Redeemed by Rubies (A Dance with Destiny Book 6)

by JK Ensley

  Alzeen glanced toward the still-armed man. “Smashing job, Guardian Knight. Were you any slower, I would have had your Lady half eaten… were I so inclined.”

  Duhrias did his best to hide the blush now rising up in his cheeks as he sheathed his blade.

  “What is it about my scent that pulled you to me?” Lala asked. “Is that why you let me pet you so easily?”

  “I let you pet me because I enjoy it. If I did not… you would know. Now, tell me. How have you come to be on Byzantha? Did you bring Empress Naga with you?”

  Lala shook her head. “No. She is attending a summons… as usual. Dimples and I came through the caves. I love playing about in your magical forest.”

  “Are you a panther?” Duhrias asked.

  Alzeen cast him a disgusted look, if cats can do such a thing. “I am a Zeenian Prince, sell-sword. If you are meant to represent one of the royal households of this universe, you would do well to learn a bit of etiquette.” He glanced back at Lala. “It seems both of you lack a sense of noble decorum. I am only convinced that the girl is who she says she is because I smell the Empress within her… and the fact that she can obviously make the stones glow and hear the forest sing.” He stood then and turned to go. “Tea would be a proper way to discuss this further. Come.”

  *****

  “Whoa…” Lala’s mouth fell open. “So you are Alzeen.”

  Duhrias snorted at the obvious way Lala was practically drooling all over herself.

  “I am Prince Alzeen, yes.” He inclined his head toward her.

  “…Wow. Just… wow.”

  When Duhrias discretely elbowed Lala, she cleared her throat and blushed. Alzeen smiled to himself.

  “Obaasan said you were handsome. But… her words could never do you justice, good Prince.”

  “Your Obaasan is an exquisite creature as well,” he half purred.

  “It runs in the family,” Prince Chazeen said as he entered.

  Lala and Duhrias had followed the large red and cream-colored cat down the mountain and to the Northern palace, but only now were the Zeenian Princes greeting them in their royally-attired human forms.

  The Shinobi Princess was entranced, to say the least. Duhrias… not so much.

  Prince Chazeen took her hand and lightly kissed it, bowing regally as he did.

  Lala blushed brightly.

  Prince Razeen smiled sweetly as he took her other hand and led her into the formal parlor, seating her next to his eldest brother, Prince Alzeen.

  Heilzeen, the youngest Prince in the family, sighed lazily as he took the seat across from Lala, yet didn’t speak.

  When King Taizeen entered, they all stood.

  “Your Highness,” Duhrias said, bowing with his fist over his heart.

  Taizeen paused at the sight, inclined his head, then took his seat. “This day is a glorious day.” He smiled softly. “The day I was blessed with looking upon my great-great-great-granddaughter.”

  Lala furrowed her brow. “Apologies, Your Grace. I don’t underst—”

  “Your great-great-grandmother was my eldest daughter… Princess Lazeen.”

  “But… how is that even possi—”

  “Lazeen was your… What do you call her—the Empress?”

  “The Empress? You mean… Obaasan?”

  Taizeen smiled. “Ahh yes… My daughter, Princess Lazeen, was your Obaasan’s grandmother.”

  “I…” Lala glanced toward Duhrias, and then back to the King. “I didn’t know.”

  “That is why you can hear the music,” Alzeen said. “Because you claim Byzanthian blood.”

  When Lala continued to furrow her brow in obvious confusion, Prince Heilzeen rolled his eyes and sighed. “Your Knight, there.” He motioned toward Duhrias. “I am right, aren’t I? He is your Knight or protector or something, is he not?”

  Lala nodded.

  “He cannot hear the music, can he?”

  She shook her head. “No. He cannot.”

  “And that is because he is not Byzanthian,” Chazeen said. “Yet you are, little one.”

  Prince Razeen chuckled. “Surprise, dear niece. You are a Princess on two layers of this universe.”

  “You must be sooo proud,” Heilzeen said, in a completely uninterested tone.

  “So… you are my uncles?”

