“We’re still under constant attack though,” Chevalier said. “I can’t leave when we’re on the verge of being replaced.”
“Then what do you suggest?” Zohn asked.
“I suggest I wing it,” Chevalier told him, and then walked out of the council chambers.
“Great,” Kyle whispered, and turned back to a ledger. “Winging it works so well.”
Chevalier stopped outside of his bedroom door and looked over at Kralen and Horace, who were standing outside of the Elder’s Guard’s room, “She’s in there?”
“Yes, Elder,” Kralen said.
“It’s dirty and cold in there,” Chevalier said as he walked over and knocked.
“Actually, Mark saw this coming and it’s cleaned and stocked,” Horace explained.
“Em, it’s me. Can I come in?” he asked.
***
Emily headed down the back stairs, hoping to avoid being called into the council chambers. She was on a mission to break one horse and get her stallion out for a good run. First, she wanted to go check on Chevalier’s aging stallion. She adjusted her chaps and ran quickly down the stairs, followed by 4 members of the Cavalry she’d never met.
First she checked on Chevalier’s retired stallion, but found his stall empty. After checking the corral, she called for Mark and then let the colt she was going to break into the corral.
“Good to see you out,” Mark said as he, Silas, and Kralen walked up.
She didn’t turn toward them, “Where is he?”
“The Elder’s horse?”
“Yes”
“Powan took him.”
“So Chev just sent him away?”
“Well… I guess,” Mark said, trying to figure out how this could turn on him.
“What’s up with the chaps?” Kralen asked as he leaned on the fence next to her.
“Gonna break in that colt and then take my horse out.”
“But chaps?”
“I don’t want to ruin my pants.”
He shrugged, and then smiled, “Just not seen you in them in a while.”
“I haven’t broken in a horse in a while.”
“Why don’t you let me do it?” Mark asked.
“Ever consider how breaking in a horse is a lot like my life?” she asked, still watching the colt in the corral
“What do you mean?”
“I hold on,” she said softly. “I hold on while he bucks and tries to knock me off. When he finally does… and he always does… I brush myself off and get back on.”
Mark frowned as he watched her.
“I always hold on tighter when I crawl back on… but then he bucks harder until I fall off again.”
Silas started to say something, but her soft voice cut him off, “What do I do?”
“Em…,” Kralen said, and touched her shoulder.
“Nothing’s ever changed. Yes I had peace for a few years, but then it all went back to normal. The Encala are too spontaneous to be trusted, the Equites are bullies, and the Valle will go to any length to get me to join them.”
Not sure what she was about to do, Mark called for Chevalier.
“What do I do?” she whispered as she studied the horse.
“Em?” Chevalier asked from behind her.
She turned and crossed her arms as she leaned back against the fence, “You tell me what to do.”
“What do you mean?”
“Do I break him?”
Chevalier looked over at the horse, but had a feeling something else was going on, “Tell me what’s up.”
“Breaking in the same horse for eternity seems like a waste of time.”
When she turned back around and leaned her forearms on the fence, Mark filled the Elder in on what was said before he arrived.
“Let’s ride,” Chevalier said, and held out his hand.
Emily frowned slightly and turned to look at him, “Now?”
“Yes”
“You and me?”
“Yes,” he said, smiling.
“How many Cavalry?”
“I don’t need Cavalry,” he said, and took a step closer to her. She hesitated and then put her gloved hand in his. The Cavalry disappeared when they walked into the stables and slipped saddles onto two of the horses.
When Emily walked her horse out, Chevalier was already waiting for her. She mounted easily and then kicked him into a slow walk through the city.
“You never go riding anymore,” she said, and then looked over when he slid sunglasses on.
“That’s going to change.”
“How so?”
“You and I will be getting more time together.”
She nodded slightly when the Gate Guards bowed to them, and then headed into the trees east of the city.
“Do you wanna talk about it?” he asked after a few minutes of silence.
She smiled at him, “I was just rambling.”
“It sounded serious.”
“Maybe”
“So the Equites are bullies?”
Her smile grew and he couldn’t help but grin when she spoke, “Yes… you are.”
“I see.”
“You’re bigger, meaner, and you usually get your way because no one can fight you. Doesn’t that sound like a bully?”
“If you put it into juvenile words… then, yes.”
“Maybe I wouldn’t make a better Encala,” she said as she stopped her horse at the derelict Durango and then tied him to the bumper before sitting on the rotted seat.
Chevalier dismounted and slid into what used to be the driver’s seat, “Dare I ask?”
“I’m a bully too… so maybe I fit in better with the Equites.”
“How are you a bully?”
She looked over at him, “You’d be amazed at what I do to get my way.”
He smiled, “I already know.”
She leaned back and put her feet on the leaf covered dash, “Then he bucks harder… and I fall off.”
Chevalier reached out and took her hand, “But you always get back on.”
“Forever seems like a long time to have a bruised ass,” she said, suddenly turning serious.
“Tell me what you want.”
