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I fumed, wanting to fight but afraid to make him mad when I was looking to pull some strings. “Don’t forget I’m going with you to the arsenal after we retrieve the weapons. I’ll be seeing it anyway, as per our agreement, so there’s no point in keeping it from me.”
“The point is I don’t want you recognized,” Cael snapped. “I already made that clear. I only allowed you out of my grounds because I knew Keane would listen to you. He seems to think you’re trustworthy for some reason.”
My nausea deepened, and I clutched at my ribs, the old ache of guilt returning.
How many times had my stomach twisted in knots to tell me my lies were sickening? How many times had a wave of guiltnearly knocked me to my knees? My body had been trying to warn me of the pain that would accompany my choices, but I never seemed to listen.
Chapter
Twenty-Seven
That night,when Cael was gone and my father slept, I climbed the stairs. Rain pattered on the shed’s rooftop, and the air was heavy and humid. I had brought the radio so I could inform Cait of the plan.
I pressed the button on the radio. “Come in, Cee.”
I tried several times, getting no answer.
Fear started to grip me. I wondered if she’d been captured. What if someone had seen a light in the window of my house? What if she’d gotten overconfident and tried to leave? Or what if Cael suspected she was there, now that he knew about her presence in the city?
The thoughts chilled my blood. Knowing I was saving Cait from going back to prison was a driving force, a motivation that ensured I kept to the plan. I cared about Keane, but I cared about Cait even more. She was the closest to a sister I’d ever had, someone who I knew would fiercely protect me no matter what. Yes, we hadn’t always agreed and our stubborn personalities sometimes clashed, but we had a loyalty that surpassed everything else.
Cait had to get free of this city even more than I did. I’d promised her freedom back when I met her in prison and I still intended to deliver it.
“Come in!” I said into the radio again.
A voice finally answered, but it wasn’t Cait. And it wasn’t Lachlan either.
“What d’you want now, blondie?” asked a voice I recognized as Vaughn’s, his tone light but mocking. “Ready to take back the offer?”
“Vaughn?” I asked. “I’m sorry. I must be on the wrong channel. I was trying to call Cait.”
“Cait, eh?” He paused. “What are the odds that everyone who went to shore ended up in prison but the two of you?”
I paused, tempted to turn off the radio, but I had to make sure he returned tomorrow. “We swam to shore and were able to hide when the ambush happened.”
“I knew you swam instead of taking the boat, but it’s thewhythat’s got me scratchin’ my head,” said Vaughn. “As it stands, I don’t think we’ll bother showin’ up tomorrow. I can’t say I trust you.”
I frowned. How many times had I heard that before? But, to be fair, I was about to lie again. “Vaughn, it’s not complicated. The rowboat was full so we chose to swim. There’s nothing suspicious about it!”
He went quiet for an unnervingly long time before eventually coming back onto the radio. “You know, I was already on the fence about this whole exchange. It’ll drop us right into the Academy’s clutches. But out here on the open ocean, we’re feelin’ pretty damn free.”
I dropped my face into my palm. I needed him to come back or I’d never find freedom for myself and my friends. I couldn’t give up.
“Vaughn, I’ll be honest with you,” I said, bracing myself. “You’re right. The Academy intends to arrest you all the moment you arrive on shore, once they have Dunn and the weapons back.”
He let out a stream of curse words. “I knew it!”
“But you have the advantage,” I said. “They want the weapons more than they want you. You can still get Keane and the rest of your friends back if you play your cards right.”
“How do I know you’re helping us and not them? You’re double-crossin’ someone, that’s for sure, and I don’t fancy it bein’ me.”
“If I wanted you captured,” I said, “I wouldn’t have told you their real plans.”
“Fair ‘nough,” said Vaughn. “So, tell me, how do I play my cards right?”
“First of all, don’t get off the boat. Stay far offshore, out of firing range.” I paused, spinning a plan on the spot. “Send back Dominic first, making them think you’re willing to comply. But don’t send the weapons until you have your men back. If they refuse to send them, threaten to use the firepower you have on board. Trust me, that’s the last thing Cael wants. Then, once you get your men, return the weapons and set sail immediately. They won’t be able to catch up with you. You have their fastest boat.”
“And where will you be?” asked Vaughn. “Safe and sound on shore?”
