Protected by Emeralds (A Dance with Destiny Book 5) (42 page)

He took her hands in his. “And that is the best news I have heard in ages, Kagi Naga.”

“Perhaps… but already I am starting to forget.”

“Forget? Forget what?”

“Time.” She moaned as she rubbed her forehead. “There is the sun and the moon, yes. But already I have to
really
concentrate to remember days and weeks and months.”

“And why would that scare you, Little Fire? Seems to me, that should be a blessing to one such as you.”

“A blessing, yes… but a curse as well.”

“Where is the curse, my love?”

“Because I have a family.” Tears burned her eyes. “Because I have fleshly ties. Think about it, Daichi. What if I leave on a summons and do not return for twenty years, or fifty even? It will seem to me as little more than a day. But when I finally return, when I finally walk back through those doors, I may find Lala with grandchildren of her own or Yui as a frail old man… or worse.” She began to cry in earnest then. “I cannot let that happen, Daichi. I cannot let Yui grow old and die all alone… without even a passing thought of him in my completely celestial mind. The next time I tell him goodbye, may very well be the last time I ever see him alive.”

Daichi wrapped his arms around her and let her cry.

“And what of my precious Lala? We know not if she is immortal or no, not truly. She grows as does a normal child, not as you and Tenshi did. What if she is more her mother’s child than her father’s little Angel? What then, Daichi? Tell me how in the world I am supposed to return home to a withered grandchild whom I left at the tender age of four.”

With those words, Daichi finally understood her pain. So he did what it was he was made to do… he held her as she crumbled.

*****

Yui felt the breeze off her wings when she landed upon the balcony. Inhaling her magical scent as it wafted over him, he slowly opened his eyes.

Jenevier sat upon the marble railing, gazing lovingly at her beautiful ninja’s still form atop the bed.

“Do you hate me now?” she whispered.

He didn’t answer. He only stared at her moonlit silhouette through the blowing sheers.

“Love me or hate me, but know this one thing. I hold you above all other men. No human will ever surpass you in my heart. I would not be the Angel I am today… were you not always at my side. I will never intentionally hurt you. Ignorantly, perhaps… but never intentionally. I would freely walk into Sheol with my wings bound before I would do harm unto you, my most treasured friend.”

She stared at him for several lonely heartbeats. Still, he did not move. When she sighed and spread her wings to leave, she heard his soft whispers.

“I want no woman… save you.”

Jenevier glanced back to see the thin curtains take on his flawless shape as he slowly walked through them. She remained perfectly still as he approached, head down.

“You know the truth of my heart, Mistress.” He lifted his gaze toward her. “Have I ever lied to you?”

Her heart ached when she saw his puffy eyes, the enchanting lavender encompassed about with spidery webs of crimson.

She opened wide her arms. “Oh, my beautiful Yui… what have I done to you?”

He embraced her, resting their foreheads together.

“You tried to give me away, Empress.” Pain-filled tears dripped from his chin.

“No, my love. That was not my intent. I swear it.”

“Then why did you do it? Why did you bring a woman into our home like that?”

“Not because I wanted rid of you, believe me.” She sighed wearily.

“Stop trying to hide whatever it is that has hung weights upon your soul, Milady. I am ever your support. Let me into your heart now… tell me what happened.”

She squeezed him even tighter, tears popping from the corners of her tightly closed lids.

“I lost my humanity, Yui.”

He was silent as he took in her words. “I see…” Wiping the tears from her cheek, he lightly kissed her there. “Will you forget me now?”

Jenevier stopped trying to hold back the debilitating pain. “I will never forget you, sweet Yui. But… already I forget time, the weight of it, the restraints it held over me.”

“I see…” He lifted her in his arms, carrying her back inside. “Rest here, Mistress, while I make you some tea.”

She watched quietly, admiring his elegant movements, inhaling the thick aroma of roses.

“So…” He sat beside her on the bed as he handed her the dainty cup. “You may not forget me… but you may forget to return to me, forget I am here waiting for you.”

“…Yes.”

“So you sought me out a companion… to make your absence a more bearable thing.”

“…Yes.”

“And who is the handsome sell-sword for? Daichi?”

Jenevier strangled on her tea, laughing and coughing both as she looked at his smirking profile.

“You know what he would do if he heard you say that, don’t you?”

“He would kill me, yes.” He calmly took another sip. “So… the sell-sword?”

She smiled, studying his lovely profile. “He swore himself to my service—only Knight to the Empress of Jinn.”

“…And?”

“And… I brought him back for Lala.”

He casually set his cup down and turned to face her.

“Tenshi does not like him, Naga. Besides, Lala is but a child.”

“Tenshi does not like him only because the man stands at my side… and because he does not possess dark sapphire wings.”

Yui nodded. “Yes, this is true. He has become quite attached to his father as of late. I am not even certain he would grant Vittorio unhindered access to you anymore.”

“I get the same feeling,” she mumbled. “Something is changing within my once docile son. I am uncertain—throws me off a bit.” She shook her head then, chasing away the troubling thoughts. “Anyway, I have not broached the subject with Duhrias yet, but I intend him to spend his time in my service as Lala’s personal guard… just in case.”

He smiled. “That precious little Angel can never have too many people watching over her.”

Yui took her hand, leading her back out onto the balcony and into the cool night breeze.

“Promise me something, Mistress.”

“Anything, Yui.”

“Promise me you will never do that again… ever.”

She smiled and wrapped her arms around him from behind, burying her forehead between his shoulder blades.

