Page 195 of Eight of Swords, Part Two

‘Shut up, you traitorous bitch. At least I did something.’

‘Oh yes, you’ve definitely done something.’

‘He’s stabilising.’

‘They both are.’

Kade is breathing.

The rainbows are vanishing.

His body is falling through silky air, no concern for the landing.

It’ll all be OK.

He trusts it, now that he can breathe.

‘Kade,’ Lachlan says, hand on his face. ‘I’m here. I’ve got you.’

It’s almost enough for him to smile.

Almost.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Time doesn’t seem to pass at all.

Lachlan is right there, and then there’s a small chunk of blissful nothing and then he’s there again, but they’re in a different room. Kade is in recovery, a room he’s only ever visited people in before. Lachlan is holding Kade’s hand in his. Kade opens his mouth to speak, but before he can even rustle up a single syllable, Lachlan’s head lifts.

He softly utters, ‘Kade.’

It hurts to blink. ‘Mm.’

‘You thirsty? Here.’

Taking a sip of the water that’s offered through a straw, Kade nods when he’s done. His body starts delivering notifications of pain and aches.

Memories trickle in like water through cracks.

‘How are you feeling?’

‘Like shit.’

Lachlan gives a hollow smile. ‘I’m not surprised.’

Kade reaches for the button that’ll make him sit up. When he can’t find it, Lachlan does it for him. The slow incline is bearable, no especially sharp pain anywhere. He just aches like a motherfucker.

‘Riley?’

‘Harker’s fine, already up and about.’

‘Luca?’

‘He’s alive, but…’

But?

Oh no, please.