Page 95 of Princess

“Help, help,” he cried, running into the camp.

“Halt,” one of the guards yelled and pointed a rifle at him.

“They’re chasing me,” he sobbed.

“Who’s chasing you?”the man demanded.

“Hellhounds.They killed my father.Help, please,” he went to his knees, almost kissing the guard’s shoes.

A female guard squatted by his side and placed her hand on his back.She spoke low, and we couldn’t hear her.Desmond threw his arms around her neck and cried.There may have been real tears.As far as acting went, it was a little over the top if you knew the kid but the soldiers appeared sold.

“He’s good,” King whispered.

“Too good,” I replied.

My mate shrugged.

The woman stood Desmond up, and he began talking.He turned and pointed behind him then waved his hands before grabbing onto the woman again.

“And we thought fighting was his specialty,” said Eagle.

Within five minutes, they led him into the entrance of the tunnel without having searched him.A group of ten soldiers formed and took off in the direction Desmond had pointed.Nokita would see they didn’t return.

We waited thirty minutes before Nokita took care of the problem and came back.“Anything?”he asked.

“Not yet.His best chance will be at night.”

It seemed like this entire mission was hurry up and wait.

Chapter Forty-Five

Marinah

A little after 2 a.m., Desmond crawled into our makeshift camp.He held his finger to his lips because he knew as well as I did that noise traveled in the stillness.

“I found another way into the tunnels,” he whispered.“I couldn’t get through the main exits because there were a lot of guards.There’s a small door with only two guards outside of it down a narrow hallway.”

“What happened when you were inside?”I whispered back.

“They fed me and found me a bed.Suckers.”He chuckled quietly.

“How did you get out?”

“The guards are stupid and they were half asleep.I was worried I couldn’t kill them both before one of them sounded an alarm.They heard a noise and went to see what it was.That’s when I got my chance.”

He was sneaky and smart.The kid was going places, though I didn’t think he should go with us.

He noticed my face in the moonlight.“I did the most dangerous part.You can’t leave me out of the fight.”Anger flashed in his voice.

He was right.He deserved to go, but he was so damned young, and I was terrified something would happen to him.I nodded, and his shoulders relaxed.

Our Warriors would circle the two main entrances and attack if it were necessary.They were warned that the tunnels might explode if President Barnes escaped.They also knew Barnes would sacrifice his men to kill us.King, Nokita, Desmond, and I were going after Mr.and Mrs.Barnes.Alden would lead the Warriors.Eagle would set up his sniper rifle and cause havoc if it were needed.

The two guards were asleep when we found them.We slit their throats.Desmond showed us a small trap door that would be a tight squeeze.One of us had just given birth and was carrying a few extra pounds.My stretchy Warrior pants were tighter and proved it.I silently growled over what would happen if my ass got stuck.

I made it with King’s help and had a nice scrape on my upper hip to prove it.

I stood slowly and gazed into the darkness though my Warrior eyesight helped me see.It smelled of damp earth and stagnant air.Something buried inside me triggered.My stomach clenched, and an unwelcome knot tightened my gut.I had spent years in tunnels.Every breath I took had been recycled.Death bit at my heels inside those small spaces.For two years, I was one step away from red stripe duty.

---