  “Bellevine and I had six cubs in all,” King Taizeen said. “Your great-great-grandmother, these four handsome gentlemen here, and our youngest, Princess Dalazeen.”

  “She lives in the Southern kingdom now,” Razeen said. “With her husband Syadar and their cubs.”

  When Lala didn’t speak—almost looked panic-stricken—King Taizeen stood and held out his hand toward her.

  “Come, my child.” He waited until she acquiesced. “Come, and I will show you the story of your ancestors… same as I did with your Obaasan many years ago.”

  Lala glanced up at him. “…Story of my ancestors?”

  Taizeen nodded. “Yes. The story of Shamsiel and Talia.”

  *****

  “That was quite a bit to take in, all in one go. Huh, Princess?”

  “Huh?” she answered absently.

  Duhrias squeezed her hand. “Hey… You okay?”

  Lala didn’t answer immediately. “…I …I don’t really know very much about Obaasan. Do I, Dimples? I had no idea concerning this part of her—of our heritage.”

  “Naga is a mystery, to be sure. But… I don’t believe she intentionally keeps you in the dark. More like… she’s so busy living in the present, the past rarely comes up.”

  “It didn’t used to be that way. There was a time when Obaasan would cradle me upon her lap and speak of bygone times. But…”

  “But now… Naga is a different creature.”

  “I don’t believe so. I mean… on the rare occasion she happens to be in the palace for a time, she will smile and talk openly with me.”

  “Then, perhaps you should take better advantage of her lapse between summonses.” He pulled her closer. “I monopolize your time.” He kissed her forehead. “From now on, when Naga returns… I will let you have the time you need to know who you are… who Naga is.”

  Lala leaned against his chest. “Gratitude, Dimples.”

  “Now then, fair Princess. Where would you like to go from here?”

  She glanced around at the glowing Urimtheim. “Hmm… I believe… I wish to go to Lyra.”

  *****

  They were holding hands and laughing by the time they stepped out of the mountaintop cave. Alas, the happy couple was not met with magic and wonder. Not this time. When they stepped into the daylight of layer one, axes and swords were their only welcome.

  “Who are you?”

  “Where did you come from?”

  Lala glanced from one Dwarf to the next, speechless.

  Duhrias gently pulled her behind him, resting his other hand upon his sword hilt.

  “Speak up.”

  “Yeah. How did you make this cave light up?”

  “Is it gold?”

  “I’m not sure. If it is, it’s the oddest color of gold I’ve ever seen.”

  “It’s not gold,” Lala said from behind her Knight. “It’s Urimtheim.”

  “Urimtheim?”

  “Is that a kind of gemstone?”

  “If it is, I’ve never heard of it.”

  “Perhaps it’s a new kind.”

  “Yeah. One never found before.”

  “It’s not a gemstone. It’s an Angel stone,” Lala said. “And it only glows for me. If you harm me, the stones won’t shine anymore.”

  “What are you saying? That you’re the key to their brilliance?”

  The Dwarves chuckled amongst themselves.

  “Have you ever seen them glow, before today?”

  At Duhrias’s question, they began to mumble to one another.

  “It is as she says,” Duhrias continued. “Harm her, and the light goes out.”

  “Well then…” The center Dwarf stepped closer.
“If the girl is truly the key to this gemstone’s glory… we’ll be in need of her.”

  “Yeah. Lock her up within the vault so that the glow remains.”

  “We will keep her with the rest of our treasures.”

  “She is lovely. I’ve never seen a creature quite like her.”

  When the surrounding Dwarves began to collectively voice their agreement, Duhrias whispered back over his shoulder, “Get ready to run, Princess.”

  The center Dwarf held his axe up and motioned toward the sell-sword’s still-sheathed blade. “You gonna use that… or is it just for show?”

  When the River Spirit turned towards Lala and growled out, “Run!” Lala didn’t hesitate.

  As they reached the room with the highest concentration of Urimtheim, Lala yelled, “Earth!”

  The two tumbled forward into the cave upon layer eight.

  “Why Earth?” Duhrias asked, helping her up.

  “I don’t know.” She dusted off her dress. “I feel safe with you. And… well… this is your home.”