“No, tell me what you want. You offer me the world… maybe it’s time you get a say in it.”
He chuckled and laced his fingers with hers, “I want you to be safe and happy. I want the factions to back off of you and let you live a normal life.”
She shook her head and smiled, “That’s what you want for me. What do you want for you?”
He met her eyes and whispered, “You.”
She brushed her lips lightly across his and then looked into his eyes, “You already have me.”
“No I don’t.”
“The ring?”
He nodded and smiled.
She pulled it out of her pocket and ran her finger lightly over the inlaid gems, “We must have our bond broken more than anyone in the history of heku.”
“Probably,” he said, and took it from her. “So let’s give it another go.”
“I cheated on you.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“Then why did the ring come off?”
He shook his head, “Fine… so you kind of did. But it wasn’t your fault.”
“Your logic drives me batty.”
“It’s foreign to you, I know.”
She gasped and then hit him on the arm, “I’m not that bad.”
“Marry me,” he said, and then flashed a smile at her.
“Again”
“Again”
“Ceremonial room?”
“Nope”
She smiled, “Really?”
“Once is enough.”
Chapter 20
“So?” Mark asked as Emily rode a Pinto mare around the corral.
“I’m not seeing what he’s seeing.”
“He said she’s been limping.”
“Do you see it?”
“Well… no.”
She kicked the mare and she moved from a slow walk into a trot, “I don’t know. She seems fine now.”
“I’ll tell him to just ride her then.”
“Let’s take her out and run her,” Emily said, moving the horse up to the gate.
“I have a meeting, Silas wants to go.”
She nodded as he opened the gate and she rode the mare out toward the stables. Silas was already waiting for her, and she was surprised to see that it was just him.
“No posse?”
He smiled, “Nope, you’re stuck with just me.”
She shrugged, “You’ll be easy enough to ditch alone.”
“Hey now…” he said sternly.
She smiled and then kicked the mare into a canter. When Silas and Emily met up on the grassy hills outside of the city, the canter turned into a gallop and they both flew across the grass.
***
Mark walked into the council chambers with Derrick, and both moved to stand before the Elders.
“She’s out,” Mark told them.
Chevalier nodded and looked over at Kyle, “Report?”
“They’re still gathered around Banks Coven, and have completely blocked off access,” Kyle explained. “Powan scouted the area and the Valle have over 4,000 heku.”
Zohn hissed, “What caused this?”
“We haven’t been able to contact Lord Banks. All forms of communication have been cut off. The Valle won’t tell us what’s going on.”
“So we receive the head of the top officer for Banks, with no note, no explanation?” Quinn asked, frowning.
“Yes, Elder,” Kyle said, obviously furious.
“I suggest we call in all level 4 and above covens,” Zohn said, and looked down the row. “That gives us 3500.”
Chevalier shook his head, “Or I go with just Mark and Emily.”
Mark gasped, “Elder?”
He smiled, “It’d be good for her. She’s still acting stand-offish and she loves nothing more than to bully the Valle.”
“No, it’s too dangerous,” Zohn said.
Quinn lightly tapped his fingers on the desk, “Let me think this out.”
“She wouldn’t necessarily ash all 4,000 of them,” Chevalier said. “I say we just let Emily go and see what she comes up with. I bet she can stop this standoff faster than we can with brute force.”
“I can’t believe you’re suggesting this,” Kyle hissed.
Chevalier’s smile widened, “It’s a good idea.”
“4,000 is too dangerous though,” Zohn said. He was still shocked that Chevalier even suggested it.
“I’m betting she wouldn’t even have to turn them to ash.”
“If it backfired, we’d be handing all 3 of you over to the Valle.”
“Think about it,” Chevalier said. “We take 3,500 in to wipe out 4,000. Yes we’d win, but our losses would be substantial. However, if we waited long enough to gather 4,000, then we risk the life of every heku in Banks.”
“How are you even suggesting this?” the Chief of Finance asked. “Any mention of Emily using her abilities and you immediately veto it.”
“We’ve just talked lately and she really doesn’t have a lot to do around here now that the Cavalry is learning to take care of their own horses.”
“So we send her out on dangerous missions?”
“It won’t be dangerous. The Valle are going to wet themselves and run when she shows up,” he said, and then grinned.
“I thought she called us bullies though,” Quinn reminded him.
“She did… then admitted she’s a bit of a bully herself.”
Quinn finally sighed, “I’ll agree if the Cavalry goes too.”
Chevalier nodded and then stood up, “Bring’em out, Mark. We leave in 10.”
Mark nodded and disappeared while Chevalier went out to talk to Emily.
Silas and Emily rode up to the stables and she eyed Chevalier carefully, “What’d I do now?”
“We need to go to Banks Coven,” he told her as he took the reins on her horse.
“I don’t want to visit Banks.”
“Not a social call… they’re under attack.”
Her eyes narrowed, “You’re letting me go?”
“You’re letting her go?” Silas mirrored, surprised.
“Yup, let’s go,” Chevalier said.
