Page 223 of Eight of Swords, Part Two

He frowns, turns around and goes back.

Maybe Riley installed a Hush Line around the entire city, except no, that’s insane because then no one would be able to leave.

A red car whizzes by, wind tousling his hair as it speeds away.

Kade walks slower this time, wary and alert.

He makes it back to where he was before, armed with the knowledge that the gate is closed, fucking obviously it’s closed, what the fuck was he even thinking, it’s just anxiety, it’s just—

His throat closes up tight, vision blurring, anxiety attack, oh God, no, not now, please. Kade stumbles, reaching for his wrist and pressing hard, pressing deep to massage, pretends it’s Lachlan, always so much better when Lachlan does it.

He needs to get back to Lachlan.

He has to go where Lachlan can find him so he can breathe, so he won’t pass out, so…

Kade is almost back at the car.

The feeling fades.

He levels out.

‘No fucking way,’ he mutters, turning to the city sign again.

You are now leaving Varrow City.

Except he’s not.

He’s really fucking not.

Kade takes a deep breath and then runs flat out towards the sign, silences his brain, no thoughts, no feelings, just run, run, run, except he trips on a fucking pebble, goes down hard and lands heavily on his side. Wincing, he lifts his shirt and feels the graze.

Another car flies by, leaving the city.

‘You OK?’ Pete calls out.

‘Yeah,’ he groans, feeling intensely stupid. That must have looked so dumb. What is he even doing? People must be staring.

He needs to get back.

This is a waste of time.

Riley needs him and Lachlan is waiting, they need to…

Kade stops.

He didn’t even realise he was walking back again.

More cars go by, leaving.

But he’s stuck.

‘Pete.’

‘Yeah?’

‘What’d the boss say?’

‘He said to take you wherever you wanted to go.’