The Revealed E-Book

Dormaine G

• Herausgeber: Next Chapter
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

In the aftermath of betrayal, the San must defend Earth. Forced to make difficult decisions, Connor's loyalties are questioned, and the world around her begins to crumble. She must prepare for war.

Forced to live on a planet known for its unyielding cruelty, Willow must confront the results of her own actions. Fighting for survival, she must overcome her weaknesses and accept the inevitable.

Meanwhile, Ronin is determined to bring down the San. He loathes Connor, but can't bring himself to harm her. 

Neither is willing to accept their destiny, yet compelled by their fate. But will enemies become allies, or fight to the death?

Leseprobe

The Revealed

Dormaine G

Copyright (C) 2015 Dormaine G

Layout design and Copyright (C) 2019 by Next Chapter

Published 2019 by Next Chapter

Cover art by CoverMint

Editing provided by Karen Perkins of LionheART Publishing House

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the author's permission.

Acknowledgments

I want to say thank you to my husband, Kenny, for all his patience and understanding. Without him I would not be grounded.

I need to thank my bother-in-law, Mathew, for his continued support and his eye for detail. Without him my novels would not be what they are today.

I want to thank my good friend and author Nicole Dunlap for her continuous support and tireless efforts in help guiding me in the right direction.

Recap of last two chapters of The Connor Chronicles: Book 1

Connor and the rest of the younglings (Tony, Willow, Scott and Cheyenne) along with the Keepers (Selene, Tochia, Shak, Bynder and Tanzia) arrived at Mr. Conway's castle to face their allies from Ether. It was the last place both Khan and Byron had been seen since they'd gone missing the night before.

There Connor faced the individual who had been watching her for some time, although she hadn't realized to what extent. It was a man by the name of Ronin, a cunning psychopath, who was out for blood. Hers, to be precise.

Tanner, who was a tall, pale, wretched being, walked through the portal, the doorway to Ether that Ronin had opened right before their very eyes. He warned them that Monlow, ruler of Ether, would take their powers then end their existence, and the existence of all human beings.

Connor's cluster was betrayed; not by one of their kind, but two. The culprits were a Keeper named Khan, whom the other Keepers already suspected of treason, and—to their surprise—a youngling, Willow. Not wanting to hear Willow's reasons, they forced her to stand with the Ethosians.

Refusing to surrender, a battle commenced between The San and several Ethosians. It was a battle of survival and skill, one not to be taken lightly. While battling, Connor was separated from her group by Ronin. It was then he revealed his intent to harm her and reveled in the fact she knew nothing of her biological mother.

But then something shocking occurred. In that moment of utter chaos and disruption, hatred turned to desire and their walls crumbled. They could not help but stay paralyzed in their feelings. Ronin and Connor somehow connected on such a profound level that each became spellbound with the other. Their emotions became entwined, their fears faltered and their longing became one. Worst of all, they craved more; it was inexplicable madness.

Then anger resurfaced. Both shocked by their momentary bond, they fought even harder. Fueled by contempt, Ronin attempted to dispose of her, against Monlow's orders.

During his attempt to end her life, Connor gained the upper hand. As she stabbed him in the throat with a knife, he released his chokehold and stumbled away. Standing before her soaked in his own blood, he swore to return as he smeared his blood across her face to secure that promise.

Tony came to her aid but she stopped him from attacking Ronin for reasons she could not explain. In turn Ronin stabbed Cheyenne in the stomach, with his eyes glued to Connor the whole time before leaving through the portal back to Ether.

Through the younglings' combined powers they were able to heal Cheyenne as their strength was more powerful than even they were aware. But the damage was done. Most were hurt and suffering, Tochia most of all, for taking down Tanner.

The two traitors, Khan and Willow, were forced to another world along with Byron's father, Mr. Conway. No one knew what had happened to his grandfather, but they assumed he was dead.

Connor asked Tochia about her mother, curious as to why Ronin knew so much, but once again the Keepers held their tongues. Byron expressed his intention to travel to Ether whether or not San were wanted in Ether for their abilities.

