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

cousin is Nydare?” “My father made him the first Nydare,” Zen told him wearily. “Before you ask,” she continued, as his next question was plain in his mind. “He was held outside time in one of the devices my father had meant to use to chain me. It was in the chamber of the lady Atav at Norest’un. So I freed him.” “That will not keep him from being chained in future,” Omri told her. “We have plans for the Nydare.” He led her into the main Templeand Zen grew increasingly worried as she saw that the priestessesand the priest guards were already there. She could see their mindsand she was horrified. They meant to chain her here until the bonding ceremony. She turned to runand they caught her before she could get away. She could not beat them physically,and their minds seemed to be closed against her. They got her to the altarand she saw the orangestone mirror, the last one remaining, on the wall beside it. A gong soundedand the doors at the other end of the Temple opened. She watched as the cardinals entered,and then the supreme leader of the Celestial Temple at Tavensur. Zen’s cry of disbelief was stilled by the shock of recognition. It was her father, Zoran, returned to life. His mind flowed into hers as easily as water was poured into a cupand his punishment left her writhing in painand down on her knees. “You have only postponed my work, daughter,” Zoran smiled darkly as he approached her, “but I shall resume it now.” He came up to her sideand reached down to stroke her cheek. She turned away from him. “Still as disobedient as ever, I see.” He nodded to the guards. “Help her up.” Zen was brought to her feetand held fast. Zoran turned as Liet brought out the box for the orangestone mirror. Omri took out the knifeand handed it to Zoran. He then grabbed Zen’s armand forced her to open her hand. Zoran brought down the knifeand Zen shifted at the last moment. The blade struck Omri in the shoulderand he fell with a cry of pain. Zoran slapped Zen across the face. He was forced to finish the chaining. Once blooded, the knife had to be seeded to the ring. “It was not my plan to chain you, my friend,” Zoran said as Omri was pulled into the mirror. “It is only temporary.” He looked at Zen coldly where the guards had her held fast. “You are faster than before…” “I have to be, Father,” Zen broke in coldly. She struggled to gain her freedom, but the guards were too strong for her. “I am not going to let you accomplish your goal through me.” “You are such a child,” Zoran laughed as he nodded to the guards. “Hold her still this time.” Zen met his cold eyes in anger. That’s right, Father, she shot at him with all the force in her mind, gloat! She smiled as he rocked back on his heels. He wasn’t as untouchable as he wanted her to think, Zen realized. She felt the knife slicing her palmand was forced over to the mirror. She was shoved insideand fell to her floor as Omri was released. Zoran stood outside of her cell, smiling in triumph, as Omri was taken to the Medic. Zen let him believe he had won. There was no danger yet. Not until he bonded with her, would he truly have power over her. So she kept her secret. “Enjoy your quarters, daughter,” Zoran laughed as he looked in at her. “I apologize that they are not as opulent as your last cell, but I mean to take no chances with you escaping your fate this time.” “You are going to fall, Father,” Zen shot back, rising to her feet slowly. “You will find this world is not as complacent as the one we knew. Only your deranged followers will follow your lead this time.” “It is no different than the world as it was before I created you,” Zoran shrugged. “It will fall now as surely as it would have then.” Zen turned her back on himand his laughter was like a lash on her wounded mind. Let him gloat! She would find a way out of thisand then she would make him pay. Zen was not going to let him harm this world. She would die again, if that were required. She saw the light fadeand turned to see that a curtain had been laid across the mirror on the other side. Good, Zen smiled. That was exactly what was needed. She went to the interior frameand laid her palm against the symbol for the greenstone mirror. She smiled as she saw Bemin bent over a disk reader. “Bemin Tor,” she called outand saw the man jump. “Marek is well?” “He spends all his time in the Archives, Princess,” Bemin said as he got to his feet. “You’ve found a means of linking the mirrors!” he guessed as he saw a symbol on the frame glowing. “The symbol for the one you are using is glowing here.” He saw her turn her head. “Something is wrong?” “Was I the only one you foundand freed, Bemin Tor?” Zen asked him bluntly. “By me,” Bemin answered her candidly. “But there were other teams, other digs.” His eyes widened as he guessed what she was telling him. “Someone found your father!” “He leads the Celestial Temple at Tavensur,” Zen told him. “He means to complete what he started. When he finds he can not bond with me, as he planned, he will have me destroyed.” She saw Marek standing frozen in the corridor leading from the Archive. “You must have your people prepared to fight him.” Zen looked past him to Marekand tears glistened in her eyes. She looked at him with hope. “Have you found what you