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

like dust and the sage-type bushes that they had been passing on the plain. Once she was settled with her robes, split inelegantly, her guide jumped up behind her and settled with an arm around her waist.

“Just lean against me. The gait starts out a little rough.”

She followed his direction, and when the bird rocked to its feet, she tried to go limp.

He shifted his grip, and she held her breath as his fingers slipped between the layers of her clothing. He still wasn’t touching skin, but his hand was really warm.

The bird’s footfalls were really awkward as it began to run, but once it ran, it was a smooth ride at astonishing speed. She pulled her hood up to stop the whistling in her ears, and she was then able to focus on the strange interest that was stirring due to the hand that touched her.

She had missed being born into the Victorian era by forty years, but that didn’t stop her from getting all fluttery at getting close to a very broad and charming slab of a man.

She turned her head, and his face was next to hers. “What is your name, if I may ask?”

“Yelfon. My people evolved into a species known as the Dremarai. They have a colony that is doing well, but they left our world for yours and then left yours again for an unoccupied world ready for habitation. They have continued to recover the power that they lost by blending with your race.”

She nodded. “That is interesting. Did those people have an identifiable name?”

“I believe on your world they became known as djinn.”

Her eyes widened. “Yeah, that would make sense. They have degraded in modern memory as wish granters, but there have been some archaeological digs that have found residue from societies that were not contemporary with those around them.”

He seemed surprised. “There are?”

“Sure. Humanity is all about digging up its history. It is all we have. We don’t have any ancients to call on.”

He chuckled. “Are you sure about that?”

“Pretty sure, but I can’t be certain.”

After an hour, they were considerably closer to the monastery, but their bird was tiring. A pair of birds began to run alongside them, and Yelfon whispered in her ear. “Focus on the monastery, and it will take you there.”

He picked her up and stood on the back of their beast, stepping over to the next one. He set her down and continued to move to the next one. She yelled, “Thank you!” to the first bird, and it cheeped and began to drop back as her new steed sprinted forward.

It took a bit of squirming around, but she got comfortable enough to crouch and urge her bird toward the monastery. Yelfon rode with her for a while, but as she headed up the approach for the monastery, he diverted, and she was on her own.

Time to find out what her actual job was going to entail.

She let the bird go before she reached the gates, scratched its neck, and set it running back down the mountain. She didn’t know how she did it, but released from the task of getting her to the top of the hill, she was relieved to head home.

She stood up, twisted so that she was upright, and walked through the open gates. There were a few people in robes working around the courtyard, and they dropped their buckets and ran inside when they saw her. She pursed her lips together and snickered at the joke that Gaia had pulled. She definitely did not blend in with the monks that she had seen so far.

A woman came out wearing a graceful gown, and she smiled in welcome. “Ah, Novice Elizabeth, please, come in. Breakfast is being prepared. Well, Yelfon got you here quickly. I shall have to send him a gift.”

Libby bowed to the avatar of the world she was standing on. “Mathla-Luon, good morning to you.”

“Did Yelfon tell you my name?”

“No, Madame. Imbolt Kei Zanicon did.” She smiled and approached. “He also embedded a message.”

The woman looked at her with a curious expression. “Did he?”

“Yes. I believe that you need to touch your mind to mine.”

“You are prepared for that?”

Libby shrugged. “To get the message, there is no other option.”

The woman huffed. “Come inside. We will eat in my quarters.”

Libby followed her into the abbey, looking at the hooded monks as she passed them. None of them had the silvery dot that had formed on the middle of her forehead. She had a feeling that Mathla could shine a light on the reason for it.

The table was set for one, and Mathla cleared her throat. One of the monks nearby quickly ran out and returned with a place setting by the time Libby was seated to the right of the avatar.

“So, how did you enjoy the plain?”

“The... glefu? They are rather single-minded.”

She chuckled. “That they are. I am rather surprised that your drop was relocated.”

Libby smiled. “I believe that it was because Imbolt’s wife would not have forgiven him if he dropped me into the middle of the ocean. That was the original set of coordinates, after all.”

Mathla paused. “It was? You were supposed to land near the Sathokik forest half an hour away.”

“The coordinates would have tested the pod’s survival supplies, and you would have to explain to Zanicon and Gaia what you did with me.”

“Ah, yes. What was that message?”

Libby felt a touch on her mind. It felt like a sudden change in barometric pressure.

Her mind heated, and Mathla leaned back with an embarrassed look on her face. “Right. Well, that is that, then. You will be taught to meditate, kept apart from the rest of the monks, and introduced to the ancients. If they agree to surrender memories, you will be elevated to master and be given quarters outside the abbey. Food will be provided to you, and if you learn to cook using local ingredients, the raw materials will be provided. He will be back on