Heir of the Gods

Ch. 28: Lost Time

A flash of tawny hide through trunks and thinning leaves made Elias spur his horse forward. Tree limbs reached for him, snagging at his jacket. Cold air snapped in his face.

"Cut left!" Malitech yelled, his steeldust stallion pounding through the trees to Elias' right. 

Elias dug his heels into his horse's sides, urging the roan faster. The stag darted away, but the animal was flagging, bleeding from an arrow in its side.

His horse thundered through the brush as he veered to the left, then curved back toward the animal's path, cutting the stag off. The deer snorted and wheeled, right toward the prince.

Elias tore an arrow from the quiver on his back, fitting it to the string, but Malitech was faster. The arrow he fired speared right through the stag's heart, killing it instantly this time.

It collapsed, kicking twice in the dirt before it stilled, liquid-dark eyes glazed with death.

The forest seemed to still around them as well.

Elias stared down at the majestic creature, panting, his horse blowing as they both caught their breath. With a whoop of delight, Malitech leapt from his horse and knelt down beside the downed stag, dark hair sliding loose from its tie. Elias was a little slower in dismounting.

There was something sad about the death before him, something useless.

After spending the last thirteen years hunting for need—for the purpose of feeding his mother and sisters so they wouldn't starve or worse—he realized there was something distasteful in hunting for sport. Realistically, the stag would likely find its way to the kitchens, but still...

Staring down at the stag, Elias couldn't ignore the discomfort welling in his throat.

Malitech knelt and pulled the arrow from the stag's heart, bright red blood dripping from the tip. He cocked his head, running a finger along the impressive rack of antlers the stag boasted.

"This will make a rather nice trophy," the prince said as he carefully pulled the broken shaft of the second arrow out of the animal's shoulder.

Elias could only nod. Everything he needed to talk to the prince about was jammed in his throat.

It had been ten days since the prince had returned from Antelium, looking no worse for wear despite his ordeal with the Mortanians. The celebration upon the prince's return had run through the night and well into the next day.

After a day of rest, there had been more drinking and carousing, hunts, forays into the city. Revels with the nobles and wild parties with the prince's guard.

Even now, Elias was fighting against the remnants of a mild hangover.

Malitech certainly knew how to have a good time, and Elias had enjoyed himself. With the prince back and showing such favoritism toward Elias, the whispers and sideways looks from the other nobles had become more discreet if they hadn't disappeared entirely.

The prince wiped the arrow clean on his pant leg, the dark material turning shiny under the fresh blood. He stood, a self-satisfied expression on his face as he lifted bloodied fingers to his lips.

He let out a piercing whistle that rent the air, echoing through the trees around them. A summons for the slaves who had been trailing them.

There was a not-so-small part of Elias that was relieved he wouldn't have to haul the stag back. A half-forgotten memory of dragging a pitifully thin doe's carcass through thigh-deep snow as a winter storm blew in flashed in his mind.

Yes, he was very glad he wouldn't have to so much as field-dress the animal.

Malitech got back to his feet, offering a grin to Elias. "Just like old times."