Enthroned by Amethysts (A Dance with Destiny Book 3) (37 page)

Chapter 50

Vareen

(vah-REEN)

Jenevier heard Vareen’s piteous screams before she ever reached the noble seer’s door.

She stopped in her tracks, turned on her heel, and headed back toward the beautiful city gate.

“I cannot do this. I thought I could… I need to… Yet, I cannot,” she mumbled to herself.

Tenshi and Daichi looked to one another knowingly, and fell in step behind her as they made to leave the ethereal land they had only just entered.

“Don’t you dare run away from this, Jenevier Olesia Embarr!”

The shrill cry was knee-weakening. She froze and slowly closed her eyes, but she didn’t turn toward the haunting voice. She couldn’t bear to look into the angelic woman’s grief-stricken eyes.

“You will not run from what you have done. Not this time. I won’t allow it,” Vareen cried. “I will be granted my say. And you
will
give answer before me.”

Daichi growled at the enraged woman as Jenevier slowly turned around but kept her eyes closed, her head tilted down.

“
You
did this,” Vareen hissed. “All of this can be laid at your
perfect
feet.”

Vittorio placed his hand upon Vareen’s arm. “Dunnae do this, revered mother. We’ll all live tae regret the words ye speak this day. Let yer heart rest. Only then, break words with the Angel.”

She tore free from him and came to stand within arm’s length of Jenevier’s bowed head.

The Vanir warriors gathered around them, heartbroken for both women, powerless to help either.

Vareen spoke through gritted teeth as spittle landed upon Jenevier’s curls.

“You killed him. Same as if you’d wielded the sword in your own devious little hands. You’re the ignorant wretch who laid flat on her back for the Prince of Hell. You willingly spread your legs for the Chief of Demons and then had the nerve to bring him into
our
home. You welcomed hell into our holy house!” The regal woman’s shoulders rose and fell with her strained breathing. “You slept with the devil. You made him fall in love with you. You carried his child. And it was
your
assumed death that caused this damn apocalypse. Not only my son, but
millions
of other lives were taken as well. All in
your
name,” she screamed. “Every single death is accounted to you. And now you have the audacity, the unmitigated gall, to show up here?” She looked to her surrounding brethren and back to Jenevier. “Here, of all places? Not only do you stroll right into our city alive and well, but uninjured and whole.” Her voice lowered to a venomous hiss. “Would that I had a sword, I would end your worthless existence by mine own hand.”

Jenevier didn’t look up, yet she ripped Iole Máni from its scabbard, her killing blade, and held it high in the air. A collective gasp ran through the gathered warriors, yet no one moved. She slowly spun the blade in her hand as she brought the hilt down, holding it out toward the grieving seer.

When Vareen seized the blade, Jenevier fell to her knees, head bowed before her.

The revered Guardian looked at the violet glowing seraph blade and then back to the woman who had brought her so much unimaginable pain. She snatched a handful of pink curls, jerking the tiny Angel’s face up to meet hers.

Jenevier’s eyes remained tightly closed, but her tears streaked down through Varick’s blood and ashes still marring her trembling cheeks.

The ancient seer slapped her hard across the face, knocking Jenevier down upon her hands.

“How dare you cry! How dare you shed tears for my son? You’re not worthy the right.”

She grabbed those matted curls once more, pulling the broken little Angel back to her knees. Placing the tip of that glowing blade painfully against the base of Jenevier’s exposed throat, Vareen spit upon her bloodstained face.

“Open your eyes, dog! Open your eyes and look upon the woman who takes your wretched life. Look into my eyes and know what hate truly is.”

Daichi roared as he lunged for Vareen, tearing the knife from her hands. He kicked the regal Vanir and sent her sprawling across the ground.

Tenshi lifted his shattered mother to her feet and tucked her safely behind him. “These are the people my mother cried for every night?” His words started out as a whisper but rose slowly as he spoke. “You’re the ones she mourned for? The ones she loved above all others? How could she possibly be blind enough to waste her priceless love on such worthless creatures? I see no holy warriors before me. I see only pathetic, terrified, judgmental bigots. And you’re just impudent enough to lay the sins of hell at
her
feet? Accuse her of all manner of unspeakable evil? And then… you
spit
in her
face
?” His eyes fixed on Vareen’s, matching her vengeful glare. “And she let you. Yes, she
let
you. Know you not she’s an Angel, a daughter of God, blessed by the Father Himself? She could have slain you a thousand times over in the time it took you to berate and abuse her in front of the only family she has. The only people she loves.”

“Tenshi, stop.” Jenevier stepped from behind her enraged son. “Please, do not let hate take hold in your beautiful heart. You are too pure a soul to harbor feelings such as these. I won’t allow it.”

Daichi turned toward her when she spoke. When he saw the trickle of blood running down her chest where Iole Máni had pierced her skin, his bestial roar caused the very firmament to tremble.

“All is well, Daichi.” She stretched her hand out toward him. “Come. Let us leave this sacred place. I do not wish to bring more pain to these honorable people.”

“Pain to them?” Daichi yelled. “
Pain to them?
Are you the one who drew blood from an innocent throat? No! These people and this
woman
…” He snarled at Vareen. “Don’t deserve to know the truth. But they shall have it.”

“Daichi, those words are not for today,” Jenevier warned.

“
This
is the only day I shall ever speak them. And these people
will
hear,” he hissed.

Vinika helped Vareen to her feet. All eyes were on the terrifying sapphire Angel before them.

“This woman, the one you so easily heap all the sins of the universe upon, is the only blameless one among you. She offered her head in exchange for your grief. And you would have gladly taken it.” His flaming eyes fixed on Vareen’s. “There is but a single woman worthy of such blame. Yet she is of
your
blood. Not hers.”

