Ancients and Old Ones : Book 8 of the Heku Series

by T. M. Nielsen

  “Why not?”

  “She’s more than welcome to stay here for as long as she needs,” Patrick said.

  “Why don’t you want to go back?” Chevalier whispered.

  Emily leaned her head against his chest and looked at Mark.

  “If I were her, I wouldn’t go back either,” Lt. Andrew snapped.

  “Shut up!” Mark yelled, and then tried to get to Lt. Andrew, but was held back by two Palace Guards.

  Lt. Andrew looked him in the eyes, “Just saying that if you knew what I know… you may not even want her back among the Equites.”

  “Meaning?” Chevalier asked.

  He shrugged, “Take it how you will.”

  “Dear, your lunch is ready,” the Chief of Staff said to Emily.

  She looked up at Chevalier and he smiled, “Go eat, it’s ok.”

  Lt. Andrew moved in behind her when she left the trial area.

  “Is there some reason she’s dressed like that?” Chevalier asked angrily.

  “She has many clothes to pick from,” William explained. “I don’t know why she chose that, but she’s pretty much chosen dresses during her stay. That’s something else we realize has changed.”

  He frowned, “She chose that?”

  “Yes”

  “Was she offered anything else?”

  “Yes, she has many jeans and overalls… she chose the dress.”

  “Jewels too?”

  “That was a gift from Lt. Andrew,” Patrick said.

  Chevalier’s eyes narrowed, “When she’s done eating, we’re taking her back with us.”

  Elder Iuna tapped a pen against the desk, “Unless she doesn’t want to.”

  “If she doesn’t, it’s because you’ve done something to make her fear the Equites.”

  “We did nothing. The fear was there before she came to us,” William said.

  “Why would she fear the Equites? The Council that caused all of this is gone.”

  William shrugged, “I don’t know that either. Lt. Andrew is the only one she’s told.”

  “Then order him to tell me.”

  “I won’t do that. Emily needs a confidant that she can trust.”

  “Right,” Chevalier said, irritated. “Someone who won’t leave her alone.”

  “She was terrified,” William said softly. “She came to us completely hopeless and fearful. She was alone with the ashes of her loved ones and utterly lost.”

  Chevalier could feel her emotions and his heart sank at how much less her fear was with the Encala than when she lived with the Equites.

  “Where is she?” Chevalier asked.

  “She’s in her room eating.”

  “With Lt. Andrew?”

  “Yes”

  “Back him off. I want to speak to my wife alone.”

  William nodded, “We can arrange that.”

  Chevalier headed out with a Palace Guard, with Mark following.

  Lt. Andrew met them at the door, “Don’t upset her.”

  Chevalier’s eyes narrowed, “Are you falling for her?”

  Lt. Andrew glared at him and took up a post outside of her door. Mark watched him and stood to his side when Chevalier went into the room.

  He shut the door behind him and was immediately attacked by two puppies, one pulling on each pant leg. He looked down and shook off the dogs before walking over to Emily, who was at the table.

  Chevalier sat down, “Cute dogs.”

  Emily looked over at the two puppies, and nodded.

  “You’ve been talking to Andrew?”

  She nodded again.

  “Why do I get the silent treatment?”

  “You don’t,” she whispered. When she set down her fork, she relaxed her bandaged hands on the table.

  Chevalier very tenderly took her hand, “What did they do to your hands?”

  “It doesn’t matter,” she said, pulling her hand out of his.

  “It matters to me.”

  Emily picked up his hand and pressed it against her cheek, “I don’t know where to go.”

  “Why can’t you come back with me?”

  “I can’t.”

  “Tell me why.”

  She shook her head and then kissed his hand softly before putting it back down on the table.

  Chevalier reached down and picked up one of the puppies that was chewing on his pants. He held up the white and brown ball of fur and looked it in the face, “What is this?”

  “St. Bernard”

  “And the other one?” he asked, looking over as the other puppy collapsed on a rug by the fire.

  “Bulldog.”

