About Pets, Book 1: Sparking

by Mike Shade
137 pages / 41000 words
ISBN: 978-1-60370-952-1
Available file types - html, lit, pdf, prc, epub, Sony Reader pdf

Tynde is the second son of the King of Alaquis. Sweet, quiet, and with the ability to sense the emotions of others, he's destined to join the seers at the Priory and be cloistered. At least he is until his brother, the Crown Prince Towan, disappears. Desperate to recover his heir, the King sends Tynde to the planet of Kion to chase a rumor that Towan has been kidnapped and taken there.

Kion is everything that Alaquis isn't: crowded, urban, with denizens far more ruthless than anything Tynde has experienced before. Lucky for him, he's taken under the wing of Koss, an important businessman who is drawn to Tynde from the moment he meets the young man. Koss believes he's found a real treasure in sensitive Tynde, but will his needs and desires ruin everything that Tynde is?

Review

Mychael Black, author of the Hearth and Home series, writes: Tynde, younger son of the king, has been sent to find his missing brother. Far from his homeworld of Alaquis, Tynde discovers just how cloistered his life has been. Kion, where Prince Towan is rumored to be, is everything Alaquis isn't. Tynde isn't sure what to make of this often-ruthless, wild planet.

When Tynde meets Koss, however, he soon embarks on a life that will change him forever. Koss is drawn to him like no other, but the business man's personal needs might be more than Tynde is ready for.

Pets is a wonderfully written story from Mike Shade. While on the outside, you might not think Koss and Tynde would work together, they seem perfectly suited for one another in their own special ways. The action--in and out of the bed--keeps you on your toes from page one.

If you've not read anything by Mike Shade, Pets is a great place to start!
 

Sample

The air in the castle was charged, at best. Filled with an evil portent at worst. A moon ago, the heir had been out riding one of the steeds, exploring the woods as he was wont to do, and had simply... disappeared. No sign of blood or carnage. No sign of struggle. Not a clue that any of the guards could find. The hawksprey had not discovered him, nor had the Freesailors on the coast.

Towan was simply gone.

Tynde sighed, looked up from his book, his nose wrinkling. Someone was coming for him, now. Not Tawli. His lady sister was in the counting house. Mother had taken to her bed. His man-at-arms had been sent, along with all the others, to search for Towan.

Tryl, his father the king, suddenly appeared, looking older than Tynde had ever seen him. Even the feathers in his ceremonial headdress seemed to droop.

"Father?" He stood, heading for his father immediately. "Have they found him?" His fingers wrapped around his father's thin arms, supporting, offering his care. Waves of fear and anger, pain and worry buffeted him.

"No. But there are rumors." His father pulled from his arms and paced the length of his sitting room. "It is said the Kions returned home with ships full of new slaves. The old bone lady believes Towan is among them."

"Towan? A slave? Father, surely not." Towan was strong, born to lead, to rule. Towan had a spine of steel, fire within him.

"That is what they say. Tynde, we cannot let anyone know of this. You must go and find out if it is true. And then you must rescue him, bring him home."

"Father?" He stared, stunned. Surely his beloved father wasn't telling the truth. He could not... He would not leave the safety of the Green Mother. The anger and fury of the Kions would bash at him.

"If it gets out that your brother has become a slave, he can never return! There is no one I trust but you to go and bring him home without shame." Anger, fear, and desperation poured off his father in roiling waves.

Tynde bowed his head quietly, eyes on the heavy carpets, on the white furs.

"You are the only one, Tynde. If there were any other way I would not ask this of you. But Towan needs you. Alaquis needs you. This is your hour to shine." His father's voice gathered strength, turning the words into a proclamation. "There will be songs written of how Tynde left the bosom of the Green Mother and strode out into the darkness to bring the kingdom's heir home when no one else could."

He nodded, unable to refuse, unable to imagine a day outside these walls.

Relief joined the other emotions in the barrage from his father. "You will leave tonight. There's a shuttle coming for you that will bring you to the junket Hallasia. From there you will board a ship that will be making a stop at Kion on other matters and you can slip away onto the planet."

"Alone?" Surely not alone.

"No. No, Wiam will be attending you, as will Tai." His manservant, and Towan's man.

Any more than that and they would have been conspicuous, but just the three of them could travel light, be quick and unseen.

"You'd better go see to your things. Pack lightly -- you'll need to able to move quickly."

"Yes, father."

See to his things? What did that mean?

His father left and Wiam came, the old man offering him a warm smile. "I will help you, my lord."

"Thank you, Wiam. Does my father really expect you to come with me?" He knew Wiam was more spry than he looked, but he was still old. He deserved to stay here with his family. Tai on the other hand was fairly young and at loose ends with Towan gone.

"You need a shield, my lord. The thoughts outside this place -- they are not what you expect."

"I don't want to go." He could admit this to Wiam.

"No. I don't want you to go, either. We should be heading to the priory together. For my retirement and for you to take your vows, your place with the seers."

The archaic word made him chuckle. He knew things, felt things. He couldn't see the future. On impulse, he hugged Wiam, quick and hard. The old man had been with him as long as he could remember. More of a father in many ways than the man who'd given birth to him.

"You will persevere, lad. Believe that."

"I don't have much choice but to try, do I?"

"Sure you do. You can give up and run away. But that's not who you are."

"No. No, I have to find Towan." Towan, who had never liked him. Towan, who he had not even seen for cycles.

"Good lad." Wiam patted his hand and then sighed. "Come now. Let's figure out what you'll need to mount a rescue."

"Besides a body double?" He smiled, or tried to. This was a disaster, waiting to happen.

Of course, most things involving Towan were.

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