“Oh my God! You too?”
“What?”
“He’s not always up to something bad.”
“Actually, he is.”
Emily glared at Kralen and walked past him, followed closely by her four guards. When they cleared the front doors to the palace, Emily saw a group of City Guards heading toward her with Dain just in front of them. As he got closer, she saw Megara cradled in his arms.
She ran up to him, and the City Guards began talking quickly to the Cavalry while Emily looked over Megara, “What happened?”
Megara didn’t seem injured but was crying and holding tightly to her brother.
Dain growled softly, “Someone from the city attacked her.”
“From our city?”
“Yes”
“Who?” Emily asked, looking up at him.
He smiled, “I took care of them.”
Emily finally had time to calm down and saw that Dain’s shirt was covered in blood, “Are you ok?”
“It was two heku,” Dain said, smiling. “I can take out two heku in my sleep.”
Mark blurred up to them when the Cavalry called, “Dain…”
Dain looked at him and glared, “What?”
“Why were you out with Megara without guards?”
Emily looked over at her son, “No guards?”
“I can protect my own sister!” Dain yelled.
Megara tightened her grip on him and buried her face into his shoulder.
“No you cannot! She has Council appointed guards,” Mark hissed.
“So? She wanted me.”
“Get inside!”
“No,” Dain said, and snarled at Mark.
Emily stepped between them, “Calm down. Mark, I’ll handle this.”
“It’s for the Council to handle,” Mark said, glaring at Dain.
“The last person who needs to get involved in this is his dad!”
“Get… inside… now,” Mark hissed.
Dain started inside, followed by Mark, but Emily ran to catch up, “No! He can’t face Chevalier over this.”
“I’m not afraid of Dad,” Dain told her.
“I know that, but do you really want another fight?”
Kralen met them at the doors, “The Council is waiting.”
Emily tried in vain to get Dain to stop, but just outside of the council chambers, he whispered something to his sister and then gently set Megara down. She watched as Dain, Emily, Mark, and two City Generals headed inside and Derrick shut the door after them.
Emily stepped forward, “I don’t think this needs Council attention.”
“What happened?” Zohn asked.
“Wait!” Emily yelled. “I said I don’t want the Council in on this.”
“So you want Chevalier to handle it alone?”
“No, I want to handle this.”
Chevalier’s eyes narrowed, and Emily sighed when she realized that one of the City Generals had already given them a full report, “What were you thinking?”
“She’s my sister, and she asked me to go into town with her,” Dain said calmly.
“Without guards?!” Chevalier yelled.
Dain nodded and crossed his arms, “Yes. I don’t need your help in protecting my sister.”
Chevalier stood up, and Zohn took his arm.
“Let us do this…” Zohn told him.
“You are not your sister’s protector,” Chevalier yelled at Dain.
“You sure as hell aren’t either! You don’t protect a single member of this family. You let your subordinates do it because you’re too much of a coward to do it yourself.”
Emily gasped and tried to push Dain to the door, “Stop it.”
Dain stood his ground and smiled, “If it’s a fight you want, Dad, I suggest you come get it.”
Emily spun when she heard a growl and saw that Zohn and the Chief Interrogator were holding Chevalier back, “You have a good beating coming!”
“Not from you… I’m stronger than you are.”
“Stop it, Dain,” Emily yelled.
Dain’s smile grew, “You’re so good at protecting Mom that you let her die, and then let the Valle have her for two years…”
Chevalier ripped away from those restraining him and appeared instantly at Dain’s front. Before Dain could even react, Chevalier backhanded him across the trial area, and he slammed into the rocks, sending rubble onto the ground.
Dain looked up, and his hands balled into fists just before blurring to his Dad. Chevalier dodged each of Dain’s attacks, which further infuriated the young heku, and his movements became steadily faster and more violent. When Chevalier pinned him to the ground with a hand to his neck, Dain growled up at him.
“Had enough?” Chevalier asked angrily.
Dain clawed at Chevalier’s hands, too angry to back down and admit defeat. When Chevalier lifted his head and slammed it into the ground, Mark, Silas, and Kralen pulled the Elder from his son on the orders of the Council. Dain was immediately restrained by the two City Generals, who had a hard time controlling the massive heku.
“Everyone calm down!” Quinn yelled.
“Put him in prison for now,” Zohn ordered, and two members of the Cavalry joined the City Generals in hauling Dain out of the council chambers.
Chevalier calmed and turned to see how mad Emily was. He frowned slightly when he saw her backed up against the stone walls, watching all of them, confused. Her eyes darted between those in the room, and she was beginning to panic.
“Em?” he asked softly.
She looked over at him and took a side-step toward the door.
“Emily, are you ok?” Mark asked, watching her carefully.
Her fearful eyes turned furious, and she faced Chevalier and smiled, “Funny, the Equites can’t even control their own. No wonder the Valle are more powerful.”
Silas was on her in an instant. His teeth pressed into her neck as he gently lowered her to the floor when she relaxed.
“Damnit,” Chevalier sighed. “She hasn’t done this in a while.”
Silas let go of her and quickly looked her over, “I don’t think I hurt her.”