  He nodded and put the St. Bernard down, “So you’ve decided to stay with the Encala?”

  “No”

  “What do you want to do?”

  “I don’t know,” she said, looking around the room.

  “The hostile Council is gone.”

  She nodded.

  “They hurt you, we know that.”

  Emily looked at him.

  “Did others?”

  “Chev,” she whispered. “It’s not worth it anymore.”

  “If it’s keeping you away from the Equites, then it’s worth it to tell me.”

  Emily looked down and a tear fell down her cheek, “They thought I killed you.”

  “Yes, the former Council made sure they hated you.”

  “They were my family.”

  “Were? Em, tell me what happened.”

  She put her bandaged hands on the table, “This was the Council.”

  He nodded, “That and the bruises when they forced you to kneel.”

  Emily nodded.

  “The foot bruises?”

  She swallowed hard and looked up at him.

  “The hand bruise on your arm?”

  She shook her head.

  “So tell me why you don’t want to come back to the Equites then. The Council is gone.”

  She shook her head, “Please, let me stay here for a while.”

  “Just tell me why.”

  “It’s over.”

  Chevalier lifted her chin so she was looking at him, “You really want to stay here?”

  “For a while.”

  “Are they being nice to you?”

  She smiled and nodded.

  He reached down and again pulled his pants out of the St. Bernard puppy’s mouth, “How about I give you a week, so you can think things over, and then you come back to Council City.”

  Emily thought for a moment and then nodded, “Ok.”

  He smiled, “You look amazing.”

  She looked down at her dress and then lightly touched the ruby necklace.

  “He likes you,” Chevalier said.

  Emily shook her head, “Not like that.”

  “Watch him.”

  “He’s my friend.”

  Chevalier kissed her softly, “I’ll be back in a week.”

  She nodded and then picked up the St. Bernard, though even as a puppy, she had a hard time carrying his weight.

  “Em,” Lt. Andrew hissed, and took the dog from her. “I told you, Sebastian is too big for you to carry.”

  Mark smiled at her, “Coming home, Kiddo?”

  “She’s staying for another week,” Chevalier said, closely watching her interaction with Lt. Andrew.

  It was obvious the Lieutenant was checking her over carefully for new injuries, which infuriated Chevalier. Mark saw the interaction and took the Elder’s shoulder, “Let’s go.”

  Chevalier growled softly and then left with Mark. He gunned the rental car and they were soon taking off in Equites 1.

  “Something happened,” Chevalier said to Mark.

  “Something the Council did?”

  “I suspect something else… maybe city residents or Palace Guards.”

  “She said that?”

  “No, she’s pretty open about what the Council did, however, there are more injuries that aren’t accounted for.”

  “Proditor?”

 
“That… and I am going to Banks when we get back.”

  “You think the carved BC is for Banks?” Mark asked.

  Chevalier shrugged, “I’m not sure. I do know Lord Banks was acting strangely when he first saw us.”

  “What do you do if he did do something to Emily?”

  “I don’t know. If what she was accused of was true, she would be a traitor.”

  “If,” Mark said, irritated.

  Chevalier sighed, “I’m afraid we’re going to find out that most of our loyal covens tried to avenge us.”

  Mark nodded, “Which is their right, I guess.”

  “5-minutes, Elder,” the pilot called back.

  Chevalier nodded and as soon as the helicopter was set down, he walked past the line of gathered guards and into the palace. When he sat down with the Council, he turned to the Court Reporter, “Have Lord Banks come to the palace immediately.”

  He nodded and disappeared to make the call.

  “Is Em up in the room?” Kyle asked, standing up.

  “No, she’s staying with the Encala,” Chevalier replied. It was obvious that he wasn’t happy about the idea.

  “Why would she stay?”

  “She’s not saying and… Lt. Andrew isn’t divulging what she’s telling him either.”

  “She’s talking to him?”

  “Yes, apparently he knows everything that happened. She’s completely opened up to him.”

  Quinn frowned, “So, have their Council force him to tell you.”

