Redeemed by Rubies (A Dance with Destiny Book 6) (32 page)

“Go on,” Jenevier said.

“While we were in Gokula, her tummy rumbled. I took her to a noodle shop and… she was hooked.”

“Spirit of the Rogall River.”

When Michael addressed him, Duhrias glanced up over Jenevier and looked the mighty Arch straight in the eyes.

“Can I assume that more than just this one
accidental
trip was made?”

Duhrias nodded, yet didn’t speak.

“Kagi Naga,” Michael said softly. “Lala is not Angel. She carries the blood of Angels, yes. Yet… she is Shinobi only, by both look and skill. While it is true that one such as the Princess can
use
the rare magic of the Urimtheim, she cannot replenish it.”

“…Because she isn’t Angel,” Jenevier whispered.

“Wait.” Tenshi furrowed his brow. “Are you saying that
Lala
caused the thinning of the veils?”

“Yes… I believe so,” Duhrias said, almost in a whisper. “Well… the two of us, together.”

“Have you been to every layer?” Jenevier asked.

“Yes.” He nodded. “We have traveled far and wide and often… anytime you were absent. Not because we were hiding it, but because Lala wanted to be near you during your rare presence here. Anyway, I didn’t see the harm in what we were doing. Neither of us did. I was at her side. The Princess was safe.”

“Yet… you stopped,” Michael said. “The drain of magic suddenly ceased. What happened, River Spirit? What caused you to learn the error of your ways? The Archs together couldn’t figure out the problem. How is it the two of you
did
?”

Duhrias swallowed hard and glanced back down to Jenevier, but didn’t speak.

“Answer him,” she said flatly.

Duhrias closed his eyes then. “We were told.”

“By whom?” she demanded

He bit down hard on his bottom lip. “We were on layer eight. Lala had a craving, so… we went to Japan.”

“Bloody hell,” Jenevier said, rubbing her temples.

“When we finished eating, we rented a rowboat and—”

She snorted. “Just like you were on a jolly holiday. By all that is holy.”

“But we had no idea we were causing harm. Not at the time.” He opened his eyes. “We are in love, Naga. Who doesn’t want to do fun things with the person they love? Lala was not in any danger. We weren’t hurting anybody… not breaking any rules. None that we knew of at the time.”

“Continue,” Michael said.

“Anyway… while we were floating down the river, I thought I saw someone.”

“Whom?” she demanded.

“An old friend of yours. That’s all.” He held up his hands, palms out. “I had
no
idea your feelings had changed, Naga. When last I saw the two of you together, you were laughing and talking and holding hands.”

“By the gods…” Her celestial pink eyes grew impossibly wide. “Say it, Duhrias. Speak the name. Tell me who you stumbled upon while on Earth!”

“…Ahriman,” he barely whispered. “I saw him near the water’s edge; we followed him through the woods. Lala was curious—”

“No! Don’t say it, damn you. Don’t you dare say you traipsed right up to that soul-eater’s side with my granddaughter in tow.”

“I didn’t know what would happen. I had no idea what he was really like. I swear it, Naga, swear it by the last breath in my lungs. When last I saw Ahriman, he was by your side… laughing and fighting demons and playing with your hair. I didn’t—”

“What did he do to my grandchild?” she screamed.

Duhrias fell to his knees. “I know not. As soon as Ahriman smelled you upon her, he turned to Lala and began questioning her concerning you.”

“What did he say?”

“I cannot tell you because he froze my whole body—struck me deaf and blind,” Duhrias cried. “When he returned my senses, that dark Angel explained to us what we were doing… how we were using up the veil between worlds. We stopped. From that day until you took us to Ashgard, we have not left Jinn.”

“Get him out of my sight,” she hissed.

When Tenshi seized the River Spirit, Duhrias called out to her. “Naga… I love Lala, and she loves me.
That
will never change. When she comes back…
when
she comes back… she will come to me. We
will
be together. I saw the look in her eyes the day you explained to her exactly what your Dragons had to sacrifice to fix what we had broken. She was consumed with guilt. I know her, Empress. She will never err so again. Lala will not travel back and forth to
visit
me, no. When she is found, she will run to me, and there she will stay. If I am on Earth, you
will
lose her.”

“Yet… if you remain on Jinn, I
will
kill you.”

“No. No, you won’t. That’s just your anger talking, Naga. You
have
to know what we did, we did out of ignorance. When Lala is safe within your arms once more, will you punish her? Will you try to keep us separated because we made a mistake? A mistake that we rectified immediately. How many second chances were
you
given, Empress? How many times have you erred and were forgiven? Is your beloved granddaughter not worthy of at least the same as you?”

Silence filled the hallway. Even Michael dared not make a sound.

Jenevier calmly walked to a nearby window, gazing out upon her beloved Jinn a moment before quietly stepping up onto the sill. She crouched then, her knees popping loudly down the quieted corridor.

She slowly turned to face the emerald-eyed man she had happily brought into this realm. Jenevier narrowed her gaze. Duhrias held his tongue
and
his breath.

“Remain hidden from me,” she said coolly. “That is the only warning you will ever get.”

Then, she leapt from the window and disappeared.

*****

“Well…” Michael whispered, mostly to himself. “Looks like the mystery of Kagi Naga’s stolen bracelet has been solved.”

“Do you think Lala took it?” Tenshi asked.

“Not with purposeful intent, no. But I would say her tiny little hands did the deed, yes.” Michael turned to Duhrias. “And since Ahriman felt the need to blind the River Spirit to his dealings with the Princess…”

“Then…” Tears formed in Tenshi’s heavenly blue eyes. “The soul-eater
possessed
my daughter.”

