Page 113 of Bosse
His thick eyebrow lifted in challenge. “You say you cannot go with me. Is my number one goal to save Rez? Yes or no?”
She sat quietly, hoping he’d see the corner she’d backed herself into.
Glancing away as if he couldn’t face her answer, he asked, “If I leave here without you, then you will be happy.”
That sounded so wrong, but it was a fact, even if she would be heartsick. “None of this makes me happy.” That was the truth. “All I’m saying is that I don’t think I should be there for the rescue to be successful.”
“Why is this woman’s life more important than yours?”
His question threw her a curve. “She’s... necessary to the future of our clan.”
“But your people sent you into danger to free another woman with no idea if someone like Krol would have killed you by now.”
She’d had her own long nights thinking about her place in the universe, but in the end, she’d accepted her duty. With her mother gone, no one else stood in line protect her people.
She had to take her place. She would show she had honor and do her duty.
Trying one last time, she explained, “I know you don’t understand, but Rez and I are both important to our people. We have different gifts. Rez’s gift is one of seeing the future of our clan and suggesting choices to be made that would keep us safe, plus showing our people how to make the clan stronger. She took our people from scraping out a living and barely able to feed ourselves to a thriving community. I come from a long line of protectors. Now that they’re all gone, that’s my role. I can’t do what Rez can for our people, but I can do all in my power to send her home for them.”
He sat there with his massive forearms still crossed, breathing slowly and taking her in for a long time.
Bosse asked, “Who takes your place when you die?”
Had he guessed about her death?
No, he was just trying to confuse her. “Another will have to step in my place.” Not anytime soon since she was the last of her bloodline, but she could only hope someone else would become the new protector.
“I’ve heard enough. I need to send my message.”
His flat tone cut her like a newly honed blade.
She didn’t want to part this way. She tried not to show the pain ripping through her.
When he turned to write on the paper, she took that minute to freshen up, hoping the world would right itself while she was gone. She stalked into the bathroom and shut the door. Would he leave before she came out?
Using the basin to splash her face and wash her body the best she could, she grabbed the towel Bosse had left folded to wipe away any water. She felt a little better, but nothing could fix the stricken expression staring back at her from the oval mirror.
She sure as heck never saw this kink in her plans coming.
When she walked back into the room, Bosse put down his pencil. He folded his message into the shape of a paper airplane.
What was he doing with that? “Are you telling your shifter friends you’ll meet them outside?”
“I will not bother you with my plans since you never told meallof yours.”
Her heart whined from that blow. She longed to tell him she never wanted him to leave, that all she wished for was to be with him.
Then what? That would be the opposite of what she’d just said to convince him to leave.
Should she have this wonderful man stay here to not only witness her death but to be killed as well?
No, she would be stronger than that to save the man she loved.
Loved?
Yes, her poor heart sang at that thought.
Now she’d have to watch him leave and never be able to tell him she loved him.
