Children of Sun (Oracle's Legacy)

by R. B. Holbrook

  "Well?" Arthur sat on the edge of his seat with knots in his stomach.

  "Moon."

  The phone slipped from Arthur's hand as the word swirled in his head. House of Moon. House Moon. Moon. What were the implications? What did this mean? Fire Eye had ties to Moon? Fire Eye … had ties to … This could not be.

  This could work.

  Arthur snapped out of it as he scrambled for the phone.

  "Sir, hello? Sir?"

  "Elliot, listen. I need you to call Sebastian Crenshaw of House Blade. Set up a meeting. Tell him it's an urgent matter."

  "Are you sure, sir?"

  "Absolutely. And keep an eye on River." Arthur felt his plan was going far better than he could have anticipated. If Mary didn't lead him to what he wanted, Blade could bring it to him. Beautiful.

  ()()()

  13

  Heart of Gold, somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean

  The attendants had set her belongings in the room hours ago, but Ollie didn't unpack. She needed to be prepared for anything. Every nerve in her body was on edge. No matter what Geo had said, it wasn't going to be okay. Why the hell had she agreed to this confinement?

  "Damn, damn, damn."

  As she paced in the room, realization tapped on her shoulder. She hated being on this floating island with no escape. That was why he had suggested it: to limit her escape options. Granger had said that if they needed anything, they should just ask one of the attendants, but that didn't include a motorboat or helicopter. An empty helicopter pad sat above the bridge, so Granger had a helicopter, but he must've had it flown away to keep her from trying to use it. She didn't know how to fly it; however, someone on this rig did, and she would definitely kidnap them if need be. Ellis could fly it, but without using her powers on him, there was no way to convince him to fly it for her.

  The motorboat that was on the lowest deck to the loading dock was off limits, and he probably had the key in his briefs to keep her from looking for it. She wouldn't mind looking for it if he did have it on himself.

  Damn. Damn.

  He and Geo had thought of everything. But Ollie would figure it out. No more sitting on her hands. It was driving her out of her own skin.

  Mary Alexander and anyone else annoying her was bound to cross her path sooner rather than later, if Ollie could figure out how. But that wouldn't work if Granger was too busy paying attention. She had a clue that he and Geo had already agreed to keep an eye on her. Which meant he was probably monitoring her thoughts as well. Damn soul possessor. Damn Geo. They were better friends than she'd thought.

  When her phone rang, she stopped pacing to answer it.

  "Hel--"

  Heavy breathing came over the line.

  Him again? "Listen, demon-ass, you've been calling me a lot lately. This is getting old fast. So unless you want to show your ugly-ass face, I suggest you find your hard-on somewhere else."

  His laughter made her skin crawl.

  "I love your spunk," he said. "I have a message for you, my little caged rat."

  "What?"

  "Devil's Trill says that if Ellis doesn't do the job, I get to."

  "Really? So he foresaw some great scheme on my part, did he?" Ollie wondered where he was calling from. If he was nearby, it be easy to hunt him down and kill him.

  "You become the very threat we fear."

  "Good, then I get to finally meet you."

  "You really sound thrilled."

  "More than thrilled, you sick prick. Because when I'm finished watching you shit yourself, I'm going to pluck out your eyes so you can stop spying on me. And then I'm going to feed them to you as you scream--"

  "And you call me sick," he hang up.

  Well, that was a first. She was the one who usually hung up on him. Had she finally gotten under his skin? Hell, yeah.

  Feeling better, Ollie left the room to see what kind of trouble she could get in and maybe find a way off the boat.

  ()()()

  Granger sat on a lounge chair, looking out over the moving surface of the ocean, hoping his mind would clear. This war was going to get far more attention than it deserved. Bethea Smoking Shaman hadn't been an active Oracle for the past seventy-five years, and it had to do with the peace and stillness between the Houses, the first peace for more than one thousand years. Conflict was still underlying, but it was nothing worth her pulling out her power.

  Now that conflict was rising and causing problems, would she respond? And what about her earlier words? The news she had delivered to him kept hammering in his head.

  Moon was wronged, and the House that now lies in the shadows is the one to carry the Structure.

  Carry the Structure? How would they do that when there were millions in the Structure and only thousands in Moon? They were almost extinct.

  They were once known as the House of Octarchy. Did you know that? I wonder, why were they named that? Why get rid of the smallest and least powerful House in the entire system, if they held no threat?

  Though everyone in the Structure knew the history behind Moon, the way she put the questions made Granger want to dig and see the answers for himself. She had even laughed at him.

  You deal with Moon on so many levels, earned their trust like so few have, and yet you do not truly know the House's nature. Do not worry. It will soon come to light. And she will be the torch to show you the way.

  Ollie. The damn troublemaker had to be that very torch the Oracle was talking about. No doubt lay in his mind. None. Every nerve of his had tingled the moment she had thanked him for watching after their Moon. Though he couldn't find proof in the memories he'd gained from Ollie, so far there was never any mention of what House she belonged to. It was always assumed that since Ellis was Sun, so was she. Now he wasn't so sure.

