Protected by Emeralds (A Dance with Destiny Book 5) (40 page)

He lightly bumped her with his shoulder. “Then I guess I would just have to slay you. Rend your lovely soul and wing it to
him
instead.”

She snorted out a soft chuckle. “You tried to best me once, did you not? If I am recalling this correctly, you did not actually win that fight. What makes you think you could do so now? I have only grown stronger in these last many years.”

“And wiser,” he whispered.

She felt the soft tickle of a velvety flower glide down her arm. When she turned to find Apollyon holding out a rare blue rose for her, she could no longer contain the tears she had been trying so hard to keep at bay.

“Do you hate me now?”

“No, my love,” he whispered. “That is one power I fear I do not possess. Remember, little one, we are blended. I know what you know, feel what you feel.” He left a sweet kiss upon her forehead as she leaned over against him. “I have always known the depths of your hidden feelings for that vicious little Angel, felt it deep within your soul. Why do you think I was so jealous of him?” He smiled at her muffled chuckle. “Alas, I cannot say I am sorry for what has happened. Although I
am
sorry you are hurting because of it. When I could, and with every chance that arose, I kept him from you, Jenevier. Especially when you were minus your essence, when you were but an empty vessel.” He began to gently play with her curls. “Out of jealousy, yes. But also out of love… deep, undeniable love.”

“Gratitude, sweet Angel,” she whispered as she sniffed.

“Sweet?” He chuckled. “I believe perhaps that’s the first time I have ever been called sweet. Are you gently implying that I am losing my dark charms?”

She smiled then. “Well we couldn’t have that, now, could we?” She lightly bumped him with her shoulder. “No. I meant for the kind words, the always forgiving love… and the precious flowers.” She looked up to meet his gaze then. “I saw the ones you left for me in my hidden home. They will always pull your face to mind, no matter what else is going on.” She took the one he had brought her, gently tracing its velvety edges. “If I did not love them so much, I would see how well they blended for tea.”

“Will you wait on that, Angel? Will you stay your avid curiosity until we can steal a moment, just the two of us, and try that rarest tea together? It would mean more than you could ever know.”

She sniffed. “Of course I will, Vindicus. They are
our
roses, after all. It is only right they should make
our
tea… just the two of us.”

Tears burned his ethereal sapphire eyes as she nuzzled against him. Underneath those glorious moons of Jinn, on this night and just this once, Jenevier gave in and let the Prince of Hell hold her while she crumbled, let him heal her once more.

When her muffled sobs had ceased, she fell asleep against his broad chest—one hand balled into a fist at her nose and the other tangled within his heavenly tresses.

Apollyon smiled, looked up to the heavens, and believe it or not… he gave thanks.

Chapter 28

Jophiel

(jo-fye-EEL)

“Obaasan!”

Jenevier looked up to see her precious granddaughter running toward her while they were yet far off, arms opened wide.

“Lala!”

She ran to meet the smiling girl, snatching her up in her arms and swinging her through the air.

“Look at that, Brother,” Tenshi said with a smile. “Mama brought friends.”

Daichi only growled, causing Tenshi’s laughter to spill forth. He slapped his sour-faced brother on the back as he made his way in from the balcony.

“Come, Master Yui,” Tenshi said. “I will help you see to the guest rooms.”

“They are already in order,” Yui said, glancing down at his laughing mistress and the two strangers now nearing the palace.

“Yes,” Daichi grumbled. “He never knows when Naga will drag in strays. That is what makes him one hell of a Hand—foreseeing her every need.”

Yui cut his eyes toward the grimacing Angel. “I do what I can. Naga’s happiness is paramount to my own. Making her life easier, taking some of the bite out of her stress-filled life… that’s all that matters to me.”

Daichi only snorted at his glaring Sensei and went to wait at the front door.

“Ahh, Naga. So glad you have finally returned. We were worried about you.”

“Daichi.” She hugged him, squeezing tightly for several silent moments. “I have missed you more than words can say.”

Her clinging embrace coupled with her whispered confession, instantly melted the sapphire Angel’s anger… and his heart as well.

“Oh, Naga. What am I going to do with you?”

She looked up and matched his gentle smile. “Just accept me for what I am, Daichi. For what I will
always
be. For what I cannot change.”

He snorted out a chuckle. “I do thus daily, tiny Angel. If not, what kind of Blessing would I be?” He quickly kissed the tip of her nose. “Now… be a good little hostess and introduce us to your friends.”

“Oh, yes.” She giggled. “Apologies.”

