“Let me take you home.”
“No… it’s ok. I’ll drive back and don’t worry, I won’t tell the Equites where I went.”
“They’ll know.”
Emily looked over at Aaron and the pain in her eyes made his heart jump, “When I die… Chevalier and Kyle are going to kill everyone.”
“You think they will come after the Encala?”
“I suspect so.”
“We have nothing to do with your illness though.”
“I know… but I’m still afraid for you.”
Aaron smiled slightly, “I still don’t think you’re dying.”
“I’ve asked both the Equites and the Valle to imprison Chevalier and Kyle when I die… but they both said no.”
“I can see how that would be a problem.”
She tightened her grasp on his hand, “Can you do that for me?”
“We don’t have the manpower anymore… the Equites would come after them, and we can’t hold them off. Your best bet is the Valle.”
The door to Emily’s room suddenly slammed open and Frederick walked in, his eyes furious, “What are you doing in here?”
“Frederick!” Aaron gasped. “Where have you been? We’ve been looking for you.”
“Why is she in here and not in the prison?”
“Because she’s not a prisoner.”
Frederick appeared at Emily’s back and instantly threw her over his shoulder, “I’m glad she’s here… this will be easier than I thought.”
When Frederick began to haul Emily down the stairs, Aaron yelled, “No! Let her go.”
Aaron appeared at the bottom of the stairs and his eyes grew wide, “Frederick! What are you doing? We can’t harm her or they’ll kill us.”
Frederick didn’t respond, but put a hand against her back, ensuring she couldn’t get loose. When Frederick continued down the stairs, Aaron ordered the palace and city cleared.
Aaron gasped when he realized where Frederick was going and he blocked the door, “You can’t take her into the ceremonial room.”
“You going to stop me?”
“Yes, I am.”
Frederick growled and threw Emily to the floor, knocking the wind out of her. Emily looked up just as the two Encala Elders blurred into a fight. She was scrambling to her feet when she saw Aaron’s lifeless body thrown against the stone wall and heard the sound of helicopters leaving the palace roof.
***
Mark and Kralen appeared in the Equites council chambers. Both were furious and anxious to talk to Chevalier.
“We’re busy, can it wait?” Zohn asked.
“No, it can’t,” Kralen said, and then turned to Chevalier. “It’s the Encala… Emily’s attacks… the Heartbreaker Serial Killer… it’s all connected.”
Chevalier frowned, “How?”
Mark took over, “The news just announced that the Heartbreaker name came from the method the killer uses. He bites the victim numerous times and then sends a stake through their hearts.”
“There have been 12 bodies found… 11 of those were killed on the same days that Emily passed out,” Kralen said. “The 12th was killed while Emily was with the Valle.”
Chevalier nodded, “They’re turning a mortal, knowing he’s going to die… just to torture Emily. Damnit! I should have thought of that when we couldn’t find ash.”
“It has to be an Encala attack… the strokes… those are from her abilities interfering with the turning process over and over,” Mark growled.
“The Encala don’t know where Frederick is. He has the most probable cause for the attacks… It has to be him,” Quinn said, his eyes narrowing.
“We have to find her and get her out of here,” Chevalier said. “She can heal if we can get her where he can’t find her.”
“Allen is trying to get a trace on her phone,” Kralen said, and quickly dialed him.
Chevalier’s features grew dark, “I’ve had enough of the Encala… it’s time to finish them off.”
“Let’s find out if it’s just Frederick,” Zohn said. “We honestly don’t know the long-term repercussions from having only two factions.”
“Damnit!” Kralen yelled, and turned to Mark. “Allen traced her phone… she’s in Encala City.”
***
“Don’t do this!” Emily screamed when the thirteen heku entered. Frederick was just pulling up the hood on his black robe and one of the blue robed heku had a frightened man in his grasp.
She fought against the restraints, trying desperately to get out of the round ceremonial room before she killed the mortal. She was afraid if she turned them to ash, she might have another stroke.
Once the mortal was forced to lie down on the dirt floor of the ceremonial room, Frederick controlled him long enough to calm him down and the blue robed heku moved to the outside of the walls.
“Please… Frederick… don’t do this,” Emily begged.
“Mortal, do you know where you are?” one of the heku asked.
“I do,” he said. His voice was soft and monotone. Emily gasped when she realized that Frederick had controlled the mortal into going along with the ceremony.
“Do you know what is about to happen?”
“I do.” His voice was hauntingly displaced.
“Do you do so willingly and without coercion?”
“Stop it!” Emily screamed.
“I do.”
She started to panic when the heku moved forward and bent down to feed from the mortal. There was nothing she could do, no way she could stop from killing him when the ceremony finished. She could feel blood trickle down her hand as she struggled to get out of the tight binds.
The mortal screamed when thirteen sets of teeth sunk into his soft flesh and began to feed. The control Frederick had wore off and he was now aware of his impending death.
His screams echoed through the empty palace as Frederick tore open his own wrist and the mortal began to drink from it.
“Frederick, stop!” she screamed. She was finding it hard to breathe and her time was running out to save the man.