All the younglings wanted answers but knew they would not come easy. San had a way of keeping truths hidden. They all hoped that they would never have to see the Ethosians again or at least not for a long time. Sadly, Connor knew deep down in her soul this was not the end. They would be back. This was just the beginning.

Chapter 1

Ether: Willow

By use of my hair, I was dragged against my will through the bright portal. It led into darkness. The excruciating sting of pulled roots made me scream out for them to stop. They ignored my pleas. It seemed as if every time I cried out, my hair was deliberately wrenched. They never once slowed down, not even with my constant stumbling. The surface was slippery. They would jerk me back up by my hair, tugging even harder, as if to punish me. I was kept in a bent position so I couldn't see through the dark in front of me. And, as I remained hunched over, my back paid the price.

I was set free when we reached the end of the passageway. I staggered against a concrete wall for support and needed to catch my breath. There was light—bright light. My eyes watered, needing to adjust. But after five seconds of not moving, I was shoved ahead, as taking a break was not permitted. It was that awful Goth chick from the house who was torturing me. I'd hoped she had died.

Chunks of my hair lay in her hand like pieces of dark string. She cocked her head at me with a crooked smile then tossed my hair to the wind. She wiped her hands on her pants as if I were the filthy one. Tears welled up in my eyes when I felt my head and found bald spots. My scalp stung and I felt wetness. Blood stained my hand. Not much blood, but enough to make me want to cry even harder. My thick, beautiful hair.

“Shallow. Get over yourself, traitor. No one here cares what you look like, especially where you're going.” She laughed, standing in her head-to-toe black leather.

“Traitor!” I hated her. How did she dare judge me? I was better than her lowlife, scummy self. I wanted to curse at her but thought the better of it after what she'd done to my head. Instead, I looked for Khan, our supposed protector. Some job he'd done protecting any of us.

He stood ahead of me with Mr. Conway, Ron's dad. We each had a minion ordering us around. Khan appeared fine but Mr. Conway's mouth was still sewn shut. He looked scared to death. I was scared too, but if I got my way I would get out of the mess. I always did. From what I could remember we'd had our butts kicked earlier tonight. But if the Keepers had been on top of things this wouldn't have happened. I wouldn't have had to go behind their backs and do what I did. No, I was no traitor. I did what was best even if they couldn't see it.

The so-called nurse, who took care of Ron's grandfather, was bleeding from her side. It was her blood I was slipping on, and my knees were covered in red. Blood oozed down her uniform leaving a trail behind her. She held onto her side as if trying to keep her internal organs inside. She never once winced or made a sound. How vexing.

Ronin, the Ethosian killer under Monlow's rule, was up ahead. Only one of his goons was standing next to him. I had no idea what had happened to the other one and I didn't care, not about any of them.

“Move,” she ordered in a thick accent that I hadn't noticed before.

“It's hard to breathe. Why is it so hard to breathe?” The more I inhaled the harder it became so I took deeper breaths. “Oh God. What's that awful smell?” I covered my nose searching for the strange odor but became aware of an unrecognizable city. It was massive. This had to be Ether.

“Shut up, stupid girl,” the Goth chick ordered.

Suddenly a buzzing sound come out of nowhere. “What is that?” I dove for the ground, landing in a bed of yellow flowers when a huge bird flew over us.

“You are a simple child. Get up.”

Peering up and now realizing that it was not birds at all but cars, actual cars whizzing past buildings both low and high in the bright purplish-red sky where two other planets sat in the distance.

“I said get up.” She yanked me up when I took too long to move. She kicked me toward a caravan of vehicles and extremely tall and odd dusky colored creatures that appeared to be waiting for us. I grabbed my painful side and she sadistically smiled as I winced from a twinge of pain.

“All right,” I said looking back at her. She stayed right behind me, and I realized that her skin wasn't as pale in this light as it was on Earth. She cut me a warning look. One I took seriously.

“Get in.” The Goth girl kicked me hard against the metal door when I curiously watched Ronin cauterizing his bleeding neck with what appeared to be a black pen with a red tip. He didn't even flinch. I threw up on the side of the car after watching his wound seal up. It was nauseating. Ronin barely gave me a glance before he got in the lead car.

