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

was shoved to his knees, “I would learn the truth about your loyalties.” He shook his head. “You could have had her. Was she not worth changing your loyalties for?” He saw the look on the man’s face. “She knew nothing of her part in this, lord Bastian. You are correct in seeing her as the innocent in this matter.” “You allowed her to be put through such torment,” Bastian exclaimed as he was dragged to his feet, “just to trap me?” “It was necessary.” He nodded to the guards. “Find the young lord a place of comfort in the dungeons. We will deal with him in a more permanent fashion when our daughter is returned to us.” He turned to Omri. “Send the Dregar out for her, lord Cardinal. Tell them they may have the villagers as their pets, but she is not to be harmed.” He could see the man’s mindand he nodded. “If you continue to make proper amends for your earlier greed, my lord,” he said as he rose to his feet, “I may allow you to have my daughter as your mate.” Omri bowed his headand kept it down as Zoran left. When he straightened, his eyes were coldand hard. He would allow? This being owed his existence to Omriand his people; he should be thanking them for his life. He went down to the tunnelsand through them to the cavern system behind the outpost. The Dregar came down to the cavern floorand knelt before him. Omri had his troops; he would soon have his mate. “The princess Zenyssa,” he said simply; “your Goddess, is being held prisoner by the people in the village south of here. You will take me to her,” he continued. “The villagers are yours to enslave, or to destroy, as you see fit.” * Zen looked up as Hyrod returned. He saw the melted shackleand the absence of Bastianand assumed the worst. Her father had destroyed the lord Bastian through her. He yanked Zen up on her feetand slapped her across the face, his eyes showing griefand rage. Hynae came into the hutand he shoved Zen to her. His mother held Zen as she sobbed. “You will pay for his death,” he hissed at the princess, “with your own!” “He is not dead,” Zen told him, looking up to meet his anger. “I sent him away, so you couldn’t hurt him.” She saw into his mindand she was horrified. “You never meant to hurt him!And I…” she fell to her knees, sobbing now. “What have I done?” “Where did you send him, princess?” Hyrod demanded as he yanked her up to her feet, his hands gripping her arms painfully. “Tell me!” “I sent him away,” Zen told him as she searched her mind for the direction. “Where he couldn’t be hurt by you.” Her face went pale. “He used me!” She was stricken with guilt, with anger. She looked at Hyrod in horror. “My sire used me to learn Bastian’s loyalties. He knows everything.” “He will send his enforcers here,” Hyrod hissedand shoved her away. “You foolish child!” “How was she supposed to know,” his mother chided him as she helped Zen to her feet. “You stupid men!” She helped Zen into a chairand handed her a cup of water. Hyrod was out the door, shouting orders. “They thought that if they feigned dangerand threat, it would loosen the bonds on your mind, Princess.” “And they were right,” Zen sniffed. “I am whole once more.And I am very angry.” She finished the waterand rose to her feet. “I must undo what I did to…” The room began to spin around herand she looked over at Hynae. “What have you done?” “Only taken steps to see that more people are not harmed than necessary,” Hynae replied. She went to the back of the hut as Zen collapsed to the floor,and opened a hidden door. “She is ready, lord Cardinal.” “You have done well, sister Hynae,” Omri nodded. He pulled Zen up into his armsand looked down into her lovely face. “The princess is back where she belongs.” “Goddess goes to her sire,” the lord Dregar said as he came into the hut with two of his clan. He took Zen into his armsand nodded to his males. “Bring them out to join the others.” He turned on his heeland carried Zen outside, taking a seat on a chair brought to him by his females. “The Emperor told me you would try this, Cardinal,” he laughed as Omri was shoved into line with the villagers they had managed to subdue. “He also said that you would share in whatever punishment I chose for the males in this village, should you do so.” He heard Zen sighand looked down to see her eyes opening. “Your captors are going to be punished, Princess,” he said as he saw that a chair was brought for herand set her down on it. “Theyand their entire village will pay dearly for this act.” “It is not necessary,” Zen cried out as she saw his intent. She laid her hand on his arm. “Please, don’t hurt these people. They did not harm me.” “They are guilty of treasonous acts against your sire, Princess,” the lord Dregar replied, ignoring her pleas. “Their punishment is set.” “No!” “You question your sire’s right, Princess?” “He has no right,” Zen replied coldly. “These people do not belong to him; so their act was not treasonous. Judgment on them can only be pronounced by the lord Bastian.” She looked at the creature. “You can do nothing until they have been taken before him.” “You know the laws well, Princess,” the lord Dregar smiled, baring his brilliant white fangs. He thought to gainsay her, but decided against it. “Very well,” he nodded, “they will be taken before their lord for judgment. In chains,” he told his men. He roseand held his arm out to Zen. “Princess.” Zen