“I just wonder if they’re friendly,” Mark said. “From the sounds of it, that’s one nasty riot going on inside.”
“So how do we get past them? Want Silas and I to take them out?” Jaron asked.
“Oh for hell’s sake,” Emily said, and before they realized what she was doing, she stepped out of the cover and walked up toward the gate.
“That’s one way I guess,” Mark chuckled. “Let her approach them first.”
They watched as she walked up to the guards.
“Turn around, mortal… get your ass out of here,” one of the guards said.
“You will address me as Commander or I’ll have your head,” Emily growled at him.
“I’ll not address you as anything but Sweetheart, now get out of here before I make you.”
“Fine then,” Emily said, and the two guards turned to ash. She was soon joined by Mark, Silas, Kralen, and Jaron.
Silas frowned, “Did you notice their guard uniforms didn’t fit?”
Emily nodded, “Yeah, I saw that… one had high-waters.”
“Jaron, Silas, hold the entrance… don’t let anyone through,” Mark said.
“Yes, Sir,” they both told him, and fell into position.
“Let’s get in there. There’s a fountain in the middle of the coven… I’ll blur you there and we’ll see if they will stop when you talk,” Mark said to Emily. She felt her feet leave the ground and she was soon standing on the edge of the fountain, which put her almost on an even level with the heku.
“Hey!” Emily yelled, and some of the sounds of fighting slowed. “I had to bring my ass all the way here from Council City, so if you aren’t lined up in nice little rows by the fountain in 30 seconds… I’ll turn you all to ash and let Zohn sort through this!”
“They don’t listen to anyone but me, Gorgeous,” a heku said from behind her. She and Mark both turned and came face-to-face with a grinning heku in a torn guard uniform.
“And who might you be?” Emily asked.
“I’m the new leader of this coven, and I suggest you stop threatening us and get your asses out of here.”
“No,” Emily said, and he fell to ash. She turned, “There… now I’ve turned your new leader to ash and no one’s lined up… so let me introduce myself… my name is Emily Winchester… now you know… so turning you all to smoldering piles in 3…”
A few timid heku appeared and started to form rows.
“2!” she shouted.
More started to appear, unsure what to do, but when they saw Emily and the Council City heku standing beside her, word soon got out that she wasn’t kidding about turning them all to ash.
“1!” Emily yelled, and there was a mass of blurring as the others joined in.
“How many are there?” Emily asked Kralen.
“I see 333.”
“We’re missing quite a few then.”
“Hold them here. I’ll do a quick sweep of the compound,” Mark said.
Emily smiled at the ones gathered, “Hold tight, we’ll sort through things in a second.”
After almost 10 minutes, Mark returned, “I didn’t find anyone. They are all here.”
Emily frowned and pointed at a shy looking heku on the end of the first row, “You, come here.”
He walked forward and Emily noticed he was almost a foot shorter than Mark.
“There should be 391 of you, correct?”
“Well… 390 when the Elder’s gone.”
“Right, and 27 were killed? That means we’re missing 30.”
“You’ve turned 3 to ash,” Mark reminded her.
“Oh, that’s right… so we’re missing another 27?”
“Dead,” another heku said.
“Get back in line,” Emily said to the one in front of her and he returned to the line. “I turned your leader to ash. Who’s next in line?”
A tall, muscular woman stepped forward, “That’d be me.”
“Come here,” Emily said to her. She stayed on the edge of the fountain where she was closer to their height. The woman stepped forward. She stood as tall as Mark and had a thick neck and broad shoulders. “Who are you?”
“Sheryl,” she said seethingly.
“Ok, Sheryl, what caused all of this?” Emily asked.
“I don’t think that’s any concern of yours.”
“Oh, I think it is… I was sent here to clean this mess up and I want to know what it is I’m doing it for.”
“This coven no longer belongs to Zohn, so I suggest you back away and let us be.”
Emily shrugged and turned the woman to ash, “She wasn’t very helpful.”
