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

light. There was no way a person could be trapped inside of a mirror. Images flooded into his mind,and he saw exactly how it had happenedand why. His blood ran cold. The entire temple had been behind Omri’s little plot. The princess was not safe here. He had to get her away from this evil placeand arrange for a new rendezvous point. He felt his anger rising at the thought of an entire temple to fall to Omri’s poison. “Tread carefully, brother,” Leonin’s mind touched his, advising calm. “You are only one among many. They will not hesitate to harm you to get what they want from Zen.” “Perhaps it would be better if I were two?” Aiden smiled as he had a thought. He did not know how he knew this might work. He just moved, running his finger along a sharp edge of the frame until it was sliced open. His blood flowed slowly along the channeland gathered on one symbol. He pressed itand stepped back as he saw the orangestone clear. It appeared to melt away from his twin like ice on a hot day. Then Leonin was stepping through. “I have another uniform, brother. Let us play with these monsters.” “Great minds think alike,” Leonin smiled. He stretched, relishing the feeling. He had been trapped inside the mirror so long; he had begun to think he was made of the stone he was trapped inside. He put on the uniformand it fit him perfectly. “You were sent by the powers to aid us, brother.” “I was sent by the Council to bring the Princess to them,” Aiden told him bluntly. He saw Leonin’s frown; even the expressions were like his own. “We can discuss it once we find her.” Leonin noddedand Aiden felt power lashing across the room. His ‘brother’ was gifted, like the Princess. Leonin frowned as he found her mind. It was very faint, as if she were buried under something. That worried him. She was not frightened, he saw with relief; she was very, very angry. He smiled then. His sister, Zen, was fine. He turned to the mirrorand scowled as he saw the orange color returning to it. “They have hidden the Princess underneath this temple somewhere,” Leonin told Aiden. “We need to find an entrance to the underground areas.” There was a knock on the doorand Leonin was trapped in sight as the door opened. “Lord Aiden,” the priest who had been in the temple earlier bowed his head. “The lord Cardinal has suggested an inspection tour to ease your time with us.” “Very good,” Leonin nodded. “We’ll start with the underground areas,” he told the priest. “I have always admired the way most of our temples make use of such places for things such as storage,and wine cellars.” Aiden waited until his twins voice had faded awayand then he slipped out. He strolled along the walkway around the gardenand found himself in front of a pair of statues. He laid his hand on the arm of one of themand it lowered. A section of flooring opened up, revealing a staircase. Aiden searchedand, finding no sign of anyone else, he walked down the stairs, coming out into a tunnel system. He saw a priestess carrying a tray of foodand followed her. She came to a section of walland laid her hand on a lighted panel. The wall slid openand the woman entered. He heard a thudand then saw the woman returning, her hood over her features. He smiled as he realized who this was. What an intriguing child she was. “Leonin? Brother?” Zen froze as she felt his mindand she turned to look. Her attention distracted, she did not see the person who moved up behind her, clamping her arm around Zen’s throat. Aiden frowned as he remembered this priestess. He did not need to be able to scan her mind to know she was insane. Liet opened the walland dragged Zen back inside. Aiden ran for it, but arrived a few seconds too late. Liet slapped Zen across the faceand helped her sister priestess to her feet. They shackled Zen to the altar, examining her. “The baby is welland truly anchored, Princess,” Liet said as she stroked Zen’s cheek. “Once you have had this child, you are free to leave with the Council representative.” “Liar!” Zen hissed. She pulled at the shackles on her wrists, her eyes cold. “I am dead as soon as the child is born. You can’t afford to keep me around knowing what you’ve done.” “She wants honesty, sister,” Liet smiled coldly. She clamped Zen’s chin in her hand, her nails digging in painfully. “Very well, Princess,” she laughed as she dug her nails in deeper. “You are going to remain here, bearing children for your dead sire, until your body is worn out. Then you will be sold to the Science Directive for dissection.” She let go. “Is that honest enough for you?” She laughedand left with her sister priestess. The wall closedand she was trapped. Zen had freed herself from one shackle,and was working on the second, when the wall opened again. Aiden was standing there, the man who was Leonin,and not Leonin. He came to herand removed the shackle from her wrist. “Someone’s coming,” Zen frowned, as she felt minds coming their way. “Hide, or they will take you.” He shackled her wristand stepped into the shadows to wait. The wall openedand five guards came in. They were dragging Leonin along with them. They shackled his wrists to the altar at the end opposite Zenand left him leaning against the stone. Then they stepped aside as the lord Cardinal came in. He looked at Leonin, frowning a moment; then turned his eyes on Zen. He smiled as he saw how large she had become. “Your guardians tell me that you are becoming troublesome, Princess,” the