Ferus : Book 6 of the Heku Series

by T. M. Nielsen

  “Shut up and kick the damn horse,” she said. She understood how hard it was for a Powan to break orders, and knew the only way it would happen is from a direct order.

  The heku kicked his horse and soon they were in a full gallop across the field. Emily felt him steady himself against her and soon he was comfortably moving with the natural flow of the horse. When they turned to come back, he easily leaned with her and smoothly returned to the others.

  “So… if I fall off my horse a bit…” one of the Cavalry said when the two headed back to them.

  “Laythan, do you want to be put on probation?” Kralen hissed at him.

  “No, Sir… sorry,” he said, and quieted down.

  When Skye and Emily returned, she slid off the horse and turned to him, “Much better. You need to hold on more with your thighs…” She touched his inner thigh slightly, “Here, not with the back of your legs.”

  Skye got down and re-saddled his horse as Emily got back on her stallion and took the reins from Mark.

  “Now that that’s over with, I want full contact tackles from horseback, get into pairs,” Mark ordered.

  Emily watched beside Mark, Silas, and Kralen as the heku tackled each other off of horseback over and over. She enjoyed being out in the sun and there were enough funny moments to keep herself entertained.

  “Gah, Emily,” Kralen growled.

  She turned to look at him and saw him taking off his shirt, “We’re stripping because….”

  “Because you’re burning,” he said, and handed his shirt over.

  Emily looked over at her shoulders, “Ew… ok, thanks.”

  She slipped on his shirt and continued to watch them over the next few hours. She finally grinned and looked over at Kralen.

  “What?” he asked, frowning slightly.

  “Chevalier’s gone all night,” she told him.

  “Ok… and…”

  Emily turned to Mark, “I vote for dancing.”

  Silas chuckled, “Last time I took you dancing, I got arrested.”

  “True… just don’t drink this time.”

  He stopped smiling and glanced nervously at Mark.

  Mark thought for a moment, “Why do I get the feeling I’ll regret this?”

  “We can go?” Kralen asked.

  “I’m not sure…” Mark said, still deep in thought.

  Emily’s grin widened, “I could always go alone.”

  “Fine,” Mark said, and turned to the others. “Head back!”

  “Oooh yeah,” Kralen yelled, and kicked his horse back toward the city.

  Emily kicked her horse and passed the others as they headed in through the city gates. She was the first back to the stables, and quickly got her horse ready for the night. When she was done, she ran inside and changed into jeans and a western-cut shirt and black cowboy boots.

  She started down the stairs and saw the Council on the fourth-floor, and they turned and looked at her.

  “Going out?” Zohn asked.

  “Yes, we’re going dancing. Want to come?”

  Zohn grinned, “No, you’ll have more fun if no Elders are watching.”

  “You did say, we, correct?” Dustin asked.

  Emily frowned at him, “Yes, I’m heading out with Frederick and Exavior.”

  “Go… have fun,” Quinn said, and ushered Dustin back into the council chambers.

  “Last chance, Elder. Can you dance?” she asked, and headed down the stairs.

  “Yes, I can… and no thank you,” Zohn told her, and went back into the council chambers.

  ***

  “Are you questioning me, Laythan?” Mark asked angrily.

  One of the members of the Cavalry crossed his arms, “Yes, I am… seems like a lot of fun tonight and not a lot of guarding… what happened to remembering she’s a charge and not a friend?”

  “So we should just let her go alone?” Kralen asked, visibly irritated.

  “Of course not… but out of uniform and only 3 of you, when normally there are 4 guards with her at all times.”

  “I won’t be questioned by you about this. Report to your quarters and be in my office at 8am,” Mark said to him.

  “If you’re in by then,” he said, and started to walk off, but fell to his knees and screamed.

  Mark turned suddenly and saw Emily behind him, “That’s enough.”

  The guard fell to the ground, panting, as the burning pain ended.

  Emily walked up to him and looked down, “Are you having obedience issues?”

  “No,” he hissed.