“Fast thinking, Captain,” Zohn said. “Good work.”
Dr. Edwards appeared and winced when he saw her, “Valle again?”
“Yes”
Emily sighed and began to stir, so Dr. Edwards quickly sedated her and picked her up, “Do you want her in the oubliette again?”
“Better make someone immune first,” Quinn said. “We don’t need the city turned to ash.”
Once Chevalier was made immune to Emily, and she was in the oubliette and well guarded, the Council returned to the problem at hand.
“Dain is too big for a lot of our guards to handle single-handedly,” Zohn said.
Chevalier nodded, “He is a strong heku but extremely immature.”
“Intelligent though,” Quinn said. “I would imagine Dain will grow up with time. His heku blood gave him strength and intelligence but not a lot of maturity.”
“Maybe he’ll be like his mother,” the Chief of Staff said.
Chevalier glared at him, “Meaning?”
“No offense, Elder. I just mean that sometimes maturity eludes her also.”
“Not lately.”
“No, not lately.”
“Just leave him in prison then,” Chevalier said. “It’d be good for him to go without for a while. Show him that this Council is in charge.”
Zohn smiled, “Emily won’t like that.”
“Well at the moment, she doesn’t even remember him.”
“True”
“Bring in Megara,” Quinn called toward the door.
A few minutes later, Derrick opened the door and escorted in the young girl. She wasn’t shy like Alexis was at her age, and she walked up to the trial area and faced the Council.
“Where is Dain?” she asked, looking along the row of heku.
“He is in prison for now,” Chevalier explained. “What happened in
the city?”
“Let him out!”
“No, what happened?”
Megara’s jaw set and she glared at Chevalier, “I’ll tell you if you let him out.”
He smiled, “I can find out from the City Guards without your help.”
“Fine! I went to see Regan.”
“From Council City?”
“Yes”
“Why are you bothering Regan?”
Megara crossed her arms, “I wasn’t bothering him. He invited me.”
Chevalier sighed, “For what?”
“He was going to show me techniques in forging and stock removal.”
“Are you making a sword?” Zohn asked.
“Maybe”
“Ok, so you went to Regan’s house and then what?” Chevalier asked. He planned on dealing with Regan’s interaction with Megara later.
“Dain and I were just walking to his house when I was attacked from an alley.”
“By who?”
“I don’t know who they are.”
“Two of them?”
“Yes”
“Did you get injured?”
Megara smiled, “No, Dain protects me.”
“So do your guards, dear,” the Chief Interrogator reminded her.
“I don’t like my guards,” she told him.
“Why not?”
“They are stuffy.”
Quinn smiled, “I see.”
Megara looked at Chevalier, “I want Dain back with me.”
“No, he’s learning a lesson.”
“Then I’ll sneak out.”
“To go where?”
“What does it matter? Least I’ll be out of here.” Megara turned on her heels and stormed out of the council chambers.
Chevalier sighed, “She’s heading down Dain’s path.”
“Maybe have Alexis talk to her,” Kyle suggested.
“She and Alexis have problems getting along for long periods of time.”
“Why’s that?”
“Alexis follows the rules, and Megara prefers to break them. It irritates Alexis how Megara acts.”
“She’s quite young though. Even Alexis has to admit that she had some growing pains,” Zohn said.
Chevalier nodded, “She does.”
“Will she talk to Emily?”
“Yes, when she doesn’t think she’s a Valle.”
“Oh true.”
“Hey tic-tac!” Emily screamed from the oubliette. “Come talk to me.”
“Tic-tac?” Chevalier asked, looking down the row of Council members.
Kyle was laughing and trying to stop.
“Explain,” Chevalier said.
Kyle shook his head, “With all due respect, Elder. I’d rather not.”
“Is she referring to Chevalier when she says tic-tac?” Zohn asked.
“I wouldn’t know,” Kyle replied, still fighting to not laugh.
“Yeah you, Todger,” Emily yelled. “Come face me like a man!”
Chevalier smiled slightly, “Todger, I do know. I’ll go see what she wants.”
Kyle was still grinning when Chevalier blurred from the council chambers. The Elder appeared outside of the small window into the oubliette and saw Kralen laughing.
“You know what a tic-tac is?” Chevalier asked him.
Kralen chuckled, “Yes, Elder.”
“Care to explain?”
“Do I have to?”
Chevalier’s eyes narrowed, and he stepped up to the small window and looked in at Emily, “You’ll get a faster response if you call for me by name.”
She glared at him, “What? Todger isn’t your name?”
“No”
“Surprised you showed up,” she said, crossing her arms.
“What is it you want?”
“I want to know when the Equites are going to leave me the hell alone?!”
“Probably never.”
“Sotomar will get me back.”
“I’m sure he will. Is that all?”
She sat on the couch and flipped on the TV, ignoring Chevalier. He stepped down and shook his head.
“Sorry, Elder,” Kralen said, still smiling. “I’m sure she’ll come around soon.”
“She better. Someone needs to tell me why she called me tic-tac,” Chevalier said, and headed up to the council chambers.