Mark put a hand against her back when she swayed slightly.
“This was quite the fight, which tells me that some of you don’t agree with the new leadership… if you are still loyal to Zohn, form a line behind me… the others can stay where they are.”
***
“Seems quiet around here,” Zohn said when they stepped into the palace. They knew there would be no guards to meet them, other assignments were given when the Cavalry left with them. The Cavalry followed the Elders down to the council chambers.
Derrick glanced at them nervously, “The Council is waiting for you.”
“Very well,” Quinn said, and the Elders headed around back. They heard Derrick tell the Cavalry to stay and glanced at each other before walking in and taking their seats.
“What’s going on that has everyone so tense?” Chevalier asked, turning to Richard.
Richard glanced at Kyle and then back to Chevalier, “There have been a few problems with… well… first off, your family.”
“Such as?”
Richard turned to Kyle again and he spoke, “Em caught Allen kissing his girlfriend, Miri… she turned Miri to ash and then began to drag Allen into the palace by his ear.”
“Oh God,” Chevalier sighed.
“Then they got into a bit of a fight… he strangled her, she burned him, he backhanded her…”
Chevalier’s eyes narrowed, “Allen and Emily?”
“Yes, Elder,” Kyle said. “We’ve taken Allen’s rank away and returned him to his coven. He wanted banished but…”
Chevalier sighed, “I’ll go there and deal with him later then, now that he’s fully a member of my coven.”
Zohn grinned slightly, “We just can’t get away without your family causing problems… maybe you should be forced to stay here, never to leave.”
Chevalier glared at him, but turned to Richard when he started talking, “Actually, Sir, there’s more.”
“Hold on one,” Quinn said. “Is Emily injured?”
“Just a bruise on her neck and cheek. We don’t know if there’s anything else,” Richard explained.
“What do you mean you don’t know? Go ask her,” Chevalier told him.
“That’s what we are getting to… Mark, Silas, Kralen, Jaron, and Emily are out helping with a riotous coven.”
“We have a coven rioting?” Quinn asked, surprised.
“Yes, Sir, we do.”
“Why?”
“We don’t know. The caller was disconnected before giving any information.”
Chevalier growled, “You forced Emily to go?”
“No!” Richard said quickly. “When Mark told her we needed help, she agreed.”
“That’s odd. She swore she wouldn’t help anymore.”
“I think she was doing it out of… well… to help a friend.”
“Because Mark asked her…” Chevalier said, misunderstanding.
“No, Sir,” Richard said. “To help Elder Zohn.”
“How is that helping me?” Zohn asked, confused.
“It’s your coven, Sir,” Richard explained.
Zohn gasped, “My coven is in a riot?”
The Chief Interrogator nodded, “Yes, we’ve been trying to get in touch with them, or one of ours from Council City, but so far no one’s answering.”
“How long have they been there?” Chevalier asked
.
“Three days,” Richard told them. “We had Derrick hold back the Cavalry, so we can send them in.”
“I’m going too,” Chevalier said, and quickly left for the helicopter.
“I damned well am too,” Zohn growled and followed him.
“Kyle, go… Emily may have turned a few to ash,” Quinn said.
“A few?” Kyle chuckled, and went after the Elders.
Equites 2 and a transport helicopter landed beside Winchester 1 outside of Scottsboro, Alabama, just after dawn. The heku quickly made their way the 5 miles to the location of Zohn’s coven. They stood behind the same rock as the first crew had and peeked around it.
“There are four guards,” Chevalier said, peeking around the rock.
Zohn looked around, “Those are my regular guards.”
The Cavalry followed Chevalier and Zohn to the entrance into the cement compound. The four guards stood at attention and saluted Zohn, but then stepped to block the door.
“Sorry, Elder, our orders are to let no one in,” the Lieutenant said nervously.
Zohn frowned, “I’m the Coven Lord.”
