Free Redeemed by Rubies (A Dance with Destiny Book 6) by JK Ensley, Jennifer Ensley Page B

feelings.”
    “Come down from that limb and your feelings won’t be all I’ll hurt.”
    Jenevier giggled. “Did you just threaten me?”
    “No. I promised you a thrashing. And if I get my hands on you, I’ll make good on that promise.”
    She glanced over the man’s broad shoulder. “I think your stew is burning. It smells scorched.”
    “Well if it is, it’s your fault.” He turned toward the bubbling pot hanging over the little fire. “Trifling little nuisance,” he mumbled.
    “Why do you limp?”
    He spun back to face her, narrowing his eyes into a cold glare.
    “Do you have a gimpy leg?” She tilted her head to the side. “Or did you get injured in battle?”
    “I don’t have a gimpy leg!”
    “So… a war wound, then?”
    “No! It’s not a war wound. Now would you just go already?”
    “That’s one really nasty scar on your face. Are you blind in that eye? Did it happen at the same time you hurt your leg?”
    “I said, get!”
    The angry man snatched up a rock and hurled it at her. Jenevier caught it, then simply let it fall from her hand to the ground.
    She crossed her arms again. “Well, that wasn’t very nice.”
    “Nice?” He snorted. “What would you know about being nice? You’ve been nothing but rude since you opened your perfect little mouth.” He removed the pot from the fire and began stirring the contents. “I’m not some sideshow attraction. It’s wrong for you to talk to me like that. I am more than just this form, you know… more than just my skin.”
    Jenevier bit her lip. “Apologies. I am truly sorry. I wasn’t meaning to be rude. I didn’t realize mentioning your injuries would be a hurtful thing to you.”
    “They aren’t injuries.” He briefly glanced back toward her. “…I was born this way.”
    “Is that so?” She flew down from the tree then, yet kept her distance. “But… I thought Elves could heal with their song. Did they not sing to you?”
    “Aye, they sang to me. The whole of my childhood—they sang to me.” He snorted out a sardonic laugh. “I guess Elf magic isn’t as all-powerful as they’d like you to believe it is.”
    “So… did some Elf make your home?”
    When Jenevier motioned with a nod, the man glanced toward the small house.
    “Nah. I did that. I built it. It ain’t much, but it’s the best I could do—harsh, gruff voice. I couldn’t sing it into being… all fancy like.”
    “You are an Elf, then. Hmpft. I thought I smelled Elf on you.”
    “Of course I’m an Elf,” he snapped. “Well… part Elf.”
    “Is that so? Then, what’s your other part? Not man. You don’t smell like a man.”
    “My other part is none of your business. Besides, I’m certain a perfect being—such as yourself—has never smelled the likes of the creature that fathered me.”
    “You know…” Jenevier furrowed her brow, a bit perturbed. “For you to accuse me of judging you based on your looks… you are certainly more than happy to do the same thing concerning me.”
    The man stopped eating his burnt supper and looked up at her.
    “You have called me perfect , twice now. And you didn’t say it in a very pleasant way, either. You hate me simply because you think I’m pretty, because my wrapper is pretty.”
    He snorted out his disgust before going back to eating.
    “Pretty is as pretty does, right?”
    “Meaning?” he grumbled.
    “Meaning…” Jenevier clicked her tongue against the back of her teeth. “It doesn’t matter how pretty you are on the outside, if you’re ugly on the inside, you’re ugly. Simple as that.”
    The man only gave her a confused, darkened look.
    Jenevier held out her right hand, palm up. “Pretty wrapper…” She did the same with her left hand. “Ugly heart…” She suddenly clapped her hands together, entwining her fingers. “…Hideous creature.”
    The man only snorted again.
    “If that saying is true…” Jenevier shrugged her shoulders. “Then I am neither pretty nor am I perfect. You