  "You are thinking so hard, you did not even notice my approach, Augustus. What has your mind, I wonder?" The East Indian accent brought Granger back onto the boat as Arjun sat in the lounge chair next to him.

  "Arjun," Granger greeted him.

  "I see you are bothered by something. Deeply so. And it must weigh heavily if you, my friend, did not seek me out."

  "I didn't know if you would give me the truth I seek or the answers I can find anywhere." He looked at his mentor quietly.

  "Hmm." Arjun frowned, clearly concerned. "Have I ever given you reason to question?"

  "That's just it. I've been to the Temple of Enlightenment and read the archives myself, but recently I've heard words that make me question the things I have learned. Not that you would lie to me, but clearly you couldn't give me the answers to my questions if you have learned the same things I have. Correct?"

  Arjun's silence unsettled him. Damn.

  "Arjun?"

  "I know many things, Augustus. You know this. But many of the things I know cannot be proven through research. No evidence or irrefutable proof. Therefore, why give you stories? I can only speak the truth about the tangible."

  "Because, Arjun, you see the past as it was. You know the true history."

  "But have nothing you can hold. While my words may be enough for some, they will not be enough for you."

  Granger understood. Arjun would never give him any information until Granger was ready, especially if Arjun had nothing to back up his claims. Arjun was a historian, able to see into the past. It was a power that was as useful as it was complicated. While he could see events when they had taken place, no one else could. And for most, seeing was believing. He could document all of his visions, chronicle the past, but if he did not have hard evidence, artifacts, something to prove his visions, then they were not considered accurate in the Structure.

  Granger knew better. "Then I will listen to what you have to say, and form my own thoughts."

  "Very well. What is your question?"

  "Tell me about the history of House Moon. The real history and the real reason they are no longer a part of the Structure."

  Arjun laughed. "There is no House Moon. There never was."


  "What?" Granger grew angry at Arjun's condescension. He stood up to leave.

  "I speak the truth," Arjun said sternly. "Sit and listen, my pupil, as you said you would."

  Granger stood there, momentarily wondering if he was truly ready to hear Arjun's words.

  "Have you never wondered why such a small, insignificant House posed a threat powerful enough to be hunted down like prey?" His words were much like the Oracle's.

  "Actually, I have, after the Oracle pointed out that very thing."

  "I see. You spoke with her." Arjun's jaw slacked. "Indeed, you have achieved something most cannot. I am in awe." He smiled. "Then why did she not tell you herself?"

  "She only posed the questions. She gave me no answers."

  "Hmmm, then it is because she wanted you to seek the truth yourself. And here you are."

  Granger was starting to see a grim reality. The truth wasn't always food that was easy to swallow.

  "Why not ask your Moon contacts?" Arjun smiled knowingly.

  "You know as well as I do that they are close-mouthed. They don't even show pride in being Moon."

  "And yet they protect each other like family. Upholding a code that is as old as the House itself. Why is that?"

  Yes, why was that? Moon had a strict code that they honored and made those they dealt with uphold. They had a sense of honor that some would consider sacred. However, they would deny their titles, having no claim to Moon. Even more interesting was that they would rather hide in the shadows than stand up for themselves.

  "They are very secretive. That would explain why they do not acknowledge themselves as Moon," Granger reasoned.

  "Or could it be … they are not Moon at all."

  Again? Why did Arjun persist in telling him that Moon did not exist when Granger dealt with them on a day-to-day basis? "Then who are they?"

  "A nameless, faceless entity. An entity whose reach is far wider than your own. And I fear that my words may carry to them. But I will tell you what I know and what they may not approve of."

  Whatever his mentor had to say might be the very reason Granger didn't like dealing with Moon on some levels. They were not the kind to sit back and let their secrets slip without repercussions. Those who crossed the House (or whatever they were) ended up missing. Dead.

  "Why aren't they considered a House?" Granger asked.

  "The Structure considered Moon a House at one time. But they themselves never did. Let me explain." According to Arjun, when the Structure first began creating seals, they had to be designed based on how the type of energy each House possessed should be used properly. While enlightenment did require an understanding of the connection of oneself to all things, it also required knowledge of how internal energy worked. For instance, Flame's emotional energy was rooted in emotion. They needed to control their emotions and understand the emotions that fueled their energy, just as River had to understand their own spirits and the energy that flowed from them.

  Stone was the only energy that flowed from the outside, resembling the old ways more than any other House. Stone's energy was a process of cycling energy, letting external energy flow internally and then back out. Their enlightenment required a harmony of environment with internal energy. Breath was based on life energy, using an individual's life force to drive the powers and the knowledge of life to progress through enlightenment. Mental energy was the basis of Sun's powers, meaning that the mind was the central focus of the energy and the expansion of the mind was the door to enlightenment. Physical energy was at the root of Blade's power, in which respect of the body and its limits was paramount. And Heart could balance any or all of these energies to fuel their abilities; balance was very critical in their House--more critical than in any other House.

