sure nobody was in the tent other than them right now, but after what he’d seen Spider and his companions do, he had absolutely no plans of betting against any of them. “I don’t think so, but I don’t know.”

“I can’t believe he just... made you a Rank 3,” Violet said. She stared down at her hands. “Just like that.”

“It wasn’t for free,” Aylin muttered. “I’m supposed to be a streetlord. How am I meant to do that when the only people here only know me as the rat that lived in the gutters at the edge of their territory?”

“Most of them probably won’t recognize you at all,” Violet pointed out. “And nobody is going to challenge Spider.”

“Not Spider. Not anytime soon, at least,” Aylin agreed with a small nod. “But me? I’m a different story. The moment he isn’t paying attention, someone will try their hand. Why wouldn’t they? One subordinate is just as good as another. If someone can take me out quickly, nobody would assume Spider gives a shit.”

Violet gritted her teeth. She knew he was right, but they really didn’t have much option. Fleeing was impossible. Any chance of escaping Spider’s clutches had evaporated the instant he’d taken food from the demon — and taking runes from him had only solidified Aylin’s position even further.

“Maybe he won’t be so bad,” Violet said. “He ordered the gang to bring Torick and Edda here. Maybe we’re just useful to him as we are right now.”

“More likely he’s bringing them here to remind me what he’s doing for us,” Aylin said with a shake of his head. “But you’re right. For a demon as powerful as Spider is, he’s treating us way better than I would have expected. Tools or not, I’m strong enough to actually get food now. We can eat.”

A small laugh slipped from Violet’s lips. “I guess that means taking the food from him was actually the right call. Your instincts aren’t completely broken after all.”

“More like I got lucky. Everything you said back in the hideout was right.” Aylin’s breath felt hot as he let out a sigh. His entire body brimmed with energy that he’d never felt before, to the point where he held Violet’s hand as limply as he could just to make sure he didn’t actually break anything.

She’d always been stronger than him — not by all that much, since they both had only had a single Demon Rune, but hers had been better. But now... Aylin had seen what a Rank 3 could do. Even sneezing while touching Violet could hurt her.

I wonder if Spider would be willing to make Violet and the others Rank 3s as well — no. I can’t go down that line of thought. If I start relying on him for everything, then we’ll all become so indebted to Spider that we completely lose ourselves. I owe him too much, but the others don’t. Not yet.

Aylin’s ears twitched as conversation from outside the tent reached them. He still wasn’t used to their new sensitivity and the new flavors flooding the air like invisible broth, but he picked up something familiar.

Torick and Edda were nearby — and they weren’t alone. Aylin’s eyes narrowed and he released Violet’s hand, sliding down from the throne and dropping to his feet. Rank 3 or not, his body hadn’t grown very much in size, so Golon’s chair was far too large for him.UppTodated from nô/v/e/l/b(i)n.c(o)/m

“What is it?” Violet asked.

Shit. I have to do something. Spider made it pretty clear that he can turn anyone into a Rank 3 just at a whim. If I can’t prove my worth as a streetlord, then he’ll just replace me.

“Enough,” Aylin said, his voice coming out more as a squeak than a command. It was, unfortunately, just loud enough for everyone in the crowd to turn toward him. Hundreds of eyes bore into Aylin’s skull like sharp nails.

“What’s this?” Dreek asked, his lips pulling back in a smirk. “Does the new streetlord wish something of me?”

“Yeah,” Aylin said. He forced the words out from his mouth before he could falter. “Go do whatever it is you normally do.”

Anger twisted Dreek’s features. “Spider only said you were the streetlord, not that we had to treat you any differently than a normal streetlord. Do you really think he’d have that much problem with a more capable person in your position? You’d best start watching your step more carefully.”

Dreek moved in Torick’s direction. Aylin had absolutely no idea if the demon was planning to try anything. He didn’t get a chance to find out. His body shifted faster than he’d thought it capable of.

He was still halfway through barking out, “Stop!” When he realized that his hand was lodged in Dreek’s back. A shocked silence gripped the crowd of demons like a constricting noose.

Aylin staggered back, ripping his hand free in a spray of viscera. He stared at his bloodied fingers, at the hole in Dreek’s chest just beyond them. Dreek let out a gasping wheeze. His hands clutched at the huge wound and blood bubbled from his lips, muting any final words as the demon collapsed, dead before he hit the ground.

“Rank 3,” Robon whispered. “I know that strength. Impossible. How are you Rank 3?”

Words refused to form at Aylin’s tongue. A rush of violent freezing energy slammed into him, swirling through his soul like the caress of a freezing river.

“Spider willed it,” Violet said, striding forward and throwing her arms around Torick and Edda. “Aylin is the streetlord. There’s a reason for that. Does anyone else want to try him?”

Violet’s demands carved through the crowd like a blade. The demons backed away. Aylin’s ears twitched as he heard Spider step back into his tent, satisfied. Even though the demons’ awed gazes were on Aylin rather than the masked demon, a chill ran down his back.

Was he planning on this when he ordered for Torick and Edda to be brought here?

Aylin didn’t get a chance to think his fears through for long. Aylin’s ears twitched and he turned as a female demon leapt from one of the rooftops, landing on the ground beside him with wide, panicked eyes. The demon tasted like fear.

“Streetlord, we’ve got a problem,” she said nervously. “Vroth’s executioner is heading right for our camp.”

Executioner? I don’t like the sound of that.

“Idiot,” Robon spat. “He must think we’re weak because Golon died. But Vrith isn’t stupid. We haven’t seen her in a while. Is it possible she’s grown stronger? She was already a powerful Rank 3.”

Every single eye in the crowd turned back to Aylin. His heart sank.

Oh, damn it all.

“Do you desire a weapon, streetlord?” Robon asked, his eyes flicking to Aylin’s bloodied hand. “It seems Vrith has come to challenge you.”