Protected by Emeralds (A Dance with Destiny Book 5) (6 page)

“Do not open it until the very last moment. You hear me? Slip it into the pocket of your waistcoat before you leave here. Don’t let anyone see it and have cause to get curious. You
know
how Fairies can be.”

At those words, he couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

“I saw that, Shae.”

He rolled them again. She ignored him

“Now, we know the Mermaids aren’t all that smart. I mean, they have giant pearls upon the shore to mark the path to their underwater city. Not only that, they have a floating platform right atop the main entrance. Keep to the air, Shae. Do not touch the water’s surface until you slip beneath the depths, right at the platform.”

“It seems that easy to you, does it? Just slip beneath the depths.” He snorted. “How far down does it go, anyway? How long am I expected to hold my breath?”

“I do not expect you to hold your breath at all, you silly ninny. That’s what the potion is for.”

He looked down at the shiny blue bottle in the palm of his hand.

“Drink that a split second before you take your dive and you will be just fine. Well… you won’t be fine for days on end, no. But that little bit of liquid magic there will allow you to go without taking a breath for nearly an hour. Not a
whole
hour, mind you… but it will get you through the better part of one.”

“This… will keep me from breathing?”

“No, you twittering little fool. It will make it so you don’t
have
to breathe. There’s a huge difference. Mind your lungs, Shae. If you suck them full of water, they’re full, magic or no.”

“How
very
reassuring.”

“You know what, Shae? If you didn’t need your beady little eyes to find the stone, I would gouge them out the very next time you rolled them. Mind them or lose them, Courtier.”

Shaemon glanced over at his sleeping friend. “And… what about him?”

The Queen followed his tormented gaze. “I have already told you
what about him
. You keep up your end of the deal and you will find him alive and whole at your return. It’ll all work out perfectly—I will keep your dirty little secret, your handsome friend will get to keep his head, and then… he will return the great favor to you.”

“I’m not nearly as certain as you are, my Queen. I do not believe Garoth will betray his people so easily. I cannot believe he would simply hand the Sky Stone over to you.”

“Oh, don’t sell yourself short, Shae. It seems his loyalty to you runs deeper than you might think. I mean, I had but to mention your name and he followed me home like a happy little puppy.”

“But this is different. You will be asking him to condemn his entire race, force them to bow down to you. They are a proud people, Your Majesty. They will not roll over simply because you bade them do so.”

“Proud? Pffts. No one is prouder than a Fairy, and no one has the right to be. A disgusting old Dwarf could never stand as our equal. This you must know and agree with me on. And don’t worry your pointy little head over it, Shae. Once he sees what I will do to you, once he realizes how serious I am… let’s just say, he will not simply stand there and watch your head roll. I am certain of it.”

“Please, Your Majesty. Do not do this. Do not involve Garoth in this. Let me retrieve both stones. He doesn’t even have to have knowledge of this whole affair. Let him sleep until my return. Once I retrieve the Water Stone, I will travel with him back to his people and steal the Sky Stone myself. I swear it.”

“Oh, Shae, Shae, Shae.” She chuckled. “Do you honestly expect me to believe you would betray your dearest friend and only love? Hmm? Do you?”

“If it will keep him from the debilitating guilt of betraying his own race, I will gladly do it.”

“Come now, Shae. Think upon it logically, boy. Number one… if he were seen consorting with the likes of you, he would be shunned. You cannot simply walk alongside the Dwarf Prince right into his home, unaccosted. Tell me. Why is it you have both kept your friendship such a well-guarded secret all these years? Our kinds do not mix, period.” She sliced her hand sideways through the air, cutting off any objections. “Which brings me to your second impossibility; number two… you will never make it through the cave entrance, Shae. Garoth’s help or no, you will not be permitted there.”

“Well, I am not permitted within the Mermaid’s world, either. Yet you apparently have no problem with that.”

“Don’t get smart with me, Shae. You may have need of your eyes to do my bidding, but you most definitely do not have need of a tongue. In fact, you would be much more tolerable company if you didn’t have one at all. Watch your step, Fairy. I’m starting to warm up to the idea.”

Shaemon swallowed hard but didn’t speak.

