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The carriage that held Keane and his men rolled up behind us.
The Enforcers stepped from the drivers’ seats and opened the back doors, revealing the five men inside. Each of them, including Keane, had a pair of handcuffs on their wrists and shackles on their ankles, with a chain connecting them all. Keane’s eager eyes met mine from the back of the carriage, his loose gray hair hanging around his face as his mouth lifted.
One of the Enforcers started to lead them from the carriage.
“Leave them,” said Cael, “until I say otherwise.”
“Good morning, Sir Brennin.” An Enforcer bowed to Graham, then gestured to me. “And who may this be? I have never before seen you on duty.”
“This is Enforcer Graves,” said Cael before I could answer. “I found the boy twiddling his thumbs this morning in the Avenue, so I brought him along for training. I don’t expect him to actually do anything to help, mind you.” He gave me a pointed look, just another way to tell me to shut up and stay back.
I kept my mouth closed and bowed like a good Enforcer, intending to shut up, but not intending to stay back.
Graham glanced at me and I caught fear in his eyes.
I wondered what my expression had revealed, and if he’d detected a hint of the obstinance I’d felt. Sometimes I was afraid he knew me too well and that the days of hiding things from him were long gone.
But as for today, I was still hiding something.
I wished I could’ve informed him of my plan to help the men escape, but I couldn’t let him be complicit. It wasn’t that I thought he’d fight against me. I was almost certain he’d support the idea of releasing the men instead of imprisoning them, but Graham had to stay innocent and blameless.
My greatest fear was what Cael would do if Graham stood in his way. I shuddered as I thought of what he did to Cardiff Pearce—along with the regretful part I’d played as the pawn.
I always seemed to be the pawn.
But this time, Cael wasmypawn, and I had him where I wanted.
He distanced himself from the carriages, standing on a high rock overlooking the water.
Graham and I followed, but the Enforcers stayed back to supervise the men in the carriage.
Cael pulled a radio from his pocket, his eye fixed on the distant boat. “Do you have Dunn and our weapons?”
Vaughn’s voice came on. “We do. Do you have our crew?”
“Indeed,” said Cael. “It’s time to peacefully come to shore if you want them.”
“We’ll stay where we are,” said Vaughn. “And if you send any boats our way, the exchange is off. We’ll give nothing and no one back to you.”
A vein on Cael’s forehead bulged as he growled into the radio. “That isn’t the agreement. Come to shore and retrieve your men as per our terms.”
“I never agreed to come to shore,” said Vaughn. “Listen, in good faith, we’ll send back Dunn first. But then I need my crew returned before you see a single weapon.”
Cael chuckled darkly. “You seem to think you’re the one with the power here.”
“We’re the ones with the boat,” said Vaughn. “And not just any boat, but the fastest in Cambria. You know you can’t catch up to us if we leave.”
Cael smiled, the expression unnerving. “Fine. Send back Dunn then.”
“Just one problem,” said Vaughn. “We’ve got no rowboat to speak of, thanks to you, but I see one on your shores. Send one of your men to come retrieve him—unarmed.”
Cael frowned and looked at me, pointing to the rowboat on the shore. “You. Go.”
“Me?” I said, my stomach sinking. I didn’t want to get too far from Cael when I’d promised to supervise the negotiation. “Why not send one of your Enforcers?”
“They’re guarding the prisoners. And you’re the one most interested in getting Dunn back,” said Cael. “Do as I say.”
“I’ll go,” said Graham, noticing my hesitation.