  “Excuse me? No…”

  “Commander,” he said, through gritted teeth.

  Emily felt a hand on her arm and turned around to face Kralen, “Let’s go… we get to take the truck again.”

  She smiled, “Oh good, I hate being crammed into a tin can.”

  “Stop referring to my car as a tin can,” Mark said.

  The four walked out to Kralen’s waiting truck and were soon on their way into the city.

  “What’s up with disobedient guard?” Emily asked, and turned around.

  “Not sure, it’s just recently he’s started being obstinate,” Mark explained.

  “Is he a Powan?”

  “No, we’ve had no problems with any of the Powans.”

  Emily turned away from Mark when Kralen pulled into a parking lot, “I haven’t seen this place before.”

  “I’ve been here a few times,” Kralen said, and shut off the engine. They all piled out and walked into the club. They found a seat, and Emily ordered a rum and Coke while the heku checked the area.

  “Any boogie men?” she asked, taking a sip.

  “There’s a heku here, just can’t find them,” Mark told her.

  “Relax, let’s dance,” she said, and took Kralen’s hand. They moved out onto the dance floor and began a fast two-step to the music. When a soft ballad came on, they changed styles and danced through the song.

  “May I cut in?” Emily heard from behind her. Before she could turn around, she felt a low growl come from Kralen. She turned and gasped.

  “Exavior… what are you doing here?” she asked, and moved closer to Kralen. Silas and Mark appeared beside her.

  “I just wanted a dance… wouldn’t be the first one,” Exavior said, unphased by the guards.

  “No,” she told him, and headed back for their table. The three Equites placed themselves between her and the enemy Elder.

  They all sat down and Exavior pulled up a chair.

  “What?” she asked, frowning.

  “No reason to sit apart,” he said, and ordered a gin and tonic.

  “Why are you even this close to Council City?” Mark asked, irritated.

  “That’d be none of your business,” Exavior told him, and downed his drink.

  “I don’t like you and don’t want to be anywhere near you,” Emily whispered, harshly. “So I suggest you walk your ass out and leave the way you came.”

  “Or what?” he asked haughtily.

  “Don’t push it,” Mark growled. “I’d like nothing more than to tear your limbs from your body, and being in public may not stop me.”

  “Calm down, Boy. I’m not here to start trouble,” Exavior said, moving slightly away from Mark.

  ***

  Zohn sighed and studied the member of the Cavalry standing in front of the Council, “We’re just finding it hard to believe… the General and the two Captains have been Emily’s guards since she came to the palace.”

  “I know, but some of us are worried that it’s moved beyond that and due to a conflict of interest, could someday harm her,” he told them.

  “So there are others who share your concerns?” Quinn asked, shocked.

  “Yes, there are.”

  The Council turned when Chevalier and Kyle came in the back door and took their seats. Chevalier glanced over at the member of the Cavalry, and the heku seemed nervous at Chevalier’s appearance.

  “What’s going on?” Chevalier asked,
eyeing the anxious heku.

  “Mark, Silas, and Kralen accompanied Emily to go dancing tonight,” Zohn told him.

  Chevalier shrugged, “Ok… so.”

  “Laythan believes that by going out of uniform, and with only 3 guards as opposed to the normal 4, that the three heku might be too attached to Emily and might put her at risk with feelings of their attachment,” Zohn explained.

  Chevalier looked over at Laythan, “Interesting…”

  “They are too attached to her… attracted you might say,” Laythan said, watching Zohn, “It’s dangerous.”

  “How so?”

  “If she were to be attacked, I don’t believe they would be able to act in full capacity because of their overwhelming feelings for the girl.”

  Chevalier frowned slightly, “Are you saying that Mark, Silas, and Kralen are so in love with Emily, that they wouldn’t be able to protect her?”

  The guard nodded, “Not in so many words, but yes.”

  “That’s stupid.”

  Laythan frowned, “I’m not the only one worried about her safety in their care.”

  “There are others?”

  “Yes, a lot of the Cavalry feels the bond between them is too tight, and it would be a conflict of interest to keep them with her.”

