THE BLOOD ROYALS Book 2: Long Live The Queen!

Chapter Twelve: 0258hrs

Lokefar
Air Force Base
General Bowie's POV
"Can you hear me? General, can you hear me?"

"Close..." His voice is breaking up.

I have tried every way to reach him and ask that they turn back because my pilots spotted a surface to air missile just off Cray Thera. There's a little island a short distance from Cray Thera.

"Reli, pay attention. It's not safe, turn back."

"I can't hear you. I think we have a bad connection. It's pouring heavily. What were you saying?"

"There's-" I heard sudden panic from his end before a boom and suddenly silence. "General. Reli? Do you hear me?" All my men are looking at me. "Sitrep."

"Our pilot has disabled the surface to air missile but it had already shot at the helicopter and any intervention on our part was too late. The missile hit the helicopter. Our pilot says he spotted an explosion in the air. There's nothing left."

The silence that settled in was heavy.

I took a seat when my legs felt suddenly in numb. I didn't get to him soon enough. We have suffered a lot of communication breakdowns since he left the base at Saine Neane. I finally get through to him and it's too late.

"Sir, what are your orders?"

"Notify Admiral Cormac that we have 12 escapees and he needs to secure his borders. Get the Coast Guard searching for the debri and retrieve the bodies. The prince is our priority. Get me in touch with the King."

I have known Reli since he was a 19 year old boy. I met him after. War Council meeting in Carperia. His father introduced me to him and I asked him if he would like to fly. He said yes and asked me if I can teach him. I'm not an instructor but I taught the prince how to fly a fighter jet and how he can be damn good at it. I'm one way or another, I love Reli. He's like a son to me.

"The palace." One of my men gave me a phone.

I left the room to speak to the king privately.

"General Bowie. I'm not overly enthusiastic about this phone call. What is it?" He sounds stern.

There is no way to soften the blow.

Carperia
King Cathan's POV
"Your majesty, phone call." Stephen informed me.

I moved away from my family to take it. "Who is it?"

"General Bowie."

My heart rate suddenly escalated. I asked Reli to take care of the escapee situation. He must have contacted Bowie and any other relevant general. I haven't been at ease since my son told me he's going to Cray Thera to assess the situation himself. Cray Thera was the place where most of the House of Kaelan met it's end. I have never set foot in Cray Thera. My blood runs cold when I think about it.

"General Bowie. I'm not overly enthusiastic about this phone call. What is it?"

"Supreme Commander, I apologize for the late night phone call. At 0258 hours, the helicopter General Relian was in was shot down by a surface to air missile. My pilots confirmed a hit. I'm sorry sir but there's no news of any survivors."

I gripped Stephen's shoulder for support. I'm feeling a lot of things right now but the dominant one is my heart exploding. My son... My only son... I hanged up on Bowie.

"Your majesty," Stephen whispered. "You look pale."

"Take me outside."

I don't think I can see clearly or even breathe right. He took me outside where I leaned against a wall and let the cold air hit my face. I called Bowie back. "General, I want my son back. I don't care about the condition he's in. Just bring my boy back home."