Michael nodded. “It looks like it, yes.”

“But if he possessed Lala just to use her to rid Empress Naga of the binding he had placed upon her…” Duhrias looked from the Arch to the Angel. “Then… why did he take Lala?”

“I am unsure,” Michael said. “Ahriman is a smart one. There’s no denying that.”

“Maybe he found out that Mama now hated him,” Tenshi said.

Michael gazed out the window his little sister had just flown from. “…Perhaps.”

“Even if the soul-eater
had
found out how Naga felt… why take Lala?” Duhrias furrowed his brow. “He would have to know that such a thing would make her even angrier.”

“Since his spell over Kagi Naga was broken, he no longer held sway with the Death Angel,” Michael said.

“But if he was in possession of my daughter.” Tenshi met Michael’s knowing gaze. “Then he could get Mama to agree to anything… just to get her back.”

“True.” Michael turned to Duhrias. “When Ahriman returned your sight, what did you behold? How did the Princess
act
with the soul-eater?”

“She was completely enamored with him,” Duhrias said softly. “She thought he was the most enchanting Angel she had ever seen.”

“…As I feared,” Michael mumbled.

*****

He told you true, Little Fire.
Nilakanta chuckled.
That River Spirit has more guts than I gave him credit for.

“Yeah… Even knowing that I truly wanted to rip his limbs off, he stood up for Lala, for their love.” Jenevier splayed her arms and legs out atop Nilakanta’s back, and sighed. “I should have ripped his tongue out, at the very least.”

Why? Because he made you look back upon yourself?

“Watch it, Dragon.”

Nilakanta chuckled again.
I do not fear your wrath, little Naga. Of all the creatures in this universe, you are now draped atop the only one you cannot defeat.

“Pfft… you think so?”

I know so, Little Fire.

“I wouldn’t be so sure. I mean, I think I know you pretty well. If I were to draw my blade, you would not defend yourself for fear of hurting me.”

And I know you as well, Kagi Naga. You would never unsheathe your might to draw my blood… you would die first.

“Then, I guess… we are equally incapable of defeating the other.”

As it should be, Little Fire. As it should be.

“Nilakanta…”

Yes, Kagi Naga?

“Help me find my Lala,” she whispered.

I swear it, beautiful Guardian. I swear it by every scale upon my back.

Jenevier rolled over onto her belly and wrapped her arms around his sapphire neck. “Where do you think she might be, old friend? If neither the darkness
nor
the light can reach him… where could that damn soul-eater be hiding?”

“There is only one place left, Your Majesty,” a seemingly disembodied voice whispered.

Jenevier sighed. “Just go away, Rixx. Whatever your purpose… you have succeeded. My family and I are in torment. You may go now.”

“No, lovely Naga. Your grief was never my intent. I was sent to watch you. Nothing more.”

“By whom?”

“That is irrelevant.” Rixx slowly came into view. “What
is
relevant, is the Princess. I did not take her and I have not seen her…”

“…But?” Jenevier said when he paused.

“But… if
any
creature is absent this universe, undetectable by both darkness and light… there is only
one
possible place for them to be.”

“…Which is?”

Naga, the Nephilim speaks of Sheol.

“Sheol?” Jenevier quickly sat up. “But… Uriel and Jophiel said that humans could not go there.”

“No,” Rixx said. “I believe what the Archs once told you was… humans are not meant to
remain
in Sheol. That’s why Father provided them an out. Sheol is not like any of the other Underworlds. Sheol is…”

“A place where ancient things live. Yes, I know.”

“No, Milady,” Rixx said. “Sheol is a holding cell. A place where
things
are sent… to wait.”

“Wait? Wait for what?”

“No one knows for sure. Wait for reward. Wait for punishment. Wait for Father to decide what
He
wants to do with them. It is true that most things in Sheol no longer walk the layers—have been eradicated eons ago. But not
all
things. There are some creatures residing there… some creatures that you are all
too
familiar with.”

“…Angels,” Jenevier whispered.

If nothing is allowed to leave Sheol, how is it Ahriman and Apollyon boast of walking in and out, freely?

“I don’t know, Dragon,” she mumbled.

Rixx softly cleared his throat. “It is because they can escort.”

Jenevier furrowed her brow. “Explain.”

“Angels of light, escort through the Nether to the enlightened Otherworlds. The same holds true for the Angels of darkness. Apollyon and Ahriman can freely traverse Sheol, because they
escort
there.”

If such is true… then your dear Vindicus should have no trouble retrieving the Princess.

Rixx chuckled. “One might think so, yes. But forget not what I told you. There are things living within that realm… as old as time itself. The only way any creature could freely stroll right in and out with Lala on their arm, would be if they offered Sheol’s inhabitants something far more valuable than the Princess herself. If Apollyon has nothing to exchange for Lala… he will not be the one to bring her home.”

So… someone in Sheol wants Naga.

“Yes,” Rixx said. “Someone, or some
thing
.”

“But, why? What in the world could a creature of Sheol want with
me
? Of what value am I to them?”

“You have no idea, do you?” Rixx’s dual-colored eyes sparkled brightly. “You have been blessed far beyond your worth, little one. You have garnered favor where none should have been given. You alone have committed far greater sins than even some who have been caged within that dark realm. Yet… you live. Not only do you live, you thrive, Kagi Naga. You have been forgiven and tolerated at
every
turn.” He moved a tiny bit closer. “What does
that
say to you, Angel of Death?”