“I promise, Yui. No, I swear it.” Her vow was muffled in his clothing. “I swear I will never push you toward another woman. You are mine.” She giggled, tickling his ribs, squeezing him tighter as she did.

Jenevier felt his silky hair begin to wrap around her waist, then she was trapped and the
torture
began. Yui clamped his hand over her mouth when she screamed, but he did not cease in his playful punishment.

“Mercy, Yui. Please, mercy. I yield!” she cried through his cupped fingers.

When he finally stopped, she collapsed into his waiting arms, sighing and smiling at the same time.

“Ahh, Yui. I love you.”

“And I love you, Milady.”

“Now then, I made you a solemn promise, good Hand. Will you return the favor?”

“As long as it does not leave me in another’s arms, I will promise. What is your wish, Mistress Naga?”

Jenevier lifted her head, smiling when she met his enchanting lavender gaze.

“Yui, will you be my—”

A slight movement at the corner of her vision pulled her attention to the far end of the balcony. Her smiles and happy words turned to horrified shrieks.

Yui but cut his eyes toward the intruder, his hair instantly lashing out, swiftly wrapping around the shadowy creature’s neck.

Jenevier clung to her fearless Shinobi as she stared into the creature’s glowing red eyes, and then they were gone—disappearing as Yui’s long locks fell unhindered to the floor.

“What was that?” she whispered in amazement.

“Something minus fear and full of intent, I felt
that
much. But… never have I seen its like.”

“Was it a man?”

“No.”

“Was it an Angel?”

“Not like any Angel I have ever known, light
or
dark.”

“Then… a demon.”

“I do not believe so… perhaps…”

“D-did it just disappear? Or did it somehow slip away from you?”

“Such a thing is not possible, Milady. It disappeared. Yet, it was solid… if only for a moment.”

She quickly scanned the surrounding grounds, not really sure she actually wanted to spot the creature or not. She shuddered.

Yui scooped her up in his arms. “Let’s get you back inside, Empress.”

*****

“What the hell was I thinking?” He cursed under his breath. “All these years I have kept my distance, remained detached.”

He sat atop the far mountain, eyes fixed on the glowing palace below.

“Dammit! Never have I made such an unforgivable mistake.”

He sighed, letting his head loll forward, resting his forehead on his bent knees.

“When I saw that damnable Shinobi use his ninjitzu on her… when she screamed… when he covered her mouth and bound her wings… I moved without thinking. For shit’s sake, why did I do that?”

He glanced down at the now empty balcony before closing his eyes and falling back upon a mound of pine needles.

“Why the f—” He pounded his fists down by his sides. “Ugh! Why did she scream like that? If she was laughing, why in the hell did she act like she was being attacked? Better yet, why in the holy fires of eternal hell did I even care? I watched Shabriri all but rape her—didn’t even lift a finger.”

He growled and kicked a nearby tree. It cracked, splinters popping out where his heel had landed. He smiled as the giant pine groaned and rocked, watched as it slowly fell with a ground-shaking impact. He quickly glanced back down at the palace, knowing full well they couldn’t have possibly heard anything from this distance.

He sighed as he plopped back down on the ground.

“What in the ever-loving holy hell is wrong with me? This is ridiculous. I need to get away from this accursed place. This mission is taking too long. If I’m not careful… No! I will not form attachments! That is not my purpose. Hell… I’m not even capable of such. So… what is wrong with me, then?”

He glanced back toward the grand palace on Jinn before turning to go.

“I mean… Seriously… Why did he bind her? And… why did she scream?” he mumbled to himself. “Does she normally do that? No, of course not. And who would know better than me? I mean…”

The birds, the tiny forest creatures, all life fled with his approach. He didn’t notice. Such things had never garnered his attention.

“When has she ever played thusly? Huh? Never, that’s when.”

With his hands in his pockets and a sigh on his lips, the strange man wandered aimlessly through the darkened hills.

*****

“…Yui.”

“Are you alright, Mistress? Did it do anything, say anything? Did it cast any kind of spell over you?”

“No, Yui. I didn’t even feel its presence. How is that possible? I would not have even known it was there, had it not moved.”

They heard a deep voice frantically calling her name. Opening the door, Jenevier found Duhrias running down the corridor.

“Dimples?”

The man spun towards them, relief washing over his handsome features. He ran to her, kneeling at her feet, fist crossed over his chest.

“Empress, Cherie is in need of you.”

They found the girl curled up on her side, crying openly as Vareilious rubbed her back, trying to comfort her.

Jenevier’s steps faltered when she saw her giant Guardian sitting on the edge of Cherie’s bed. She had to silently compose herself before crawling across the covers.

She curled up beside the Forest Spirit, facing the trembling girl, gently squeezing her hand. “What is it, my little Cherry Blossom? What happened? Tell me. Did that big silver oaf over there hurt you?”

Jenevier shot a cold look toward Vareilious. He growled in return.

“I only just got here myself,” he said. “I came when I felt her fear.”

“Felt her fear—” Jenevier stopped what she knew would only lead to a bloody argument with her beloved brother.

“No, Empress Jen,” Cherie whispered. “It was horrible. I felt it. He… he murdered it.”

“What? Murdered? Come, child. Sit up properly and tell me who or what you are speaking of.” She gently helped the shaking girl to rise. “Now, tell me. Who murdered who? What did you see?”

“I didn’t
see
anything. I didn’t even sense the darkness lurking there in the forest. Not until he… until he murdered the tree—kicked it for no reason—smiled as that mighty, ancient pine was laid low.”