Destroyed by Onyx (A Dance with Destiny Book 4) by JK Ensley, Jennifer Ensley

heart. But the only way to restore her is to do as Uriel has instructed. Best ready yourself for the job, Daichi. It won’t be an easy one.”
    The sapphire Angel gave one quick nod of his head but spoke not a word.
    “So… Mama’s out there… all alone… minus her memories.” Tenshi stared into the clouds, his mind filling with horrible visions. “I bet she’s so scared,” he whispered. “She’s just a little bitty thing, so small, no idea what’s happened to her or who she even is, probably.” He turned to face his brother. “What if some evil man, someone like Musashi, finds Mama? What if she’s screaming for help right now? What do you think he’ll do? Bind her? Hurt her? Scar her more than she already is? What if some dark someone already has her? What if she’s having to relive that soul-rending, atrocious nightmare all over again?”
    The terror in his brother’s angelic blue eyes rocked Daichi’s crumbling heart.
    “Musashi?” Vittorio growled. “Aye now, is he the bloody sword wielder what touched my Angel?”
    “She is not your Angel,” Daichi snarled.
    “Yes.” Tenshi sniffed. “He’s the one. Musashi was always so kind, so loving toward us, especially Mama. He acted like he loved her more than anything else in the whole world. He never raised his voice to her or to us. When I close my eyes, I can see his charming smile. Holding me in his arms, promising to love me always, telling me how we were his twin Princes, fated to rule the ninth layer one day. I’ve tried hard to recall, yet I cannot remember even seeing him angry before that day. His eyes held nothing but devotion. But after that damn she-Guardian came back to Jinn, the one you call Valencia, and took Mikage away with her…” His words trailed off and he wiped his eyes. “Mama’s dreams after that… How can a man even think of doing such horrible things? I will never be able to forget it. Never be able to erase the pain and terror she felt. Not in this lifetime or the next.” He grabbed his brother’s arm. “What if someone’s doing that to Mama right now? What if someone is—”
    Daichi growled at Tenshi, jerking his arm free, halting the terrified Angel’s words in his mouth.
    “That’s not your mother out there, little Tenshi,” Munenori said softly. “It’s only her body. Her mind and her heart are sheathed there at her Blessing’s waist. She won’t have to suffer through anything that might be happening to her right now.”
    “But… What about when we find her? What about then?” he pleaded. “What will happen to her when Daichi returns her soul to her body? Tell me, Munenori. Will she remember what her body went through? Will she then have to deal with whatever pain and horror her shell might be subjected to as we speak? Will she have to relive beatings, torture? What about rape? Will she be forced to live with as wretched a memory as that… once she’s restored?”
    “Ugh, why can’t you just shut your damn mouth, Tenshi?” Daichi roared. “Your infantile wails are driving me mad.”
    The mossy lavender Angel touched Tenshi’s trembling shoulder. “I know not the answers you seek, my son. But I do know this. No matter what happens to her out there, no matter what she is having to live through at this very moment… Daichi can heal her.” Munenori smiled softly. “That’s the very reason he was made.”
    “Now, let’s use our heads and think this thing through, Brothers.” Vareilious held up all his fingers. “There are ten layers in this universe and only half as many of us.”
    “You can mark off Ashgard,” Daichi said dryly. “She’s not there.”
    “We can go ahead and count Byzantha out as well.” Vareilious cleared his throat, blushing slightly. “If our Angel landed there, she’s in no danger. They would never harm her. This I vow.”
    “The same goes for layer nine,” Munenori added. “If that tiny creature fell upon Jinn, her people will take care of her. No matter