Redeemed by Rubies (A Dance with Destiny Book 6) (42 page)

Nilakanta held out his hand as she dropped her binding band into his palm.

“Vittorio gifted me that treasure many, many years ago. It holds great magic.” She placed her hand atop it in his. “With this… you can bind. Bind someone to you,
or
to your will. And if you ever have the need, you can
unbind
as well. But the magic only works for the one who has received it as a gift of love.” She looked up at him. “Accept my loving gift, beautiful Dragon. Never part with it. Promise me.”

Nilakanta bit his lip as tears trickled off the tip of his nose.

“It is a treasure I shall never be parted from,” he whispered. “Alas, the only creature I wish bound to me… is you, Little Fire.”

Jenevier smiled with only one corner of her mouth as she tried to pull in another haggard breath.

Nilakanta gently kissed her forehead, holding his lips there as he whispered, “I love you with every tiny piece of my crumbling heart.” He softly kissed her again. “Now…” He sniffed, then looked into her weary eyes. “Are you finished, Little Fire?”

She barely nodded her head, trying hard to swallow down the rising blood.

“Yes, Dragon. I am finished.”

He squeezed her to him, his bitter tears falling soft atop her golden curls.

“I only wish…” she whispered. “I only wish I was absent all these damn sapphires. I tire of the visual affirmation of my many mistakes.”

Nilakanta gently lifted her chin. “But you are, Naga. Your scars faded as you prayed. When you stepped into this arena, you were as pristine and whole as you were the day you first stepped into Vanahirdem… save this.” He lifted her tattooed hand and tenderly kissed it.

Jenevier smiled as she gazed at the intricate dark patterns swirled across her fair skin.

“And
that
is one reminder I will gladly take to my grave,” she whispered softly.

“You are the most glorious creature I have ever beheld. None are your equal, Little Fire.”

“So… my scars are gone…” She reached up then and felt the now smooth skin of her left cheek. “…I hadn’t even noticed.”

“You don’t need
this
anymore, either,” Nilakanta said, removing Michael’s collar from about her neck. “I am all but certain there is someone else that demanding Arch would like to jerk around in the future. I will see that he gets this.”

When Jenevier began coughing up blood, mingled with bile… her devoted Dragon carefully wiped it from her quivering chin.

“I will miss you, Brother,” she barely whispered.

“I will see you again, Kagi Naga. I promise.”

She smiled as she slowly closed her eyes. “…I will… hold you to that… Brother.”

*****

“Anicee?”

“She is ready for you now,” Nilakanta softly said.

Jenevier tried to open her eyes.

“Anicee, my love… I have come, just as I promised.”

When she had managed to barely raise a single eyelid, Jenevier saw the lower half of Varick’s smiling face.

“Is it really you?” She tried to open her eyes the rest of the way. “Are you truly here?”

“Yes, my love. I told you I was preparing a place for you. Remember?”

She tried to nod.

Varick smiled again. “I have come to take you home, precious Angel. We will never again be parted.”

“You mean… I get to live with
you
?”

Varick chuckled. “I hope that’s all right. I designed the place with only
you
in mind. It would be a shame if you did not join me there.”

“Then… I will not be nailed up within my own mountain prison?” Her chest made a sickening rattling sound when she tried to draw in a breath. “I will not be punished as were those other Angels?”

“Of course not, my love. All has been forgiven you. Besides… do you truly believe you are as evil as the soul-eater?” Varick smiled his angelic, breathtaking smile. “Your punishment, dearest Anicee… is an eternity with
me
.”

Jenevier then glanced beyond her loving Guardian and beheld the lighted opening to another, magical-looking realm.

“Come.”

When Varick took her hand, Jenevier’s pain suddenly vanished. She felt as light as air, swollen with nothing but love and peace.

“Your home awaits you, my love,” he softly said. “I designed the main palace to favor yours upon Jinn… but with so much more.”

“Am I dreaming?” she whispered.

“Only if I am as well.” Varick gently kissed her hand. “When did I first notice how slim and beautiful your fingers were?”

She glanced at the stunning, ethereal man at her side.

He smiled as he stretched out one of her curls. “Never have you looked more radiant, my love… as enchanting as a moonlit lake… as breathtaking as a cloudless night.” He pulled her closer, wrapping his arm around her waist. “I will worship at the shrine of your radiant smile, throughout all eternity.”

Tears filled her eyes. “Am I dead? Is my hell to be one where I am tormented by the beautiful memory of you… by the wretched loss of you?”

“Do you believe my praise to be tormenting?”

“If it were real… no. Alas, I have not lived nearly good enough to be blessed thusly.”

Varick chuckled. “Perhaps not, but
I
have.”

Jenevier turned to face him fully, yet did not speak.

Varick smiled as he tucked her curls behind her ears. “Father found favor in me while I was yet young. He set me up as judge, even used a literal piece of me to create a brand new soul.” He lightly kissed the tip of her nose. “And that soul… that most precious new creature…” He smiled. “
She
was a handful, to be sure.”

Jenevier blushed. Varick chuckled.

“The blessings Father poured out upon you for
my
sake…” he whispered. “…never has there been the like.”

“You mean… all that I am was for you? For your glory?”

