Page 9 of Eight of Swords, Part Two

He’s not letting Kade feel it.

Containing it inside himself.

Blood spills over his lips from his nose.

Kade reaches out to touch the blood, but Riley stops him.

‘I’m fine.’

‘You’re not. This is hurting you.’

Riley wipes it away. ‘Doesn’t matter.’

‘Of course it matters.’

‘I know I should have told you. I just…’

‘How did we end up in the Death Knot? You and me.’

‘There are things about me you don’t know.’

Kade snorts. ‘Yeah, no shit.’

‘Look, this is already a lot.’

‘I can take it.’

‘I don’t think you can.’

‘I can,’ Kade insists. ‘Stop deciding what I need to know.’

‘I’m your boss.’

‘You’re my friend first.’

‘No, I’m not.’

Oh, that hurts.

Kade has to look away so he doesn’t let it show.

‘Fine. Penhalyx wanted to possess his son, so the son ran away.’ Kade frowns. ‘Why doesn’t Lachlan know this? Why—?’

‘You have to stop now.’

‘Why?’

‘I’m gonna pass out if you don’t.’

Kade looks at him.

Really looks.

Riley’s skin has never been so pale, almost translucent.

A tremulous line of tension runs through him like a current.

‘OK. All right, we’ll stop.’