  “They won’t, her Psychiatrist said she needs a trusted confidant.”

  “They got her a Psychiatrist?”

  “Doctor, Psychiatrist, Obstetrician, Tailor, Manicurist, Pedicurist, Beautician, Chef, Masseuse…”

  “We get the idea,” Kyle said. He sighed, “So she fell for it and she’s staying?”

  “Something Andrew said has me curious,” Chevalier told him. “He said if I knew what he does, I wouldn’t want Emily back with the Equites either.”

  The Court Reporter sat down and frowned before turning to the Elders, “Lord Banks was already on his way. His secretary said that he, Lord Clark, and a representative from Island Coven are all on their way to turn themselves over to the Council.”

  “Why?” Zohn asked, shocked.

  “She didn’t say. They should be here any moment though.”

  “Who from Island Coven?” Kyle asked.

  “Marsden”

  “You revived Storm, right?” Chevalier asked.

  “Yes, she was banished after only a few days… when the Council went looking for Allen,” Kyle explained.

  “Did you ask her where the kids are?” Zohn asked.

  Chevalier shook his head, “No. I want to find out why she’s afraid of the Equites before I push for the kids’ location.”

  Derrick stepped in, “Sir, Lord Banks, Lord Clark, and General Marsden are here to speak to you.”

  Zohn turned to face the trial area, “Let them in.”

  The Council watched the three heku come into the room and stand nervously in front of the Council.

  “We came for punishment,” Lord Banks said with lowered eyes.

  “Why exactly would we punish you?” Quinn asked.

  Lord Clark looked up, “Because of what we did to Lady Emily.”

  “We’re ashamed of what we did,” Marsden said. “We should have known better and not…”

  “Let’s just get it out in the open that Emily isn’t talking right now and we have no idea what all was done to her other than what the former Council did,” Chevalier explained.

  Lord Banks sighed, “I’ll start then.”

  “Go ahead.”

  “Lady Emily came to Banks Coven on her motorcycle. We… we were told by the Council that it was her fault you were killed and then we heard that she had started to do the Council’s bidding in punishing heku.”

  “So she came to you for what?” Quinn asked.

  “She asked us for help,” Lord Banks said softly.

  “Did you help her?”

  “No, Elder. We… we imprisoned her and… well we… Proditor was us,” he said, barely above a whisper.

  Chevalier nodded, “So the BC was you. What else?”

  “My guards threatened to cut the baby out of her because…”

  “They what!?”

  “Sir… we thought she had… we… we didn’t know the baby was yours.”

  Chevalier growled low and when he started to stand, Zohn put a hand on his shoulder, “Let’s hear this.”

  “Go ahead,” Quinn said.

  “She was pushed around a bit before she turned some to ash and got away,” Lord Banks explained.

  Marsden sighed, “That’s when she came to Island Coven.”

  “What did you do?” Chevalier hissed.

  The heku looked up at his Coven Lord and swallowed hard, “She came to seek help. When the pier guards saw she held the ashes from Damon, one of them threw her back onto the ferry and ordered the Captain to return her.”

  Kyle sighed, “Island Coven has always been a safe haven for her.”

  “Well we were told the same as Banks Coven. We told her that Chevalier was no longer the Coven Lord, and therefore she was no longer welcome,” Marsden said.

  Lord Clark stepped forward, “I believe that’s when she came to me.”

  Chevalier nodded, deep in thought.

  “She said again that she needed help. Tried to tell me that you hadn’t been scattered, but I called her a traitor and told her we wouldn’t listen to her lies,” Lord Clark said.

  Kyle sunk his head into his hands, “The faction turned on her.”

  Zohn watched the Coven Lords, “She’s shown nothing but devotion and loyalty to this faction, yet one rumor and she’s immediately brandished a traitor and an enemy.”

  “That must be why she went to the Encala,” Kyle said, irritated. “Why even try another Equites coven when three that she felt would help her all turned her away.”

