Page 101 of Eight of Swords, Part Two

Something in Kade’s mind begs to click, but he refuses it.

Riley asks, ‘Why are we here?’

‘To make truce and tell truths over tea, Harker. You should try. Is nice.’

‘No.’

‘Suit yourself.’ Vasily slides Kade his cup of tea.

He didn’t ask how he takes it, he just made it.

Kade looks to Riley, who gives a tiny nod, so he drinks a little and moodily denies that it’s wonderful.

‘You ask permission to drink, do you?’

‘He’s my boss.’

‘Such a mess,’ Vasily mutters to himself, drinking his own tea from the exquisite cup, pinky up. ‘I have brought the journals to give.’

‘What journals?’

‘The journals my father left to me. They contain the history of the Death Knot and those who abused it. I shared them with you that Christmas. You learned from these books,’ Vasily tells Kade, gesturing over his shoulder to a box sitting on the countertop, ‘what Alistair was planning to do to you, just as I learned what Mikhail had been planning...’ Vasily’s expression creases. ‘For my brother, before he changed his mind.’

‘You know about all this?’ Lachlan asks. ‘Their bond?’

‘I know much.’

‘Are you still in contact with Savannah?’

‘Yes.’

‘I want you to take Jules there. I want all three of you safely together.’

‘Did you just ask Vasily Sorrenko to kidnap me?’ Kade demands, so indignant it comes full circle back to being almost amusing.

‘Savannah has been building a kind of safe haven for other kinds.’

‘She has been working on that and more, but we cannot leave.’

‘I’ll get whatever money you need—’

‘Lock,’ Vasily says, inclining his head with a grin, but the tone holds a slight warning, ‘you must listen now. You must see. I know it was never your talent, but I have risked much to come to you, all of you,’ he adds, glancing at Riley. ‘It cannot be for nothing. My people do not want me to make this alliance, and yet I must.’

‘What alliance?’

‘I must tell you things first. You will listen?’

Kade looks to Riley and lets him decide.

The boss of Iron Star says, ‘I will.’

‘Good. So. First year, Blaire took care of me. She was all I had. No power. No influence. I could not even get Lock out of prison. I was a child still. Weak.’ Vasily frowns a little, playing with the rim of his teacup. ‘I did not know myself. We wanted to leave the city but did not yet know how impossible that was. After the first year, people started coming to me, and to Blaire. Connections were drawn here into Varrow City.

‘The Moroz Front came to pledge allegiance. Slowly, Blaire and I gained some power here. We made sure Lachlan was not murdered in prison, and though I wanted to break him out, she said many times it was safest place for him. As for you, dear friend,’ he says to Kade, ‘I did not know you were alive until you were seen. I then assumed Harker kept you as hostage. I tried to attack the Tower, but I was...’ He makes a thoughtful sound, stretching his muscles, letting them pop. ‘New to violence. I tried sending messages that were ignored. There are forces involved I still cannot see,’ Vasily muses, fingers trailing along the metal table. ‘But I know they are real. I am sorry I could not save you, Jules.’

‘I didn’t need saving.’

‘Perhaps.’