Cursed by Diamonds (A Dance with Destiny Book 1) (22 page)

Jenevier leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. His beautiful olive skin turned bright red.

“Will you go with me now?” he begged.

“I cannot, Alzeen.” She lightly tapped his nose. “I told you. I have to go a different way.”

She saw pure panic suddenly amplified in his rust-colored eyes.

“But, you
must
come with me.” He grabbed her hands. “I never want you to go a different way than me. You’re my own little drop of sunshine. Remember? Besides, if I go back without you… they’ll beat me.”

He lowered his head… and very nearly stole her heart. She stroked his tangled hair. He sniffed.

“Shhh, now. Tell me, Alzeen. Who will beat you?”

“Our council. They don’t like me because I’m different from them. Barachna is kind to me. But if I disobey him—” His words broke off. “Just come and meet them. Please? They won’t harm you. I promise. They only want to look at you. I’m sure it won’t take too long. And then, perhaps they’ll let us go
your
way for a while.”

“I am on an extremely important mission right now, Alzeen. I simply do not have time to visit your chief. Not today. I don’t want to go a different way than you, either. Come with me the way I have to go for a while.” She took hold of his hand, tugging gently. “Were you told to return by a certain time?”

“No, just to return when you had accepted me… and we’d become mates.”

“Well, I did indeed accept you, Alzeen. But since we have not yet mated, there’s really no need for you to hurry back. Right?”

“…I suppose so.”

“Come, Alzeen. Walk with me for a while.” She tugged a little harder on his hand. “Don’t go a different way than me.”

He smiled. “If I do this, will you lay with me?”

“Umm… probably not.”

“But maybe?”

“No, not maybe.”

“You smiled when you said that. I saw you.”

She chuckled. “Are you coming, or not? Do you wish us to be parted? What if we never meet again?”

His eyes widened. “No, promise me that will never happen. I don’t ever want to go a different way than you.”

Jenevier smiled as she squeezed Alzeen’s hand. And with no resistance at all, he let her lead him back toward the stream.

Chapter 29

Margy

(MARR-jee)

Jezreel had been cooped up in that little musty old room for days. She stepped back into the parlor and stretched her arms.

She yawned. “Ugh, I starve.”

While waiting for the oven to heat, she decided to look through the herbal recipes in the little rusted box Marlise kept in the cabinet.

“Let’s see here… for fever, for warts, foot tonic, bellyache, true love. Now,
that
one sounds interesting.” She chuckled. “What else have we got? Here’s one for toothache, headache, rose water, Potion #4…”

Jezreel swallowed hard, staring blindly at the crackling fire in the old stove while her tears dripped from her chin as rain.

…Potion #4… damn.

With no word back from Alastyn, and no progress to be found in the secret room, Jezreel could see only darkness and doom ahead for Jenevier… and she was powerless to stop it.

“What use am I, truly?”

She thought about trying to make the precious Potion #4, just so she could smell the glorious fragrance of her absent friend. In the end, she decided it would just be too painful.

I’ll soon go mad if I just sit here, dwelling upon horrid things.

She put the old stained recipe cards back in the box and gazed out the window. Even though the seasons only vary slightly in Ashgard, she could tell the change was fast approaching. All of nature seemed to be busily preparing for the tapering temperatures soon to come.

Jezreel walked out the back door and breathed in the deliciously crisp, cooling air. Marlise’s herb garden caught her eye. It was suffering terribly from lack of attention.

“Well… I did make a promise, after all.” She sighed. “Best get to it then. No point in just moping about uselessly.” She half chuckled to herself. “Might as well work while I mope.”

After pulling weeds for a while, she stood up to stretch her back and noticed Mrs. Trinken was standing at the end of the row, quietly watching her.

“Well, hello there, Mrs. Trinken,” she said through a smile.

The silent woman did not respond.

Jezreel dropped the weeds, dusted off her hands, and headed over to speak with her unexpected visitor.

“Beautiful day, is it not?”

Still, the older lady did not speak.

“Are you well, Mrs. Trinken?” She furrowed her brow. “Is something wrong?”

When Jezreel reached the edge of the garden, Margy grabbed both her hands and held tightly.

“Child, don’t go. Terrible things will happen to you if you go.”

“Go where?”

