Chapter 23 - Apart

“I have to, I’m sorry,” Chevalier said from the chair.

“Why can’t Zohn go?” Emily asked, confused.

“When it’s a high ranking Coven Leader, it falls to the Elders.”

“So send Quinn.”

Chevalier smiled, “I’ll be back in a couple of weeks. Kyle’s here, he’ll watch the Council around you.”

Emily sighed, “Great, 4 weeks to go.”

Chevalier nodded, “I know, I’m counting.”

Chevalier studied her as she looked into the empty fireplace. She was still losing weight, and the bones in her wrist and neck stood out against her pale skin. The puncture wounds she wouldn’t explain were gone, but the dark circles under her eyes were deeper.

“Em, you would tell me if you were sick, right?” Chevalier asked.

“I’m not sick.”

“But if you were, would you tell me?”

Emily shrugged, “Probably”

“It’d make me feel better if the doctor came to look at you before I leave.”

“No”

“When’s the last time you ate?”

“I had coffee for lunch,” Emily said.

“I mean food.”

“I’m just not hungry.”

“Which is why I want the doctor to come up. It’s not healthy.”

“There’s nothing wrong with me,” Emily said. Chevalier looked at her again, and she looked fragile enough to break if a small breeze came up.

“If you aren’t feeling better when I get back, I’ll have him come up,” Chevalier told her.

“Quinn is still planning something against me,” Emily said, and turned her head to Chevalier.

Chevalier sighed, “I really don’t think he is.”

“I saw him, Chev. He was talking to someone in the shadows about me.”

“I asked him about that. He wasn’t even in the palace during that time,” Chevalier said.

“Sure, believe him.” Emily turned back to the fireplace.

Chevalier kissed her softly and frowned at how hot and dry her skin felt, “I’ll be back in a week. Please, tell Kyle if you start to feel sick.”

Emily nodded and went back to staring at the darkened stones in the fireplace.

Chevalier stepped out of her room where Kyle was waiting, “Did she agree to see the doctor?”

“No, but I’m sure she’s lost even more weight, her skin is hot too. She has to be sick,” Chevalier said, glancing back at the door. “She still thinks Quinn is after her.”

“I’ll watch her, if she gets any worse then I’ll control her and she’ll see the doctor,” Kyle sighed.

Chevalier grimaced, “Not unless it’s an emergency though. I hate to take her free will away.”

“I won’t, I promise,” Kyle said, and watched as the Elder walked down the stairs.

Kyle went into the bedroom and sat down by Emily, “Want to go riding?”

“No,” Emily said, watching the empty fireplace.

“You’re making us all nervous, you know that?”

“How’s that?”

“You just sit in here all day. You don’t sleep, you don’t eat, you don’t want to do anything you used to do,” Kyle said bluntly.

“I’m just tired is all.”

“What can I get you for dinner?”

“Coffee”

“I mean food,” Kyle said, frowning.

“I don’t feel like eating.”

“Fine then, a nice calming tea at least, no more caffeine. It’s no wonder you aren’t sleeping.”

Emily shrugged, “Sure.”

Kyle poured her a cup of tea from the pot a servant brought up. She stirred in a tiny bit of sugar and sipped it slowly.

“Can I ask you a question?” Emily asked.

Kyle smiled, “Sure, ask away.”

“Why are heku so big? I mean… I don’t think I’ve seen a short heku, other than maybe Lord Thukil.”

Kyle laughed, “Em, you’ve been with us for 10 years and you don’t know?”

“I guess I never thought to ask.”

“It’s part of the process. Once the mortal become immortal, they tend to grow taller and more muscular. It happens all within a few hours,” Kyle explained.

Emily frowned, “You’re joking.”

“Nope”

“So what happened to Lord Thukil?” She hoped she wasn’t being too nosey.

“There are rare occasions where no growth occurs, no one really knows why.”

“Hmm,” Emily said, and sipped more tea.

“Anything else?” Kyle asked. She seemed like she was hesitating.

“Yeah I guess. Why is there like… 100 times more men heku than women?”

“Some of that is the militaristic lifestyle, it appeals more to men generally. Then there’s the growing process for them too, and it turns a lot of women off of the idea,” Kyle explained, and watched Emily closely.

Emily frowned, “The women grow too?”

“Not as much, but yes, and most women don’t want to have that happen.”

“Why did the Council choose you for Chief Enforcer?” Emily asked.

Kyle frowned, “What do you mean?”

“Chevalier and Damon, and even Vaughn, they were hot tempered, mean, and tough as nails. I assume all Chief Enforcers are,” Emily explained.

Kyle gave her a half-grin, “I’m not sure I like what you’re implying.”

“You’re even tempered and sweet. It just seems to me like the opposite of what a Chief Enforcer would be.”

“So you don’t think I can be good at my job?”

“I didn’t say that,” Emily told him.

Kyle laughed, “But you thought it. Believe it or not, I have a bit of a temper.”

“You do not.”

“Yes, I do, but I have very good control over it. Besides, I killed Damon easy enough.”

Emily smiled, “I didn’t mean to offend you.”

“So my turn,” Kyle said, and turned to face her.

“Ok”

“Where are you running off to in 4 weeks?”

Emily chuckled, “Like I can tell you that.”

“You can, as Chief Enforcer, no matter how wimpy, I can’t be questioned,” Kyle said, grinning.

“I didn’t call you wimpy.”

“So where are you going?”

Emily just stared into the fireplace.

“In general… you don’t even have to tell me a state,” Kyle said, watching her. He was uncomfortable with the way she held perfectly still and watched the dead fireplace. Emily was hyper and high-strung, and it was extremely uncharacteristic behavior for her to sit for long periods of time.

“Exavior bought me a place,” Emily said finally.

Kyle raised his eyebrow, “He did?”

Emily nodded, “He said that Chevalier was going to cross the line someday, and that I would need a safe place to go.”

“You do realize the entire Valle faction could know where that place is,” Kyle said.

Emily smiled slightly. Exavior had never actually given her a place, but she knew of one of his houses out in the middle of Louisiana that she planned on taking over now that he wouldn’t be using it. If the heku looked closely at their Valle Coven book, they would find one page missing.

“Do you still love Chevalier?” Kyle asked suddenly, afraid if he waited any longer he would lose the nerve.

Emily sighed, “I wish I knew.”

