Read The Mirage on the Brink of Oblivion (The Epic of Aravinda Book 3) for Free Online Page B

smirk. “She did well. I will be surprised if you do the same.”
    “I’m not concerned,” Zahn said. “We’re a team; we support each other; and if your Mirage has a problem with me, I’ll still find a way to help her do what we came here to do.”
    “Which is what, Zahn?” Torin, who stood a bit taller than him, whispered into Zahn’s ear so that only he could hear. “To entice us to join the Confederation? Perhaps something more? Jyana might have bought your story, but I am not so trusting. If there’s something you’re up to, anything that would upset the balance of our world, then you’ll have to contend with me.” Torin’s whispers felt like little swords cutting into Zahn’s cheeks. “Do we have an understanding?”
    Zahn turned to him, observing his high cheekbones and wide nose up close for the first time. Perhaps this attitude was the xenophobia he’d been warned about.
    “Yes,” Zahn said evenly, suddenly feeling intimidated by the man’s presence. Still, he wasn’t going to tell Torin anything. “Look, we’re just following orders from the Confederation.”
    Torin studied his face in silence, scanning Zahn’s every micro-expression.
    “Okay,” Jyana said, “she’s away.”
    Zahn glanced over just in time to see the robotic arm lift Asha’s bunk up into the air and slide into one of the hundreds of bunk slots above.
    “Slick.”
    “You’ll soon be joining her,” Jyana said, waving him over. “At least, if the system approves you. No promises.”
    From around a far corner, another robotic arm swung into view, this one holding a freshly prepared bunk.
    When it arrived in front of Jyana, Zahn walked over to the bunk and pressed his fingers into its padded surface. The feeling was bizarrely satisfying.
    “What are you waiting for, kid?” Torin said, standing beside Jyana. “Only one way to find out, right?”
    Zahn pursed his lips and unceremoniously flopped onto the bunk, stretching out onto it. “Okay, let’s do this.”
    “The binaural frequencies are about to begin,” Jyana said. “You may drift off into sleep, and that is perfectly normal.”
    The wavering tone began just as it had before, a low murmuration that reminded him of the long bird calls that so often filled the valley he grew up in.
    Jyana smiled. “Close your eyes and relax, okay?”
    Zahn closed his eyes. By now, he could tell that there was something more to what he was hearing. Inside of the wavering tone, he heard a soft, whumping sound inside of his head. He found it calming, and felt himself relax more and more, as if he were sinking deeper and deeper into the bunk’s grey padding. His breathing slowed and he pushed himself to stay awake, to hear what Jyana might say about his test results.
    “Hmm. Yes.” He thought he heard her say.
    His focus shifted, and Zahn thought he heard the voice of an old woman buried within the frequencies. Her voice felt warm and wise, and he strained to make out her words.
    “…counting up from one to ten. When you reach ten, you shall enter a state of mind awake, body asleep. And when you wish to return, simply think of moving one of your fingers or toes. It is that simple. Now we begin. Counting up from one, two, three…”
    Zahn felt too sleepy to move his lips, but he counted within his mind, and as he grew nearer to ten, a loud rushing sound filled his ears. It began in his head and moved down to his chest, his stomach, his legs, and his feet. When it reached his feet, it headed back up again. Faster and faster, the rushing sound filled his body and he felt a new energy, a tingling all over. Part of him wanted to panic, but he fought to keep himself calm, knowing full well that panic would wake him up again.
    The rushing grew louder and louder, and he saw flickers of light above, even though he knew his eyes were closed. He saw a final flicker of light and the rushing stopped, finding himself staring at the metal latticework above.
    He thought he felt someone