“To the mountains in the south. You won’t find your friend,” she warned. “And you’ll never return here.”

“But I wasn’
t—
”

“I don’t see it unless you’ve decided it,” she interrupted.

“But, Mrs. Trinken… I’m useless here. There’s nothing I can do to help.” She tossed her hands up in the air. “I feel futile, helpless, ineffectual, a waste of a good friend. Just choose one. It’ll apply.”

“There’s so much you can do right here. You just need guidance, child.” Margy quickly looked around to see if anyone was there. “You found the room already. You simply don’t know how to use it yet. That’s all.”

“But how did yo
u—
”

“That’s not important. Listen now. Jenevier’s safe. I still see her light. It glows as bright as ever. But, I have this gnawing feeling she won’t be returning here for quite some time. I didn’t see that just yet. Only felt it.”

“So what am I supposed to do until then? Wait and wonder?”

“That would be wisest, yes. The evil Prince of Wrothdem can never reach her where she is now. That much I
do
know. He can’t go there.” Margy winked and shrugged her shoulders. “He’d never even make it through the gate.”

“So, she made it to Valadrog?” It wasn’t truly meant to be a question; she was just thinking aloud. “She actually did it. Wow…” She smiled. “All on her own—all the way to the Thralldom Mountains.”

“She’s not there yet. Well, at least I don’t think so. She hasn’t met Valadrog. But she’s beyond Merodach’s reach. That’s for certain.”

“Ugh. I can’t sit here idle, doing nothing,” Jezreel moaned.

“You should. But I know you won’t. I think your handsome young friend is getting ready to go on a long journey of his own real soon. The thing for you to do now, child, is to take over for Marlise. I’ll tell you if ever I see a change. The whole village needs you to stay right where you are. And, since it really
is
Jenevier’s responsibility to carry on the craft, you’re helping her most by taking up her part here.”

“Mrs. Trinken, I can’t do that. No matter how much sense it makes, I just can’t.”

“Tamar Broden desperately needs a healer, child. I can see clearly.
This
is your path. Yet, I can also see you in putrid darkness. The choice will be yours. But know this. If you follow your friend, your light goes out.”

“So, either I try to help and die in the process. Or I do nothing to help and live? There has to be another way.”

“The darkness I see doesn’t necessarily mean you die. It could mean your pure light turns to shadows. But you don’t want that either, child. Stay here or turn to darkness, but the choice is yours alone to make. One thing’s for certain. If you go to the south, whether you live or die, you’ll never see Jenevier again.”

“So, my only option is to sit here and wait? That’s the only way I will ever get to see her again?”

“No. That is but one option. There’s also another. But it will change you, child,” Margy warned.

“Will I be able to help Jenevier?”

“Possibly.”

“Will I get to see her again?”

“Yes. But you’ll get to see her if you take the path of a healer, too. And that path won’t change you.”

“Then I choose the second option. I care not how it changes me. I have to do something.”

“Be very careful what you wish upon yourself, child.”

“I do so hate when people say such things. I care not for myself. Tell me. Please.”

Margy scanned the area once more to make sure no one was within hearing distance, then she moved closer to Jezreel.

“There’s a woman what lives up on Waverly Ridge. She knows about the secret room, she does. She’s blessed with vast knowledge in the dark side of the craft. She can tell you how to use what it is you’ve found.”

“Who is she? What’s her name?”

“Halora.”

“And, will she help me?”

“I didn’t say that, child. I can’t see Halora. The whole top of that ridge is dark to me. She’s extremely powerful. And she won’t do nothing for free. You’ll have to pay whatever price she sets. Her wages are high, unimaginably so.”

“I care not the cost. Just tell me how to find her.”

“Very foolish, child.” Margy tsked. “Very foolish indeed.”

“Then why did you even tell me about her if she won’t help?”

“I didn’t say she would, and I didn’t say she wouldn’t. I told you where she lives. I told you what her name is. And I warned you she’d demand payment. The rest is up to you.” She squeezed Jezreel’s hands and moved to whisper in her ear. “She’s a witch. She can teach you the dark craft
if
you pay her well enough. But you’ll no longer be Jezreel. You’ll no longer be the beloved friend Jenevier wishes to return to.” The older lady stepped back and once again checked to see if anyone else was around. “If you do this thing, child, you’ll sacrifice your whole future
and
your most treasured friendship. That, in itself, is too high a price.”

