The heku glanced nervously around the dark hallway and then looked back at Alexis, “I have an invaluable offer for you.”
“Ok,” she said, crossing her arms.
He looked around again and lowered his voice, “I’m from the Valle.”
Alexis smiled, “Oh yeah?”
“Yes… and we seek your help in a small matter, one in which we will pay dearly for your services.”
“Keep talking.”
“Have you heard the rumors about what might happen if you… the last Winchester… were to turn a mortal?” he asked, watching her carefully.
“No, what rumors might that be?”
“That your ability would be passed on to them.”
Alexis sighed, “It’s my understanding that I’m too human to do that.”
“Have the Equites tried?”
“Well… no.”
“Then they are just guessing. You drink blood, do you not?”
“Yes… but…”
“Do you sleep?”
“I do, but only an hour or so a night.”
“Then it’s worth a try and the Valle are offering you anything to let us try it.”
Alexis thought for a moment, absentmindedly tapping her hand against her leg, “It would tick off my Dad.”
“More than likely,” he said, again looking around for any sign of Equites guards.
“All the more reason to try it.”
“So you will?” the Valle asked, shocked.
“Sure, why not?”
“We have a mortal chosen for you. Someone from the Valle will be in touch with you…” the heku stopped talking when his words were cut off by a strong hand around his throat.
“Dad, stop it!” Alexis yelled, and began to pull at his arms.
“Get her out of here,” Chevalier growled.
Kralen appeared and pulled Alexis away from her Dad. Once they were back in the front foyer of the palace, she turned and angrily pulled her arm away from him. Silas appeared and blocked her from getting back to Chevalier.
“He was out of line asking that…” Kralen told her.
“I’m going to do it, whether Dad wants me to or not.”
“Lexi, he’s a Valle. You can’t trust him,” Silas said.
“I can trust him more than Dad,” Alexis yelled, and then started up the stairs.
Kralen called for four members of the Cavalry to follow Alexis and then he and Silas started back for their Elder. When they arrived in the dark hallway, the Valle was sitting down against the wall with only one arm and Chevalier was glaring down at him.
Silas kicked the Valle and looked up at Chevalier, “What do you want to do with him?”
“Not sure yet,” Chevalier said, watching the frightened enemy. “Takes some nerve offering Alexis the opportunity to turn a mortal.”
“He did what!?” Dain yelled from the end of the hallway. Kralen watched him walk closer and moved out of the young heku’s way when he kneed the Valle in the head, crashing in his skull.
“It won’t matter what I do… to Alexis it won’t be right.”
“So name it,” Silas said, glaring down at the Valle as he healed.
“Kill him,” Chevalier said, and then disappeared from the hallway. He walked up the stairs, not quite sure what to say to Alexis but he knew he had to talk to her about the Valle’s offer.
“Elder,” the closest Cavalry member said, and bowed slightly.
Chevalier ignored him and knocked on the door. He waited a few seconds and knocked again, “Alex, can I talk to you for a moment?”
One of the guards shrugged when the Elder looked at him, “She’s been quiet.”
Chevalier sighed before breaking the lock and walking into the empty room.
***
“You can’t keep coming down here,” William said as he took the glass of blood from Alexis.
“I can do what I want,” she said, and sat down on the floor across from his cell.
“I’m sure they’ll notice. I’m on starvation punishment,” he explained before drinking the entire glass.
“I know that.”
William sat down by the bars in his cell, “Did you do what I suggested?”
“No”
“You have to forgive him. He didn’t kill your Mom and he didn’t overreact to her death.”
“He did too! It was embarrassing how he swept through the nation killing helpless heku.”
William smiled and leaned back, “I wouldn’t call it embarrassing… impressive maybe.”
Alexis frowned, “It was your faction.”
“I didn’t say I was happy about it, but the numbers alone were extraordinary.”
“Well, I disagree.”
William smiled, “Happy birthday, by the way.”
“You too?”
“It’s a big deal to turn 17.”
Alexis rolled her eyes, “Whatever.”
“You really should be up there, it’s your party.”
“It’s a guilt party.”
“He cares about you.”
“No, he cared about Mom… I’m a burden.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Us kids always knew that Mom was way more important to Dad than we were.”
“I wouldn’t say that.”
“It’s true.”
“It’s different though. The relationship between a husband and wife and between parent and child is completely different.”
“And you know this how?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.
“Annia”
“What?”
“My daughter’s name was Annia.”
Alexis sat up straighter, “You had kids?”
“Just Annia, but she died very young.”
“How?”
“Doesn’t matter,” he said, looking over at her. “What matters is that it’s time for you to forgive your Dad.”
“Says the Encala.”
“I don’t have to forgive him,” William told her. He cocked his head slightly to the side, “They’re looking for you.”
“Figures”
“Have you talked to Allen yet?”
“No, he sides with Dad.”
“I bet he does.”
“Heku stick together… that’s what Mom always said.”
