The Protector of Memories (The Veil of Death Book 1) Read Online Free Page A

neglect your children_.”
    A terracotta vat shattered; pieces of it and its contents erupted and splashed all over Hope’s hair and face.
    Silence descended in the room for but a couple of minutes.
    Then laughter erupted at the sight of Hope awash with the staining of red wine.
    She shrugged – wiped her fingers down her cheek. “Waste not, want not.” she said and took a hefty swig from one of the wine bottles before tidying the mess of broken terracotta pieces and spilled wine.
    When that had been done, she set more bottles of wine upon the wooden counter that ran the length of the left hand side of the room.
    “Is everybody happy!” she shouted and placed more bottles of wine, boxes of crisps and packets of peanuts on the wooden barrels.
    “Yes!” A mass of voices shouted out.
    “Keep the wines flowing and we will be!” A man’s voice shouted, followed by the volume of the music, singing and laughter rising.
    Hope looked about her and her heart soared with happiness at the sight of the energies of joy, laughter and merriment that was shining within all the auras of the mortals. This is what life was all about.
    She mingled with her friends and did what she did best: Listened to those who were never heard; laughed with those that needed to hear the sound of laughter, and offered words of encouragement, inspiration and confidence to those who were in short supply.
    Hope then made her way back around the counter, poured herself another glass of wine and decided not to worry too much about her mortality; besides, nothing had actually changed; she had the sighting of the auras and her friends cared not as to the age of her skin.
    Wondering now as to how her sisters had faired from the severance of their Unity, Hope retrieved her phone from the shelving and listened to the message that Faith had left.
    “Thank the stars,” Hope whispered in relief at the news that Faith could still see the auras and ghosts.
    And then her heart soared ever further when she heard that Faith was coming to visit her home.
    It had been a few mortal weeks since she had seen either Faith or Charity.
    When they each had stepped out of their frozen state, they had been caught up within a whirl of Earth’s life.
    Charity had found fame & fortune.
    Faith had discovered comfort within the company of ghosts and she – Hope - had found the company of those who loved to live for the endless supply of music, love, song, dance and wine.
    “We have a cause to celebrate.” Hope shouted into the room and was awash with the feeling of relaxation now that the severance was finally over. It was the waiting… she had known the fate that was to befall her, but she did not know when. The severance from the Universe was tortuous enough but being an earthling… yet not really being one - well that was just… cruel.
    Hope laughed aloud and intended to do what she had been instructed to do. “Rejoice!” Hope shouted and collected bottles of wine from the endless supply that she had stored behind the counter, along the walls of the hallway, up the stairs (those that had steps still upon them), in the kitchen, bathroom and other rooms that occupied the floor above her.
    When she had done that, she topped up her own glass of wine and drank it down in one gulp and set about the task of collecting up the latest batch of emotional energies that weighed the heaviest. If I can see the auras then I must still be able to contain them?
    But when Hope reached out and touched the energy of sadness that was accumulating within the room, it fizzled upon impact. “Oh but the joy of all things,” she whispered and held on tight to the edge of the counter at the sight of the acidity created from bitterness eroding that of kindness. Hope tried to touch their energies but these too fizzled and bounced back onto the person who had created them in the first instance.
    “My abilities are equal to that of you all. I am now a real human being.” She said to the man who