“He still loves you.”

“I know.”

“So do I,” he whispered.

“I know that, too.”

“The offer still stands, you know,” Kyle said, wondering if she remembered when he once offered to take her away.

Emily nodded, “I won’t do it though.”

“Why not? It was a good offer.”

“Because, for my short life, you would be happy. Then, when I die, you would be alone and factionless. You belong here in the palace, you even out the Council.”

“Even it out?”

“Yes, you are the steady rod in an electric environment.”

Kyle leaned his head back and laughed, “You think way too highly of my control.”

Emily finished her tea and leaned her head back, “I’m so tired.”

“Come on, I’ll carry you to bed,” Kyle said, grinning. He was shocked when she didn’t argue, so he lifted her up carefully, reveling at the feel of her head pressed against his neck. As he laid her down, he caught an odd scent and frowned.

Kyle picked up her wrist and ran his nose along the soft flesh.

“Are you smelling me again or are you about to bite?” Emily asked.

“Smelling you again, there’s an odd scent.”

“Stop smelling me, it’s creepy,” Emily said, and rolled onto her side.

Kyle grinned, “But I like to.”

“Creepy,” she whispered.

Kyle watched until she was asleep and then turned off the lights and stepped out of the room, shutting the door quietly. He slipped into his room and quickly fell into a meditative trance.

“Kyle… Kyle wake up,” Emily said frantically.

Kyle looked at her and frowned, “What’s wrong?”

Emily was looking at the door, “Hurry, come here.”

Kyle jumped up when Emily took off running out of his room in a nightgown, “Em, at least get dressed.”

Emily took the stairs two at a time down to the game room and then disappeared inside. Kyle followed her and she shut the door behind him. He flipped on the lights, but she immediately turned them off and took his hand. She led him to the mirror and with a small turn, they were both thrown into the old bar.

“What’s this all about?” Kyle asked, uneasy at how fearful she looked.

“Damon’s alive,” Emily said, panting.

Kyle relaxed some, “No he’s not. I personally banished him.”

“He’s alive, and last night he was talking to Quinn about me.”

“Emily, I banished him, he’s not alive,” Kyle said, touching her arm. He slipped off his cape and wrapped it around her shoulders.

“You have to believe me. I got up last night to get something to drink, and saw Quinn in the hallway, talking into the shadows. I watched and saw Damon step out. They are going to build a house, here in Council City, and I’ll be locked inside, forever,” Emily explained.

“Neither Chevalier nor I would let that happen. Quinn’s not after you, and Damon’s not alive.”

Emily frowned at him, “You don’t believe me?”

“It’s impossible,” Kyle said. “Now, you can’t go around accusing an Elder of something like that.”

“I’m not accusing, it’s true,” Emily said, and angrily returned to the game room, followed shortly by Kyle.

“Come on, talk to me,” Kyle said, and followed her out of the room.

Emily threw the cape back at him and headed up the stairs.

“Good morning,” Quinn said, smiling from the fifth-floor landing.

Emily gasped and looked up at him as her eyes narrowed, “I know your little secret, and it’s not going to happen.”

Quinn frowned, “Excuse me?”

“Don’t think for one second I wouldn’t ash you,” Emily said, and ran past him into the room.

Kyle sighed, “Elder…”

“What was that? I don’t have to stand for threats,” Quinn said angrily.

“Come to your office please. She can’t see us talking,” Kyle whispered, and walked down to the Elder’s office. Once inside, Quinn sat at his desk.

“Emily said she woke up last night and saw you talking to Damon,” Kyle explained.

Quinn frowned, “Clearly a dream.”

“Yes well, she said you two are building a house here in Council City and plan on locking her up inside.”

“She’s confused, lack of food maybe,” Quinn suggested.

“I don’t know, maybe. She’s getting thinner by the day, and I don’t like it.”

“I saw that. She’s looking emaciated.”

“There’s an odd scent, too. I can’t place it, but it’s somewhat familiar,” Kyle said, thinking.

“Is she pregnant?” Quinn asked.

“No, it’s not an enticing scent.”

“I take it she wouldn’t let me see.”

Kyle shook his head, “Not a chance, not if you’re in a conspiracy with Damon.”

Quinn growled.

“I mean in her eyes, I know you’re not,” Kyle said quickly.

“She’s never made it a secret how much she hates Council City, and how much she dislikes myself and Zohn, maybe her mind is finding justification for that and it’s coming out in her dreams,” Quinn suggested.

“Maybe, I’ll keep watching though. Tonight, I want to watch her door and see if she even leaves the room.”

Quinn nodded, “Let us know.”

Emily and Kyle talked most of the day and into the night. He was amazed how many questions she had about his species even though she’d been living with them for so long. When she got tired, she crawled into bed and Kyle laid beside her on top of the covers.

“If I see Damon tonight, I’m going to turn him to ash,” Emily said, watching Kyle.

Kyle nodded, “If you see him, then you should.”

“You still don’t believe me, do you?”

“I’m not taking sides right now,” Kyle said.

Emily grinned, “Very diplomatic of you.”

“If I get you some soup, will you please eat some, just for me?” Kyle asked her.

Emily shrugged, “I’m not hungry. How about some tea?”

“What can I bribe you with to get you to eat something?”

“Nothing,” Emily told him.

“I can stop the coffee and tea.”

Emily frowned, “Don’t, please.”

“Tell you what, eat something tonight, and I won’t stop the coffee, ok?” Kyle knew it was being mean, but she was wasting away in front of him.

“Eat what?” Emily asked skeptically.

“A sandwich, something simple.”

“Then you promise not to stop the coffee?”

Kyle smiled, “I promise.”

“I could threaten to tell the Council you fed off of me in jail if you stop my coffee.” Emily grinned slightly.

Kyle laughed, “They’d be as mad at you as they would be at me.”

Within just a few minutes, Kyle went to the door to get her sandwich. She figured he’d been planning on this and that it was already made when he requested it. He came over and sat it down on the bedside table.

Emily picked it up and looked inside, and she smiled slightly and took a bite. The food tasted awful and she had to fight to keep from gagging as she chewed it. She swallowed it dryly and sat it down.

“One bite doesn’t count,” Kyle said. He jumped up when Emily dove out of bed and ran for the bathroom.

She came back out a few minutes later, “Keep the coffee, that’s not worth it.”

