Page 221 of Eight of Swords, Part Two

‘No maybe about it. Be brave. Go see it for yourself.’

‘Don’t you want to see it too?’

‘I believe it already.’

Kade frowns. ‘You do?’

‘Mm. Go on now. I’ll be waiting.’

That fact alone is enough for Kade to make the choice.

✴

Kade can’t drive, has to ask one of the drivers to take him out of the city.

It’s refreshing that the guy, Pete, doesn’t even hesitate. Kade is still Riley’s second-in-command, after all. They drive through the tunnels, emerging in the raw, early hours of dawn. The skies are cloudy lavender-grey, the air is cold, and the city is quiet from the back seat of the SUV.

Once they’re on their way, Pete answers a call through his earpiece.

Kade knows exactly who it is, listens to the brief one-sided conversation and dreads Pete stopping the car and turning around even though Riley was the one to suggest Kade go and do exactly what he’s doing.

The call ends with, ‘Will do, boss,’ and they continue on their journey out of Varrow City.

Part of Kade genuinely doesn’t believe it about the bubble.

His stomach is tight, like he’s caught in a cramp that won’t dissipate, and he feels a little nauseous, but it’s low-grade.

It’s the Death Knot, he supposes.

Distance.

Riley really is his jailor in every sense of the word, no matter that Kade loves him and Riley loves him in turn. It’s reality. The Hush Line. The Death Knot. All Kade can do is remind himself that Riley didn’t want this.

That he’s tried to keep Kade safe all these years, his little brother.

‘Are we close?’ he asks Pete, who glances at him in the rear-view mirror.

‘Few minutes out. Destination in mind or just a drive?’

‘Just a drive for now,’ Kade says, staring out the window.

So many places he’s never been. Experiences unknown.

What’s bowling like?

What does sushi taste like?

How does it feel to get a massage? To drive a car, to check into a hotel, to go shopping, to ice-skate? He’s seen these things on TV, and he craves them in a way he never did before because before he was Riley Harker’s bodyguard. The Tower was his home, Iron Star his family, Varrow City his world and being Kade with no last name was his whole life.

That was all, and it was enough.

It’s not anymore.

He lost who he was, literally.

Forgot what he liked outside of fighting, training, being the best.

Outside of survival, beyond the scope of the Tower he was sworn to protect, there was nothing that held his interest because all his interests were deadened like cut nerves, curiosity lost.