  “I seriously doubt they love her,” Quinn told him. “I won’t deny a strong attachment, but they’ve guarded her for long enough it’s hard not to make strong bonds.”

  “It’s love, trust me,” Laythan told him.

  Chevalier sighed, “I trust those three with Emily more than anyone but myself… and it’s not love. I’d say it’s more like she’s a sister.”

  “Derrick, tell all four of them to wait here,” Dustin said when they heard the four arrive from dancing.

  Laythan glanced nervously behind him, “I stand by what I say. It’s dangerous to keep those three around her.”

  Dustin frowned and turned to the Elders, “Derrick said we need to see them immediately.”

  “Laythan, you may go,” Quinn said, and the heku blurred from the room.

  “Ok, let them in,” Dustin said.

  Silas and Kralen came in first, both looking angry. Emily was next. She had her arms wrapped around herself, and a hand bruise was forming on each of her upper arms. Mark was last, his shirt was torn and there was blood caked on it. He was shaking and visibly furious.

  Chevalier sighed, “Em, are you hurt?”

  She shook her head.

  “Let’s start with the obvious bruises on her arm,” Quinn said, irritated.

  “We did that… Silas and I,” Kralen told him.

  “What!?” Chevalier growled.

  “Wait… we were just trying to keep her out of the fight,” Silas told the Council quickly.

  Emily nodded, “They wouldn’t let me go.”

  “We held on as she fought us,” Kralen said. “She just kept pulling and we couldn’t help but leave marks.”

  “He was going to get killed,” Emily whispered. Her body posture showed the terror she felt.

  “I was not!” Mark yelled. “Had you not stopped me, he would be dead.”

  “Calm down… who were you fighting?” Dustin asked.

  Mark hissed and his body shook with anger, “Exavior.”

  Chevalier’s hands balled into tight fists, “What happened?” he asked through gritted teeth.

  When Mark didn’t answer, Silas stepped forward, “We were dancing, and Exavior showed up at the club. He wanted to dance, but Em said no and we all sat down, and he came with us. She asked him to leave, but he refused and then… well… he reminded Emily that as his wife, he has the right to punish her if she denied him.”

  Chevalier growled, “Go on.”

  “That’s when we got kicked out of the club and in the parking lot, Mark and Exavior started fighting. Emily… she tried to get into the middle of it to stop them, but Kralen and I held her back…”

  “You should have helped him,” she whispered.

  Silas glanced at her and then back to the Elders, “Mark didn’t need help. Keeping her out of the fight is when we bruised her arm. We’ll take punishment for that if there is any… we didn’t see as though we had a choice.”

  “Go on,” Quinn told him.

  “It was a fairly short fight, as soon as Mark pinned Exavior against the ground, ready to remove his head… Emily screamed at him to stop.”

  “Begged Mark to stop, more like,” Kralen said. “I reminded Mark that Exavior’s now an Elder, and after a few moments, Mark broke his neck and we left him in the parking lot and returned here.”

  “Mark, go calm down. We have more business tonight and we need your head here,” Zohn told him, and he blurred from the room.

  “I’m confused about something,” the Chief Interrogator said after a few minutes of silence. “I thought you filed for divorce about 2 years ago.”

  “I did,” she said softly. “He was un-banished and is contesting it… his lawyers and my lawyer are still in negotiations.”

  “They’ve assured us it won’t be long,” Chevalier told him.

  Mark came back into the trial area a few minutes later and grinned slightly, “Sorry about that.”

  “We understand,” Zohn said. “Now the four of you need to stay for this next investigation.”

  “Wait? What?” Emily asked, frowning.

  “Any time a concern is brought to the Council, we take it seriously, and will get to the bottom of the complaint.”

  “Someone complained about us?”

  “The heku, more like, but you are involved so you will need to stay.”

  “I suspect it’s Laythan,” Mark said. “Let’s get on with it, it’s almost 2am.”

  “Oh, right… we forgot that Emily needs to sleep. Shall we just do this tomorrow?” Quinn asked the others.

