Blessed by Sapphires (A Dance with Destiny Book 2) (30 page)

“Ugh, I hate demon slime. And now it drips from my lovely wing,” I complained. “Tell me. Are you all quite finished now? Or shall we continue our little dance?”

One by one the demons attacked. And one by one, the demons fell. Until only Cashiel, Jago, and I remained.

I almost felt bad killing Decimus. He seemed so lost and confused by the chaos. But a
new
demon is still a demon.

“If you’ve been practicing your fake religion for thousands of years, why have the Vanir received no summonses against you?”

“We have met the Vanir many times,” Jago said. “They punish but never kill.”

I laughed at his words. “Ahh, so it was one of my brothers who claimed your wings.”

“Your brothers? You are no Vanir,” Cashiel spat. “You have no right to our judgments.”

“You didn’t seem too concerned about rights when it was
my
life you meant to take.”

“We are not demons and you are not Vanir. You’ll not have such an easy time with
us
,” Jago threatened.

“No, I am not Vanir. I’m God’s executioner. And your hair gave
you
away, Jago. I knew you to be an Angel without using my tongue. Yet, I am curious. Tell me. What were you the Guardian
of
, anyway?”

“That’s none of your concern. If you know us to be Angels, then you know you cannot kill us,” Jago boasted. “Only another Angel may claim that honor.”

“Ahh, but the night is dark and full of magic, my good friend. And my husband yet lives within me.” I winked at him then. “I believe I can manage.”

“What lie is this? Whose name do you claim?” Jago spat.

“I claim only mine own, sir. And you will meet my loving husband in but a breath.”

I sliced off Jago’s head as I tore out his heart. His body fell to ash and blew away.

I turned to face Cashiel. “You have destroyed many beautiful souls, Angel, and led countless others astray.”

“Give me your lover’s name,” he demanded.

“Under one condition.” I approached the broken old Angel, placing my hand upon his shoulder.

“Then speak it,” he said.

“Tell my loving Vindicus I miss him. And make sure you kneel before him and use his proper name when you say…
Apollyon, Prince of Darkness, I am a gift from your loving wife
.”

Horror filled his ancient eyes a split second before his ashes were carried away… and I entered the clouds once more.

Chapter 40

Byzantha

(bye-ZAN-thah)

Once I’d left the carnage of that arena on layer seven, Praetoria, I entered the stomach-churning clouds and let faith lead my wings yet again. They carried me to Byzantha, the realm of layer two.

Walking through that darkened forest, I realized…
I’ve never been to Byzantha before. I’ve only ever heard the rather colorful stories Vinika has shared with me about this place.

My dear friend and sister Vanir had been here many times and had meticulously described the enchanting forest I now walked through. The orange moss covering the northern side of the ancient trees. The glowing rainbow-colored toadstools growing in large clumps scattered about the forest floor. And the pulsing silver veins running throughout the massive tree trunks, extending all the way to the spidery tips of every leaf. I knew
exactly
where I was.

How can the forest be so dark and feel so cold… when all this amazing color and life are vibrantly flourishing within?

Vinika told me how the moss closed in on itself when touched and how the pretty toadstools shrank back from even the slightest breath. It was true, all of it. Barely touching the fuzzy orange growth caused it to collapse inward, and the mushrooms reminded me of when I was a child playing with snails… the way their eyes would sink down into their head and then extend right back up.

One thing she’d failed to mention, and I find that odd in itself, was the music. Not only were the fauna and flora extremely shy, they screamed at me. They had no voice. Yet each touch brought with it a strange, eerie note. Touching four mushrooms, one at a time, I was met with four different notes. The smaller fungi produced a higher, tinkling sound… while the larger ones had a deeper, richer tune to play. When I touched all four in unison, it was like a tiny symphony. The toadstools were as a piano, the moss a flute, and the tree trunks were definitely the percussion section.

I tried to remember my lessons from school, but it was useless. I was horrible with music back then and my talent, or lack thereof, hadn’t mysteriously developed any.

I wonder what the leaves sound like.

I flew to the glowing canopy to sate my curiosity. Just as I had expected, tinkling brass bells.

How could Vinika have left something as amazing as musical plants out of her description?

I placed my palm against the ancient trunk. The deep humming ran up my arm, pulsating through my insides. Two palms doubled the effect, so I wrapped my arms around it as far as I could. The drumming throbbed within me, vibrating my bones. The glorious drums pounded in my ears. I ran one hand down and across the soft moss, a melodic flute joined in my magical concert. I was smiling so big my cheeks hurt.