Excited, Emily slipped off of her horse and followed after him, “Who’s attacking?”
“The Valle,” Chevalier told her as he walked up to the Cavalry. “Head out in 5.”
Mark nodded and the Cavalry began preparing for the run.
“Why are you letting me go?” Emily asked, leaning up against Chevalier’s Humvee.
“Because it’s time we stop keeping you out of things.”
“I don’t trust you.”
He chuckled, “We hope that they see you and scatter.”
“Why are they attacking?”
“We don’t know. We haven’t had contact from inside the coven.”
Emily watched as Chevalier met with the Cavalry battalion leaders and then he turned to her, “Time to go.”
She crawled into the Humvee, but frowned when Chevalier reached in and picked her up.
“We’re running it,” he said, and checked to make sure everyone was ready.
“Running? To Banks!?”
“Yes”
She crossed her arms and glared at him as the heku took off running for the Banks Coven. It wasn’t long before he set her down and met up with the Cavalry again. Emily followed him to find out what was going on.
“We’re going to try this differently,” Chevalier explained. “I want it known, first thing, that Emily is with us.”
“Can I just ash them all?” Emily asked.
“No, there are 4,000 of them.”
“Damn,” Kralen growled. “What did Banks even do?”
“We don’t know… let’s go.”
The heku matched Emily’s pace as they walked up the dirt road leading to the Banks compound. The sounds of talking grew louder as they approached.
“Behind us!” a voice called out when the heku came into view.
Emily stepped forward when the Cavalry stopped, and then crossed her arms and waited, “What the hell is this?”
There was a loud rumble and the Valle parted to let Valle Elder Randall and their Chief of Defense through.
Randall looked over the Cavalry and then focused in on Emily, “Why are you here?”
“Because you’re messing with my faction.”
“Your faction?”
“Yes”
He grinned, “Mortals don’t have a faction.”
“Mortals don’t follow instructions either,” she said, and then smiled as she wiped a drop of blood from under her nose.
Randall spun and received word that 300 of the Valle had just fallen to ash.
“Stop it!” he roared. “Give us back Sotomar.”
“Is that what this is over? Sotomar?”
“Mostly”
Emily’s face showed her concentration, “There… now Sotomar’s ash too.”
“How dare you,” he hissed. “You are breaking every…”
“You wanna talk about breaking heku laws?” she asked, taking a step closer. “Let’s start with changing my memory.”
“That was necessary.”
“So is this,” she said, and then swayed slightly when another 200 Valle fell to ash. Chevalier appeared at her side and steadied her.
“You let her fight for you now?” Randall asked him.
Chevalier shrugged, “We let her fight as we let any Equites fight.”
“She’s not an Equites!”
“I am too,” Emily said, glaring at him. “Now take off and go tell Ryan that I was bullying you in the playground.”
“I’m not afraid of a little girl,” he said seethingly.
“Great! I’m not afraid of you either,” Emily said, and then started forward. Chevalier took her arm, but she shrugged him off and
he returned to the Cavalry.
“What are you doing!?” Randall yelled as his troops split to let her though.
Emily smiled and walked up to the front gate, past the stunned Valle army.
“Flynn?” someone gasped from behind her. She turned and studied the Valle that was looking at her with wide eyes.
A smile slowly crossed her face, “Chuck Norris?”
He was obviously shocked, “I had no idea you were the fabled Winchester.”
Emily took a step toward him and Chevalier held his hand out to hold the Cavalry back.
“You’re a Valle? When did you turn?” she asked, a frown forming.
“About 6 years ago. Oh my God, you haven’t changed at all,” he said, glancing nervously at his Elder.
“Why did you turn?”
“It was the perfect opportunity. There’s no work in Cascade, the last real job I had was working with Keith on your Dad’s old place.”
She looked back at Chevalier and then reached her hand out, “Come with me.”
“I can’t…”
“Yes you can. You can stay with the Equites.” She ignored the low growl from Randall.
“Why don’t you join the Valle and stay with me? We had fun times… remember cow-tipping on Old Miller’s place?”
She laughed, but then turned serious, “Come to the Equites.”
“I can’t, Emi,” he said, but she cut him off.
“Yes you can. I’ll protect you from them.”
“I should rephrase that… I won’t. I’m a Valle and proud of it.”
“Chuck…”
“I’m in a new coven, a new agricultural coven,” he said to her. The entire clearing had grown quiet and listened to them. “Why don’t you help me start it? You and your Dad both had the most amazing ability to run a ranch. I’ve never seen animals react to anyone like yours do.”
Emily walked up and took his hand, “Come on… to the Equites…”
He studied her and then shook his head, “No, Emi. But I’ll wait for you with the Valle.”
“Please…” she whispered against his chest. “I can offer you more than the Valle can.”
“Em,” Chevalier said from behind her. He put a hand on her shoulder, ready to tear the Valle apart if he made one wrong move, “He can’t just leave the Valle and join the Equites.”
Ancients and Old Ones : Book 8 of the Heku Series Page 53