“Yes, Sir, but she threatened to turn us to ash if we let anyone in. She didn’t make an allowance for you.”
Chevalier grinned slightly, “Emily is running the show?”
“Yes, Elder,” he said, and again glanced nervously at Zohn.
“Let them in,” Silas said from behind the guards. They parted and let the others in.
“What’s going on here?” Zohn asked as they headed for the center.
“Right now things are calm. The non-guard staff are all in their houses, afraid to step foot out for fear of being turned to ash,” Silas explained. “The guard staff is patrolling the streets, and Emily has a handful that she’s… well… sort of torturing.”
Zohn stopped and turned to Silas, “What caused it?”
“The guards punished someone from the town for saying something bad about you… apparently a large group from your city retaliated against the guard staff and overthrew them.”
Zohn growled and headed for the center.
“Sir,” Silas whispered, walking beside Chevalier. “She won’t sleep.”
“How long?”
“At all, as far as we know it’s been 3 days. She won’t eat or sleep. The only reason she showered and changed clothes was because she got covered in blood.”
“Ok,” Chevalier said, and they stepped out into the center of the compound beside the fountain. Emily was sitting on the edge of the fountain wearing only a long black dress shirt that came to her knees and had the sleeves rolled up. She was watching six heku that were stripped to their boxers and sitting on their knees in the sun, obviously uncomfortable and highly angry.
Mark glanced over at the new arrivals, “Em…”
Emily looked over and smiled, “Aha! You thought I was being mean.”
Zohn’s features were dark and malicious. He walked over and stood before the six kneeling heku, “You did this?”
They looked at Emily when he asked them a question.
“Don’t look at her! Answer me… she’s no longer in charge,” Zohn yelled.
Emily smiled, “Oh good. I’m off the clock.”
“Now will you sleep?” Mark asked, aggravated.
Emily moved quickly to Chevalier and wrapped her arms around him. He kissed the top of her head and she saw Zohn look at him and nod. He pulled away from her and took her hand as they followed Mark into the main house.
When they got to the front door, Emily let go of Chevalier’s hand and started back to the others, “I forgot to tell Zohn…”
Chevalier put a hand around her waist and stopped her, “He’ll figure it out.”
“But…”
“Inside,” he said, and led her through the door that Mark was holding open.
“I don’t want to be in here. If I’m done, let’s go back,” she said, and looked around the spacious mansion.
“I’m not done here, and you’re not doing anything until you eat and sleep,” Chevalier told her.
“I already sent Jaron out for pizza to try to get her to eat. He shouldn’t be long,” Mark explained.
“Don’t talk about me like I’m not here,” she said, and crossed her arms.
Chevalier smiled at her and then his face fell, and he lifted her chin so he could look at her. He studied the hand bruise on her neck and her swollen and bruised cheek.
“Stop inspecting me,” she said, and moved her head out of his grasp.
“You’re grouchy, get some sleep,” Mark said before grinning and walking out.
“I suppose you know about Allen,” Emily said when he took her hand and led her up the stairs.
“Yes, I do.”
“I’ve been thinking about that…”
“So have I.”
“Did you know he has a girlfriend?” she asked, and stopped walking.
“No, I didn’t.”
She started up the stairs again, “I’ll admit I shouldn’t have burned him, but he’s still too young for a girlfriend, especially one that’s over 200 years older than he is.”
Chevalier walked her over and sat her down on Zohn’s bed, “200? That’s young, Em… He doesn’t know anyone younger than that.”
“I don’t care, he’s 14.”
“14 isn’t too young to have a girlfriend,” Chevalier told her, and slipped off her shoes.
“Yes it is…”
“No, it’s not… are you more upset about the fact he has a girlfriend or that you didn’t know?” he asked, and pulled off her socks.
“That he has one and was mackin’ on her in the alley.”
“Macking?” Chevalier asked, and sat down beside her.
“Yes, macking with that little slut,” Emily spat.
