Proditor : Book 5 of the Heku Series

by T. M. Nielsen

“Emily,” Chevalier said from behind her. She turned toward him quickly.

  “Stay back, this horse can outrun you.”

  “I’m sure it can, but I start faster… so it’d be a draw,” he said, and then cringed, deciding he shouldn’t have mentioned that.

  Emily turned and saw Kyle step out from trees beside her.

  “Ok, we’re not mad… our plan just backfired. I’m pretty sure though, that horseback riding wasn’t on the list of approved activities by the doctor,” Chevalier told her.

  “Sure, and your little room was approved?” Emily asked angrily. She turned when she heard a noise to the other side of her, and saw Quinn. They were surrounding her.

  “What, exactly, do you think that room is for?”

  “Calm down,” Kyle said when he saw her starting to panic.

  “Just stay back,” Emily warned them, out of breath. She could feel the terror setting in, and she knew that meant her blood pressure was rising.

  “What’s the room for, Em?” Chevalier asked again.

  “I know what it’s for,” Emily told him. “How dare you try to get me in there.”

  “That room is not for anything. It’s an abandoned ancient’s room. I don’t know what Exavior and William told you, but it’s wrong,” Chevalier said.

  “I saw it, Chev… don’t lie to me.”

  “I’m not! I don’t know what you saw in there, but it’s an empty room, nothing more.”

  “Damnit,” Emily whispered, and pressed her palms into her eyes. Her head was pounding and she was having a hard time concentrating.

  “You’re going to end up back in the hospital if you don’t… calm… down,” Chevalier said, frustrated. “Come back into the palace where it’s warm and talk to us.”

  “That room…” Emily whispered.

  “Is nothing… empty… abandoned…” Kyle said.

  Her headache calmed some as she forced herself to relax and stop worrying. She looked up and nodded, “Talk only?”

  “Yes,” Chevalier said, relieved she was agreeing.

  “Not in that room?”

  “No, in our room where it’s warm.”

  Emily nodded, “Ok.”

  “Let Kyle take the horse. I’ll carry you back,” Chevalier said, and Kyle took a step forward.

  “No!” Emily yelled, and then lowered her voice. “I don’t want you to carry me.”

  “What? Why not?”

  Emily’s eyes started to fill up, “I’ll take the horse.”

  “Ok, fine, we’ll meet you there,” Chevalier said. He watched as Emily kicked the thoroughbred and took off back toward the castle.

  “Damnit, what’s in her head?” Kyle asked, frustrated.

  “I wish I knew. She’s acting very weird… not just the room, but other things,” Chevalier said, and they all blurred back to the castle.

  Emily was walking through the front doors when they arrived. They stayed back from her as she made her way up the stairs and into the bedroom. She sat down on the rug in front of one of the fires and tried to warm up.

  Chevalier sat in a chair by the fire after handing Emily a cup of hot cocoa.

  She sipped the drink and looked at him.

  “Ok, now that we’re both warm… what’s the room for?” Chevalier asked her.

  Emily blushed and took another sip. She looked over when Mark and Kyle came in, and she pulled her robe tighter around her.

  She glared at them, “Don’t start gathering in here or I’ll call Diego to come and get me.”

  “Who is Diego?” Chevalier asked.

  Emily turned to him, “Elder Diego, from the Encala… they called me while I was out on horseback.”

  “Em, there is no Diego on the Encala council,” he told her.

  “Yes there is. You’re just misinformed,” Emily said, and turned back toward the cocoa.

  “They called you?” Kyle asked.

  Emily nodded.

  Kyle held his hand out, “Can I see your cell phone?”

  “Why?” Emily asked skeptically.

  “It’s for the good of the Equites that we get the phone number they are using,” Kyle said, and Chevalier watched them closely.

  Emily nodded and handed him the phone. Kyle flipped it open and scanned through the phone calls. He shook his head at Chevalier and handed the phone back to her.

  “Please get out,” Emily said, still watching the fire.

  The heku all left and headed down to Chevalier’s office. Emily waited until they left and locked the door, then went into the bathroom and started a hot bath, also locking the bathroom door. She took two towels with her in case Chevalier returned, then climbed into the tub and leaned back, letting the hot water work against her frozen feet.

