Hot Blooded Episode 1: The Prodigal Prince (Supernatural Thriller Series) by Eliza Hastings Read Free Book Online Page A

speaking, but the sound seemed to travel through honey to get to him.  His head started up on reflex as he grasped the meaning of one word: “Retreat.”
     
    “No,” he thought.  How he longed to return to the battlefield.  His brother’s smirking face danced in his thoughts, beating in the notion of failure with every step.  The feeling of bones breaking under his foot seemed to be a memory from another world.  Then there were the humans.  Humiliated by his brother was one thing, but this was a new low.  Facing the royal court now seemed an impossible task.  His stomach lurched.  “And what will she say?”
     
    “Stand back and give him some air!  Can you hear me, your highness?”
     
    Takar groaned, opening his left eye in a squint.  He took in his surroundings and realized that his semi-conscious state lasted longer than he thought.  Only his general and a foot soldier stood at his bedside.  Their location was the inn in which he and his soldiers lodged the night before in a small town just outside the capital city.  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw half a dozen human slaves carrying a large bowl full of warm water. 
     
    Takar felt the rage inside of him coming to a boil once more.  “Get those vermin out of my sight,” he said.  Startled, they came close to dropping the bowl, sloshing the water inside.  Setting it down, they left the room, taking only the smallest amount of time to bow to the giants beforehand.   His second-in-command picked up the washcloth inside the basin. 
     
    “I’m glad you’ve regained your senses, your highness,” said the general, putting the warm washcloth on Takar’s forehead.  “There’s a doctor on the way.”
     
    Takar put his hand to his head, but this did little to alleviate the throbbing.  It worried him that he couldn’t open his right eye.  “You imbeciles.  You should have stayed and finished them off.”  He narrowed his left eye.  “I’m going to hold you responsible for this humiliating retreat, General Malenka.”
     
    Malenka chuckled.  “I thought you might say that.  But you know me.  I always like to have a little insurance on hand.  That’s why I made sure to bring you this handsome gift.  I hope you’ll take it in exchange for my life.”
     
    The general snapped his fingers.  The soldier brought forth the Head Chief Naslen, secured between his two gigantic hands.  Naslen’s chin rested in his left hand.  He raised his right eyebrow at Takar.  “How you doing, sonny?”
     
    Takar’s eye widened.  “You caught Naslen?  But...but how?”
     
    Malenka laughed.  “It was almost too easy.  He was on his own, of course, and no match for our combined forces.  The others didn’t even notice.  I can’t believe he was once as great as you said.  He hardly even put up a fight, and even sliced his own arm with his knife on accident.”
     
    Takar frowned.  “What?”  He looked at Naslen.  The cut on Naslen’s stump was long, but not too deep.  Naslen picked at the wound with his good hand until drops of blood seeped through.  He flicked the drops onto the floor, smiling at Takar as he did so.  Takar’s blood went cold.  “He left a trail.  We have to get out of here right now.  Wait, we can’t go to the palace yet.  Not like this.  Head for the capital, there’s bound to be a doctor there.  And bandage his arm, for Rekanii’s sake.”
     
    Naslen sighed.  “I can try all I like, but there’s no escaping that woman.”
     
    Takar smirked, sitting up in his bed.  He complied with Malenka’s foot soldier as he dressed Takar in a linen robe that covered his princely ornaments.  “That’s right.  In fact, Queen Enlaita will be most pleased to see you after all this time.  I’m sure she has much unfinished business she wishes to take care of.”
     
    Naslen rested his chin in his left hand once again.  “I was talking about my daughter.”
     
    Takar’s smile widened into a