Chasing Bloodlines (Book 4) Read Online Free

oversee the healing for a while, but he quietly shifted back to Kilkiny Palace to find Aisling. She had not moved from her seat with the Generals.
    “Lady Aisling,” he said quietly as he appeared. Several people gasped. He was covered in gore.
    “Stars above,” she gasped as she stood. “Is Balien alive?”
    “I…” he stuttered, and the Generals murmured. “My Mages are keeping him alive.”
    “ What ? What happened?”
    He clenched his jaw and fought back the emotions. “A boulder dropped on him and broke him up inside. He is mended fully but not breathing on his own. I’ve sent twenty Spirit Mages to heal your wounded. If you want to pull the army back, I will shift them here.”
    “Stars bless you, Head Mage,” a General said.
    “We cannot leave our lands undefended. These scum will march over our people until they reach Anatoly City,” another chimed in.
    “They won’t. I will be handling this,” Gabriel said and folded his arms.
    “Bless you, Head Mage.”
    “It is not right for you to fight our battles, Head Mage,” Aisling cut in.
    “It’s not your battle. It’s mine.”
    “Just because they wounded your foster-brother…”
    “They’re here for me.” Silence fell through the Map Room. “The Shalabane army asked for me to surrender to them.”
    “You wouldn’t,” Aisling breathed.
    “Of course not. I’m going to meet with their General in the morning, and then I’m going to remove them from your lands, dead or alive.”
    The dignitaries searched for words, and someone finally replied, “Excellent.”
    Gabriel nodded. “With your permission, I will leave you.”
    “Is her Grace safe?” Aisling asked as he seized Void.
    “Yes, I wish to keep her in Castle Jaden until I can set proper wards in her quarters.”
    “Any word of Prince Virgil?”
    Gabriel shook his head. “Generals, Lady Mage.” He said and shifted back to the battlefield.

 
     
    Chapter 2
    Gabriel returned to Jaden late that night with twenty tired Mages and a dozen soldiers who needed further care. He shuffled in to Balien’s room. The same Mages he left there hours ago sat beside the bed they had moved him to. His body had been washed and dressed, removing any evidence of his injuries.
    “When did his heart stop?” he asked the Spirit Mage, watching her fingers slowly open and close as she manually beat his heart.
    “About two hours ago.”
    “I will take over. Fetch another Air Mage and give this man a break.”
    “Aye, Head Mage,” the girl bowed, giving Gabriel her seat. He set the heartbeat-pattern and pumped Balien’s heart for him.
    “Do you know what causes the heart to quit?” the Air Mage asked.
    Gabriel shook his head. “It could be he was already gone by the time I got to him. His brain may not be sending signals his heart, or healing him took too much energy from him. I’ve never pushed a body as hard as I pushed his,” he put his head in his hand.
    “Well, he looks fine to me,” a new voice said. Gabriel saw Councilman Markus in the doorway. “Get some rest lad, I’ll take over.”
    “Please ask Councilman Lewis to find all the books he has on the heart and bring them to me.”
    The Air Mage stood and gave Markus his seat. “You need some rest, too.” The Councilman added.
    Gabriel rubbed his eyes. “Not tonight.”
    They sat in silence once the books arrived. Gabriel hunched over flipping through pages, and Markus skimmed books for information on over-exerting a body. One book talked about electrical charges sent from the brain to the heart and explained how to check for connectivity. Gabriel followed the book’s instruction as he continued to beat the heart. To his surprise, the heart gave a flutter and slowly twisted in Balien’s chest. The beat was steady, but weak. As the night wore on, and Balien’s strength returned. Markus cut his air patterns and let Balien’s body do the work.
    Hours passed, and Gabriel felt comfortable dismissing Markus. He took a bed in the