Page 66 of Eight of Swords, Part Two

What were you helping with? he asks Lachlan.

I escorted your QG around while he assessed the damage.

Kade frowns. Why did you do that?

Because I want this place to be safe. Lachlan catches the disbelieving look Kade throws him and rolls his eyes. It’s your Tower, J. He pauses after he signs the letter J and frowns. Sorry.

Kade shakes his head, signs, It’s fine.

You sure you’re OK?

I wouldn’t lie about it.

Lachlan cracks a tiny smile. You would.

No one ever made it inside like that. Not before you, anyway.

Your boss isn’t happy.

The bad feeling spreads like internal bleeding.

If it was Seth, that’s partially on Kade. He had plenty of chances to talk to him, to really listen to what he was saying and therefore feeling.

Seth is in the Drowner.

He’s strapped down to the same chair that Lachlan easily got free from only days ago, newly repaired and welded down. Outside, Luca and Hiru are waiting for them.

Luca gives Kade a one-armed hug, scans him all over.

‘I was worried,’ he tells him quietly.

Kade winks. ‘Don’t fret, Lucozade. You good?’

‘Good as gold, Motorcade.’ Luca looks at Lachlan. ‘Thank you.’

Lachlan, perhaps unprepared to be thanked, gives a brisk nod. ‘Sure.’

‘Wait outside,’ Riley instructs Luca and Hiru.

Kade and Lachlan walk inside with Riley.

‘You helped Luca?’ Kade asks Lachlan quietly.

‘I helped whoever I could that was yours.’

Seth isn’t hurt. Not yet.

He’s staring down at the floor with a horribly blank expression. That’s not good, Kade knows. An innocent man would be fighting his case.

Riley pulls Seth’s head back by the hair.

Seth remains quiet, mutinously so.

Kade wonders what the giveaway was.

Riley has always had an unnerving talent for knowing when people are lying, but there had to be something specific for Seth to end up in this chair.

‘Kade,’ Riley intones quietly.