Page 86 of Bosse
The poor things would end up in a pot before they finished chewing.
She’d made it two-thirds the way around the castle when she cut her eyes up for the umpteenth time to check for another floor above Krol’s living quarters.
No additional floor, but there was a round section about fifteen feet in diameter on a corner at the rear of the castle. She had no idea what that part was called without a way to search the history of castle construction online.
Someone moved up behind her. They worked in a line so no one person stopped long to pick. Alifair plucked a handful of raspberries to drop in her basket, moved three steps forward, and then peeked over her shoulder at that tower again. There were narrow windows without any coverings twenty feet up.
Too narrow to get through and too far to jump.
Picking and walking slowly again, she would be out of range to view the tower soon. She stopped and reached at her neck to grab her braid, sliding the leather thong off, and leaned her head back as she tied it again.
Her gaze danced over that round structure.
The shape of a person could be seen inside the top floor.
Clouds had been floating across the sky, blocking the sunlight at times. The sun broke free, casting a ray of light through that window.
Rez sat with her elbow on the ledge and her head propped on her hand, paying no attention to those below. Probably a common view by now of women working below, which Rez easily dismissed. A few strands of golden hair danced in the light breeze.
Alifair fought for a breath.
After all this time, she wanted to shout, “I found you!” Thankfully, she didn’t make that stupid mistake.
“You’re holding up the line,” the servant behind her snarled. “Move, or I will pass you.”
“Sorry.” Alifair finished fussing with her hair and grabbed her basket. She had to get back on garden duty tomorrow and figure out a way to catch Rez’s eye. In the meantime, she needed to draw a layout of what she now knew about the inside and outside of the castle for any hope of finding that tower room.
No sleep tonight. No problem.
One sighting of Rez and she felt she could run five miles. She beat down the urge to laugh and celebrate. Not while Rez remained a prisoner.
But soon, she would be free.
Alifair had little hope of leaving here alive, but she would accept her fate if Rez and Bosse gained their freedom. Maybe somewhere in her cold heart, Rez would thank Alifair for her sacrifice. Maybe.
Hopefully, Bosse had made it to America. Alifair was so relieved to have heard no word of Bosse being captured.
It would be incredible to escape and find Bosse. Silly daydreaming, but she couldn’t forget the dreams she’d spent with him.
She wanted a replay of her dream while he’d been on the run, but in real life, she’d get to see all of him this time. She fanned herself at her wanton mind.
Happiness gave her silly thoughts, but Alifair had never thought of a man the way she thought of Bosse all the time. She’d dated a few, but no one special. Since she had no hope of a future life, of marrying or having a child, she intended to enjoy every time she met Bosse in her dreams if it happened again.
Nothing bad could happen to her there.
At the end of the garden, Kylie waited to direct them to walk through a different door into the castle. One that was not near the kitchen. Alifair mentally ticked off every new piece of information.
She would have an escape plan laid out by tonight.
Following the three women ahead of her, she stepped inside the castle, where her eyes had to adjust to the dimmer torch lighting from the bright sunshine.
A gong sounded once, twice, three times.
Alifair paused to the side of the door and asked no one, “What could that mean?”
Behind the fifth servant girl, Kylie stepped in and said, “That’s the alarm to warn all the workers and guards that Krol is close to home. It only happens if he’s gone for two days or more. He’ll be here within the hour.”
No. This couldn’t be happening.
