“Ask him when he calls,” Sam suggested again.
Emily sighed, “What if they hear me? Bloody heku can hear anything.”
Emily went over to the window and looked out, “There has to be a way to get out of here.”
“We’re on the fifth floor. I don’t think you can use a sheet,” Sam said, walking up beside her and looking out the window.
“So I can’t talk to Exavior without someone eavesdropping, and I can’t get out of this room without the heku knowing anyway,” she whispered, harshly.
“I could get a rope,” Sam said, looking down.
“Me? Climb down a rope?” She looked down onto the lawn.
“True… loud music?”
“That’s it! I can crank up the TV!” Emily said, and grabbed her phone when it rang.
“Hello?”
“Emily, how are you?” Exavior asked, politely.
“Fine… one second, I need to prepare,” she said. She turned the TV volume up onto full. Allen covered his ears and frowned at her.
She whispered into the phone, “Can you hear me?”
“Barely,” he yelled to her. “Who are you hiding from?”
“Everyone, I need an opinion,” she whispered.
“Ok.” The tone in his voice changed, “Go ahead.”
She sighed and looked around to make sure Allen couldn’t hear, “I think I’m pregnant… again.”
“Oh is that all?” he asked relieved.
“Is that all? You don’t get it… I get kidnapped, beaten, locked away, tortured, hung…” He cut her off.
“I know, I’ve heard the stories,” he said, amused.
“I can’t do this right now,” she said.
“I know you are no longer bonded, but it doesn’t have to be horrible,” he said.
“I can’t even leave the palace,” she explained.
“Why? Are they stopping you?” His voice was stern.
“No, but they’ll… you know… smell,” she whispered into the phone.
“Oh, yes they will. Let me think.”
“I’m debating getting a rope and climbing down,” Emily said, finally.
“That can’t be a good idea. Mortal’s can’t fall like a heku,” he said, and she thought she heard a hint of a laugh.
“Do you think this is funny?” she asked, angrily.
“I wouldn’t say funny, but I don’t see why the panic.”
“I miss him,” Emily said, softly.
“I knew you would,” Exavior told her.
“He really hurt me this time.”
“Yes he did, and you ashed him.”
“You think I need to tell him don’t you?” she asked.
“Does it matter what I think?”
“Yes or I wouldn’t have told you,” she said.
“Yes you do, then. He needs to know if for nothing else than to protect you.”
“Ugh! That word,” she screamed, and then looked at Allen.
“Seems you have no sense of self preservation, you shouldn’t have even told me,” he said to her, bluntly.
“You’re my friend.”
“I’m a Valle, an enemy,” he reminded her.
“Not of mine.”
“I know, but you really need to be careful who you tell.”
“You too now, eh?” she asked, getting angry.
“What?”
“Telling me what to do… if I want to call the Encala and announce the impending birth then I can if I want to,” she snapped.
Exavior laughed, “Yes you can, if you want to.”
“I’m afraid to tell him,” she said, her voice lowering to a whisper.
“I know, but the Equites need to know,” he said.
“So you’re saying to tell for tactics and not for pure ‘father’ knowledge?” she asked, confused.
He laughed again, “No, I do think the father should know, but they also need to be aware that there could be problems in the near future.”
“They know that. I’m one huge problem,” she reminded him.
“Oh I don’t doubt that,” he said.
“Are you still coming to get the runes off of me?” She asked him every day toward the end of their conversation.
“Not now, Em. I can come if you want, but the runes are going to have to wait,” he told her.
“Why?”
“It’d be a risk to the baby,” he said.
“I’m tougher than you think,” she said, frustrated.
“I have no doubt,” he said, and then paused. “Do you still want me to come?”
“You come and tell him,” she suggested.
“Oh no, not me,” he laughed. “You have 10 days,” he said, more serious.
“I know,” she whispered.
“I will come as promised, and I’ll call it a welfare check,” he said.
“Ok,” she said, and hung up. She reached over and turned the TV off.
“So?” Sam asked.
“He said to tell… but he was thinking strategy, and not personal reasons. Do they all think like that?” she asked, irritated.
“Yes they do,” Sam said, fitting another piece into the puzzle.
“I’m guessing you agree,” she asked.
“Yes I do.” He grinned and took a piece from Allen, sliding it into place, “They are in the council chambers right now with no agenda.”
“No one’s being questioned or anything?” she frowned.
“No, they are discussing an offer from the Encala,” Sam said.
“How do you know?”
Sam smiled, “I can hear, too.”
“Great… here goes,” Emily said, storming out of the room. Her bare feet sounded loudly on the marble floors as she ran down toward the council chambers. She stepped in without knocking and shut the door behind her.
“Well, hello, Emily,” Maleth said, smiling. The other council members looked over to the door.
“Can we help you, Dear?” Leonid asked.
Emily walked forward and stood, watching them, with her arms crossed.
“Emily?” Damon asked.
“Wait for it,” she said, and watched as they all looked at one another, confused. Emily avoided looking at Chevalier. She didn’t want to see his reaction.
“Emily, is there some…” Damon started, and his voice stopped suddenly. He spun in his chair away from her, and fought the internal desire building within him.