All I needed to figure out now was how to touch everything at once; the tree, the leaves, the moss, and the mushrooms. I just had to find a place where I could reach them
all
at the same time. No easy feat, since the trees were so tall.

And that’s exactly what I was pondering when I felt a gentle rub against my thigh.

Looking down, I was shocked to see a giant cat nuzzling my leg. I mean, this thing was
huge
. I could have easily ridden him. I didn’t
try
, no, but I’m certain I could have. My heart skipped a couple of beats and I’m almost positive I stopped breathing. I was frozen, terrified… until I felt and
heard
his pleasing, rhythmic purring. When I released my held breath, it gushed as a wave.

Of course he’s not ferocious. How could he be? If your intentions are to eat someone, you wouldn’t normally start out by loving on them, begging to be petted.
At least, that’s what I kept telling myself.

His purring and nuzzling increased. I sat down on my bottom and he curled up in my lap, well, as much of him as could possibly
fit
in my lap. I wanted to hold this giant kitty. But since he was larger than any dog, it was a rather impossible task. I stroked his soft fur. He closed his eyes, lazily swishing his long tail.

“Wow… You are beautiful.” My hand glided out the length of his body. “Where did you come from, Kitty? Never have I seen a chocolate-colored cat before, makes me want to gobble you up.” I giggled then. “You must be one of a kind, a rare beauty. Who do you belong to?” I was stroking his silky side with one hand and scratching him under the chin with the other. “There’s no way a friendly guy like you is feral. Do you live near here? Are you hungry, Kitty?” I chuckled. “Seems cats are always up for a bit of milk or a juicy bite of fish. Is that it, Kitty? Did you get my attention because you need me to go fishing for you?”

I wasn’t expecting an answer, and of course, he didn’t provide one. I snorted out a chuckle as I sat there on the warm earth, stroking that magnificent feline while looking around… trying to determine the best place to play the flowery recital I’d been pondering prior to the arrival of my new fur-friend.

“There are some leaves close enough to neighboring trunks. I could fly up and do that part easily enough. But the moss only grows closer to the ground. And there’s just no way to touch a leaf and a mushroom at the same time.”

The cat slowly opened his glistening brown eyes, gazing at me, completely uninterested.

“I do so want to hear all four at the same time, Kitty. Perhaps there’s a sapling closer to the forest’s edge. I don’t see one this far in. That might work. If I could find a sapling with leaves I can reach while standing upon the ground, but… I didn’t notice the moss or toadstools until I walked deeper within.”

I sighed and leaned back against the tree. The drumming resonated through me. I began bobbing my head to the hypnotic beat. Reaching back, I rubbed the moss while I stretched out my other arm and barely touched a tiny purple mushroom.

I giggled. The cat just stared at me.

“Have you ever heard the whole symphony at once, Kitty?”

He only continued to purr in response.

“I want to experience the entire concert. Surely people have done it before. If only Vinika were here now.”

I quit talking and lay down beside my comforting new friend, burying my fingers in his luxurious fur, continuing to glide my hand along the length of his sleek side. I kept my lower back against the tree so I wouldn’t lose the relaxing beat of the vibrating drums as the sun slowly set on another eventful day. With the rhythmic sway of the tree, combined with the warm humming purrs of my new friend, I was soon lulled into a magically blissful sleep.

The first rays of a new dawn caused me to stir.

“Good morrow, my angelic friend.” His words rolled over his tongue, a verbal purr.

I blinked twice and stretched my arms before closing my eyes, curling back into a cozy ball. “Good morning, Kitty.” I yawned out my words. “I dreamt you could talk.”

“Do all your dreams come true, Ajená?”

I sat up quickly, banging my head against the tree trunk. Drums echoed through my addled mind.

“Did you just speak? For real?” I was holding his cheeks in my hands, forcing him to look at me.

The cat kept his warm brown eyes fixed on me, only meowing by way of response.

I rubbed the side of my throbbing head. “Stupid dreams,” I grumbled.

I yawned, stretched again, and took in the sheer beauty of this magical realm.

“I like it here, Kitty. I wouldn’t mind staying for a while. I have nowhere else to be right now.” I rolled my head to either side, listening to the bones in my neck pop. “Be nice to have a cup of tea, though.”

“It’s strange you can hear the music. Only a select few born of this world can hear nature’s symphony. And you were definitely
not
born of this world.”