“But… you said I’d see her again,” she whispered, despondently.

“I said you’d see her, yes. I never said if you chose the dark path that you girls would be as you were. You’ll be changed, Jezreel. You’ll lose what makes you, well,
you
. But, I just don’t know. Jenevier’s lovely face keeps wavering in front of me. Like I’m seeing her through running waters.” Margy’s soft eyes were focused on nothing. She spoke as if deep in thought. “Mayhap she’ll be changed as well. I can’t say for sure. Not just yet.” She focused back on Jezreel. “Either way, you’ll not be as you were. Plain as that.”

Jezreel couldn’t speak.

“You know all I know now, child. Choose wisely. Good things come to those who wait.”

The older woman hurried back home, leaving Jezreel standing at the edge of the herb garden, more confused than ever.

Chapter 30

Alzeen

(al-ZEEN)

When Jenevier and Alzeen again reached the rippling stream, the colorful little Pixies were still busy flitting in and out of the ground.

“I hate I damaged their home so.”

“Oh, worry not about them. They always act like that. Pixies can
always
find something to be mad about and they seem to
always
be zipping out of the ground like that.”

Jenevier smiled and squeezed his hand. “Never let go of me,” she whispered.

His eyes were wide and innocent when he turned toward her. “I never will. No matter what.” He gave her a quick nod of determination.

“Promise?”

“Promise.” He smiled and held fast to her.

“Well then, let’s see. Before you rescued me, I was heading in that direction.” She pointed past the Pixies and up the nearing hills.

“Is that the way to your chief?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not certain. I just had a feeling it was the right way to go.”

“Then let’s go.”

Alzeen started on ahead, pulling her hand along with him. He made sure to stay clear of the angry Pixies.

“Best not to let them see us again so soon,” he whispered.

She was staring at them, nodding. “I agree.”

The new friends cut through a small patch of trees and started their climb up the hill.

“It’s much steeper than it looks,” she said, kicking leaves aside.

“Yes, it is. I’ve never been up this way before.”

“Never? Why?”

“No. Never had a need to, I suppose.”

“How odd.”

“You think so? Hmm… Why would that seem odd?”

She sort of snorted. “My curiosity would have had me all over this place.”

He chuckled. “Now,
that
seems odd.”

“How long have you lived here?”

“Why all the questions?”

“Curiosity.” She crinkled up her nose at him. “Tell me. Please.”

This strange, innocent man had not only piqued her rabid curiosity, but had melted her heart as well. She wanted to know more about him,
everything
about him.

“I can’t remember. Not exactly. Since I was too small to work.”

“Where are you from?”

“I don’t know that either.” He blushed when he caught her intense gaze. “It makes me feel funny when you look at me like that.”

“Does your chief know? Does he know how you came to be here?”

“I should think so. But I’ve never asked him.”

“Why not?”

“Why would I?” He bumped his shoulder with hers as they walked. “Who cares where they
used
to be? Now’s all that matters.”

She playfully bumped him back. “Don’t you wish to know where you came from, where you belong, who your people are?”

“No. I belong here and I’m happy. Why would I want to leave?”

“But… they beat you.”

“Only when I disobey. And I don’t do
that
anymore. Not since I was very small.”

Alzeen had stopped walking. Jenevier could see the pain of those memories clearly written across his face. He was the purest, most angelic person she had ever met. He was like a big, beautiful, trusting child. And she wanted, with all her heart, just to protect him.

“I wish I had known you were here, Alzeen.”

“Why’s that?” He focused back on her face.

“I would have found you. I would have been your friend. And, I would never have let
anyone
hurt you. No matter what.”

She touched his face and smiled lovingly at him. He vibrantly mirrored her expression.

“Well, you’re here now.” He beamed with pure joy. “So it was all worth it.”

Jenevier’s heart swelled. She instantly loved this curious man as if she’d known him her whole life. It was like a magical kind of
just knowing
. His frank honesty and unadulterated innocence filled a void inside her she didn’t even know was there. She knew in this very moment, Alzeen would be her dear friend, forever. She could never let him go back where he came from. She felt this beautiful, strange man had been sent to her so that he could finally know a truly perfect and loving friendship, one as pure as she had known with Jezreel her whole life. For the first time, she didn’t mind being cursed by the demented Prince. That black mark had brought her to Alzeen. And she realized she would have suffered through
anything
just to know him.