*****

I believe that covers everybody
, she thought, glancing around the room and then sighing.

After graciously receiving her angelic brethren and properly introducing her new friends, Jenevier stepped out onto her balcony and deeply inhaled the lavender-drenched air of her beloved Jinn.

I have sorely missed our home, Little Fire.

As have I, Brother. As have I.

She heard the soft footsteps approaching, but did not turn.

“It does my heart good to see you once again safe and whole within these gilded walls.”

“Is that so, Jophiel?” She glanced sideways at his smirking profile. “Do not slip up and show kindness toward me, Brother. I prefer knowing where I stand with others. If you try to change the rules now, how will I know your true intent?”

“Love me or hate me, little sister… choose your pleasure. But never doubt this, you can always trust me. I am not the Deceiver.” He snorted softly. “And even if I were, I would never betray you.”

“Hmm… is that so? I must admit. I was more comfortable when our bonding tie stood only as mutual enmity.”

“Do not deceive yourself, Kagi Naga.” He took her hand in his, lacing their fingers together. “That was never a
mutual
bond. No matter my behavior, little one, I have always and will always love you.”

She tightened their clasped hands. “Shhh now, Brother. I know the truth of your words, but it would never do to let the others hear us speaking thusly.” She glanced back toward the crowded room. “They like it better when we fight.”

He smiled and nodded. “Especially Raphael. He would choke on his own smug sense of self-importance, if he thought we would not just as soon rip the other’s wings off.”

She quickly covered her mouth to restrain her giggles.

“Come, tiny Empress. There are some… umm,
sensitive
words we must now share.” He glanced down at her then. “Far away from prying ears.”

“So… you know then?”

“Not the whole of it, no.” He wrapped his arm around her waist. “Come. Use your rare talent to transport us to another place, one where we will not soon be found.”

When Gabriel stepped out onto the balcony to join them, they were gone.

“And just where did the lady of the house run off to?” Raphael said as he joined his brother Arch near the marbled railing.

“She disappeared… with our smirking brother.”

Raphael growled under his breath. “His power does not work on her. He knows that.”

Gabriel turned to him, smiling softly. “No, it does not. But
her
power certainly works on him.”

“As is true with us all.”

The golden-haired Arch patted his darker-crowned brother on the shoulder. “Only to the extent we let it. Now quit sulking. Those two need to break words.” He sighed. “Come. Let us take up our sister’s place and entertain in her absence.”

*****

Jophiel snorted out an amused chuckle. “Well, I am not at all certain we had to go
this
far. You have an interesting way of traveling, though.”

“What?” She shrugged her shoulders and looked around. “I have so missed the moon. I like it here. And as far as travel goes, it has been ages since I have done thus—abandon my wings and fly via my thoughts.”

“Indeed. Now, come.” He took her hand as he sat down, pulling her with him. “I have confession to make.”

“And what dark confession did you wish to make in private?”

He yanked one of her curls. “I did not say my confession was dark.”

She smiled a crooked sort of smile. “What other type of confession would creatures such as you and I make, Brother?”

“Ahh… and there it is.” He sighed, smiling. “Have your lovely eyes been opened, little one? Do you now understand our rare talents?”

He made to touch Taka, but the tiny Dragon Pixie snapped at him.

“To an extent, I suppose. I was teased with but a glimpse of enlightenment, yes. Tell me. When are we ever gifted with the whole picture?”

He chuckled. “Yes, it is rare, I will admit.”

“You saw me, didn’t you, Jophiel? You were watching.”

“No, little one, I was not watching. I
felt
you, felt… something. I knew not what it was until I beheld this.”

He lifted her hand, displaying the unwanted bracelet Ahriman had gifted her.

“My shackle? You felt when I was fettered?”

“Shackle, huh? Seems more like a gift of freedom, than one of confinement.”

“Seems that way to you, does it?” She gazed at the lovely jewels as she spoke. “Yes… I suppose you are right, Brother.”

“And, no. I did not feel your chains, Milady.” He gently kissed her hand. “I felt your revelation.”

“Ahh, that.” She leaned over against his shoulder. “I discovered we share in a rare yet extremely distasteful
talent
.”

“That we do, Milady.”

Silence hung between them for several long moments.

She quietly sighed. “We are horrible creatures, are we not?”

“We can be, Milady. That we can be.”

“Vybius said we are tempters. I will admit, I do not like the sound of that.” She shrugged her shoulders. “It makes it seem as though part of my purpose is to make good people do bad things.”

“Forgive my blunt words, little sister, but sometimes goodness needs the assistance of a little badness.”