“For my reward,” he said softly. “No matter how you erred, you were created to be my bride, to be
my
Anicee. Father kept blessing you, kept building you up, so that when the time finally came… you would be exactly who you are… right now.”

“But, Varick… I was not worthy of you when first we met, and even less so now.”

“Not true, my love. You have been reborn. Not a scar, not a blemish, not a single mark your torrential existence left upon you yet remains. You are as exquisite as the first day you laid eyes upon me, upon Vanahirdem.”

When they stepped through the brightened portal to another realm, Jenevier never once looked back. Her gaze remained fixed upon the one she had always loved. The only one she was
ever
meant to love.

“If you were so favored, Varick… why did Father curse you with one such as me? You know me better than anyone, sweet Prince. You know how badly I err.”

“Such was not always the case… not until you met me.” He sighed softly. “What I did to you during your training… that sin was laid upon my head. And… partly as
my
punishment and partly as
his
… you were delivered unto another. That was but the first snowflake in the avalanche that would become your life. Yet, through it all—”

“I was being made worthy of you.”

“That is not the whole of it, no. Many other people and events and things came into play. You had much to do, Anicee. Much was required of you. Yet, in the end… you would be eternally mine.”

She chuckled. “Even if it killed me.”

Varick smiled. “Even if it killed us both, yes.”

The smiling Guardian pulled her close and kissed her, sending Jenevier’s elated mind into a slow, blissful spin. When he slowly withdrew, she remained frozen as she was—eyes closed, joy highlighting her every feature.

“Anicee,” he whispered. “Welcome to your eternal home, my love. Welcome… to Arcadia.”

When he turned her around, Jenevier slowly opened her eyes to behold a scene far beyond her imagination.

Lavender fields stretched out as far as the eye could see. The whole realm seemed to be buzzing with joyful activity—elegant butterflies and colorful Pixies, playful kittens and majestic tigers, wobbly puppies and massive wolves—all lived happily within her lovely purple garden.

“As you see them now… is how they will always remain,” Varick said. “Each creature left its own realm in its own time, and here they will remain, always. This is their home, their paradise… and yours as well.”

“…Can I pet them?”

He chuckled. “As if anyone could stop you.” He lightly tugged on one of her curls. “There is no war on Arcadia. No strife. No hatred. Nothing to fear. Every creature is safe here… and every creature lives in perfect, loving harmony.”

As if to emphasize his words, a wolf—nearly as tall as she was—sniffed Jenevier’s hand before licking her there.

“How can this be real?” she whispered. “How can
I
be this lucky?”

“
I
am the lucky one, Anicee.” Varick hugged her from behind. “Father is too gracious.”

Jenevier nodded, then smiled. “And I am so happy that He is.”

A little striped kitten playfully swatted at the intricate lace hem of the flowing white dress Jenevier hadn’t even realized she was now wearing.

“Looks like you have an admirer,” Varick said through a soft chuckle.

Happy tears filled Jenevier’s eyes as she lifted the tiny meowing furball and nuzzled it against her shining cheek.

“I think he likes you,” Varick whispered.

“Then we are of like-mind.” She giggled, then kissed the purring kitten. “I’m gonna love you so much you’ll pop, little one.”

The kitten playfully batted at one of her curls.

When Jenevier laughed again, the many other animals began to migrate toward them.

“Varick?” She turned back to face him. “Those horses, there.” She pointed. “The one on this side looks like Epona.”

“That’s because it is Epona. She has been waiting for you.”

When Jenevier started to run toward the beautiful golden horse, Varick grabbed her wrist and turned her back to face him. When he smiled, she melted… again.

He lifted her tattooed hand to his perfect lips and gently kissed her ring finger. It began to softly glow.

Jenevier gasped, tears fast filling her sparkling blue eyes.

“…Varick…”

She watched in sheer joy as Varick’s treasured manacle was once again made manifest upon her tiny hand.

“Welcome home, Anicee,” he softly said.

Then… he kissed her.

*****

Father smiled as He gazed down upon the now-happy couple. Jenevier—rocking back and forth in the tree swing just outside her new palace home, two kittens in her lap and another one upon her shoulder. Varick—leaned up against that same tree, smiling fondly at his beloved Anicee, laughing aloud when the tiny yellow kitten got tangled within her flowing curls. A truer vision of heaven there had never been.

Father’s smile grew. “As it should be,” He whispered to Himself, slipping Jenevier’s trinket-laden chain around His neck. “Yes… As it should be.”

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About the Author

JK Ensley is a native Tennessean by way of Missouri, born there and quickly ushered down South. A product of public school and private college, she spent her early twenties bouncing across the country. Fascinated by rich culture, ancient customs, and thick accents, she’s compelled to drink in the many exquisite differences humanity is gifted with. A self-described, happily divorced mother of three with a black belt in sarcasm and an über common minivan, she does little to hide her wicked wit, advanced sarcasm, and extreme shoe addiction. “At the core of me, I’m one slightly twisted, pink haired, sword wielding, invisible ninja with a laptop, an imagination, and very little
me
time. That’s just who I am. I’m comfortable in my skin and I love my life. Totally not kidding about the hair, the swords, or the laptop, but I might’ve stretched it just a little with the invisible part.”

You can find Jennifer at the following locations:

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