The rest of the Council gasped and turned at the same time, all of them fighting the urge to kill her. Chevalier didn’t turn his chair, he just watched her with wide eyes.
“Don’t worry, it’s yours,” she growled at him, and then left the council chambers and went back up to her room, slamming the door and locking it.
“Very smooth, Emily,” Sam said.
“Go get me some crackers,” she snapped, and he bowed and left.
“Did not see that coming,” Damon said, when the room cleared of the appetizing scent.
Maleth looked at Chevalier, “Did you know?”
He shook his head.
“Well this complicates things,” Damon said, and hit the table, trying to clear the scent from his mind.
“Talk to her,” Leonid suggested.
“She won’t let me in,” Chevalier said.
“She may now. I can see why she’s been avoiding any heku contact,” Maleth said, nodding.
“I’ll get the masks,” Damon said, irritated.
Chevalier turned to him, “Do you have a problem?”
“Yes I do. In three days, when her Valle boyfriend gets here, I see big problems,” Damon snapped, and Chevalier flinched at the term.
“Shut up, Damon, and get the masks to the guards,” Leonid said to him, sternly.
Emily heard the knock on the door but couldn’t move. She was leaning against a cold wall in the bathroom. She cringed when she heard Allen walk toward the door.
“Who is it?” he asked, just like she normally did.
“It’s Daddy,” Chevalier
said, and Emily heard Allen open the door.
Emily was able to reach up and lock the bathroom door. She heard Ford run out of the nursery where his bed was, and jump on Chevalier.
His voice came from beside the bathroom door, “Can we talk, please?”
“Not right now,” she told him, and turned back to the toilet.
“Let me help,” he said, tearing the door off of the hinge and stepping into the bathroom just as she laid down on the cold floor.
“Think you’ve done enough,” she said, shutting her eyes.
“My part ends at conception, is that our new rule?” He sat down by her on the floor after he propped the door back up.
“Didn’t know we had a rule,” she whispered, not moving.
“I bet you’re mad at the timing, so feel free blame me,” he said, watching her.
“Go away.”
“No”
Chevalier handed her a cold washcloth, “I’m actually surprised you told me and didn’t just disappear.”
“You can thank Exavior for that. I was trying to find a rope to climb out the window.” She put the cold rag against the back of her neck.
“Oh? So you told Exavior?” he asked, trying to sound casual.
“Don’t worry, he yelled at me already.”
“For what?” Chevalier frowned.
“For telling an enemy faction member,” she said, and leaned back over the toilet.
“Smart guy.” He watched her.
Emily halfway collapsed down onto the cold floor and pressed her cheek against the tiles.
“It’ll be different this time, Em,” Chevalier said.
“How’s that? Because I’m single this time?” she asked, irritated that he was still there watching her.
Chevalier took the glass of Sprite and crackers from Sam when he came back into the room.
“Here’s a cracker.”
She shook her head, “No food.”
“Single or no, I’m not going to let you go through this alone,” he said, swapping the cracker for the Sprite.
She looked at it and leaned back over the toilet.
“Is this worse than before?” Chevalier asked Sam, worried.
“No, it’s just the first time you’ve been around at the beginning,” Sam told him, a little snappy.
“True,” he sighed.
Sam handed in a blanket and Chevalier took it, laying it on Emily when he noticed she was asleep.
“Should I move her?” he asked Sam.
“Nope,” Sam said, and went back to the puzzle with Allen.
Chevalier stood up and walked out of the bathroom, “I’ll get the door fixed.”
“Mhmm.”
Chevalier went back to the council chambers and took his chair.
“How did that go?” Leonid asked, concerned.
“She can’t even talk, she’s too sick,” he said, picking up a list of upcoming trials and thumbing through them.
“Get the doctor,” Maleth suggested.
“Nothing he can do.”
“Why not?” Maleth frowned.
“Mortal women become sick when they are first pregnant,” their Chief Interrogator said, and Chevalier looked at him, curiously, “Or so I’ve heard… at least.”
“There is still time,” Leonid said.
“Are you sure about your decision, Leonid?” Maleth asked him.
“Yes, I’ve been thinking about it for almost a hundred years,” he said, smiling.
“Have you set a date?” Chevalier asked.
“Yes, one week from today.”
“So soon?” Damon asked, frowning.
“No reason to prolong it,” Leonid said. “Shall we adjourn until the Valle visit in three days?”
The Council all nodded and Leonid stepped out.
Chevalier returned to Kyle’s room, where he had been staying since his banishment from his own room. Kyle looked up when he entered.
“How’d it go?” Kyle asked.
“Did you know about Em?” he asked, sitting down.
“What about her?”
Chevalier fell into a chair, “She’s pregnant.”
“Oh wow… bet that pisses her off,” Kyle said.
“Yeah, she’s thrilled,” Chevalier said. “At least I think so, I can’t seem to talk to her.”
“Sick already?”
“Yes. Now we have to deal with the Valle in three days.” He rubbed the back of his neck.
“Crackers and Sprite,” Kyle reminded him.