Kyle sighed, “Could you be pregnant?”

“No,” Emily said, and pulled the covers up. “You should be able to smell that.”

Kyle pulled her wrist up to his nose again and caught the foreign scent.

“Em, I need a favor,” Kyle said.

“What?”

“Just say yes first.”

“No, what do you want?” Emily asked him.

“I want Quinn to come have a smell of your wrist.” He sighed at the look on her face.

“If he comes near me, he’ll regret it.”

“He’s older than I am, he may know this scent,” Kyle explained.

“No”

“What about the doctor then? He may know what it is.”

“No. Good night,” Emily said, and rolled away from him.

Kyle nodded and turned out the lights, and then stepped outside of her room. He waited for her to appear all night, but she seemed to have slept through. He took the pot of coffee from the servant after Silas took Alexis and he went into her room.

Emily was curled up in the corner of her room, crying.

“What’s wrong?” Kyle asked, kneeling down by her.

“It’s growing. It happened again last night, but they have Zohn and the doctor now, too. Damon has them all convinced I’m going to join the Valle, and they are going to stop me,” Emily said, and watched the door fearfully.

“Em, I was outside of your door all night, and you didn’t leave,” Kyle said.

“I did too! I saw them in the hallway. I have to get out of here before they finalize that house,” Emily said, and glanced up at him.

Kyle frowned and turned a light on, “Look at me.”

“No,” Emily said, shutting her eyes.

“I’m not going to try to control you, now come on.”

“You promise?”

Kyle sighed, “I swear, now let me see.”

Emily looked up at him and the green from her eyes was almost gone. Her pupils were dilated enough the color had all but disappeared.

“That’s it, you need to see the doctor,” he said.

“No!” Emily yelled, and grabbed a hold of his collar. “He’s in on it.”

“No one’s in on anything, you didn’t leave your room last night,” he said.

Emily stood up and dressed quickly. Kyle turned around suddenly when she didn’t even go into the bathroom to dress. She slipped on her jeans and a t-shirt, and they hung off of her.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“I have to get out of here before they finish that house,” Emily said, and grabbed her purse and then ran out of the room.

Kyle ran after her and almost ran into her in the hallway when she stopped.

“You…” Emily said, glaring at Zohn and Quinn. They had been in the middle of a conversation when she came out of her room.

“Good morning,” Zohn said, frowning at the look in her eyes.

“Emily, no!” Kyle yelled when he saw the look on her face. He glanced quickly at Quinn and Zohn and sighed.

“See, they won’t turn to ash. They know,” Emily said to them, seething.

“She… she just tried to turn us to ash?” Zohn asked, shocked.

Kyle whispered quickly to Zohn and Quinn. They listened intently, and Mark arrived for his part.

Mark dove at Kyle and pinned him against the wall as he pretended to fight back. Zohn grabbed Emily from behind, and Quinn grabbed her wrist. She fought against them and Zohn was surprised at how weak she had become.

Emily screamed when Quinn smelled her wrist and then looked into her eyes briefly. He frowned and headed down the stairs as soon as Zohn let go of Emily. Mark released Kyle and Kyle followed Emily into her room.

“See!” Emily screamed at him.

“I know! It’s outrageous, and I’m going to get answers. Stay in here,” Kyle said, and disappeared from her room. Within a few seconds, he had blurred into Quinn’s office where the Elder was waiting with Zohn.

“So?” Kyle asked, sitting down.

“I can’t place it, but it is something I’ve smelled before,” Quinn said.

“I caught a brief glimpse of it. I don’t think I have smelled it before,” Zohn said. “However, it’s definitely there.”

“Zohn and the doctor are in on the plan to kidnap her now,” Kyle told them.

“Did you watch her door?”

“I did, and she didn’t leave all night. I didn’t even hear her get out of bed, but she swears she caught you three talking to Damon,” Kyle said.

“Where is she now?” Zohn asked.

“Probably up in her room drinking coffee. She drinks it constantly now. I had the kitchen switch her to decaffeinated just so she could sleep.”

“We need the doctor to smell her,” Quinn said.

“Yeah we do, but he’s in on the conspiracy. She’s not going to go for that, and if we attack her again, she could run,” Kyle said.

“There are a few illnesses that are easy to detect on a mortal. Cancer, for instance, has a peculiar scent. This is not something from an illness, I’d wager. So it has to be something she’s ingesting or breathing,” Zohn said.

“All she ingests is coffee though,” Kyle said, and then frowned and looked at Quinn.

“Let’s get a sample of her coffee then,” Quinn said.

Kyle called for Mark to blur Emily’s coffee out of her room, and within a few minutes, there was a knock at the door.

“Enter,” Quinn said.

Mark came in with the coffee pot, “She’s not going to be happy about this. She lives on this stuff.”

Kyle opened the pot and smelled deeply, “Damnit.”

He handed it to Quinn, “It’s the coffee.”

Mark frowned, “What is?”

“Have you been able to catch Emily’s scent lately?” Kyle asked.

“No, she won’t get near anyone,” Mark said, and took the pot from Quinn.

“Whatever that scent is, she’s ingesting it with the coffee,” Quinn said.

“Belladonna,” Mark said, and smelled the pot again.

“What?” Kyle asked.

“It’s belladonna,” Mark said, and put the pot on the desk. “I’d bet on it.”

“She’s being poisoned? Right here under our noses?” Zohn asked angrily.

Quinn called for the doctor and smelled the pot again, “He’s right, now I recognize it.”

“Enter,” Quinn said when the doctor knocked.

Kyle handed the doctor the coffee, “Get a whiff of that.”

The doctor smelled it and frowned, “Why would you give her belladonna?”

“When’s the last time you saw Emily?” Kyle asked.

“It’s been months. She doesn’t like me much.” The doctor smiled slightly.

“Go, right now, blur into a corner and get a good look at her,” Kyle said.

The doctor nodded and blurred away. The others waited for him to return, and when he did, they understood the horrified look on his face.

“Has she been ill? There are other medicines besides belladonna,” the doctor said, shaking.

“She hasn’t been ill. We suspect she’s being poisoned,” Kyle said, sighing.

“She’s going to need a hospital. Her pupils are dilated, and her pulse is weak,” he said to them.

“We can’t take her to a hospital. They are going to start asking questions that we can’t answer,” Zohn said. “Can you treat her here?”

