Equites : Book 4 of the Heku Series

by T. M. Nielsen

  Chevalier began to unbutton her shirt, “I still outrank you.”

  ***

  Emily rested her head against Chevalier’s neck as she laid on top of him. He trailed his fingers lightly over her back.

  “You could stay, you know,” Chevalier reminded her.

  “No, I need to go back to the island.”

  “We could make you a member of the Cavalry here.”

  “I’m already a Commander, that’s enough.”

  Chevalier kissed the top of her head, “I really wish you would stay. Is there anything I can say to convince you?”

  “I hate this place, Chev,” Emily said, not looking at him. “It was proven today that some still hate me, too. I also can’t live with Zohn and Quinn, they drive me nuts.”

  Chevalier sighed, “Zohn and Quinn are good heku, give them a chance.”

  “Let me just see how things go on the island.”

  “I’m afraid to even let you try. Things were always calmer there, and you seem to like it so much better.”

  Emily smiled, “I do.”

  “What about Allen? I’m worried about how he’ll react when you leave him again,” Chevalier said softly.

  Emily looked up at him, “It kills me to leave him, you know that. He wants nothing to do with me though.”

  “You need to trust me. He just thinks you’re weak, and in a predatory environment it’s natural for him to want to get rid of the weak link. You need to show him you aren’t.”

  “I can’t ash my son.”

  “Don’t ash him, just give him a little pain.”

  “Chev! He’s only 6.”

  “His body is 6, but his mind is fully adult,” Chevalier reminded her.

  Emily sighed and rolled off of Chevalier. She wrapped the sheet around her and went into the bathroom.

  Chevalier dressed quickly and called to Emily before leaving, “I’ll go get Allen, let him say good-bye.”

  Emily dressed back in her jeans and t-shirt and folded her guard uniform up to put it in the suitcase. Silas brought Alexis in to her, and she took the baby in her arms and kissed her softly.

  “You ready to go?” Emily asked, and sat her down on the bed.

  “Si go,” Alexis said, pouting.

  “Silas needs to stay here for now.”

  Silas smiled slightly, “I can come visit, right?”

  Emily nodded and smiled, “Any time.”

  “Dad said I had to come say good-bye,” Allen said from the doorway, irritated.

  Emily crossed her arms, “You know… I’m half tempted to make you go with us.”

  “Like you could make me do anything,” Allen laughed.

  Emily glanced at Chevalier, who stood behind Allen and he nodded.

  “I’m your mother. I can make you do whatever I want. Drop the attitude with me,” Emily said angrily.

  “I wish you weren’t.”

  “You will show me some respect.” Emily’s body tensed. She hated the thought of what she was about to do.

  Allen crouched, an evil grin on his face, “I don’t respect mortals.”

  Emily shut her eyes and a tear fell as Allen dropped to his knees, screaming. The pain was only a few seconds, but Emily wanted to run to him and comfort him.

  Allen got to his feet slowly and glared at her, “Don’t do that again.”

  “If you’ll drop the attitude, I won’t have to,” Emily told him.

  Allen crouched slightly, and a small scream escaped as he turned to ash.

  “Emily!” Chevalier gasped, and looked down at his son.

  Silas frowned, “That was harsh.”

  Emily took a step back and spun suddenly toward Alexis, who was crying on the bed. She ran to the baby and knelt down by her, “No, no, Baby, we don’t do that.”

  Chevalier looked over at them with wide eyes, “That wasn’t you?”

  Emily shook her head and picked Alexis up, “He scared her.”

  “Did you know she could do that?” Silas asked her.

  “No,” Emily said, and held her tighter. “We have to go.”

  Chevalier was in shock as Emily ran from the room with Alexis. When Kyle revived the 6-year-old, the sound of the helicopter taking off filled the upper halls of the palace.

  “I thought I was supposed to go with them,” Kyle said, looking up.

  “Take the other helicopter. She just wanted to get Alex out of here,” Chevalier said, and put a hand on his son’s shoulder.

  “What happened?” Allen asked, his body shaking.

