Ascendants of Ancients Sovereign - By Phillip Jones Page 0,61

looking across the room, watching the wolf sleep in front of the cold fireplace. Since their hippogriff was not scheduled to take them to their next destination until the Peak of Bailem, there was no rush to get going.

He directed his attention to Shalee, who had slept on the bed with him. He had been careful not to touch her during the night, placing her staff between them, and since the bed was almost as large, if not larger, than his king-sized bed back home, they had plenty of room.

She looked peaceful. Every now and then she moved gently from one side to the other. Sam was glad to see her movement. As a doctor, he knew it was not good to stay in one position for too long.

She’s beautiful, he thought. What is it about her that I like so much? I can’t put my finger on it. Do I really like her kind of drama? She’s a bit of a diva ... but what a diva she makes. I bet those pretty hands have never seen a real day of manual labor. This woman is going to be my Achilles’ heel, I just know it. I wish I could hold her.

He moved from the bed to the window. The place felt more like a cottage than an inn as his bare feet made contact with the cold, flat stones of the floor. He stopped, closed his eyes, and imagined he was in a castle. He took a deep breath of the clean country air and stretched, adding to his fantasy. The world of Luvelles was in clear view, its purple hues added to his enjoyment of the moment as he looked up into the bluest of morning skies.

Sam had always struggled with his imagination and his ability to fantasize. This had bothered him throughout his life. He could never seem to escape his own need to stick to reality. Following this pattern, his logical mind dragged him back from the fantasy of walking on castle floors and dropped him into the cold reality of a simple village, full of everyday, simple people.

Adjusting his gaze, he looked down at the townsfolk who were scattered along the street in front of their respective businesses. He laughed inside. This place is exactly what I used to believe was fantasy. Now the fantasy is reality, and this reality is… well ... it’s refreshing.

From the smell penetrating the air, breakfast was being prepared somewhere. Taking another deep breath, Sam thought of George. I wonder where he is? Is he dead? If not, what’s he up to?

If he could have known what George was up to, Sam would have been relieved to know that at this moment, the jerk was having a pleasant breakfast with Athena. However, since Sam was not one to wallow in a vacuum of unanswerable questions, he dropped the thought. He turned from the window and moved across the room to wash his face. The water he poured from the pitcher was cold, and he enjoyed the brisk splash.

Mosley shifted near the fireplace, but he did not wake. As Sam looked over at Shalee, Bassorine, the God of War, appeared out of nothing, standing next to the bed. Startled, Sam watched the god look down at the sleeping woman and whispered, “I was wondering when you’d show up.”

Bassorine turned from Shalee and walked toward Sam. “There’s no need to whisper. The others can’t hear us. This conversation will remain between us. I’m here to understand your mind and inform you of the situation regarding the Crystal Moon. This would be a gratuitous series of moments in which to ask any question you may have.”

“Finally!” Sam sighed, taking note of the god’s interesting use of the phrase, gratuitous series of moments. “My thoughts are scattered in many directions. I’ve never had a hard time focusing like this.”

Bassorine nodded. “I’m sure your mind feels cursed since you’re no longer in control of your environment.”

“You can say that again. I hate this.”

“Hate is a waste of an emotion. Perhaps you channel your thoughts and ask your questions.”

“Okay, okay. Here it goes. I would like to know how I know you. Have we met before? When I read the symbols on your statue, I was able to understand their meaning. Why? I even understood a portion of the language the griffin, Soresym, spoke. Again, I ask why?”

Bassorine walked back to the bed. He leaned over and caressed Shalee’s cheek. “Your questions will require lengthy