“I was going to do it, too.”
Alexis sighed, “I know.”
“I didn’t remember that.”
“Do you know it all now?”
“I’m not sure. I do remember that I was going to have to stop him.”
“If there was another way…”
“I know,” Emily said as tears streamed down her face. “I’m sorry I doubted you. I just…”
“I know, Mom. It’s ok.”
“He’s my baby.”
“Yes, he is.”
Emily couldn’t speak. It felt good to talk to Alexis again, but she felt helpless and lost with Dain still suffering.
“Why don’t you come out to the Island for a bit?” Alexis asked. “I’m looking at a house tomorrow, and you can come with me.”
“You’re moving?”
“I’m thinking about moving out to the Island, yes.”
“Why?”
“It’s hard with Garrett still patrolling the streets.”
“Leaving though? I can just get rid of Garrett.”
“It’s ok, Mom. I like it here, and Garrett, though an idiot, doesn’t deserve to be ashed and hidden.”
“I’d do it.”
“I have no doubt. Come out here and see us,” Alexis said.
“I guess I could.”
“We have a year to catch up on, and I know Allen won’t believe me that you’re ok with us now.”
“That sounds awful,” Emily told her.
Alexis laughed, “Not what I meant. Just come out.”
“Well, Kralen’s here. I guess he could fly me.”
“It’ll be fun! I’ll let Gordon know. He’s been trying to feed me for two days, so it’ll give him someone to take care of.”
“Sure, let me tell Chev, and then we’ll head over.”
“Great!”
Emily hung up and then packed a quick bag. She wasn’t at all surprised that Kralen was already gone to get the helicopter ready when she emerged. Silas and Gifford were waiting for her outside of her door.
“We notified the Elder,” Silas said, smiling.
She glanced at him, “Some privacy once in a while would be nice.”
“We can pretend we don’t hear.”
“Why don’t you just not listen?”
“Can’t help it. Sorry,” he said, still smiling.
“Let’s just get this over with. I hate that helicopter.”
“We could drive it, Ma’am,” Gifford suggested.
“I don’t really want to drive all night either. Where’s Kralen meeting us?”
“At the regional airport in the city.”
She nodded and then followed them out to the Jeep. She was anxious to get to the Island and try to get some sleep, if at all possible. She wished Megara was coming with but knew she was occupied with her studies, just as the other kids had been at her age.
They arrived as the sun was coming up. Storm and several Island Coven guards were standing on the helipad waiting for them.
Once the helicopter was powered down, Silas helped Emily out of the helicopter, and she walked up to Storm.
“You didn’t have to come out just because I’m coming,” she said, smiling at the guard beside her.
Storm bowed slightly, “Of course we do. Gordon has your breakfast waiting, and your children are in the dining room.”
“Ok, thanks.” They all followed her down. She felt a bit like they were watching her too closely but decided not to say anything. She was sure that Chevalier was nervous about her talking to the kids and would be there if he wasn’t needed in Council City.
“Mom,” Allen said, standing when he saw her.
Alexis smiled, “Great to see you.”
She smiled but could still feel the tension in the air. Gordon brought in a plate and set it down before bowing and leaving.
Emily sat down and then picked up her coffee while the heku left and her kids sat down.
“Alexis said… things are ok?” Allen asked hesitantly.
“Well, it’s complicated,” Emily said. “I remember now that I was going to ash him myself to stop him.”
“But?”
“But 800 years? That’s a bit severe, don’t you think?”
“We didn’t give him 800 years,” Alexis told her. “We also thought that was too long, but the Valle set it.”
“That’s just…” Emily stopped talking when she started to get choked up, “That’s just a really long time to suffer.”
“I know.”
“I guess I’ll go talk to the Valle to see if they can lessen it.”
“That sounds like a good idea.”
Emily finally smiled, “I’ve really missed you two.”
“We’ve missed you too,” Allen said, finally relaxing. “Island Coven isn’t the same without your impromptu visits.”
“Why’s that?”
“You keep them on their toes. Dad comes so rarely that they all just worry about you showing up and seeing disobedience.”
“Why worry about me? I don’t really care what they do.”
Alexis laughed, “Yes you do! If you saw a heku in Dad’s guards messing around, you’d have their ash in a second.”
Emily shrugged, “Well…”
“You feel partially responsible for the well-being of this coven. Admit it.”
“I guess partially.”
Alexis couldn’t hold back and reached over to hug her Mom, “Thank you for coming.”
Emily held her daughter. It felt good to be near her kids again, and it somewhat lessened the pain of losing Dain. The hole in her heart had grown smaller since even walking into the room.
“We’re ok then?” Alexis asked through tears.
Emily nodded, “Yes, we’re ok.”
“And you and Dad?”
“Why would we be on the outs?”
“Just checking.”
Allen smiled and sat back in his chair.
~The End~
Chapter 14 : Epilogue
… 200 years later
The two figures could barely be seen walking along the sparkling white beach under the full moon. The dark waves crashed against the sand as they walked hand-in-hand.
Out of nowhere, a Border collie ran out of the dark and flew past them, nipping at the incoming tide.
“We should just move out here,” she said, smiling up at him.
He nodded, “That’d be fun to explain.”
“You can punish the innocent by teleconference.”
“I don’t…”
When she laughed, he couldn’t help but grin.
“It’s been so long since we were alone,” she said, watching as the dog submerged in the water to fetch something floating in the ocean.
“I know. It’s been too long.”
“I wish the kids were here.”
“That would negate the being alone part.”
“True”
“I know you miss them,” he said, tightening his hand.
She nodded.
“Why don’t you visit them when we get back?”
“I guess I could. I know that Island Coven isn’t far, but they have lives now and don’t want their old Mom hanging around.”
“Allen and Miri were asking about you the last time I went over.”
“I know.”
“Alexis and Niccolo just finished building the expansion on the barn, and Island Coven now has almost 15 horses.”
“I wouldn’t mind seeing that. Megara and I have been so busy with the Cavalry, I haven’t had time to do much else.”
“Well with 300 mounted guards, that’s a lot of horses to care for. However, from what I’ve heard, Megara can do it alone for a while if you leave. She can even get that husband of hers to help.”
She smiled, “Stop calling him that husband of hers. Just because he doesn’t want to be a guard, doesn’t mean he’s a bad heku.”
“Yes, it does. It’s not natural.”
“He loves her.”
/> This time it was he that nodded.
“Besides, it’s Asher I want back in Council City.”
“He loves being on the Thukil Cavalry.”
“I still can’t believe you all turned him.”
He stopped walking and looked down at her, “It’s been almost 150 years since he asked us… you’re still holding a grudge?”
“I don’t like the turning thing!”
“If Asher hadn’t decided to turn, then he’d be dead by now.”
“I guess,” she said, and pulled him forward to walk again.
They walked in silence for a while before he broke the silence, “It’s too quiet here.”
“I prefer quiet, remember?”
“True”
He sighed, “Come on...”
“What?”
“What was the Ancients Room for? And that forearm torture!? It’s been 200 years.”
She simply smiled.
Books in the Heku Series
Heku
Valle
Encala
Equites
Proditor
Ferus
Eternity of Vengeance
Ancients and Old Ones
Banishment
Other books by T.M. Nielsen
Dimensions Saga
Dimension Shifter
Paragoy Dimension
Shadowmere
Banishment : Book 9 of the Heku Series Page 35