“I could if she were cooperative,” the doctor said. “I am not exaggerating when I say that that child is on her deathbed.”

“It’s a hallucinogen right?” Quinn asked.

“Yes”

“So that would cause her to have hallucinations about a conspiracy in the palace?”

“Not really, the hallucinations aren’t that specific.”

“Then what caused the conspiracy theory? She swears she saw me, Zohn, you, and Damon talking in the hallway last night,” Quinn told the doctor.

“Suggestion I would imagine, a heku planted it?”

“Emily can’t be controlled though, she’s always been very resistant,” Kyle said.

“Unless she’s weak,” Zohn said angrily.

Kyle looked around, “Who here knows how to make coffee?”

“I do, what was your plan?” Mark asked.

“We need eyes in the kitchen and the bedroom. We need to know who is putting belladonna in the coffee without letting them know, and without letting Emily drink any more. So bring any coffee here and exchange it. Then we watch tonight and see if we can catch someone controlling her,” Kyle said.

“I’ll take the kitchen,” Quinn said.

“I’ll stay in Emily’s room,” Kyle said.

“I guess I get to make coffee.” Mark grinned.

“I’ll get what I need for her recovery. It’s not going to be easy. I need to know how long she’s been taking it, we may have to detox her,” the doctor said.

***

Kyle talked to Emily again through the evening and as soon as she fell asleep, he slipped into the darkness of the wardrobe with a clear sight of the bed. He sat motionless for hours and watched her sleep. His body tensed when he heard a noise in her room, coming from the window. A figure appeared beside her bed.

“Emily,” he called to her, and her eyes opened slowly. Within seconds, the heku had Emily caught under his control.

“Kyle is with them, Emily… Kyle is helping Damon, too. The house is almost built, you need to run, get away from Council City. Kyle is no longer your friend. He’s in the hallway…” the words of the heku were cut off by Kyle’s hands around his throat.

They fought briefly while Emily fell back to sleep, and suddenly, the heku fell into a pile of ash and Kyle fell to his knees. As soon as he was able to muster enough strength, he scooped the ashes into a leather bag and sat on the bed by Emily.

“Em,” he whispered, and when she looked up at him, he easily caught her eyes and gained control.

“Damon’s dead, there is no house. Quinn, Zohn, and the doctor are your friends, they wouldn’t hurt you.” He continued for almost an hour, hoping to erase whatever brainwashing already happened to her. When she became exhausted from the control, he left her room and went down to Quinn’s office.

Kyle knocked and entered when he was called. A terrified heku sat in a chair with Mark watching over him.

“I got him,” Kyle said, holding up the bag.

“I caught this one putting belladonna in a pot of coffee,” Quinn said.

“I only did it that once, I swear,” the heku said hurriedly.

“He’s lying,” Zohn said calmly.

“No, I’m not! It was just this once,” he said again.

Zohn stood up, “I think he and I have a date.”

The others watched as Zohn hauled the heku away, heading for the interrogation chamber.

“Ok, let’s see what this one has to say,” Quinn said.

Kyle poured the ashes onto the floor and revived him. He screamed in pain as his body reformed. Once he became aware, he looked, wide eyed, at the members of the Council.

“Hey, Genius, have a seat,” Mark said, and pushed him onto the chair.

“I don’t know you,” Kyle said, looking at his face. “We know what you’ve been doing, so now we need an explanation.”

“I just did it this one night, I swear,” he said, gripping the chair.

Kyle sighed, “Not what your coffee making friend said.”

“He lied! He doesn’t know anything.”

“He seemed to know a lot. Funny how the interrogation chamber can bring about someone’s memories.”

“It... it wasn’t my idea, ok?” the heku said. “I had to do what I was told.”

“Told by whom?” Quinn asked.

“If I tell you he’ll kill me.”

“If you don’t tell us, we’ll kill you slower,” Kyle said, and tore his hand from his body.

He began to scream, “Stop stop! I’ll tell you… it was Elder Sotomar.”

“Why are the Valle trying to scare Emily?” Mark asked him.

“To… to get her out of the palace.”

“You’re a brave one aren’t you?” Mark asked, laughing. “Why do they need her out of the palace so badly?”

“They want to rescue the prisoners… that’s all I know, I swear.” His eyes were pleading.

“How long has Emily been given belladonna?”

“Five months,” he said, eyeing them.

Kyle frowned, “She was on the island for part of that time.”

“I know… we were there, too. We knew she’d be back here, and they wanted her to leave and not come back. Leave the palace unprotected,” he said nervously.

“And if she died in the process?” the doctor asked, irritated.

“If she died we were to come back, we’d be heroes,” the heku said proudly.

“When is Chevalier coming back?” the doctor asked.

“He still has about 5 days,” Kyle told him.

“Ok, five months…” the doctor said, his voice full of rage.

“Come on friend… let me show you something,” Mark said, and took the heku from the office.

“What now?” Kyle asked the doctor.

“First we have to try to get nutrition into her and detox her. Her body has become addicted to the belladonna, that’s why she drinks so much of it. The problem is, she’s so weak a detox could kill her.”

“What are our other options? Keep her on belladonna until she gets stronger?” Quinn asked.

“We can’t risk that,” the doctor said, frowning.

“Then what? We just detox and hope she makes it? I don’t like that,” Kyle growled.

“We don’t have an option. We are going to have to restrain her though. I need her to keep the I.V. in, and she’s going to fight us during the detox,” the doctor said.

“I suggest we leave Kyle out of it,” Quinn said.

“What? Why?” Kyle hissed.

“You’re the only one she trusts. Let’s not break that in case we need to use it.”

“If I’m the only one she trusts, then I should be in there with her.”

“I agree with the Elder,” the doctor said. “Let those of us in there that she already doesn’t care for.”

“I want to…” Kyle started, but Quinn interrupted.

“You will stay outside. That is final.”

“Yes, Sir,” Kyle said, and walked out of the office, slamming the door behind him.

“Are you all ready?” Quinn asked the doctor.

“Yes, let’s start. Zohn can join us when he’s done. First we just need to get her in restraints, that’ll be the easy part.”

Quinn grinned slightly, “So you say.”

