Protected by Emeralds (A Dance with Destiny Book 5) (19 page)

“Shhh, my love. I have you now,” she whispered. “I want you to let all that pain go, let it flow away with your tears.”

She tenderly stroked his wavy sapphire hair, lovingly rubbing his broad back until his sobs became only intermittent sniffs. She smiled and kissed the top of his head.

“As you once said… We are horribly fractured, irrecoverably scarred creatures. Who could truly care for ones such as us, save one of us?” She kissed his hair again. “We must impart what strength we have… for the betterment of the other.”

“Forgive me for—”

“Shhh, now. Let’s not dwell on any more wrongs. Now is the time for healing. We must be strong, you and I. We were given no other choice.”

“I want to tear you out of his perfect arms,” Apollyon mumbled against her chest. “I want to hide you away from everyone… even Father.”

Jenevier only smiled and continued stroking his silky locks until he stilled in her arms, fell asleep as a babe in her gentle embrace.

“I love you, too,” she softly whispered.

Chapter 15

Jenevier

(ZHEN-ah-veer)

When Daichi woke, Apollyon was gone and Jenevier was curled up in his arms.

“Wakie, wakie, Empress.” He kissed her forehead. “You look good as new, Naga. Better, even.”

She squirmed and grumbled, turning away from him as she pulled the covers up to her neck, curling into a little ball.

He chuckled. “Who is the baby Angel now?” He playfully swatted her bottom as he crawled out of bed. “You have guests at the palace awaiting your return.”

“Guests?” She spoke into her pillow, muffling her words. “Uninvited guests. No one likes
that
kind of company.”

Daichi snorted out a laugh. “Like them or nay, they are there. Now come. There is much to do.”

She continued to protest.

“Hmm… and I thought you would be anxious at the chance to deal a well-deserved blow to your old friend Valencia,” he coaxed.

Jenevier growled but still refused to open her eyes.

“Very well, then,” Daichi continued. “I just hope they do not drink all of Yui’s special rose tea before we get there.”

She sat up then, a scowl on her face. “You play dirty, Angel.” Crawling out of her comfy resting place, she shivered. “Now I chill.”

He wrapped a robe around her, followed by his strong arms. “Better now?”

When she looked up to speak, her words were cut off by his tender kiss. And once again, Jenevier found herself whirling through space, surrounded by the countless stars.

She gasped when their lips slowly parted.

“
How
do you do that?” she said, breathlessly.

He smiled. “Only for you, Naga.”

She smiled. “How did I ever earn such a Blessing?”

He chuckled. “I have been wondering the same thing myself.” He scooped her up in his arms. “Now… shall we go out for some tea, Milady?”

“Why yes, my good sir. I would
love
some.”

Her giggles echoed across the secret valley as her celestial Blessing took flight.

*****

A servant entered with another laden tray at Yui’s command.

“Place it on the table, there.” The beautiful Shinobi pointed, yet kept his attention upon the arguing Angels.

“But where did he get off to?” Jophiel complained. “If he was loosed with the express intent of helping her, why is it he simply disappeared?”

“Because he is worthless, as always,” Uriel said.

“And just why have you got that big smile on your face, boy?” Jophiel snapped.

Tenshi glanced at the Arch as he poured the tea. “Worry not over my father,” he said, holding the steaming cup and saucer oddly out to his side.

Jophiel’s brow furrowed at the younger Angel’s strange behavior. A soft breeze blew Tenshi’s sapphire curls… and the cup was gone, his hand now empty in the air.

He smiled. “He did what he came to do, Jophiel. Just as he said he would.”

The grumbling Arch followed Tenshi’s admiring gaze to the little pink-haired Angel now sitting across from him, draining her first cup of the morning.

“Ahh, Master Hand,” she said with a smile. “You have outdone yourself this lovely dawn.”

“I took extra special care with it, Empress,” Yui said as he refilled her cup. “I feared you would need a bit of recharging after last evenings events.”

“Are you her Hand, or her butler?” Uriel said, sneering at the beautiful Shinobi.

“I am whatever my mistress needs me to be,” he said, sending her a secret wink.

She giggled before she took her next sip.

