Change by Ann Maxwell

Author:Ann Maxwell [Maxwell, Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary
ISBN: 9780786002948
Google: YFlf5usD3qoC
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation
Published: 1996-07-15T07:25:35+00:00

Chapter Seven

At midday Shimm came to take Selena to the Lucents. With Shimm nearby, the sadness which had crept over Selena increased until it could no longer be ignored. Gently Selena bespoke Shimm.

•What is wrong, my friend?•

Shimm's answer came with difficulty. In Selena's mind grew a picture of the Lucents as they were at the healing. The injured Changeling was on his feet, walking toward the one Lucent who was still conscious. The Changeling's mates surrounded him; together they appeared to thank the Lucent.

The picture narrowed to the fallen Lucents. Selena had the feeling of time passing as one by one the Lucents recovered and ate the manna which an unknown Changeling brought. Finally only one Lucent remained down. Shimm's grief colored her vision. The Lucent would never rise.

Selena opened her eyes, surprised to find tears blurring her sight. Quickly she wiped them away and moved close to comfort Shimm. Shimm keened softy for a few moments, then asked Selena to mount. Selena sent Shimm a questioning thought and received a picture of a steaming cavern bright beneath the blue light of the searfruit.

"It's ripe," Selena breathed through trembling lips.

Shimm again asked her to mount.

•Wait,• thought Selena. She set the com unit on record and spoke briefly. Then she reset it on repeat broadcast to Paran, and quickly threw supplies into a pack. After she had gathered enough for a week, she turned to Shimm and thought, •Ready.•

When they arrived at the valley of the Lucents, Selena stared in wonderment. The valley seethed with Changelings and their cubs. It took only a moment to tell which life units had cubs; the parent Changelings were very thin, their bodies drawn with fatigue from controlling the obsessed minds of their cubs.

The five Lucents bespoke Selena before she could dismount. •At another time we will render appreciation for your healing. The discovery of a natural healer is a great event. But now we have only moments before the cubs must be released. Shimm will take you into the labyrinth where you may view the Season of Becoming. Your questions will be answered after the last cub has recovered. Beware the wakening torlen.• The fusion dissolved, leaving Selena confused and apprehensive.

At the Lucents' mention of the torlen, Selena's hand automatically moved to the belt of her thermal suit, checking that the gun was secure. She felt Shimm tense beneath her and grabbed for the harness. The valley appeared to explode as the cubs were released to seek the searfruit.

Shimm leaped forward, flattening herself into a sweeping run as she followed the cubs toward the mouth of a cave. Swiftly she overtook the howling cubs. Selena risked a glance over her shoulder and saw that Shimm's mates, along with the rest of the life units, were only yards behind.

The entrance to the cave was upon Selena before she thought to reach for the night lenses which hung around her neck. She fumbled the band into position on her head, praying that Shimm wouldn't suddenly change direction.

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