The Stolen Prince (Blood for Blood Book 1) by Tom Wright, K.L. Gee Read Free Book Online

the wound again and clean up quickly. There will be wounded to tend to among your pack and the slaves. Skeet will report to me.”
    “Yes.” Skeet’s face went grave. “All the wounded are in the dome.” As Hakon turned to go, Skeet broke into a smile again. “And since you didn’t come with us, Hakon, you’ll have to listen to me tell the whole story at least three times.”
    Hakon smiled and left, going toward Tip’s home. Tip was Gage’s brother and had been Hakon’s adopted father for many years. Hakon and Skeet had grown up as brothers in the house. Gage could not have children, nor raise them, for it was his purpose as a guardian to care only for the boys under his tutelage. Hakon’s pack was small, with only twelve boys, including Skeet.
    Skeet turned to Guardian and knelt, putting his dagger to his forehead. Gage noticed it was red with blood. “You took time to tattoo your hands but not to clean your weapons?”
    Skeet ignored the question. “I think they’ll move the soldiers deeper east because of what we’ve done.”
    “Yes, I imagine the raids are starting to have some effect on the great King Arden’s morale. Did you kill any villagers?”
    “I don’t think so, Master willing,” Skeet said. “All the Alem soldiers are dead.”
    “Good.” Gage bent down, sitting across from Skeet. “The Summit Council will be meeting in a week. It is time our tribe acted on our destiny.”
    Skeet’s eyes widened. “Will the other tribes support us?”
    “I have had word from my fellow guardians across the clans, and there is promise. Though I still think it may come to a duel.” Skeet nodded. “Are you prepared, Skeet, to do your part? There are others. Your father is willing.”
    “No,” Skeet said. “I will be the one to defend my brother and his cause.”
    Gage frowned. “I think you should stop calling Hakon your brother.”
    Skeet laughed. “I don’t understand you, Uncle. You speak of a new future in your precious pact, yet you want us to hold to revenge, as if we could forget what the Air Kingdom has done to us. I know what Hakon is, Guardian , and I still choose to call him Brother .” Skeet was breathing heavily, emotions high. That is his greatest weakness , Guardian thought, how he goes from joy to anger so quickly.
    “He must always remember who he is, Skeet. It is for him.”
    “Wasn’t he supposed to feel one with us?” Skeet asked, sincerely.
    Yes, that was the plan. But if anger was Skeet’s weakness, sentiment was Hakon’s. Yes, that had been the plan, Skeet, until your mother died. “He knows he is one of us, Skeet. But if our purpose is accomplished, it won’t be very long until he is one of them .” Gage gave his nephew a cold hard stare. “You may as well start preparing for it.”
    Skeet nodded, but his lips were stiff. “There are wounded who will need you, Uncle.” Gage nodded and followed Skeet out toward the dome. He let his mind settle into a meditation as he tended to the wounded and marked the ages of the slaves for training so the children could be assigned to guardians right away. His mind drifted to their plans. Were all the years of planning and preaching enough to convince the Terra, the oppressed and hardened earth people, that they should wait for the young heir to the Alem kingdom to accomplish his mission? That they should wait to go to war?

CHAPTER SIX
    Skeet inspected the gear that was lined up inside the dome. The different tribes were starting to send their envoys deep into the mountains, and Kaldin would soon be joining them. Every chief would come, accompanied by at least one guardian and several of the tribe’s warriors.
    They were meeting at The Drums, deep in the mountains. It was called The Drums because it was the source and center of the constant beating that rippled throughout the Desolate Forest. Skeet always heard the drumbeat below him and around him. It comforted him, felt familiar and right. The closer to The Drums they got,