Equites : Book 4 of the Heku Series

by T. M. Nielsen

  “Feisty little thing,” the Encala laughed, but was silenced by the looks from the Thukil guards.

  “You’re pushing the boundaries of being a traitor,” Zohn yelled.

  “You’re pushing the boundaries of being an asshole,” Emily yelled back.

  “Sit,” Zohn growled, and took his seat up with the pilot.

  Emily rolled her eyes and smiled at the Encala, “I’ll handle this.”

  “You really should just drop it. I’m fine,” he said, and the Thukil guards nodded in agreement.

  “What do the factions want you for?” Emily asked.

  The Encala shrugged, “Murder.”

  “Heku or human?”

  “Both”

  “Why?” she asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You must have a reason, right?”

  The Encala smiled slightly, “They got in my way.”

  “So even the Encala would stick you in prison?”

  “Yes”

  “Where can you go that you’d be safe?”

  “Banishment,” he said, and shrugged.

  “Is that what you want though?”

  “Yes, it is.”

  Emily frowned, “If you’re sure, I can try to get that.”

  “I’ve been in and out of faction prisons for over six hundred years. I’m ready to be done with it,” he said.

  “Have you tried going straight?” Emily asked. “Maybe they’d let you go.”

  “Nope, can’t be done.”

  “I’ll ask them to banish you then.”

  The Encala nodded, “Thank you.”

  “Why did you help me? If you’re so mean and dangerous, why help the lost mortal?”

  The Encala smiled, “I have a lot of respect for you.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “You’re the only one I know that’s killed more than I have.”

  Emily frowned, “I kill defensively.”

  “It’s still an impressive number,” he said, and turned to look out the window.

  Darren moved over to sit by her and took her arm in his hands, “Is this bruise the only injury?”

  Emily nodded, “Yeah, not too bad. That and the humiliation of being dressed up like a Barbie doll.”

  Darren grinned, “Ever feel like a trophy that’s passed between factions?”

  “You have no idea.”

  The helicopters landed in Council City. The one carrying the disabled members of the Council landed on the roof, while the others landed along the lawn. Darren helped Emily out of the helicopter, and she followed the Thukil guards while they escorted the Encala down to the prison.

  “Do you need anything?” Emily asked, when he was locked in a cell.

  “No, I’m fine,” he said, and sat down on the bed.

  “If you need anything, ask specifically for me,” she said, and headed up the stairs with the Thukil guards.

  “Where’s Chev?” Emily asked one of the guards on the first floor.

  “The Elder and the Chief Enforcer have been taken to the Elder’s room,” he said officially.

  Emily ran up the stairs and into the bedroom. She frowned when she saw Chevalier lying motionless on the bed and Kyle on the floor beside him, the rest of the room was empty. She went into Kyle’s room and stole a blanket and pillow off of the bed, then returned and knelt down beside him. She put his head on the pillow and covered him with the blanket.

  “Mark?” she called out, and sat on the bed to wait for him.

  “Yes?” Mark asked, stepping into the room.

  “Is someone going to help them?” she asked, irritated.

  “No, they are doing ok on their own,” Mark said, and glanced at the injured heku.

  “I’m slowly finding the heku species, as a whole, to be just as fragile as mortals,” Emily told him.

  Mark grinned, “We’re not.”

  “Keep thinking that, but I’m right,” Emily said, and disappeared into the bathroom for a shower. She came out feeling a lot better without the dress and crown. She tossed the tiara on top of the dresser and sat down by Chevalier, taking his hand.

  “Don’t be mad at me,” Emily said, and kissed him softly.

  Chevalier’s eyes opened slowly and he whispered, “Why?”

  “Just don’t,” she said, and stood up to pack. He’d fallen back into a trance, so she was able to pack and head out of the room.

  “Going somewhere?” Mark asked when he saw Emily with a suitcase and Alexis following behind her.

  “Yes, I’m leaving.”

  “Shall I go?”

