Banishment : Book 9 of the Heku Series

by T. M. Nielsen

  “Yes, I have more equipment there.”

  “Get Alex and Miri then.”

  Kyle disappeared to get Alexis and Miri in a separate car, and soon, the rest met up at the cars. Chevalier cradled Emily’s lifeless body in his arms as the heku driver took off for the airport where the Equites jet was waiting. He was anxious to talk to Miri and Alexis to get the entire story of what happened.

  Once in the jet, Chevalier laid Emily’s body down on the bed and then went to talk to the others.

  Alexis was sitting on one of the cushy chairs, and it was obvious she was still in pain, “Dad… I’m sorry.”

  Chevalier sat down and forced a smile, “We’ll talk about that later. Right now, I want to know what happened.”

  Alexis looked over at Miri, “I wasn’t there for the start of it.”

  Miri talked down to her hands and went over everything that happened from when she entered the room after Dain threatened to kill Chevalier. Alexis took over after Dain and Emily left the room and was able to give details up through when Emily told Dain she was tired of running.

  “She regretted what she did from the moment she did it, Elder,” Miri said softly. “We all did.”

  Alexis’ lip quivered and her eyes filled with tears, “I didn’t realize how dangerous Dain is. This is all my fault.”

  “I’m to blame also,” Miri whispered. “I knew better than to talk to the Council like that.”

  Chevalier took Alexis’ hand, “No one’s going to be punished for this. You already have been. Right now, we need to focus on getting your Mom better, and then finding Dain before he hurts someone else.”

  “What if she doesn’t wake up?” Alexis asked as a tear hit Chevalier’s hand.

  “I honestly think she can heal from this. It’s just going to take time.”

  “Mom kept saying she was tired of running. She said she’s run her entire life and isn’t going to do it anymore. She said how things have been so much better lately, and she was afraid she’d ruined it.”

  “I made mistakes also,” Chevalier said. “When she wakes up, it’ll be ok. You’ll see.”

  “How mad is Allen?” Miri asked Mark.

  Mark smiled slightly, “Pretty mad.”

  “Allen and Garrett are both extremely disappointed in you. Things will smooth over though,” Chevalier told them.

  Miri reached over and picked Asher up when he began to cry, and she cradled him gently. He laid his head on her shoulder and turned his black eyes to Chevalier.

  “It’s amazing how much he looks like Dain,” Chevalier said.

  Alexis smiled, “Yes, he does.”

  “Do you know where he’s gone?”

  “No, and after the fight, he’s not going to tell me.”

  Chevalier looked up at Miri, “I appreciate the loyalty you showed me.”

  She shrugged, “It’s the least I could do.”

  “As long as you two guarantee a full report to the Council, I can guarantee you won’t be punished.”

  “Of course, Elder.”

  Alexis nodded, “I’ll do it too.”

  “I’m going to go wait with your Mom, in case she wakes up,” Chevalier said, and then disappeared into the back of the plane.

  Chapter 11

  “Em?” Chevalier said softly. Her finger twitched a bit, and a soft groan escaped her lips, “You’re pretty injured, so lie still.”

  Dr. Edwards checked the monitors and nodded to Chevalier, “Things are looking good. She’s breathing well.”

  Chevalier nodded and took her hand, “Do you need anything?”

  “What… happened?” she asked through swollen lips.

  “Do you remember going to Denmark?”

  “No”

  “You went to Denmark, to the Equites Stronghold, and you fell.”

  When she didn’t say anything, Chevalier looked up at Dr. Edwards, “She’s asleep again. Sleeping is the best thing for her. I’ve noticed she heals faster.”

  “Dad?” Megara said from the doorway.

  Chevalier motioned her forward.

  “Dain’s on the phone again.”

  He sighed, “What did you tell him?”

  “Just what you told me to.”

  “Will he talk to me?”

  “No. He said he won’t talk to anyone but me.” Megara walked over and looked at her Mom, “Is she ok then?”