***
“Elders?” Derrick said, stepping into the council chambers. “Thukil is here to see the Lady.”
“Did they say why?” Zohn asked.
“Yes, Elder. They have a horse delivery.”
“Who is it?”
“It’s Captain Darren.”
“Send him in,” Quinn said, setting down a stack of papers he was going through.
Captain Darren came in a few minutes later and bowed, “Sorry for the delay.”
“That’s fine. Emily isn’t quite herself right now. Did she know the horses were coming?” Chevalier asked.
“Yes, Elder. Is… is she ok?”
Emily’s voice rang out through the palace, “There was an old coot from Equites, who was so ugly that he had teats… so one day his Council, dimwittedly dull, agreed they would all go and eats!”
Chevalier smiled slightly, “Physically she’s fine.”
Darren looked at the Elder, shocked.
Zohn fought back a grin, “The Valle re-worked her memory a few years ago, and once in a while it comes back.”
“What did they put into her mind?” Darren asked.
“They put themselves into our places and replaced Exavior, Salazar, and the likes… with Chevalier.”
Darren grimaced, “She thinks she’s a Valle?”
“Yes”
Kyle chuckled, “Which makes me wonder what names she’s called the other Councils and what rhymes they’ve heard.”
“There’s no telling,” Chevalier said, amused.
“Is there anything I can do?” Darren asked.
Chevalier thought for a moment, “Yes, actually. Why don’t you go talk to her and see if you can spur her memory back?”
“Yes, Elder…. What shall I say?”
“Anything”
Darren nodded and then hesitated and left the council chambers. The Council all listened to the conversation.
When Darren arrived at the oubliette, Kralen showed him to the window, and the Thukil Captain stepped up and looked inside, “Emily?”
“Who the hell are you?” she snapped.
“Do you remember me?”
“Are you one of Chevalier’s goons?”
“In a way, I guess.”
“Then go tell him he’s an asshole.”
Darren smiled slightly, “Actually… I wanted to apologize.”
Her eyes narrowed, “For what?”
“You once came to my coven, Thukil, and we thought you were going to turn us all to ash. You are a friend to Thukil, and I should have known better.”
She frowned slightly and studied his face.
“I never apologized for that. We still hold you in very high regards and consider you a great friend and a Commander.”
“The Cavalry does?” she asked, sounding unsure.
Kralen gasped and looked up at Darren.
“Yes, the Thukil Cavalry does,” Darren told her.
She sat down and looked at the floor as images replayed through her mind, “I was told to… to come and ash you.”
“Yes”
“I didn’t want to.”
“I know. I also know you took quite a punishment for that.”
“Oh my God!” Emily yelled, and stood up. She looked around the oubliette’s room, “Damnit.”
Darren smiled, “Are you Valle?”
“I sure as hell am not,” she said, and then hit her head lightly on the wall. “This has to stop.”
Chevalier appeared at her side, “It will.”
Emily turned to him and winced, “I’m sorry about the names.”
He smiled, “I know.”
“And the rhyme
.”
“What’s a tic-tac?”
“I’m sorry about that too. It’s far from the truth though, so don’t worry about it.”
“Tell me.”
Emily smiled up at the window, “It’s good to see you, Darren.”
He nodded and disappeared from the window.
“Let’s go,” Chevalier said, and picked her up. He kissed her softly and blurred her into the council chambers, where Captain Darren and Mark were waiting.
“Did you bring them?” she asked, smiling at Darren.
He nodded, “Yes, Commander.”
“I want to see them,” she said, and started for the door.
“Em?” Chevalier asked, taking his seat.
She cringed and turned toward him, “Yes?”
“What’s a tic-tac?”
“It’s a type of candy.”
“And why would you call me one?”
Darren and Mark both turned away to hide laughter.
Emily sighed, “I don’t want to say.”
“In private maybe?”
“Maybe”
He smiled, “You may go see your new horses.”
Emily quickly ran out of the council chambers, hoping not to be called in again. She wasn’t looking forward to explaining the nickname she used on Chevalier, so she planned on avoiding him at all costs. One bad habit she learned from fighting with Keith was that the best way to insult a man was to lie about size.
Some of the Cavalry had already gathered around the large horse trailer as Emily unlocked it and threw open the doors. Darren and Mark walked up behind her and looked in.
“Wow, they are gorgeous,” Emily said, and stepped inside among the four horses. “Are these ones ok with mortals?”
“Yes, we checked twice. They are fast as they come too,” Darren said. “Between your racing stallion and our racing mares, we’re going to re-outfit both Cavalries with racing horses by the end of next year.”
“I still get the fastest,” she said, and led one of the horses out of the trailer.
“Of course,” Mark said smiling.
“Emi?” Alec said from off to the side.
The Cavalry turned quickly toward him. After all this time, they still didn’t trust him and only kept from killing him because he was Emily’s uncle.
“Hi, Alec,” Emily said, handing the horse off to Silas. “What brings you into Council City?”
Alec scanned the heku around her and then lowered his voice, “Nathaniel died.”
Emily suddenly froze and was finding it hard to speak.
Banishment : Book 9 of the Heku Series Page 11