“She had us pegged.”
Both grew quiet as they were lost in thoughts about precious moments with Emily.
Alexis looked over when Allen sighed, “Dad’s not going to like this.”
She shrugged, “He’ll live.”
“Talk to him,” William whispered to her.
Alexis stood up and brushed her dress down, “Thought you might like to know that the remaining Encala have built a coven in Ontario.”
“Alex!” Allen gasped. “Get upstairs this instant.”
William shook his head as Allen followed Alexis out of the prison.
“You can’t keep going down there,” Allen said, irritated.
“I can do what I want.”
“No you can’t. Going down there is dangerous.”
“I just go to talk to William,” Alexis explained.
“Why is that exactly?”
“Where were you?” Chevalier asked when Allen and Alexis walked up the stairs.
“In the prison,” she said, walking past him.
Allen winced, “Alex…”
“Doing what?” Chevalier asked her.
She shrugged, “Talking to William.”
“Why?”
Alexis turned to her Dad on the stairs, “Remember… touch one hair on his head and I become a Valle.”
“Alex, now may not be the time,” Allen sighed.
“Fac ut vivas,” Alexis said before going into her room and slamming the door.
Allen opened the door, “Why in the world would you tell Dad to get a life?”
“Because then he’ll get out of mine,” she said, then disappeared into the bathroom.
Allen walked out into the hallway and no
ticed only the Cavalry were left, “Where’d Dad go?”
“Back to say good-bye to the dignitaries,” her guard told him.
Allen headed down the stairs, “She’s using the drainpipes outside of her window like Mom used to.”
There was a fast shuffling as servants blurred outside to remove the metal pipes.
***
Alexis looked up from her book when her phone rang. She grabbed it just after checking the clock, “This better be damned good at 4am.”
“Are you alone?” a voice said in a whisper.
“Yeah”
“Child… it’s the Valle Council,” Sotomar said, sounding pleased to have reached her.
Alexis glanced at the door, “Ok.”
“Last week we sent a heku to you with an offer.”
“Right, and then my Dad killed him.”
Sotomar sighed, “Did you get the offer?”
“Yes”
“And what was your answer?”
“I said yes… but now that I’ve talked to William, I’m not so sure.”
“The Encala Elder?” Valle Elder Ryan asked.
“Yeah”
“What did he say to change your mind?”
“Why do you care?”
“We would like to remedy the situation and get you to come to us to try it out,” Sotomar said.
She sighed, “I didn’t realize I had to bite someone… and get bitten.”
“Minor things actually.”
“No, big things.”
“The balance of power in the heku is dangerously eschewed,” Sotomar said. “Now that the Encala are all but gone, the Equites are beginning to exterminate the Valle.”
Alexis’ eyes grew wide, “Dad is taking out the Valle?”
“Yes, Child,” a strange heku said. “Giving us Winchester powers would lessen our losses and hopefully, someday return the delicate balance.”
“He… no one’s told me he’s after the Valle too.”
“Of course he is. He’s a tyrant… and we’re afraid for our lives.”
“So, you just want me to turn some mortal and you think that’d help?” Alexis asked, frowning.
“Yes, we do.”
“That’s stupid and I won’t do it. I don’t want to get bitten and biting doesn’t seem all that appealing either.”
“Your Mom would do it to save us,” Elder Ryan said softly.
Alexis frowned and looked down at the phone, “No she wouldn’t… good-bye.”
“Wait…”
“What?”
Sotomar hesitated before speaking, “You cannot tell your Dad what I’m about to tell you.”
“Ok”
“We have an ancient that can bring Emily back.”
Alexis gasped, “You can?”
“Yes, she’s buried here with the Valle, and we can revive her to return your Mom.”
“Do it,” Alexis whispered as her heart pounded in her chest.
“It’s going to take a lot to get to her, revive her, and then get her to return a mortal to us… We’ll need something in return,” Elder Ryan said.
“If I turn your mortal, you’ll bring Mom back?”
“Yes”
Alexis looked toward her door, “I can’t get away from the guards.”
“How did your Mom used to get out?”
“She’d usually wipe their memories long enough to get away. I can’t do that.”
There were fast whispers from the Valle Council before Sotomar spoke, “Your Mom could wipe the memory of a heku?”
Alexis sighed, “Yes, she got it from her Dad I guess.”
“We didn’t know that.”
“The Equites kept it from everyone, but it’s true.”
“But you cannot?”
“No, I haven’t been able to do that.”
“Can you get into the City alone?” Elder Ryan asked her.
“No, you don’t get it… since Mom’s death, I’m watched like a hawk,” Alexis explained.
“Yes, I would imagine you were.”
“If I tell Dad about your ancient though… he’ll…”
“No!” Sotomar said quickly, and then calmed his voice. “No, he cannot know.”
Alexis thought for a moment, “Well… I can try at least. If all else fails, I can try to get to Mom’s Aero.”