Emily sat up in bed when she heard the door open. She caught sight of Quinn and the doctor and ran for the window. Quinn grabbed her from behind and she screamed at him, kicking and biting. As he moved her toward the bed, she threw her head forward and slammed it back into his nose, shattering it. He yelled, and dropped her to the floor, so she scrambled to her feet and ran for the door.

“Going somewhere?” Zohn asked, stepping in and shutting the door.

Emily ran at Zohn and rammed into him with her shoulder. His arms wrapped around her waist as he fell back against the wall. He picked her up, avoiding her head butt, and threw her down onto the bed, then used his body to hold her down while he fastened the restraints.

“Let me go! Chev won’t stand for this,” Emily yelled, trying to pull her hands free.

“Are you ok, Elder?” Zohn asked.

Quinn nodded and stood by the bed, “Yes.”

“Please, don’t listen to Damon,” Emily begged.

“Dear, Damon’s dead,” Quinn said, and glanced at the doctor.

Emily’s eyes grew wide when the doctor brought out the supplies for an I.V., “Kyle!”

“Hold her arm,” the doctor told Zohn. He nodded and grabbed a hold of her wrist and shoulder, so she couldn’t move.

“Kyle! Help me,” Emily screamed. “Mark!”

Zohn looked nervously at Emily when she relaxed and stared at him, “We sure she can’t turn us to ash?”

Quinn nodded, “Pretty sure that’s what she’s trying to do right now.”

Emily yelled in frustration and struggled against Zohn, “Let me go!”

The faction doctor taped down the I.V. and strung up a bag of white liquid that began to pour into Emily’s vein.

“What is that?” Zohn asked.

“TPN; calories, nutrients, that sort of thing,” the doctor said, and stepped back. “Now we wait.”

“Get rest, Child.” Quinn told her.

“Go to hell.” She scowled at him and pulled at the restraints.

“Did you get any information out of the chef?” Quinn asked, turning to Zohn.

“Yeah, a little pain and he sang. Orders came down from Sotomar. They started adding belladonna about 5 months ago and have slowly increased it. It wasn’t until 2 weeks ago that they started adding in the nighttime stories,” Zohn explained.

Quinn, “Interesting, is he alive?”

Zohn nodded, “He doesn’t want to be, but he is. I’ve left him for Chevalier.”

“I know what you’re planning, and you can’t get away with it.” Emily glared at them.

Quinn glanced at her and then back to Zohn, “It’s going to be hard to keep her at the palace. She keeps getting attacked.”

“Don’t talk about me like I’m not here!” Emily yelled. “Let me go, now!”

Zohn nodded, “I know, I figure we’ll get through this and deal with her leaving later.”

“Oh, I’m leaving alright,” Emily screamed.

The doctor took Emily’s face and forced her to look at him. He was able to quickly put her to sleep. The three heku visited through the day and into the night as she slept. Any time she woke up, one of them would put her back to sleep. Kyle and Mark sat outside of her door silently, each wanting to go inside to see how it was going. Silas and Alexis were in Kyle’s room as the baby slept.

“Please, I need some coffee,” Emily said softly, no longer pulling at the restraints.

“No, Child. Your coffee has been doctored with a drug. We have to get you off of it,” the doctor explained.

“No it hasn’t, just give me some, please. I have a headache.”

The doctor felt her forehead, “She has a fever, the detox is starting.”

“Don’t touch me,” Emily hissed.

The doctor motioned Zohn and Quinn over to the corner of the room, “This is going to get rough. I’m afraid we may have a problem with Kyle and Mark when the pain starts.”

“If we have to, we’ll send them away,” Quinn told him.

“Shit!” Zohn yelled, and ran for the bed.

Zohn jumped for Emily’s arm just as Quinn turned around. The doctor went to the I.V. and shut it down before it dripped all over the floor. Zohn managed to get the restraints back on Emily’s free arm and then held her down while the I.V. was replaced.

“I hate you,” Emily said, seething.

“I know,” Zohn told her, and stood up. He was overtly aware that she was trying to turn him to ash.

The hours passed slowly as Emily’s pain increased and her fever raged. Her screams filled the palace, pleas for help that made everyone uncomfortable, afraid of what would happen when Chevalier returned. She started having small seizures as the belladonna spiked and then began to dissipate from her system.

“Quinn?” Emily asked weakly.

“Yes, Child?” he asked, and sat on the edge of her bed.

“Leonid wouldn’t do this to me,” she told him.

“Yes, he would have.”

Emily shook her head, “No, he didn’t hate me like you do.”

“I don’t hate you. Your life would be easier if you would see that.”

“You agreed with Damon.”

“Yes, at first I did, but that soon changed.”

“I’m just a Winchester to you, nothing more,” she said, starting to get angry.

Quinn simply smiled at her and stood up. He walked over and looked out the window as night fell on the second day.

Emily’s back arched as she writhed in pain. Her screams were now whispers as she’d lost her voice earlier in the night. Her entire body shook as the belladonna slowly left her system.

Zohn stood up quickly from his chair and frowned, “What’s going on?”

Quinn turned and looked at Emily, “What do you mean?”

The doctor glanced up at Zohn, “Are you ok?”

“You can’t do that,” Zohn said, and started to undo the straps on Emily’s feet.

“Zohn, no!” Quinn yelled, and grabbed his hand. “Don’t let her go.”

“I won’t stand for this! Why are you doing this to her?” Zohn was angry.

Quinn frowned, “You don’t know why we’re here?”

“No… and I’m sure Chevalier won’t be happy either, let her go,” Zohn growled.

“The belladonna, we have to get it out of her system,” the doctor said, watching Zohn curiously.

“Who’s been giving her belladonna?” Zohn asked, turning angrily to the doctor.

“Mark,” Quinn said, watching Zohn.

“Yes, Elder?” Mark asked, avoiding looking at Emily.

“Get Zohn out of here and bring a guard in here to help us,” Quinn said.

Mark took Zohn’s arm.

“You’re letting them do this to her? It’s despicable what you’re doing, and I won’t be a part of it,” Zohn said, and walked out with Mark.

Several seconds later, Mark came back in, “I’ll help.”

Quinn nodded, “How is Zohn?”

“He has no idea what’s going on,” Mark said, frowning.

“Mark! Help me, please,” Emily begged. “You’re my friend. You can’t let them do this.”

Mark sighed and sat down on the bed. He put a cool rag on her forehead, “It’s for the best, trust me.”