  “She’s alive.”

  “How long will she be injured?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve never seen her this bad before.”

  Megara turned tear filled eyes to her Dad, “Did Dain mean to hurt her?”

  “No, I don’t think he did.”

  “They were screaming at each other.”

  “I would imagine they were.”

  Megara pulled up a chair and took Chevalier’s hand, “It was scary down there.”

  “In the caves?”

  “Yes”

  He smiled, “If you go again, I’ll go with you.”

  “If Mom is so against running, why does she?”

  “That’s hard to explain. When your Mom feels cornered, she just has the instinct to run.”

  Megara thought for a moment, “She said something about running from Cade.”

  “That’s her cousin. He was mean to your Mom.”

  “He’s the one that dropped her down a hole.”

  “Cade did?” he asked, looking down at her.

  “Yes, he tied a rope to her ankles and dropped her down a hole.”

  “She told you that?”

  “Yes, and that bats would fly past her to get out.”

  “Damnit, Em,” Chevalier sighed, looking over as Emily slept.

  “She said she ran from Dean and Keith too.”

  He frowned slightly, “Who is Dean?”

  “I don’t know. That’s just what she said.”

  “If she remembers the caves, I’ll ask her who Dean is. If she doesn’t, I won’t bring it up.”

  “Dad?” Alexis said from the doorway. Chevalier turned and saw her carrying a suitcase in one hand and Asher in the other, “Can we stay in the palace for a while?”

  He frowned and then stood up and walked over to her, “What happened?”

  Alexis shrugged and wiped a tear from her eye.

  “Did Garrett ask you to leave?”

  “No”

  “Of course you can stay here.”

  Alexis looked over at Emily, “Is she awake?”

  “She was for a few seconds.”

  “I’ll go put my things in the room and be right back.”

  Chevalier watched her go and returned to his chair. It was only a few minutes later when Alexis returned and pulled a chair up, then gently took Emily’s hand.

  “Do you want to talk about it?” he asked her.

  “I usually talk to Mom.”

  Chevalier couldn’t help but smile, “She’s better at that stuff than I am, but I can give it a try.”

  Alexis thought about it and then looked at Chevalier, “He and I’ve just been fighting a lot this last two weeks.”

  “Not physical?”

  “No, just arguing.”

  “Not as a defense, but he’s a staunch Council follower, and you defied them.”

  “I know, but Dain is my brother.”

  “It’ll be ok, Alex. Let Garrett calm down, and he’ll see that it wasn’t as bad as he thought.”

  “Maybe”

  “It’s hard when your spouse does something like that.”

  Alexis laughed slightly, “You’d know.”

  He smiled, “Yes, I’m an expert in dealing with that.”

  “Allen and Miri are moving back to the island.”

  “I wondered if they would. He’s not forgiven Miri either and wants to get their lives back.”

  “Do heku get divorced?”

  “Yes, but I don’t think it’ll come down to that.”

  “I’m not so sure of that.”

  Asher looked up from Alexis' shoulder and
smiled at Chevalier.

  Alexis kissed his cheek softly and then looked over when Emily sighed, “Dain didn’t mean to hurt her.”

  “I know. He just has no control right now.”

  Megara interrupted, “He told me he’s in full control.”

  Chevalier nodded, “He thinks he is.”

  “What’ll happen to Dain now that he’s assaulted a member of the Council?” Megara asked.

  Alexis looked over at Chevalier when he spoke, “I’m not sure. I’m not sure he’ll get any worse than he was before.”

  “Which is what?”

  “He’s set to be banished for 400 years.”

  “Mom will allow that?” Alexis asked.

  “I haven’t asked her, actually.”

  “I think she saw the danger though.”

  “But will she remember it?”

  “Chev?” Emily whispered softly.

  Chevalier took her hand, “I’m here, Em.”

  “Did the Valle attack?”

  “No”

  “Who hurt me?”

