***
Dustin and Kyle both moved to the sides of their confinement space when Chevalier was thrown down on top of them. When he landed, unconscious, they both knelt down beside him.
“He’s burned,” Kyle whispered.
Chevalier quickly began to heal and after only a few moments, opened his eyes and sat up.
“Are you ok, Elder?” Jerry asked, and sat down on the mud beside him.
“Where is this?”
“The bottom of a well, I think.”
He sighed, “They gave up torturing me when I wouldn’t tell them Powan’s information.”
Kyle nodded, “They asked me about that also.”
“Are they going after Powan then?” Dustin asked.
“I don’t know. When they were done, they just electrocuted me and dropped me down here,” Chevalier said, and stood up. He looked around the tiny dirt tunnel.
“There’s no way out, we’ve tried.”
“Have they mentioned any ransom demands?”
“No, Elder.”
***
Zohn, Quinn, and Chevalier sat in the Elder’s Conference room on the second day of Madden’s trial.
“We’re just worried about how you’re treating her,” Zohn said. They heard immediately about his new plans for Emily, and then caught wind that he had other changes in store for her. They knew she wasn’t eating and was afraid to talk to any heku.
“Don’t worry about her. She’ll be fine.”
“It’s just odd that you are so cold towards her. Did something happen?”
“You mean other than Frederick’s kidnapping? I had four days alone to think about that, and it just makes me angry.”
“I see,” Quinn said, and leaned back in his chair. “What else did you tell her?”
“Nothing more than making her do more productive things. There’s no reason she can’t cook for herself and clean up after the children. She sits around here and does nothing all day, it’s time she works.”
Zohn frowned, “Then we should have left her as Staff Supervisor.”
“That’s too high. She needs to start at the bottom.”
“Why is that? I thought you found cleaning… unbecoming of an Elder’s wife.”
“I did, but now I see that work will help keep her busy enough to stay out of trouble… now are we going back to Madden or not?” Chevalier growled.
“Yes, we’ll go,” Zohn said, and they all headed back to the trial.
The Elders joined the trial and Madden looked up angrily from the trial room floor.
***
Mark knocked lightly on the bedroom door, “Em?”
“Come in,” she whispered. He came in and saw her folding laundry on the bed.
“Do you want me to check?”
“No,” she said, but didn’t look up at him.
“Has the Elder?”
“No”
“Then I really should.”
“No, I can’t risk him getting mad.”
“I think someone should check… but I won’t force you,” he said, and left her room. Chevalier told her guards to spend as little time with her as possible. He felt she needed to be isolated from the day-to-day workings of the heku environment.
Emily watched him leave and then stood up to put the kid’s clothes away. When she was done, she opened her door.
“Please ask if I can go start lunch,” she asked Silas, never looking up.
He sighed and then blurred away. Silas returned a few seconds later, “We can go.”
She nodded and started quietly down the stairs. The heku guards watched as she made herself some coffee, and then sat at the dining room table to drink.
“Em,” Kralen whispered, and looked around the room before bending over toward her. “Coffee isn’t food.”
Emily swallowed hard, “Chevalier said I could lose a few pounds… so I’m on a diet.”
“What!?” Kralen whispered harshly. They’d watched her drop a lot of weight the last week since his return. She was refusing to eat and her clothes started to hang off of her.
She shrugged, “I guess he’s right.”
Kralen stood back up and looked over at Silas. They were both inwardly angry, but knew any outward appearance could be detrimental.
When Emily finished her cup of coffee, they started back up the stairs. She stopped on the fourth-floor foyer when Chevalier walked around from the back of the council chambers and looked at her.
“You know, you could stop dressing like a western movie reject… you look awful,” he told her, and then went to his office.
Emily just turned and slowly walked up the stairs. She felt a sharp stab in her stomach and bent over slightly as she walked.
“What’s wrong?” Silas asked, and touched her arm.
“Nothing,” she whispered, and walked into her room, shutting the door behind her. The pain became stronger and she fell to her knees and bent over to try to relieve the pain. The sound caused Silas and Kralen to rush into her room.
“Em, talk to me, what hurts?” Kralen asked after kneeling down beside her.
She’d broken out in a sweat and her arms shook from the pain, “Go away.”
“No, something’s wrong,” Silas whispered, and shut the door, leaving two of the Cavalry out in the hallway.
“Just go away,” she whispered, and the panic in her voice was obvious.
“He’ll want to send you to a doctor,” Kralen told her.
“No… please… don’t tell him,” she said, and then stood up slowly and fell onto the bed. Silas and Kralen watched until she fell asleep, and then both went to talk to Mark.
“Enter,” Mark said when he heard the knock on his door. He watched Silas and Kralen come in and shut his door behind them.
“We want to go for a ride,” Silas told him.
Mark shrugged, “So go.”
“We want you to come.”
“I’m busy with…”
“No,” Kralen said, sternly. “We want you to come.”
Mark sighed, “Fine… let’s go riding.”
Within twenty minutes, the General and both Captains were out on horseback, heading deeper into the trees.
