“No, I’m not a surgeon. I can do C-Sections, but I can’t locate and then fix a major bleed.”
“She’s beaten,” Dr. Edwards reminded him.
“I’ll take the fall for that,” Chevalier said. “Let’s get her to a hospital.”
“What’s going on?” Alexis asked as she rushed in with the still screaming baby.
“Wait,” Dr. Alona said. He leaned down and put his ear against her chest, “It’s slowing some.”
Dr. Edwards quickly hung up another bag, “Just as long as it doesn’t keep slowing.”
“Hand her over,” Chevalier told Alexis. He took the infant and expertly began to rock her. She soon settled down against his shoulder.
“She wouldn’t feed at all?” Dr. Edwards asked.
Alexis shook her head, “No. We… well don’t tell Mom, but we even tried a little blood.”
“She didn’t drink that?” Chevalier asked her.
“Did you hear her start to scream?” Alexis asked, smiling.
“Yeah, let’s keep that from Emily.”
“What do we do about the abuse then?” Kyle asked, still watching Emily, afraid if he turned away she might quit breathing.
Chevalier was deep in thought as he gently bounced the baby.
“What I don’t understand is how the marks are showing up on her body,” Kyle said. “How did an assault in a dream throw her across the room?”
“The body is an amazing thing,” Dr. Edwards said. “If her mind truly believes the assault is happening, it will react with injuries. It’s entirely possible.”
“So how do we stop the dreams?”
“That I don’t know.”
“Well she can’t take this much abuse, or any at all, this close to delivery.” Dr. Alona stood up and disappeared into the bathroom to wash his hands.
“If it’s her mind doing the damage, maybe we need to call in Lori again.”
Dr. Edwards nodded, “I’ll do that. At least we’ll run it by her and see.”
Emily sighed softly, and everyone turned to watch her. The baby seemed to sense it and immediately started to scream again.
“She needs to feed,” Dr. Edwards said. “Infants have to feed soon after being born, to help maintain energy.”
“First of all,” Alexis said, crossing her arms. “She doesn’t need to feed. She needs to eat… she’s mortal as far as I can tell.”
He rolled his eyes, “Semantics.”
“Will she be in pain from the internal bleed?” Chevalier said as Emily began to move slowly. Her eyes opened briefly, but then quickly shut again.
“Some, maybe. It’ll be masked by pain left over from the delivery,” Dr. Alona said.
“Can you give her pain medications that won’t knock her out.”
He nodded and quickly administered another shot before Emily was awake enough to complain.
Chevalier sat down when Emily began to look around, “Em?”
She looked over at him, still only partially awake.
“The baby needs to eat.”
Half in a daze, Emily tried to sit up and then cried out when the pain hit. Although muted by the medication, she still broke out in a sweat and moaned softly when she relaxed again.
“I’ll help you,” Chevalier said before ordering the room cleared out. He glanced at Alexis when she opted to stay, and then he helped Emily feed the baby.
The shrill screaming that filled the palace died down as the baby settled down to nurse. Emily watched Chevalier oddly, her mind still foggy and confused.
He smiled, “She’s beautiful, Em. She looks a lot like you.”
Emily looked down and reached out to touch the baby’s soft red hair, but stopped just short of physical contact, and then turned to watch out the window.
When the baby fell asleep, Chevalier gently laid her against his chest and began to rock her again. Emily stayed watching the window.
“I believe you,” Chevalier said to her.
She looked over at him.
“That it’s Salazar, and that killing him didn’t work.”
She nodded slightly.
“I saw him in your dream.”
“I don’t dream anymore.”
“You do, and in that dream he’s beating you. We’ll figure this out. I promise.”
Alexis smiled and sat down, “What do you want to name the baby?”
Emily shrugged, “I don’t really care.”
“You will, Mom. You need to consider that soon you’ll be happy to have her.”
