She shrugged, “When I was a kid, Dad and Sam used to take me out on the dry farm, and we’d roast marshmallows.”
“Sounds like fun.”
“Not really. It was their way of coping with a death. They wouldn’t just tell me that my Mom’s horse died, or that the dog died, they’d take me to a campfire and would tell me there.”
Andrew nodded, “Everyone has different ways of mourning.”
“Not sure it was their way of mourning as much as trying to soften the blow.”
“It would be hard for two grown men to raise a little girl on their own.”
“One grown man and one spying familiar.”
“That too.”
“Over the next 20 years is going to be the hardest time for you as an immortal,” Andrew told her.
“Why’s that?”
“Everyone you’ve ever known will be gone. You’ll suddenly realize that any relationship, other than with a heku, is too short.”
She nodded and watched the fire, “Sometimes relationships with heku are also too short.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Devia was only 15-years-old. That’s too short.”
“Someday, you’ll see that even though short, they are still worth it.”
“It’s not worth it,” Emily said.
“It is though.”
“Does it get easier?”
“Yes, it does.”
“Have you ever loved a mortal?”
“No”
“Is it because of how short you’d have with her?”
“Partly,” Andrew said. He looked over toward the trees, and when Emily did the same, William came out of them and sat down beside her.
“We’re sorry about the dog,” William told her.
“News travels fast, eh?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“But you didn’t have time to drive over from Encala City, so you were close,” Emily said.
William turned to the fire, “Yes.”
“Why?”
“We want to help you with Dain.”
“I know, and I asked him, but he doesn’t want to remain in an Encala prison.”
“No one does, but the other option is banishment.”
“Why don’t you help me lead the way to a banishment free species?” Emily asked, looking over at William.
William smiled and shrugged, “We can’t get rid of it. Most don’t deserve death.”
“So I’ve heard,” she said. “I just hate it.”
“I know.”
“Didn’t take the Encala long to get a spy in the palace.”
William chuckled, “Not really. They never left.”
She gasped, “Wait! So when you were almost wiped out, they stayed at their post?”
“Yes”
“What would they have done if you had been completely wiped out?”
“Become an Equites I would imagine.”
“That’s just wrong.”
Andrew watched her for a few minutes and then frowned slightly, “What’s up with you and the old Ancient’s room in the Equites palace?”
She almost choked but managed to catch her breath after coughing. Once breathing, she looked at Andrew, “What?”
“You heard me.”
“Well… I was being poisoned and was having hallucinations and paranoia.”
“What were your hallucinations about?”
“I’m not going to tell you that.”
“How long ago was it?”
“I don’t really remember. Before Dain was here though. Had to have been around the time I started the ultimatum.”
“Had to have been one heck of a hallucination.”
“It was,” Emily assured him.
“So tell us,” William said.
“No!”
“Why not? Were we in on it?”
“I don’t remember.”
Andrew grinned, “Yeah ya do.”
“Fine, William was in on it.”
“What’d I do?” William asked.
“I’m not going to tell you, so drop it.”
“Was it for feeding?” Andrew asked.
“Stop interrogating me.”
“I just want to know.”
“You and every Equites I know,” Emily said.
“You’re so stubborn.”
“Runs in the species.”
“So you admit to being partially heku?”
“I never denied it.”
“You always called yourself mortal or human though.”
“I am.”
“But you just said…”
“Don’t be so literal. I’m both.”
William sat back with a broad grin and watched the fire.
***
Emily stood before the Council and waited for an answer. The horses that she and Thukil were breeding couldn’t keep up with the aging horses the Cavalry was using.
“Let’s send Palace Guards with her then,” Kyle suggested.
Emily’s nose wrinkled, “I don’t know them.”
“The Cavalry is busy though. They won’t be back until late tonight.”
“I’m going to a horse ranch not two hours from here. I’ll be ok on my own.”
Chevalier sighed, “I’m thinking.”
“Do you know any City Guards?”
“No”
“We could send Derrick,” the Chief of Defense suggested.
Emily couldn’t help but smile, “Then who’d kill the prisoners for the Council.”
“Em…” Kyle whispered.
“Oh I’m kidding, lighten up.”
“We might lighten up if you’d tell us why you were found having a bonfire with the Encala.”
“I already told you. I was chatting. No faction stuff, nothing serious, they just showed up.”
“You didn’t invite them?” the Chief of Finance asked.
“No”
“Seems hard to believe.”
“She’s telling the truth,” the Chief Interrogator said to him. “She didn’t invite them.”
“Chev?” Emily asked, fidgeting slightly. She hated when the Council started to argue, and she was anxious to go pick up the horses.
He studied her and then nodded, “Hurry back.”
“Yes!” she yelled, and then ran out of the room. She was almost afraid he’d change his mind and send her with strange City Guards.
As quickly as she could, she backed her truck up to the stables and began hooking up the trailer. She hoped to get five more horses and have them home before nightfall. Chevalier had relaxed a lot on her protection, but she knew that ended when the sun went down.