“Daichi, stop!”

Jenevier started toward him, but his growls halted her feet.

“I will
not
stop!” He didn’t let Vareen break his glare. “That little bitch you gave birth to is the one who stole Jenevier’s journal and hand-delivered it to the greedy Emperor of Jinn.
She
made bargain with him—Jenevier’s life for the heavenly trinkets about her neck.”

“Aye, I’ll kill her myself,” Vittorio snarled.

Daichi continued, “Valencia’s the reason Musashi desired Jenevier. And
she
is how this innocent woman you meant to slay was stolen right out of your holy city. Right out from underneath your
regal
noses.” He looked to the warriors standing near him. “Is she not the same she-Guardian who offered to search layer nine?”

“Yes, she is,” Vareilious roared.

“And search it she did.” Daichi’s attention went back to Vareen. “Valencia slew the wizard who abducted Jenevier—carried him to hell with lies upon his lips meant for the demon Prince’s ears alone. All of this she did while the woman you now spit upon was being savagely beaten and raped over and over by the ruler of that realm.”

“An’ he shall die for it,” Vittorio hissed.

The mighty warrior made his way toward the tiny Angel he would always love. He could think of nothing but holding her, comforting her, washing the horrible pain from her memories.

Daichi placed a powerful hand upon Vittorio’s chest, halting his advance. “I have already seen to
that
glorious deed. When next I saw him, I left him minus a head.” He turned back to Vareen. “And now I wish only to toss your daughter’s into that stream alongside his. Kiss her farewell when next you see her,
revered mother
. For if I find her, you will see her no more.”

Tenshi now stood before Vareen. “Your son was the only man in my mama’s heart when she lay down at night. Varick was the one she cried out for when the horrible nightmares came.” A single tear slid mournfully down his beautiful face. “He was the only one Mama wanted to give the honor of naming us. And
his
babies were the ones she dreamed of carrying within her. He sacrificed himself to save me from my father. All because he loved her too much… and she couldn’t get to me in time.”

Vareen stared at the near perfect replica of Apollyon standing before her. His size and beauty hid what his words all too plainly revealed—he was as tiny inside as an innocent little boy. His pained words over his loving mother brought fresh tears to her grieving eyes.

Jenevier took Tenshi’s trembling hand in hers. “Come, my beautiful Angel. Let these good people mourn their loved ones in peace.” She gently tugged on his arm. “Our paths may cross another day. This is not the day. We don’t belong here. Let us go home and see to our people.”

“These are your sons?”

Jenevier’s back stiffened at the haggard sound of Vareen’s once beautiful voice. She still couldn’t meet the poor woman’s gaze.

“Tenshi is my son.” She reached out and took Daichi’s hand as well. “And Daichi is my Blessing.” She smiled up at him and he gave her a tender kiss on her forehead.

The three outsiders turned to leave the ethereal city. Jenevier held tightly to each loving hand. She knew she’d never be the same, but these two glorious Angels kept her whole and healed her with their smiles alone.

“The flutter in the pool,” Vinika whispered.

She stopped, looking back to her long-lost sister. She nodded. “You remembered.”

Jenevier pulled Daichi’s clasped hand close, pressing it over her heart as she smiled up at him.

“Yes. This is my little flutter.”

“Can you ever forgive me?”

Vareen’s rasped whisper was barely audible, but Jenevier heard it resonate loudly within her heart. She turned then to the woman who had always been there for her, always helped her, always loved her. Everyone present held their breath and stepped back uncomfortably, all save Vinika.

Jenevier closed her burning eyes and held her hand up in respect, the way Munenori had taught her to do with her Dragons, and bowed to her second mother.

“Namaste, blessed mother to your race. There is nothing to forgive. I could never hold ill toward you. Nay, I would be dead without you. If this were the day of my only son’s death, I would have wrought more harm than you. It is I who asks for forgiveness, whenever your heart may grant it.” Her voice began to quake. “I loved him beyond words, beyond imagining. If my death could bring him back, I would have slain myself before he fell to ash.”

She heard the quickly approaching steps. Tenshi tensed and Daichi growled. She opened her eyes to find Vareen half running toward her, tears streaming down her sorrowful face. It was more than she could stand. Jenevier ran full force, slamming into the giant woman, embracing her with all her strength. She tried to pull Vareen’s pain out through their contact and hide it away safely within her own heart.

“My son is gone… My only beloved son has been torn from this realm.”

Her cries were too much to bear. Her sorrow, too deep to heal.

“I know, Mother. He took many hearts with him. Never has a greater man ever lived.”

“I am so sorry, tiny Angel. If your flutter hadn’t stopped me, I would have taken your life as surely as I hold you now.”

“Don’t apologize for that. I offered it to you. You can have it still. I will do anything within my power to ease your wretched pain.”

Jenevier felt Vareen’s knees buckle. The trembling woman’s form was pulled from their embrace. She opened her eyes to see Tenshi holding the lovely seer in his arms as a babe, while she cried her heart out against his broad chest.

“Take her to the waters,” Vinika whispered. “We could not coax her to go.”

Tenshi looked to Vinika as she spoke. “Point me the way, lovely lady.”

“Aye, Lass, dunnae ye believe ye could benefit from a dip yerself?”

She hadn’t even heard Vittorio’s approach.

“You know how I feel about those healing pools, Brother. Nothing good happens there.”

“Naethin’ good? Do my ears deceive me? How can ye harbor such lies as these, wee rabbit? Do ye regret saving my life, then?”

She looked up at his smirking face and felt the bond they once shared swell within her.

“Never, Brother. Remove my bitter words. Let it be as if I did not speak them at all. No matter what, I will always give thanks for that most glorious of miracles. I love you.”