“Just take it with you. I don’t want to hear it scream. I don’t want to hold it. I just want it gone.”
“Enter,” Chevalier said when a knock sounded.
Kyle came in smiling, “I brought lunch.”
Emily looked over and then watched him lay the tray on the bedside table. He then went over and gently took the baby’s fist, “Wow she looks a lot like you, Em.”
After a few minutes of awkward silence, Alexis grabbed a sandwich from the tray and handed it to Emily. Her arm shook with pain as she took a few bites and then handed it back.
Alexis smiled at Chevalier and Kyle, “Might I suggest you step out.”
“Why?” Chevalier asked, patting the baby’s back gently.
“Please, Dad…”
“Fine, for just a few minutes. If she falls asleep I want to know immediately,” he said as he walked out after Kyle. Kyle glanced into the room and then shut the door.
“Now that you don’t have an audience, I’ll help you eat,” Alexis said as she picked up the glass of orange juice. She was glad they thought to put a straw on the tray. Emily didn’t respond, but allowed Alexis to help her eat. She wouldn’t admit it, but she was starving after the long labor.
“Thank you,” Emily said when she was done eating.
Alexis smiled, “Now I think you need to name the baby.”
“Chev can name it.”
“You also need to stop referring to her as an it.”
“Stop telling me what to do,” Emily snapped.
“Contrary to how the heku treat you, you are a rational person,” Alexis said. “You have to see that someday soon, you may actually want and love her. If you force a bottle on her, or call her it, or even let that unimaginative heku of a father name her, you’ll regret it.”
Emily couldn’t help but smile, “He is unimaginative isn’t he?”
Alexis rolled her eyes, “My God, the entire species severely lacks imagination.”
“I don’t want to name it… her… whatever. I just don’t care.”
“I realize that… however, Dad may name her something in Latin. Do you want a baby named Filia?”
“What’s that?”
Alexis smiled, “It means daughter.”
“Fine, name it that.”
“I’m not going to name her, you are.”
Emily looked up at her daughter with tear filled eyes, “I don’t want her.”
“I know,” Alexis said, and then turned and called for ice.
“You want a baby, Alex. You want one badly, just take it.”
“Her,” Alexis reminded her. “I do want a baby, but I’m not going to raise my sister.”
A servant delivered an ice bag, and Alexis held it to her Mom’s swollen cheek. She decided to not mention when tears began to stream down Emily’s face. After almost an hour of silence, Emily cried herself to sleep and Alexis called for her Dad.
Chevalier came in with the baby asleep against his shoulder, “Did you make any progress.”
“Not really. You may have to name the baby.”
“Did she even hint at a name?”
“Nope. I threatened to name her Filia.”
Chevalier chuckled, “I’m game.”
“No, we’re not giving that poor child a Native word for a name!” Alexis said, trying not to laugh. “If you absolutely can’t come up with a name, then just wait until Mom feels better.”
“Let’s just wait,” he said, watching Emily clos
ely. “Take the baby. I need to be ready for an assault.”
Alexis gently took the baby and kissed her on the top of the head before settling her down against her shoulder, “If it’s her mind doing this, can’t you control her and stop it?”
“That’s what we were talking about in the hallway. We’re going to try it but your Mom may have to allow it. I don’t know how strong she is right now.”
“She may allow it to stop the assault.”
“Maybe”
Alexis watched Emily sleeping peacefully.
“I hate this part,” Chevalier whispered. “Waiting to see what injury appears next.”
Alexis smiled, “It’s so nice to add another Winchester. It gets old being one of the few.”
“I would imagine.”
“How are you two going to control this though?”
“Oh, your Mom has ideas.”
“I bet she does,” Alexis said, laughing.
Chevalier looked over when the Bulldog puppy started to snore from in front of the fire, “I hate that dog.”
“Why? He’s cute.”
“He snores, he drools, he’s lazy…”
“And the Encala gave him to Mom.”
“That too.”