“Miri is a very nice woman,” Chevalier said, and then smiled when Emily glared at him. “Let him grow up… If you think about it, how many boys his age have girlfriends?”
“No,” she said, and crossed her arms.
Chevalier looked up when there was a knock at the door. He saw Jaron standing in the doorway with a pizza and a 6-pack of Sprite.
Emily looked up, “I said Coke.”
“I know,” Jaron told her and sat it all down. “Then Mark said to add pizza and no caffeine.”
“Thanks, you may go,” Chevalier told him, and handed Emily a piece of pizza.
“What? I get a spanking if I don’t eat it?” she asked angrily.
Chevalier grinned, “No, but I might bite you.”
Emily frowned and took the pizza, “Not funny.”
He watched her as she ate, relieved when she grabbed another slice when she was done.
After her second piece, she looked over at him, “What are you going to do to Allen?”
“I just want to talk to him,” Chevalier said. “He’s already been punished by the Council, so I don’t have to do that.”
“I’ve eaten, now let’s go back,” she said, and stood up.
Chevalier caught her wrist and kept her from leaving and then looked over the black shirt she was wearing, “Where did you get that?”
“I stole it from Zohn’s closet… I didn’t exactly think to bring a change of clothes,” she told him.
Chevalier got up and went to Zohn’s closet and came back out with a t-shirt and tossed it to her.
“I don’t need to change. I can wear this on the helicopter,” she said, and tossed it back.
“Put it on, Em.”
“No”
Chevalier chuckled, “Just do it.”
Emily started to unbutton the black shirt as Chevalier rushed to the bedroom door and shut it.
“Why do I have to sleep in Zohn’s bed?”
“It’s the only bed in the house,” Chevalier explained, and helped her slip the t-shirt on.
“I hate this,” she said, crawling into the covers. “I don’t see you forcing Mark to sleep.”
Chevalier grinned and shut out the
lights.
“I’m not even tired.”
“Yes you are.”
“Seriously, I’m not tired.”
“Fine then,” he said, and sat down. “Sit on my lap for a bit.”
Emily smiled and crawled into his lap and he wrapped his arms around her as she leaned her head against his shoulder. The feel of protection from his strong arms and the sleepless three days put her almost immediately to sleep. He held her until he was sure she was deep asleep and then kissed the top of her head before laying her in bed and covering her with the blankets.
Chevalier sat on the edge of the bed and watched her sleep, again amazed at how incredibly frail she could sometimes seem, yet able to drop a thousand-year-old creature to his knees. He often wondered if he was doing the right thing, keeping her in the palace, close to beings that could kill her, but the thought of being away from her was too much to even think about.
He quietly snuck out and shut the door softly behind him.
“Is she asleep?” Jaron whispered. He’d taken up the post outside of the bedroom door.
Chevalier grinned, “Of course not. She’s not tired.”
Jaron chuckled as the Elder walked down the stairs to join the others in the main square. Zohn had his guard staff lined up as they explained how the coven mutinied and imprisoned the guards in makeshift cells.
Zohn turned when Chevalier walked up and then looked at Mark, “Now that the other Elder is here… I want to hear what happened when you arrived.”
Mark nodded, “We first ascertained that the two guards at the entrance weren’t supposed to be guards because their uniforms didn’t fit properly. Emily walked up to them and they made a few snide remarks to her, so she turned them to ash.”
Zohn turned to the coven’s Captain, “Who was it?”
“Garth and LJ, Sir,” he told the Elder.
“Go on,” Zohn told Mark.
“I posted Silas and Jaron at the gate, and Kralen and I brought Emily here. She yelled a warning that she was going to ash anyone who wasn’t lined up in 30 seconds, but the only one that appeared was the one that considered himself the new leader of the coven,” Mark explained. “He told us to leave immediately, and without a second thought, he fell to ash also. Emily then yelled out an introduction and again threatened to turn the entire coven to ash so you could sort it out later.”
Ferus : Book 6 of the Heku Series Page 27
