Valle : Book 2 of the Heku Series

by T. M. Nielsen

  “I can do that. What would you like?”

  “Anything is fine. You choose your favorite book and I will read it. It will be interesting.”

  “How so?”

  “I’ve studied you, yet never really knew anything about you. You seem enchanting.” He smiled as she blushed.

  “Not really, but I’ll do what you suggest.” She stood up.

  “Leaving?”

  “Yeah, I better get back before they notice I’m gone. One book for tomorrow though.” She smiled at David, and then left the cells.

  Emily opened the door that led into the castle and slowly peeked around it. Opening it further, she slipped out and shut it quickly behind her, then looked around. No one had seen her. She smiled and went into the library.

  ***

  “Ugh!” Emily growled into the mirror.

  “What’s wrong?” Chevalier asked, looking over at her.

  “My jeans won’t zip.” She tried again, but the gap was too large.

  “Em, just wear something else. Margaret brought you a lot of new clothes,” he suggested.

  “These?” she asked, pointing at a large pile of clothing. “These make me look pregnant.”

  Chevalier chuckled, “You are, Dear.”

  “That’s not the point,” she said, angrily picking up an outfit before disappearing into the bathroom.

  He watched after her and grinned.

  “Are you going to be in meetings all day again?” she called out to him from the bathroom.

  “Yes, we are still training.”

  He heard her growl and he grinned again.

  She finally came out and, and he realized that she was right. The clothing did make her look more pregnant. The lavender baby doll top and shorts accentuated her growing tummy.

  “Ok, time to weigh,” he said, pulling scales out from by the door.

  “I’m not getting on that thing,” she said.

  “The doctor said you need to weigh once a week.”

  “No”

  “Why are you fighting me at everything?”

  “Because you are pushing too hard.” She turned toward him.

  “Fine, not today then,” he said before he could get angry at her. He’d watched his temper a lot lately as she pushed it to the limit.

  Emily watched as he walked out the door and stuck her tongue out at him.

  Hours later, knocking interrupted his conversation with Kyle, and Chevalier cringed.

  “Come,” he said.

  Emily’s guard walked in nervously, “Sir.”

  “Go find her, Kyle,” Chevalier said.

  “Sure,” Kyle said, irritated.

  “Any idea how she got out?” Chevalier asked.

  “No, Sir, again… the balcony guard didn’t see her.”

  Chevalier frowned, wracking his brain as to how she was getting out.

  “That’s it then… tell Captain Remoin to send another guard for in her room,” Chevalier said, looking tired.

  “Yes, Sir,” he replied, and left to go talk to his Captain.

  ***

  “Hello, Emily.” The voice was soft and controlled.

  “Hi David, got you a book.” She handed it through the bars and sat down, this time close enough her knees were touching the bars.

  “Let’s see then…” He looked down at the book and smiled, “The Scarlet Letter?”

  “Yes, always one of my favorites,” she said, and smiled.

  “Did you get in trouble for being down here yesterday?” he asked, concerned.

  “Chev never found out. These guards are too afraid to tell him.” She motioned to the two guards who were fidgeting in the corner.

  “How did you get them to let you in?” he asked, impressed.

  “It was mean…” She looked at the ground.

  David laughed, “I’m glad you did, it gets boring down here.”

  She smiled and admitted to herself it felt good to be needed, “Is there anything else I can get you?”

  “I’ll think about it and let you know.”

  “Ok”

  “May I ask you some questions?”

  Her eyes narrowed, “What about?”

  He shrugged, “Just something to get to know you a bit, nothing too personal, I promise.”

  She laughed, “Sure.”

  “When is the baby due?” he asked and he looked sincerely curious.

  “Five more months.” She looked down at herself.

  “Pregnancy suits you, you are quite beautiful,” he said, and laughed when she blushed.

  “Next,” she said, trying to get him to change the subject.

  “Ok, what is your favorite food?”

