Mind Over Psyche Read Online Free PDF

energy, to concentrate beyond his senses. The situation would not get better. He had to leave. He chanted, “I want to go someplace safe. I want to go someplace where I’m free . I want—”
    â€œBut that’s what we all want for you, Deryl,” Malachai’s smooth voice cut across his thoughts.
    I am the Miscria. I call the Ydrel.
    â€œShut up!” He pressed the glass shard a little tighter against Josh’s neck. He could feel the glass cut into his hands, could smell the warm blood. His, not his friend’s, but they didn’t know that.
    Sachiko fought back a second scream and turned on Malachai. “Dolfus Randall Malachai, let’s go!”
    â€œNow, Sachiko, this is not the time to panic.”
    Josh whispered, “Deryl, ple ase, man.”
    Concentrate! “…where people believe me. Someplace where I’m accepted . I want—”
    Ydrel Mentor, Ydre l Guide...
    Sachiko and Malacha i arguing.
    The orderly asking for ins tructions.
    The drug taking effect. Things get ting hazy.
    â€œI want—”
    Joshua’s fear as loud as if he were shouting.
    C ome to me!
    â€œI want to go home!”
    A great surge of energy. A pull like the vacuum of space yanking him from reality. The n nothing.

Chapter 3
    Joshua returned to consciousness fully expecting to be in a hospital bed, his slashed throat swathed in bandages, his singing career over before it had started. His hands moved to his throat and found it bare and intact. He breathed a prayer of thanks before opening his eyes.
    He found himself on his back in a small, tree-lined meadow, but he didn’t recognize the trees.
    He sat up slowly, more disoriented than dizzy. Had he had amnesia? “Sachiko?” He called. “Mom? Dad ? Anyone?”
    He saw Deryl lying on his side, unconscious. Not far from him, near a break in the treeli ne, stood—
    Josh ua gulped.
    A unicorn!
    â€¦or something like a unicorn. Its rhinoceros-like horn and thick neck and shoulders made it a far scarier version than any Joshua had read about in fantasy novels. It stared straigh t at them.
    Joshua licked dry lips. “Easy fella,” he soothed, and reached over to shake his friend. “Deryl, time to wake up.”
    Part of Joshua’s mind gibbered that Deryl was really psychic, that he’d teleported them to an alien planet. Another part argued that he was dreaming or had gone insane himself. He told them both to shut up, but he couldn’t stop his breathing from accelerating or his hands from trembling as he shook his friend . “Deryl!”
    Deryl’s eyelids fluttered, th en closed.
    He’s drugged. Malachai’s zombiefied him again, and we’re stuck on anot her world!
    He tore his gaze from the not-quite-unicorn and shook his friend harder. “Come on, man! Don’t do this to me. Wake up!”
    Joshua heard hoof beats and turned in time to see several unicorns with red-clad riders approach from the trail. He vaguely noted they looked human before his eyes focused on the swords they drew.
    He did the only thing he could think of. He raised his arms, palms open, and said, “We come in peace!”
    The warrior he faced, a scowling man with a narrow head, wide-set eyes, and a pocked and scarred face, didn’t understand him or didn’t care. He arched his sword towa rd Joshua.
    Joshua covered his head with his arms a nd ducked.
    He heard a loud clang of steel agai nst steel.
    When he risked a glance up, he saw the warrior’s sword blocked by one held by a young woman with powerful arms. They strained together a moment, then the man backed off. Joshua recognized the woman from Deryl’s sketches.
    â€œTasmae! Oh, please be Tasmae. Look! This is Deryl. The Ydrel!” He’d propped up his unconscious friend toward her. Deryl flopped like a rag doll in his grip. “C’mon, please recognize him. Please, please understand me! It’s the