  Chevalier glanced at Silas briefly, and then back to his son, “Your mother finally decided to show you who’s in charge.”

  Allen frowned, “Mom did that?”

  “Yes, she should have a long time ago,” Chevalier said. “She wouldn’t do it because she loves you, but you gave her no choice. Your life will be much easier if you show your Mom and Sister some respect.”

  “Great!” Allen said, and stormed out of the room.

  “Should we be sending the Chief Enforcer to the home with a temperamental toddler?” Silas asked.

  Kyle laughed, “I should be ok if I don’t scare her.”

  “Buy her something special tomorrow, chicks love that,” Silas grinned.

  “Tomorrow?” Kyle asked.

  Silas shook his head, “Tomorrow… she turns two.”

  “Damn,” Chevalier hissed. “I always forget about birthdays.”

  Kyle shrugged, “I don’t see what’s so special about them.”

  “Yes, well… they aren’t special if you’ve had over 1500 of them… but on your second, and you have only limited amounts…” Silas said.

  “Let’s go shopping, Kyle. We’ll both go over tomorrow,” Chevalier said, and headed out of the room.

  “Great… shopping…” Kyle scowled and walked out after him.

  “Elder!” one of the guards ran up just as Chevalier was getting into his car.

  “What now?” Chevalier growled.

  “There’s a problem at the farmhouse,” the guard said. The farmhouse held the official address for the entire city and was often used as a façade when mortals needed one of them.

  Chevalier sighed and blurred to the farmhouse with Kyle behind him.

  “Oh, here’s he is now,” the guard said to someone on the front porch. The guard was wearing jeans and a t-shirt to blend with the farmhouse cover.

  Chevalier stepped onto the porch and frowned at the six police officers, “What’s the problem?”

  “We’re looking for Emily Russo. This was the last address she used,” the leading officer said.

  “She’s not here right now. What’s the problem?”

  “How long have you known Ms. Russo?” an officer asked, grabbing a pen and paper.

  “I’ve known her for 10 years.”

  “So you would have known her husband, Keith?”

  Chevalier nodded, “Yes.”

  “Were you aware that he was killed and buried on the ranch Ms. Russo owned?” The Officer looked up at Chevalier suspiciously.

  “No, I wasn’t aware he was dead,” Chevalier said.

  The Officer handed him a card, “We have a warrant to bring Emily in for questioning. Have her call us when she gets in.”

  Chevalier nodded and walked back into the farmhouse. He turned and glared at Kyle, “They found him.”

  “I swear, I buried him out in the middle of the field… over six feet down,” Kyle said, shocked.

  “Let’s go talk to the lawyer,” Chevalier said, and he and Kyle went into the city.

  Chapter 22 - Charges

  “I can’t believe you remembered her birthday,” Emily said as Chevalier carried Alexis up to bed. She had fallen asleep while playing with a large wooden horse Jess and Alec sent her.

  “Well, I admit, I had some help.” Chevalier grinned.

  Emily smiled, “I’m sure it meant a lot that you were here.”

  Chevalier kissed Alexis’ fat cheek softly and laid her down on the bed. Emil
y kissed her forehead and covered her up.

  Chevalier took Emily’s hand and led her out into the hallway, “Come to my office.”

  Emily sighed, “What’d I do now?”

  “You haven’t done anything. We just need to talk to you,” he said, and they walked down the stairs.

  “Then why do I feel like I’m going to the principal’s office?”

  Chevalier grinned, “Because you have a guilty conscience.”

  “I do not!” Emily said, and hit him on the arm.

  Chevalier opened his office door and went to his desk. Emily sat in a chair and glanced at Mark and Kyle, who were also in the room.

  “Seriously, my dog ate my homework,” Emily said pleadingly.

  Chevalier grinned slightly, “I wish it were that complicated.”

  “Ok then, spill it. What’d I do now?”

  “The police came to Council City looking for you,” Chevalier sighed.

  Emily frowned, “For what?”

  “They found Keith’s body, and they want to talk to you.”

  Emily gasped, “What? How?”