laid her hand on his armand he led her out of the village. He picked her up in his armsand vaulted up into the sky. She found herself biting back tears as she remembered the days when she had been able to fly on her own. She would never know that joy again. At least, she amended, until she had found a way to stop her fatherand find a life of her own choosing. The lord Dregar landed in the courtyard of the fortressand set her down. She went to her father without being asked, her eyes blazing. He was on this throne, smiling. “I see you have not suffered for your little journey, daughter,” he said as he watched the lord Dregar go to his knees. “Has all been done as we asked?” “Your daughter reminded us of the laws of these lands, my Emperor,” the lord Dregar told him. “We could not punish without judgment…” “And the only one who can judge them is their lord Bastian,” Zoran pulled from the creature’s mind. He smiled at Zen. “Neatly done, child,” he bowed his head to her. “It only gives them a brief reprieve, however.” He nodded to his guards. “Take our daughter to her precious lord Bastian. She may remain with him until we call for them.” “You are not going to win, Father!” Zen snapped as the guards grabbed her arms. She shook them off, her eyes blazing with fire. “I will find a way to stop you!” She turned on her heeland left, with the guards following. “Your daughter is a creature of passion, my Emperor,” the lord Dregar smiled as he rose to his feet. “She may find a way to wound you yet.” “She is not strong enough,” Zoran replied, “as long as she is distracted by compassion.” He saw the lord Dregar’s mind. “Would you care to have her?” He saw the creature’s eyes warm. “She would make you a wondrous Queen.” “We Dregar mate for life, my Emperor,” the lord shook his head. “You would give her to me only as long as it suited your plans.” “You know us well, lord,” Zoran smiled. “Take her as a pet then if it suits you. It is the least we can do to reward your loyalty.” Unaware of the plans being made for her, Zen entered the dungeonsand found herself standing outside the cell Bastian had been locked inside. He had been beaten severely. She could feel his agony as the door opened. He looked upand she saw his swollenand bruised face. She was on her knees at his side, her healing talent taking over as she stroked his face. Tears flowed down her cheeks as the doors shutand she was locked inside. Bastian looked up at her in disbelief. “You should have stayed away, Princess,” he told her as he raised his hand to her cheekand wiped the tears away. “You were safe in the village.” “I am not safe,” Zen replied as she continued her work, “until my Father is dead!” She bit her lip as she saw him wince in pain. “This is all my doing. I should have killed him when I had the chance.” “It should never have been your task,” Bastian said as he pulled her into his armsand held her close. “You are just a child. There were men who should have thrown off his shacklesand taken him down.” “Like my brother,” Zen bit her lip as she remembered the sacrifice Leonin had made for herand their world. “Leonin is dead because of our sire’s mad desires.” She was crying. “I had a brother,and so little time to know him.” Bastian kissed her on the foreheadand she was not satisfied. She pulled his head down to hersand kissed him on the lips, hearing him groan as his emotions were engaged. He looked down into her eyes,and knew she wanted to give herself to him. He could not let her do this; not when it was a mere compulsion forced on her by her own father. Zen smiledand shook her head, her hand moving to his cheek. “That compulsion ended, my lord Bastian,” Zen told him as she moved closer, “when the chains on my mind fell away. Please let us end our time with pleasant memories; with love.” Bastian needed no further encouragement. Hours later, after they had joined,and fallen asleep in each other’s arms; he looked down at her beautiful faceand wondered at his luck. This angel had given herself to him freely. The door openedand a guard stepped inside. Bastian pulled Zen to her feetand stood in front of her as she righted her garments. “It is time,” the guard said simply as he held out two pairs of wrist shackles. “You will put these onand come to stand trial for your treason against the Emperor Zoran.” They did soand he stepped aside for them to leave ahead of him. They were surrounded by four other guardsand marched back to the throne room. “The prisoners, lord Emperor,” the guard captain said as he bowed to Zoran. “As you requested.” “You have both been caught in acts of treason against us,” Zoran said as he looked at his daughterand the lord Bastian. They had gotten quite close since he had sent her to the cell. That bond would not last any longer than it took for Bastian to be executed. “You now stand before us for judgment.” Bastian was shoved forwardand forced to his knees. “Lord Bastian,” he said sadly. “We considered you an ally, but find you a spy.” He nodded to his guards. “You shall be taken from this placeand staked out, bleeding from the beating these men will inflict upon you, in the Scourge.” “Father, no!” Zen criedand tried to go to Bastian. The guards held her back as Bastian was led away. “Please…” “Princess Zenyssa, our own child.” He shook his head. “It saddens us to pronounce sentence on you, daughter. We had such hopes that you would