  Emily sat up when she heard voices in the bedroom. She quietly got out of the tub, wrapped in a towel, and put her ear against the door.

  “She knows too much,” Quinn said softly.

  “No she doesn’t, she just thinks she does, but I see doubt,” Zohn said.

  “Just have patience. When we turn her, we’ll have control. She’ll obey like the rest of the Equites,” Chevalier whispered.

  “I don’t like it,” Kyle said. “It doesn’t seem right.”

  “You just have a crush on her,” Chevalier chuckled. “Once she’s turned, you can have her. She’ll be of no more use to me.”

  “Lock up the horses, take the keys from the cars, and have the gate guards on watch. Make sure she doesn’t leave,” Quinn whispered.

  Zohn laughed, “Are you kidding? She can’t fight back.”

  Chevalier laughed, “Yeah, she’s put on some weight also, when she was pregnant.”

  “She’ll thin up after she turns. She’ll get taller and tougher too, no more short, wimpy mortal,” Zohn said.

  “I need to burn off some energy, let’s go to the room,” Kyle said, and Emily heard them all leave.

  Emily threw on her nightgown and robe, tying it tightly around her waist. She grabbed her laptop and started searching. Once she knew the supplies she needed, she grabbed a bag and headed down to the garage.

  “Sounds like Em’s out of the tub, should we go talk to her?” Kyle asked from his chair in the council chambers.

  “Let’s give her a bit. Sounds like she’s doing something… besides… we still need to replace James,” Chevalier said, thumbing through the roster again.

  “When’s Zohn coming back?” Quinn asked, looking through his roster.

  “He just left a few hours ago, so I’d say tomorrow morning,” Chevalier said. “How about Jack?”

  “Jack? How old is he?” Kyle asked.

  “Pretty young, just over 1,000 years.”

  “Let’s try for someone older,” Quinn said, frowning.

  Chevalier looked up when he heard Emily run back up the stairs, “She’s up to something.”

  Kyle shrugged, “Who knows.”

  “Ok, my vote is for Dustin. He’s over 1900 years old and has been an Equites the entire time. He’s a loyal Powan though, but if the General orders him, then there won’t be a problem,” Quinn said.

  “We’ve never had anyone from Powan Coven on the Council. This could be interesting. I concur, let’s get him,” Chevalier said.

  Kyle nodded and shut the book, “I’ll go talk to him tomorrow.”

  “Dad,” Allen whispered. His voice echoed through the palace and the tense panic was heard clearly. “Don’t touch the door.”

  Kyle frowned, “Don’t touch what door?”

  “I wonder what Emily’s done now,” Chevalier said, standing up. “Let’s go see, we’ve finished here for the day.”

  As Kyle, Quinn, and Chevalier stepped out of the council chambers, they heard a scream and a loud commotion coming from the 5th floor. They blurred to the foyer and saw Mark knelt down by one of the heku servants, and a tray of food was splattered across the hallway.

  “What happened?” Quinn asked, kneeling down.

  “He went to knock on Emily’s do
or, to bring her dinner and… I think he was electrocuted,” Mark said, watching the burns slowly disappear from the servant’s skin.

  “Electrocuted?” Chevalier asked, and walked closer to the door. He picked up a fork and tossed it at the door. A bright flash lit up the hallway, and the burned fork fell to the ground.

  “Em?” Kyle called through the door.

  “Ha! You can’t get in,” Emily said, sounding pleased.

  Kyle frowned at Chevalier.

  “Emily, are you ok?” Chevalier asked.

  “I am now, I’m protected,” Emily told him.

  “Did you electrify the door?”

  “Yes”

  “Who are you protecting yourself from?”

  “You”

  “Are the kids with you?” Chevalier asked, confused.

  “Of course, I’m not going to leave them out there with you.”

  Quinn sighed, “What did we do to make you think you need protected from us?”

  “I may not have heku hearing, but I’m not deaf,” Emily said angrily.

  “Are the kids ok?” Chevalier asked, staying clear of the door.

  “Of course, I’m not going to hurt them,” Emily said.

  “What did you overhear?”

  “You, Quinn, Zohn, and Kyle… just a few minutes ago.”

  “Em, Zohn’s been gone for hours.”

