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

not his fault, whatever that man had told her, but she found it hard to speak. “My beautiful lady,” Bastian cried, his voice tinged with pain. “I should have been able to protect you from this.” “He said it was your fault, Bastian,” Zen said softly, her voice hoarse from the strangling. She moved her hand to his, wincing in pain. “It was not.” She closed her eyes a moment against the pain. “You did not do this to me.” The door openedand Leonin came into the room. He saw Bastian’s pain, but his sister was in far greater need right that moment. He sat down next to the bedand laid his hands on hers. Zen closed her eyes as his power surged through her, mendingand healing the damage that had been done to her. Neither of them heard Bastian leave. When Zen was finally drawn down into a healing sleep, Leonin turned his headand found the man gone. He left the roomand found Bastian in his study, drinking. “I have left her in a healing sleep,” Leonin told him as he accepted a goblet from the servant. “She will wake in a few hoursand all the damage will be gone.” He laid his hand on Bastian’s shoulder. “You did not do this to her, brother,” he told the man. “I saw her mind. This was done by someone on the word of the Temple Council.” He was frowning darkly. “They mean to show us that they will not go down easily.” “Who?” Bastian askedand then hissed when Leonin shared the face of the man Zen had seen. “He was supposed to be dead!” He shared his history with the man in question with his new brotherand knew Leonin understood his anger. “I want her out of it, Leo,” Bastian told his brother-in-law. “I don’t care what you have to do,” he continued, his pain plain. “I want Zen put somewhere they can not reach her again.” “She would never forgive either of us,” Leonin began to protest. He saw that Bastian was adamant. “But she would be safe.” He noddedand knew what he had to do. “Are you ready to lose her forever, Bastian?” “Forever?” Bastian looked at Leonin in confusion. “I am merely asking that she be kept away from this, Leo…” “If she is,” Leonin broke in, “then we will fall. The Council will remain in the hands of men who should be in chains.And our world will be on its knees to them.” He laid his hand on Bastian’s shoulder. “What do you think they will do to our Zen when we are not here to protect her?” “They will not get another chance,” Zen’s voice broke in from the doorway. She was leaning on the doorframe, shaking in weakness. She waved Bastian’s hand offand made her own way to a chair. “Yes, brother,” she frowned as she felt his censure in her mind. “I know I should be sleeping.” She pulled Bastian’s hand to her cheekand held it here, her eyes closed. “I needed your touch, beloved,and you were not there.” Bastian picked her up in his armsand Leonin nodded. He understood what Bastian wanted,and he would see that it was done. He watched them leaveand turned his mind to a way to bring their enemies down. It was obvious they would have to be dealt with harshly now. No one touched his sister like thisand remained untouched. He found his first teamand sent them to issue ‘invitations’ to the members of the Counciland their families; all save Jenos. When he arrived at Ynast’ur, he would find them in his fortress awaiting his displeasure. He would save Jenos for the last. “I love that you want to protect me, my love,” Zen said much later as she lay in Bastian’s arms, “but I am needed.” She felt Leonin’s power surging. “My brother is handling the first charge now. We have time to rest.” Their rest only lasted until morning. They were out in the gardens when one of the guards came in to tell them that the Governors representative, a lord Tor, had arrived. Bastianand Zen went into the throne roomand found Marek waiting with two men behind him. Zen recognized Hyramand his brotherand wondered what they were doing here. She tried to see into Marek’s mind, but it was locked to her. Zen frowned at this; he had never been able to hide his mind from her before. Had her father done this to him? “Prince Bastian,” Marek bowed his head to her mate. “Princess Bastian,” he bowed his head to her. “The Governors asked me to come to you after a complaint was filed on behalf of your subjects.” He nodded at the brothers. “Theyand their people asked us to remove you from rule. They claim you acted with the late Emperor Zoran to keep them enslaved.” He held his hand up as Bastian began to protest. “I have been apprised of your true status, Your Highness,” he said. “These men have been brought to you for punishment.” “Punishment?” Bastian repeated. “What for, lord Tor?” He looked at the brothers. “In their eyes, I was working with my lady’s sire to harm them. The fact that I had to allow his evil to keep my cover intact does not excuse what was done to them.” He looked at Zenand she nodded. “My ladyand I would make recompense for her sire’s acts. What would you have of us, Hyrod? Hyram?” “We had no thought on the matter,” Hyrod said honestly. “We shall have to consider what our answer should be.” “You shall remain here as our guests until you do,” Bastian nodded. He motioned to a guard. “Show the brothers to guest chambers, Yrdu. Lord Tor will remain a moment.” He waited until the others were goneand then turned to Marek. “You have a prior claim to my lady, Marek Tor. Do you