The Ta'e'sha Chronicles 2: Shards of the Mind Read online

  THE TA’E’SHA CHRONICLES, BOOK 2

  SHARDS OF THE MIND

  Theolyn Boese

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  www.loose-id.com

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  This e-book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language and may be considered offensive to some readers. Loose Id® e-books are for sale to adults ONLY, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

  The Ta’e’sha Chronicles, Book 2: Shards of the Mind

  Theolyn Boese

  This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Published by

  Loose Id LLC

  1802 N Carson Street, Suite 212-2924

  Carson City NV 89701-1215

  www.loose-id.com

  Copyright © March 2008 by Theolyn Boese

  All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared in any form, including, but not limited to printing, photocopying, faxing, or emailing without prior written permission from Loose Id LLC.

  ISBN 978-1-59632-646-0

  Available in Adobe PDF, HTML, MobiPocket, and MS Reader

  Printed in the United States of America

  Editor: Crystal Esau

  Cover Artist: Anne Cain

  Dedication

  This one is for Mom and Dad, who love me even when they don’t understand me, and for Tony because he does understand me, even when he wishes he didn’t. That’s where the gray (sorry, silver) hair came from. They’ve all had to put up with soggy shoulders, vetting boyfriends, and eating some of my more bizarre cooking failures. I love you guys.

  Prologue

  Tabet sneered at her brother and bared her teeth. “You do not have a larger following than I! We are equally worshipped!”

  Teirnan snickered. “Oh yes, I do. They only worship you because you’re the only female Goddess available to them. I doubt they even like you.”

  Tabet growled and looked down at the priests performing rites in her brother’s temple. She flicked a finger; the High Priest’s head exploded in a shower of blood and brain matter. The congregation began screaming as his headless body fell forward and landed on the goat they were preparing to sacrifice.

  The goat immediately panicked and danced sideways, bleating in terror. It bucked and kicked, pulling the rope from the hand of the young priest holding it and bolting from the temple.

  Her brother’s followers stampeded after the terrified animal.

  She smirked at him smugly.

  He growled.

  He looked down, grabbed air, and squeezed. A young priestess from his sister’s temple screamed in agony as her bones were crushed to powder and her internal organs burst. She twitched briefly, blood trickling from her ears and eyes. He flicked her body across the temple’s altar. Chaos erupted among the remaining priestesses.

  Tabet screamed with rage and slammed her fist down. The ground under his temple began to shake and part; the building sank from sight into the gaping hole that opened under it in a cloud of dust.

  Teirnan glared at her and swirled a finger. Several people floated screaming into the air. He shook his hand sharply and the people flew in all directions, landing in broken, bleeding heaps.

  “How dare you, you wretch!” she snarled, almost spitting.

  “How dare I? How dare you touch my people?” he shouted angrily.

  “They are not your people!”

  “They are too!”

  “Are not!”

  “Are too!”

  They glared at each other, panting.

  Not taking her eyes from his she flicked her finger again. A huge stone statue of Teirnan fell in the courtyard. It landed in the center of a building, causing the two on either side to fall as well.

  His eyes narrowed. He swept his hand across and up. Below, on the island they ruled, a huge wave suddenly swept over the land, destroying a city built in Tabet’s honor.

  They were both heedless to the screams of the injured and dying people they were supposed to protect and care for. They ignored the prayers for mercy, completely focused on fighting amongst themselves. The volcano in the center of the island erupted in protest of the abuse the land was being subjected to. Lava flowed, hot and slow, as ash spewed, clouding the air.

  The carnage escalated, while they ignored everything around them, completely engrossed in what the other was doing.

  “Enough!”

  The twins jumped apart as a sexless voice boomed and rolled across the heavens, making their ears ring.

  A swirling cloud of glowing color floated down between the two of them.

  The God and Goddess of Atlantis stood frozen in place by the presence of the Great One.

  The glowing shape drifted over the island, surveying the damage. Behind Tabet and Teirnan the other Gods and Goddesses of Earth began to appear. They looked around in confusion. Loud gasps of shock filled the heavens.

  Below them the land was torn. Great wounds in the earth bled red mud where earthquakes had ripped the surface. People shook and stared sightlessly, holding the broken and maimed bodies of dead loved ones. Seawater sluggishly rolled back into the ocean, leaving the bodies of fish and a few of the Merfolk who had been heading to the island to trade goods. Several trees held the impaled bodies of more victims of the God and Goddess.

  Horrified silence filled the area.

  The Great One floated back to the two who had started this.

  They hung their heads under the weight of the Great One’s regard.

  Several moments passed in heavy silence.

  Finally, the Great One spoke. “Never have I seen such a blatant abuse of power.” The Great One drifted around the other Gods and Goddesses assembled. “Look well, My children.”

  Heavy clouds began to form over the island. Snow slowly drifted from them and time froze. The snow thickened until they could no longer see the island.