  “You fell,” he told her, and then watched as she fell back asleep.

  “She doesn’t remember Denmark?” Alexis asked.

  “Not yet.”

  ***

  “Little lower,” Emily said, though her words were still slurred.

  Chevalier readjusted the small stick he had down the leg of her cast and moved it.

  “Oooh, that’s it.”

  He smiled, “You’re pretty itchy under there.”

  “I know. I don’t see as though a full body cast is really necessary.”

  “I do. You should have seen that x-ray,” Chevalier said, sitting down beside her. “Do you need anything else?”

  “Tell me again what happened.”

  “Why don’t you wait until you’re feeling better?”

  “Because I want to know.”

  “You fell from a height of about 100 feet.”

  “How did I fall?”

  “That will come later.”

  “Was I pushed?”

  “I think so.”

  “On purpose?”

  “No, I think it was an accident.”

  Emily thought, “But you weren’t there?”

  “I wasn’t there. You wouldn’t have fallen if I had been.”

  “Was it an enemy that pushed me?”

  “Please, Em, let’s talk about that later.”

  She looked around the room, though her head was in a halo, and she couldn’t move it, “This room is boring.”

  “Mark’s on his way up,” Chevalier said. He then stood and moved his chair when Mark and Horace came in.

  Emily frowned, “I don’t think this is a good idea.”

  “Trust me,” Mark said.

  “What if it falls?” Emily watched as Mark and Horace began to drill holes in the ceiling to put a TV mount.

  “Such faith.”

  “Well it’s right over my head, and I can’t lift my arms to block my face.”

  “It’s not going to fall,” Horace told her.

  She sneezed when sawdust fell from the roof onto her nose, and Chevalier laughed and brushed it off of her face. It was only a few minutes later that the TV was mounted to the ceiling above her, and Horace put a remote into her hand.

  “There you go, entertainment,” Mark said, looking up at his handy work.

  “This’ll be great… until it falls,” Emily joked.

  “Don’t worry about it. If that thing falls onto you, I’ll be a Valle before the Elder even realizes it,” Horace said, laughing.

  “Why a Valle?”

  “I don’t know. I picked one at random.”

  “I wouldn’t join the Valle,” Emily told him.

  Chevalier cleared his throat and Horace bowed, “Sorry, Elder.”

  “We gave it a go!” Alexis said, coming in with a pan of brownies, followed by Megara.

  “Oh those smell good.”

  “Ew,” Mark said, covering his nose.

  Alexis put the pan down on the table, and Megara started to cut a piece.

  “How are you going to eat this?” Megara asked, holding up a slice.

  “Without an audience?” Emily answered.

  Chevalier grinned and asked the Cavalry to leave, though he heard them stop outside of her door and take up a post.

  “Ok, let’s try it,” Alexis said, taking the brownie from her little sister. She tore off a small piece and easily slipped it into Emily’s mouth.

  “That is so good,” Emily said, taking another piece from Alexis.

  “Well, I admit we had to call Gordon.”

  “He does have good brownies.”

  “I think he misses cooking for you. He offered to drive over and make them himself.”

  “We should let him. The new chef is bland,” Emily said, taking another bite.

  “He is?” Chevalier asked her.

  “Yes, no reason to banish him.”

  “I don’t banish everyone, Em.”

  “Coulda fooled me.” Emily took another bite and then shook her head when offered more.

  “It’s time for medicine,” Dr. Edwards said as he came in and looked over her I.V.

  “Is that why you put me in a full body cast? To keep my I.V. in?”

  He smiled, “No, but had I thought of it…”

  “Ha-ha”

  Dr. Edwards put an injection into her I.V. and then bowed to Chevalier and left.

  “Why won’t you tell me why I was in Denmark?” Emily asked Chevalier.

  “Because I’ve told you several times, and you keep forgetting.”

  “No you haven’t.”

  He grinned, “I have.”

  “Did Dain call today?”