“Can I kiss you?”

“No, Alzeen.” She sighed, holding in a snicker.

“But I think you like me.” He yanked playfully on one of her curls. “You keep looking at me all dreamy like.”

She lightly pinched his side in retaliation. “I do like you. And don’t pull my hair.”

“So, can I kiss you?”

“No.”

“Do you think perhaps one day you will lay with me?”

“No.” She laughed at his honest, simple question.

“Maybe?” he pressed.

“No, Alzeen, not maybe.”

“How do you know?” He crossed his arms and pouted. “Perhaps one day you will love me.”

Jenevier laughed. “It’s too late for that. Besides, I can love you and still not lay with you. There are all different kinds of love.”

“I love you,” he whispered.

Alzeen had stopped walking again and was holding fast to her hand, forcing her to stop as well.

She turned to him and touched his cheek. “Alzeen, you are one of the purest, most blameless people I have ever met. I never knew there were souls as perfect as yours roaming about Ashgard. You make me smile and feel alive inside. You are as handsome as any royal Prince and as brave as any majestic knight. I would never do anything to hurt you. I’ve only just met you, but I already treasure you in my heart. And…” She smiled softly. “I know I always will.”

“So, you love me.” He smiled proudly.

Jenevier laughed. “I suppose in a way… yes, I do.”

“I knew it! Perhaps one day you will ask
me
to lay with
you
.”

“We shall see, Alzeen. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

The smile that lit up his face made her heart flutter.

Oh dear, this may not be as easy as I had thought. Especially if he keeps smiling like that. He is absolutely adorable.

She took in their surroundings while still smiling, musing at the abnormal conversation she was having with her new friend.

“Does it ever get dark here?” she wondered aloud. “Does the sun never set?”

“No. There’s no darkness here,” he said casually.

Jenevier was astonished. “B-but when do you sleep?”

“When I get tired. Why? Are you tired?”

“I could use a little rest, yes. Especially by the time we get up to the top of this,” she said, pointing up ahead.

*****

The two companions had trudged on until they came to the crest of the hill. All that lay out before them, were more hills.

Jenevier laughed. He looked at her curiously.

“What’s funny?”

“This.” She waved her arms out at the many rolling hills.

He tilted his head to the side, quizzically. “Why is
that
funny?”

“It just is, Alzeen. I don’t know. My luck would have it no other way. Fate wishes me upon a laborious path, I suppose.”

He cocked one eyebrow up and twisted his mouth to the side. “I don’t understand.”

“Neither do I.” She sighed. “Fate hates me. Or, perhaps I am just weary.”

Alzeen pointed down below them. “When we reach the valley, there’ll be shade. You can rest there.”

She snorted. “Wonderful. Now, if I could but roll down there.”

“Why? Why would you want to roll? You’ll muss your hair.”

She laughed again at his childlike perceptions. She could tell he didn’t understand her sarcasm.

“Because, Alzeen, my weary legs may not carry me all the way.”

“Then
I
will.”

He quickly scooped her up in his arms and started down the steep slope.

“Alzeen! Put me down. I was only teasing. It was but jest.”

“But… you’re tired. Right?”

“Yes, but I can walk.” She squirmed in his arms.

“And I can carry you as well.”

“I’m too heavy to carry all that way. You’ll be exhausted.”

“No, you’re not. It’s like carrying a baby lamb. Besides, you smell really good, too. I wanna just take a big bite out of you.”

He smiled and playfully snapped his teeth at her.

“Someone has already done that to me today. I do not wish for another one, thank you kindly.”

“Oh, beautiful lady, you would enjoy my bite very much. I promise. Let me just nibble you a little. Hmm?” He winked at her. “I won’t leave marks. That is, unless you want me to.”

Jenevier giggled and then gave up. She sighed as she laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes. She wasn’t going to argue with him. She truly was exhausted. The long night of riding, the horrible old dog, the nausea—it had all been so draining.

“…Alzeen,” she whispered softly.

She was asleep before they even reached the valley.