Ancient Thought by Viola Grace (literature books to read txt) 📗

onto the low bed, wrapping her in his arms. She snuffled and settled against him, breathing deeply and slowly. He stroked her hair and pressed a kiss to her head. After their earlier couplings, she fit against him as if they had been together for years.

He held her close, and his eyes shut as he tried to remember the last time he had felt this content. Even in his first years with his wife and children, he did not remember this intense feeling of peace.

She murmured against his chest. “Aw, you had kids.”

He chuckled, and he gave her a window into the life of an ancient, showing his family life. His wife’s death, his children’s children, and his children’s death, and the endless cycle of birth and death with the occasional wife or lover on the way. He was the only fixed point, and he was alone, surrounded by his descendants.

She wrapped her arms around him as he gave her his history. She took it, filed it away, but she learned about him. It was a lot easier to give him her own history—eighty-two years versus thousands.

By mid-morning, their exchange of lives had concluded, and when she sat up to go to work, she kissed him sweetly before she went to wipe down before she got dressed for the day. Sleeping with someone was nice, but it did get sweaty.

Chapter Ten

Yelfon was gone when she was dressed, complete with underwear. Libby headed out and went to the dining hall where she was about to sit and have bread when a novice came up to her. The novice’s eyes were red, and Libby frowned. “What is it?”

“The avatar would like to speak with you, Master Elizabeth.”

“Have you been crying, Novice Rouse?”

Rouse looked away. “The avatar will explain it.”

Libby walked with her in silence as they walked to Mathla’s private garden.

A man was sitting at the table, and he was a rich brown, had long dark hair, and huge liquid gold eyes. She cocked her head and asked, “Aloth?”

He nodded and knelt in front of her. “Master Elizabeth, please, forgive me for my actions yesterday. It was my intent to seek my own enjoyment at your expense, and I did not realize what a toll I was extracting from the women who came to my woods.” He swallowed. “Thank you for stopping me and bringing the matter forward.”

She nodded. “Apology accepted. You are aware of what will happen if you attempt it again.”

“Yes, Mathla-Luon has made it very clear. I understand.”

“Fine. Get up.”

He got to his feet, bowed again, and backed away. His deferential move made her happy. He had not tried contact, and he was remaining at a physical distance from anyone else. It was a good first move, and it showed that he was paying attention.

Mathla-Luon was looking at them, and she nodded. “Go and get something to eat, Elizabeth. I have had breakfast held for you.”

Elizabeth went to the table that was obviously waiting for her. She attacked the food, and when the contents of the three plates were gone, she was ready to start her day.

Mathla-Luon sat down, and she smiled. “So, you and Yelfon?”

Elizabeth swallowed the last of her water. “I am sure it was just a one-time thing.”

“That is the first time I have seen you lie.” Mathla-Luon smiled.

“He was very kind, but I don’t want to impose?”

The avatar held up two fingers. “Another lie.”

“I am rather embarrassed about yesterday’s activities?”

“A truth. It is why he decided to leave this morning. He didn’t want you uncomfortable.”

“It wouldn’t have been my first walk of shame.”

“Another truth.” Mathla-Luon smiled. “So, what should I do with the Hirn?”

“I think, for all the women who are here, take his memory and theirs. Cut out all recognition but leave mine and the women who passed.”

Matha frowned. “I don’t have that kind of precision.”

“I can do it. Am I scheduled for anything else today?”

“I will move it if you can do this.”

“I will check with Aloth if he is willing to do this.”

“If I say he will, he will.”

“But I won’t.”

The avatar paused. “What?”

“If he doesn’t agree, I am not going to dig around in his memories. I will not do to him what he did to others.” She was calm but firm.

Mathla flinched. “Right. Okay. First, remove the memory from Novice Rouse.”

Elizabeth went to Rouse and explained what she was being asked to do. “Do you want me to remove all traces of that day from your mind?”

Rouse blinked. “We can’t do that.”

Elizabeth smiled. “Do you want me to remove all traces of that day?”

“What will I remember?”

“You got up, you meditated, and you got exposed to some fungus that caused you to have dark moods and crying jags for the following year.”

“Will I still cry and panic?”

Elizabeth was honest. “I don’t know. I have not done this before. I know I can, but that is where it ends. I don’t know what the effects will be long term.”

“Can you take me out of his mind? I don’t want him to remember what he did to me.”

“I can definitely do that. What about you?”

“I would like to keep it. I want to know why I felt such pain over the last year.”

Elizabeth walked to Aloth, where he was kneeling. “You heard that?”

“I did.”

“Will you agree to it?”

“I will.”

She stood behind him, pressed her hands to his skull, and sifted the memory out. The entire scenario made her skin crawl but only because Rouse had been panicking. She lifted the memory out of him and leaned back.

She looked to Mathla-Luon. “Next.”

Her morning disappeared into the morning and early afternoon. There was only one woman who opted to have her memories removed, and it was due to her previous attraction to Aloth. She had been a fangirl, an ardent admirer, and when he had used his methods on her, the betrayal had gone bone-deep.

When Elizabeth worked on her, she had to go all the way back to their first contact and