  “Was my home.” He smiled with only one corner of his mouth. “But I’m glad we’re here.”

  “Why?”

  “Because there’s something I’ve been thinking about, something I want us to do… together.”

  “What?”

  “It’s a secret.” He winked and grabbed her hand. “Come on.”

  *****

  “Oww, Dimples. That hurt like hell.” Lala was staring down at the inside of her left foot. “You should’ve warned me.”

  “If I told you it might hurt, would you have gone through with it?”

  “No.”

  He smiled. “Then that’s why I didn’t warn you.”

  “But… why a tattoo? And why there?” She lightly ran her fingertip across the black lettering curved around the arch of her foot.

  “I wanted something visible… to connect us.” Duhrias gazed proudly at his own tattoo. “If you won’t tell your family yet, I can’t very well buy you a ring. Now, can I? And as for where I had them ink us… we can readily see it, but it’s especially easy to hide.”

  “But it isn’t fair,” she half whined. “I had to get twice as many letters as you did.”

  “There are four letters in Lala and only seven in Duhrias. That’s not twice as many.”

  She puffed her cheeks out. “Close enough.”

  “Do you wish we hadn’t done it?” he said softly, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “Do you wish we were yet unmarked?”

  “…No.” She looked up at him and smiled. “I like knowing that my name permanently adorns your flesh.”

  He lightly kissed the tip of her nose. “As do I, my love. As do I.”

  Lala sighed. “I guess we’d better be heading back to Jinn.”

  “Yes.” He took her hand. “If we’re not back by dinner, Yui will be cross with you.”

  “And you. I’ll blame the whole thing on you, Dimples. I mean, you’re supposed to be watching over me. You know that, right?”

  Duhrias chuckled. “I will gladly take a public lashing for your sake.” He pulled her against his chest and lifted her chin. “As long as you understand I will be administering your punishment… in private.”

  Lala giggled, just before Duhrias cut off her tiny laugh with a deep, possessive kiss.

  Chapter 3

  Rixx

  (RICKS)

  “So… a Nephilim, huh?” She narrowed her gaze, studying him closely. “What the hell is a Nephilim?”

  He snorted out a laugh. “Apologies.” He straightened his waistcoat and cleared his throat. “A Nephilim is the spawn of Angel and woman. My father was an Angel and my mother was human, but that was thousands of years ago now. Angels don’t tend to do that sort of thing much, anymore. Thus, why I am the last of my kind.”

  “Not true, little Nephilim. On Jinn, there are hundreds of your kind. My Senpai told me he was the father of the first Shinobi, and a few more since. And believe you me, Munenori is all Angel.”

  Rixx snickered. “Very well, Kagi Naga, let me rephrase my definition. A Nephilim is the resulting offspring of an unsanctified union between an Angel and a woman. Munenori was given the responsibility, the job of doing what it is he does—strengthening races through his noble blood. That’s what he is supposed to do. It’s part of his purpose. Thusly, the offspring of his unions are strong and magical and blessed beyond your knowing. They are not Nephilim, Naga. Nephilim are an abomination… creatures that were never meant to be.”

  A sharp pain pierced her heart. She had been called thus herself—an abomination. The nasty word was tattooed upon her psyche. It made her feel bad, hurt her feelings whenever someone referred to her in that manner. She felt an instant connection to Rixx, all because of that one word. Her previous reservations ebbed. She could empathize with this man. His contrasting eyes still jarred her, yes, but her uneasiness was fast being replaced with a dose of pity.

  “Once we were mighty,” Rixx said. “Once we ruled over that realm you only just left.”

  “What?”

  “Yes, Naga. We were the giants of old—gods among men. None could best our might, and none could match our glory.”

  “The Earthlings?” she whispered absently. “You once ruled them?”

  He sort of snorted. “We were not given the appointment, no. We took it. As I said before, none could best us.”

  “…Is that so?”

  Still, her mind was not on his words. She was lost in a sort of surreal haze, having great difficulty processing much, if any of it.

  “Yes, that is so. Alas, I am all that remains of my kind. My brothers all wait now, resting in Sheol until the appointed time.”