wish to renew it?” “Our bond was broken, Prince Bastian,” Marek replied. “I am quite pleased with my new situation. My new mate is everything I could have wished for.” “He is speaking truth, beloved,” Zen told Bastian sadly, “as he believes it to be.” She saw the damage in Marek’s mindand wished to undo it. “I could heal the damage done, Marek,” she told the man, “but it must be your choice.” “I have a vague remembrance of our time together, Princess,” Marek told her. “You imprisoned me in the Shrine with my father. Your other mate, Prince Daren, put a compulsion on my mind to keep me there.” He was angry with her, Zen saw. “Neither of you allowed me freedom to assist.” He held his hand up as Zen started to protest. “I know you meant to keep me safe, Zen,” he sighed, “but that is not enough. I am happy with a mate who allows me to make my own choices,and stands in support if my choices are not correct.” He did not look at all sorry for the pain he was causing. “Remove the damage, if it is your wish; it does not change my decision.” “No,” Zen shook her head. “It does not keep you from function,and so it is not something needing repair.” She rose to her feetand nodded to her mateand her former mate. “If you would excuse me. I need to be alone for a moment.” “That was harsh, lord Tor,” Bastian said to the man once Zen was gone. “She loved you with all she is,and you treated that gift as if it were poison.” “I meant no dishonor,” Marek told Bastian. “If I have hurt your princess, I will apologize. But,” he continued as he looked at the man, “I have a feeling you are relieved that I do not renew my bond.” “We are different men, Marek,” Bastian told him. “We could never be comfortable sharing her.” He sent his mind outand found Zen in the gardens, her sadnessand grief making his heart hurt with her. “If you would excuse me, my lady needs my attendance.” He turned to a guard. “You will see lord Tor to the best guest chamber. He will remain our guest tonight.” Bastian roseand went to his mate. She looked up, smiling through her tearsand offered her hand to him. He sank downand pulled it to his cheek, holding it in place. “I understand your grief, beloved. He is a good man.” “He will always be a part of me, beloved,” Zen nodded, “but I understand his choice. He was correct. Darenand I took his choices from him. That was wrong of us.” Her eyes were filled with pain. “How was I any better than my father?” “You did it out of loveand concern, my lady,” Bastian told her, seeking to comfort her now. “Your sire did it to have power over people. You,” he said as he pulled her to him, “could never be like your father.” “Have you heard from my cousin?” Zen asked as he carried her to their chamber. “We leave to visit the Aerie in the morning,” Bastian told her. “Prince Daren is looking forward to meeting your new mate.” “Something in that disturbs you, beloved,” Zen felt his unease. She looked upand saw his frown. “What is it?” “He was entirely too eager,” Bastian told her candidly. “He reminded me far too much of your sire.” He felt her shudderand laid his cheek against hers. “I apologize. The resemblance was familialand I was not ready for it.” “There is something wrong with his mind,” Zen told him as she tried to reach outand found only walls where Daren’s mind should be. “His mind has never been closed to mine.” She started a plan. “We are changing our plans,” she decided. “Have a messenger go to Darenand tell him that the Princeand Princess of Norest’un have decided to go to Tehari to do homage at the Shrine there.” She laid her hand on her abdomen. “They wish a blessing on their child.” “Child?” Bastian’s eyes widened in shockand then he picked her up in his armsand danced around with her laughing in joy. “Oh my lady! You have made me the happiest of all mortals!” His roars brought guards runningand he looked at them in confusion. “No,” he shook his head as he realized that they were alarmed. “There is no reason to fear for us. My lady love has just informed me that an heir is to be born. Have the vintner break out a couple of bottles of the bestand share them out with those who are not on duty. We will celebrate.” The guards turned to leave. “Captain,” he called back the man. “Make arrangements for the princessand I to travel to Tehari. We must give thanks at the Shrine there.” “Child?” Leonin smiled as they went to tell him their news. “I will approach the Tehari on your behalf, sister. In fact,” he beamed, “I will go ahead of youand smooth your path.” He had a sudden worrying thought. “You will have to go on foot, Zen. Will you be able to travel in your condition?” “If the baby arrives before we do,” Zen told him, too happy to worry, “that is as it must be.” She squeezed Bastian’s hand as she felt his worry. “My mate is more prone to worry, so I will leave you to discuss the travel arrangements.” “She carries quickly, brother,” Leonin told his brother-in-law. “You may well find you have an heir before you arrive. I shall ask the pride to lift the travel restrictions as much as possible for you.” “But we shall still have to walk into the village,” Bastian frowned. “I understand that, as I understand why Zen feels that going to Temple is out of the question. I am going to be old before my time mated to your sister.” “She is a challenge,” Leonin nodded, understanding his feelings. “She would not be Zen were