When she broke out in a sweat, his mind reeled. He had to do something to calm her down or he risked her having a larger seizure.
It only took a second for the ache in his teeth to bring his instincts forward. He pinned her softly and gently sunk his teeth into her neck. She gasped and then relaxed beneath him and her breathing slowed as he slowly fed.
After a few minutes, Chevalier’s satiation let his thoughts clear and he gasped and looked down at her. Emily almost immediately fell asleep and he stood up and watched her as he chastised himself. As the night drew on, he continued to berate himself for the lack of control and hoped he didn’t set Emily’s trust back.
Just after sun rose over the ocean, Emily stirred slightly and then looked over at him from the floor.
“Are you ok?” he whispered, too ashamed to even look at her.
She nodded and then sat up and took his hand. When he looked at her, she smiled.
“Did I hurt you?”
Emily laid back on the floor and smiled as she put his hand against her slowly beating heart.
He frowned, “Are you mad?”
She didn’t answer, but studied his fingers as she laced her hand in his.
He watched her and couldn’t help but smile at how relaxed and content she seems, “Fine… it’s time for breakfast. I made some toast.”
Emily watched him from the floor as he moved the toast from the counter to the table and then turned with a jar of honey.
When she spoke, he had to strain to hear her, “Heku are taller.”
He nodded, “Yes.”
“So we are always below.”
Chevalier set the honey down and sat down beside Emily, “Was that what Salazar said? We’re taller, so humans have to look up to us?”
She nodded and watched him closely. It was obvious that she was gauging his reaction closely and was on the verge of scrambling away from him.
“He wasn’t fit to stand in your shadow,” Chevalier said as he took her hand.
Chapter 33 - Silo
“Welcome back,” Kyle said as he opened the door to Winchester 1.
Chevalier nodded and helped Emily out of the helicopter. Kyle turned and released the line of Cavalry and then took Emily’s suitcase from the helicopter.
“How did it go?” Kyle asked Chevalier.
“It went really well.”
“So are you going to talk now?” Kyle smiled and watched Emily.
She looked at him briefly and then took Chevalier’s hand and they walked down the stairs. When she went into the bedroom, Silas shut the door behind her and then turned to Chevalier.
“Did she talk?” Kyle asked.
Chevalier nodded, “Yes. I wouldn’t say she was chatty, but she did speak.”
Kralen smiled, “That’s great.”
“Yes, well. I think we’re still dealing with things we didn’t know about,” Chevalier explained. “However, I saw more of Emily’s personality than I have in a while.”
“Things like what?” Lori asked when she joined them.
“Things like… he didn’t always bury her alone. Sometimes he was buried with her so he could watch her panic.”
“That’s awful!”
“Do you know why she won’t sit in a chair?” Chevalier asked, irritated. “Because humans aren’t worthy to sit level with a heku.”
Kralen gasped.
Kyle cocked his head slightly to the side and frowned, “They need us down in the council chambers. The Valle are causing problems.”
“Lori, stay with her,” Chevalier said before disappearing down the stairs with Kyle and the Cavalry. He sat down in his chair just as Quinn was trying to calm the situation.
“This is getting old,” Quinn said calmly. “We’ve already told you that Thukil can purchase whatever land they want.”
“Not when it’s that close to our coven,” Sotomar growled. “Do we have to attack again to prove this?”
Chevalier’s eyebrow rose, “You would attack again over that?”
“Yes, if you don’t put a stop to it.”
“You cannot get into the city. You don’t have the Encala puppets this time.”
“Maybe we weren’t going to attack Council City!” Sotomar yelled.
Kyle stood up, “Do not threaten us or any of our Covens.”
“Leave Thukil alone,” Chevalier said, and it surprised the others how calm he was staying. “You know as well as I do how attached Emily is to Thukil… so I’m only warning you once.”
The Valle’s Chief of Defense glared at him, “This has nothing to do with the Winchester. This has to do with our right to protect our covens.”
“No, this has to do with your chicken shit faction picking a fight for no reason,” Zohn said angrily.
“Leave Thukil alone,” Chevalier said again.
“We will not!” Sotomar screamed. He glared at the Elders when Alexis stepped in from the back door and sat down beside Chevalier.
“I’ll expect you to be respectful,” Alexis said softly.
The Valle’s Chief of Defense calmed his voice, “The land Thukil purchased was not only near Weber Coven, it is actually touching their coven property line.”
“Yes, we’re aware of that,” Zohn said. “Thukil sought our opinion before purchasing it.”
“And you allowed it?” Sotomar scowled.
“Yes, we did.”
“Then it will be on your heads when we destroy your large agricultural coven.”
“Try it,” the Equites Chief of Defense growled.
Everyone turned to the trial doors when they opened, and gasped when they saw Emily peek timidly around the corner into the room.
Sotomar moved back, too angry to speak.
Chevalier looked over at her, “Did you need something, Em?”
Alexis smiled, “Come in, Mom. It’s ok.”
Lori walked in in front of her, “I couldn’t stop her from coming. She seemed quite adamant on seeing you.”