When she didn’t speak, he leaned over and rested his cheek atop her head.

“Good hearts are proven to be
good
by denying what would be bad for them. It is easy to be honorable when being dishonorable is not possible. If no one ever argued with you, you would never get angry. If trials never crossed your path, you would never have to make a decision. And therein lies the difference—the decision.”

“So… you are saying that innocence is a bad thing? That if evil was never introduced into our lives… that we would not be good?”

“No, Little Fire. What I am saying is that evil is there whether we like it or not. It is how we respond to said evil that defines us, determines our hearts. So as it was in Eden—two happy, innocent souls danced away their days in bliss… until a decision had to be made. Evil came to their door, yes. Yet it did not set a trap from whence there was no escape. A few whispered lies do not a sinner make, no. Ahh… but the
choice
. That is where our worth is proven, in the choice. Truly blameless hearts make truly blameless decisions. But what human is truly blameless? They live, they learn, they grow… such is life.”

“…Jophiel.”

“Yes, little one.”

“I am weary.”

He did not speak, only waited for her to continue.

“I am tired of all the trials and horrible decisions. I understand I have a job to do, and I understand I may not always like it. But… I also long for peace. Just a bit, mind you. I’m not greedy. But it would be nice to have a place where I felt safe and loved, where I did not constantly have to worry about making so many damn ripples.”

Jophiel only smiled softly as he gently rubbed her arm, comforting her, giving her the luxury to be weak… if only for a moment.

“There is such a place, little Naga. But it’s not time for that. Rest comes when work is done. There is a safe place waiting for you… in time.”

“Well, as horrible as it makes me sound… I found my own safe place.” She sniffed then and wiped her nose. “What does it say about me that I found comfort and peace in the one place it should never be sought?”

She felt Jophiel’s form go rigid. She held her words until the Arch relaxed once more.

“In truth… if the soul-eater had not denied me, I would be with him still.”

“Do not say such things, little sister.”

“And do not ask me to stay quiet when you already know the truth of my words. You felt it, did you not?”

Jophiel stared off into space. “Is
that
what I felt?” He didn’t wait for her to answer. “Did I feel your absolute surrender?”

He looked down at her when he felt her head moving against his shoulder, nodding out her unspeakable answer. Anger swelled within him, a righteous anger. Yet it melted away when she turned her teary pink gaze up to meet his.

“And I wasn’t even human anymore,” she whispered. “I was all Angel, Brother. I cannot blame my weakness on the flesh. I was weak of heart… weak of soul.”

“Hush now, Kagi Naga. Do not speak such things aloud. You proved strong enough in the end.
My
wings are the ones you now lean upon. No matter your temptation, you proved your worth in the end.”

“Not true, Brother. I failed my test. Vybius is the one who denied
me
.” She held her fist up, staring at the odd purple stones around her wrist. “Thus my shackle. Had that damn soul-eater not bound me thusly, I would not be with you now.”

Jophiel could see the truth of her words plainly within her sad eyes. “But… why? Why would you ever give in to one such as him? And so easily? No, forget that. Why would
he
choose to gift you with the only thing that will guarantee his eternal absence?”

She sniffed again and looked back to the bracelet. “…Love.”

The Archangel sighed, letting his head fall back, absently gazing up at the infinite stars surrounding them.

“Oh, little sister. You scare me more than a sea of dark ones.” He hugged her against his side. “It is not possible for me to understand how your mind works, how your heart works. You terrify me, Kagi Naga.”

“I terrify myself, Brother.”

The Arch shuddered. “If the two of you were to be together…” He paused.

She didn’t speak, didn’t have the words she knew her celestial brother needed to hear.

“Love…” He blew out a long breath. “Tell me of love, tiny Angel. Not the brotherly/sisterly love we share amongst our kind. I wish to know of the love between a man and a woman. Tell me, little sister. What does
that
kind of love feel like?”

“Well, Jophiel, it’s hard to explain. It’s like… It feels like… walking. No… like
floating
through a blooming paradise—petals falling on your hair, brushing across your cheeks, tickling your bare feet.” She sighed wearily. “And at the same time… it feels like Shabriri himself reached inside your chest and squished your beating heart between his clawed fingers.”

He pulled her onto his lap then and kissed her forehead, before holding her against his chest, lightly stroking her curls.

“I am truly sorry, baby sister,” he whispered. “How do you bear such a thing?”

“Ahh, Brother.” She smiled sadly. “How else can I? I stand up. I walk. I keep moving forward.”