Derrick stepped into the trial area and addressed the two Elders, “There’s a Valle representative here to speak to the Council.”
“Very well…” Zohn started, but turned quickly when the back door opened. Chevalier came into the room covered in blood with anger in his eyes.
“Let them in,” Chevalier ordered, and sat down in his chair.
“You sure you want to be here for this?” Quinn asked.
“Yes, I do.”
The room fell silent as they waited for the Valle to appear. Derrick brought in four Imperial Guards and the Valle’s Faction Liaison Officer. The enemies stood before the Council and avoided looking directly at Chevalier.
“Why have you come?” Zohn asked them.
“We came to ask that the rest of the Encala be released and allowed to rebuild,” the Valle said.
“No,” Chevalier told him, and then looked at Derrick. “Show them out.”
“Wait!” he shouted. “You have to hear us out.”
“No I don’t.”
“Please… you’ve hurt them enough it will take centuries for them to reestablish. We need to let them be so we can resume our everyday lives.”
“No”
“There can’t be two factions.”
“There is right now,” Chevalier reminded him.
“You’ve avenged Emily,” he whispered.
Chevalier’s eyes narrowed, “No I haven’t… after an eternity of vengeance, I’ll only have scratched the surface of making them pay.”
“She was our friend too, and she wouldn’t have wanted this.”
He glared at them.
“We realize that you were affected also,” Zohn said. “However, we’ve never before denied vengeance to one of our own.”
“Elder Sotomar was close to her too. She came to us and asked that your Elder and your Chief Enforcer be held captive until their tempers calmed… She didn’t want this.”
“Yes, well she’s not here to change her mind, is she?”
“She wouldn’t have.”
“I don’t have to justify my actions to the Valle,” Chevalier said with a steady voice. The Council looked at him, shocked that the rage was somewhat under control.
“We’re just asking that you step back for a moment and make sure that what you’re doing won’t impact all of the heku in the future,” the Valle said.
“There’s one Encala left in our prison,” Chevalier told him. “What good would it do to let him go?”
“He can rebuild.”
“From what? Nothing?”
“He can at least try.”
The trial room doors flew open and Kyle stepped in. It was obvious to the heku that he hadn’t calmed since Emily’s death, “We found more.”
Chevalier stood up, “How many?”
“36, hidden away in a cave.”
“Let’s go,” he replied, and started down the stairs.
“We beg you,” the Valle’s Liaison Officer said. “Let them go.”
“Dad…” Alexis said from behind Kyle. Kyle spun to face her, his body still crouched to fight.
Chevalier ignored her and passed through the doors.
“No! You will listen to me,” she screamed, and Chevalier turned to face her. “I’m not going to let you do this.”
“Who’s going to stop me?” he asked, taking a step towards her, careful not to look directly into her eyes.
Alexis squared her shoulders, “I am.”
“You’re too young to understand,” Chevalier said, and turned to leave.
“No I’m not… You’re too mad to see that Mom wouldn’t want this.”
He sighed, still facing away from her, “We don’t know what she would want.”
“Yes we do. The Encala were her friends.”
“They killed her,” he hissed.
“No, Frederick killed her.”
Chevalier hesitated and then swept out of the palace, followed by Kyle and the Cavalry. Just as he left, he heard Alexis scream that she hated him and the hole in his heart deepened.
Once in the helicopter, Kyle gave a report to the others, “We found a cave in central Illinois and an informant told us there are 36 Encala inside… What we believe to be the last of them.”
“Who is the informant?” Kralen asked, his eyes narrowing.
“Was… he’s dead,” Kyle told him. “He gave us information in exchange for his life. From what we can gather, this is the hideout Frederick was using. The Encala stepped out to try to check on more members when we found him.”
“Same as before,” Chevalier said. “Kill everyone. I don’t want anyone left alive.”
The Cavalry nodded and sat back for the long ride to Illinois. The Blackhawk helicopter landed just after midnight and the heku quickly ran the last 10 miles to the entrance to the hideout. They watched for a few hours, but saw no one come or go.
“Go,” Chevalier whispered, then watched as Kralen and his team of 10 heku approached the concealed door and lifted it silently. Kralen listened for a moment and then nodded at Chevalier. He could smell Encala.
Kyle motioned for the rest of the Cavalry to surround the door and Chevalier stood and moved to it. The door was nothing but rotted planks hidden beneath dense brush. He looked down the hole and saw stairs descending into the depths of the earth. There was the strong scent of Encala.
Chevalier’s hands tightened into fists as he started down the archaic stairway. He heard the others enter behind him and he made his way deeper into the earth. The sounds of movement and voices started just as the dark tunnel began to lighten. Anticipation grew within the Cavalry as they neared what was to be the last of the Encala faction.
They stepped down onto a metal walkway that skirted around a massive cave room. Nothing could be heard as the Equites breached the safe haven for the Encala. The terrified faces of the Encala looked up at the enemy and only the sound of water dripping from the cave walls broke the sound of their boots.
The Equites were surprised there was no screaming, no pleading or begging. It was obvious that the Encala had given up. They resigned themselves to dying for the actions of their Elder.