  “They were laying a foundation for a new home and found his remains,” Chevalier said, wincing at the panicked look on her face. “The lawyers have spoken to the police, and you are officially a person of interest.”

  “They think I killed him?” Emily whispered.

  Kyle nodded, “Yes, right now though, the police don’t know where you are, so if you stay on the island you should be ok.”

  Emily rubbed her temples. She suddenly had a headache, “Even after death he’s screwing with me.”

  “It’s hit the news and now everyone knows that you’re wanted in connection with his death. The Equites know I did it, but so far, luckily, they don’t know why,” Chevalier said.

  Emily nodded, “I need to turn myself in then.”

  “What? Why?” Mark asked, shocked.

  “To keep them away from Council City.”

  “Stop trying to protect us!” Chevalier growled.

  “I can get off on a murder charge. I didn’t do it, and you have the best lawyers around. If I turn myself in, then I won’t look as guilty as if I sit out here and hide. How long before they get a search warrant for Council City? You want feds running all over the palace?” Emily asked.

  “You know, I could take the fall,” Kyle said, deep in thought. “I was there as a field hand and I’ve been using his I.D. all over Maine.”

  Emily frowned, “Then what? Let you sit in jail and rot?”

  “Well,” Kyle thought. “I can always get out.”

  “The V.E.S. is going to spot you from a mile away. A few blood tests and their points will be proven. I’m not going to expose the heku, and the only way I can prevent that, is if I turn myself in,” Emily told them. Her mind was already set.

  “No, we’ll find another way,” Chevalier said.

  Emily grinned and shrugged.

  Chevalier’s face fell, “No, damnit, Em, stop it.”

  “What?”

  “You’ve made up your mind, and I’m going to fight it. I won’t let you sit in jail for months while the mortal justice system decides what to do,” he growled.

  “I’ll go turn myself in. If they put me in jail, then you’ll post bail and I’ll be back by tomorrow,” Emily said.

  “There’s more to it than that,” Kyle told her.

  “What more can there be?”

  “They know the remains are over 2 years old, though they can’t figure out how much older. You were seen with me, impersonating Keith, as recently as 2 years ago,” Kyle said.

  “So we’re… what? Conspirators?”

  “Yes. I mean think about it. You disappear for 2 months, and the entire state of Montana looks for you. You get back and Keith disappears, then you sell the ranch and the mysterious field-hand disappears with you. Ten years later, someone digs him up. That doesn’t look really good for us,” Kyle explained.

  “You can’t go to jail, not on something this big. This isn’t car theft or domestic violence… this is big, and if you were sentenced to death, it could expose the entire species,” Emily said, trying to make them understand why it was best if she turned herself over to the police.

  “You can’t go to jail either,” Chevalier told her.

  “Why not? I didn’t kill him, and I doubt they can prove that I did.”

  “There’s no doubt you would get off. I mean… the…” Chevalier sighed and glanced at Kyle. “The cause of death alone is something you could never have done.”

  Emily frowned, “What did you do to him?”

  Kyle grinned slightly, “He was pretty mad, Em.”

  Chevalier’s eyes turned furious, “When Kyle called me back, I thought I would have to deal with him hitting you. When I walked in and he…”

  “Chev!” Emily yelled, and looked at Mark.

  “I lost my temper,” Chevalier said, his voice tense and ominous.

  “So you, what? Drained him?” Emily asked. “Wait… no… there were loud crashes.”

  Kyle nodded, “Keith was kind of… well… thrown around a bit.”

  “Oh come on! If I’m going to jail for killing Keith, at least tell me what they found when they dug him up,” Emily frowned.

  “Fine,” Chevalier said. “They found a lot of shattered bones. No major bone in his body wasn’t broken.”

  “You’re right then, I couldn’t have done that,” Emily said. “We can use that as a defense.”

  “No, we’re not, you aren’t going on trial,” Chevalier said sternly.

  Emily stood up and leaned over Chevalier’s desk, “I’m not going to let Keith expose the heku.”

  “And I’m not going to let you go to jail for something I did,” Chevalier said angrily.