  She grinned, “Pizza.”

  “What’s your favorite color?”

  “Pink”

  “Favorite movie?”

  “Cleopatra”

  “Really?”

  Emily laughed, “Is that so hard to believe?”

  David shrugged.

  “My turn,” she said.

  “Fair enough.”

  “How old are you?” She leaned closer to him.

  “It’s hard to remember, its somewhere around 3100 years though.”

  “Really? Wow.” She was impressed.

  “Yes, really.”

  “Favorite place.”

  “Easy, the Louvre.”

  “An art lover huh?” She felt so comfortable talking to him.

  “Yes.” He leaned back against the bed.

  “Favorite… hmm… blood type.”

  “B positive.”

  “That’s mine!” She was surprised.

  “I know.” He watched her nervously but relaxed when she laughed.

  “That was a trick question. I didn’t know the heku had a favorite blood type.”

  “Oh most of us do, I’m sure.”

  “Are you very hungry down here?” she asked, suddenly concerned.

  “At times.”

  “Will you die if you don’t eat?”

  “No”

  “Will anything happen to you?”

  “I will become weaker, that is all. If it’s long enough, heku tend to turn… gray, sort of,” he said, and grinned slightly.

  “Are the Encala trying to get you back?” She was genuinely concerned for this heku. He was exceptionally kind and soft spoken.

  “Probably not.”

  “Why not?”

  “It was my fault I got caught, and they would let me know that,” David explained.

  “That’s awful.” Emily thought about her time in captivity and how she’d been afraid no one was coming for her.

  “I’m ok, don’t worry about me,” he said, looking into her eyes he reached a hand out to her.

  Emily looked at his hand, and then took it, “I can ask Chev if he’ll let you go.”

  “No don’t. He mustn’t know you’ve been down here. His temper is quite famous.” David let go of her hand and sat down again.

  “I can handle him.” She set her jaw.

  David smiled, “I bet you can, but please, don’t ask him for my freedom.”

  “I better go,” she said, looking toward the door.

  “Yes… before you are caught.”

  “Tomorrow, would you like some music to listen to?”

  His face lit up, “That would be great, thank you.”

  Emily again made it out of the doorway before anyone noticed and managed to do so for the next week.

  ***

  She was almost to the kitchen when Kyle caught up with her.

  “Where have you been?” he asked, more confused than mad.

  “Around the castle, why?” she asked, and grabbed an apple from a bowl on the counter.

  “I’ve been looking for you since you slipped out.”

  “Well… not hard enough I’d say,” she said, walking past him and up the stairs to her room.

  Emily stepped into her room, and her mouth fell open at the guard standing inside the door, “Who are you?”

/>   “I’m Russ,” he said, staring straight ahead.

  “Why are you here?”

  “Orders from the Chief Enforcer.” His voice was even and annoying.

  “He ordered you to guard inside my room?” She stared at him surprised.

  “Yes, Ma’am… was supposed to start a week ago, but we got busy with new strategical maneuvers.”

  “Get out!” Her eyes flared.

  “No, Ma’am,” he said, again staring straight ahead.

  Emily screamed and ran down the stairs to Chevalier’s office. She knocked hard.

  “Come,” he demanded angrily.

  “Don’t come me… get him out of my room!” she growled, stepping into his room.

  “Not until you understand how important it is to stay safe.” Chevalier looked up at her and winced, her temper was raging.

  “I am not your child. I am not your ward. I am not your minion, and I expect you will treat me as an equal adult.”

  “Emily…” he started, but she cut him off.

  “If you can’t accept that I do what I want, when I want, then I will just be on my way.” She turned to leave, but he was suddenly in front of the door.

  “No, you listen to me. The Encala and the Valle want you. They will get you if they find you alone, and I won’t have it.” He could feel his temper getting out of control, but she wouldn’t let it drop.

  Emily took a step forward and glared up at him, “I can protect myself.”