“You’re protecting the heku again.”
“Ever consider it’s my job on this planet to protect you?”
Chevalier froze as Emily’s words rang out loud and clear from the dark recesses of the cave. He looked at Kyle, but he gave no indication that he’d heard it also.
“I want a promise from the Council that neither Chevalier, nor Kyle, will be allowed to go on an enraged rampage if I die.”
“Elder?” Mark asked from behind him.
Chevalier again looked out over the Encala gathered. They were huddled together, shaking from terror and their eyes locked on his.
“I hate you.”
He sighed when Alexis’ words came into his mind. He hadn’t before realized how much like Emily she was in trying to save what was left of the dying Encala.
“Elder, what do you want us to do?” Mark said a little louder.
Chevalier met the eyes of a dark haired heku woman who was clinging tightly to a man beside her. He watched as she buried her face in his shoulder, crying tearlessly as she said her good-byes.
Kyle turned to Chevalier, “Elder?”
“What would Emily say?” Chevalier whispered as he watched the Encala.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean… is this what she would want?”
“We can’t exactly ask her, now can we?” Kyle snapped.
“No, we can’t… but we know.”
“We have to kill them, they killed her.”
“No, they didn’t.”
Kyle glared at Chevalier, “It’s our job to avenge her.”
“Which I’ve already done.”
“That’s it then? We get this close to complete annihilation of the Encala and we quit!?”
Chevalier looked over at his old friend, “Yes, we do.”
“No, that’s not good enough for Emi
ly.”
His voice became soft and full of pain, “If she were here right now, she would be standing in front of us, trying to block us from harming them.”
“He’s right,” Mark said, relaxing his posture.
“We let them go with the knowledge that we spared them out of compassion for Emily’s feelings,” Chevalier told them.
“No!” Kyle yelled. “We kill them slowly with the knowledge that they caused it.”
“Get back to the helicopter,” Chevalier ordered.
Kyle crouched slightly, “I’m staying to finish the job.”
“Bring him.”
It took Kralen, Silas, and four members of the Cavalry to force Kyle out of the Encala cave. He fought against them, trying in vain to avenge the death of his friend. Once in the helicopter, he glared at the Elder and felt his temper rising.
Chevalier sat back and watched out the window as they were taken back to the palace. He was overtly aware that Kyle was furious with him, but knew that when Kyle calmed down, he would see that they did the right thing.
Just before landing, Chevalier finally spoke, “It’s time you go back to normal duty. Four are to be on Alexis at all times, the rest will resume your regular jobs.”
Mark nodded, “Yes, Elder.”
Quinn and Zohn met the helicopter on the roof. The palace again seemed quiet as the helicopter’s engines died out and the heku got solemnly out of it.
“So, are they gone?” Quinn asked.
“No,” Chevalier said, and he looked at the other two Elders with a still calmness they hadn’t seen since before Emily left for a year. “We let them go.”
Zohn stepped aside as Kyle stormed past them and a crash was heard inside of the palace.
“You let them go?” Quinn asked, shocked.
“I got my revenge on Frederick. It’s time to leave them alone,” he said, and walked into the palace.
“Do we let William go?”
“No”
Alexis met them on the stairs. She was glaring at the heku, “Did you kill them?”
“No, I didn’t,” Chevalier said as he walked past her without another word.
Four members of the Cavalry fell in to stand behind Alexis and she glanced at them before turning to Zohn, “What happened?”
“He let them go,” Zohn explained.
Chapter 22 - Balance
“Devia!” Alexis yelled, and then waited for the Border collie to return to the horses. When he appeared, he was dragging a large stick along the ground.
“Let’s go, Lexi,” Silas said, and turned his horse toward the Council City.
“Just a little longer?” she asked, and watched her four guards head out.
“Nope, come on.”
Alexis sighed and kicked her mare to catch up with the others, “I don’t see why we have to do this.”
“It’s your Birthday, how can you not want to go?” Kralen asked her.
“Because I just don’t care.”
“He’s trying to make-up with you. Let him have this.”
“He can try all he wants. I don’t like him.”
“He’s your Dad and he cares about you,” Silas told her.
“Yeah, well Mom’s been dead a year and I still don’t want anything to do with him. He can throw any party he wants. It’s not going to change anything.”
“Just do it and act like you like it, ok?”
“No,” Alexis said, and climbed down off of her horse. She led the mare into a stall and slipped off the saddle. When she finished putting the mare away for the night, she turned and saw her four guards waiting in the stable for her.
“Well like it or not, you’re going,” Kralen said, and then grinned when she stormed past them.
“I didn’t see him making Mom do this crap,” Alexis grumbled.
Silas chuckled, “He did.”
“Miss Alexis,” her tailor said, running up to them when they entered the palace. “It’s finished, purple, just as you asked.”
“No, it’s just as Dad asked… I said I’m not going.”
One of the Cavalry took the dressing bag from the tailor and then followed Alexis up the stairs. She turned at her door and snatched it out of his hands, then disappeared inside after slamming the door.