  “Em, sit down… Elder, calm down,” Kyle said to them sternly.

  Emily sat back down hesitantly, and Chevalier leaned back in his chair behind the desk.

  “We have no other option than for me to turn myself in,” Emily said. “I can’t hide for the rest of my life.”

  “Let the lawyers do their thing. Let us work with law enforcement to try to place the blame on Kyle,” Chevalier said.

  “No, damnit, Kyle can’t go to jail without exposing the heku.”

  “He’s not going to jail, that’s the beauty of this plan,” Chevalier explained. “They can’t catch him. He won’t even have to hide.”

  “Mark, Kyle, get out,” Emily said, and glared at Chevalier.

  “No can do. Your temper is up, and the Elder’s got his fighting eyes, we can’t leave you two alone right now,” Kyle said.

  “I’m turning myself in, period,” Emily said, and stood up to walk out of his office, but her way was blocked by Mark.

  “Sit,” Mark said to her.

  “Or what? You going to throw me in prison again? I can save you the time and have that done myself,” Emily yelled. “I’m not going to sit here and be ganged up on.”

  “We’re not ganging up on you,” Kyle said softly.

  “Bullshit! The three of you have already made up your minds about my life, and I’m not going to take it.”

  Kyle started to get angry, “Sit… down…”

  “No,” Emily turned and glared at him.

  “Stop being obstinate and sit down!” Kyle yelled.

  “Ok, now it’s your turn to calm down,” Mark said to Kyle.

  Emily pushed against Mark, “Let me out. I’m going to bed.”

  Mark glanced at Chevalier and moved out of her way. She slammed open the door and ran up the stairs.

  “Wow, she does have a way of pushing buttons, doesn’t she?” Mark asked, surprised.

  “She’s going to turn herself in,” Kyle said, and turned to Chevalier.

  “I know,” he growled.

  “Why did I think she would let us handle this?” Kyle asked, mainly himself.

  “I didn’t realize she was going to turn this into another attempt to save the heku,” Chevalier sai
d, irritated.

  “Let’s stick with the plan and see if we can get her back to Council City,” Mark said. “Once there, maybe the lawyers can talk some sense into her.”

  Chevalier agreed and dismissed Kyle and Mark. They both bowed and left him alone in his office. The argument brought the images of Keith and Emily back into his mind. He was flooded with the memories of Keith’s final act, and it still enraged him. With the emotions flooding from Emily, he was sure that she was also remembering those last moments.

  Just after dawn, Chevalier heard Emily up and around in her room. He guessed that she and Alexis would be having breakfast soon, and then he would talk to her about returning to Council City for a few days.

  Chevalier sighed and left his office. He had his temper firmly under control and he suspected he would need it there. He knocked softly on the door and entered when Emily called to him. Alexis was at the table eating pancakes while Emily sat with a cup of coffee. He hated when she got upset and didn’t eat, but he knew it wasn’t a fight he wanted to get into today.

  “Before you turn yourself in, will you come to Council City and talk to the lawyers? Please?” he asked, sitting down at the table beside Alexis.

  “Yeah, sure,” she said, and took another sip of coffee. Her response surprised Chevalier. He was sure there would be a fight over this.

  “I’m sorry about last night. I honestly wasn’t trying to gang up on you,” Chevalier said. “I just wanted them to try to help me convince you.”

  Emily shrugged and sat the coffee cup down, “I’ll be ready to go in an hour.”

  Chevalier nodded and left the room. She obviously wasn’t in the mood to talk, and he didn’t want to do anything that might jeopardize her decision to come back to the palace.

  “Shall we go talk to her?” Kyle asked from the second-floor landing.

  “No, I already did. She’s coming.”

  “That’s a good start,” Kyle said, smiling.

  Chevalier went back down to his office to be alone while Emily got ready to go. He tried to decide how best to keep her from turning herself over to the police, without making her feel restrained or guarded in any way. He considered moving her and some of his staff to his house in the mountains of Colorado. That home was too far from a city where police might be looking for her, and she wasn’t able to get out of the mansion alone.