Oracle's Moon (Elder Races #4)(62)

He shook with the urge to contain it, to keep it hidden from Soren’s too perceptive gaze. Djinn understood that knowledge was power, but it was also dangerous. They played a game of truth, balance and forfeit for a reason. The light of epiphany was a flame that burned like no other. He didn’t know all that he and Grace might share or how far they could take this unique new terrain that lay between them. He didn’t know. And the need to know drove him beyond anything.

He would coax out of her everything she had to give. He would finally understand the mystery of what it meant to be flesh to flesh while sharing the indescribable passion of spirit to spirit.

Silence had fallen. Outside the ocean murmured. Quiet Elven voices sounded in conversation from the other guesthouse. From the villa itself came the sudden, startling peal of Carling’s laughter.

“You wished to speak of something,” Soren said at last.

Khalil gathered his composure and his thoughts together. He told Soren of hearing the voice in Grace’s vision. He took his time, careful to impart every detail and impression, and Soren did not rush him. Finally Khalil fell silent.

“‘Not form but Form, a prime indivisible,’” Soren repeated. The elder Djinn had grown intent, his entire focus on Khalil’s tale. “And ‘all things were set in motion from the beginning.’ Those are the Primal Powers.”

The Elder Races honored seven gods, the Primal Powers that were the linchpins of the universe. Taliesin, the god of the Dance, was first among the Primal Powers because everything in the universe was in motion. Then there was Azrael, the god of Death; Inanna, the goddess of Love; Nadir, the goddess of the depths or the Oracle; Will, the god of the Gift; Camael, the goddess of the Hearth; and Hyperion, the god of Law.

“That seems logical,” said Khalil. “But it sounded to me as if this voice claimed that Lord Death was not a Primal Power but a part of…it, whatever it is. And it also talked of Cuelebre as though he is a Primal Power. Your memory goes back to the beginning of the world. Have you ever heard of such a thing?”

Soren spread his hands. “I have not. But I do not remember the beginning of the world. To remember that, I would have to have existed before the world did. I do not know that any of us who came first remember that. As far as I have ever heard, we only remember coming into a new world. If the Great Beast is indeed a Primal Power, as your voice said, he would remember the beginning of the world.”

Cuelebre—a god? Khalil wanted to scoff at the idea, but he found that he couldn’t. The idea was too disturbing. “Do you believe such a thing is possible?”

Soren gave him an indecipherable glance. “It is more accurate to say I do not believe it is impossible. It is a curious thing, that the older one becomes and the more knowledge one acquires, the more one realizes what a mystery the universe is, after all.”

“Whatever the reality may be, the speaker believes it,” Khalil said grimly. “And it believes it is also a Primal Power.”

“It is also quite possible that the speaker is entirely insane,” Soren pointed out. “With your permission, I will pass word of this occurrence on discreetly to others to see what they may think.”

Khalil spread out a hand. “Be my guest,” he said. “Grace thinks the vision came for Cuelebre, but I heard it too.”

“In the meantime,” Soren said, “it turns out that you taking an active role in the Oracle’s life is the wisest course after all. I think it is smart to befriend her and coax her into growing comfortable with your presence. Forgive me. I should not have voiced any concern about your involvement with her until I heard everything you had to tell me.”

Khalil remained silent. He had no desire to confess anything to Soren regarding his own newfound need and growing struggle. Soren might feel obligated to approach the other elders of their House to voice his concerns, and Khalil would not risk that.

Djinn could be imprisoned. Lethe had imprisoned Phaedra. Even the most Powerful of Djinn could be imprisoned if enough of his fellow creatures joined in the effort. A serious thing to consider at any time, imprisonment was an especially terrible thing to do to the folk of the air.

He had heard of such a thing before, one group who took it upon themselves to imprison a Djinn who was in danger of falling. They held him prisoner until the object of his fascination died.

Khalil did not know what had happened to the Djinn after that.

He became aware of how late the evening had progressed. It was almost nine o’clock, and Louisville was on the same time as Key Largo. He frowned. He would have expected Grace to call him for their date by now.

He stood abruptly. “I must go.”

Soren nodded to him and reached for his book again. “I enjoyed seeing you again. Peace be with you, Khalil.”

“And you, father.”

Khalil released his physical form and arrowed toward Louisville and Grace’s house. As he came nearer, he noticed that her car was in the driveway but the lights in the house were off. Perhaps she had been too tired, and she had fallen asleep.

He entered the house quietly and checked from room to room. It was unoccupied, tidy and silent. Not even the fans were running. He frowned at the empty little beds in the children’s room. He disliked how the house felt without any of them present. By the time he had reached the narrow futon where Grace slept, his frown had turned into an agitated scowl.