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

she not so head-strong.” “I will contact the Dregar,” Bastian decided. “Perhaps they will consent to doing litter duty to the edge of the village.” He nodded to Leonin. “Travel safe, Leo.” “Travel well, Bast.” * It took two days to make all the arrangementsand pack supplies. Three days from the village of Tehari, Bastian had the transport land. Zen was only mildly showing at this point. She had altered her reproduction rate so that the child would develop more slowly, but it would still arrive within the next three to four days. They stepped out into the blazing heat of middayand made camp. The Dregar were to join them that night to continue travel. Bastian’s men took up positions around the perimeter as the servants put up a shade for their princess. Zen laid back with a smileand Bastian sank down next to her, holding her hand until she fell asleep. He left her to the care of her attendantsand went to check with the men. “We have company, lord prince,” his captain told him as Bastian approached. “Chen,” he continued as Bastian put his mind to the report. “At least a dozen in number.” “Alert your men, Captain. Tell them that if the Chen approach,” Bastian told the man, “they do not engage. This is their land. We are the guests here.” He returned to Zenand saw that she was sitting up, her eyes closed. She was searching the area in her own way. She opened her eyes as he sank down next to herand confirmed his captain’s report with one of her own. He took her hand in hisand laid it against his cheek. A servant brought them each a cup of waterand moved off with cupsand a water bag to tend to the men. Zen set hers asideand Bastian did likewise. He was off to warn his men as she struggled to her feetand checked the other servants. They knew nothing of a plot to drug the guards or their masterand mistress. “Hello, cousin.” Daren said as he landed behind her. He smiled as Zen turned, but the smile died as he saw her condition. “You carry his pup.” “Why are you here, Daren?” Zen asked him, wondering why she felt so ill at ease. “Don’t you have a mate of your own who requires your presence?” “I want only you, little cousin,” Daren told her as he stepped towards her. “I gave her to another male in the flock.” He frowned as Zen backed away from him. “I will have you back, Zen,and I will not share.” He hissed as Bastian came striding back into camp. “A challenge awaits you, little man. You will not keep her.” “What was that all about?” Bastian asked as he held Zen close. She was shaking in reaction to her cousin’s visit. “I don’t know,” Zen told him. “His mind is closed to me. All I find are walls keeping me from finding his thoughts.” She moved closer to him. “I’ll be all right. He startled me.” “We could go home, beloved,” Bastian suggested. He rested his chin on top of her head. “We can make the pilgrimage later…” “We are not cowards,” Zen broke in. “Leonin is coming,” she said as she leaned into Bastian for comfort. “He is angry.” Leonin came striding into camp from the westand sank down on a fallen log. A servant brought him waterand he drained it in a gulp. He was given moreand he drank this slower. He reached out to slap the servant on the backside as she moved offand his smile widened. Zen could tell he was trying to calm himself down. She went to the shadeand sank down to wait. It did not do to rush Leonin, she saw. “Daren has pulled something,” Zen saw in his mind. He looked over at herand nodded. “He was here just before you were, Leo,” she told him. “He told us that there was a challenge waiting.” “He has placed a claim with the Tehari,” Leonin told her. “He claims that Bastian stole you from himand seeks their judgment on the matter as impartial parties.” “But they are not impartial, Leo,” Zen argued. “Daren is an ally. They will wish to keep that alliance.” “But your brother is their Creator,” Bastian said,and then saw Leonin’s expression. He bit his lip. “You aren’t allowed to intervene in this matter?” “Only if the matter touches the Chen directly,” Leonin told him. He held his hands up as he saw the anger in Bastian’s eyes. “I created their race,and gave them guidelines to follow; but I want them to find their own path.” “Fine words, brother,” Bastian spat. “They do nothing to help us.” He sank down next to Zenand pulled her into his arms. “I will not let them take my lady away from me, Leo. I will appeal on the grounds that their alliance with the claimant makes their impartiality questionable.” He closed his eyes a moment. “Have you been able to read him, Leo? Zen tells me Bastian’s mind is a blank to her.” “His mind,” Leonin told him candidly, “has always been a blank to me.” He frowned as he saw Bastian’s mind. “Someone tried to drug your guards? This is not acceptable.” His frown deepened as he saw the Chen arriving. They went down on their knees as he rose to his feet. “There is no need for this guard,” he told them coldly. “The accused is in my charge. You will return to Tehariand wait.” “At once, Creator,” the lead male bowedand signaled the others off. “And Chen’fer?” “Yes, Creator?” the male kept his head bowedand waited. “Dishonor has been done here,” Leonin said simply. “An attack on the claimant’s men, recently thwarted.” He nodded to where a guard was carrying in a woman over his shoulder. Another followed, carrying one of the men. “Justice shall be meted here.” Chen’fer bowed his head lowerand moved off, his mind