Change of Darkness (The Change Series Book 3) by Jacinta Jade (best new books to read txt) 📕

of Siray’s throat. ‘Together we will do great things,’ he murmured as the jewel made contact with her skin. The lord’s hands shifted as they brought the two ends of the necklace together at the back of her neck to do up the clasp. ‘Especially now that you’re one of us.’

Click.

Something surged through Siray’s body, and she looked up at Baindan in alarm, her gaze flicking first to his face and then to his wrist. Where the silver band that had stopped him from Changing was still clamped.

A band that perhaps had only a fraction of the power of the piece she now wore …

Siray’s first impulse was to whirl away from Chezran and rip the necklace from her neck, but a cold feeling was sweeping through her. Numbing her. And her body would not respond to her will.

‘Siray? What is it?’ Baindan called to her, struggling against the grips of his guards.

He had seen her face in that instant. Seen the panic.

She wanted to tell him—tell him that somehow the necklace was inhibiting her, restricting her own will with its freezing touch.

But she couldn’t. Mentally, she strained against this new power settling over her, flowing through her, but it was like trying to fight against one of your own limbs—she couldn’t identify which part was her and which part was not.

And the feeling was growing, like she was being suffocated inch by inch.

‘Do you like my gift?’ Chezran asked quietly, his breath warm against the back of her neck.

And despite her own wants and impulses, despite the battle now waging in her mind, like a spectator in her own body, Siray felt herself turn back to face Chezran.

Felt the edges of her own mouth curl up in a slow, sensuous smile, a smile that was entirely new.

Then, in a slightly different voice, one even smoother than Chezran’s, with its own velvety quality, she said, ‘It’s perfect.’

The necklace swept away the final remnants of the old Siray.

 

 

 

 

PART TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

ADMIRING THE NECKLACE she now wore, new Siraay heard a soft voice exclaim from behind her, ‘I don’t understand, what’s happening?’

Turning her head to peer over one shoulder as she continued to stroke the jewel that now lay glistening against her throat, Siraay saw her former friends giving her stunned looks. Genlie, she remembered, was the name of the female who had just spoken. She quirked her lips at them once more, enjoying their confusion, before she twisted away, dismissing them. They were beneath her now.

‘Come, my lovely, we have much to discuss.’ Chezran stepped to the side and swept a hand outwards, indicating that she should proceed him.

This pleased Siraay, and she gave the lord another slow smile before beginning to walk across the sands, her chin lifting as the Faction soldiers gave way before her in deference.

‘No!’

A desperate shout came from behind Siraay, and she turned smoothly, interested in what the commotion could be.

Chezran’s guards were struggling to restrain one of the male captives, the one with brown hair and grey eyes, and more soldiers were running to help.

‘What have you done to her?’ the male roared at Chezran, lunging forwards, even as his arms were pinned behind him.

A step behind Siraay, Chezran had also turned and was smiling. ‘I’ve simply allowed the best parts of her personality to come to the surface. If you worry for her safety, you needn’t—she will be well taken care of.’

Siraay felt Chezran’s hand slip around her waist to touch her lightly on the small of her back, a gesture that the stormy-eyed male couldn’t miss, making him renew his efforts to break free of those holding him.

Chezran’s head tilted slightly as he again considered the male. ‘I see you refuse to believe me. If you continue to fight, then I will need to let the captain deal with you.’

Something deep within Siraay twisted a little, and she remembered the male’s name. Baindan. All their names were coming back to her, as well as interesting facts about each of them.

She also knew that her old self had had strong feelings for this male, feelings that were now little more than an echo, and which would fade completely with time.

Reaching out, Siraay casually ran her fingertips over the broad shoulder of her new lord. ‘Do not bother threatening him,’ she said sweetly to Chezran. ‘He will fight for this body, for her, regardless of the punishment. Besides, he is a valuable soldier. I have seen him fight on many occasions.’ She swept her hand around to include Zale, Genlie, and Kovi. ‘As a unit, they will be unstoppable. And their friends will only strengthen them.’ She nodded her head back in the direction of the rest of the captives who were looking on from a distance, the three who had pushed their way to the front of the group clearly identifiable through the rows of Xarcon soldiers.

And they were clearly shocked by what they were seeing.

Wexner, Tamot, and Kinna, Siraay recalled.

Chezran looked at her thoughtfully for a moment and, seemingly satisfied with what he saw, turned back to address his men. ‘The lady is right. These four, and those three’—he nodded in the direction Siraay had indicated—‘put them all together, and put the special bands on them immediately. I want their training intensified too.’

A soldier who was apparently in charge of the others nodded, and done with the matter, Chezran twisted away.

Siraay turned with him, eager to leave the sands of the arena that had been her home for so many days and see more of this city that the male beside her controlled.

But behind them, the same male began shouting again. ‘Fight it, Siray! I know you! Don’t forget yourself! Fight it!’

When she didn’t turn or acknowledge Baindan at all, bored with his antics, he began shouting again.

‘Chezran, don’t you touch her! I’ll come for you, by the Mother–’

A muffled thud came from behind, cutting the male’s words off abruptly.

Siraay tilted her chin just enough to peer across at Chezran, arching