Frederick stood and began to write the ancient runes into the dirt as the mortal’s blood started to fill the deep trenches. Emily looked up when the ceiling runes began to glow a deathly blue and she screamed one last time before Frederick sent the wooden stake through the mortal’s heart.
Emily’s body relaxed and she fell forward onto the dirt floor as blood pooled around her head.
Frederick smiled and looked down at her, “The only thing worse than dying… is watching someone you love die slowly when there’s nothing you can do about it.”
“She’s not dead yet,” one of the heku said after checking her neck for a pulse.
“No, she’s not,” Frederick agreed. “I’m not done torturing Chevalier yet.”
“What do we do with the mortal’s body?”
“Leave it… and leave her too,” he said, tapping her with his foot. “She’s not going anywhere.”
“If we leave her here, they will know it’s us doing it.”
“They can’t catch me… it won’t matter.”
The heku nodded and they all left the ceremonial room.
***
Chevalier stepped through the broken front doors of the Encala’s palace and he was immediately aware of the smell of Winchester blood.
Mark was right behind him and he crouched slightly and yelled, “Where is she!?”
The heku listened closely and could hear no noise in the Encala palace. They were aware that the city was also abandoned. Silas appeared at the bloody heku on the floor by the main stairway and bent down.
“Sir, it’s Aaron.”
“She’s here somewhere,” Chevalier growled, and the Cavalry disappeared to search the enemy palace.
One of the Cavalry from Powan was the first to find the ceremonial room. He quickly called for the others and knelt down by Emily, then felt for a pulse.
“She’s alive,” he said to Chevalier when he arrived.
Chevalier gently picked her up as Mark tore the metal restraints from her wrists.
“He’s dead,” Kralen said after checking on the mortal.
Mark looked her over, “Other than the cuts from the restraints, I don’t think they hurt her.”
Silas appeared with twelve members of the Cavalry, “The palace is empty.”
“Is her room intact?” Chevalier asked him.
“Yes, just as we left it.”
“I don’t want to travel with her unconscious, let’s take her there.”
Mark nodded and left orders for the mortal to be buried before following Chevalier up the stairs.
For two days, the twenty four members of the Cavalry with Chevalier meticulously went through the Encala Palace, destroying anything they could and making sure to leave the Equites crest drawn on every surface.
Toward nightfall on the third day, Mark called Chevalier into Emily’s room when she started to wake up. He appeared with a torn shirt and blood on his arms.
Mark grinned slightly, “Go shower, I’ll wait here.”
Chevalier looked down, “Oh right… I found a Valle prisoner alive.”
“I figured,” Mark chuckled as Chevalier left to find a shower.
When Emily’s eyes opened slowly, Mark sat beside her on the bed and touched her shoulder, “Em?”
She looked over at him and then scanned the room, “Why did you change my room?”
“We’re in the Encala palace,” he explained. “Does this not look familiar to you?”
Emily shook her head, “Why are we here?”
“Do you remember the turning ritual?”
Emily gasped and then whispered, “Yes.”
“It’s ok… we’re here with you now and the Encala are gone.”
Chevalier walked in and sat down on the bed, “How are you feeling?”
“I don’t know,” she said, and again scanned the room.
“Do you have a headache?”
“Just a little one.”
His eyes narrowed as he studied her face, “Do you know where you are?”
“Yes,” she said, and then looked at Mark. “What did you call it?”
“The Encala palace,” Mark told her again.
“Oh, right, that’s where I am.”
Chevalier helped her sit up and she pulled the blankets over her shoulders, “It’s freezing in here.”
“Now that you’re awake, we can go back to Council City.”
She nodded and stood up slowly. As she walked toward the door, the heku noticed her limp had returned and she seemed unsteady on her feet. They followed her down to the front entrance and out into the night.
Emily looked closely at the dark parking lot, “Where’s my Jeep?”
Chevalier and Mark both looked at the purple Aero parked right in front of where Emily was standing.
After a brief conversation in tones too low for Emily, Mark answered, “We had it taken back to Council City. Why don’t you come in the helicopter with us?”
She nodded, ignoring the two members of the Cavalry that drove away in the nearby purple car. After following the others to the helicopter, she crawled inside and shivered when the helicopter took off. Kralen immediately removed his cape and wrapped it around her shoulders.
The flight was quiet, each wondering how much damage the two turning rituals in four days had caused. They were met on the roof of the palace by a line of palace guards. Emily frowned at them slightly and clung tightly to Chevalier’s arm when they moved into the palace.
Dr. Edwards smiled as he neared their bedroom at the same time they did, “How are you, Dear?”
Emily smiled, “Just tired.”
“Can I look over you a bit?”
She looked up at Chevalier and he nodded. Emily let go of Chevalier’s arm and went into the bedroom with Dr. Edwards.
“How is she?” Zohn asked, coming up the stairs.
“Dr. Edwards is in there now… her memory seems kind of sketchy,” Chevalier explained.
Kyle joined Chevalier and Mark as they waited for Dr. Edwards to finish with Emily. It was only an hour later when he came out and shut the door behind her.
