Page 417 of Eight of Swords, Part Two

A fist cracks across Kade’s mouth.

Riley has never hit him.

He grabs Riley by the jacket and drags him down, both of them smashing hard against the flooded concrete. Riley twists beneath him with unexpected strength. His knee drives into Kade’s stomach, makes him lose his grip and Riley rolls them, forearm crushing his throat as he tries to force him flat. Kade bucks him off, catches him around the waist and hauls him bodily away from the edge.

They’ve never fought before.

Not once.

Kade takes another blow to the face, tastes blood. He drives Riley onto his back, traps one wrist against the roof, then the other, knees locking around his torso while rain lashes them both.

Riley thrashes beneath him. Kade holds on.

‘More death isn’t the fucking solution, Riley!’ he yells, blood and rain running from his mouth. ‘You’re my brother! You have to stay and be my brother now because I never had one and you don’t get to just go away!’

‘It… it was my fault.’

‘It was not your fault!’ Kade punches Riley when he tries to struggle. The pain of it blooms in his own jaw. ‘You were just trying to help!’

‘I ruined everything.’ Riley sobs weakly. ‘I ruin… everything.’

‘You kept me safe.’

‘I locked you up.’

‘You kept your promise to her.’

‘I’m the curse. Me. This fucking thing inside me, I hate it. God, I hate it so much. I don’t wanna live hiding from the moon anymore. I don’t want to lock myself up and do the same to you just so I’m not so alone.’

‘We’ll figure it out together!’

‘No, Jules. You’re gonna let me go.’

‘I won’t.’

‘Lachlan will die otherwise.’

‘It’s Penhalyx who’s responsible.’

‘Your memories are all inside me.’

‘They’re coming back anyway, I can—’

‘I know how much you love him. Let me do one good thing.’

‘You can do it by being brave enough to stay!’

‘You’re so much stronger than me.’

‘Stop it! Stop this, I hate it and it scares me!’

‘I know. I’m so sorry. I just… I wanted you to know why.’

‘It wasn’t your fault and even if it was, that fucking ritual is bullshit somehow, the wording is too sly.’

‘I can give you Julian back.’

‘He’ll come back when he’s ready.’