With anger rising to the surface, she picked up her cell phone and quickly dialed.
“Equites Council,” Kyle said. “Who is this?”
“Be here at 6am,” Emily said, and then hung up before anyone from the Valle could hear more.
Kyle turned off the phone and looked over at Chevalier.
His heart jumped, “Do it.”
“We’re still under attack by the former Council,” the Chief of Staff said.
“We can’t leave her there… She obviously has some kind of plan,” Kyle said.
“I’ll go,” Chevalier said, and then stood up.
“We can’t separate the Elders during an attack that is attempting to banish the Council,” Zohn reminded him.
“For once, I don’t give a damn about this Council. I’m not leaving her with the Valle.”
“I’ll go too,” Kyle said, “I’ll take Cavalry Team 7.”
“We can’t have you both gone,” Quinn said. “Kyle can stay.”
“What if that’s not enough?”
“It will be.”
***
“Good morning,” Sotomar said as Emily stretched in bed. “Do you feel better this morning?”
“Yes,” she sighed, and then rolled onto her side. “I just want more sleep.”
He bent down and lightly kissed her forehead, “Sleep as late as you like, my Dear.”
Once Sotomar was out of the room, Emily scrambled out of bed and got dressed in all black. She had 30 minutes before she’d asked the Equites to arrive. 30 minutes gave her plenty of time to make the Valle pay for the last 6 months.
“Good mo…” the Imperial Guard’s words were cut off when they fell to ash at Emily’s feet. She quickly ran down the stairs toward the council chambers and her bare feet barely made a sound.
“Where are your guards?” the Door Guard asked.
Emily glared at him and then stepped over his ashes to get to the door.
“Emily, we’re busy,” Elder Ryan said when she walked in.
She ignored him and moved closer, obviously mad.
“What’s wrong, Child?” the Chief Interrogator asked.
“I wanted you to watch,” Emily hissed.
“Watch what?” Sotomar asked, frowning.
Emily’s face showed her concentration and a steady stream of blood began to drip down from her nose.
“What are you doing!?” Sotomar asked, standing slowly.
“Stop her!” the Chief of Defense roared as reports started coming in from the city that they were under attack.
“Emily, stop it this instant!”
She fell to her knees before turning her attention to the Valle Elders. As her eyes narrowed, they were hit with the excruciatingly painful burn in their chests. Their screams fell on empty hallways as the echoes of their pain rushed past piles and piles of ash.
Emily leaned forward when the last of the Valle Council fell to ash. Her head hurt beyond reason and she could feel the fog covering her mind and clouding her thoughts.
***
“Valle from Equites 2,” Kralen called over the radio again. “Elder, I’m still not getting an answer.”
Chevalier nodded, “I’m not seeing any movement out there at all.”
“Land it?”
“Put it down on the front lawn, but be ready to pull out of here if it’s a trap.”
Kralen nodded and gently set the helicopter down on the lawn. When no one appeared, the heku jumped out onto the enemy grass and looked around the silent city.
“Damnit,” Chevalier hissed, and then rushed into the palace, noticing all of the piles of ash along the way.
Kralen was the first to catch her scent, and the Equites followed him over to the council chambers. He rushed over to where Emily was lying on the cold, dirt floor, and turned her onto her back. It was oddly reminiscent of the last time she’d taken out the city and then slept for 3 months.
“Em?” Kralen asked softly.
Chevalier walked up to the council stand and then ordered the Cavalry to gather the ashes before going back down to Emily. He reached down and picked her up gently, and then scanned the room.
“I’m sure an alarm went out. We have to get out of here,” Chevalier whispered.
Kralen nodded and ordered Team 7 out of the building. It was amazingly easy and seemed surreal as they took off over the quiet city with Emily tucked carefully into a sleeping bag on the floor.
Chapter 19
Emily felt the headache as she swam out of the darkness and began to wake up. The room was dark, and she wasn’t sure where she was. Turning the Valle to ash began to come back to her, and she quickly opened her eyes and sat up, only to see that she was back in her bedroom in the Equites Palace.
She grabbed her cell phone and then checked the date. She’d been asleep for just over 3 weeks. Looking at the door, she wasn’t sure who to call for. She wasn’t sure how mad Chevalier was that the bond was broken, yet again, nor was she sure if he knew how.
After removing the I.V. from her arm, she pulled on a robe and then steadied herself against the bedpost until she felt strong enough to stand. She spun suddenly when she heard Chevalier outside of her door.
“I know you’re awake,” he said. “Can I please come in?”
Emily froze, not sure what to do. She’d cheated on him and didn’t know if he knew or if he blamed her for it as badly as she blamed herself. She was shaking when she barely whispered for him to come in.
Chevalier came into the room and then shut the door behind him. He watched her for a moment before he smiled, “It’s good to have you back.”
She nodded and studied his face.
“I’m not mad.”
Again she only nodded, and then fought back the tears.
He took one step toward her, his face calm and caring, “I just have one question.”
“Ok,” she whispered.
“Did you sleep with him?”