“It hurts,” Emily whispered.

Mark nodded and rubbed her wrist where it was red from her pulling against the restraints.

As night came on the third day, Emily fell to the bed, her body was exhausted from fighting. She had some color back in her face, and her pulse was stronger. Mark stood up from the side of her bed when Zohn entered.

“I… I remember now, I’m sorry,” Zohn said, and shut the door.

“What happened?” Quinn asked him.

“I don’t know, all of a sudden I forgot why we were here. A few minutes ago it all came back.”

“Odd,” Quinn said, and turned back to the window.

“What do we do when she gets enough strength back to ash us?” Mark asked.

“I guess we hope by then she’s calmed down,” the doctor told him, shrugging.

“Stop!” Emily screamed, her back arched and her eyes had rolled back in her head.

Mark sat down on the bed and touched her arm, “It’s ok, we’re here to help you.”

Emily relaxed on the bed and glared at him.

Mark grinned, “Can’t ash yet, can you?”

She screamed at him furiously.

“What in the hell are you doing?” Quinn yelled, and blurred to Emily. He began to unfasten the strap on her wrist.

“Stop, Elder!” Mark said, and put his hand out to hold Emily’s loose wrist.

“Get him out of here,” the doctor yelled, and helped restrain her again as Zohn pulled Quinn out of the room.

Zohn came back in as Mark was putting the cool rag back on Emily’s forehead. She seemed to be asleep again.

“He can’t remember,” Zohn told them and shut the door. “He’s ordered us all out of here.”

“That means we have to leave,” Mark said, and glanced at the doctor.

“No, Maleth overrode the order. As long as it’s a tie-vote, we stay,” Zohn explained. “If he does what I did, he’ll remember in a few hours.”

“I just hope it’s a talent she can remember when she’s well,” Mark said, watching her sleep.

“What do you mean?” Zohn asked.

“Her father, the Ancient, could remove memories. I suspect she’s inherited some of that.”

Zohn nodded, “That would explain it. I personally hope she doesn’t acquire that ability.”

Mark grinned, “She makes you nervous.”

“Doesn’t she you?”

“No,” Mark said calmly.

“She could destroy everyone in the palace in a wink if she felt like it,” Zohn reminded him.

“Yes, she could. Yet, she never has.”

“It’s like giving a three-year-old a gun.”

Mark laughed, “Except she has control and loves the heku.”

“For now.”

“You’re just nervous because she distrusts you.”

“Distrust? Despise more like, unwarranted I assure you.” Zohn seemed a little insulted.

Mark grinned, “Unwarranted? You interrogated her in Paris.”

“That is my job.”

“I’m just saying she has her reasons.”

Zohn turned to Mark, “You are too wrapped around her little finger to see how dangerous she can be.”

“Oh, I assure you, that’s never left my mind. I’ve seen her ash a heku without even pausing to think. I do admit to being wrapped around her finger though. She can be quite charming when she wants to be.”

“A wolf in sheep’s clothing,” Zohn said, and looked back down at her.

“If you gave her half a chance, you would be too. She’s fascinating and intriguing.”

“I doubt that, she’s more of a ward. Something we are required to keep happy so we keep our lives.”

Mark nodded, “Then you see, she is right about you.”

“Mark?” Emily whispered.

He looked down at her.

“Please, I need something to drink.”

Mark glanced at the doctor, and he ordered some orange juice.

“We’re getting you something, can you eat?” Mark asked.

Emily shook her head.

Mark released the restraints on her arms and held both of her wrists. She sat up as the doctor held the cup for her and let her drink. When she was done, she leaned against Mark.

“Please don’t put those back on. I won’t take out the I.V., I promise,” she begged.

“I’ll leave you out for a few minutes. If you fight me, you’ll have to go back,” he told her, shocked at how she nuzzled her head against his chest.

Mark felt her body relax and her breathing slow as she fell asleep. The doctor took the opportunity to give her a quick checkup and then Mark returned her to the restraints.

“I’m sorry,” Quinn said, coming in and shutting the door.

Zohn whispered, “We’re thinking Emily has inherited some things from the Ancient.”

Quinn nodded, “That’s what Kyle and I were just discussing.”

The heku jumped when Emily suddenly screamed. Her back arched and she pulled against the restraints, trying to free herself.

“Em, calm down before you hurt yourself,” Mark said to her softly.

“Don’t do this, it hurts!” Emily screamed.

Her bedroom door shattered with a violent crash, and a fight erupted in the hallway. Zohn and Quinn blurred out while Mark stayed with Emily on her bed. He watched as the fight ensued and then gasped when Chevalier appeared in the doorway.

“What the hell are you doing!?” Chevalier asked, walking into the room and glaring at Mark.

“Help me!” Emily screamed.

Mark stood up as the Elder crouched, his hands balled into fists. He could see Zohn and Quinn in the hallway, slowly getting to their feet.

“Listen to me, Elder. Before you let her go, just hear me out,” Mark said, crouching slightly. Zohn and Quinn appeared at his side and crouched, blocking Chevalier from Emily.

“You have 5 seconds,” Chevalier said, taking a menacing step towards them.

As quickly as he could, Mark explained about the belladonna and the nightly mind controls. He was telling Chevalier about Emily’s treatment when she screamed and began to seize. Kyle limped into the room just as her body relaxed and she fell asleep.

Chevalier glanced at Kyle, “How long was she poisoned?”

“Five months,” Kyle said, and leaned against the wall. His leg was still healing from the fight he had with Chevalier.

“She was on the island for part of that.”

“They followed her.”

“Two months in the farmhouse?”

Kyle nodded, “It was five months’ worth. I started to smell it a few weeks ago, and then it got stronger over the last week. They were upping the dose slowly over time and then added the nightly conspiracy stories.”

“Where are they?” Chevalier asked furiously.

“In the prison,” Quinn said. “There’s more.”

“What?” Chevalier growled.

“We… keep losing our memory. We regain it after a few hours, but both Zohn and I have lost it once,” Quinn said.

“Why do I care?” he hissed.

“We think Emily has some of her father’s abilities, probably dormant until this incident.”

Chevalier stood up slowly and frowned, “His ability to wipe the mind?”

Quinn nodded, “That’s the only explanation.”

Chevalier sat on the edge of the bed, “How much longer will this go on?”

The doctor shrugged, “A couple more days I guess.”