  Those were the original seven Houses, the only ones truly formed. However, there was a small group inside the Structure whose powers and enlightenment did not fit into any of the Houses. This was because their abilities were derived from dark energy, energy that came from the darker side of humanity--negative energy, sometimes destructive energy. Their enlightenment had to be far different from all the others.

  As he spoke, Arjun frowned in that way he always did when he had trouble reading the past. His brows drew together, his lips pursed, and his eyes lost focus. It was hard for him to see any more on their enlightenment. But he did note that they were considered misfits and outcasts because of the dark energy, until the first Oracle sought to make a use for them.

  Bringing them together, these misfits lived to serve the Oracle and only the Oracle. They were the Oracle's arms, legs, voice, and shadow. It was these individuals who were deemed worthy to choose the successor, because it was this group that knew more about the Oracle's position than any other. They were known as the Order of the Oracle. But later, when it was realized that Moon truly had power over the Structure, since they were the ones to choose the Oracle and train the Oracle for the benefit of the House, the Structure sought to give them a name.

  The first name given was the House of Oracle, and because the Oracle was considered the guiding light or shining sun of the Structure, some called them House of the Shining Sun. But there was already a House of Sun, so they were also considered House of the Second Sun. In some languages, Second Sun could translate into Night Sun or …

  "Moon." Granger sighed, beginning to see the picture.

  "Exactly. That was the name that stuck, because their powers are based on dark energy. Moon had many names but never took a seat in the Grand House. They refused to be anything more than what they were appointed for--to pick, train, protect, and serve the Oracle. They are the Order."

  Arjun brought his left hand to his chin, placing his right hand under his left elbow for support as he focused. His mind traveled to the past, and Granger's mind followed.

  More than three thousand years ago, when the Oracle Dietti had died from assassination, Moon was automatically blamed, because none of them had saved the Oracle, and it was presumed that they were the only ones able to get close enough to kill the Oracle. Some believed they had done it because they wanted the power for themselves; some believed they were trying to ruin the Structure. Most were not clear on whether they had actually committed the crime. But one thing was for sure: it had ruined Moon. Ever since, Moon had been hunted down for treachery. Soon after the witch-hunt for Moon began, the Grand House had implemented new rules and regulations for selecting candidates for the Oracle position. And the new rules had stuck. Because Moon had yet to be totally wiped out, Heart, who had always been Moon's connection to the rest of the Structure, continued to deal with Moon even after their persecution.

  And after the persecution?

  About one thousand years ago, Heart split down the middle, between those who wanted to use Moon to further their claim to power and those who wanted to continue to support Moon. The conflict escalated into a civil war, until the Oracle stepped in. The incident devastated Heart, staining their reputation within the Structure. But through continued secret involvement with Moon, they had grown back to a respectable place and had an inner loyalty that rivaled most Houses. Even with the constant manhunt, Moon, through, the years had prevailed.

  Granger sat silent. No words came to him. For all his learning, he had never known that Moon had been so important to the Structure. No one had. And the few who did were tight-lipped. "Why erase their history?"

  "It was their doing. They erased the truth. But I do not know why. I do not see everything, you know," Arjun said sadly. The truth was that Arjun was only a level-three, making his abilities as a historian powerful but still limited.

  "What about House of Octarchy? The Oracle said they were once called that."

  Arjun thought for a while. Granger noticed his brown eyes lightened, reaching into the past. It appeared that the Oracle was once known as the Great Octarchy, the voice of eight rulers, so it would make sense that they were known as the House of Octarchy. "I would have to look more into it," Arjun said, shaking his head. It
always put strain on him to reach farther into the past. It had to be buried very deep for him to look so tired all of a sudden. "I did see that your friend, the one you brought with you, may have answers that are far more accurate than mine."

  Granger sat up immediately. Ollie. Damn, she was the last person he wanted to talk to. Her presence made him uncomfortable and her smile even more so. She didn't have the ability to read him, yet she could see him so clearly. It was amazing how much he knew about her, and yet knew nothing at all. Why did she know so much about him? What about him fascinated her other than his goal of enlightenment? And why was she such a nuisance?

  "Speak of the devil." Granger looked toward the steps as he felt her approach. She came bounding up the steps with a grin on her face and immediately stopped in wonder, looking back and forth between he and Arjun as they stared at her.

  "Caesar, I thought we'd moved past this annoyed look you keep giving me."

  "Caesar?" Arjun laughed. "Now, why didn't I think of that?"

  Granger groaned. Only Ollie's annoying naming habits would gain notice and catch like a virus. "What do you want?"

  ()()()

  Ollie grinned as the two men stared her down. Arjun was a small man with short black hair, round brown eyes, and a big warm smile. He looked welcoming, unlike his pupil with the grim expression that could contend with Geo's looks of disapproval.

  "You mean you can't tell me?" she teased. He was far too serious to suit her.

  "You can ask any one of the attendants, and they could easily help you--"

  "Clearly you're not focused, so I'll indulge you. Ellis wants to cook dinner for you and your crew, in return for your hospitality, and your chef has a stick up his ass, refusing to let anyone into the kitchen," she explained to him.