  “Tabet and Teirnan, you have shown yourselves unworthy of your Godhood. I take back the power I granted you upon your birth.” The sexless voice buzzed angrily in the ears of all listening. “You have failed your children; you have failed your siblings.” A beam of light grazed over the watching Gods and Goddesses. “And you have failed Me.”

  Tabet and Teirnan fell to their knees, gasping, as their power was stripped ruthlessly from them.

  The Great One continued, “You shall take back all the pain you gave, and then you shall be purified in ice flame until I take you back within Me.”

  They both screamed as blue flame coated their bodies.

  “I take your lands and people for My own until such a time as one is born who cares enough to free them and give them the lives they were meant to live.”

  The twins screamed as they writhed inside the shells of fire that burned, but did not consume. They did not have breath to beg for mercy, for the flames began to suck the air from their lungs and consume it, leaving them unable to speak or scream.

  Those surrounding them watched in horror. The burning continued for several hours, until at last all the pain they had caused was given back to them and then the flames died away. Two white bodies were curled upon the ground. A breeze rose and the bodies crumbled into a fine ash that drifted away to mix with the snow still falling on Atlantis.

&nbs
p; The Great One’s voice echoed quietly to the watchers. “Remember, My children. Always remember. You are caretakers of your children and their lands. And I am the caretaker of you all. Should a poison seed begin to grow I will cull it out, lest it blight the others.” The Great One drifted over the land again. “I take this land. Do not return here again unless I expressly permit it. Tell your children. Atlantis is no more.”

  With that, the Great One dissipated in a sparkling cloud.

  The remaining Gods and Goddesses of Earth slowly left after a long look. They would remember this always. And fear it.

  Chapter One

  She screamed silently in her head as the fists came at her again and again. Pain bloomed along her body like great red flowers. It was never going to end. No one could stop him… Because they had no idea she was missing or that he had her…

  Her stomach cramped again and more fluid gushed from between her legs. Her baby was dying. Or dead. It was too late.

  The knife came out and flashed in the light, arching toward her face. He was going to cut out her eyes!

  Thea woke with a gasp and sat up, slapping at the knife she could still see coming toward her. She panted as she became aware it had been another dream. They haunted her every time she closed her eyes.

  She lay down again and curled up on her side. It seems like I’m always tired now. And if I do sleep, it’s only for a few minutes. I wonder how long the guys will put up with my tossing and turning before they send me to another room. They had been very patient so far, but the interrupted sleep was starting to show on their faces as well as on hers.

  She snuggled into the silky sheets covering their bed and shivered.

  Several months ago she had awakened to find herself on this very bed and had been told she had been married to two men while she was unconscious and that the reason she had been taken was to give birth to their children. It had been a shock to say the least. However, after several weeks of living with them, she had settled into a routine and began making a place for herself. She had begun to accept, and even care for, the men as well.

  A smile crossed her face as she thought about her two husbands. Kyrin, so stern and strong, with his muscular build and imposing nature. His golden skin and amber-brown hair made him look almost human. One had to look for the subtle differences that marked the Ta’e’shian people; their larger almond-shaped eyes and delicately pointed faces. He took his duties as ship’s captain very seriously and was constantly updating himself on every little detail. He was firm and fair, and his crew loved him, even though they were careful to maintain a distance. She and Daeshen were the only ones who really got to see his softer side.

  Daeshen. With his pale topaz blue hair, milky pale skin, and sweet smiles. He was soft-spoken and elegant, and he drew people to him with his friendly nature. She sometimes wondered if his brain ever stopped working, though. He always seemed to be thinking about something and making plans. He worked in the science department aboard the ship and was well liked by most everyone.

  She rolled onto her back and stared at the fabric canopy of their bed. It had been two months since the attack. The scars on her body had faded ‑‑ due mostly to the healing efforts of the asana, priests and priestesses, of the Healing Temple ‑‑ but her mind hadn’t healed. If anything it was getting worse. She rarely left the cabin anymore. When she did, she was twitchy and nervous the moment a stranger got near her. Actually, she couldn’t say it was only strangers. It was anyone she did not know well. And since she had not met many people before the attack, that meant most of the ship.

  She was tired of the sideways glances and knew most of it was brought on by her own actions. Sure, one screaming fit because someone touched your arm and everyone thinks you’re psycho, she thought to herself ruefully.

  How did someone get past something like that, though? Barik’s face floated in her mind. Right after Thea had been brought aboard, it was discovered that someone had raped and tortured several of the human women on the ship. Barik, the rapist, had been trying, in his own twisted way, to prove they were inferior and should not be carrying his race’s children. He had selected several women to vent his rage on and was stalking his next victim when he discovered Thea had been marked by his own Gods, snapping his last thread of sanity.