seek, beloved?” “No, Zen,” Marek told her. He came to the mirrorand laid his palm against the glass. “Why can’t you just tell me?” “I don’t know where to look,” Zen told him honestly. She could see Marek’s angerand knew that he had not liked what he had heard. It could not be helped. “I could keep you from it…” “I understand your reasons, my love,” Marek broke in, “but I do not agree with them. I will not let you fight that monster on your own. I am a part of what is happening now.” “Then please hurry, beloved,” Zen told him, letting him see her fear. “I am frightened that he may not wait until the optimum moment.” Her head turnedand she backed away, the glow fading. “Hurry!” * Zoran knew his daughter was hiding something from him. She had been far too calm during the chaining ceremony. He tried to think of what she could do to stop himand his mind was sluggish with the response. Then he stiffenedand was on his feet, dumping Liet from his lap. He hurried to the templeand drew aside the curtain. Zen turned towards him, smiling coldly. She reminded him of an avenging angel with that glorious hair of hers floating away from her,and he was distracted a moment. He returned his mind to his taskand froze. It wasn’t possible! This mere child could not have known the only means to prevent what he would do! “You forget, Father,” Zen said to him, her voice chill with anger. “I am the Goddess. There is much I know that even you do not have access to.” She laughed as he slammed his fist into the glass. “Is that not why you want me?” “You will not succeed, daughter,” Zoran told her. “Now that I know what you plan, I can take steps to prevent it. Oh no, child,” he laughed as she went into this mind. “It isn’t that easy. You can not read my plan because I have yet to form it.” He turned his head to someone she couldn’t see. “You have done research into the mirrors, my friend,” he smiled darkly. “Find me the key to her chaining,and I will give her to you after I have bonded with her.” “A rich reward, Great One,” Reo smiled as he came into view. “I shall go without sleep until I find your answer.” “You have two days,” Zoran told the man. He turned to his guards. “You will place the mirror in my bedchamber. I want her where I can keep a watch on her.” Once the mirror was hung on the wall facing his bed, Zoran closed the doorand approached her. “Come out to me, daughter.” Zen had to obey him, only her mind was free of his control. “You really think you have a chance to stop me, even now?” “There is always a chance, Father,” Zen replied. She shivered as he stroked her cheek. “No” she cried as he undid the ties of her gown at the shouldersand watched it fall around her feet. “Please…” “I want to admire what will be mine,” Zoran told her as he released the pins holding her hairand pulled his fingers through to work out the braids. His eyes warmed as he saw the copper mass flow out around her body. “A work of art!” His hands moved down her spineand pressed. Zen cried out in soft protest as her body froze. “You won’t be doing anything to stop me, daughter,” he said as he picked amisting bottle up off his cabinet. “Until our bonding, you will remain here in my chamber where I can remind myself why I didn’t destroy you.” He laughed as she glared at him. “I should have done more work on your behavior before I implanted your mother.” “I should have killed you, Father,” Zen hissed back at him, “and had your ashes scattered on the winds in the Scourge.” “But you did not, my dear child,” Zoran smiled as he put her hands in a position of prayer, “and so we are here.” He sprayed the liquid over her body. “Poor little Zen. All that power,and you are still as helpless as ever.” He ran his thumb over her lips; then leaned in to kiss herand saw the horror in her eyes. “I have applied liquid querin over your pretty body, my angel. You will not be able to move now.” He ran his hand down her body slowly, enjoying the horror in her eyes. “But you will be able to feel my touch. It is now safe for me to complete the circle for you.” He went to the cabinetand got the knife. He pricked her fingerand bloodied the ring. Then he pressed the ring to her wrist in the only spot remainingand smiled. “Perhaps,” he smiled as his hand stroked her breastand her horror increased, “I will leave you as a statue once I have bonded with you.” “You promised me to the lord Reo, Father,” Zen reminded him. She shook her head. “What was I thinking? When have you ever kept your word?” “Enjoy your limited freedom, daughter,” Zoran smiled back at her. “It will last until the night of our bonding.” He found her gownand wrapped it around her frozen body. Only his eyes would be allowed to see her charms. He had other problems now. Her mate was out there somewhereand, until he was dead, everything Zoran had worked for was out of his reach. He would not settle for just her body. He wanted all that this goddess child could bring to him. He got dressedand left her locked in his chambersand under guard. The lord Reo was waiting in the Infirmary with lord Cardinal Omri. “My daughter will no longer be a problem,” Zoran told them. “The only one who can prevent our plans from coming to fruition is the boy.” He turned to Reo. “Have you had any word of his whereabouts, lord Reo?” “No, my lord,” Reo bowed his