I spun around to find the owner of the seemingly disembodied voice. There was only me… and the cat.

“That was no dream. You
did
speak.” I put my face down close to his, our noses almost touching. “Do it again,” I whispered.

The cat only meowed and swished his long tail across the lovely orange moss. I heard the melodic flutes once more.

“Oh, Kitty! You can do it too.” I was way more excited than a grown woman should be.

The cat meowed and lazily swished his tail across a nearby patch of mushrooms. A plethora of notes rang through the quiet forest.

I giggled and clapped my hands. “That’s perfect, Kitty. You just keep doing what you’re doing. I’ll join in with the leaves and trees.”

Without even considering the fact I was talking to a cat, I shot up to the canopy. Lying upon a large drumming limb, I whimsically touched the silver veined leaves. First one, then another, then many, and back to just one again. The harmonious tune rippled through every cell of my being. Over and over, the magical orchestra played on.

Eventually I floated back down, coming to rest beside my furry maestro.

I blissfully sighed. “That was more beautiful than Angels singing.” Kitty nuzzled my shoulder and I wrapped my arms around his soft neck. “Perhaps I’ve found my place in this universe after all. What more could I wish for than an enchanting forest, magical music, and a beautiful new friend? Simply divine. Now, if I only had a teapot.” I laughed and ran my hands down his soft back.

“Do that again, Ajená. I love the way it feels.”

I jumped just a little, startled again by the fact he was actually
speaking
… but I slowly relaxed.

Scratching him under the chin, I looked straight into his warm brown eyes. “I met a talking dog once. He was horrible, vile. Threatened to make a meal out of me, he did.”

“Fret not, Ajená,” he purred. “There are no dogs on Byzantha.”

“Are you a cat only, or will you turn into a person? I’ve learned the hard way… most things are not as they seem. Just stay my kitty. Okay?” I rubbed our cheeks together. “I no longer like surprises. The thrill has lost its flavor, you might say.”

“Ajená,” he purred, nuzzling my hand. “Scratch me just a little more to the right and I will show you.”

I did as he asked. He let out a low warning meow an instant before he pounced on me, pushing me to the ground.

I berated myself.
I should’ve known. Dammit. Why am I always so stupid?

My beautiful new fur-friend was gone and a grown man lay on top of me.

“Ajená, why did you do that?” he asked, rather perturbed.

His long brown hair fell down around me. It was a few shades darker, yet matched his chocolate-colored skin perfectly. But his eyes hadn’t changed. The pupils rounded out a bit, yes, but these were the same eyes I’d only just been looking into.

“Be-because you told… you
told
me to.”

“Ajená.” There was a low rumble in his chest and he rolled his eyes. “My words were meant as play. It was but jest.” He stared at me for a moment and then snorted. “Never mind. You are as a child, little flower.”

He turned his head slightly and I noticed the strange markings on his temples, much darker than was his skin. I looked down to see that they were on his neck and chest as well.

“What are you doing?” He sort of growled at me. “Don’t look down! You forced my change, Ajená. Close your eyes,” he demanded.

I did as I was told.

“Keep them shut and turn your back. Do not move until I tell you. Do you understand me, Ajená?”

“Yes, Kitty.”

“My name is Syadar.”

“Yes, Syadar. It’s nice to meet you. My name is Jenevier.”

My words were only met with silence. I stayed there, curled up on my side on the forest floor, eyes closed. Several minutes later, I heard a voice call out.

“You can open your eyes now, Ajená.”

I sat up slowly, turning to see the brown man with flowing chocolate hair approaching me, fastening some brown pants that were
almost
the same color as his skin. I giggled.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Because you still look naked.”

He plopped down beside me, resting back on one elbow. “Did you peek?”

“No, I did not.”

“Then how do you know what I look like naked?”

“I only meant your pants are very near the same color as your skin.”

“Do you wish to see me naked, Ajená?”

I blushed brightly and looked down at the fallen foliage surrounding my bare feet. “N-no, I do not.”

He laughed. It was a soft, warm, very feline-ish laugh. “Then why did you scratch me like that, Ajená?”

He yanked on one of my curls and I turned back to him.

“Because you told me to, Syadar. And my name is Jenevier.”

He smiled. “I heard you the first time.”

“Why did you tell me to scratch you if you knew what would happen?”

“Perhaps it was in jest, perhaps not. Perhaps I
wanted
you to see me naked, Ajená.”

He rolled all his R’s and that made
perhaps
come out sounding more like
purrrhaps
.