  “No, I can’t sleep if I think I’m in trouble,” she said. “Get on with it.”

  “Very well… reports came from one of the members of the Cavalry, accusing the General and the two Captains of misconduct in regards to Lady Emily, along with a dangerous conflict of interest in respect to her safety,” the Court Report said.

  “Misconduct?” Silas asked, frowning.

  “Says who?” Emily said angrily.

  “Em… calm down,” Chevalier said, looking into her angry eyes. “We don’t believe it, but it’s our duty to follow up.”

  “Do I get to face my accuser?” Mark asked.

  “No, we feel that’s not necessary though you were correct, it’s Laythan.”

  Kralen growled, “This coming from a heku we had to reprimand for rude comments, and for trying to get a better view of Emily’s tattoo!”

  “What!?” Emily gasped, wide eyed. “What did he say?”

  “We know this is a touchy subject, but everyone just calm down!” Dustin yelled, and the room fell quiet.

  “What exactly did Laythan say?” Chevalier asked.

  “It was while Emily was helping Skye today…” Silas said, and sighed. “She was tandem with Skye, trying to help him get the feel of being on a horse, and Laythan mentioned wanting to fall off his horse a bit to get the same treatment.”

  “And the tattoo?” Zohn asked.

  “What’s wrong with my tattoo?” Emily asked, irritated.

  “How did he even see it?” Dustin asked.

  “Nothing’s wrong with your tattoo,” Zohn told her.

  Emily sighed, “It was hot and I’d just been swimming. I wanted to get some sun…”

  “So you weren’t dressed, is what you’re saying?” Dustin asked.

  Emily glared at him, “I was too! You sound like I went all Lady Godiva on them.”

  “She was covered… he just saw the edge of her tattoo from the top of her shorts and tried to get a better look,” Kralen said. “I hit him upside the head and he straightened up.”

  “He watches her too, a lot. I’ve had to correct him several times this week,” Silas added.

  “Is he being r
eprimanded?” Quinn asked.

  Mark nodded, “Yes, he’s reporting to my office at 8am. I am relieving him of Cavalry duty and putting him back in the city.”

  “He confronted the three of us tonight about going out dancing. We changed to fit in better with the mortals and decided that only 3 of us were needed,” Silas explained.

  “I understand that,” Chevalier told them. “I often back off 2… or even all of her guards when I’m with her… I can see how the three of them together can do as much as 4 regular guards.”

  “It was obvious he wanted to be the 4th guard, and this all stemmed from when I told him no,” Mark said. “As for the other accusations, I don’t feel there’s been any inappropriate conduct.”

  “Not with these 3,” Emily said, and glanced at them.

  “We, as a Council, have seen no misconduct around Lady Emily either,” Zohn told him. “Though he claims there are more of the Cavalry that agree with his statement.”

  “I dare him to find one other,” Silas said.

  “Did he give examples of misconduct?” Emily asked, confused.

  “One example he told us, was that apparently Silas entered your room uninvited while you were sleeping and touched you to interrupt a nightmare,” Quinn explained.

  Chevalier frowned, “Had it been anyone but these 3, then I would tear them apart… however, if Silas wants to stop her nightmare, then so be it.”

  “I don’t remember that,” Emily told them.

  Silas smiled slightly, “I actually do that a lot when the Elder is gone… I don’t wake you.”

  “It only takes a touch to stop the screaming,” Chevalier explained.

  “Well hell, you make it sound like I scream all the time in my sleep,” she said, frustrated.

  Chevalier grinned, “You’d be amazed.”

  “Well anyway… I don’t care if any of these 3 come in while I’m sleeping. I trust them.”

  “Again… as do I,” Chevalier said, and turned to the Council. “Any other examples of misconduct?”

  “Yes, quite a few,” the Court Reporter said as he thumbed through the notes Laythan gave them. “Last Tuesday, Kralen picked Emily up off the ground when the Malamute knocked her down, and then lifted the back of her shirt slightly to look at the road rash…”