Emily shook her head as her eyes filled with tears.
“It wasn’t your fault.”
“I should have known.”
“You couldn’t have known. They re-worked every memory you had from the moment Jerry came to you for cattle.”
She looked around the room as she wrapped her arms around herself.
“Who was it?” He took another step toward her, wanting badly to wrap his arms around her.
She debated not telling him, but finally decided he had a right to know, “Hillock.”
He smiled, “Sotomar didn’t even know.”
“I know.”
“We have Sotomar in our prison still, but had to let the rest of them go.”
She nodded.
“Where’s Hillock?”
Emily smiled crookedly, “How did you know I took him?”
“I just know you. Where is he?”
She didn’t want to tell him. Emily was sure that Chevalier wanted to get his hands on the heku she had fallen in love with, but she felt he was hers to punish.
He saw the hesitation in her eyes, “I want to talk to him.”
“I know.”
“I can make him suffer more than banishment.”
She teared up again and spoke in a hushed whisper, “I was so alone.”
“I’m not blaming you. I realize that you believed you were alone for 30 years. It’s natural to seek out a companion.”
Emily glanced over at the black clothes she wore for her assault on the Valle palace.
Chevalier followed her gaze and then walked over and picked up her shirt. He felt around and then dropped it into the chair before picking up the black pants. When he got to the bottom of the pants, he felt a lump and pulled a small bag of ashes out of a hidden pocket inside the lower leg.
“When I’m done with Hillock, I want to re-bond, and then head out on the yacht for a bit,” Chevalier told her as he headed toward the door.
“No,” she whispered, and then shook her head when he looked at her.
“Why not?”
With shaky hands, Emily held out the essence ring, “I cheated on you.”
“No, you didn’t.” He didn’t move to take the ring, “That wasn’t your fault.”
She swallowed hard, “I thought I loved him.”
“Em…”
“No. This time the bond was broken validly… I cheated on you, and you shouldn’t take me back.”
“I don’t blame you.”
“You should.”
He studied her for a few minutes, “Why should I blame you? You were alone for 30 years and didn’t even remember me as anything other than an enemy. Why would I blame you for finding someone to love?”
“Get mad,” she whispered.
“No”
“Get mad!” she yelled, and suddenly fury showed in her eyes. “Yell… scream… choke me! I don’t care what you do, but get mad at me.”
“I’m not mad.”
She moved to him suddenly and he took her hands when she tried to push him, “Get mad!”
“No”
“I cheated on you, damnit.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“I loved him.”
“I realize that.”
Emily tried to get her hands away from Chevalier, but he held her wrists tightly, “It’s not your fault.”
“I wanted to sleep with him.”
She saw a brief flicker of anger cross his face before he calmed, “Em… stop…”
Not getting the anger she wanted, Emily sent a flash of burning at him and felt his hands tighten on her wrists as he gasped. Before she saw any movement, Mark and Silas appeared in the bedroom and took her from Chevalier, then restrained her against the far wall.
“Calm down,” Mark said to her.
Chevalier pulled at his shirt a bit, trying to relieve lingering pain as he watched Emily closely. He finally regained his control and walked up to her while she watched him with tears streaming down her face.
“Let her go,” he said softly.
Mark and Silas both let go of her, but stayed close in case she did it again.
Chevalier gently lifted her chin so she was looking up at him, “What do you want, Em?”
Her voice cracked, “I want you to get mad. I want you to punish me for cheating on you.”
“You didn’t cheat on me.”
“I did… I loved him.”
“You can’t cheat on someone you don’t even remember.”
“Get mad, damnit!”
“I am… just not at you.”
Emily sunk down against the wall when all three of the heku left her room and Mark shut the door after them.
“Are you ok, Elder?” Kralen asked from the hallway.
He nodded and smiled slightly, “She was trying to pick a fight.”
“She’ll be ok.”
Chevalier nodded and then headed down the stairs with Hillock’s ashes.
She sat back against the wall, deep in thought about her actions while with the Valle. The only thing she had to be ashamed of was her time with Hillock. She was glad that she’d never caved to pressure and swore her allegiance to the Valle.
Chevalier dumped Hillock’s ashes out of the small bag onto the floor of the trial area. Sotomar watched angrily, and then glared down at the ashes before turning to Chevalier as he sat in his chair.
“Who is that?” Sotomar asked, irritated.
“That’s your Hillock,” Chevalier explained, and then nodded to Kyle.
“Why is he here?”
“You’ll see.”
Kyle revived the Valle, and it shocked the Equites how much he looked like Chevalier, albeit a few inches shorter and not quite as muscular.
Hillock pulled on a blue robe and then turned to face the Equites Council, his eyes wide, “Oh my God.”
“Yeah… better start praying, Boy,” Chevalier hissed.
Sotomar faced the Elders, “What right do you have holding me here?”
“What right did you have to alter Emily’s memory?” Zohn asked him.
“We’ll do what it takes to rightfully return her to our faction.”
“You know how dangerous that was!”