“She won’t take them.”
“Of course not,” Kyle laughed. “Anything to help.”
Chevalier just nodded.
“There she is now,” Kyle said, looking up at his door.
“Sounds like she’s going to try to nap, though,” Chevalier said, his head cocked toward the door.
Chevalier turned back to Kyle, “She told Exavior.”
“Might as well get a head-start on the faction tension,” Kyle said, bluntly.
“He yelled at her for telling him,” Chevalier smiled, slightly.
Kyle raised his eyebrow, “What’s his angle?”
“I haven’t figured that out yet. Befriend her and then strike at the last minute maybe.”
***
The tension in the council chambers was intense as the Equites Council watched the ten Valle enter, Exavior in the lead.
“Was there such a strong need for more?” Damon asked him.
“Perhaps,” Exavior said, swinging the side of his cape over his shoulder.
“We have called for Emily.”
“We cannot do the removal, not with the situation as it is,” he said.
Maleth frowned and looked at Chevalier, “He knows.”
Maleth looked at Exavior with wide eyes.
“I’m not here to take her, unless I see signs of abuse,” Exavior said.
Emily opened the door and stepped in. She was pale and shaky.
The Valle shifted nervously and turned away from her, all except for Exavior. He shut his eyes and opened them slowly, completely in control.
Exavior eyed her cautiously and turned back to the Council, “One moment, please.”
He turned away from them and went to Emily, “Are you injured?”
She shook her head, “No.”
“What’s wrong?” he asked, angrily.
“Morning sickness,” she said, and gave him a half-smile.
He relaxed and smiled, “Oh, right.”
Exavior took Emily’s arm and helped her toward the Council. Chevalier’s fingers dug marks into the wood as they tensed into fists.
“She looks unharmed,” Exavior said.
“Of course, we don’t abuse her,” Damon said, irritated.
“That remains to be seen, now doesn’t it?” Exavior said to him.
“Are we to expect your visits regularly?” Leonid asked.
“You may go,” Exavior said, looking at Leonid, who frowned. Two of the Valle ran quickly out of the room and Exavior spoke again, “Yes you may. Though not weekly, unless the need arises.”
“Who exactly appointed you her guardian?” the Equites Chief Interrogator asked, angrily.
“I do believe she did,” he answered, casually.
Emily listened to them, the voices sounded like they were coming from a tunnel. She could tell they were talking about her, but their words were slurred and not making sense. She could feel the ground begin to move as a voice called for her.
Exavior caught her just before she hit the ground and laid her down gently.
“Emily?” he said, touching her face.
Chevalier was at her side in a blur, “Em?”
She opened her eyes, “I won’t go.”
“Go where?” Chevalier asked her, and glared at Exavior until he moved his hand away.
“I won’t go to him, he can’t make me,” she said, groaning in pain.
“It’s the rune,” Exavior said. “Is the owner here in the palace?”
“Yes,”
Chevalier replied, angrily.
“Well… shut him up,” Exavior scowled.
Damon called for Kyle and blurred from the room. A few minutes later, Emily opened her eyes, panting. She sat up and Chevalier helped her to her feet. He kept her steady with a hand on her back.
“I’m ok,” she said, looking around.
“Go lay down,” Exavior said, and she nodded and left the room. When she was gone, he adjusted his cape and turned back to the Council as Chevalier took his chair.
“Was there anything else you need? We have things under control,” Maleth asked.
“You do?” Exavior asked, irritated.
“We look forward to your next visit,” Leonid said.
Exavior nodded and smiled, then walked out of the room with the other Valle.
Chevalier left the council chambers, frustrated, and went up to Emily’s room. He walked in without knocking and looked around the empty room. He could hear her in the bathroom. He went over and tried the door, when he found it unlocked, he went inside and sat down.
Emily was lying back on the floor with her eyes closed.
“Déjà vu,” Chevalier said.
“Just go away,” she said, adjusting her face to a new, cool spot.
“Put this ring on and I will leave you alone,” he said, knowing it was a low blow.
Emily put her hand out for the ring, and Chevalier handed it to her. Without even opening her eyes, she dropped it into the toilet. His hand shot out and caught it just before it hit the water.
“Funny,” he said, slipping it back into his pocket.
“Can I ask you a question? Get my mind off things?” she asked, not moving.
“Sure,” Chevalier said. He was glad her eyes were shut. It gave him the ability to look her over well. He didn’t like how pale she was, or the way her hands shook when she moved.
“Why can Exavior eat?” She opened her eyes and looked at him.
“He can?” Chevalier seemed impressed.
“Why?” Emily scooted until she was sitting up against the wall.
“It’s an acquired skill that takes a lot of time and dedication. Some use it when they interact with mortals a lot, it helps them fit in,” he explained.
Emily nodded and shut her eyes.
“How did he see it?” he asked, after a few minutes of silence.
“Is it really bugging you that bad?” she asked.
He nodded, and then realized her eyes were still shut, “Yes, it is.”
She sighed, “Jeff…”
“What about him?”
Emily opened her eyes and looked at him, “He… got a little… pushy.”
Encala Page 37
