Child of the Loch (Child of the Loch Series) by Elizabeth Delana Rosa Read Free Book Online

splitting pain on my head, expecting to find blood, but there was nothing.
    Before I could think, I was leaving my father and James behind for the forest. I heard their yells of disapproval but I had to see who had warned me. He was calling for my help, of that I was sure.
    I nearly tripped over him, because he lay on the ground covered in blood. Beside him just out of his reach was a long wooden bow. His ruby hair was matted against his head. Someone or something had cracked his skull with a rock. It lay there shining with his green tinged blood.
    I shined the flash light into his face. He had large eyes, a straight nose with a tiny bump, thin, Cupid’s bow lips and high cheekbones. He was beautiful even with both eyes swollen shut and blood coming from his nose. His skin was golden brown and he was very strong from the hard work of life outdoors.
    Baby-fine ruby hair that was nearly invisible covered his well-muscled chest, arms, and legs. He was clad only in buckskin pants that covered from his waist down to his ankles and moccasins. His clothing was accessorized with a belt that held a long, four-bladed knife connected to what I could only describe as a bag that contained compartments of sweet smelling herbs. Long arrows were slung over his broad, bruised shoulder.
    I pushed his long, red hair away from his face to assess the damage. I pulled open one blackened eye to find that it was the color of chocolate with flecks of caramel. With that first touch, I felt him and saw his life among the trees. He was an ally and the gentle person who had warned me. He was gifted with the Scent, which meant from a drop of blood he could smell the person’s intentions and their gifts.
    Blood spewed from the bulky knot on his head. Alarmed, I pressed the piece of cloth that James had given me against it. The man stirred, thrashing for his life. He was going to hurt us both so I sent calming images of the river and the wind, things that were important to him. I felt him relax completely, his head in my lap. For some strange reason I was connected to this being and I would not see him die.
    I began willing the wound to heal. I didn’t have any medical supplies not even the first-aid kit from our packs. He was going to die without help just as his attacker intended. The wound began to heal and close as my blood from the cloth mingled with his and my tears landed in the injury. Apparently, I could also heal others not just myself.
    I didn’t know if it was my blood, my tears or my will that helped him the most, but the man sat up and peered at me through one swollen eye. It opened fully and the bruise receded as he stared. Placing his clawed finger to his lips, he motioned for me to be quiet. I turned off my flashlight and didn’t move. I could hear James and my father calling for me.
    I jumped when the Prince placed his hand over my heart, but didn’t fight him as my instinct took over. His mind tentatively connected to mine, “Listen with all your senses Grand Queen for he is not what he seems.”
    Surprised by our connection, I placed my hand to his heart instinctively. We shared a rare moment. The Prince with his Scent could not only smell the gifts of another but enhance and absorb them as well. He had already smelled my blood and placing his hand over my heart, he could touch its source. I knew that while we were together and touching one another, I could focus my gift of sight and I could heal deeper wounds.
    We extended my mind to James’s, whose thoughts were nervous and erratic. I had not been able to read James on my own, but with this man’s help I could. He was drawing closer so I stepped away from the Prince. James’s irritation radiated from every pore as he came closer.
    I thought it wise to step away from the Prince. James would be irritated enough without finding another man’s large hand half splaying across my breasts. A stick broke under the pressure of my foot and the Prince disappeared into the trees as