  “Stop it!” Emily yelled. “Stop lying to me, and if you think I’m going to let you turn me, then you better be prepared to burn.”

  “No one’s trying to turn you, and we weren’t in your room a few minutes ago.”

  “Let’s just cut the power to her room,” Kyle whispered, too softly for her to hear.

  “Then she’ll just turn us to ash,” Chevalier replied.

  “Can one of us come in? Just to talk?” Quinn asked through the door.

  “You’d love that wouldn’t you?” Emily scowled.

  The heku heard Emily run across the floor when her phone rang.

  “Hello?” Emily asked.

  There was a slight pause.

  “Dr. Hayden, I’m so glad you called. I don’t know what to do. I’m trapped. They are going to try to kill me,” Emily said frantically.

  Chevalier sighed and shrugged at Kyle, “Where is she getting this stuff?”

  “No, I’m not, I’m serious. You need to believe me. They are going to turn me, and then I’ll be forced to marry Kyle, and Chev will keep the kids.”

  Kyle’s eyes grew wide, “She’s telling him about turning… and he thinks we’re already married.”

  “Good idea! See if you can make him let me go,” Emily said, and gave the doctor Kyle’s cell phone number. A few seconds later, Kyle’s phone rang.

  “This is Kyle,” he said.

  “Kyle, this is Dr. Hayden… I’ve just had a disturbing phone call from Emily.”

  “Yeah, I heard. I’m outside of her door,” Kyle told him.

  “I saw something strange on her blood test, and I’d like to test it again,” Dr. Hayden explained. “Can you get to her?”

  “No, actually, she’s electrified the door.”

  “Wow, ok, let me think. Is there anyone there she trusts enough to let them in?”

  “I doubt it, and she has the kids in there with her,” Kyle told him.

  “Oh, that’s good! Your son, Allen… she said he’s very bright, well above his age?” Dr. Hayden asked.

  “Yes, he is.”

  “See if you can arrange something with him.”

  “Will do, but what do we do once we get in there?” Kyle asked.

  “Do you think you can get her to the hospital? Maybe by ambulance?”

  Kyle sighed. He knew that any attempt by the heku to force her to do anything, would result in her turning them all to ash, “I can try.”

  “Have the paramedics call me at this number if you get her to an ambulance,” Dr. Hayden said. “She has to come out eventually.”

  Kyle nodded, “We’ll let you know.”

  Chevalier and Quinn had heard the conversation and turned to the door.

  “Emily?” Chevalier asked.

  “Go away,” she said, pacing.

  “Dr. Hayden said there’s a chemical imbalance that’s causing all of this. None of it is true. You need to believe me.”

  “I can’t believe you! You and that bloody room. You and your plans for me, there’s no trust now,” Emily said scathingly.

  “How can she believe any of that?” Quinn asked, frowning.

  “She doesn’t, not if she were thinking straight,” Chevalier whispered.

  “Emily, is there anyone you trust? We can call in Darren even, from Thukil,” Kyle asked.

  “No! He would be using the room too,” Emily told them.

  “There is no room!” Chevalier growled. “That room does nothing. We aren’t trying to turn you, none of this is real.”

  “Mom?” Allen asked, and they heard Emily sit down on the bed.

  “It’s ok, just a headache,” Emily told him.

  “Why don’t you sleep? I’ll watch Alexis.”

  “Don’t touch the door. It’s our only protection,” Emily said, and yawned.

  The room grew quiet after she crawled into bed and the heku all sat down in the chairs in the hallway. They spent most of the night discussing how to get into the room. Their conversation was interrupted early the next morning when Alexis opened the door to the bedroom.

  Chevalier blurred inside and stopped by the bed. Allen had Emily’s gaze locked. She was unmoving and looking into her son’s eyes.

  “Kyle, call an ambulance and the doctor… Allen, keep her locked,” Chevalier said quickly, while Quinn took Alexis out of the room.

  “Can’t… keep her…” Allen whispered, strained.

  Chevalier quickly pushed Allen aside, and immediately locked her gaze. She barely had time to move before she was relaxed and in his control.

  Allen went to work immediately, and disconnected all of the wires that were once electrifying the door.