Mr. Conway and Khan rode with me along with three of the creatures who were guarding us with peculiar guns. The creatures were built like humans but they were blue. Their features were exaggerated with long fingers and wide mouths but the creepiest things about them were their big brown eyes that blinked very slowly.

I tried to hold down my vomit but it came out again as we took off into the air. Khan held my head down until it stopped, “Relax, there is no point in getting upset. It will be over soon enough.”

What did he mean by “It will be over soon”? Our lives? I couldn't die. I was Willow Montgomery. Bad things never happened in my family or to me for that matter. This could not be happening. Money talked, like my dad always said. I would simply make a deal. A bargain. Anyone could be bought and as ruler of a planet, Monlow would be used to deals.

We were being taken to Monlow, from what little conversation I'd overheard; I planned on asking to be sent back home. Ronin really wanted Connor and thankfully, I wasn't her. I would simply tell them I didn't know the details since Mr. Conway had never told me the whole truth. I was sure we could all be civilized.

My thoughts faded as we shot straight up in the air again and flew so fast it seemed like we were going to crash into the buildings. Miraculously, we turned at the last minute. I shut my eyes pleading for the ride to end, holding down my stomach. We whipped past cars as if there was no speed limit here, weaving in between them. They moved out of our way for whatever reason.

The building's windows seemed to be made of reflective glass— silver or black depending on their angle to the sun—so you could not see in but I wondered what people thought of the cars getting so close to them. It must have been nerve-racking.

Eventually we left the buildings behind, traveling towards the mountains. We soared toward a castle that sat within a tall mountain with foliage covering the top. On the ground was a long red carpet leading up to two gigantic doors; on each side were large gold statues of an unusual creature shaped like a dog with wings. Two flags stood next to each statue.

We slowed down, descending to the large stone surface and stopping in front of the red carpet. One blue creature pushed a button, opening the door and getting out first, then the second creature motioned for me to go next. I was shoved out of the car by one of them who mumbled something. Once everyone was out, both cars took off into the air. The other vehicle must have taken the wounded elsewhere.

I had a sickening feeing in the pit of my stomach that this was not going to be good and from the look on Khan's face, he felt it too.

“I'm scared,” I whispered to Khan. His answer came with a sullen smile. He couldn't even comfort me.

The doors opened, beckoning us forward as two guards stood outside. They were dressed as knights holding swords. It looked like we'd stepped back in time until we entered the castle. The place was a mixture of Renaissance meets New Age.

The doors led us to a huge room with a world of polished wood and leather upholstery, but then there were mounted animals on the walls, swords displayed in glass cases and animal skins on the floor and draped over some of the furnishings. There were stairs leading up but they escorted us past them, ordering us to follow behind Ronin and the Goth chick.

They took us down a long hallway, passing security men who had humanoid features similar to mine. No words were exchanged as we all got in a glass elevator ascending into the mountain. We shot up so fast I held onto the wall for support. As we climbed, the glass turned to a solid color of white or blue. I could hardly tell anymore as my head was spinning so badly; the air was too thin.

The Goth girl said something and one of the guards grabbed hold of my arm and helped me out of the elevator into a long hall and then down another long hallway. The lights were so bright I had to shut my eyes a couple of times. My lids were heavy. I was so tired.

We turned into a wide area lined with several armed humanoids that had features like the guards downstairs. They were bowing to us. Was that a good sign? I definitely had to get out of this freak show.

Ronin finally spoke to us. “You are about to meet Monlow himself. Consider yourselves to be lucky. You will not approach him. You will kneel down before him. You will not speak unless spoken to. Do I make myself clear?”

Mr. Conway and I nodded as Khan assented.

The doors opened as we approached. I tried to think positively, telling myself if there was anyone who could help me it was Monlow and I would make just about any deal to get out of this mess. We walked down a small entryway then turned right. Once Monlow came into view, my jaw dropped. He was one of the scariest entities I could ever have imagined. I felt my skin crawl as a sheet of fear hit me. The power that radiated from him was almost like a dense fog, making each step harder to take. His strength was great. No wonder he never came to Earth, as he would find it impossible to hide.

