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

up his bare chest. “No, I am not. Buildings can be changed; you are one of a kind.”

He placed her hands around his torso, and he pulled her in close. “I worked very hard on it.”

She shivered at the low tone. “I would rather that hard effort go elsewhere.”

He smiled. “You have a one-track mind.”

She shrugged. “Of course. Look at the man I am dreaming of in my arms.” She hugged him. “Oh. Not a dream.”

He grinned. “You have been busy.”

“Yup. Laying foundations is hard work, but now that they know I am not hunting their deepest secrets, I think things will become a little easier with time.”

“And when it gets out that you are carrying, they will line up to pat your belly.”

She winced. “It was not planned.”

He grinned. “I have been in your thoughts; I know that children have not featured heavily in your life. Fortunately, they have featured in mine. So, I will take on the heavy burden of parenthood, and you can work on your archiving.”

She looked at him suspiciously. “Really?”

He pressed his forehead to hers, and he showed her memories of holding his son after his wife had passed. He got milk, changed diapers, and fought robbers with his child held in one arm. It was a series of images that took the child to their first shift.

He lifted his head. “I have done it before, but I would rather do it with you.”

She smiled. “I know Mathla-Luon is keen as well.”

“They can’t have children. Luon’s presence is radioactive, and Mathla contains him. It doesn’t leave any room for a child.”

“And Mathla was so young...”

“You have seen them?”

“Yes. I saw it. Confirmed the memory and smashed the crystal. She didn’t need others to gawk at it. Luon was desperate for a new host, so I understand why. I also know he has tried to make it up to her.”

Yelfon leaned in. “Were you going to tell me?”

She pressed herself against him and showed her memory to him, including her surprise. “I can only say most likely. I had no idea. My mind is that of a woman who was finished with all the messiness of youth.”

He grinned. “I enjoy it when you get messy.”

She blushed. “So do I, but as I can count six pairs of eyes staring at us right now, I will simply pause that impulse until we have privacy.”

He swung her into his arms, and she laughed as he carried her for a tour of his masterwork.

The bathroom had mirrors, the bedroom had mirrors, the receiving room was a wide and open space. It was lovely. He then gave her a more in-depth tour of the cleverness of his design, and as she clung to the delicate chains that still somehow took her weight, she enjoyed his attention to detail.

He held her through the night, and they began again when she woke. Having him with her had some very obvious benefits.

* * * *

Mathla-Luon looked down at the new building, and she tracked the life signs within. Elizabeth didn’t know that she had become the spirit of the Terrans, but she would be safe here. She grinned. Bonding her genes to that of the Dremarai had been a whim, but it had worked out well. She might ask for more in the future. Some of them could use companions. She would have Elizabeth ask. She had a touch for getting to the heart of people and working her way into the thoughts of ancients.

The child would be fun. It might crack the resistance of the last of the ancients and get them into the mood to remember the worlds they lived on and the lives that they witnessed.

The project had taken huge strides in the last few months, and it would surge onward in the future. Maybe a few more Terrans would help move things along?

Epilogue

Libby was excited. This was the first world she had walked on aside from Luon.

She was dressed the way she was always dressed, and Yelfon was holding their baby.

They walked up to the greeting party, and the smaller people bowed. It was then that Libby remembered she was ridiculously tall.

Yelfon smiled. “Greetings, High Prefect D’hai. Thank you for allowing this visit.”

“Ancient Yelfon, it is an honour to finally see you.”

The little one yawned, and he waved his small fists.

Yelfon smiled. “This is my wife, Elizabeth, and my son Nedoric.”

The baby’s pale blue fist waved again. Yelfon put his huge finger into the child’s grasp, and there was a huge squeal as the child started pulling.

“This is my wife, Master Healer Myka.”

Myka was staring at Elizabeth. “You are...”

“Call me Libby. I was a custom order.” She smiled and offered her hands to Myka.

Myka took her hands, and they stood as Libby lightly cruised across her memories until she laughed in surprise.

Myka blinked. “Pardon?”

“I got caught by hospitality as well. Well, that was the bait. We just kept going.” She murmured it quietly.

Myka laughed. “Me too.”

The men were already talking, and D’hai was reaching out to play with Nedoric.

The ladies turned and walked through the gardens. They only had an hour before their family journey had to reconvene.

“So, you are definitely Terran.” Myka nodded.

“I am. I was reset to the best physical shape I could be in, and then, they added Dremarai genes and enhanced my normal talents for observation.”

“I just got a booster for the psychic talent for healing and was on my way.”

“Ah, well, I was a little older than you when the process started.” She explained the Reset Project, and they talked about living with magic and the people who wielded it.

The hour flew past, and when they rejoined the guys, Yelfon’s mind indicated that he had gotten some good tips on dealing with a Terran.

Libby smiled and took their son. “Come on, big boy. Time for a snack.”

As the hour completed, he started to squall. She kissed her husband on the cheek and then went to take care of her son.