Transformation, M J Marlow [thriller books to read .TXT] 📗

choice. The stranger clamped his hand on her elbowand forced her along with him. They came out into the courtyard where a curtained litter was waiting, strung between four botek. He lifted her inside with two attendantsand lowered the curtain. Then he turnedand bowed his head to Omri. “You have the gratitude of Ynast’ur, lord Cardinal,” Leonin told him in his most regal manner. “My sister’s alliance with the Overlord was in jeopardy had she not been found.” “Bastian can not wish a feeble-minded mate,” Omri frowned. He knew the lord of the northern reaches quite well. “Your sister will never be…” “He requires a female to bear his heir,” Leonin shot back, “not a woman of wit to share his confidences. Other than her mind, Mykala is quite healthy. She will suit himand he will be able to provide her with keepers who will not allow her to wander off.” He looked at the lay of the sunand frowned. “We must be off. The day passes quickly. He went to his steedand mounted. “Lord Cardinal.” “You’re going to let him take her?” one of the other cardinals hissed as he came towards Omri. “Our lord will not be pleased…” “They travel by land, my friend,” Omri broke in, watching the band move through the gates. “A lot of things can go wrong on such a journey.” His smile went quite dark. “Send word to our associates in Geem. Have them send out the trackers.” Horanand his associates watched as the caravan left the Temple. He had seen Zen being handed into the litter by the tall auburn-haired male. He sent a pic to Belastiaand the answer that came back had him smiling. The man was the prince Leonin, older brother of the princess Zenyssa. He was to bring them both back to Belastia as quickly,and with as little damage, as possible. Horan gave the orders to his menand they fell in to shadow the caravan, coming upon it as it made camp for the night. “We have company, sister,” Leonin said to Zen, where she sat with her attendants. He signaled to his menand they moved out. “Guard her.” Zen got to her feetand the women pulled her down, shaking their heads. She knew she could make them let her go, but she had no wish to harm. So she contented herself with following her ‘brother’ with her mind. She saw himand his men take down two of their pursuersand moved in on the final five. Distracted, she did not see Horan come up behind her. He sedated her before she could reactand she collapsed to the ground. “Move, ladies,” he told the attendants as they prepared to attack, “and I will hurt the princess.” He nodded towards the log they had been sitting on. “Your Highness,” he smiled as Leonin was shoved into the camp; wrists bound behind his back. “What an honor to meet you.” He followed Leonin’s eyes to Zen. “She merely sleeps,” he told the boy. “My employers have no wish to harm either of you, but they insist on you both accepting their invitation to join them.” * Marek woke before the others, his mind still remembering the images that his sleeping mind had given him of his Zen,and saw the beac swarm hovering over his face. They had removed the hoodand cut through his bonds, Marek noted. They were pulsing with excitementand he felt their curiosity in his mind. He got up slowly, pulling his weapon to himand moving with the swarm. A herd of boret grazed at an oasis a few miles off. He did not question how he could see that distance. Obviously, he had been given gifts other than healing when he had mated with the princess Zen. He would have to ask her how this could be once they were back together.And he was certain they would be together again. He followed the beac’s indicationand saw the hunters, a trio of sand furred quadrepeds that were fangedand clawed, moving in from the north. He told the little ones what each of the animals was,and explained what was happening to the beacand moved back towards camp. “Hunters,” he heard a sibilant female voice sound as he entered the camp. He turned to see one of the natives of the western reaches step into view. Marek knew that there were at least a dozen more of them hidden among the boulders; this one’s guard. “Greetings of the day.” “Chen’ya,” Marek bowed his head as he recognized herand told the beac to wait. This was the woman who had brought messages to his motherand himself from his father. Messages that the Directive had never been aware of. “You are far from your place. What brings you here?” “You do, Marek Tor,” the woman replied. She lowered her hoodand a smile crossed her cat-like features. This was Chen’ya, first of the Chen pride of Tehari,and blooded sister to his father, Bemin Tor. “Your sire sent us to secure you for him.” She frowned as she looked at the group. “The princess is not with you?” “She was taken from us by the Temple dogs,” Marek told herand saw Chen’ya hiss in anger. “She sent us on. “A wise child,” Chen’ya bowed her head. She made a signand the others moved in. “Fight us,” she told the others as one of the men started to move for his weapon, “and you go netted as prey. You are not needed.” “There is no need to fight,” the hunter told his men. “We came to find Bemin Tor. If you take us to him, you do us service.” “We do this for the Healer,” Chen’ya replied. She signedand her men stepped back. “We go as soon as you have gathered your things.” Marek got his packand joined her. He found her looking at him, with an expression of curiosity on her face. She had not expected him to