His skin was almost translucent but on the sides of his face skinny, dark veins pulsated. His eyes were shiny black balls and there was no hair on him: no eyebrows, eyelashes or on his head. Brownish-yellow tips for fingernails extended from his bony fingers as he gripped the arms of his chair.

He wore a long red robe with gold trim that was so long it covered his feet. Every so often the bottom of the robe would move in an unnatural manner, with more fluidity than was usual.

He sat in a huge white and gold chair and all around the walls were decorated red with white borders. Everything was so bright. The closer we walked towards him the more I wanted to stop. What was he? What had he morphed into after taking in so many others' abilities into his body? Why did he want more?

About twenty feet from him, we were forced to our knees by the mere flicker of his hand. He was telekinetic.

“My son, come sit next to me,” Monlow spoke.

His son, who? Ronin? Yes, it was Ronin who walked up and sat next to him. I had assumed Ronin was human.

“You there, Bostuge, bring me that male human.”

One of the blue guards picked up Mr. Conway and walked him forward.

Mr. Conway stood in front of Monlow; his sewn-shut mouth becoming free with just a thought from Monlow. Mr. Conway made the error of speaking without permission.

“I made a mistake. Please send me back,” he said, unaware of Monlow's reaction. He kept talking and I wanted to tell him to be quiet but he was so nervous he rambled on about going home.

Monlow's translucent skin turned dark behind his still, pale face and somehow he grew in size as he spoke. “You dare speak to me!” His voice boomed across the room echoing so loudly it bounced off the walls.

Mr. Conway finally realized what he had done but kept talking, to apologize. Monlow had had enough of his defiance and held up one hand, elevating the poor man and ripping him into two halves from the waist with a simple hand gesture. Blood squirted from his middle across Kahn and mine's faces as the two parts flew in opposite directions. His body landed with a thud after the snapping sounds his bones made when he was torn apart.

I fell over onto my hands in horror. Mr. Conway lay on the floor not five feet away from us, bleeding out with a surprised expression on his still face.

I wanted to scream but Khan slapped a hand over my mouth, preventing me from making a sound. Monlow's head jerked in my direction. Khan pulled me back up to my knees as tears flooded my eyes. I held onto his hand tightly for support, wishing this all would end. I shut my eyes, realizing now that Monlow would not be my savior. The men in the hallway were not bowing to us but to Ronin. I had no idea how I would escape now.

“Bring the Keeper to me.” Khan stood up and walked forward, not saying a word. I covered my mouth as I silently cried, hoping he would not kill us.

Kahn was brought forward then forced to his knees again. “You sold your soul to me for wealth and power but I don't reward defectors. Besides, you didn't get me what I wanted. You are weak and the Keepers saw through you. I will take what I need then kill you,” Monlow said, careless of our lives.

“Now, Father, how about you take what you want and I can find a suitable place for a traitor such as him?” Ronin suggested.

“You are too soft on these humans,” Monlow said, commending his son for his generosity.

“Making a man suffer for eternity is soft? I think not. Making a man face day after day of his betrayal is true suffrage.” Ronin stared at Khan.

“You speak wisely, my son, and are true. You will make a great ruler one day. I have taught you well. Take the Keeper away and bring me the girl,” Monlow demanded.

The Bostuge grabbed me and stood me in front of Monlow. I could barely breathe; my chest hurt from my heartbeat against it. My eyes bulged as Monlow gave me his full attention. I was trying not to hyperventilate.

“This is not the right girl. This one barely tickles my skin. I need the key!” His voice had a slight rattle behind it.

His voice was so loud I covered my ears, panting hard and trying not to make noise.

“Yes, but the other I underestimated. She was far stronger than I expected,” Ronin said, not even flinching at the sound of his voice.

“Did she do that to you?” Monlow long nailed fingers pointed to Ronin's neck. “If you want to play with her then bring her here to do so but I need her first. As for this girl here I will take what little powers she has and when I'm done with her, I will throw her to a Strouka. Let the local men play with it.”

A what? To play with?

“I do not think she will survive in such a place. She seems too innocent,” Ronin said. “Let me have her instead. I have plans for this one.” Ronin leered at me.

What plans?

