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

as they stood ready to protect. “This one has acceptance. Return to your play.” She looked up at him. “Have you come to fight over the knife again?” “It was a petty thing to fight over,” Marek replied, enjoying the way her eyes danced with humor. “No,” he continued, “I merely wish to extend an offer to you of companionship.” He saw her frownand was quick to correct her assumption. “Not of a physical nature, girl. I would travel with you, for a time, until I am convinced you are safe.” “I have traveled two summers on my own, Marek Tor,” Zen said softly, wondering at the joy that filled her heart. “In all that time, I have never found the need for a travel companion.” She nodded towards the beac flies. “Except for my little ones. Why,” she continued, needing to hear the answers, “would I suddenly require one now?” “You are not real, girl,” Marek answered gruffly. “This world is no place for an innocent like yourself to wander without protection.” He was finding it hard to curb his impulse to pull her into his arms. “One that has a chance of keeping you from true harm.” “I have a feeling,” Zen replied, her voice filled with confusion at his insistence, “that I would be in a different kind of danger, were I to accept your offer.” Marek could not stop himself. She was so beautiful, his mind sang out, glowing in the light of the beac flies, the camp’s fire. He had wanted to touch her from the moment they had met, haggling over that silly knife in Geem. He remembered wondering how a beautiful child like her could travel aloneand unescortedand still be so innocent. He touched her skinand smiled at the silken feel of it. He saw confusion in her eyes, as if she could not believe he would want to touch her. As he moved closer, her nails bit into his wristand he jumped back. “Such things are for the man who will be my mate, Marek Tor,” she told him as she moved away from temptation. “Not for idle dalliances.” She cocked her head as she felt his annoyance. “You are not used to being told no.” “Not by children who sail through the hardest reaches of this world without being touched,” Marek nodded his head, respect plain in his tones. “I meant no disrespect.” He looked for some way to defuse the situationand nodded at the beac swarm. “I have never met anyone who could control beac flies.” “I do not control,” Zen replied, her confusion plain. Was it always about control with these beings? “I request, I share, I guide,and I comfort.” She nodded towards the swarm. “Is it such a wonder, this ability to bond?” Zen saw his mindand saw the wonder. She wondered briefly if she should tell him the only reason she offered him hospitality was that he was related to the one who had returned her to life. Or that she was aware of the fact that his father had asked him to find herand guard her. She decided against it. He struck her as a man who would not take kindly to her being inside his mind without his permission. She saw the memory of the witnessing of just such an eventand knew it haunted him. It had been the cause of his taking employment with the Governors of this world, so that he could keep such atrocities from happening again. “You close yourself off when you should open up.” Zen had never known a man like him. He was doing his best to be a tough, untouchable, but deep down he was as uncertain as she was. “You have a greatness in you, Marek Tor.” “You are a child,” Marek snapped at herand saw her confusion returning; “you have far too little knowledge of what life must be.” “You are not that much older than I, Marek Tor,” Zen laughed, remembering what she had learned from this one’s father. “Has your life been so filled with experience already that you close yourself off from new ones?” “I watch,” Marek replied, a bit more coldly than he intended “and I guard. That is my life.” He rose to his feet. “I meant only to warn you,” he continued as he nodded his head to her. He adjusted the hang of his supply cordand his expression was guarded. Only from his mind did she feel his concern for her. “You should not travel alone, child.” “I am not alone,” Zen replied, deliberately ignoring his attempt to become her travel companion. “My friends protect me.” “Others hunt these trails who are not as congenial as I,” Marek frowned. “They will not be as easily dissuaded as the men in the village.” He saw her frownand knew he would get no further. He wanted to insist that she accept his company, but sensed it would not happen. He bowed his head to her. “Travel safe.” “Travel well.” Zen completed the farewell. She waited until the man was out of the reach of her mindand then focused on her friends. Guardand protect as this one rests. Assured it would be so, Zen pulled out the blanket rolland curled up within it. She had been shocked by his comments. How had he known she was not of this place? It had been a certainty in his mind, not an idle comment. In that moment of realization, she knew the truth. This Marek Tor, he was the one she had been brought back for. He was meant to be her mate. So why was she pushing him away? Her mind remained open to approachand to harm as the beac flies settled over herand went black. To the unwary eye, she was now a rock on the side of the trail. Only those who had true sight, like the man who had just left her camp, would know she was other than she