Page 27 of Eight of Swords, Part One

‘So, you’re fresh out and you decide you want a little payback.’

‘There’s nothing little about it. Where is Troy Harker?’

‘He’s dead.’

That seems to genuinely disappoint Lachlan. ‘Who got him?’

Riley doesn’t answer that. ‘Who knows about you being here?’

‘Who killed Troy Harker?’

‘Are you working alone?’

‘You know, you’re barely older than Jules. Your crew’s young.’ He seems to be studying Riley. ‘Did you kill him? Clean house, fresh start, that it?’

‘Is someone funding you?’

‘Oh, you did, huh? Well.’ Lachlan sighs. ‘That complicates things.’

‘Does anybody else know about you coming here?’

‘I work alone.’

‘You’re lying.’

‘I’m not.’

‘Someone else knows about you coming here.’

Lachlan shrugs. ‘An old friend.’

‘Penhalyx?’

‘No.’

That seems to satisfy Riley. ‘Tell me about the ritual.’

‘Why?’

Kade listens carefully.

Riley tips his head, calculating. ‘Would you like to speak to Kade again?’

Lachlan sneers. ‘Congrats on finding the carrot, kid.’

‘Would you?’

‘What I would like is for you to let him go.’

‘Let him go?’ Riley echoes with faint amusement.

‘Yes.’

‘You mean fire him?’

‘I mean release him. You’ve done it well. I give you that. Indoctrinated him, fucking Stockholmed him so hard he doesn’t even realise it. If you let him go, I’ll get you whatever you want.’

‘What,’ Riley asks softly, ‘do you imagine I want?’