  “Sleep,” Chevalier said softly, and Emily’s eyes slowly closed. He picked her up and blurred out to the farmhouse where Mark and Kyle were waiting. They could hear the sirens approaching.

  “Dr. Hayden talked to the paramedics. They are bringing restraints,” Kyle said, and opened the curtain to look out.

  “Maybe you better go, Kyle, just in case,” Mark suggested, and Kyle nodded and quickly left.

  “Get my car, I’ll go in the ambulance,” Chevalier said, and headed out to meet the paramedics. He laid Emily down on the gurney, and they quickly restrained her hands and feet, and then one left to drive while the other put oxygen on her and started the setup for an I.V.

  “Her blood pressure is dangerously high,” the paramedic said to Chevalier.

  Chevalier nodded, “I don’t doubt it. It’s been a rough couple of days.”

  “Yeah, that’s what the doctor said.”

  Emily’s eyes flew open when she felt the I.V., and she pulled against the restraints, “Let me go!”

  “Sorry, Emily, you need to get to the hospital,” the paramedic said, taping down the I.V.

  “He’s a heku, he’s going to turn me… you have to believe me,” Emily yelled, watching Chevalier.

  The paramedic smiled, “I won’t let him, ok?”

  Chevalier headed up to the front of the Ambulance, hoping if she didn’t see him, she wouldn’t ash him.

  “Let me go before they turn me. I don’t want to be a heku.”

  “I won’t let them, I promise,” the paramedic said, and began to write in a chart.

  “You can’t stop him. He’ll just drain you, only I can stop them,” Emily told him.

  “He won’t drain me. I have anti-draining gloves,” the paramedic said, amused. Chevalier winced just before Emily started to scream.

  “What the hell… I’m not an idiot! You have no idea what you’re dealing with. You have to listen to me and let me go!”

  Chevalier was re
lieved when they pulled into the Emergency Room and he saw Dr. Hayden waiting for them.

  “Hello, Emily,” he said when he opened the door.

  “Dr. Hayden, help me, they are going to turn me,” Emily yelled.

  “I heard,” Dr. Hayden said, and put an injection into her I.V.

  “Then let me go, before they turn me.”

  “Good night, Dear,” the doctor said, and smiled as Emily relaxed and fell asleep. “She’s good, take her up to the fourth floor. They have a room ready.”

  Chevalier came around the ambulance as they wheeled Emily into the hospital, “Did you knock her out?”

  “Yes,” Dr. Hayden said. “Her paranoia has gone beyond cute and into dangerous. This will be easier until we get her regulated.”

  “You said you saw something on her blood tests?”

  Dr. Hayden nodded, “Yes, I want to run more tests to make sure. Is her husband coming?”

  “He’ll be along in a bit,” Chevalier said, and followed the doctor into the hospital and up to the fourth floor where Emily was just being moved onto a bed. “Is this the psychiatric ward?”

  “Yes,” Dr. Hayden replied, and watched the nurses for a moment and then turned to Chevalier. “Any depression apart from the hallucinations and paranoia?”

  Chevalier frowned, “I hadn’t thought about it, but yes, I think she has.”

  “Any chance she might try killing herself?” Dr. Hayden asked, and began to fill out Emily’s chart.

  “No,” Chevalier answered, frowning.

  Kyle stepped into the room and moved to stand by Chevalier.

  “Good, you made it. I’ve started her on high dose vitamins and nutrients, so we can regulate her. I don’t really understand how she got this stuff in her system, but I want to double check first to see if the tests were right,” Dr. Hayden said.

  Kyle grinned slightly, “What exactly did you find?”

  “I’ll let you know when I’m sure,” Dr. Hayden said, and then left the room.

  Chevalier went and sat by the bed, taking one of her restrained hands in his and whispered, “I can’t believe how long this has gone on… she’s had us chasing our tails for weeks.”

  Kyle nodded, “I know.”

  Chevalier grinned slightly, “Do you think we’ll ever find out what she thought that room was for?”

  Kyle chuckled, “I certainly hope so.”

  A few hours later, Dr. Hayden came back, shaking his head, “I confirmed it. She’s on high levels of melatonin and cowbane. The melatonin is easy to find, every drugstore has it, but cowbane is poisonous and hard to come by.”