  “No, heading out alone. Is the Council in session?”

  “Yes,” Mark said, frowning.

  Emily nodded and headed down the stairs followed by Alexis, who clutched her doll tightly. She stopped and dropped her suitcase, and then took Alexis’ hand and walked into the council chambers.

  “Good to have you home, Emily.” Quinn smiled and looked up at her.

  “I am leaving for a while, but first I wanted to plead the case for the Encala that helped me with Chevalier and Kyle,” Emily said.

  Zohn turned and spoke to Quinn quickly.

  “What exactly are you pleading for?” Quinn asked.

  “His banishment.”

  Quinn looked at her, surprised, “Odd that you want him banished after he helped you.”

  “Nonetheless, that is my request.”

  “We will take it into consideration,” Quinn said.

  “Keep in mind… if I come back to the palace, I do consider him a friend and will visit him often,” Emily said, and watched the Council.

  “If you return?” Quinn asked, suddenly serious.

  “Yes, if.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “Somewhere where it’s just Alex and I.”

  “Does Chevalier know?” Zohn asked.

  “No, it’ll be easier if I go now.”

  “But the baby…” Zohn said, and the Council turned to her.

  “We will manage. Tell… tell Chevalier I love him,” Emily said, and turned before the tear fell from her eye.

  Quinn blurred to her side, “Please, stay.”

  Emily shook her head, “No, no more kidnappings, no more tortures and deceit. I’m done with it, and I won’t put Alexis through that either.”

  Quinn stepped back and let her go, watching her with sorrow in his eyes.

  Emily pushed her suitcase into the back of the Jeep and locked Alexis into the car seat. She sighed and looked around the garage, her eyes falling on the three red Lamborghini’s. She slid into the driver’s seat of the Jeep and was soon pulling out of Council City.

  Chapter 28 - Balance

  Derrick sighed and walked into the Equites council chambers.

  “Yes, Derrick?” Quinn asked.

  “We received a letter, from Lady Emily,” he said, and glanced at Chevalier.

  Chevalier straightened in his chair, surprised. He hadn’t heard from her since she left a month before, “Read it.”

  Elders,

  I come to you with a challenge. While this may seem like a game, it’s to get your attention and ultimately bring balance to the factions.

  ***

  The Court Guard for the Valle stood before them, cleared his throat, and continued to read.

  At the moment, I am protected by no faction, in fact, all three factions will get this exact same letter. Your challenge is to find me.

  ***

  The Encala guard glanced nervously at his Elders and then continued.

  Why do this? Because I’m going to call a meeting soon and to prove my point, you have to be very much aware that, at will, I can disappear where no faction can find me.

  You have one month,

  Emily Winchester

  ***

  Chevalier narrowed his eyes, “What the hell is she up to?”

  “There’s no use looking for her, we already know that,” Kyle said sadly.

  “We have to. She’s out there, and
we know the Valle and Encala will look,” Zohn growled.

  “You must know something, Kyle?” Chevalier asked him.

  “She told me once that Exavior bought her a place, so my concern is that he will tell the Valle where she is,” Kyle said, and frowned. “If that’s where she went.”

  Chevalier shook his head, “No, she wouldn’t go there. My guess is we will never know where she is, but will get called to this meeting in a month. I just worry about her health.”

  “Why would she pick now? Why would she wait until now to do this?” Quinn asked, concerned.

  “Find her,” voices from the nine Elders echoed through the three council chambers, located far apart across the United States.

  ***

  Kyle unfolded the letter and read it to the Council.

  Dear Elders,

  It’s been a month. As you see, I can disappear from even your keen senses, keep that in mind. I want to meet with you, and only you. No guards, no council members, just the three Elders and all three must be in attendance. I will be waiting for you in two days at the Denver Hilton’s Conference room. Just ask for the Winchester conference. Be there promptly at 11am, no sooner and no later.

  Emily

  Chevalier sighed, “How can we not find her?”

