The Witch: Book Two of The Sorceress Saga Taliesin Govannon (best free ereader .txt) 📖

                “No.” I said,  placing both hands on her legs to stop her.  “I don't know why, but... I don't think that either should be here for this one.”

                I had absolutely no reasons for this, and saying it surprised me.  It seemed to surprise Raina as well, by the look on her face.

                “If you think so...” she said, a dubious tone in her voice.  She stayed seated, however.

                I allowed my arms to hang slack at my sides, though my hands still rested on Raina's legs.  I closed my eyes and took myself through the basic beginnings of a meditative trance.  I was still inwardly amazed at how simple it all seemed now, after my earlier, rocky attempts.  I guess Raina's words about patience are truer than I thought!

                I relaxed further and soon felt my mundane thoughts leave me as I reached a deeper level of trance.  I soon started hearing the rushing sound that came when I was peering back in time.

                Okay spirits, show me where this all comes from!

                                                                                                *                *                *

                “I will NEVER get this!”

                Cricket threw down the oak wand with more care than it looked.  She knew very well just how difficult those were to make.  The crafting might only take a day, but the charging was the real burden on one's time.

                I knew that she could do it, though.  She had never failed at anything before, and I doubted one shield re-enforcement spell would be the thing to beat her.

                “Yes, you will.” I insisted gently.  “You know the basic mechanics, you just have to get the size and scope.”

                “Well if I do,” she said with a pout, “it'll be because you're teaching me.”  A slight grin cracked her soured visage.  “You're the best.”

                I looked at her closely.  So, it's true...

                It was an accepted practice to take some students... some especially gifted students... into our beds if that's what it took to get them past their self-imposed barriers.  There were strict rules, however, and I was going to mind them resolutely, no matter how pleasing it would be to have her soft curves pressed against mine at night.

                I preferred it to what the other outcome of this kind of attraction could be, if it was forced to take a non-carnal route to expression.  I had never borne children, and I didn't want to be anyone's Mother-figure!

                “Well, you're going to ruin my reputation as 'the best' if you give up this easily.” I said gently as I bent down and picked up the ornately carved wand.  I handed it back to her.  “Let's try this again.”

                Cricket smiled shyly, and I felt my heart flutter.  Oh, this one could be trouble...

                                                                                                *                *                *

                I was stoned.

                This was no bush-league buzz, but a serious, professional level, 'sew your ass to the furniture' mind-blowing high.

                And I wanted to get higher.

                I had told Raina about the past-life vision I'd had... well, part of it.  I'd told her about her being my student, and just how highly I'd thought of her, but...

                I didn't tell her about how I'd admired her body, or about how I still felt a little... strange... when I thought about her naked body lying next to mine.

                I had no idea why this particular memory had disturbed me so.  I had remembered lives when I had been attracted to women... sometimes as a man, sometimes as another woman.  Some of the memories had been very graphic, to the point where I would probably be able to pleasure a woman very well, thank you very much.

                If I swung that way in this life, which I didn't.

                So why this particular sapphic past life memory affected me so much was baffling.  It did, however, so after leaving the meditation room I walked directly down to Jack's basement playroom and told him that I needed to get baked with no questions asked.

                Which is how I got to this 'happy fun-ball” level of stonedness.

                I spied Jack sitting near me, staring in my direction.  The look on his face was pure bafflement.

                “What's up?” I asked, my voice thick and heavy.  I took a hit off of the bong that he had generously set me up with.  “Is someone behind me?”  I didn't want to turn and look... it was too much work.

                “You seriously just had a past life memory where you wanted to diddle Raina?!?” he asked incredulously.

                “What the hell?” I asked, seriously confused.  “Are you reading minds now?  Is there an app for that?”

                “That would be a bitchin' app,” he said, “but not needed here.  You've been talking to yourself ever since the brownie kicked in.”

                “I what?”

                “Yeah.  You've been sounding like Keith Richards at an opioid convention, but understandable.”

                I thought back in my cannabis haze and dimly remembered taking breaths in-between 'thoughts'.  "Shit."

                “Don't worry,” he said, smiling, “I know when something's not for public dissemination, so your secret's safe with me.”

                “What's in this weed?” I asked, eyeing the pile on the desk that I'd been filling the bong from.

                “I think this strain is called 'Sodium Pentathol', or something.” he replied, shrugging.

                “I'll tell you one thing,” I grinned, “the weed industry does not need to worry about running afoul of 'truth in advertising' laws!”

                “Formula four-twenty, guaranteed to loosen lips in large quantities.” he quipped back.

                That made me laugh.  I honestly didn't know how I would have handled everything that had changed in my life over the past year if it hadn't been for cannabis.  Drinking alcohol left me feeling ill the next day, and meditation alone wasn't enough to relax when things like were-creatures tried to make a mate out of a friend, as had happened to Jack earlier in the year.

                It was honestly hard to believe that the incident in