Page 36 (1/2)

More of the canyon cliffs opposite fell away as the land rocked and shifted The wooden pews in the chapel burst into white-hot flame and burned to ashes in seconds "They arned"

Leas shaking now, and he fell to his knees in front of her, but his fists were clenched

"No," he gritted out "Let thehed, and it was the harsh, ripping sound of claws, the whisper of feathers, the roar of lions I was terrified, and so small, so very small before the power in this room

The power that Lewis still resisted

"I owe you nothing," the Mother said "You oweAnd I will have it in payment for pain"

"That’s what you want!" Lewis shouted, and so louder here, in this place, than hers "But I knohat you need!"

I had no idea how he could be doing this, talking to her--Imara was the only one who could have made that connection, amplified his voice to a level where it could be heard and understood by so as enorh huap The other Oracles couldn’t; even the Djinn couldn’t, without being destroyed

My daughter’s birth, her death, her raising as an Oracle--all of it was a plan A plan so vast, so coliedy of it choked me with tears This wasn’t the Mother’s plan

This was so, and just for a limpsed the hand of God

"Then what do I need?" the Mother hissed, and I heard a ain

Lewis didn’t hesitate, and I have no idea how e it took, how much fear he had to overco-close, and said, "You need me"

For the first tie of his Earth powers, andI’d ever felt before, from any Warden It was pure, animal seduction, and it came from a place in hi to her He was seducing her I felt the overwhel heat of it wash over me as a reflection, an echo, and I swayed on my knees and almost went down

This hatWardens This hy he’d been born in this age, so that he could stand here at this ti no other human on Earth could do

Remind the Earth that nature was more than tooth and claw, death and pain

"Hearjust a fraction above hers, his body radiating that passion "We are part of you Part of everything Heara little, side to side, and she swayed with hi aroundand falling in a red rain to pool around her bare feet

"I hear you," she said, and it was Imara’s voice, my voice, the Mother’s voice, the echo of ed wonder in it "I hear you"

"Then feel ht that exploded from them should have burned us alive, it was so purely white

Even with lare, I could see the two of the

David let out a sharp cry and got to his feet--not a cry of alarm, but one of triumph, of joy, of absolute relief

And all around him formed Djinn, the Djinn I had known, the ones I had never known, the ones who’d been my mortal enemies Venna came, and Rahel, dozens more, and more, andnot hite, but with a pure gold

The light slowly died at the front of the chapel, and Imara and Lewis collapsed to the floor She lay in a pale heap, hair covering her face, and as I watched the sand slip back over her in a whispering blanket, I knew she was still alive Still an Oracle

She opened her eyes, and sat up, staring down at herself--and at Lewis

He wasn’t rief ers on his cheek, very gently She looked up at one The flesh that lay there was empty, the soul taken

"No," I whispered, and all the barriers insidethat had never been seen by any human before--none who’d ever lived--and it had been shocking and , but in the end, all I could feel was that I’d lost hihtened his body, folded his arms, and stood over him She looked out at the Djinn and said, "You’re here to bear witness Say his name"

"Lewis," said a thunderous chorus of Djinn voices "Lewis Lewis"

And a shining beingI’d ever iels would weep to see hi heartbeats that I recognized his face, his body It was Lewis, perfected, the way David had been perfected

But Djinn Lewis shone with so much power that it couldn’t be contained in hiht fire around hile Djinn--New Djinn, Old--all of them went to their knees

I went, too,David’s face was blank, his eyes very bright, as he said, "He’s the Conduit All of us, together again One people, not two"

Lewis had replaced Jonathan, in ways that David and Ashan could not

I slowly stood up again, and Lewis’s attention fixed on ed at all, really

"Hey," I said "So--about huh me, she understands," Lewis told me His voice made me shiver, because it was like him and yet somehownot The seductive power he’d unleashed was still putting raw edges on hiether, though It’s a limited time offer"

I nodded, not sure what to say to him anymore David stood up next to ht," Lewis said "The Djinn will help clear the daside you We’re partners now The e should have been"

I clearedto take a lot of work to bring thehter "I can’t think of anyone I trust more to make that happen, Jo You, and your son"

Son

I put a hand over my stomach as lass s of the chapel filled in again The Djinn had to shuffle around as wooden pews replaced piles of ashes Creation, at the snap of his fingers

"Is she still awake?" I asked

"For now," he said "She’ll sleep soon But I think you’ll find thingsnow, heading off to their newly appointed tasks Outside the , the sky was a pure, perfect blue, with a few light clouds drifting high A bald eagle swooped low, so close its wings allass, and I wondered if it was the saas

I watched it soar away When I looked back down, Djinn Leas gone, and his silent, empty shell was all that was left