“Good morrow, little sister,” Raphael said, taking the seat next to her with his cup held out toward her.

The china clinked together, leaving a tinkling ring in the air as she welcomed his toast.

“Bore da, dearest brother. What news graces us this lovely morn?”

“I never expected to see you looking so bright and fresh this soon after the melding,” Gabriel said as he took the seat across from her, his ever-present gentle smile easily warming her insides.

“Yes, Naga,” Raphael added. “You look… positively brand new.” He gently fingered one of her golden curls.

She giggled. “Yes, Brother. Fit as a fiddle and right as the rain,” she chirped.

Raphael strangled on his tea and then pinched her arm. She returned the favor, but much harsher than she had received.

“Ouch, you little demon,” Raphael said.

“Only part of the time.”

She winked playfully and he laughed.

“You look upon the proof of her divine gift, Brother,” Munenori said as he sat down beside Gabriel. “Such is the glory of her Blessing.”

“Empress Naga,” Daichi said as he took her hand, kissing it before claiming the seat to her right.

“Lord Daichi,” she responded, bowing slightly as she did.

“Wow…” Raphael gaped at them. “It’s like looking at daylight and dark. Yesterday you were snapping at each other’s throats. Today, you are the absolute picture of peace and love.”

“Of course they are,” Jophiel said, unamused. “He is her gift. Father does not make mistakes.”

“But… why do you wait until she is so snippy and full of herself?” Uriel asked. “Why not keep her this way all the time?”

Daichi shrugged. “She fights it.”

Gabriel raised one brow, quizzically. “But, not last night?”

“She was without choice,” Daichi said. “She was unconscious. I did what it is I do… minus her constant struggling and resisting.”

Jenevier blushed.

Raphael spit tea everywhere, coughing and gasping with laughter.

Jenevier slapped his back a few times. “Oh, come now. Don’t make such a big deal out of it. Get your mind out of the gutter, Angel. Quit acting like a human teenager.”

“Say what you want, little sister. But that is one of the funniest things I have ever heard…” Raphael said between coughs. “…constant struggling and resisting.”

Gabriel winked at her. “Yes, and made all the more comical by your bright rosy cheeks.”

“Enough,” Jophiel said. “You are making me ill. I don’t like feeling sick so early in the day. I hate being nauseated before I have even eaten.”

“Perhaps you could chow down on that giant plate of jealousy you are carrying around,” Munenori said casually.

Flames leapt in Jophiel’s heavenly eyes.

“Ah, ah, ah, Brother,” Jenevier said with a smile. “Remember your oath. You are never to harm my Senpai, ever again.”

“Uriel made that vow, not I,” Jophiel snapped.

“We made it together,” Uriel said, placing a calming hand on his brother’s heaving shoulder.

“Now then,” Gabriel said. “Shall we get down to the business at hand?”

*****

“So… each of you will do what? Take a layer and guard its passage portal?” She looked at the seven Angels surrounding her. “What of the clouds?”

“Demons do not use clouds, idiot,” Jophiel mumbled.

“And you guarantee to halt
all
portal passage? To
and
fro?” she said, ignoring Jophiel.

“None shall pass, Naga,” Gabriel assured. “This I vow.”

“Very well, then.” She clapped her hands together. “When shall I leave?”

“The time is at hand,” Uriel said. “War has been proclaimed, yet the battle has not started. Not today, but you must go soon.”

“The sooner I go, the sooner I can return,” she said with a smile, gently squeezing Daichi’s hand.

“Simply amazing… I must say, you are a refreshing breath of air this morning, Naga,” Gabriel said with a smile. “It does my heart good to see you thus.”

“Like I have always said,” Raphael whispered. “Simply fascinating.”

“But…” Tenshi paused and looked at the surrounding Angels. “You’re all fine with Mama going it alone now? Even you, Daichi?”

Munenori patted the younger Angel’s arm. “She is no longer alone, little one. She will never be alone again. Well, not until she
chooses
to undo what was done this past night.”

“Quit playing about with words, purple boy,” Uriel said. “Spit it out plain. What is a melding?” He motioned with his head toward Jenevier as he spoke. “What actually happened to her?”