  “No, you can’t… and the further along you get, the less you are able to do.” He tried to make her see reason.

  “Get... him… out... of... my... room.” She stomped at him.

  Chevalier stood his ground, “No.”

  “I am not weak. I can protect myself,” she said, stepping toward him angrily.

  “No you cannot.” He didn’t back down.

  Emily gritted her teeth and let go of the anger that had been growing within her. Chevalier growled deeply and clutched at his chest, the burning pain stabbed through him like a hot sword. It stopped as suddenly as it started, and when he caught his breath, it was too late for reason.

  Emily took a step back when she saw the out of control fury in his eyes. He was on her in less than a second, and she was pinned against the wall, his hand around her neck and her feet inches from the floor.

  “Never… do that again,” he hissed into her face.

  She glared at him and dug at his hands to let go. The lack of submission to his request angered him more, and he tightened his grip.

  “Is that understood?”

  Emily fought to make him let go. She could feel his hand tighten and cut off her airway. She couldn’t breathe, and dug helplessly at his hands trying to force them off of her neck.

  His mind grasped what he was doing, and he let her go. She fell to her knees and gasped for breath.

  “Emily,” he said, bending down to help her.

  She pushed his hands away, and he saw the dark bruises starting on her neck, “Leave me alone.”

  “Emily, I’m so sorry,” he said, and reached out to help her to her feet.

  She pushed his hands away again and stood up, still breathing hard. He took a step toward her as she ran out of his office and he felt it better to let her go.

  “Kyle?” he whispered, loathing himself for what he had done.

  “Yes, Sir?” Kyle asked, worried by the look on Chevalier’s face.

  “I… I lost it with her,” Chevalier said angrily.

  Kyle’s face dropped, “Is she ok?”

  “I don’t know. She ran off,” he said.

  “What happened?” Kyle asked quietly.

  “She got mad at me and... she used her ability on me.” He looked at the door, willing her to come back.

  Kyle sighed, “Sounds like you didn’t have a choice. I’ll go talk to her.”

  Chevalier nodded and sat down in his chair. Kyle returned several minutes later.

  “She’s leaving,” he said sadly.

  Chevalier was out of his chair and in her room in a blur. She was packing a large bag that was sitting on the bed. Emily didn’t look at him when he entered.

  “Please, don’t leave,” he said softly.

  She didn’t answer but threw more clothes into the bag.

  “Emily, don’t go,” he asked again, placing his hand on her suitcase to stop her.

  She glared at him, and when he moved his hand, she shut the suitcase and sat on it to zip it.

  “Where will you go?” he asked softly.

  She went into the bathroom to gather her things.

  “You can’t go alone, please. It’s not safe.” He was ready to beg if she would forgive him.

  “Oh, I’m not going alone,” she said as she came back into the room.

  Chevalier frowned, “Who are you going with?”

  “None of your business now is it? Once I’m gone, I’m no longer your concern,” she grumbled at him.

  “You know that’s not true, you and the baby are my concern no matter where you are,” he whispered.

  “Yeah, well, it’ll be pretty hard to control when I get where I’m going,” she said, and sat on the floor to slip on her shoes.

  “Where are you going then?”

  “Again, none of your business.”

  “You swear to me you are taking someone with you?”

  “Oh yeah, I am taking a heku with me,” she promised.

  Chevalier watched her, and as his eyes fell to her expanding middle, his heart ached.

  “I’m begging you, please stay. I’m sorry for what I did. What can I do to make it up to you?” He stood and walked over to her.

  “You can let me go with whatever heku I choose.” Emily turned to look at him.

  “Take whoever you want, just don’t go, please.” He was starting to panic as she pulled her suitcase off of her bed and extended the handle. Chevalier took her hand softly in his.

  She pulled her hand away, “Don’t, Chev. It’s too late. We’re not good for each other.”

  Her words stung him deeply, “Don’t say that. We just had a fight, nothing more.”