The trip there was uneventful, and within two hours, Emily was pulling up at the large horse ranch. The woman running the ranch came out to greet her.
“Good evening,” Emily said, reaching out her hand.
The woman smiled and shook her hand, “To you too. Would you like to come in for coffee or just go see the horses?”
“I would love some coffee, but I swore I’d be back by nightfall.”
“Great, let’s go. There are eight Arabians and ten Pintos to choose from. All are broken and pack trained.”
“Sounds good. Oh wow,” Emily said, looking around the massive stables. She loved the rustic look and the strong smell of hay.
As they walked toward the Arabians, Emily spun suddenly when she felt something nibble at her hair. She smiled at the small gray donkey that was picking at her braid.
“Stupid jenny,” the woman said, and shook her head.
“She’s cute.”
“She’s not very bright.”
Emily chuckled and then started back down the aisle. She turned when she heard footsteps and saw that the donkey was following her.
“Get!” the woman said, and tried to scoot the donkey away.
“She’s ok,” Emily said, and turned to the first Arabian. Within an hour, and with the jenny following, Emily picked out the five largest horses and loaded them into the bac
k of the trailer.
“You must have huge riders,” the woman said as Emily locked the trailer door.
“You have no idea.”
“If you need any more, let me know.”
“I will. It’s good to have a close source. We keep expanding.”
“Sorry about your belt.”
Emily reached back and pulled her leather belt out of the donkey’s mouth again and laughed, “She’s quite interested in it.”
***
“I guess, all things considered, it went well,” Mark said, heading up to his bedroom. “Make sure Emily’s covered and give the rest of them some leave. I’ve already told General Manning to cover our posts for the next week.”
Silas nodded, “It’ll be nice to have a break. I don’t mind going off to fight, but babysitting covens isn’t my thing.”
“What’s that smell?” Kralen asked, covering his nose.
Mark looked up and down the hallway in front of his bedroom and shrugged, “Smells kind of like a horse.”
“I’ll see you in the morning then,” Silas said, bowing slightly. He and Kralen walked off toward their rooms as Mark opened his door and gasped. Silas and Kralen both turned when they heard a loud bray echo through the halls of the palace.
Mark stepped in, eyes wide, as the donkey looked over at him with a mouth full of a black Cavalry issued shirt.
“Erm.” Was all Kralen could think of to say.
Silas chuckled, “Guess she’s back.”
“Emily!” Mark yelled, and then started pulling his shirt out of the donkey’s mouth.
Chevalier looked over at Emily as she sat beside him in the council chambers. She was watching the trial door and slowly standing up.
“What did you do?” Kyle asked her.
“Um… would you excuse me, please?” Emily whispered, and then ducked down and crawled under the desk.
Chevalier moved his chair back to see her, “What did you do to Mark?”
She held her finger to her lips and then winced when Derrick stepped in, “The General would like a moment.”
Zohn chuckled, “Let him in.”
Chevalier returned his chair and sat looking forward, pretending he didn’t have his wife cowering at his feet.
Mark came in with a torn shirt gripped in his hand. Silas and Kralen were behind him, laughing.
“Can we help you?” Quinn asked.
Mark grinned evilly, “I know she’s in here.”
“Who might you be referring to?” Kyle asked.
Derrick opened the door to let the waddling Bulldog into the trial area. The heku watched as he ran across the room and up to the Council stand. Mark followed him as he ran up to Emily and wagged his tail hard enough his entire hind-end was moving.
“Come out,” Mark said, shaking his head.
Chevalier backed his chair out so she could stand, but Emily didn’t move. She was in a tight ball with her face buried. The dog reached over and licked her arm, leaving a dripping trail of saliva.
“Out,” Mark said again.
“Shhhh,” Emily whispered. “I’m busy.”
“What exactly is the problem?” Chevalier asked.
“Em, out now!”
“There’s a donkey in Mark’s room,” Silas said, still laughing.
“You got a donkey?” Zohn asked her, though she hadn’t moved.
“I wondered what that smell was,” the Chief Interrogator said, going back to his paperwork.
“Permission, Elder?” Mark said, still watching her.
Chevalier shrugged, “Have at her.”
Mark reached under the desk, and with a hand on each side of her waist, picked her up and carried her down the stairs.
Emily looked over at Chevalier and was laughing, “Help?”
He shook his head.
“I call for diplomatic immunity.”
He shook his head again and grinned just as Mark carried her out of the room.
Kyle turned to Chevalier, “This is great! She hasn’t played a prank since she died.”
Chevalier nodded, “I know. It's good to have her back.”
“Mark! No!” Emily screamed when she realized what he was doing. With the recent rains, the lower corral was a mess of muddy manure, and he was heading right for it.
“A mule, Em? Really?” Kralen asked, following them.
“It’s a donkey.”
“Does that really matter?”
