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“I know how that feels,” I said.
“My . . . fault,” he managed to say.
I smiled at what seemed to be an apology. “You were only doing what you thought was right.”
He looked down at the water.
I considered telling him about his grandfather, but I couldn’t. Not when he looked like that. Or when I’d been involved. So I continued rowing, my arms tiring, though the tide was in our favor as we returned to shore.
Graham ran to meet us, helping Dominic from the boat.
Dominic’s knees buckled as he stepped onto the sand.
“What did they do to him?” Graham asked.
“Branks.” I stretched my arms, tired from rowing. “Have an Enforcer take him to the city immediately.”
“I’m giving the orders,Enforcer,” said Cael as he strode down to us.
“Then order the Enforcers to take him to the city immediately,” I said, not in the mood to keep him happy.
He glowered, then took Dunn by the elbow and helped him into the carriage. After Dunn was secure, Cael turned to the Enforcers guarding the hostages and ordered not only one, but both of them to deliver him back to the city.
I was shocked he’d listened to me, but he always did seem to care about members of the Academy more than anybody else.
After the horses trotted away with the carriage, Cael turned to me. “Time to send these men to the boat.”
My eyes widened. Had he softened up? Changed his mind about arresting them? I couldn’t believe he was willing to send back the hostages before the weapons were retrieved, but if he’d changed his mind, I didn’t want to stop him.
Graham looked confused, but he, too, didn’t speak up.
“She must be exhausted,” said Graham. “I can take them.”
“No,” said Cael. “You can’t.”
My arms ached at the thought of rowing back, but I’d gladly do it if it meant Keane and his men could be free.
“Once you get there,” said Cael, “I want you to gather every last weapon and put it into the rowboat.Everylast weapon.”
“This sounds like a job for two,” said Graham. “I can?—”
“Once again, you are not going, so stop trying to volunteer,” Cael snapped. He went up to the carriage and ordered the men out, their chains and shackles clacking.
“Get in the boat,” Cael said.
Keane, on one end of the chain, started down the hill, the rest of them forced to follow, tripping over their shackles as they went.
“Hey!” Vaughn’s voice came from Cael’s pocket. “Take off their shackles and cuffs first.”
Cael reached into his right pocket and pulled out a black box that looked something like a radio but smaller, while Vaughn’s voice still emanated from his other pocket. He swiftly returned the item to his pocket as if it had been an accident, then pulled out the radio instead.
I didn’t know what I’d seen, but I was sure it was another piece of technology from the arsenal.
“Unshackle them!” Vaughn said again.
“Absolutely not,” Cael replied.
“How are we s’posed to remove those chains?” asked Vaughn. “If you’re setting them free, you have to actually set themfree.”
