6. Annani

6

ANNANI

A fter sending Kian the thumbs up, Annani instructed her Odus on what to prepare for lunch and took a moment to think about Morelle's talent.

She had never heard of such a power. None of the gods she had known could nullify another's power, but then they could not use their other talents on fellow gods either. They could only use them on immortals and humans.

It suddenly occurred to her that since not all gods were equal, it was possible that royals might be able to use their powers over commoners.

Things were different on Anumati, though. The Eternal King could compel the entire planet, other gods could read the minds of their fellow gods, and the rare duos like Aru and Aria could communicate telepathically.

Still, her grandmother had never mentioned that in any of their nightly talks, so perhaps that was not the case, or maybe it was such an obvious thing to her that she had not thought it was worth mentioning.

Could Annani compel Aru, Negal, and Dagor because they were commoners?

Should she even suggest testing her hypothesis?

It seemed offensive, and she would rather not do that, but she was curious, and knowing herself, it would gnaw at her until she got an answer. It would be much simpler to ask her grandmother tonight.

For now, though, she should put it aside and call Ell-rom. He needed to join them for lunch and be there for Morelle while she was being tested.

"Good morning," he answered immediately. "Did you hear anything from Morelle?"

"Not from Morelle herself, but from Kian. He texted me a few minutes ago that they are on their way back and that it seems Morelle's talent is the nullification of other paranormal talents. Kian has invited several people with different abilities to join us for a late lunch so Morelle's ability can be tested under various conditions. I thought you would want to be here to witness it and also to enjoy a meal with the family."

There was a moment of silence on the other end. "Morelle can nullify other talents?" He sounded both surprised and excited. "If she can nullify my ability, that would be a huge relief for me."

"I do not know how her talent works. Kian's text did not elaborate. But if you join us for lunch, you will find out together with Morelle and the rest of us."

He hesitated. "I really want to be there for Morelle, but I don't want to leave Jasmine. For some reason, I have a feeling she's going to wake up today, and I don't want her to open her eyes and find herself alone in this room."

"Oh?" Annani sat up straighter. "What makes you think today is the day?"

"I'm not sure," he admitted. "I just woke up this morning expecting to see her eyes open. I actually jumped up from my cot to look at her, but it hasn't happened yet."

"How long have you had this feeling?" Annani knew better than to dismiss premonitions.

"Just since this morning." His voice held a mixture of hope and uncertainty. "Perhaps I'm just impatient. It has been so long, and Bridget keeps saying that Jasmine is doing great and still growing taller, and it just makes sense that she should wake up any moment now."

"Never doubt your instincts," Annani said. "I have learned to listen to my gut over the millennia, and it has never steered me wrong. If you believe that today is the day, Jasmine will wake up soon. Stay with her."

"I feel terrible." He sighed. "I should be there for Morelle while she's discovering her ability."

"You are exactly where you need to be." Annani pushed to her feet and started pacing. "You and Morelle are no longer alone, and you are not each other's only support. You have a sister and an entire clan caring for you. I will be here for Morelle while you take care of Jasmine."

"Thank you." He sighed in relief. "I'm so grateful for everything you've done for us."

"And I am grateful for having you and Morelle in my life. Your arrival was one of the greatest gifts the Fates have bestowed on me. Now focus on your mate, and I will keep you updated about Morelle's testing."

"Thank you. I will call you if anything changes over here."

"Please do. I am keeping my proverbial fingers crossed."

Only after ending the call did Annani wonder if Ell-rom knew what crossing her fingers meant. He had learned so much since waking up, but there was still so much he did not know, and many phrases did not translate well into Kra-ell.

When she spotted the golf cart approaching, Annani did not wait for her Odus to open the door and announce her family's arrival. Instead, she went to the door herself, opening it just as Morelle was climbing out.

Her sister's face showed signs of fatigue, but the moment her eyes landed on Annani, a smile spread over her face, and she walked straight into her arms, hugging her with careful gentleness. "Did you hear?" she asked.

"Yes." Annani smiled, holding her close. "This is a remarkable gift."

Morelle pulled back slightly, searching Annani's face. "Really? I was thinking about what it could mean on the way home, and I realized that it wasn't much. Most immortals don't have unique paranormal talents for me to nullify."

Annani took her sister's hand and led her to the living room. "Every power has its purpose and a place in the balance of things. Your talent will prove valuable. I have no doubt."

Kian and Brandon, who had walked in behind them, murmured their agreement.

"It depends on many factors, but we will know more once the second round of testing is done," Kian added as he looked at his watch. "I'll let you rest until lunch, and I'll come back at two o'clock."

Annani put a hand on his arm. "Are you sure you want to leave only to come back in an hour?"

If her home office were available, she would have offered it to him, but it had been converted to guest quarters, and she knew that Kian would not want to work from her bedroom, sitting on her pink swivel chair and putting his papers on her tiny white desk.

"My house is right next door, and I have a fully equipped office there." He leaned and kissed her cheek. "Take care of Morelle," he whispered. "I think she's disappointed with her talent."

"Do not worry." Annani patted his arm. "I will take good care of her."