Page 149 of Bosse
Chapter 44
Bosse kept sneakingtoward the ruins in one direction to determine the best point of attack.
If only he could see Alifair and the other two women.
Until then, he risked putting them in danger if he just boldly rushed in. He’d seen the wagon parked off to the side of the road. The driver lay dead with his throat cut.
Krol must have another exit point. The wagon would be too slow, but why kill the driver?
Because Krol wanted no witnesses.
Bosse hoped Titan was right about Krol keeping Alifair alive to trade. That would not happen while Bosse had breath in his body.
Titan spoke in his mind.I smell the dark magic here.
Lifting his nose to the air, Bosse could not pick it up, but Titan had always possessed a keen sense of smell for supernatural scents. Dark magic would not be Alifair’s.
What do you think it is?Bosse asked.
Someone or something nearby.
As Bosse communicated with Titan, a piece of orange off to the right caught his eye. He wove his way carefully to get closer until he could determine what it could be.
The orange EPIRB lay in thick grass an arm’s length from the closest tree.
Alifair had kept it in her pocket.
He scouted the entire area, searching for someone watching to trap him. Nothing moved across the open ground or along what was left of the wall connecting to the castle. He lay down on his stomach and pushed his arm slowly to avoid disturbing the weeds, fingers searching for a small ball shape.
He bumped it and clamped his hand over the ball, pulling it back to him.
When he could stand again, he flicked his gaze around to see if anyone was headed his way. Not yet.
The short antenna was partially extended. Had Alifair been caught as she tried to trigger the device? He flipped it all the way open and turned the ball to find the button. Please tell him this would work.
He pressed the button. Nothing happened.
How would he know if it worked?
A tiny light inside the button began to blink. Placing it on the ground, he tossed leaves over it to hide the light. While riding, Alifair had told him about satellites high in the air that this would communicate with, so a few leaves shouldn’t interfere.
The sound of someone walking reached his ears as Titan said,He is here.
Bosse lifted his gaze to the open space in front of the castle.
Krol appeared as he stepped from a building at ground level, stirring dust as he strolled.
