Page 62 of Eight of Swords, Part Two

Kade’s ears are sore inside when he lightly touches the outer shell, but he’s hearing again, which is good. He sits up, wincing as pain flares through his injuries. Judging by Riley’s tone, everything is all right. Kade doubts he’d be showering if it wasn’t, but still.

He remembers the attack.

‘Is anyone hurt?’

‘A few people are hurt. No one died.’

None of our people died, he means.

Kade is relieved. ‘Where’s Lachlan?’

‘Helping out downstairs.’

‘Helping?’

The shower shuts off. Riley doesn’t come out right away. He’s naturally very private, which Kade respects immensely. ‘Are you all right?’ Kade asks Riley through the closed door, moving off the bed. His bare feet touch cold concrete. No carpet in here. ‘You hurt?’

‘I’m fine,’ Riley answers, his voice raised to carry through.

Kade scans around. He rarely has time to read, but Riley loves to. His vast collection of battered books is the only colour to be found in this room. Their spines make a faded, disorganised rainbow. Kade takes one out, carefully flipping through the pages.

There’s tiny, cramped writing on several pages.

Kade’s heart drops like a stone as he reads just one small corner.

The bones are bad. They move when I don’t.

I put my hand over my mouth because

I’m scared they’ll crawl out when I sleep.

Even snakes have bones.

Does it start slow when you disappear

or is it fast? I don’t want to watch it happen.

I hate my skin so much. All of me is bad.

‘Hey.’

Kade swiftly turns to face Riley, who isn’t upset or annoyed. He radiates calm, even when his gaze flits to the book that Kade puts back.

‘Hey.’

Riley taps his own ear. ‘Healed up?’

‘Yeah. You?’

‘All fine.’ Riley sits on the bed to pull his boots on, not the cowboy boots today, just a plain black pair. Kade watches while he laces them up.

Quietly, Kade says, ‘I forgive you for not telling me.’

‘No.’ Riley’s expression flickers into a frown. ‘I should have done better.’

‘I love you anyway.’

‘I love you too.’ Riley ties the laces with a sharp flourish. ‘You’re the only one I trust. You know that, right?’