“As you wish. As long as you bring me that key!” Monlow roared and that was the last thing I remembered before passing out with relief that I was still alive.

Chapter 2

Ether: Willow

I tried not to cry but the tears kept coming. I missed my family, my mom, and my friends, especially Ron. Would they come for me?

I had no idea how long I'd been in here: maybe days, or even weeks. I barely remembered how I'd got there. I vaguely remembered flashes of a bright light, a large room with a booming, echoing sound, stairs and then this cell. Where I was destined to rot.

I couldn't see much. There was a dim light shining through a hole above, giving me about ten inches of red-yellow light. It got brighter at times. Daylight, maybe? It was so hot, reeking of boiled sewage. Once a day someone came to feed me like a mutt, sliding a bowl in between the bars but never any water. I needed water. The food he brought me smelled atrocious and sometimes it moved. I refused to eat it.

The man who handed me the food was disfigured. His face was flushed and had the most hideous scars. I begged him to let me out but he never spoke. I promised to pay him but he shunned me when I touched his arm and yet I was not the disfigured one. Why would he ignore me? Maybe he was put off by my stench but there was no toilet for me to use. There may have been one on the other side, but I wouldn't go; I was too scared. So there I sat, festering in my soiled, wet clothes. I spent my days trying not to venture into the dark side of the cell. I knew I wasn't alone.

There was a creature in there. I couldn't see it, only hear it. It sounded part rattlesnake and part something else. When it bumped one wall, all four shook and cracked, making debris fall. It hissed and rattled every time it moved, dragging itself around. But it wouldn't come into the light, my light, my safe haven. I could hear its breathing as it hovered close to me, watching, waiting for me to fall asleep and lean into the darkness. But in the darkness it would sting me again and again, injecting me with its poison. I fought sleep but exhaustion took over. I only realized I'd fallen asleep when woken by a jolt of pain. I felt the creature's poison inside me, moving up my right leg, up my right arm and the right side of my face. At times I even saw the poison squirming under my skin, eating me alive and slowly killing me. I wished it would hurry up. I wanted to die.

Wait, noise, I hear noise coming from up above. For the second time today someone is coming. That's unusual. Oh, please let me go home.

“Who's there?” I called out. It was two men this time. One was the ugly, disfigured man and the other … the other was Ronin. They were speaking in a foreign tongue before addressing me.

“Do you want out?” Ronin asked.

“Yes, please.” I nodded, holding onto the bars since I could barely stand on my own. I tried to make myself presentable.

“Step back,” he ordered.

I peered back into the darkness, afraid. “I can't, there's something in here.”

He immediately turned and walked off.

“No, wait!” I reached through the bars. “I will. Come back!”

He did not come back; he left with the disfigured man. “I demand that you come back!” I screamed louder, reaching for him through the bars, shaking them out of anger and trying to free myself.

How can he leave me?

“I don't deserve this. I don't deserve any of this!” I screamed.

I yelled for hours for him to come back until my voice was hoarse but no one came that day, the next day or the day after that. No more tears fell. I was too dehydrated, although the disfigured man brought me a pitcher of water. My lips were dry and cracked and my body hurt when it moved.

On the fourth day, I heard noise and it was the same two men.

“Do you want out?” Ronin asked again. He towered over the disfigured man, who had a hump on his back. He seemed reluctant to be there.

I didn't attempt to stand, I could only nod.

“Then step back,” he ordered again.

I peered into the darkness, dreading it. I grabbed the bars, pulled myself up with all my strength and stepped back. I held onto the walls, hoping my legs would not give out. And as I stepped into the dreaded darkness, the creature wrapped itself around me, stinging me so many times I passed out.

* * *

I woke to the sound of strange voices, clinking noises and brightness. I was too groggy to grasp my surroundings but I was alert enough to know that I was strapped down on a flat surface unable to move. A tube was down my throat holding it open, forcing air into me. It was impossible to speak. I felt movement inside my right leg as someone wearing a mask dug into me.

I thought I was already in hell until someone pulled a skinny, brown parasite the size of a baby garden snake out of me, wiggling for freedom. Some odd creature grabbed the parasite and threw it into a glass container housing others like it. Did those come out of me?