Munenori tried to ignore the condescending Arch, but Jenevier noticed the veins pop out near his temples. She struggled to contain her laughter.

“A melding,” Yui said. “Is the rarest of all Dragon magic. The host, Naga…” He smiled at her as he spoke. “…has suffered through a
true
bonding with her noble Dragon. She and Nilakanta now share her tiny form.”

Raphael turned to face her, fear and near panic in his lovely golden eyes. “What is he saying, little sister? What have they done to you?”

By way of answer, Daichi took her hand, helping her to stand. She turned her back to her celestial brothers as her heavenly Blessing gently slipped her robe off her shoulders. She visibly flinched when multiple gasps simultaneously filled the room.

“I have yet to see it,” she confessed. “Is it that bad?”

“It is amazing… simply amazing,” Raphael said, awestruck. “I have never seen anything even remotely like it.”

Jenevier looked down at her belly, placing her hands over the claws framing her navel. She jumped when someone lightly ran their fingertips across her back.

“It looks real,” Jophiel said, amazed. “But it feels just like her skin.”

“Her bonded Dragon, bonded with her flesh,” Munenori explained. “As you can see, our greatest worry was Nilakanta’s size, well… the enormous size difference between Dragon and host. We feared he would not fit properly. If any part of the Dragon overlaps, it will most likely cripple the beast. And will most definitely kill the host.”

That’s the part you did not tell her, Angel
, Nilakanta said, finally breaking his silence.

“Did you think it would do me any good to try?” Munenori said. “You saw that look in her eyes yourself, Dragon. Once you told her the melding would not harm
you
, hell or high water, Naga was seeing it through.”

Raphael chuckled. “Yes. She
can
be a bit tenacious at times.”

“Mama,” Tenshi said as he stood behind her, pulling her robe back up over her shoulders. “I do not believe such a display of the flesh is necessary.” He cut his eyes toward Daichi, sending him a scalding glare. “Munenori could have simply explained what happened to you, minus this inappropriate little show.” He gently squeezed her shoulders. “No matter your glory, you will not be subjected to such gawking.” He lightly kissed the top of her head. “I will not allow it.”

“Now hold on just a minute, boy,” Jophiel said. “Curiosity must be sated.”

“Don’t,” Uriel quietly warned his celestial brother, shaking his head.

“What?” Jophiel continued. “This rare magic is new to us all. I would quite like a better look, myself,” he said, clamping his hand on Tenshi’s shoulder.

The gentle blue Angel tightened his grip upon his tiny mother as he glanced back at the smirking Arch. Tenshi narrowed his eyes slightly. With no other movement or warning, Jophiel was sent flying through the air, coming to a stop only when his back slammed hard against the wall.

Visible blue power pulsed around Jenevier and her son as he lifted her up in his arms.

“What the hell?” Jophiel’s words cracked with obvious pain.

Silence filled the room. Munenori and the other Archs respectfully stepped out of the way of the beautiful sapphire son of the Angel of Death and the Prince of Hell.

“You will pay for that, boy,” Jophiel hissed as his giant sword sprang to life.

“Hold, Brother,” Uriel warned. “Let him pass.”

Tenshi didn’t say a word, didn’t even make eye contact with the surrounding Angels as he made his way to the bath, his mother cradled protectively in his arms.

When the door closed, Daichi snorted out a laugh. “The look on your face, Angel, it… was… priceless.”

Jophiel bristled. “What the hell did he just do?” He looked from Daichi to his fellow Archs. “What was that?”

“You never pay attention, Jophiel,” Uriel snapped. “Remember you not? Her
boy
showed us power akin to this when Vittorio took her to those cherry trees.”

“Is that what it
looked
like as well?” Gabriel asked.

“No.” Uriel shook his head. “Not even close. It was radical… knocked us
all
backwards.” He glanced around to his brother Archs. “It was nothing like what you just bore witness to yourselves. It seems he has learned to channel it, control it, make the power do his bidding. This time, he hit only his intended mark.”

“Yes, and Jophiel
prides
himself on pushing buttons,” Munenori said. “Guess you taunted the wrong Angel this time.”