  “We had everyone looking. We had factions running into factions trying to find her and not a sign,” Mark told them from the trial floor.

  “She’s pregnant for God’s sake. We can smell her from miles away. How do we miss one small mortal?” Zohn growled.

  Quinn stood up, “Very well, we’ll leave for Denver first thing in the morning.”

  “We’re going?” Zohn asked, shocked.

  Chevalier growled at him.

  “Fine,” Zohn hissed, and walked out of the room.

  ***

  “Of course the three of us are going,” Sotomar told the Council. “Do we have a choice? I’m betting the other two factions have their own meeting times too. We can’t be the one that misses out on whatever it is she has to say.”

  Elder Ryan sighed, “How did she elude us? We’re far superior to her species.”

  “Yes, we are, but we’ve been unable to even faintly catch her scent,” Exavior said. “I want to go with you tomorrow.”

  “She specifically says Elders only. I don’t want to risk scaring her off,” Sotomar said.

  ***

  Elder William sighed, “I hate that she is dictating meetings and challenges. However, I don’t see how we can miss this meeting.”

  Another of the Encala Elders turned to him, “We could make a point that we aren’t taking orders from a mortal, and not attend.”

  “We have to go! What if we miss something that the other factions will know,” William said. “We leave first thing in the morning.”

  ***

  Emily waited in the conference room for the three sets of Elders. Alexis was playing on the floor with her dolls, and Emily was pacing nervously.

  The Valle were the first to arrive and Emily turned to them when they walked in, “Welcome.”

  Sotomar’s eyes fell on her, and he glared, “We’re here, what now?”

  “Have a seat where I have designated,” Emily said, and pointed to a large round table. There were name placards in front of each chair. She planned on mixing up the Elders so not one faction sat by their own. She stayed far away from the table for now and stood downwind from the vents.

  “What is this?” William yelled when he saw the Valle Elders.

  “Calm down and sit where I’ve specified, or you can go,” Emily said sternly.

  William’s eyes narrowed at her, “Are you ill?”

  “Sit,” Emily said again. She backed into a shadow slightly. She knew she couldn’t hide from the heku that she’d been sick.

  The Equites came in last, and Emily smiled slightly. This was the meeting she was dreading. Chevalier’s eyes fell to her immediately, but she motioned him to stop. He frowned at how pale she was and at the dark circles under her eyes.

  “Daddy!” Alexis yelled, and ran into his arms. He picked her up and kissed her, and then set her down to join the other Equites Elders.

  “Have a seat, Elders,” Emily said, and motioned for the round table.

  Zohn looked angrily at Quinn, but he stepped over and sat down where his name placard was.

  “Thank you all for coming,” Emily said.

  They all nodded and looked uncertainly at each other.

  “Fine,” Emily said, and took her seat at the table between William and Sotomar. “I’m going to make this meeting short and simple. Did any of you look for me?”

  “Yes, we did,” Quinn said first.

  Sotomar and William both nodded and answered, “Yes.”

  “For this meeting to continue you all must be aware that I can disappear. Taking myself, and any of my offspring, and thereby destroying the Winchester family line,” Emily said, and ignored the nervous glances.

  “Why are we here?” Zohn asked.

  “I’m here to bring balance to the factions and, at least as far as I’m concerned, peace.”

  “There’s never been peace among the factions,” Chevalier said.

  “Then there’s time for a change. There’s an ultimatum at stake, so unless my Anakin impression doesn’t work, we should be able to solve this within the next hour.”

  “Anakin?” an Encala Elder asked.

  “Yeah, bring balance to the force?” Emily waited. “Never mind…”

  “What do you mean balance?” Sotomar asked.

  “Exactly what it says, as we all know, right now the Equites are standing stronger than the others.”

  “Because you keep wiping out our numbers!” William yelled.

  Emily stood up and leaned over the table angrily, “You will refrain from raising your voice, or you can go.”

  William sat back in his chair.