This must be a nightmare. This couldn't be happening. I squirmed in alarm but a syringe filled with clear liquid was pushed into a tube running into my arm, forcing me back to unconsciousness.

I woke up in a bed, an actual bed. Mine? Could all of this have been a nightmare? Attempting to get up, I was forced to accept that this was not a nightmare but my new reality. It wasn't a familiar room and for some odd reason, I could only see out of my left eye.

“Don't move. You will make things worse,” said a man to the right of me but I could not see him. He moved to stand next to the bed so I could. It was Ronin.

“I have seen better but you're not too dire.” He examined me as if I were in a glass showcase.

I was still groggy but I wanted to scream at him for doing this to me. Then I remembered who he was. Royalty. I tried to speak but my throat was sore. My eyes watered from the discomfort.

“Is she awake, sir?” a woman asked, walking in from an adjoining room with a small marble bowl.

“Yes, can you make her better than this?” He gestured towards me. “If not we will have to dispose of her.”

Dispose of me?

I struggled to get up but Ronin effortlessly pushed me back down. “She is weak. Put her to sleep and call me when she is stronger.”

“Yes, my Lord.” The woman curtseyed.

Ronin nodded at her then walked out the room. That was the last thing I remembered before falling back to sleep.

* * *

The pain in my right arm woke me. It was the woman I'd seen before.

“How are you feeling today?” She had an accent but hers was faint, unlike the Goth woman's thick dialect. Hers sounded different. Even though she was a pretty woman her face was pursed when she spoke.

“Where am I?” I asked between dry lips.

“Right where you are supposed to be,” she answered. “How are you?”

“I want to go home.” I felt terrible but I just wanted to go. Why were they trying to fix me up?

“You are home,” the woman said, preparing a concoction for me to drink. It looked part mud and part grass.

“No, my home on Earth. Don't be rude,” I said to the woman, who was obviously the help.

“Sit up,” she ordered, handing me the drink; what must be considered medication here.

“No, I want to go home.” I slapped her hand away, knocking the drink to the floor.

She grabbed my right arm and twisted it and I cried out for her to stop. “Then you shouldn't have given in to treachery. I will not ask again, simply send for Ronin and let him decide what's best for you from here on out.” She untwisted my arm, freeing me.

“How could you? I'm sick. I can't get up,” I whined, feeling somewhat humiliated that she knew about me. Who else knew?

“You have done so before with my help but now try on your own.”

I sat up and realized I had sight in both eyes. How many days had I been there? The room was dim but I could make out the outline of a humble bedroom with a night stand, a couch to my left next to a closed curtain and a dresser. A far cry from the comforts of my room.

Pain radiated up my right arm but I didn't care. I was relieved to have full sight. The fact that I could see was enough to make me stand. Although I was still a little weak I was stronger than in the cell; I managed it on my own. “Can I look at myself in a mirror?”

“I would not advise that at this time.”

“Why?”

“Walk to the door then back to me.” She ignored me for the second time.

“Why?” I refused to budge until she answered me. She mumbled something in that same foreign tongue she and Ronin spoke then slapped a mirror in my left hand.

I fell to the floor when the mirror showed me as a monster. There were three jagged scars across the right side of my face. My right arm and leg had several of the same scars. I looked like I was sewn together, like Dr. Frankenstein's monster. I'm the disfigured one now.

“You are so shallow. Be blessed you have life,” the woman said to me, not budging to help me up.

“Why is she on the floor? Can she not walk?” Ronin walked in but I didn't want to get up. I was ugly.

“My Lord, I did not expect you so soon. Yes, she can walk but is upset by my work.” She stood to the side, giving him room to enter as she explained.

Ronin came over, picked me up and placed me back on the bed. “You will learn to live with it. If it were not for Tanikka you would not have sight in your right eye or the use of your right side. Now, you will follow me,” he ordered, then addressed Tanikka. “You will come to my home to continue her healing.”

Tanikka nervously bowed her head. “I can't. Please…” she whispered, clearly afraid. “Don't ask that of me.”

What has he done to her?

“Tanikka, you will be fine and you shall come,” Ronin said, polite but commanding.