“He can’t keep treating her like this,” Kralen said when they were far away from the palace.
“He’s going to kill her,” Silas added.
Mark shrugged, “It’s our duty to follow Elder’s orders, and it’s no different when it comes to Emily.”
“Something’s not right. He never treats her badly,” Kralen said, and stopped his horse.
“I know,” Mark told him. “However, she’s never gone so far as to kidnap an enemy Elder either.”
“That was almost 17 months ago.”
“I realize that, but he couldn’t do anything about it at the time, or he risked never getting Frederick back.”
“So you’re ok with what’s going on with Emily?” Kralen asked, irritated.
“No, but it’s not my place to question the orders.”
“She’s in pain,” Silas said, and looked over at Mark. “She’s not eating and has some type of pain in her stomach.”
“She told you?”
“No, we heard a thud and went into her room. She was already acting strangely on the stairs, and when we got into her room, she was on the floor on her knees, obviously in a great deal of pain.”
“Damnit, we have to tell the Elder,” Mark said, and turned his horse.
“She ask that we not.”
Mark sighed, “She might be pregnant.”
“I know,” Kralen whispered.
“That’s even worse then. What if something’s wrong?” Silas asked.
“That’s why we have to tell the Elder.”
“Can’t we just get Dr. Cook?”
Mark looked around the trees, deep in thought, “We have done that in the past.”
“So do it now. For some reason, she doesn’t want him to know.”
“She’s just trying to keep a low profi
le.”
“That’s because every time he sees her, he insults her,” Silas growled.
“Something’s different with him,” Kralen said, and sighed.
“Let’s go get Dr. Cook,” Mark told them after a few minutes of silence. They all kicked their horses into a fast gallop, and met Dr. Cook outside of Emily’s room.
“What’s the problem?” Dr. Cook asked.
“She’s in some kind of…” Silas stopped when Chevalier appeared on the landing with Kyle.
“Why is the doctor here?” he asked.
Mark turned to him, “We just want him to look at Emily. She’s not feeling well.”
“She’s looking for attention,” Chevalier said, and opened the door. He looked around, but didn’t see her, “Where is she?”
“She was in there,” Mark said, and stepped inside. He turned when he heard a noise in the bathroom, “She’s in there now.”
Chevalier sighed, “She’s just looking for attention… She’s not used to being out of the center of it. I’m sure nothing’s wrong.”
“But…” Mark said, and looked at him.
“No buts, just watch…” Chevalier slammed open the door, and the other heku gasped. Emily was leaned over the toilet with blood on her hands and blood splatters around the toilet bowl.
Dr. Cook blurred to her side and knelt down, “Are you in pain?”
“Leave her alone,” Chevalier ordered, and Dr. Cook hesitated before standing up.
Emily looked up at them, not sure what to do.
“She’s vomiting blood… I need to…”
“You need to stop catering to her and leave her alone,” Chevalier said. “Emily, that’s enough, I’m tired of your attempts at getting attention.”
“Her heart is racing and she has a fever,” Dr. Cook said, with wide eyes.
“She’s faking… Emily, pack up, it’s time to go.”
She slowly got to her feet and started to wash the blood from her hands.
“No time to clean up… you’re such a pig it won’t matter anyway. I said to pack.”
“Where is she going?” Zohn asked when he walked in.
“I’m kicking her out. I’m tired of this.”
Quinn appeared behind Zohn, “You’re what!?”
“She’s my wife… or was my wife… and I’ve had enough of her drama. Frederick was the last straw, and I’m not going to allow her to cloud the palace any longer.”
Emily walked past them, stooped slightly with her arm against her stomach.
“Take nothing the Equites or I gave you,” Chevalier said, and followed her into the bathroom.
She looked over at Kyle, surprised he wasn’t helping her. Jerry walked in and stood casually beside Kyle.
“That leaves just what you are wearing, no reason to pack,” Kyle said.
“Where will she go?” Zohn asked, almost too shocked to speak.
“What do I care? Join the Valle… see how much drama they can take,” Chevalier told them, and sat on his bed.
“Mom?” Alexis asked when she walked into the room with Dain.
“Are you sick?” Dain asked.
“You can take Alexis, but Dain stays here,” Chevalier said.
Emily turned suddenly and stood up straight, “No.”
Kyle crouched slightly, “The heku stays with his own kind.”
“You can kick me out, but you will not take my children from me.”
“Everyone calm down. Emily, you aren’t leaving,” Zohn said, and turned to Chevalier.
“She’s my wife, and I have every right to kick her out!” Chevalier yelled.
“Elder’s vote is 2 to 1, she stays.”
“No,” Emily whispered. “I’m no longer wanted. I’ll go… but I’m taking Dain.”
“Over my dead body,” Jerry hissed, and immediately turned to ash.
“You Bitch!” Chevalier growled, and went to hit her, but Zohn caught his arm.
“You can make her leave, but I won’t stand here while you assault her.”
“Get out,” Chevalier told her.
