Joel pulled the blindfold off and worked the knot at Cedric's wrists loose. Cedric was genuinely surprised to see Joel in front of him. He didn't even know how he did it, but he was grateful.
"How did you manage to slip in? Did my brothers see you?"
"Don't worry, I was wearing a hat, and I followed the back door in. Besides, the host owes me a favour," he said. "I called it in."
"Lucky you! How long do we have?" Cedric said.
"Eight minutes. Maybe less."
Cedric nodded as he exhaled deeply.
He looked at Joel in the dark and kept his voice low and steady.
"I have a way to get Noel out," he said. "But I cannot do it alone and the timing has to be exact. It has to happen on the same day a ship leaves the dock."
"So there's the timing. But, why the ship?" Joel said.
"Because if Noel goes back to the Rodina estate, Arthur will find a way to take him again." Cedric looked at him. "He needs to be out of the country before Arthur knows he is gone. The ship gives us that window."
