Page 344 of Eight of Swords, Part Two

‘How did he father her? Like, how did this come to be?’

‘Did he tell you about Resolution Branch?’

Kade casts back. ‘No, I don’t think so.’

‘It was presented as a black-ops retrieval programme,’ she says, watching the dark, narrow road ahead. ‘In fact, it was a government-sanctioned experiment involving people who carried the anthrodivergent marker but had not yet manifested. Lachlan was a Brightling who never showed signs of abilities.’

‘He’s not human?’

‘Even less so now. There are many who never manifest tangible traits. The government has ways of tracking them, and those who go into service are some of the most easily accessible for experimentation.’

‘So how did it happen?’

‘Lachlan and the people he trained with were subjected to extreme physical and emotional torture under the guise of resistance training to force dormant abilities to emerge. Their conditioning required them to practise every form of interrogation on one another, including sexual violence disguised as training,’ she says quietly, arms around herself. ‘Any woman who became pregnant was removed and transferred to Project Spectrum.’

‘One of them was Mimi’s mother?’

‘A woman named Sloane Voss.’

‘And Lachlan was the father?’

‘He was,’ she says quietly. ‘Resolution Branch was a breeding programme for anthrodivergents. Lachlan never knew he was part of it.’

Kade swallows a sour taste. ‘Jesus Christ.’

‘I expect that he will struggle to accept this. There is still much to explain, and Lachlan’s way of processing information is… less than desirable given the impending countdown.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I mean that it is time to stop hiding behind high towers and broken hearts. Alistair Penhalyx can only perform his bastardised ritual during the full moon.’ She turns and looks at him, green eyes bright. ‘He wants you, Julian. He has always wanted a Sway son, and it is why he did everything in his power to bring you through childhood sickness into adolescence.

‘He will use you to bring the human world to heel beneath him, and he has you freshly in his sights. We must prevent this at all costs, so yes, feelings will be hurt, secrets will bleed and the people we love may even die, but nothing matters more than ensuring that this ancient evil does not find his way inside his ideal host. Do you understand?’

Kade swallows.

There’s something almost frightening about her then.

‘Yes.’

‘You don’t, but you will. In the meantime, I must bring my sister to your Tower. I finally have confirmation of something I long since suspected. It must be dealt with, and she alone has the power to achieve it.’

The familiar Iron Star vehicle approaches along the alley.

Riley asks, ‘What did you suspect?’

‘That Lachlan is not alone in his body.’

✴

Kade is so relieved to be back in the Tower he could cry. Riley goes right to his room, and much as Kade is tempted to stay with him so they can talk about all this, he knows Riley would prefer privacy while he heals.

So, he takes a quick shower and goes to Medical.

‘Any change?’ he asks Noah when he comes into Luca’s room.

‘Nothing so far, but his vitals are good. I managed to pull information about extended family, but it’s all bad news, I’m afraid.’

‘I know,’ Kade says, taking careful hold of Luca’s hand. ‘He has no one.’