Ocean met up with the guards who had been assigned to surveil Carlos before leaving the Barony.
The five men stood together near the outer courtyard, their postures straightening the moment they noticed him approaching. Even though they had expected his arrival, the sudden presence of the Master of Oasis made them instinctively tense.
Ocean stopped before them and glanced over each of their faces.
"Is everyone all right?" He asked.
"Yes, Master." The reply came in unison.
Ocean nodded slightly, satisfied that nothing had gone wrong during the night.
"As you must have noticed by now," he began calmly, "Prince Carlos isn't what he appears to be. That is why I instructed you to maintain distance from him."
The guards exchanged brief glances, but none of them spoke.
"The instructions remain the same," Ocean continued. "Keep an eye on him and report to me every day."
"Yes, Master," Bolt, their leader, replied firmly.