“As for the Mermaids, I told you… they are idiots. They have no guards. They are too complacent in their watery world. No one can live there, save them. They feel no need to post guards at a place that will render any enemy of this world lifeless within minutes. And, if any creature found a way… those little swimming witches would easily take over the poor wretch’s mind before he even knew they had him.”

“…Yes.” Shaemon tapped his finger against his chin. “They can control thoughts.”

“Yes, they can. You must keep your wits about you, Shae.  Do not let your thoughts stray, whatsoever. If even the faintest trace of love or magic or happiness crosses your mind… they will be on you like scales on a fish. Mark my words, boy.” She chuckled softly. “But that shouldn’t be a problem for you, Shae. Now, should it? I mean, you are one of the sourest Fairies I have ever known… truly. Just keep the scowl that’s normally painted across your
face
, painted across your mind as well. If you do that, you will be able to walk right by them without a care.”

Shaemon sniffed then, pausing in his story.

“Wow… She sounds like a truly horrible person, Shaemon,” Jenevier whispered as she tenderly stroked his soft hair.

“She is. No…” He barely shook his head, biting his little lip. “She is even
more
horrible than you can yet imagine. I hate her,” he whispered. “I truly do.”

Chapter 5

Lyra

(LYE-rah)

“So… that’s why you stole the little triangle stone you were so desperately seeking when first we met—to save your friend.”

“…Yes.”

“Tell me how you managed it, Shae. Do you remember it in detail?”

“Of course I do. I can never forget. As I said… it haunts me.” He nuzzled back against her. “You’re so soft, so warm. I never knew women could feel like this.”

She chuckled. “What do you mean? Didn’t you have a mother? All mothers feel this soft when they are cuddling their children.” She felt him suddenly go rigid. “Wait. No. I did not mean to imply that you were a child, Shae. I only meant—”

“It’s not that,” he whispered. “…No. I didn’t have a mother
or
a sister—a father only.”

“I’m sorry, Shae. I didn’t mean to bring on more unpleasant memories. Forgive me.”

“It’s alright. I don’t have unpleasant memories about that sort of thing because, well… I simply have no memories of a mother—be they pleasant or unpleasant. No, I was just thinking… I must have missed something really incredible.”

Jenevier did not speak, only waited for him to finish his train of thought.

“If you get pampered and spoiled like this by a mother… then I truly
did
miss something incredible.” He let out a relaxing sigh. “Can you do that again—play with my hair like that?”

She smiled softly. “Sure, Shae… anything you want.”

He waited a moment more before continuing with his story.

“I remember sitting by the water’s edge—staring between those giant pearl spheres, thinking about how much I hated my Queen—when a light came streaking down from the sky. It entered the sea right next to the floating platform. Completely noiseless, like… silence accompanied its presence.”

“You mean… the streak of light?”

“Yeah. There was something odd about it, unsettling even.”

“Did you find out what it was?”

“Yes.” He glanced up at her. “That silent lightening… it was an Angel.”

Jenevier gasped. “An Angel? What happened, Shae? Did an Angel fall into the sea?”

“No. I believe he dove into it. Well, I didn’t actually speak to him myself, but I
did
hear him speaking with the Mermaid Queen. I didn’t understand their conversation, no. But I did overhear it.”

“Can you recall their words, verbatim?”

“Very well.” He sighed. “As soon as the strange light disappeared beneath the waves, I quickly drank the potion and dove right in. I hoped the unexpected lightning would cause a bit of commotion and perhaps even provide cover for my intended theft.
This
is what happened.”

He closed his eyes and began reciting the distant scene…

“Uriel! How wonderful to see you again, Darling.” The Mermaid Queen waved her hands excitedly as she neared her visitor. “It has been ages, Angel, simply ages.”

“Yes, it has been far too long, Your Majesty.” He bowed slightly. “I trust all is well in your lovely kingdom.”

“Oh, yes, yes.” She smiled, revealing hundreds of needle-sharp teeth. “So peaceful, it’s very nearly boring.”

Uriel smiled. “You should never become so at ease with peace that you become bored of it, Your Highness. The alternative is a terrifying thing.”

“Of course, of course. It is as you say.” She took his proffered arm and smiled again. “To what do we owe such a rare pleasure, Angel? The heavens do not simply dump a treasure such as you in our laps, minus purpose.”