appeared. She was a child of five summers, holding to the hand of her mother, as she was presented to the Great Lady Atav. This woman, it was rumored, held great power in her mindand body. She was also ancient,and needed to pass on this power to a successor. As the daughter of a royal house, Zen was among one of the first to be presented to her for consideration. Zen remembered looking into the woman’s deep blue eyesand all of her fear vanishing like she had never thought it. She felt a peace,and a belonging that she had never known with her own family. She was meant to be here. “You will know great pain in life, child,” the lady’s deep voice sounded in her mind. Zen was intrigued that such a thing could be, but not frightened. The woman had smiledand held her hands out to her. “This child is the one,” she said to Zen’s mother. “We accept her as our acolyte.” Zen went to the woman, all memory of her mother being there with her set aside. She was being offered a wondrous giftand she was eager to begin her training. She had listened to her mother’s dire pronouncements of a life of loneliness, apart from all she knew; but it did not frighten her. Even at five, she was aware enough of her father’s ambitions to want to be far from him.And her mother, the lady Ozienne, had no true love for her. Zenyssa, or Zen as she was known, had been only a duty, an obligation of her union to her husband, Prince Zoran. The only tears at their party were on her mother’s part, made more for show, than from any true feeling. Zen had stood at Atav’s side watching as her mother rode off with her escort. “You are wise already for one so young, little Zen,” Atav smiled as she looked down at the child. “The lady is a silly woman; concerned only with her own needs.” “I wish…” “I know what you wish, child,” Atav said as she crouched down so that her eyes were level with the child’s. She cupped Zen’s chin in her hand,and her eyes were gentle. “I am your mother now, Zen. I promise you, I shall not treat you with disregard.” She roseand held her hand out to the girl. “Are you ready, my child?” For the next ten years, she sat at the feet of the lady Atavand was shown how to unlockand use the talents she had been unaware she possessed from her own mind. Those years were filled with peace,and with lessons. She knew it would not last, so she cherished each moment. The only disruption to those days was the semi-annual reunion with her motherand her mother’s family. Atav had insisted that Zen keep close to them, though she wouldn’t tell her why. Being with her true mother was a strain. Only her cousin, Daren, was one she was glad to be with. He, her senior by twelve summers, delighted in her visits,and spent their times together showing her his latest invention; sharing his knowledge with her. He was her hero, her champion,and her first love. Had her life been different, Zen knew she would have chosen his suit willingly. Of her father, she saw nothing. He was too busy with his plotsand plans to spend time with his own child. She did not regret his absence.. The last day sheand Atav were together, Atav called her to the pool outside of their waterfall chamber. The moon was high in the sky as the lady took out a golden daggerand raised it heavenward. The moonlight hit itand it glowed as if on fire. Atav sliced her palmand sent the knife to Zen with her mind. Zen sliced her own palm, wincing from the pain. Atav clasped her hand to Zen’sand warmth flowed through the mingling of their blood. “This night,” Atav said, her mind warmand loving in Zen’s, as she kept watch on her charge, “you take on the mantle of power, Princess.” Zen’s whimpers as the fire blazed through her bloodstream became screams as her blood turned molten. She was becoming nothing, Atav told her, to become something much more. Atav’s mind joined with Zen’sand showed her everything. Over the course of the merging, Zen became confused as Atav’s memoriesand abilities,and those of the Goddesses before her, were passed on to her. She refused to let it destroy her, Zen told herself. She had to be strong! When she opened her eyes at the end of the storm, she saw Atav’s pleased smile. “ I knew you were the one,” Atav nodded, smiling. She put her arms around Zenand helped the girl to her feet. “One warning I give you, my child: you must not share your self with anyone you know to be unworthy.” She took off her robe of officeand put it on Zen. “This power must never be given to one who would use it to enslaveand dominate.” “How will I know who this will be, lady?” Zen asked softly, shivering still in reaction to what had happened,and the feel of the night breeze on her skin. “It will be plain to you when the time comes, child,” Atav smiled. She raised her armsand her face to the moonlight. “To one I have considered daughter, I offer loving farewell. Go in strength, dearest Zen.” “Go in peace, mother Atav,” Zen replied, controlling the sadness that struck herand caused pain to strike. She watched as the moonlight shimmeredand then blazed around Atav. The joy on the woman’s face mounted as her moment came. Zen could see only the light nowand she fell to her knees. Atav’s mind reached out for a brief moment,and she felt as if the woman’s hand caressed her cheek.And then the light fadedand Zen was alone, shaking in reaction to the changes she knew had just occurred within her mindand body. She rose to