“Let me go, please, Chev,” Emily asked, and looked up at him.

Chevalier nodded and untied one of her ankles.

“Chevalier, no,” Quinn said sternly.

“I’ll hold her,” he said, and unfastened the rest of the restraints. He pulled her onto his lap and held her wrists.

“Take me away from here,” Emily whispered, and laid her head on his shoulder.

“When you feel better I will, I promise,” Chevalier said.

“Damon’s alive.”

Chevalier nodded.

“Quinn and Zohn are going to lock me up in a house.”

“I won’t let them, Em,” he promised.

“It hurts.”

Chevalier nodded and kissed her forehead, “Everyone out.”

“We can’t leave you alone,” Quinn said.

“Fine, then Kyle can stay. I need his help anyway,” Chevalier said sternly.

As soon as the heku left the room, Kyle walked over to the bed.

“I need you to erase what they did to her mind,” Chevalier said, looking up at Kyle. “I’ll hold her. It’ll be easier if she’s relaxed.”

Kyle nodded, “I tried once, all I seemed to erase was what had just been told to her.”

“Try again.”

Kyle sat on the bed beside Emily and called her name softly. She looked up at him and almost immediately fell under his control. His soft rhythmic voice sounded through the room like a cadence as he slowly erased what had been planted by the heku. He continued for three hours as she was transfixed on his eyes, unable to move or look away.

“Sleep now,” Kyle said finally, and she shut her eyes and fell into a deep sleep in Chevalier’s arms.

“Thank you,”

“I hope it worked.”

Kyle reached out and gently touched the blisters on her ankles from the restraints. He touched the back of his hand to her foot and got up to get a blanket.

Chevalier looked down at her emaciated form, “The worst part… is that I watched this happen and didn’t know.”

“None of us knew,” Kyle said as he sat back down. “We all knew she was getting thinner, but she doesn’t eat when she’s stressed, I thought it was the trial.”

“They were poisoning her as we watched, and even in my own coven.” His words were seething.

Kyle nodded, “I sent word for Gordon, to find out more.”

“No wonder she hates it here. She gets attacked more in this palace than anywhere else. Surrounded by heku under my control, and we keep getting tricked.”

“I’m hoping things will be better when she feels well. Maybe when she can see clearly again, she’ll realize this is where she belongs,” Kyle said softly.

Emily slept through the night in Chevalier’s arms. The doctor came in occasionally to adjust her I.V. or replace the bag, but otherwise no one bothered them. Kyle sat silently by the fire, giving them as much privacy as he could but still making sure Chevalier didn’t let her go.

“Let me go,” Emily yelled suddenly, and began to pull at Chevalier’s hands.

“No,” he said, and trapped her legs under his.

Emily tried to bite him, and Kyle appeared and held her feet so the Elder could reposition away from her mouth.

“I hate you,” Emily glared at Kyle.

“I know,” he said softly.

“Chev, you can’t do this, let me go,” she screamed.

“I can’t let you go.”

“If you love me, you’ll let me go!”

Chevalier shook his head, “I do, but no.”

“You’ve never loved me… you knew from the second you kidnapped me to Colorado that all you wanted was my abilities and to pop out some new faction members,” Emily growled.

“Em…” Chevalier sighed.

“No, I’m not going to be used anymore. You’re no better than Keith, using me as a punching bag. As soon as I get free... and I will get free… I’m so gone,” Emily said, and struggled to get free.

“I don’t think you believe that.”

“You have no idea what I believe. You abandon me and Alex for two months, and then for another week. You let people do whatever they want to me. If you cared one bit about me, you wouldn’t keep letting things happen to me.” Emily tried to bite his hand, but he pulled back away from her a bit, still holding her wrists.

“Chevalier, maybe you better step out,” Quinn said from the door.

“Yeah, go run off,” Emily hissed.

“I’m not leaving,” Chevalier growled.

“Encala, that’s what you all remind me of,” Emily yelled, and fell silent after Kyle locked her eyes for a moment.

“Thanks,” Chevalier said, and laid Emily down on the bed.

“She doesn’t believe any of that. We can’t listen to what she’s saying,” the doctor said, adjusting the flow of her I.V.

“I don’t understand why I didn’t know she was in trouble,” Chevalier said, sitting in a chair by the bed.

“None of us did,” Kyle said.

“No, I mean emotions, feelings. I should have known she was tied up to a bed, don’t you think?”

“You got nothing?”

“I still don’t.”

“Probably because the emotions and feelings she’s having aren’t her own, the drug has taken over,” the doctor said. “I see improvements though, it won’t be long.”

“I want to know how we’re going to protect her in the future. She’s right, she keeps getting attacked right under our care,” Chevalier said, looking at Quinn.

“I don’t know yet. We’ll come up with something.”

Chevalier leaned back and watched Emily sleep. He touched her foot softly. Contact with her while she slept usually provided glimpses, even full images of her dreams, but he got nothing from her. Mark was holding her I.V., so Chevalier was able to sit back and relax and watch her sleep.

“Chev?” Emily whispered.

“I’m here, Em,” he said, sitting on the bed.

“Make everyone leave,” she whispered. Her voice was hoarse from the screaming.

“Go,” he said, and wrapped his hand around her arm where her I.V. was so Mark could leave. The rest of the heku all stepped out.

“Did you need something?” he asked, touching her face lightly.

“No,” she said, and pulled the covers up.

“Then why did we ask them to leave?”

“They were staring.”

“Yes, they were.”

Emily’s body began to shake, and she pulled herself into a ball.

“Em?” Chevalier whispered.

“It hurts,” she said, her voice tense and strained.

Chevalier laid by her side and held her as her body trembled. She fell silent after a few hours and slept. The doctor came in and changed out her I.V., then left quietly. He wanted to listen to her heart, but Chevalier refused to let anyone touch her.

Just as the sun began to shine through the cracks in the curtains, Emily began to wake up. She reached out and tried to pull the I.V. tubing, but Chevalier took her hand.

“Take it out,” she whispered.

“No,” Chevalier whispered, and kissed her hand.

“I’m thirsty.” Emily sat up slowly and looked around the empty room.

Chevalier called for some orange juice, still holding tightly to her arm. Emily didn’t even see the servant drop it off. It looked to her like it just appeared in his hand. He gave it to her and she drank it quickly.

