Ancient Thought Viola Grace (feel good books to read TXT) 📖

She was two-thirds of the way through her food, and she caught him looking curiously. Libby took her last few bites and pushed her food away. “I couldn’t eat another bite. Would you like to try it? Sadly, this isn’t spicy.”

He reached for it. “Thank you. This is entertaining.”

She smiled. “If you think rations is entertaining, your life must be really dull.”

He looked around. “What do you think it is like here?”

Libby got up, looking up at the stars that she had never see before, the streak of a nebula in the distance. The three moons were rising bright and proud. “I think it has real potential.”

He shook his head. “I think you are naïve.”

“I am from a young species who die quick. I can be naïve if I like. I don’t have all the time in the universe to suffer from ennui. I have to live day by day.”

“What species are you?”

She chuckled. “I suppose you could call me an altered Terran. I was born Terran, was nearly dead as a Terran, and then they reset me about fifty-five years and added something else, so here I am.”

“Who is your planetary avatar?”

“Ah, she’s apparently new. Minerva-Gaia. She just woke up.”

He blinked as she took some of her water and returned to her seat.

“Gaia?”

“Yes. Do you know her?”

He chuckled. “We have not met, but I think I know your world. My species had a colony with folk who looked similar to you. Smooth ears, smooth skin, bright eyes. You are taller than I would have expected.”

She put her hand up so it was just below five feet in height. “I used to be this tall. I was made taller to blend in.”

He chuckled. “It is a small universe. You should get to sleep now.”

She looked over to the pile of slippery cushions. “You aren’t going to leave me in the middle of the night?”

“I have agreed to see you to the monastery, and I shall.”

Libby nodded, closed up her pack, and brought it with her into the tent. There were soft balls of light in the corners, and she moved around on the cushions to get comfortable. There was a stack of thick pads under, and she pushed the puffy things to one side, making a body pillow. When she glanced up, her guide was watching her. She smiled and flicked her hair behind her, settling in and taking a few deep breaths. She closed her eyes and tasted the air with strange herbs. Libby dozed off with a smile on her lips.

* * * *

Yelfon looked at the woman cuddled up against the physical projection of his energies, and he scowled, turning outside the tent and focusing his mind.

Luon, why was I not informed that you were bringing one of the Terrans here?

Mathla-Luon answered calmly. She is to be a monk, Yelfon, just as the others are. She will study, absorb, serve, and store the memories for us. Well, that is a little less than what she will do; she can also generate recordings directly into a crystal instead of being the transfer device herself. If she works as advertised, she will be very useful.

She is not a toy to be played with.

There was a bright chuckle. Ah, but she is. Minerva-Gaia is trying to spread her little creatures throughout the universe, but this offering will prove herself, or she will not be allowed to survive here.

What if she proves herself worthy of a place here?

I will breed her to one of the less objectionable monks to continue her bloodline.

Yelfon frowned. He was not fond of that idea. He looked at his sleeping companion. Without her consent?

Her contract gave citizenship to any of her offspring born here. They would be the first naturally born Mathlu citizens. I think it would be cute to have some small monks running around.

Luon paused. You don’t think you will be able to give her some of your memories, do you? Maybe a few centuries in the middle?

We will be at the monastery mid-morning. You can begin her training then. Do not involve me in your games.

He cut off the contact and glared at the moons above. He and the other ancients were not guests; they were prisoners. Their people were long dead, and Mathlu was offered a refuge where they could live in solitude. It was never mentioned that no one was allowed to leave.

Now, this woman of Terra was locked in the prison with the monks and ancients. How was she going to survive?

Chapter Four

Waking in a strange place in the middle of the night was not something Libby normally engaged in. She sat up, realized that her bladder was not happy with her, and she crept out of the tent and behind one of the rock formations to take care of it.

Once she had stripped completely so she could deal with the annoying excuse for panties, she got dressed again and made sure that all the lines were straight.

She returned to the tent only to find it gone. Her guide was standing with his hood up and her bag dangling from his fingertips.

He asked, “Are you hungry?”

“No. I am good. Did you sleep?”

He chuckled. “I do not sleep much.”

She took her bag and put it on her back, looking around and seeing the spot of light in the distance. “Is that it?”

“It is.”

“Shall we go?”

He nodded and said, “Just a moment.”

There was a thundering behind them, and she was embarrassed to say that she stepped behind him. She hid, and he slowly raised a hand as the giant bird came up to them.

“This will speed things along.”

The creature was an ostrich on steroids. Yelfon walked toward it, scratched the fluffy head, and looked back at her. “You can climb on. I will mount behind you.”

She closed her eyes at the images that that mention conjured. She walked forward, switched the bag to her chest, and she climbed up onto the crouching bird. The feathers smelled