Mind Over Psyche Read Online Free Page B

and Barin, racing toward each other, each shearing off pieces of itself to hurl at the other—
    â€”A young man with blond hair and incredibly blue eyes. Tasmae calls him Deryl, but all Miscria call him the Ydrel—
    â€”The traitor Alugiac laughs, calls the Ydrel to him. The Ydrel kneels before him, and his eyes fill with tears and longing, and his wrists ble ed freely—
    â€”Gardianju, the first Miscria, cradles the Ydrel, rocking him as both scream in agony—
    â€”Tasmae wraps her arms around the Ydrel and he becomes Deryl. She brushes her lips against his, then falls to the ground as seizures take her—
    â€”Another Miscria, Gardianju’s apprentice, also on the ground, thrashing and shrieking—
    â€” None shall know the Ydrel as I have. It is too dangerous —
    â€”Deryl walks among the Kanaan. He smiles and laughs, but his mind holds insanity. He talks with Barins, invites them to Kanaan—
    â€”The Barins come, their ships larger, their numbers greater. The planet itself bursts into pieces. They rain up on Kanaan—
    â€”Tasmae, deep in concentration, calling the power to her as Miscria have for centuries. But instead of power, pain lances through her. Deryl takes her hands, touches his lips to hers, removes the pain. She sighs, and sleeps in his arms—
    â€”The Ydrel, larger than the sky. He holds Kanaan and Barin in hands bloodied from the slashes on his wrists. He laughs—
    â€”Tasmae’s hands, slick with blood, as she clutches her belly—
    â€”Kanaan trembles—
    â€”Tasmae dances with Gardianju and they laugh. I am the Queen of Riddles! —
    The images vanished as abruptly as they appeared. Tasmae sagged against the table, nonetheless careful not to touch the Re membrance.
    But they were of Deryl—and me. She shook her head. That doesn’t make any sense. How could Gardianju know about Der yl and me?
    Which is why I have come, Leinad insisted. You must experience this Remembrance. You must learn it s secrets.
    Tasmae shook her head. She could not give her mind to…that. Not now, not so close t o the war—
    You would rather wait until we are in the war? Leinad countered.
    I saw myself, she told him. How can I see myself in the memories of a woman dead five thous and years?
    She felt his confusion. He, too, had seen her, clearly her, in the few visions the Remembrance shared with him. He could not explain it any better than she.
    No , she thought. But she knew who could.
    She pushed away from the table and, ignoring the protests of Leinad and Salgoud, stormed out of the fortress where they were staying. Once out of its protective walls, she ran to the clearing where she would Call the Ydrel.
    The Ydrel would have the answers, and she would make him tell her!
    *
    â€œI don’t know why, Edith, but I can see that Dr. Malachai is not being totally forthcoming with us.” Joshua forced himself to use formal language and curb his growing temper. When he’d met Dr. Sellars in her office, feeling as low as he’d felt earlier, and heard the story Malachai had given her, it took all his control not to scream, “That jerk set us both up!”
    â€œJoshua, I know you’ re upset—”
    â€œNo, I was upset. Now, I’m suspicious. Why, if Deryl was as agitated as Dr. Malachai told you he was, did he sit still for the EEG? Malachai told me he got violent before that. Why, if he’s been having paranoid fantasies about Sachiko and me no longer ‘protecting’ him, would he have spent Friday drawing thi s for us?”
    Edith looked at the sketch again, without really looking. He turned it to the most recent sketches.
    â€œWhy today is he drawing baseballs and Stargates? For that matter, has he ever talked about being protected by anyone? And why does he have to be so drugged he can’t put three words together?”
    â€œHe needs to be co ntrolled.”
    â€œHe’s a zombie.