“Mark!” she screamed again when he dumped her into the deepest bed of mud. She sank down and got even more on her when she tried to get up. The mixture of manure and horse urine formed a sticky goo that made it almost impossible to get traction, so she ended up falling forward and soaking her front.
Mark just watched her with his arms crossed, “When will you learn?”
“This is disgusting!”
“He ate my shirt.”
“He’s a she…”
“Ok, so she ate my shirt.”
“Gifford!” Emily yelled, knowing he’d come to her aid. He and Captain Darren were doing all they could to try to get back in her good graces.
Silas and Kralen turned when the Thukil blurred up and frowned. He immediately went to help Emily out of the muck.
“Leave her,” Mark said, grinning when Emily looked up at him.
Emily finally just sat down in the slime and looked up at Gifford, “I’m on the Council, help me up.”
“What are you going to do with it?” Kralen asked, watching her.
“It… is an ass… so it went into Mark’s room,” Emily replied, and then started to laugh.
Mark had to stifle a grin, “Not funny.”
Emily looked up when the rest of the Cavalry suddenly blurred into the corral, “What are you doing?”
Silas smiled, “We’re going to teach you a lesson.”
Emily again struggled to stand up and managed an unstable stance with her feet sunk deep into the gooey mud, “No.”
“Yes”
She smiled and then almost fell again but caught herself by grabbing a member of the Cavalry, thereby covering his arm in manure. He wrinkled his nose and stepped back.
“What are we going to do with an ass?” Gifford asked her.
“Don’t talk about your General like that,” she replied, and then started to laugh again, hard enough she slipped back and fell into the mud.
“Just aren’t going to learn, are you?” Mark said, trying not to laugh.
Emily finally regained control and then nodded, “Yes, I learned my lesson, oh’wisest of vampires.”
His eyes narrowed, “Try that again.”
She slowly gathered a handful of the gelatinous mess and then quickly hurled it toward Mark. The three heku standing in its way stepped aside and Mark shook his head, still grinning.
“That’s it…,” she mumbled, and then crawled over to the fence. The Cavalry all watched, unhelping, and started a round of applause when she finally made it steadily to her feet.
“Now go get it out of my room,” Mark told her.
“Nope, she’s yours to deal with now,” Emily said, and then headed inside to change. Servants fell in behind her and cleaned up any goo she left on the pristinely clean floors of the palace. Derrick started to call her into the council chambers but stopped and shook his head as she passed.
As soon as she was up the stairs, Derrick walked into the trial area, “Trust me. Wait a few minutes before calling her in.”
“What happened? And what’s that smell?” Quinn asked.
“That’d be Lady Emily.”
“Oh, well… then yes, call her in when she’s cleaned off.”
It was less than an hour later when the Council was told Emily was on her way in. What they didn’t expect is that when she entered, she was being followed by the donkey, which picked at her hair and belt when she stopped before the Council.
“Yes?” she asked them.
Chevalier smiled, “Care to explain?”
Emily didn’t even turn aro
und, “Not really.”
“Will it be living in the palace?”
“Why would a donkey live in the palace?”
Quinn chuckled, “We’re not even sure why one is currently here.”
Emily smiled, “She’s cute.”
“She’s eating your belt.”
“Again… she’s already finished one.”
“I see,” he said, sitting back.
“Can I go?” Emily asked as she unsuccessfully tried to divert the jenny’s attention to a spot on the floor.
“What are you going to do with it?” Chevalier asked.
She shrugged, “I don’t know.”
“You will keep it in the stables then?”
“Of course.”
“Just making sure.”
Kyle was watching the donkey, “Were you going to make mules?”
“That’s pretty hard to do with a female donkey. Horses don’t really like them. If I wanted to, I’d get a male donkey. Apparently they aren’t as picky as a male horse.”
“Apparently… is that your plan?”
“Nope, just the one is good.”
“What’s in her mouth?” the Chief Interrogator asked as the donkey began to gag slightly.
Emily looked at her, “Part of Mark’s shirt, probably.”
“She bit Mark?”
“No, she was in his room eating his shirts.”
“That explains a lot,” Kyle said.
Emily sighed and looked at the Council, “So why am I in here again?”
“Oh, right,” Chevalier said. “The Encala Council has requested permission to video conference you tonight.”
“Did they say why?” She frowned slightly and tensed.
“They refused. I would imagine it’s to just make sure you’re ok.”
“Was it Andrew?”
“It was he and William who contacted us.”
“Then tell them no.”
Chevalier nodded and watched Emily walk out of the council chambers, followed by the donkey, who seemed uninterested in anything but Emily’s belt.
Chapter 10
Emily walked toward the stables, followed by three Coven Lords and most of the Council.
“Emily helps with the horse care part of Cavalry training,” Zohn explained. “She also does the more in depth horse care, such as shoeing and vaccinations.”
“So you keep a horse also?” the closest one asked her.
Banishment : Book 9 of the Heku Series Page 24