be as he was, he saw. He pulled out of her mind, shaken. He should not have been able to do that. Chen’ya smiledand raised his hand to look at the goldand black tattoo around the finger of mating. He understood. He had become a part of Zen when they had bonded, to a level he had not truly understood. He did not speak of it, however, sensing that it was a secret to be shared only between themselves,and no others. “The Healer awaits you,” Chen’ya bowed her head as she released her hold on his wrist. “It is a reunion he has long anticipated.” Marek frowned, wishing he felt the same way. He had failed in his task; Zen was in danger,and he had been prevented from helping her. He headed after Chen’yaand the men fell in behind them, heading into the center of the Scourge. The beac settled around him, like a cape, astounding the others as they pulsedand glowed. He smiled at their amazement,and then ignored them. He was going to see his father again. “Tehari!” Chen’ya intoned after four days of hard travel,and went to her knees, as did her companions. “The Healer’s Seat.” Marek looked up, wondering how he could not have seen this monolith on the way in. It was formed entirely of a crystalline substance. He could see why it had just appeared, as if out of thin air. Unless one was facing it directly, it blended into the landscapeand sky. It was a trick of the light,and a construct of a science long forgotten. A set of stairs jutted out from itand they went up them to a set of doors. Chen’ya nodded to her menand they bound the huntersand forced them to their knees. Then she looked at Marek. “From this point,” she told him, nodding him towards the door, “only you can proceed.” She looked at him again. “You are of his blood,” she smiled. “You are of her blood. In your hands lies the answer to what must be.” Marek did not understand what she was saying. It didn’t matter. He was going to see his father,and he was going to know the truth. He stepped up to the doorsand they opened for him. Chen’yaand her men took the hunters to the villageand chained them to a post in the center. Their weaponsand other equipment were taken from themand then they were given foodand water. The hunter motioned his men to silenceand they settled down to wait for opportunity. It was obvious the Chen were not going to listen to orders. “You would be correct, hunter,” Chen’ya noddedand bared her fangs at him in what passed for a smile. “You serve the monsters that created our race,” she told him harshly. “They would have turned us into slaves, as you are.” “I am no slave,” the hunter replied coldly. “I chose to serve…” “Believe that lie,” Chen’ya laughed, “if it comforts you.” She nodded towards the Shrine. “Once the Healer finishes with his son, we will learn what is to be done with you.” “We are here on legitimate Directive business,” the first man cried out in anger. “You can’t keep us chained like slaves…” “You came here to chain our Healerand his son,” Chen’ya hissed at him. “Coming here with such intent proves you dishonorable men. As such, you are subject to Tehari justice.” As the hunters learned their fate, Marek went down a long corridorand into a large chamber. It was a laboratory, as he had known it had to be. Bemin Tor smiled as he raised his headand then looked puzzled. This was not who he had expected. He checked his readings again from the scanners that had examined his son on the way inand was astounded. His boy was changing. Whole sections of his DNA had been altered. “You have been changed, my son,” Bemin’s smile returned as his scientist’s mind began to hunger. “How is this possible?” “Zenand I,” Marek replied, seeing no reason to lie to his father, “bonded.” “Your bond to the princess is altering you.” He pressed a controland Marek found himself trapped in a glass cylinder. “I mean to find out how.” “You can’t keep me here, Father!” Marek protested as he tried to push free. “Let me out of here! I have to find Zen!” “I’m afraid I can’t do that, my son,” Bemin told himand his fingers danced over the keys to set the analysis program. “Not yet. I must know how you have been changed.” He watched Marek stiffen as the jevis was administered. Marek’s body blazed as the fever struck. Bemin smiled. “How much of her abilities do you share?” Marek screamed in anger as his body was subjected to the analysis machine. He could not do anything to stop what his father was doing to him. But he had to be free, his mind screamed. He had to be with Zen!And then the pain struckand he was shrieking. Through the fog of that pain, he saw his father’s smiling face.And then the darkness claimed himand he knew nothing. Bemin had only a brief moment of regret,and then he concentrated on what he was doing. * Zen woke up screaming, as she shared his anger,and his pain. Bemin Tor had betrayed his own son in his quest for knowledge. She got to her feet, intent on getting to her mate,and froze. She was no longer on the transport. Zen looked around the room she was in, puzzled. She had been so focused on following Marek that she had not realized that she had arrived at the place she was being taken. The room was luxurious, as befitted a woman of her rank. The fact that her new captors were aware of her rank frightened her.And Zen found that she did not like being frightened. She looked down at the gown she was wearing,and was relieved to see that it was still the one Horan had supplied her. As she moved through the suite of