  “Nothing more? I wanted to kill you and could have.” She looked into his eyes.

  “But you didn’t,” he said, pulling her close to him and wrapping his arms around her.

  For one brief moment, she let him hold her and felt tears welling up in her eyes. She leaned her head on his chest briefly, and then it jerked up.

  “Good-bye, Chev,” she said, and kissed his lips gently before grabbing her suitcase.

  “What can I do to get you to stay?” he asked.

  “Nothing, it’s best if I go now.” She looked around the room and headed out the door. Chevalier followed her, unsure where she was going.

  When she took the door down to the prison cells, he put out his arm to stop her, “Where are you going?”

  She shook his hand free and walked down the stairs. The guards saw Chevalier with her this time, and both winced, knowing they would be punished for letting her down there, threats or no.

  She reached out to the closest guard, “Give me your keys.”

  He nervously looked up at Chevalier

  “Emily, you can’t let them go,” he sighed.

  “I’m not letting them all go… just one,” she said, snapping her fingers at the guard.

  “No, you can’t let our prisoners go,” he told her sternly.

  She turned on Chevalier, “You said I could take any heku that I wanted.”

  “I didn’t know you meant a prisoner.”

  “Well I did and do not go back on your word again,” she said furiously.

  “Emily? Are you ok?” A voice rang out from the cells.

  “I’m getting you out. We’re going back to your home,” she said, and snatched the keys out of the guard’s hand.

  “Emily, no,” Chevalier said, and followed her.

  She rounded the corner into the second set of cells and stopped at the end, thumbing through the keys t
o find the one for David’s cell.

  “Are you ok?” he asked, reaching out of the cell to touch her arm.

  Chevalier hissed at him and he drew his hand back.

  “Emily?” David asked, looking at her. “What happened to your neck?”

  Chevalier was infuriated that this prisoner knew her well enough to care about her already.

  When Emily didn’t answer, David turned to Chevalier, “This was you? You assaulted a pregnant woman?”

  “Shut up, Encala, before I shut you up,” he hissed at the prisoner.

  “Are you sure you can shut me up or do you only pick on women?” David crouched slightly and faced Chevalier.

  Chevalier grabbed the keys from Emily and opened the cell door quickly. She stepped in between them, her back to David.

  “Stop it,” she said, glaring at Chevalier as she put her hands on his chest.

  “Emily, let’s get out of here. You’ll be safer with the Encala,” David said, taking her arm.

  “Over my dead body,” Chevalier yelled, taking her other arm.

  Kyle appeared in the cell doorway, his eyes wide.

  “What’s going on here?” he asked them, looking from Emily, to David, to Chevalier.

  “I’m taking David, and we’re going to stay with the Encala,” Emily said, still watching Chevalier.

  “What?” Kyle yelled, outraged.

  “She thinks she’s leaving with him,” Chevalier said, his eyes locked on David’s.

  “Emily?” Kyle said as he saw her neck. “Let me see your neck.”

  Emily glared at him, “You stay away from me, too.”

  “Everyone calm down!” Kyle said sternly.

  “Emily?” David said suddenly, and then reached out to catch her when she fell.

  He laid Emily down on the floor and she began to convulse and her eyes rolled back in her head.

  David reached out and took her head in his hands so she didn’t hurt herself.

  “What did you do to her?” Chevalier growled at David as he knelt down by Emily.

  “Me? You’re the one that choked her,” David said, struggling to keep her head still.

  “I’m going to get Dr. Edwards,” Kyle said, and blurred up the stairs.

  When her body fell silent, Chevalier picked her up and ran up the stairs. The two guards advanced on David and managed to get him back into his cell.

  Chevalier kicked her bag against the wall and laid her down on her bed. She still wasn’t moving. He yelled at the guard to leave her room, and his order was followed immediately.

  “Em?” he asked, touching her cheek softly.