dark with anger. It was not done! A challenge had been made,and the challenged had been attacked outside of the arena. That went against all the lawsand customs of the Chen! He increased his speedand went to Chen’ya. His eyes were cold as he looked over at Daren, who was speaking to his men. He bristled as he saw the bird man’s eyes. “Dishonor,” Chen’fer said to his mate as he nodded for her to join him in the hut. “The challenged attacked; a man fallen.” He sank down on a seatand accepted a cup of water from a slave. “The Creator comes to hear the challenge.” “He would not dare!” Chen’ya bristled in anger. “He is our ally. He would not dishonor us in this way.” “We will not know it was he,” Chen’fer told her as he relaxedand removed his travel harness. “The Creator has the weapon in his hand. He will bring truth.” “The bird kingand his men are not to leave this village,” Chen’ya told him, her voice tight with anger. “If they ask, tell them it is a condition of the challenge.” Her fangs bared in a deadly smile. “If he disagrees, have himand his birds restrained.” Her fists clenched in anger. “No one dishonors the Chen!” Jenos turned from the monitoring device, a pleased smile on his face. He had seen to it that the alliance between the Nydareand the Tehari was in jeopardy. One more act,and it would be destroyed completely. Princess Zen would be in his hands then,and once she was properly programmed, no one would be able to stop him. He nodded to the technician working on the monitoring equipmentand went to his cabin. * They were only one day out of the village when Zenand the others came upon the Dregar. They had been shot out of the skyand were in various stages of unconsciousness. Bastian called a halt to their travelsand joined Zenand her brother in tending to their allies wounds. He finally made Zen get some rest, worried as he saw her growing pale from the power she was wielding. He frowned when she didn’t argue. Leonin settled down near her an hour later, knowing that this was just another part of the attack that had been struck earlier. Someone did not want Zenand Bastian to arrive at the village. So he sent a call ahead, finding Chen’ya’s mindand alerting her to their troubles. He smiled as he saw the steps she had taken to assure that Darenand his men were not involved. “This is not my cousin’s work, brother,” Leonin told Bastian as his sister’s mate joined them. “Someone else is doing this.” “Then we can expect worse,” Bastian frowned. He looked over at his mate, who was sleeping peacefully. “I will not have my heir born in some man’s cage, Leo!” He rose to his feet as his captain came into the camp. “Is there a problem, Captain?” “There is a transport moving in from the north, lord prince,” the Captain told him. “It has not answered our hails.” “We must get to the village now,” Leonin said as he went to Zen. He shook herand she opened her eyes. “Little sister,” he said gently. “I have need of your assistance.” He looked at Bastian. “Have your men bring the Dregar into camp. We need everyone close.” Bastian nodded to the Captainand they went to gather the wounded. When everyone was in the camp, Bastian felt power began to crackle along his nerve endings. He knew they were workingand that he was a part of whatever was happening. He opened his mind to themand allowed the power to surge. He fought the painand concentrated on the power. Something important was happeningand it needed to occur. He let it happenand fell into the nothingness. When he woke up, they were in Tehari. The Chen were on their knees as Leonin caught Zenand carried her into a nearby hut where a female was waiting. “Your child is arriving, lord Bastian,” Chen’ya said as he went after them. She laid her hand on his armand he looked down at her. “She is very weak, your mate. She will need your strength.” Bastian noddedand moved to Zen’s side. She held up her hand and smiled weakly as he took it in his. He drew it up to his lipsand kissed her, sending her his love. Zen had never felt so weak,and she knew that this was serious. Their child was comingand needed her to be strong. She felt strength coursing into her from her mate,and her brother, as the pains began in earnest. They would not move from Zen’s side as the healer came to assist her, so the female put them into service as supportersand stood back at the ready. Bastian could feel her weakening as the pains increased,and he poured himself out to her, giving her moreand more of himself until he was nearly on his own knees in weakness. “No, love,” he chided her as she tried to fight him off. “You need this strength of me. I will give it.” “You leave yourself helpless,” Zen said weakly, though the expression in her eyes showed him how much loved his gift was to her. She looked at the healer. “Send them both out, Healer. I would not damage those I love.” The healer stepped forward as Zen screamedand pushed Bastianand Leonin towards the doors. They did not leave, but remained within, as the child came. The boy was cleanedand placed in Bastian’s arms. A sister followed the small boy,and she was given into Leonin’s arms. He looked down at his nieceand saw his sister again. He took the boy from Bastian to let the man got his mate. Then heand the healer took the infants outside where he presented them to the pride. “Behold Arinand Atav,” he said solemnly, “heirs of Bastianand Zen, the new born princeand princess of Norest’un. This day we celebrate.” He looked over at