“You are too kind, Your Majesty. There are scarce few creatures who actually look upon my face… and smile.”

“Surely you jest, Angel. Your beauty is without equal, even among the heavens.”

Uriel chuckled softly. “And you are a needed leaven to my ego, fair lady. Take heed, lest you make my head swell to bursting.”

“I will not.” She tipped up her tiny nose. “It is true, every word of it. I will not take heed, nor will I rein in my deserved praise. Now, come, beautiful Angel. Let us share in private the secret of your cherished visit. What is it you desire of my kind, Milord?”

“Ahh, yes. Well, Your Grace, I came to entrust with you the rarest of all heaven’s treasures. Entrust it to you until the appointed time in which it will be needed.”

“Speak on, Angel. I am ever here to do your bidding.”

“As you say, Milady.”

Uriel withdrew a fist-sized stone from the folds of his tunic.

“And what is this, my good man? A stone?” She chuckled softly. “If there is one thing we are blessed with here at the bottom of the sea, it is stones.”

“Not a stone like this one, Your Highness.”

He lightly ran his angelic finger across the ordinary looking stone and an ornate circle appeared, glowing with the light of heaven. The Queen’s bulbous eyes grew ever larger.

“This is no mere stone, Milady. It holds a powerful secret. One which will not be revealed until the time is fulfilled.”

“And what time might that be?” she whispered, amazed.

Uriel smiled softly. “Many years from now, a maiden will stroll upon your shoreline.”

“A maiden? Of which clan?”

“Of no clan which calls this layer home. No, she will come from another place and at another time.”

“But… how will I know her?”

“She will be human, Your Majesty. Thus you will know her.”

“That’s all you will tell me—that she is human? You must do better than that, Angel. What if I bestow it upon the wrong maiden, unawares?”

Uriel chuckled. “Throughout the countless eons that you have ruled the sea, how many humans have passed by your pearls?”

“Well… none. At least, not yet. But who knows what will come to pass over the centuries. Tell me something else about the maid. Is she fat or thin? Tall or short? Fair or dark? What color are her eyes, her hair? What does her voice sound like?”

“Calm yourself, dear Queen.” He gently patted her hand. “I cannot answer your questions, for she is not yet born. As I said, it will be many years from now—hundreds even.”

“But… what if something happens to me, Angel? What if my end finds me before the maiden does?”

“Still thy nerves, Your Grace. The beings of Lyra are not restrained by the laws of time. This you know. Barring some horrible, unforeseeable accident, your lovely heart will go right on beating until the end of all things. Fret not. You will meet the maiden.”

The Mermaid Queen began to nervously twiddle her fingers, a crease now furrowing her noble brow. Uriel placed his hands over hers, squeezing gently.

“Be calm, little one. Let me ease your fears. I cannot tell you what her
wrapper
will look like, no, for I do not know myself. Yet she will carry a rare soul within her. You will sense her approach from afar. You will know her by her enormous heart. Trust me in this, Your Grace. Her uncommon capacity to love and hope and dream… it will be an unhideable thing for her. She will skip along your shoreline with an open mind
and
an open heart. Believe me… you
will
know her. You won’t be able to miss her.”

The Queen visibly relaxed, but her furrowed brow remained. Uriel smiled at the amusing sight.

“Very well, Your Highness. One thing more I can tell you—the seal, the one you just witnessed glowing with the ethereal light of heaven—it will reveal itself when the time is right. This rarest of all treasures will remain as a common stone from this day until the moment of her arrival. When her steps lead her to your sea and her joyous thoughts invade your realm… only then will the seal reappear. On that day, Your Grace, it will be unmistakable to you. On that day, the seal will not only glow, it will break and reveal the heavenly secret hidden within.”

Her smile widened with his words. She squeezed his hands, waiting.

“Then the time will be at hand, Your Majesty. When the seal glows and the stone opens, deliver the treasure within to the maiden of prophesy.”

The Queen almost squealed with laughter. “Oh, I cannot wait, Uriel. I will simply be on pins and needles until her arrival.”

He chuckled. “Did you not hear me, little one? It may be hundreds of years from now. Will you hold to your excitement throughout the centuries?”

