Jaz asked, “Where is the castle? That could be where he’s taken her.”
Finally, the moment Bosse had been waiting for had just arrived. He had not expected this but would not allow a golden opportunity to pass. He offered, “I can show you the way.”
Gifting him with a polite smile, the Guardian said, “I appreciate your offer, but you have just escaped a horrendous imprisonment. My shifters are powerful, trained, and capable of dealing with Krol. I will have my jet on standby for Adrian’s team to leave as soon as they are ready. I would not ask you to step back into danger there again.”
“You would not be asking.” Bosse deepened his tone, ensuring they understood this was important to him. “I appreciate all that has been done for me here, but I told Jaz and Adrian about the woman who helped me escape. She would not leave that night as she had to find someone else imprisoned there. To this minute, I regret allowing her to convince me I would put her in danger if I stayed. I will lead your people there and help rescue the mate first, but I will not leave again without the woman who put her life at risk for me.”
All three of them were quiet.
Jaz caught Adrian’s attention, and their gazes locked, but not in an intimate way.
Bosse began to think those two might be speaking in each other’s minds.
Jaz leaned back, tapping a finger on the arm of her chair. Adrian tilted his body forward slightly, elbows on his knees and hands loosely clasped. With all that, he still looked ready to move.
Jaz and Adrian waited for the Guardian to speak first.
Bosse couldn’t wait. “If you are all special shifters with strong powers, why have you allowed someone like Krol to live? He had to be killing long before he ended up in the castle.”
That broke the Guardian from his deep thoughts. “We must have firm information on any shifter who is committing crimes. We are not murderers to kill at will or quick to judge someone as SCIS has been known to do.”
“That brings up another thing I have wondered. What kind of shifters are you?” Bosse wanted all the truths.
Jaz glanced at the eagle shifter with a curious expression as if she had no idea what he might say.
Adrian pinched the bridge of his nose. “This is what I was talking about regarding our pack the last time I came to headquarters. They’re all pushing for more about us.”
Sounding resigned about sharing a secret, the Guardian said, “I understand, Adrian. I knew we’d have to inform your pack at some point, but I wish to be judicious about who we tell and when we tell them.”
“Absolutely, sir.”
Turning to Bosse, the Guardian said, “My shifters come from an ancient Gallizenae bloodline. It would take a while for me to explain how they become Gallize shifters but suffice to say that not everyone born to a Gallize parent or even a pair of parents will be a Gallize with our powers. The males were to be shifters. The women were to be powerful beings. The original idea was that this small number of extraordinary beings would mate at some point as their powers would kill even another shifter who is not a Gallize. Jaz and one other female Gallize in my local group are even more unusual, as they were born shifters with Gallize powers. That’s why I have no concern over sending any of mine to deal with Krol and bring our missing mate back.”
Bosse thought he’d seen everything strange in this world, but clearly not. He respected the power of these Gallize shifters and acknowledged he could likely not kill one if he faced that possibility.
None of that changed his mind.
“Thank you for telling me this truth, Guardian.” Bosse wanted to show them he could be part of their organization. “I will not share your private information with anyone else.”
Adrian let out a pent-up breath. “Great. We need as detailed a map as you can draw and anything you can tell us about breaching that castle.”
“No.” Bosse took in all three faces.
Jaz and Adrian were clearly shocked he’d said no, with the Guardian expecting his help.
Bosse explained, “You must take me. I can get inside the castle to find out if the mate is even there. Would you want to have a blood bath and maybe harm innocent servants also imprisoned only to find out Krol had not brought her there?”
“Shit fire, sir, he’s got a point,” Adrian said.
“Language, Adrian.”
“Sorry, sir.”
Addressing Bosse, the eagle shifter said, “I am not accustomed to being refused a request.”
Bosse felt the first inkling of potential trouble. He’d angered a man far more powerful than him. He started to explain more but noticed Adrian making a show of clamping his lips, telling Bosse to be quiet.
During that silent stretch, the Guardian said, “I understand your reason for being determined to return. Adrian tells me you show exceptional battle skills in training. He believes you would work well on his team.”