“Yes, my Lord.”

“Where are you taking me? Maybe I should stay with Tanikka. Yes, that's what I'll do,” I said, managing to move to the opposite side of the bed, placing it between me and them.

“I don't recall giving you an option. You will follow me and do as I say,” Ronin commanded as if I was one of his servants.

“No, I won't go back to your place so you can have your way with me.” I stood firm, refusing to budge. “You will not control me as you do the help.”

Ronin stopped mid-stride, turned back around and stared at me with great intensity. He strolled back over, planting his face so close to mine it was vexing. He spoke as calmly as possible. “I don't do weak. I'm insulted that you would even think I would want you in that manner. I have my choice of women and you would not even be at the bottom of that list.”

“I'm not weak. I survived weeks down there in the dark. No food and hardly any water. Plus that monster poisoning me. Could you have done it?” I stood my ground on weak legs.

He was clearly amused by what I'd said and let out a slight chuckle. “You were only in that cell for seven days and did it ever occur to you to use your abilities on that so-called monster? It is made up of flesh like you and all it wanted was to keep its young warm. It's actually a gentle creature just trying to survive. I took it out of its natural habitat which is usually ninety to a hundred degrees but its young were depleting it of warmth so she used you as an incubator. It would never have overpowered you,” Ronin said eloquently while walking around me with his hands clasped behind his back.

“You must have figured that it doesn't like light so did it ever occur to you to use a bolt of lightning, your own ability, to see if it would die by the sheer sight of light hovering over it? I put you in that cell to see what you would do and you did nothing. Not one damned thing. Had you attempted something, anything, I would have let you out sooner but you gave up and were ready to die. I thought maybe when I walked away that night you would get angry enough to fight but you still did nothing. You were practically dead when I came for you the second time. Then when I told you to step back you still did nothing but let it inject you. Maybe had you tried something you would not look like you do, grotesque. What will it take for you to grow a spine? I guess we shall soon find out, won't we?”

Ronin turned away. I looked at Tanikka for help but she shook her head. “Go, girl, or he will leave you and you are not going to live here.”

I hurried after him, tears blocking part of my vision.

He walked fast, cutting through an adjoining room filled with oddly-shaped furniture. I tried my best to keep up but his legs took long strides. I was out of breath by the time we made it to the hallway where we were greeted by two Bostuge. I leaned against the wall, sweating from exertion. I had forgotten the air was hard to manage and the soreness didn't help the situation. Ronin took note of my weakness and ordered one of the men to assist me from there.

After being placed inside a vehicle behind Ronin's, we took off into the air. I remembered this from before but this time we traveled to a house, a beautiful cream-colored home so close to the sky. It looked like the Taj Mahal but even more grand. It was surrounded by a high stone gate with guards placed around it.

We landed right before the gated doors and drove the rest of the way in. The ride was smooth even though the street was made up of stone. Behind the gate the place was covered with greenery, filled with a pretty assortment of flowers, huge trees and grass of the deepest shade of green I had ever seen. The people there were human-looking and as they walked around they seemed either happy or complacent. Some sat on the grass or walked around to different little shops. This place was a village of its own.

Finally, we drove through huge double doors and parked inside a garage that held more than twelve cars, from sporty to stretched vehicles, fancier than the ones in my garage back home. The car door opened and I was told to follow Ronin inside. We went up the stairs leading from the garage and bore right. We entered his home.

Everyone bowed to Ronin as he passed by. Beautiful women of all ethnicities dressed provocatively in pretty flowing attire flirted with him as he passed but he seemed not to notice their stares.

His home was breathtaking. The walls were polished chestnut brown, almost burgundy, and decorated in yellows and shades of turquoise accenting ivory tiles. The furniture was so lavish it seemed too nice to be used and people were sitting on pillows on the floor, eating and drinking.

Ronin's home, which was actually a palace, had an abundance of space. It had tall windows and double doors that were left open as the sheer curtains flapped in the breeze coming off the sea. I felt like I was in a spa resort in a foreign country.

