Page 471 of Eight of Swords, Part Two

‘Unless it changes whether we burn Kade within the hour—’

‘It does.’

‘No offence,’ Lee says, ‘but you are not part of our inner circle.’

‘She saved us,’ Vasily points out quietly. ‘And she is my friend.’

‘Let her speak,’ Lachlan utters gruffly.

Riley gives a nod. ‘Fine.’

‘If I have not made my case within the next ten minutes, then I will not object nor is it really my place to, and I fully appreciate that, but the truth is I have been trying to find a way to contact you all safely for years now.’

‘We have talked before,’ Vasily says, frowning.

‘Those calls were always monitored and, forgive me, my friend, but you did not pick up on any of my attempts to subtly inform you of this.’

Lee asks, ‘Who was monitoring your calls?’

‘Alistair. He has been trying to locate me for many years now. Knowing what I do,’ Savannah explains, ‘about the anomaly over the city thanks to you, Vasily, my understanding was that if I came to help, I would become stuck inside too as Mimi, I am blessed to believe, counted me as family.’

‘You know far more than I anticipated,’ Lee says.

‘I have not spent the last seven years idly. That being said, I have been powerless in many respects to offer any assistance without it being intercepted. It was only when I got the secure call from Lachlan that I finally knew it was my time to come and help.’

Something in that demands Riley’s attention.

Not a lie, not a deception at all, but…

‘Why did Penhalyx want you?’

‘There are so many reasons why, not least of all, I expect, to use me.’

‘For what?’

‘I have spent years mapping the full extent of his operations from a place of safety, and I now have credible intelligence confirming what I have long believed. That Mimi is alive.’

Everyone looks at Lachlan, who barely reacts.

‘Mimi’s dead,’ he says softly.

‘Bear with me,’ Savannah entreats. ‘Mimi’s body was brought to Helixx in Varrow after… the incident here, that is absolutely correct. But upon intake, it was reported that they found a weak pulse. After a day, she was breathing independently. After a week, she was almost fully recovered. Lock,’ she whispers, hand on his shoulder. ‘She’s alive.’

‘No. No, I…’ He shakes his head. ‘I killed her. I didn’t mean to but I did. I shot her. Harker’s bullets were blanks. Mine weren’t.’

‘She was shot,’ Savannah explains patiently. ‘Fatal wounds, yes, but she didn’t die. She healed, and as I understand, she was kept in containment for a long time with a companion.’

‘What companion?’

‘I was never able to discover who.’

Lachlan blinks like an owl. ‘Mimi’s alive?’

‘She has been this whole time, kept inside Helixx.’

‘Oh my God.’ Lachlan drops forward onto the table, catching himself on both hands. Riley moves to his side. ‘Oh my God.’

‘Just breathe, you’re OK.’