  “No”

  “I’m worried about him. He usually calls every day.” Her words were more slurred, so Chevalier took the opportunity to wait a few minutes until she fell asleep.

  “What are you going to tell her?” Alexis asked, sitting down beside him.

  “About Dain?”

  “About the entire trip.”

  “I haven’t decided. If she was as upset as you both say because of running, maybe I don’t need to remind her of that.”

  “Then how will you explain being in Denmark?”

  “As I said, I haven’t decided.”

  Megara sat down on the side of the bed, “Dain really wants to talk to Mom.”

  “I would imagine he does.”

  “I bet if you don’t tell Mom, he will.”

  Chevalier nodded, “I’ve considered that.”

  “It’d be better coming from you,” Alexis told him. “There’s no other way to explain her fall, Dain’s absence, why Allen and Miri moved back to the island, or why I’m living in the palace again.”

  “She’ll blame herself for all of that.”

  Megara shrugged, “It is kinda her fault.”

  “No it’s not,” Alexis said. “Miri and I weren’t forced to go… well… Miri kind of was. Mom threatened to ash her if she didn’t go with us.”

  “She did?” Chevalier asked, shocked.

  “Yeah, she did.”

  “Ash her and hide it,” Megara added.

  Chevalier looked over at Emily, “Why would she do that?”

  “Because Miri was trying to talk her into facing the Council and just taking whatever punishment came our way. Mom told her she didn’t have a choice.”

  “I don’t understand how there’s still part of this trip I don’t know about,” Chevalier said, irritated. “I keep finding things out about your Mom’s past, even after 40 years of living with her. I keep hearing about things that happened in those damned caves…”

  Alexis smiled, “You know Mom well enough to know she has secrets.”

  “Well, she shouldn’t.”

  “You’re still mad about Dean?” Megara asked.

  “Not mad, more irritated that I don’t even know who he is.”

  “I don’t see the big deal,” Alexis said. �
��So Mom didn’t tell you that her cousin used to hang her down a hole, and that’s why she’s afraid of bats.”

  “It’s just something I should know. I keep trying to get rid of irrational fears only to find out she has a reason for them.”

  “Like ghosts?”

  “No, not like ghosts. There are bats, shots, mice, and doctors… there are no ghosts.”

  “Mom sees Exavior still.”

  He sighed, “She does?”

  “Yes, every time she sleeps in that house. So now when she goes there she sleeps with the lights on.”

  “You could just humor her,” Megara said.

  “I’m not going to play into that fear. I’ll give her fear of those other things because they are valid, but there’s no validity to the claim there are ghosts,” Chevalier told her.

  “Then how is she seeing Exavior?”

  “I don’t know… my guess is a dream.”

  Alexis stood up when she heard Asher start to fuss, “I’m taking him out to the park.”

  “The one here in the city?” Chevalier asked.

  “No, a real park with real children and Moms.”

  “Take guards.”

  She frowned, “I can’t be a regular Mom with guards.”

  “Alex…”

  “Fine, one guard,” she said, and then left the room.

  Megara watched her leave and then turned to Chevalier, “We need to rename that baby.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “Asher… doesn’t that seem a bit ironic.”

  He chuckled, “Yeah, it kind of does.”

  “I better go. I have a Chemistry final, and I need to try to extract uranium from Ore.”

  Chevalier watched her go and then turned to watch Emily sleep. He couldn’t help it, and now that he was alone, he wondered what she was dreaming. He always loved to delve into her dreams and marveled at what her mind could come up with when unhindered by logic or rationale.

  “Why can’t I move?” Emily screamed. She was sitting in the kitchen in her Montana ranch, with Keith leaned up against the counter, watching her.

  “Because I’m tired of you running off.”

  “Let me go.” She struggled against duct tape binds that held her firmly to the chair.

  “No, I’m tired of you running off! I know where you go, and I’m not going to have you sleeping with every guy in the county.”

  Chevalier sighed. He hated when Keith invaded her dreams.