Cardinal said as he grabbed her armand wrenched it behind her back. “Once this first child is born, your beautiful mind is going to be deadened.” He turned her overand stroked her abdomen. “We only need your body functioning for breeding purposes.” He smiled as he felt the baby kicking. “Zoran’s child is very eager to be born.” He looked around the chamberand frowned. “Not here,” he decided. “Bring the princess to the guest chambers. Zoran’s child will not be born in a hole in the ground.” The guard nearest Zen freed herand clamped his hand on her arm. She tried to fight him but she doubled over instead as the labor pains began. The man picked her up in his armsand carried her out after the Cardinal. Aiden tried to keep the door wedged open, but he was too late. He went over to Marekand saw that the man had a very serious head wound. His eyes were dulledand fading. Aiden laid his hands on either side of the man’s headand Leonin’s eyes sparked for a moment. “I would have like to have had a brother,” Leonin sighed as he started to fade again. He groaned as pain returned. “You must save my princess.” He put his hands on either side of Aiden’s head. “All that I am, I give to you.” Aiden stiffened as Leonin’s mind flowed into his. He saw everything, felt everything,and knew all that Zen’s brother had. He felt himself catching fireand then opened his eyes to see Leonin vanishing. He cried out at the loss of one he wished he could have known. Then he searched the chamber, knowing there had to be a way out. They had used it to get the princess. He found the latchand made his way out slowly. He was out in the gardens when he heard her screams of pain. He went to his transportand made the call; then he went to find the princess. “Lord Aiden,” the Cardinal smiled as Aiden burst into his chambers. “How nice of you to join us.” He nodded to his menand they bound Aiden’s wrists. “Princess, lord Aiden wished to extend greetings on behalf of the Council Elders before he had his fatal accident.” The guards grabbed Aidenand bound his wrists behind his back. “So tragic. The young lord on his way to deliver you to his Council. Both of you burned beyond all hope of recognition.” He nodded to where Liet sat. “Liet has volunteered to play your part, Princess.” Liet was on her feet, shaking her head in refusal. “It is for the best, Liet. You have grown far too brutal.” “You can’t do this!” Liet screamed as the guards bound her wristsand shoved her over next to Aiden. “I’ve given my life to seeing this happen. She would not be here if it wasn’t for me.” “You are disturbing the princess,” the Cardinal frowned. He looked at his men. “See to that accident.” He turned back towards Zen as Aidenand Liet were taken away. He leaned downand kissed her on the forehead. “You are such a beautiful child, Princess Zen. As a reward for your service to your father’s memory, I am going to allow you to remain here unchained.” He laid his hand on her abdomen, smiling. “You can’t get far now that your child is growing.” Zen closed her eyes as the man left her, his laughter grating on her nerves. She could feel the beginnings of the pains againand she bit her lip to keep from crying. She was not going to cry, she told herself as she got off the bedand went out of the doors into the corridor. She had people to save. She saw Aidenand Liet being shoved towards a transport as she climbed up on the parapet, shaking in pain. They were put aboardand she knew they were being bound with something that would disintegrate in the explosion. Once the transport was in the air, she sent her mind out. She was on her knees, her pain mounting, as she watched in confusion. Aidenand Liet did not need her help; they were already gone. “Put her in a cage,” the lord Cardinal frowned as she was carried back. “She can await the birth of Zoran in the gardens.” * Daren rose to his feet as two people came tumbling out of the mirrorand landed at his feet. Aiden roseand looked at the Nydare in confusion. He helped Liet to her feetand she attacked him, screamingand clawing at him. He finally had to slug her to calm her down. Daren nodded towards the nesting chamberand Aiden carried Liet thereand laid her in the nest. He turned to look at Daren. “Your cousin, Leonin, shared himself with me,” Aiden said as he raised his hand. On it was the household tattoo Leonin had once worn. “I thought to expect him,” Daren replied, nodding. “You are not him.” “No,” Aiden nodded. “I am Aiden Jenos, representative of the Council for the Celestial Temple.” He saw Daren stiffen. “I was sent to bring your Queen to them, Your Majesty.” He held his hand up as Daren stepped towards him. “I have since learned that such an act would be criminal.” He looked over at the pitcher. “May I?” “Leo sent you here,” Daren frowned, even as he nodded permission. “That, in itself, is encouraging. You will allow me to share mind with you.” “I will?” Aiden replied coldly as he poured out two goblets. He handed one to Daren. “You mustmistake me for a lesser being, lord Nydare.” “Your mind is stronger than most of the savages on this world, Aiden Jenos,” Daren agreed, “but I am still your better.” “I wouldn’t test the assumption,” Aiden said, his voice deadly, “if I were you.” He sank down on a chairand put his mind to a problem. “I need to know how this is possible. I have no memory of a connection to the house of Deis, but it is obvious that prince Leoninand I were related. I would not have been able to