The Witch: Book Two of The Sorceress Saga by Taliesin Govannon (important books to read .txt) 📕

question was just earlier the past spring.  I felt like I had aged a decade in that time, mentally.

                Without the ganja, I'd feel like a senior citizen inside I thought.

                “I mean, it wasn't Raina,” I said, suddenly switching back to what was dominating my thoughts, “it was her spirit in another body.”

                “What did she look like?”

                “I don't know...” I replied, searching my memory.  “About five feet tall, curly dark hair, kinda...” I searched for the right words.  “Not fat, but curvy.  You know, soft.  But sexy.”  A great deal was fuzzy about the memory, but not how she looked, it turned out.

                Jack smiled.  “Like, curvy in a 'hot woodland nymph' kind of way.”

                It wasn't a question, but I answered it anyway.  “Yeah, like that.  The kind of body that keeps you warm on a chilly night.”  A slight smile teased my lips.

                My friend's eyes went up at the last remark.  “You sound like you speak from experience.”

                “Remember, dude, I've had my share of lifetimes where Vincent was in a woman's body.” I reminded him.  “I'm sure that's where some of this comes from.”

                I was also reminding myself.  For some reason, this felt important to do.

                                                                                                *                *                *

                The next day I awoke refreshed and just more alive than I had for the previous few days.  I chalked this up to the healing properties of a good night's sleep, even if it was brought on by my massive cannabis intake the night before.  I had a bounce in my step as I walked into the parlor and came upon Angelique looking through her journals.

                “I really must get these to my source in the Vatican.” she said wistfully, closing the volume she held.  “They need to be digitized, and I'm afraid that Vincent and Jack are too busy doing research to do so.”

                “You could do them yourself.” I replied.  “You're an ancient vampire, not a baby boomer trying to puzzle out the new iPhone.”

                “I'm flattered at your confidence in me,” she said, smiling, “but I'm afraid that a comfort with technology isn't something that I ever had, even when the technology was far simpler.”

                “Any luck?”  I sat down by her, curious as to whether she'd found any more clues about the mysterious lakes around the world and their paranormal neighbors.

                “I'm afraid not.  All I know about are the ones I've mentioned previously.  I'm not finding anything new out.”

                “Want to fill me in on what you do know?” I asked hopefully.

                However, my hopes were soon dashed.  “I don't want to say anything until I get a bigger picture.” she replied, shaking her head.  “I don't want to make your life any more scary and confusing than it already is.”

                “I suppose I should be grateful for that.”

                “So what's new with you?”

                I weighed whether or not to tell her about my latest past-life vision.  I finally decided that it was useless to try to hide it from her, she was just too perceptive.  I filled her in, but omitted anything about my attraction to Raina in this past life, as well as my discomfort with it.  No use saying anything about that until I have something to report!

                “Ah yes,” she said when I finished, “I remember that life.”

                “So you were there?” I asked, instantly curious.

                “Yes, but not for some time from where you remembered.  Cricket was a powerful magick user by the time I came into the picture.”

                I giggled at Raina's name in the old life.  “Somehow, 'Cricket the magician' doesn't sound all that powerful.”

                "Oh, but she was... or will be, in the timeline of your recollection."  She remembered something and smiled.  "Ah, you're hung up on the name.  You should know that it sounded more impressive in the original language."

                I had been having trouble placing the incarnation in history, and thus perked up when Angelique intimated that she remembered more than I.  “What language was it?”

                She smiled.  “A language that hasn't been spoken in a thousand years.  I'm afraid that this is another lost civilization.”

                This had come up before.  One of the problems with living a normal human lifespan was that we were extremely dependent on archaeologists, sociologists, and other modern sciences for our view of history.  The reality was that a great many civilizations have risen, existed... sometimes for hundreds of years... and then disappeared without a trace.  Some cultures that were an accepted part of our history were only known because a few artifacts survived the centuries, against the odds.  Many more vanished without a trace.

                Some were known only because an ageless creature like Angelique witnessed them and remembered.

                “Can you give me any details?”  I had a feeling that I knew the answer.

                “I'd prefer to let you discover that life for yourself.  I wouldn't want to pollute your recollection by sharing my thoughts.”

                This was a common answer from Angelique, and only somewhat less of one for Vincent.  I didn't argue, however... I had come to see that their hiding of knowledge about me being the Sorceress was done to avoid me breaking under the stress and pressure of such a thing, and that it was a good thing that they did.  It didn't stop it from being frustrating and annoying, however.

                “Must be a day that ends in 'y'...” I said, trailing off.  “So, what's on the agenda for today?” I added brightly, letting her know that I was giving up.

                “I'm afraid that I shall have to postpone our session.” she answered gently, rising from her seat.  “I have to prepare some rooms for a couple of guests who will be joining us tomorrow.”

                This was news to me.  “Really? Who?”

                “Oh, you'll find out.” she said, her normally serene smile marred by something that looked like indigestion.

                “Is this another lesson?”

                “No, just a wish that it wasn't happening.”

                She left without another