Walking towards the back, we arrived in a different section of the palace, ending at a sitting area where Ronin ordered the others to leave us. A waft of ocean filled my nose again then it dawned on me that I really could smell the sea. Peering out the window, I saw we were now above the clouds where there was sun and the ocean was right outside. There was white sand and I could see people on the beach. I was confused.

“I favor the water and sun, so my place is able to rise above the clouds to the higher side of Ether. This world is different from yours. Many things are different,” he said, pointing to another adjoining room. “You will find suitable accommodation, fresh clothes and nourishment. You will have a lady with you at all times. Do not try to escape. You will not make it safely nor survive on your own out there. You are not permitted to leave this section of the house and please don't get confused and think this is a vacation. This is my home and if you do not follow my rules, I will have no problem feeding you to the wild animals out back.”

He turned to leave but I called for him to stop. “Wait. Why am I here? Will I live here from now on?”

“I will send for you in the morning. Be ready. Your handler, Mindalous, will be here shortly,” was all Ronin said then walked off.

I could not help but smile at my new accommodation. This may not be a spa but it was a heck of a lot better than that cell. I wondered why he thought that I would escape. This was heaven.

A tiny-framed woman with brown skin and big, brown eyes walked in. She introduced herself as Mindalous. She was very pretty and most likely in her mid-twenties. Thank goodness she was human. She hardly spoke other than to introduce herself and explain my accommodation once again. Basically I was to remain confined to this room and one other to eat unless Ronin specified otherwise.

If this was the way he lived, I didn't want to leave. And if I had it my way, he would request my company sooner than he thought.

Chapter 3

Earth: Connor

I uppercut Cheyenne in the jaw, hitting her so hard she spat blood. She spun around and dropped to the floor, trying to knock my feet out from under me with her leg. I jumped up in time but she swung full circle, stabbing me in my left side with the Kali stick as I came down. Allowing myself to use her rattan for leverage, I did a side flip where she hit me, then met her leg with a hard thrust. She went down but retaliated with a back flip, rattling my right jaw with her foot. I spat no blood. Going with the flow of the hit I did a right side back twist, making contact with her face, now using my foot; then I punched her knee with my fist, taking her to the floor.

Bending over her with my pointed weapon to claim my victory she jabbed me in the chest, my most tender area and she knew it.

I fell over in pain as she stood over me, victorious. Sadistic wench. I growled.

“Back at ya.” She smirked with an evil sneer.

My telepathy had improved over the past few weeks, while my body was morphing itself into hip-land, butt-ville and bosom-hood. The only good thing about these new developments was the added strength, but the pain that came with it made me a bitter person.

I kicked her in the side that was still sore from Ronin's stabbing a few weeks back. She hobbled backwards, attacking me with her eyes. Fair is fair.

“Enough!” Bynder, our main combat Keeper, bellowed from across the room, He was not too pleased with our antics. “This is a battle of lesson, not one of win or lose. Sit, Cheyenne, I shall continue.”

Bynder stood in front of me as was usual at every sparring match. We met up with the Keepers, our guardians, every night after bed time to practice. It allowed me to take out the frustration of my agony on anyone who dared. Only Cheyenne would fight me since we really didn't like each other. The others refused to fight me for whatever reason.

It had been two weeks since the clash with the rogues from planet Ether, mainly a true psycho named Ronin. He tried to force us to his world to take our powers then most likely kill us. Once all the teens, Tony, Ron, Cheyenne, Scott, Willow and I, had come into our powers at the age of sixteen, war began. Only we didn't know it at the time.

As soon as the people known as Keepers approached us there was no turning back. They explained that we were in fact adopted and that our lineage, The San, went back to the beginning of time. End result: the disappearance of Willow, Khan and both Mr. Conways who were forced through the portal to Ether. For they each betrayed us in some way or another. Actually we were still not sure about Ron's grandfather.

Cheyenne appeared to have mellowed toward me so we tolerated each other but she was still a witch. Scott was, well Scott, and hardly around like today. Still the rebel. Byron, who wanted to be called “Ron”, didn't talk much other than trying to find a way to Ether to rescue his girl, Willow, and his father. Anyway, the Council didn't sugarcoat their decision, which was a flat “No” for reasons they wouldn't share. How surprising. So he became even more determined to find a way to save them.