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

them into that crevice. It is amazing that it has not filled up yet.”

She nodded and looked at him. He was wearing a cloak and hood. She couldn’t make anything out in the shadows. “Well, thanks for coming to guide me.”

“I have not gotten a call from Maltha in years. This was an interesting surprise.”

The beasts were now milling around and rubbing against each other.

Libby snickered and glanced up at the shadowed man. “Which way is the monastery?”

He gestured with his hand. “A day’s walk that way. More if we have to dodge the glefu again.”

She nodded. “Okay. I guess we get walking.”

He chuckled. “If we get near my home, we can get something to ride.”

“Oh, you live this way?”

“My holdings are here. I have other holdings elsewhere, but as per the agreement with Maltha-Luon, I cycle through them every few decades.”

He walked with her and steadied her until they were far enough away from the beasts to get down to the plain. They moved a little faster, and she took some water while walking, offering the bottle to him.

He smiled. “You are offering me supplies?”

“I am, as a way to thank you for your hospitality.”

He sipped at the water and then returned it to her. “I have not offered you hospitality. That would be different.”

“Oh.” She stowed the water and kept walking. “I suppose there are a lot of customs that I need to absorb.”

“Not really. The monks are fairly bland when they ask for our memories. Sometimes I offer the memory of putting on a saddle or something. They take what I give and are happy for it.”

“You make it sound like memories are currency.”

He chuckled. “Oh, you don’t know. How adorable. They are. The memories of ancients are sold to museums, archives, and libraries across the sectors.”

“Huh. I thought that memories were just lessons. Windows to the past, seen but not touched.” She smiled. “For my species, I had quite the collection. Short but eventful.”

He chuckled. “I am sure you did.”

She had been patronized all her life, and she knew it when she heard it. Still, he was hopefully leading her to where she needed to be. She only had his word for it, after all.

As they walked, she sighed. That wasn’t fair. He had shown up exactly where she had dropped, with the means to drive off the glefus, so she had to assume he had been asked to rescue her.

“Why the sigh?”

Libby smiled. “I was wondering if you were a villain or hero. The jury is still out.”

The suns were blazing toward her, so she groped back and found the hood on her robe, flipping it up.

He looked at her and chuckled. “Getting a little burned?”

“No. I don’t think I burn, but I do get hot. Good thing that this robe is pretty ventilated.” She smiled.

“What about all the layers that the monks wear?”

She paused. “What layers?”

He chuckled. “Oh, dear. Someone is using you to prod the prior.”

“Huh. That is a new one.” She smiled. “I was warned that I was only wanted here by one being and that being is the avatar.”

He nodded. “That is entirely possible. Would you like to stop and rest? The sun is going down, and you probably need to eat.”

She looked around the exposed plain. “Where?”

He turned her, and a tent, carpets, table, and chairs were set up with two beds at the back of the tent area.

“Where did that come from?”

He grinned. “There are bonuses to being ancient. It is a bit of telekinesis and a touch of matter manipulation.”

“Which is telekinesis.”

He chuckled. “You are quick. Yes, it is. Please, have a seat. We can have a meal and then rest until after midnight. It is easier to travel in the dawn here rather than the night.”

“I have no idea what the supplies taste like, but you are welcome to all that I have.”

He paused and shook his head slightly. “Thank you, but I can last out here for weeks without food.”

She nodded and pulled out the rations and set them out, trying to figure out what was what.

She found one that looked promising and pressed the heating patch. The spork that was stuck to the side of it was cute, and she waited until the pack slowly opened, spilling the scents of chicken curry and rice into the night.

His eyes glowed white-hot within the hood. “What is that?”

“Apparently, curried chicken and rice, according to the ration pack. This is the utensil. Would you like to try some?”

His face was in shadow, and she sighed. “I can’t tell if that is a yes or a no.”

He tilted his hood back, and she cocked her head, seeing her fifth alien or third species. She had no idea what he was, but he was an iridescent blue with silver markings moving under his skin, similar to Imbolt’s. His eyes were silver and molten white-hot. Instead of static irises, his swirled slowly without a pupil.

His hair was pulled back tightly, and his ears were pointed with a few jagged edges. There were small gold rings trailing down the outside of each ear.

His nose was a straight slope, and his lips were firmly and pleasantly curved.

He was looking at the food longingly.

She wordlessly handed him the spork and the curry. She dug in the pack and pulled out a beef noodle pack, picked off the spork, and activating the heating tab. She smiled. “If you want to try this one, too, you are welcome.”

He smiled. “You are not frightened?”

“No. I have seen some pretty scary things in my life, but so far, you aren’t one of them.”

She pulled the pack toward her as it opened with fragrant steam. She dug in with her spoon and blew on the noodles and shredded beef.

He inclined his head. “Thank you.”

He tried the curry, smiled, and kept eating.

She chuckled and enjoyed her meal. For emergency rations, they were pretty good.

“I haven’t had anything this pleasantly spicy in some time.” He was bemused as he finished in