“What? Are you mad, Angel? Of course I will. The fact that such an honorable responsibility was bestowed upon me… I can scarce contain myself. Here.” She reached for the plain looking stone. “I will sit it here upon my dressing table so that I may gaze upon it daily… praying for the seal to glow.”

Uriel only smiled.

Shaemon paused in his recitation, gazing then upon the distant look now on Jenevier’s face. When their eyes met, he smiled.

“It was you, wasn’t it?”

“Me?”

He nodded his head. “You were the maiden of prophesy.”

“Yes. I guess I was.”

“I knew it. I mean, I didn’t know it when first we met, no. Heh. In truth, I didn’t know
what
you were. But when that Death Angel kept coming around looking for you all the time, and now this indescribable warmth I feel as I lay within your arms… Uriel could only have been describing you.”

She blushed.

“What was it?”

“Huh?” She furrowed her brow, staring down at the tiny Fairy-man. “What was what?”

“What was the treasure hidden within the stone?”

“Oh… it was a shell.”

He sat up. “What? Just a seashell? That’s all? I thought it’d be a jewel beyond value.”

“It is beyond value, Shae.” She tenderly stroked his hair, gazing up at the slowly passing clouds. “Upon that shell… was miraculously inscribed a clandestine message. A heavenly lexis—one once disentangled, afforded me the ability to rescue my dearest friend in the whole world… and many others since. Yes, Shae, it is truly a treasure beyond value.”

He raised a single brow, gazing at her skeptically.

She lightly touched his forehead. “You tell me, Shaemon Green. Think about it. What can be counted more valuable than a life, than your life, than a friend’s life? What jewel, what kingly treasure could
possibly
be comparable to an immortal soul? Your Queen weighed Garoth’s life and found it to be equivalent to a stone. A powerful stone, yes… but a stone nonetheless. What say you, Shaemon? What would you freely exchange for the miracle that is… a life?”

Tears filled his eyes. He rested back against her, fighting with everything he had to cease the bitter flow. When Jenevier wrapped her arm around his tiny shoulders and squeezed him, he gave up his futile battle and let the tears come. She held him until his sobs eventually gave way to intermittent sniffs.

“Can you go on, little brother? Do you wish to continue with your story?”

He only nodded his head.

“So… you got the Water Stone,” she prodded.

He gave her just a tiny smile. “You already know I got the Water Stone, Angel. You know what became of it as well.”

“Yes, I know you got the Water Stone, Shae. But I wish to hear of the adventure you had in obtaining it.”

He smiled again. “Very well.” He sighed. “You are aware of how those jittering little Mermaids speak inside your head, are you not?”

She nodded.

“Underwater… you cannot fight their siren voices. That’s how I knew the exact words the Mermaid Queen and the Angel shared. That is also how I knew the incessant jabbering of her attendants was driving her every bit as mad as it was driving me.”

“You are extremely lucky such a rare visitor showed up at the same time as you.”

“Extremely lucky indeed. Perhaps…
divinely
lucky.”

They shared a small laugh.

“Anyway, they took no note of me because of Uriel, this is true. So I hid myself in her chambers. Once she had declared the onset of a killer migraine and shooed away all those twittering little she-fishies, I only had to wait until she had fallen asleep. It didn’t take long.”

“How much time did you have left with the potion?”

“I’m not sure exactly, but it wasn’t long. Lady Luck found me once again in the fact that I was dealing with Mermaids.”

“What do you mean?”

“As I told you before, they aren’t real worried about intruders or thieves. My Queen wears the Earth Stone around her neck constantly—never takes it off. Not so with the Mermaid Queen. I found the Water Stone hanging with a bunch of other necklaces on a hook beside her dressing mirror. I snatched it from the chain and hurriedly scrambled back to dry land. Just as I thought my lungs would surely collapse, I broke through the surface. And I’m not too proud to tell you… I grabbed hold of the muddy bank, crawled out of that sea, and collapsed there on the shore. Air had never tasted so good. I lay there for a good long while—breathing in deep, filling breaths. When my panic had ebbed and I was certain I would no longer die, I rolled onto my side and gazed back out across those rippling little waves. And do you know what I saw?”