“Emily’s stronger than the weak-minded man I did that on before.”
“Faking a bonding with her was a strong violation,” Kyle growled.
“It wasn’t a physical bonding,” Sotomar told him. “She wouldn’t have that.”
Chevalier smiled, “We realize that or the bond would have broken earlier.”
He frowned, “She didn’t break the bond. You aren’t listening, it was never physically consummated.”
Hillock shifted nervously.
“The bond was broken while Emily was with you,” Chevalier explained. “It was about 2 months ago.”
“Then it was by betrayal.”
“Care to explain it to him?” Chevalier asked, looking at Hillock.
Sotomar turned to his Imperial Guard, “Explain what?”
“No, Sir, I don’t,” he whispered, and glanced at Chevalier.
“You took away Emily’s memory of me,” Chevalier said. “You fully expected her to be alone for 30 years and not seek out someone?”
Sotomar’s eyes narrowed, “Explain yourself.”
“It’s common for mortals to want companionship and physical affection. What made you think that she would be happy without that for the 30 years you changed?”
“She was though…”
“She was happy?” Kyle asked. “She looked to us, on our visit, like she was very displeased with her life.”
“She was fine!”
“She was miserable,” Hillock said softly.
Sotomar glared at him, “Shut up.”
“Emily and Hillock became an item behind your back,” Quinn said, smiling. “So much so, the bond with Chevalier was broken 2 months ago.”
“Is that true!?” Sotomar yelled at his guard.
Hillock nodded, “I love her.”
“Did you sleep with her?”
“No, Elder.”
“Did you kiss?”
Hillock simply nodded as he watched the floor.
“How dare you cheat with an Elder’s wife!”
“Wife?” Hillock asked, his eyes suddenly furious. “Your bond was a sham to explain the ring! There was no love and she hated you for making her do it.”
“She did love me.”
“No, she didn’t. You treated her like a trophy wife! She hated every second with you.”
“So you decided to risk your life for her?”
“For someone I care about, yes. You were too blind to see that you were ruining her. She was miserable!”
The Equites Council sat back, amused, and watched the Valle fight in the trial area.
“You will pay for your treason when we get back,” Sotomar hissed.
Hillock smiled, “The Equites aren’t going to let me go… So nothing’s stopping me from telling you what an idiot you are to have altered her memories! It was low, disgusting, and entirely beneath you.”
Sotomar’s hands balled into fists, “You don’t know what you’re talking about...”
“I know her better than you do. The nights that I spent holding her while she told me how much she hated you and wanted to run away from the Valle that she so loathes.”
“Lies!”
“They aren’t lies. She felt trapped by the bond you forced on her and wasn’t in the least bit upset when she told me she loved me and it broke.”
Chevalier shifted nervously as he watched them and started to get mad.
“She was my wife…” Sotomar hissed, and then took a step closer to his guard.
“Well your wife begged me to make love to her…”
“What!?” Chevalier yelled, standing up.
Hillock’s eyes grew wide and he turned to Chevalier, “We didn’t though.”
Sotomar was on Hillock instantly and they blurred into a fight. Chevalier tried to jump into the fight, but Zohn and Kyle held him back. Four of the Equite
s Council jumped the desk and dove into the fray, finally pulling the two Valle apart.
“I won’t allow you to kill him,” Chevalier growled, trying again to get to Hillock.
“He’s mine to punish,” Sotomar said angrily.
“She’s my wife.”
“She was mine!”
“Stop it!” Quinn yelled, and his booming voice echoed off of the walls in the palace. “Take the Valle to cells.”
Four Prison Guards came in and hauled the Valle away. Sotomar struggled against them, but Hillock walked out calmly.
“It wasn’t her fault,” Kyle said to Chevalier.
“I’m not blaming her!” he yelled. “I’m blaming the imbeciles who changed her memories.”
“Then calm down or she’ll think you’re mad at her.”
Chevalier seemed to calm instantly and sat down, “She already does.”
Zohn sat down beside him, “It stands to reason that she’s blaming herself for this. You said you were going to take her away on the yacht for a week or so.”
“She doesn’t want to go.”
“She wants punished,” Quinn said. “Physical pain is sometimes used to erase emotional pain.”
“Do you think Hillock was right about her request?” the Chief of Staff asked.
“I don’t know,” Chevalier told him. “Does it matter? A woman alone for 30 years has the right to find a suitable companion.”
“He looks a lot like you,” Zohn said. “I would imagine that’s why she was drawn to him.”
“Sotomar does too though,” Kyle said.
“Yes, well… she doesn’t like Sotomar. That may have been too ingrained to erase.”
“I would imagine this goes deeper than we envision,” Quinn said. “She takes personal violations so badly… yet she’s broken a bond she held as a great treasure.”
“That wasn’t her fault,” Chevalier said again.
“She’s going to be hard to convince.”
“Then stick with your plan to take her away,” Kyle said. “Getting her away from everything around here is your best bet.”
Ancients and Old Ones : Book 8 of the Heku Series Page 52