“Alexis, get Dain into the Jeep,” Emily said, and started for the door.
“Chevalier bought you that Jeep, it stays,” Kyle told her.
“No!” Quinn yelled. “This isn’t right.”
“She’s too sick to leave,” Dr. Cook said, aggravated.
Chevalier reached out and pushed Emily slightly, “Get out of this palace.”
“She cannot go!” Quinn yelled.
“As her husband, I have a right to get rid of her. She’s not good for the Equites.”
Mark, Silas, and Kralen stood aside when Emily passed. They weren’t sure what to do. Their charge and friend was obviously in pain, while her husband fought with the other Elders, and she was being kicked out of the palace.
“Emily?” Chevalier said.
She turned and saw his hand out.
“The ring,” he told her.
She pulled on the essence ring, but found it tightly sealed, “It won’t come off.”
“It will. When it does, I want it back,” he hissed.
She nodded and headed down the stairs after Alexis and Dain.
“We’re taking the Aero,” she whispered when they entered the garage.
“Stay, we’ll talk to him,” Zohn told her.
“He’s just mad about Frederick. He’ll calm down,” Quinn said.
She slid into the Aero and leaned her head against the steering wheel while she turned on the engine.
Dr. Cook knelt down, “Please, go directly to the hospital.”
“You should be gone by now,” Chevalier told her, and folded his arms.
Emily glanced at him briefly before driving out of the palace garage.
Kyle smiled, “Good, get the Cavalry back onto the streets where they belong.”
“Yes, Sir,” Mark replied, holding back his temper.
“Let’s go finish that trial,” Chevalier said, and started up the stairs.
“Revive Jerry first,” Zohn said, obviously angry.
“I don’t feel like it,” Kyle told them, and followed Chevalier.
“Banish him, that’s my vote,” Dustin said, and smiled.
“Agreed,” Chevalier growled, banish him for 300 years.
“For what?” Quinn asked, shocked.
He sighed, “There were some things said against the Council while we were gone and…it’s just time.”
“He’s been our Records Keeper for 2,000 years. We can’t just banish him.”
“He mentioned that the Encala could be trusted, and how he once considered joining them.”
“He did!?”
“Yes, banish him.”
Zohn sighed, “Fine, banish him.”
Quinn growled, “That’s not right!”
Zohn shrugged and they disappeared into the council chambers.
***
“They could at last have the decency to tell us why we’ve been down here for two months,” Jerry said, and looked up at the hole.
“Surely, the Equites are looking for us,” Kyle sighed.
Dustin continued to draw pictures into the mud, “You’d think.”
“If I’m reading Emily right, they know we’re missing. I get a lot of loneliness from her, and I hate how scared and afraid she is,” Chevalier said.
“And the pain?” Kyle asked.
“I haven’t felt it for almost six weeks, so whatever it was, is gone.”
“Do you think she…”
He shrugged, “I don’t know.”
“She what?” Dustin asked.
“When I left, Emily thought she might be pregnant.”
Dustin gasped, “So the pain could be that she lost it?”
Chevalier nodded, “That’s what I suspect.”
“What about the scared and afraid? The Equites would make sure she’s safe,” Kyle asked.
“I don’t know.”
***
“Oh, sorry,” Zohn said when he opened the Elde
r’s Conference Room door and saw Chevalier, Kyle, and Dustin speaking.
“Well if you’d knock…” Chevalier growled.
Zohn glared at him, “I’m an Elder. I don’t have to knock before entering my own conference room.”
“Well we’re busy, and this is private.”
Zohn slammed the door and met Quinn in his office, “Call in two members of the Council.”
Quinn looked up, “It’s time?”
“It’s damn well time,” Zohn scowled, and sat down. “I just got yelled at for opening the conference room door.”
“Still… to banish him,” Quinn said. “He’s the strongest Elder we’ve ever had.”
“The strongest and now the angriest, most selfish, moodiest, and unreliable one.”
“It is becoming a problem.”
“I don’t see why we banished Jerry for 300 years, yet caught an Equites red-handed giving information to the Valle and he’s spared and put into prison.”
“Then… Emily…” Quinn said softly. They hadn’t spoken of her in public since Chevalier kicked her out, but they had some of the Cavalry on a mission to find her and make sure she was safe.
“I never, not in a million years, would think he would say what he did about her, and then kick her out.”
“It was awful. She was so sick.”
“I just hope she’s alive.”
“Do you think she was pregnant?”
“Mark said he didn’t detect anything,” Zohn reminded him.
“It was still early.”
“I know.”
“I’m just so confused about those three,” Quinn said, deep in thought. “Since their return from being missing for four days, they’ve acted strangely.”
“I agree, though, not enough to suspect that they are up to something.”
“Does it seem to you that Kyle is resisting turning anyone to ash?”
“Yes, but it’s not something the Chief Enforcer enjoys,” Zohn said.
“No, but he’s never hesitated if it was called for.”
“True”
“So are we banishing Chevalier?” Quinn asked.
Eternity of Vengeance : Book 7 of the Heku Series Page 22