  “…Sheol…”

  He waited a couple more heartbeats, admiring her lovely, stunned features.

  “I have watched you, Naga.”

  His gentle words pulled her from her internal musings.

  “What? You’ve watched me? From where? For how long? And… why?”

  The man with the silky, dual-toned hair moved closer. The warm smile now fixed firmly upon his face reached all the way up to his vibrant, albeit disconcerting, eyes.

  “Yes. I have watched you from afar for many years now, Kagi Naga, ever since the last battle of Apollyon’s accursed war… the darkest day of your life. Well, it ranks at the top of the list, anyway.”

  He reached for one of her curls, but she withdrew—drawing her brows together, creasing her fair forehead.

  “And as for why,” he continued, unfazed by the fire now dancing within her ethereal glare. “I ask you. Why not?”

  He advanced as she withdrew.

  “Can a moth explain why it is drawn to a flame? Can a dog even understand the great loyalty it so easily shows its master? Can a bird fight against the gentle call of warmer winds? And can that strange little golden lizard wrapped about your neck ever leave you of his own freewill? I cannot tell you why you fascinate me, Guardian of Dragons. Only that you do.”

  “Maza Rixx, do you have any idea how creepy that sounds?”

  He continued to smile, almost like he was ignoring her words, fascination and wonder dancing plainly within his eyes.

  She snapped her fingers. “Hey! Are you even listening to me? You just admitted to stalking me for years. And… that doesn’t bother you, doesn’t seem just a tad bit odd? Not in the least?”

  “No, Naga. Not in the least. It seems only natural that I should do so.”

  “Natural? Why? Do you spy on other Angels?”

  “I am not interested in Angels, Naga.”

  “Then… why do you watch me?”

  “Because, little flower, I cannot look away.”

  “Little flower?” She searched his sparkling eyes. “So… not only have you watched me upon Jinn, but upon Byzantha as well?”

  He moved closer, thrilled by the fact she didn’t retreat nearly as far nor quite as quickly as she had before.

  “Not only Jinn and Byzantha, little one, but A
shgard, Earth, and Val Hal as well. I have watched you when you thought you were alone in Princess Falls on Lyra, and I was in Vanahirdem when your Guardian husband came to you from beyond the veil.”

  Jenevier stopped retreating entirely then. He gently wrapped one of her long curls around his finger. She didn’t seem to notice, didn’t even flinch or pull back.

  “Now that was something truly magical to behold,” he continued. “I cannot even begin to fathom a love so strong it pulled a soul back from the Otherworld.”

  Who is this man? she thought. How can he go… where he should not be able to go? Why haven’t I, or why hasn’t anyone even noticed him, felt his presence, caught the faint trace of his scent upon the breeze?

  She looked down to his polished black shoes, and then back up to his fire and ice eyes. “Who is your father, Rixx? Do I know him?”

  “You have never met my father, tiny Naga.” He carefully lifted a silent tear from her cheek and placed it to his lips. “He is of no import. He no longer walks the layers.”

  “Wh-what is it you want from me?” She quickly wiped at her watery eyes. “Why did you decide to reveal your presence to me this day?”

  He sighed, releasing the pink curl he had been gently fondling. “When I heard you trying to count your years, I took pity on you. I remember well what it felt like the day I realized I had outlived all who knew me. It is a damnable lonely feeling, is it not?” He gazed off into the distance. “You wake up one morning and realize that not only has your life passed you by, it has done so… over and over. As if… you blinked, and it was all stolen.”

  “…Yes,” she whispered.

  He turned back to her, lightly touching her cheek. “Well, take heart, little one. You are luckier than most. Your life has not passed you by. Not just yet.”

  “What are you talking about, Rixx? I just realized I lost like… I don’t know, thirty or forty years in the span of a day. How is that not life passing me by?”

  “Because, Ajená, you have rare friends.”

  “Please stop doing that. It’s too creepy to ignore.”

  “I am only trying to help you, Naga. I don’t expect you to trust me so easily. I mean, we have only just formally met.” He smiled. “But it does my heart good seeing you defend yours a little better than you normally do.”