  Chevalier nodded, “We already know that Thukil wasn’t exactly mean to her, but did assume she would turn them to ash and were rude. By this time, she didn’t know any other covens to go to.”

  “Elder…” Lord Banks whispered. “I’ll take the punishment. We thought she had turned on you.”

  The Coven Liaison Officer finally spoke, “I don’t see how we can punish them for this. They did nothing more than what is done traditionally in this incident.”

  Chevalier nodded, “I know that. It’s just hard because now… the faction she’s always considered herself a part of, proved Salazar’s point that we would turn on her eventually.”

  Kyle spoke angrily, “We punish them! She came to them for help, and as part of this Council, she should have been granted the common courtesy extended to all of us!”

  “She was a traitor,” Zohn told him. “At least that’s what they were told.”

  Chevalier shook his head, “How can I ask her to come back now? She’s always told me she was afraid what would happen if I were to die. I always assured her that the Equites would take care of her even if I weren’t around.”

  “It wasn’t just your death,” Lord Clark said. “We were told that she was being used by the Council to turn innocent heku to ash.”

  Quinn’s voice was sharp as he spoke, “They tried… she was severely beaten for refusing to banish Thukil. Servants said she refused to turn Lord Dexter to ash and was punished for that also.”

  “We didn’t know.”

  “My own Coven,” Chevalier whispered as he watched his hands.

  “We’re out of the picture for a month and you turn on the Coven Lord’s wife!” Kyle screamed. “I’m ready to banish all of you and start over!”

  Marsden gasped, “We…”

  “We know,” Chevalier told him. He turned to the other Elders, “I can’t ask her to come back here.”

  “We can’t leave her with the Encala,” Zohn said.

  “Why not? They have taken better care of
her than we did! She has an entire team dedicated to making sure she has everything she could ever want. She’s comfortable enough with them to dress feminine again.”

  “She is?” Kyle asked, surprised.

  “Yes. She has puppies, and a friend that she can confide in. A friend that is assigned to make sure if the Encala are destroyed, that she’s not alone.”

  “She was very much alone,” the Chief Interrogator said. “I can only imagine how alone she felt when the Equites not only refused to help her, but threatened and abused her instead.”

  “We will take the punishment,” Marsden said. “We’ve come to turn ourselves in.”

  “Go back to your covens,” Quinn told them. The three bowed and left the trial area.

  “I don’t know what to do,” Chevalier said, looking over at Kyle.

  “I wouldn’t come back either!”

  “It’s not their faults.”

  “It is! They didn’t have to threaten to cut her apart, or hit her, or cut her… if they had just listened they could have saved us themselves without involving the Encala.”

  Chevalier sighed, “I wouldn’t come back either. She’s always trusted us and considered us friends. Now though… now we’ve turned on her.”

  “She’s not going to want to be away from you though,” Zohn said. “So she’s not going to stay with the Encala, no matter how comfortable her life is there.”

  Chevalier was deep in thought for almost an hour before he nodded, “Get Exavior’s old house cleaned up and livable.”

  “Good idea,” Quinn said, nodding.

  Kyle added, “Replace her Rubicon and Dodge Ram, put them in the garage. Hell, even replace that ugly Aero.”

  “It’ll be a bit before we can get it ready,” the Chief of Staff said. “I’ll send a team over. It’s been boarded up for almost 7 years.”

  “Do it,” Chevalier said. “They have a week to make it ready for Emily to move into.”

  “Do we get her a team?” Kyle asked.

  “No, just bring Lori back from Dover and we’ll resume her panel,” Chevalier said.

  “Have we revived all of the missing?” the Chief Investigator asked.

  Kyle smiled, “No, we’re still missing Lord Dexter. She assures us she can find him when she returns.”

  “Does Powan know that Dustin has been scattered?” the Coven Liaison Officer asked.

  “No, I see no reason to tell them.”

  “We’re still missing Garrett,” Kyle said. “Silas said that he wasn’t on the roster because he was away with Alexis for a while. The new Council didn’t know he was Cavalry, so he was ordered to stay with Alex.”