The Stars Lie {Myrnin, Morganville Vampires}

Time & Memory

Chapter 34—Time & Memory

Claire

Claire slid onto the plush leather seat next to Amelie, wondering where they were headed as the car accelerated into motion. She waited for Amelie to begin.

"Tell me what happened."

"Which part," Claire asked quietly.

"All of it," Amelie demanded.

Resigned, Claire explained the events that led up to her argument with the stars and how very close she had come to killing herself. Her voice cracked and stuttered, as the emotions overtook her again.

Amelie spoke again, her eyes kinder. "Explain the science to me. How is it possible that we both remember him if he has stepped out of the past. Wouldn't that action have altered the previous events as we know them?"

"Six months ago, I would have agreed with you." Claire explained. "However, the information that Rhysian and I uncovered, while doing our research through the ancient texts, implies a completely different theory. One, that I think, was just proven correct."

Amelie tilted her head, "Continue..."

"Time and memory are not intrinsically linked. It is why you remember your interaction with Myrnin even though he left his timeline in 1759, and technically, hasn't been back since. Traditional theory about time travel would conclude, all memories of people he interacted with, would disappear. But that is not the case."

"Our consciousness, the area in our brain where memories are stored is not inherently depleted of those memories by a change in the timeline. Our consciousness is bigger than that. Instead, they are additive."

"When I met him in 1409, it caused a split in his consciousness – because no matter how hard he tried, the odds of him reenacting every piece of his history the same way as before are impossible. This Myrnin, in essence, has a clean slate; all new potential."

"Anyone that interacted with him before and again, now, will remember both – but he won't. He will only remember the memories he makes, going forward. However, those memories are added to his oldest consciousness – his future self. And they are added to us. Not taken away. With one exception: the time portals."

"Traveling through the time portals can and does erase memories. I believe it is nature's way of trying to correct the balance that is lost when using the time portals in the first place. But we have no way of predicting which memories will be stripped away. For now, it appears to be random; however it is not a science that can be accurately studied, when the subject matter is so specific."

Amelie asked, "And, what of this Myrnin? How well do you know him?"

"Only what my Myrnin shared with me. Stories. Bits and pieces of his history. His mother..."

Amelie stopped her in surprise, "He told you about his mother?"

"Um...yes." Claire sniffed, still trying to control the rebellious tears trickling down her cheeks. "He told me how she died..." Claire stopped, remembering the anguish in his eyes. She continued with just a whisper. "And, how he avenged her..."

Amelie murmured, "He must have loved you." Then louder, "Oliver believes he is dangerous."

Claire's anxiety spiked; she wasn't sure where Amelie was taking this. "What do you believe?"

Amelie answered, "I am not one hundred percent certain it will be safe in Morganville with him here."

"Why?" Claire asked cautiously.