Chevalier nodded and then motioned Emily inside. She watched the two Valle and when both moved further back, she stepped into the council chamber and began to wring her hands.
Mark, Silas, and two members of the Cavalry moved forward, and Mark put his hand out, “I’ll walk you up there.”
Emily looked at his hand, scanned the room, and then took it. He slowly led her up to the Council stand and Chevalier turned his chair when she knelt down behind him.
“What’s wrong?” he asked her.
Zohn and Kyle turned their chairs also to watch her.
She looked at them and then back up at Chevalier.
He smiled, “Tell me.”
Emily slowly leaned forward and whispered into Chevalier’s ear, too softly for even the heku next to him to hear.
He nodded when she’d finished, and then looked up at Mark, “You four stay with her for a while please.”
Mark nodded, “Yes, Elder.”
“Anything else?” he asked her.
She leaned up and looked over at the Valle.
“They’re just causing problems. It’s ok, we can handle it.”
Quinn suddenly grinned and Sotomar’s eyes widened when he spoke, “They just want to attack Thukil.”
Kyle chuckled and turned back to the Valle.
“W… What?” Sotomar whispered.
Emily looked over at him and frowned slightly.
“How dare you tell her!” the Valle’s Chief of Defense yelled.
She leaned up again and whispered into Chevalier’s ear. He turned and then nodded toward the Valle, “Yes, I did say you could go visit Thukil.”
“D…. W… Stop it!” Sotomar gasped.
Akili, Dustin’s replacement on the Council, smiled and began to enjoy the sheer terror on Sotomar’s face.
“We will not be bullied,” Sotomar said, sounding unsure.
“You will not attack Thukil because of a mortal?” Akili asked with a heavy Swahili accent.
“Emily, this has nothing to do with yo
u,” Sotomar told her. “This is faction business and we do not want to involve you.”
She watched him closely, but stayed on her knees looking over the Council’s desk at him.
“It’s irresponsible for you to involve her in this,” the Valle’s Chief of Defense said angrily. “You’re trying to intimidate us and it won’t work. We stand by what we said.”
Sotomar nodded, glanced at Emily, and then the Valle turned and stormed out of the council chambers.
Zohn smiled and turned back to Emily, “I’m sure they won’t attack Thukil now. They will be safe.”
Emily looked up at Chevalier.
Chevalier nodded, “They can take care of themselves, but we will send them help just in case.”
Emily looked up at Mark, and then back at Chevalier.
“You think our Cavalry should go?”
Kyle nodded, “I actually agree.”
“As do I,” the Equites’ Chief of Defense said.
“Let’s go,” Mark said, holding his hand out for Emily. “Let the Council decide what to do.”
She hesitated and then took Mark’s hand and followed the Cavalry out.
Alexis smiled, “It’s interesting to see how they squirm when Mom is around… even though we don’t even really know the extent of her ability right now.”
Zohn nodded, “It was quite entertaining.”
“Will they still attack Thukil?”
“Yes, I think they will.”
Alexis sighed, “I will leave you alone to deliberate then. May I go?”
Quinn looked over at her, “Yes, you may go. Thank you again for your help.”
Alexis bowed slightly and then stepped out of the council chambers.
“So we agree that we send the Cavalry and ¼ of our City Guards?” Zohn asked.
Chevalier nodded, “Yes, however, that leaves Council City pretty exposed.”
“So call in Powan.”
“We can do that.”
“I think we need to send Emily away,” Kyle suggested.
Chevalier looked over at him, “If there’s a war in Council City, I agree… she shouldn’t be here.”
“Our outstanding plan was to send her to Thukil though.”
Chevalier thought for a moment, “I only trust her with Thukil and Powan. But we’re clearing out Powan too.”
“The Valle cannot attack Thukil, Council City, and Powan,” the Chief of Defense said. “If we leave a handful of Powans with Emily, she should be safe there as long as the Valle don’t know where she is.”
“They were pretty upset about Dustin though,” Quinn reminded them.
“Doesn’t matter. They won’t defy the Elders,” Zohn said. “I agree that we send Emily to Powan with 8 of their members.”
“We decided that I wouldn’t leave again,” Chevalier said. “However, this war could be huge.”
“Let’s leave members of our Cavalry with her,” Kyle said.
“That would be Mark, Silas, or Kralen,” Zohn said. “Which of those can we do without on a battlefield?”
“None,” Kyle sighed. “But she doesn’t really know the others.”
“So we leave Kyle with her,” Quinn said, mostly to himself.
“We can’t have that large of a war without the Chief Enforcer,” the Chief of Staff said.
“So what do we do?”
Chevalier’s eyes turned pained, “We leave her with strangers. We don’t have a choice.”
“She’ll be safe with 8 Powans,” Quinn assured him with a smile. “She’ll be uncomfortable, and no doubt she will rock, but we cannot spare any for this. They will attack any minute and we have to have our forces out.”
“Emily came to tell me she wasn’t being guarded,” Chevalier told them. “That means she’s afraid to be alone. I can’t leave her with strange heku.”
“What do you suggest?” the Court Reporter asked him.