  “The way I see it is, I’ve caused an unbalance in the factions. Not only do the Equites have the fabled Winchester, but also because your attacks on me have caused me to lessen your numbers, while the Equites stay strong,” Emily said.

  “Again, balance?” Sotomar said.

  “Here’s the ultimatum then, and we will discuss it civilly or I’ll ash all nine of you and the factions can start over,” Emily said, and smiled slightly at the panicked looks. “That was a joke, but keep it in mind.”

  “I won’t be threatened,” William said angrily.

  “Let’s see what she has to say,” Quinn said as he calmly sat with his hands crossed on the table.

  “I ask for peace between the factions, as far as I am concerned. That means no more kidnapping, spying, torturing, killing, following, dressing me up like a doll, deceit… nothing. In return, I promise to let the Valle and Encala rebuild, and I will refrain from mass slayings,” Emily said.

  “And if we refuse?” Sotomar said.

  “Easy… then I disappear with Alex and no heku will ever see a Winchester again,” Emily said bluntly.

  Chevalier growled, “You can’t just leave.”

  “I can, and I will. I’m not going to let Alexis live like I do. I never know from day-to-day who is going to try to kidnap me, or who is going to kidnap someone I love to get to me,” Emily said softly.

  “But you will stay with the Equites?” William asked.

  “Yes, I have chosen to stay with Chevalier… I’m not forced, and the Equites offer me nothing. However, with that being said, if I disappear, it will be from them also.”

  “Let me get this straight. We just hand you over to the Equites. We don’t try to bargain for you, or take you, and all we get in return is the ability to rebuild our numbers?” Sotomar asked, irritated.

  “That’s part of the plan… I refuse to act as a weapon for the Equites. If you attack the Equites over political prisoners, and you leave me and my children out of it… then I won’t help. If you involve myself or my children, then I will ash all of you and poof.”

  Quinn glanced at
Chevalier.

  Sotomar grinned, “Did you see that? If you no longer protect the Equites, then they will kick you out of their city.”

  “That’s not true,” Chevalier growled.

  “If that happens, then I will simply buy a home and expect the same peace and security that I would have with the Equites. All I want is to be left alone. I want to raise my family and die of old age knowing that I’ve left my children in a better place than when I was their age,” Emily explained.

  “What of rogue attacks? Four of the heku you turned to ash were of the Valle, but the attacks weren’t sanctioned by us,” one of the Valle Elders said.

  Emily nodded, “I figure some may slip by. If I get attacked by a single heku, then I can protect myself or my children. If it becomes too common, then you will be warned to control your faction or I’m gone.”

  “I don’t like the ultimatum,” Sotomar scowled. “It seems to me that the Equites gain by this and the Valle are left in the dark. All we have is a promise that you won’t mass murder us in our sleep.”

  “Isn’t that enough? You know… I have, several times, considered going Valle coven to Valle coven and wiping you out one at a time. With this ultimatum, I agree not to do that.”

  “The Equites are being too quiet,” William said, glancing at Zohn. “That is because they have too much to gain from this.”

  “I see as though we are gaining nothing,” Quinn said. “Right now we have the protection of the Winchester power on our side, as evidenced by our growing numbers. If this plan is set in motion, we lose that.”

  “I won’t live like this anymore. I won’t live under constant attack and fear for my children. It’s no secret that Allen is the first heku child, and it’s no secret that Alexis has the abilities of the Winchester,” Emily said, and smiled when Alexis looked up at her. “I won’t have my children living like I have, they deserve better. I would prefer death over that.”

  Chevalier frowned, “Is that how you plan on disappearing? You’re going to kill yourself and the children?”

  “Of course not!” Emily said, obviously insulted. “I have the uncanny ability to disappear, and I have no doubts that I can do it indefinitely.”

  “Your plan is flawed,” Sotomar said, looking at Chevalier. “You are insinuating that if I were to attack Chevalier, you wouldn’t defend him.”