“Where’s Sebastian?”
“Who knows,” Chevalier said as he sat down by the fireplace. “Seems random members of the Cavalry take him out.”
Alexis sat down beside him, “Have you considered going into Mom’s dream and killing Salazar there?”
“I have, but the one time I fully saw into her dream, I couldn’t move.”
“Did she?”
“Move? No I don’t think so.”
“I wonder if that’s why she sleeps so soundly, she’s paralyzed.”
Chevalier frowned, “I hadn’t thought of that.”
Alexis watched Emily sleep for a while, and then sighed, “Her hands…”
“I see,” Chevalier hissed. Thick bruises were appearing along the top of Emily’s fingers as she slept.
“The fake Council did that too.”
“I know.”
“Did you kill him or banish him?”
“Salazar? We killed him.”
“So I vote that you go in and get rid of him.”
“I told you, I can’t move in her dream.”
Alexis thought for a moment, “There has to be something.”
“I know that!” Chevalier yelled. He winced when the baby on his shoulder jerked and then began to cry.
“Nice, Dad,” Alexis sighed.
“Damnit, bring me a bottle.”
Within just a few seconds, a servant came in with a bottle of warmed formula. Chevalier laid the baby across his arm and tried to get her to take it, but her screams grew louder.
Alexis smiled, “She doesn’t just look like Mom…”
Chevalier looked over at Emily when her eyes opened. She looked at Chevalier and the screaming baby, and then tried to get onto her side. Alexis stood up and helped her roll over, and then returned to her seat.
When the baby refused to calm down, Chevalier carried her over and sat down, “Em?”
She looked up at them and sighed, “Again?”
“Yeah, sorry.”
With reluctance, she finally positioned the baby on the bed and nursed her without having to roll onto her back. She shut her eyes and soon fell back to sleep.
***
“Let her in,” Zohn told Derrick.
Derrick turned and opened the door so Lori and another heku could enter.
Both heku bowed once they got to the trial area in front of the Elders. Lori smiled when she saw that Chevalier had the week-old infant against his shoulder.
“Who are you?” Kyle asked the heku beside Lori. The entire palace was on edge from the nightly beatings and their inability to stop them.
“My name is Mitch, Sir,” he said, bowing toward Kyle.
“Ok, why are you here? We’re busy.”
“I suggested he come,” Lori explained.
“Why is that?”
“I’m a trained hypnotist,” he said.
This caught Chevalier’s attention, “Why do we have a hypnotist in the faction?”
The new heku shifted nervously, “I was inducted because I have extensive knowledge of Civil Engineering.”
“Ok, then why do we need a hypnotist in this palace?”
“Lori has told me about Lady Emily…”
“What!?” Kyle growled.
Lori held her hand up, “Mitch is a good friend, and I sought his counsel when I had some suspicions about what’s happening to the Lady.”
“Keep going…” Chevalier said, obviously not happy with Lori going to outsiders.
Mitch stepped forward, “Lori suspects that Salazar hypnotized Emily and it took nothing more than a trigger word by him to start the assaults. Killing him won’t stop what he’s already planted, and her body thinks the assaults are real and is showing that through injury.”
Chevalier’s eyes narrowed, “You think she’s hypnotized?”
“Not now, no. But if it was planted while she was hypnotized, it would explain the sleeping assaults.”
Chevalier looked over at Kyle, “Kill them.”
“No! Listen to us!” Lori yelled when Kyle stood up.
“Let’s hear them out,” Zohn said, amused. Kyle sat down and turned back to the trial area.
Lori put up a calming hand, “What he says is widely believed in the psychiatric industry. Salazar had every opportunity to hypnotize her and plant things we haven’t even seen yet.”
Quinn sighed, “For one moment let’s pretend that you’re right. How can we prove it and fix it?”
“We can prove it by letting me hypnotize her,” Mitch explained.
“She’ll never allow that.”