“Good, good… keep my number,” Sotomar told her. “If you get free of Council City, we can have someone meet you almost immediately.”
“Then they’ll take me to your city?”
“No, we have a closer coven.”
“I’ll try,” Alexis said, and then smiled after she hung up. She was ready to have Emily back so tensions between her and Chevalier would calm down.
***
“Why in the world would I want to go play football with a bunch of heku?” Alexis asked her younger brother.
“Because it’s fun.”
“And dirty, and rough, and not my thing.”
“Stop being such a girl,” Dain said, rolling his eyes.
Alexis adjusted one of her many bracelets and walked past him, ignoring how he flicked one of her diamond earrings as she passed. It wasn’t until she was almost back in her room that she noticed her four guards weren’t from the Cavalry. She smiled to herself, knowing how much easier Emily could escape from the city guards.
“Where are my regular guards?” she asked the closest one.
“They got Council permission to play football.”
“My guards are playing a game?”
“Yeah, something about team building.”
Alexis nodded and immediately headed down into the prison. After much coaxing, she finally was able to talk to William alone. She moved up close to his cell and motioned him over.
“What are you up to?” William whispered, looking around the hallway.
Alexis smiled, “I’m going to get Mom back.”
William sighed, “How?”
“The Valle have an ancient that can bring her back.”
“There’s no ancient that can bring back a mortal.”
“Yes there is, and the Valle have her.”
“Alex, listen to me,” William said, and took her hand. “There were only three female ancients, and none of them could bring back a mortal.”
She pulled her hand away from him, “Just because you haven’t heard of that ability, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.”
“The only three female ancients, Hera, Nyx, and Rhea…”
Alexis frowned and interrupted, “The Greek Goddesses?”
William shrugged, “That’s an entirely different story… anyway… those three ancients had no real special powers. It was pretty rare that any ancient did anything other than the ordinary. You’ve not met those ancients because there’s no reason… no benefit… to bring them back.”
“Well you’re wrong. One of them can bring Mom back and I’m going to the Valle to get her.”
“Please, talk to Chevalier first. He can confirm what I’ve told you.”
“Here and I thought you’d be excited… Mom can get you free and can stop Dad from destroying the Valle.”
“What makes you think your Dad is after the Valle?”
“He is… he’s slowly killing them off, just like he did the Encala.”
William thought for a moment, “I haven’t heard anything about that.”
“Again, just because you don’t know…”
“Listen to me Alex. The Valle aren’t going to…” He stopped talking and then sighed when Alexis stormed off.
William sat down on the small cot in his cell to think. He was deep in meditation when he heard a commotion in the palace that Alexis was missing.
“Guards!” William yelled. When one of the Equites prison guards came to his cell he moved to the bars, “I need to speak to Chevalier, immediately.”
“He’s busy,” the guard said, and started back for the door.
“It’s an emergency, about Alex.”
“Sit back down an
d shut up,” the guard growled, and stood back at his post.
“Chevalier!” William yelled.
Several floors above the prison, Chevalier sighed, “What does he want now?”
“There’s no telling, Elder,” Kralen said. “Not sure how she did it, but she managed to get to Exavior’s old house and took off in Emily’s Aero.”
“Who were her guards?”
“City Guards, we were training,” Mark explained.
“Get everyone out there looking… it’s easy to spot that ugly purple car,” Chevalier said, and headed for his car. He stopped walking when he heard William yell for him again. Sighing, he angrily walked down the stairs to the prison.
“Chevalier!” William called again.
“Will you shut up?!” Chevalier yelled at him as he rounded the corner to the enemy Elder’s cell. “I’m busy.”
“I know where Alex is,” William told him.
Chevalier’s eyes narrowed, “How?”
“She told me where she was going… though I didn’t know it was this soon and I tried to get her to go talk to you first.”
“Fine then. Where is she?” It was obvious that Chevalier didn’t believe him.
“The Valle told her they have an ancient that can bring Emily back.”
“That’s stupid,” Chevalier growled, and turned to leave.
“Stupid or not… she believed them and she’s gone to the Valle thinking they will bring her Mom back.”
***
The Valle’s Chief of Defense smiled and walked out to the purple Aero, “Welcome, Child.”
Alexis stepped out and looked around at the inside of the Valle compound, “What is this place?”
“It’s Ferrin Coven,” he explained, and then looked around.
“Where’s Sotomar?”
“He’s not here at the moment… Come inside where it’s warmer.”
Alexis nodded and followed the enemy into a large mansion located in the center of the high cement walls.
“I forget how much you look like your mother,” the Valle’s Chief of Staff said. He walked forward and met up with Alexis and the Chief of Defense.
“Taller though, I got lucky,” Alexis said, and then smiled. “When do we bring Mom back?”
“After the ceremony.”
“Let’s get on with it then.”
Eternity of Vengeance (Extended Edition) : Book 7 of the Heku Series Page 53