“You’re right about her memory,” he explained. “I don’t see any physical injuries other than cuts and bruises on her wrist. She’s definitely had another stroke, and I’m concerned about her being alone.”
“How bad is her memory loss?” Kyle asked.
“It’s hit or miss. Right now, it looks like the bulk of her memory is good, but there are some things missing. For instance… she doesn’t remember the name of her dog, but knows he’s a Border collie.”
Chevalier glanced to the door, “So can I take her away until Frederick is found?”
“Your best bet right now is to keep her in familiar places and around familiar heku. Don’t let her go out alone or she could wander off and get really lost.”
“Easy enough,” Mark whispered.
“Try to reduce any stressors from the memory problems too. So if it’s not hurting anything, let her believe whatever it is she believes.”
Chevalier turned to Mark, “Get the word out.”
Mark nodded.
“She’s also… well… somewhat changed,” Dr. Edwards continued.
“Meaning?”
“Meaning… she seems more quiet and reserved and more open to medical testing and such. She didn’t fight me at all when I wanted to look in her eyes or take a blood pressure.”
“Will she return to normal then?”
“Yes, as she heals things should clear up. Right now we’re dealing with what’s called a TIA, sort of a mini stroke. They mimic the full stroke, but the symptoms usually go away, even on a full human.”
“Good, so we protect the area from Frederick and keep her calm,” Kyle said, eyeing the area around the door.
Dr. Edwards turned to Mark, “Make sure her guards watch for signs that the stroke symptoms are getting worse. Strokes can repeat, though I’m hoping if we stop the turning rituals, hers will stop all together.”
Mark nodded again and disappeared.
The heku turned when Emily walked out. She smiled softly and took Chevalier’s arm, “I need to talk to you.”
He nodded and led her back inside, “What’s up?”
Emily sat down in the chair by the roaring fire, “I want to talk about the Encala.”
“Ok,” he said, and sat down beside her.
“William and Aaron are my friends,” she said, watching the fire.
He started to tell her that Aaron was dead, but changed his mind, “I know.”
“I don’t want them punished because of what Frederick did.”
“They’ve made poor decisions as a faction, and I’m getting tired of their games.”
“From what I can tell, it’s Frederick.”
Chevalier reached out and took her hand, “If you want us to back off, then we will.”
She looked over at him, “I do.”
“Then come talk to the Council. Tell everyone what happened to you.”
Emily laced her fingers with his, “I don’t want to go before the Council.”
“I won’t make you.”
“You can tell them what happened.”
“You tell me first.”
She shrugged, “I talked to Aaron for a bit and then Frederick threw me over his shoulder and took me… you know.”
“Yes. Did they ask you to come?”
“No, they were surprised.”
Chevalier chuckled, “I would imagine they were afraid of what the Equites would do.”
“Chev?”
“Yes?” He was somewhat relieved that she’d returned to his nickname. She hadn’t used it since his doppelganger threw her out of the palace.
“Don’t go to work today… Can you stay here?”
He smiled, “Sure, I can stay here. What do you want to do?”
“Order a pizza and stay in for a movie?”
“That sound
s perfect,” he said. He turned to the fire when he heard an announcement that the Encala Council was requesting an audience. He quietly told the others he wouldn’t be down, and then ordered Emily’s favorite pizza.
Kyle heard Chevalier and turned to Derrick, “Let them in.”
Derrick nodded and left the room, returning a few minutes later with William and six members of the Encala Council.
“What can we do for you?” Zohn asked.
William was furious, “Why did you kill Aaron?”
“We didn’t,” Kyle told him. “We found Aaron’s body when we went to retrieve Emily from your ceremonial room.”
William frowned slightly and turned to his Chief Interrogator.
The Encala’s Chief Interrogator nodded at his Elder and William turned back to the Equites Council, “Do you know who?”
“It was Frederick.”
William sighed, “I didn’t realize he’d gone rogue.”
“He has, and he better hope no Equites finds him.”
“How is she?” he asked, looking across the Council.
“She survived,” Kyle said, not willing to give out more information.
William looked down at the ground, “We will take care of Frederick and bring back proof if it can help mend the relations between our factions.”
Quinn stood furiously, “The only reason I don’t tear you apart right now is that we’ve promised Emily to leave you alone.”
“It wasn’t us!”
“Frederick is a member of your Council.”
“One that will be banished the next time we see him.”
“We haven’t forgotten that it was you who brought the doppelgangers back…”
“That was…”
“Frederick, we know.”
“Again, you cannot blame the entire Encala faction for the actions of one out of control Elder!”
Zohn’s eyes narrowed, “We agreed what, exactly?”
“Elder Chevalier promised Emily that we wouldn’t punish the Encala,” the Court Reporter told him.
“Prison then,” Quinn said.
“What!?” William roared.
“You can’t imprison us! We’re still the ruling body of the Encala,” the Encala’s Chief of Finance yelled.
Eternity of Vengeance (Extended Edition) : Book 7 of the Heku Series Page 47