He sighed and looked down at his hands, “I suggest we leave her with 8 Powans at Powan Coven. We’ll have to do damage control when we are done. I don’t want her near a fight right now.”
***
“You’ll be ok,” Chevalier said as he pried Emily’s hands from his arm. “We trust you with them.”
She looked over fearfully at 8 strange heku standing perfectly still and at attention.
“We can’t have you near this war,” Kyle said softly, and pulled one of her hands off of Chevalier’s arm.
“I explained to you that we have no choice,” Chevalier told her when Kyle gently pulled her away from him. He hated how terrified she was and could see her starting to regress already.
The Powans jumped into Winchester 1 and took Emily from Kyle. She screamed and Chevalier’s heart sank as he watched her fight the Powans when Winchester 1 took off from Council City.
Kyle watched them go and then sighed, “She’ll be ok.”
Chevalier nodded and turned back to Dain, “I’m not telling you again.”
“I’m going.”
“No, you’re not going.”
“You can’t stop me,” Dain said, crossing his arms.
Chevalier’s eyes narrowed, “Do not speak to me like that. You aren’t going, that’s final.”
“We’re ready, Sir,” Silas said from the doorway.
Chevalier nodded and headed after the Cavalry.
***
“You’ll be staying in here,” the Powan said, showing Emily into a small room off of the main barracks. He set her suitcase down, watched her as she sat down on the floor, and then shrugged and left.
Emily watched him go and then looked around the cold, dark room.
Once Powan was cleared out of its coven and headed for Council City, eight angry heku stepped into the room and she looked up at them from the floor.
“Let’s just get this out in the open,” the highest ranking said. “We’re missing a battle for you. Your disobedience got Dustin banished and we’re not happy about that either. You stay in here and don’t make a noise. You get food when we feel like bringing it, you get warmth when we are cold. Understood?”
She didn’t even move, but stayed watching the wall.
“I don’t know what we did to get punished by being stuck here with you… but you’re going to feel part of that,” he growled.
The heku then left and slammed the door after them. Emily looked around the room at the small, bare bed and hard metal chair, and then curled into a ball and began to rock slowly as she buried her face in her arms.
***
General Skinner walked into the council chambers and bowed at Quinn, “You called for me?”
“Yes. The battle has started in Thukil and it’s apparent that many key members of their faction are missing. We suspect they are here to attack. Any sign?”
“No, Elder. We have no sign yet.”
“So far Thukil is safe and we are easily holding off the Valle attacks.”
General Skinner smiled, “Good news, Elder.”
“Return to the gates,” Quinn said, then watched him leave. He looked down the row of empty Council seats. Those that weren’t fighting with Thukil had been taken to a safe location to wait out the Valle attacks. Quinn was all that was left of the Equites Council.
***
Chevalier glanced quickly around him and saw that any Valle left inside of Thukil’s walls were either dead or in a fight with one of the Equites. The Thukil and Council City Cavalries were lining up again to face the front gates and over 600 Council City Guards were behind them.
“Elder,” Thukil Captain Darren said as he rode up. Chevalier looked up at him, “That last round was 892 Valle. All are taken care of. Reports from Council City are that Powan and the Council City residents are easily holding off the Valle attacks.”
Chevalier nodded and his hands tightened into fists when he heard the sound of approaching heku, “Here come more.”
The horses stomped angrily as they picked up the tension in the air. The mounted heku moved forward slowly as the footed heku
came up behind them. Chevalier stood and watched to see what was coming at them this time, and smiled when he saw only 428 Valle appear from the woods around the large coven.
“Take care of them,” Chevalier whispered.
Darren gave the signal to close the gap and the mounted Cavalries immediately pulled forward. Within seconds, the sounds of battle started and Chevalier blurred forward and joined in the fight.
***
Emily sat on the floor and listened to the Powans outside of her door.
“I just don’t see any wolves left behind,” one of them growled.
“Of course not!” another said.
“General Skinner wouldn’t make his precious blood stay here and babysit the invalid mortal.”
“We’ve only been here for a week. Nothing like getting shafted first thing.”
“Hey, hand me that bottle.”
Emily frowned when she realized they were drinking. It explained why their voices were growing and their agitation grew.
“I can see why the General left you behind,” one of the heku said, amused. “You’re pretty tiny.”
“Tiny?” one of them hissed.
“Yeah, what are you? 6 foot 6?”
“Take that back!”
“No”
A loud crash sounded and Emily pulled tighter into her ball. She was shivering in the cold night air and there was no blanket to keep her warm.
“Is all of you tiny or just your height?” yet another heku said, laughing.
Emily gasped when the door behind her suddenly fell in and crashed to splinters against the floor behind her. She was hit with a force as two fighting heku slammed into her, throwing her forward into the bed frame.
Five heku blurred into the room and watched with wide eyes as Emily slowly crawled to her hands and knees. They smelled the scent of fresh blood and only their fear of what they’d done kept them from attacking her.
When she looked over at them, the severity of their mistake hit them. She had an obvious bruise forming across her cheek and a small trickle of blood ran from it as her eye began to swell shut.
Eternity of Vengeance (Extended Edition) : Book 7 of the Heku Series Page 79