“If she can be controlled, we can use that relaxation to force it.”
“I still vote to kill them both,” Chevalier said.
Lori smiled when the baby started to kick from his shoulder and soon began to scream in anger.
Chevalier began to rock her.
“Would you like me to take her to Emily and see if I can help?” Lori asked. Chevalier was surprised, twice in the last few minutes he’d ordered her killed, yet she still had a genuine offer to help.
Kyle shrugged, “She needs to fee… erm… eat again.”
Chevalier nodded, “Fine… if you can get Em to feed the baby, I’ll re-think killing you both.”
Lori reached up and took the baby, who only screamed and kicked harder with the change of hands, “I’ll be back.”
Mitch watched her leave and then turned nervously to the Council.
“How, exactly, do you know how to hypnotize someone?” the Chief of Defense asked.
“It started out as a party trick, and turned useful.”
“How?”
“It’s a lot like controlling a mortal now, but it took more time and cooperation. Its uses to control smoking… or weight loss… are invaluable.”
Kyle thought briefly, “You’re certain that the sleeping assaults can be done through hypnosis?”
“Positive. When Salazar last saw the Lady, did he say anything out of the ordinary?”
“Not really, he just said ‘hello child’,” Zohn said.
“Actually,” Kyle said. “He said Salve infans.”
“Same thing.”
“Not when talking to Em… she doesn’t speak Native.”
Zohn nodded, “That’s true.”
“That could have been a trigger word,” Mitch explained. “He had the idea planted and all he needed was the trigger word.”
“That would explain why he wanted to even come here after the torture Chevalier inflicted on him,” the Chief of Staff said. “It was his revenge.”
Lori carried the screaming baby up to the bedroom. She smiled at Silas, who was upset that Chevalier had ordered her killed.
“He’s just upset,” Lori told him. “He’ll calm down.”
Silas just growled softly as Lori knocked. The baby was turning red from screaming in Lori’s unfamiliar arms.
“What?” Emily called out.
Lori walked in and Emily sighed when she saw the baby, “She can’t be hungry again.”
“I tried to tell her that… but she disagreed.”
Emily’s eyes narrowed, “Don’t patronize me.”
“I’m sorry… however, she is hungry,” Lori said as she held the baby out. She focused in on Emily and how she unconsciously turned her body slightly away from the baby.
“You’re a shrink… get her to drink from a bottle.”
“She wants you.”
Emily finally took the baby and laid her down to nurse, though Lori noticed no loving caresses or attention was given to the infant.
Lori pulled up a chair, “May I stay?”
“Sure”
“How are your arms?”
“They hurt, but not as bad as the fresh burns across my back.”
Lori winced slightly, “The baby is beautiful.”
Emily looked down at the infant, “I guess.”
“She looks a lot like you. I was surprised that her eyes are green. Your other three have black eyes, do they not?”
“Allen has green eyes too.”
“Would you like something to drink?”
Emily sighed, “Stop with the mindless chatter… why are you here?”
“I brought a friend… a heku who thinks you might have been hypnotized.”
“Hypnotized?”
“Yes… if Sa… if he hypnotized you, then he could have planted these assaults.”
“That’s stupid. I’m not hypnotized.”
“Not right now, no.”
Emily pulled her book out and started to read while the baby ate. When she was done, Lori took the baby and began to rock her gently.
“What?” Emily asked, looking up.
“Don’t you want to burp her maybe?”
“No, you can do that.”
“What’s her name?”
“I don’t know, ask Chev.”
Lori nodded, “Ok, well if you need anything, let me know.”
Emily nodded and ignored the Psychiatrist when she left the room with the baby. The baby was sound asleep by the time Lori entered the council chambers.
“Did she eat?” Chevalier asked, taking the baby from her.
“Yes, without a lot of coercion… Her post-partum depression is severe.”
Ancients and Old Ones : Book 8 of the Heku Series Page 30