  In a fit of rage, he had injected her with venom that had paralyzed most of her body. He had then taken her to an empty cabin where he proceeded to viciously beat her. He was cutting the God-marks from her body when a team of security officers found them and subdued him, but it was too late to save the life of her unborn child. The beating had caused her to miscarry.

  She rubbed her hand across her belly. It still felt empty sometimes ‑‑ a large, hollow, void where life and warmth had once been. She had barely realized she was pregnant, barely had time to anticipate it when it had been taken from her. She had not even had time to tell her husbands; the first they had known of their child was learning she had miscarried.

  Sitting up, she sighed and pushed her heavy red-black mane of hair away from her face. Okay, Thea, you’ve put it off as long as you can. Time to see one of the shrinks. She made a face and moved to change her clothing and com Corvin, the Chief Medical Officer of the ship, to tell him that she was coming.

  * * * * *

  She was sweating by the time she arrived at medical and knew that her smile had a decidedly brittle cast to it. Looking around nervously, she quickly scuttled into Corvin’s office before he had even finished saying enter. She took a few deep breaths before smiling at him in greeting.

  Corvin frowned.

  Thea slumped down into a chair. “I know. I look like hell.”

  He nodded.

  Corvin had been her first friend on the ship. He was also her doctor and one of Kyrin’s closest friends. He had spent many evenings with them, eating dinner, watching movies, and playing games. She had come to rely on his calming presence and came to him when she needed to talk to someone.

  She knew part of it was because he pitched his voice to soothe her. The Ta’e’sha all had the ability to ensnare minds with their voices to varying degrees, but Corvin had trained his own considerable talent to help his patients.

  She fiddled with a ragged fingernail. “I’d like to talk to one of the psychiatrists, Corvin. I don’t feel comfortable talking to the asana about this right now. They feel too much.” Thea’s latent psychic abilities were growing quickly, partially due to the trauma of the attack and partially from the stimulation of her husbands’ abilities. The Ta’e’sha were a psychic race. As a result, she had times when she could not block out other people’s emotions. She didn’t have the telepathy common to the Ta’e’sha; her abilities leaned more toward empathy, and possibly mind and soul healing. The asana were going to work with her more after her talents leveled out and there was less chance of her having emotional spikes.

  Corvin smiled with relief. “I think that would be a very good idea, Thea. We’ve all been worried about you. Reba may be free right now; she’s the counselor who is working with the other ladies who were attacked. Would you like me to ask if she has time to speak with you? We have given her and the other doctors offices right next door to us.”

  She nodded gratefully. “That would be great, but if she doesn’t have time, I can come back later.” She chewed on a fingernail while he contacted Reba and spoke to her quietly.

  Several minutes passed before he finished his conversation. “She would like you to stop by now and answer a few questions, and then she’ll set up appointments for regular times to see you.” He patted her hand gently and shooed her out the door. “Come see me if you need anything else, dear.”

  Chapter Two

  Thea looked around the tastefully appointed waiting area in the center of several private offices. The walls were painted a mellow, soothing cream. The carpeting matched the upholstery on the furniture and was warm shades brown with rusty red accents here and there. The walls had several serene landscapes hung on them. Two women
were waiting quietly on chairs.

  “May I help you?”

  She turned toward the voice. A young human woman was sitting at a receptionist’s desk. “I’m here to see Reba. My name is Theadora Auralel; I believe she is expecting me.”

  The woman nodded. “Of course, Mrs. Auralel. One moment while I com her.” She handed Thea a holoreader and stylus. “Could you please fill this out while you wait? She is with another patient at the moment, but will be with you in just a few minutes.”

  Thea nodded and accepted the reader. She sat down and smiled nervously at the other two women waiting and began to fill out the form. It was a seemingly endless list of questions about her medical history, her family’s history, and whether she had ever seen a counselor before.

  As time passed, both women were called into other rooms. She finished the form and returned it to the receptionist. Sitting back down, she went back to what was fast becoming her most engrossing hobby: chewing on her thumbnails.

  A tall woman with pale, pinched features exited one of the other rooms and strode quickly out of the office.

  A few more minutes passed before the door opened again and a slender brunette called Thea’s name.

  Thea stood and walked to her, smiling nervously.

  The woman offered her hand. “Hi, Thea. I’m Reba. Come on in and let’s get to know each other.”

  * * * * *

  Daeshen yawned hugely as he and his husband entered their quarters. “Want to take a nap before dinner?”

  Kyrin nodded tiredly. “Sounds good. It’s just the three of us tonight, right?”

  “I think so,” Daeshen replied. “Thea? Are you here, love?” When there was no answer he checked his cerebcom for her location. Both men had become very paranoid about where she was since the attack. He frowned at the response. What’s she doing at Human Medical? He didn’t think she had even known the department was now open. Shrugging it off, he walked into their bedroom and removed his clothes. He could always ask her later.