Page 96 of Bosse
Jaz had shaved Bosse’s beard and cut his hair, dramatically changing his appearance. He liked not looking like a vagabond. With his face uncovered except for a neatly trimmed beard and hair cropped short on the sides with an inch of thick hair left across the top, the guards should not recognize him.
But would Alifair know his face?
Adrian’s mate had also provided a pair of jeans with a charcoal hoodie worn over a black T-shirt. She’d given Vic extra clothes for all of them in case they had to shift. He’d opted to be in plain clothes to resemble the simple way guards at the castle dressed. Some wore brown jackets, but they were all expected to be in muted colors around Krol.
No one could outshine the castle peacock.
That rule worked in Bosse’s favor. A true king would have his guards in unique uniforms with a family crest. Krol was a family of one and needed no crest in his little empire.
Adrian whispered, “Sure you don’t want an earpiece, Bosse?”
“No. If I am caught without one, they will put me in a cage. If I am found with any technology, I’ll be killed immediately.” He had no plans to be caught, even if it meant blood running in streams from the castle.
He would round up the women and get them out.
There would be no second chances.
He had a piece of paper the size of his hand and a stubby pencil in his pocket, neither of which should concern a guard. To allay Adrian’s concerns, Bosse confirmed again, “I will find a window somewhere on the second floor not facing the entrance to send a note.” He’d fill in the information the team needed, fold the paper into the shape of an airplane the way they’d shown him, and then toss it out one of the three sides.
Adrian had enough people to station one on every side of the castle. He muttered, “I wish you’d take a weapon, maybe a knife in your boot.”
Bosse explained, “They would take it when I walked up. I’d rather have a weapon available later when I’m back with you.”
Justin asked, “How long will it take you to send the message?”
All of this had been discussed, as well as their other plans.
Patience was not something Bosse possessed in any significant quantity. He’d been on his own for so long that he had trouble with constantly reviewing what he intended to do. In fact, he generally figured things out on the fly when he fought, but their Guardian would not have sent anything less than his best to save the female Gallize mate.
He had to respect these three.
If this were how they normally operated, he’d assure them he knew what to do.
Bosse stressed, “As wediscussed on the flight, if I do not send a message before daylight of finding the women and how I plan to escape, then I’m captured or dead. At that point, you go to plan B.”
Making a loud exhale, Vic said, “It’s not that we don’t trust your ability, Bosse, but we always go over a plan many times so no one forgets even a tiny part. It’s easy for something to go wrong right off the bat, making it more difficult to succeed. In our world, the saying is ‘the best battle plan does not survive first contact with the enemy.’ There are unknown elements we can’t account for.”
Part of him wanted to be here alone to make changes, but Bosse needed these men. He wanted to bring the women out alive, and Alifair topped that list. “I understand, but I have survived a long time by not making obvious mistakes. I will not forget the plan.”
At that moment, Adrian became very still. “I see someone moving through the woods.”
They all quieted and watched as one of the smaller guards Bosse recognized strolled along with his rifle in hand. No wonder Krol hired shifters to hunt for game. This man made too much noise. He would not be good at hunting.
Two other men had come along earlier, talking about how they were unhappy that Krol had put out the word he was hiring additional guards.
Bosse had smiled at Krol’s stupid move.
Sitting upwind from the guard, all four of them remained very still as the guard heading their way came within six feet of their hiding spot.
If Krol had hired shifter guards, Bosse’s group would have had to make different plans or end up discovered easily, but this was a human.
No one else followed.
The instant the guard passed by, Bosse leaped out behind him, slammed his big hands against each side of the guard’s head, and knocked him out cold. The guard’s rifle hit the ground before Bosse lowered him quietly. He rolled the guard over and slashed his knife across his chest three times.
Not enough to kill him. Between the small amount of blood loss and having his head pounded, he’d be out for a long time.
All of that took seconds. Heaving a deep breath of relief at finally doing something, he turned to find all three Gallize standing behind him.