Allen, Miri, and Dain came down the stairs a few minutes later, dressed and ready for the party.
“Is she ready yet?” Allen asked, adjusting his tie.
Silas grinned, “No, she’s still in there griping about going.”
Dain sighed and knocked on the door, “Come on, Alex.”
“Do you need help, Alex?” Miri asked, moving to the door.
“No, I’m pretty sure I can get dressed by myself,” Alexis yelled at her.
Miri smiled and stepped back by Allen.
“What’s the hold up?” Kyle asked when he appeared by the door.
“She’s having… issues,” Kralen said, and grinned slightly.
Kyle knocked on the door, “Ten minutes, Alex, and I haul you out of there, ready or not.”
“Go away!”
Kyle grinned, “Fine… seven minutes then.”
They all heard Alexis scream and then start to get dressed.
Kyle chuckled as he headed down the stairs.
Several minutes later, Alexis stepped out and by the look on her face, they could tell she still wasn’t happy.
“Come on,” Dain said, and put out his arm. Alexis took his arm and then pulled at the dress.
“This is stupid… When’s the last time any of you had a birthday party?”
“Last time I had a birthday, Allen almost killed Mom,” Dain said matter-of-factly.
“Shut up, Dain,” Alexis hissed, and lifted the hem on her dress so she could walk down the stairs.
“You know as well as any of us that this party has nothing to do with your birthday,” Allen reminded her.
“Again… not going to work.”
Alexis, Allen, and Dain entered the party together and the loud talking of the heku fell silent. They were still revered in the heku community and those that hadn’t met them were desperate to catch a glimpse of the heku children and a Winchester. Alexis sighed and hesitated in the door, finally walking in when Dain took her arm and pulled her inside.
Alexis gasped when Lady Thukil threw her arms around her and tearlessly sobbed. Alexis glanced at Allen and he shrugged just as Lady Thukil rose up and dabbed at her tearless eyes with a dainty handkerchief.
“It’s… good to see you again,” Alexis said, sounding unsure.
“You look so much like… like…” Lady Thukil broke down in tears again and Lord Thukil escorted her away.
Chevalier walked up and smiled, “You look beautiful, Alexis.”
“Yeah, whatever,” she said, and passed by him to get to some of the dignitaries she knew.
“She’ll come around,” Allen said to him.
“Elder,” Miri whispered, and bowed slightly.
Chevalier straightened Dain’s tie and turned back to stand with the Council.
Dain smiled slightly, “Dad’s in a good mood.”
“Alexis is being stubborn,” Allen said, and then smiled and waved at Lord Banks from the nearby Banks Coven.
“She’s mourning her mother,” Miri said sternly.
“No she’s not. She’s being stubborn-headed and blaming Dad because she’s miserable.”
Miri glared at him and put her hands on her hips, “Maybe she’s not the only one being stubborn-headed.”
“Miri…” Allen sighed when she walked off to talk to a friend from the city.
Dain grinned, “That’s why I’ll stay single.”
“You’re 9, that’ll change,” Allen told him.
“I doubt it. Where’s Alex?” he asked, and looked around the room.
Allen turned and glanced quickly at the dignitaries, “Who knows.”
“Have you seen Alexis?” Chevalier asked, walking up to them.
“No, we just noticed she’s gon
e.”
“Off pouting, no doubt.”
“That’s my guess,” Allen said.
***
“I’m here, now what?” Alexis asked the heku with her.
The heku glanced nervously around the dark hallway and then looked back at Alexis, “I have an invaluable offer for you.”
“Ok,” she said, crossing her arms.
He looked around again and lowered his voice, “I’m from the Valle.”
Alexis smiled, “Oh yeah?”
“Yes… and we seek your help in a small matter, one in which we will pay dearly for your services.”
“Keep talking.”
“Have you heard the rumors about what might happen if you… the last Winchester… were to turn a mortal?” he asked, watching her carefully.
“No, what rumors might that be?”
“That your ability would be passed on to them.”
Alexis sighed, “It’s my understanding that I’m too human to do that.”
“Have the Equites tried?”
“Well… no.”
“Then they are just guessing. You drink blood, do you not?”
“Yes… but…”
“Do you sleep?”
“I do, but only an hour or so a night.”
“Then it’s worth a try and the Valle are offering you anything to let us try it.”
Alexis thought for a moment, absentmindedly tapping her hand against her leg, “It would tick off my Dad.”
“More than likely,” he said, again looking around for any sign of Equites guards.
“All the more reason to try it.”
“So you will?” the Valle asked, shocked.
“Sure, why not?”
“We have a mortal chosen for you. Someone from the Valle will be in touch with you…” the heku stopped talking when his words were cut off by a strong hand around his throat.
“Dad, stop it!” Alexis yelled, and began to pull at his arms.
“Get her out of here,” Chevalier growled.
Kralen appeared and pulled Alexis away from her Dad. Once they were back in the front foyer of the palace, she turned and angrily pulled her arm away from him. Silas appeared and blocked her from getting back to Chevalier.
Eternity of Vengeance : Book 7 of the Heku Series Page 52