“More?” he asked, setting the glass down on the table.

“No,” Emily said, and looked up at the I.V. “What is that?”

“Nutrition”

Emily laid back down and rolled onto her side to look at Chevalier, “Where did you go?”

“I needed to take care of a coven in Iowa.”

“Did you kill all of them?” She studied his face.

Chevalier nodded, “Yes.”

“When can I go back to the island?”

“What if I told you that I need you here for a while?” Chevalier asked.

Emily frowned, “Do you or do you just not want me to go?”

“I need you here.”

“I’m confused about… some things.”

“What things? Maybe I can help.”

“Is Damon dead?” she asked softly.

“Yes”

“Are Quinn and Zohn building a house for me in the city?”

“No”

“I saw them though.” Emily frowned, vividly remembering the images, “Now, I’m not so sure.”

“It was all a trick. That’s why you were slipped belladonna, to weaken you so they could control your mind and feed stories to you.”

“Who?”

“We think it was the Valle,” Chevalier said.

“They aren’t going to leave me alone, are they?”

Chevalier shook his head, “Probably not.”

“I could go coven to coven and wipe them out completely,” Emily said, still whispering.

“Yes, you could, but I’d rather you not.”

Emily gasped and her eyes grew wide as she looked over Chevalier’s shoulder. He turned and saw a strange heku standing in the room with a tray. He stood suddenly, still managing to hold onto Emily’s arm.

“Who said you could come in here?” Chevalier growled.

“I have food for the Lady,” he said, bowing.

“That doesn’t answer my question. Who said you could come in here?”

“The Chief Enforcer did,” the heku said, looking nervously at Emily.

“Kyle?” Chevalier asked. It was a few minutes before Kyle walked in through the shattered door.

“Yes, Elder?” Kyle asked, and then glanced at the heku. “Who the hell are you?”

“He said you told him he could come in here uninvited,” Chevalier said, his hand tightening on Emily’s arm.

“Chev, that hurts,” Emily whispered, still watching the heku with the tray.

Kyle raised an eyebrow, “I did, eh?”

“Bring that tray to me,” Chevalier said, and the heku slowly approached him with the tray.

Kyle stepped closer to them, standing behind the heku.

“Lift the lid,” Chevalier said, and watched the heku pull the lid off of a pile of steaming pancakes, drenched in butter and syrup. “Kyle?”

Kyle bent down and smelled the pancakes and then stood up quickly, “Belladonna.”

The heku dropped the tray and tried to run, but Kyle had him in a choke hold.

“Don’t kill me! I had to do it,” the heku yelled, and put his hands up, pleadingly.

“Who told you to do it?” Kyle asked, tightening his grip.

“I don’t know! He threatened to kill me if I didn’t bring this to the Lady.”

“Who did?”

“Just a heku, I don’t know him, please don’t hurt me.”

“Take him to Zohn,” Chevalier growled.

Kyle nodded and pulled the heku roughly from the room.

Mark and Quinn blurred into the room, “We heard.”

“Just walked right in here,” Chevalier hissed.

Emily was watching a heku clean the floor, “Damn, those smelled really good.”

Chevalier turned to her, “You would eat pancakes?”

Emily nodded, and tried to pull his hand off of her arm, “You’re holding too tightly.”

“I’m not letting go,” he said, and turned to Mark.

“One stack of pancakes coming up. I’ll make them myself,” Mark said, and disappeared.

“I say we re-staff the entire palace,” Quinn said, sitting down in a chair by the bed. “We let everyone go, absolutely everyone, and rehire from trusted sources.”

“We may have to if no one can be trusted. This had to take a lot of time to orchestrate,” Chevalier said, and then turned to Emily. “Stop it.”

Emily stopped pulling at his hand and looked up at the I.V.

“We can set a time limit, had to have lived in Council City for at least… say… fifty years,” Quinn suggested.

“Can we find enough help though?” Chevalier asked.

“No, probably not.”

“Can we just let anyone go from the palace that has worked here for less than fifty years?”

Quinn nodded, “Yes, that’d leave us less to bring in.”

Quinn blurred around the bed and caught Emily’s other hand as she tried to get to the I.V. bag.

“Em, leave it in.” Chevalier frowned.

Emily stared at Quinn’s hand on hers. She couldn’t look away. It was hard to breathe with him this close, and her heart threatened to pound out of her chest. He frowned and let go of her arm, and then moved the I.V. bag higher.

“I’m sorry,” Quinn said, and stepped further away from her.

Emily leaned her head against Chevalier’s chest while they waited silently for Mark. He came in finally, covered in flour with syrup on his shirt.

“Did the kitchen attack you?” Chevalier chuckled.

“Ha-ha, it’s not as easy as it looks,” Mark said, and sat the pancakes down on the table.

“I changed my mind,” Emily told them, looking at the pancakes.

Mark glanced at them, “They aren’t that bad.”

“Take out my I.V. and I’ll eat,” Emily said. The smell of the pancakes made her stomach growl.

Chevalier grinned, “No, eat first and then we’ll take it out.”

“I don’t trust you,” she told them.

“Yeah, well I don’t trust you,” Chevalier said, amused.

“Let me go.”

“No, now calm down.”

Emily looked at the plate of pancakes, and how the syrup dripped from the side, and the butter melted slowly on top. She turned and glared at Chevalier.

He cringed and then smiled, “Stop trying to ash me and go eat.”

“Let… me… go,” Emily said through gritted teeth.

Chevalier glanced at Quinn and Mark when they were called to the conference room. They called for the doctor to take Chevalier’s place, and he placed his hand over Emily’s I.V. so Chevalier could leave and the rest left for the meeting.

“Were you going to eat?” the doctor asked, looking at the pancakes.

“No, I feel dizzy,” Emily said, and collapsed back onto the bed.

“Emily?” the doctor asked, and pulled her eyelids up to see her eyes. When he moved away from her, he saw her hand holding the I.V. and he gasped.

“Here, this is yours,” Emily said, and handed it to him.

“You… you… oh my God,” the doctor said.

“I forgot to grab…” Mark froze and looked at the I.V. in the doctor’s hand, “Well that didn’t take long.”

“She tricked me!” the doctor said, still shocked.

Mark laughed and grabbed a notebook and then blurred down to the council chambers. He walked in, still chuckling, “She got the I.V. out.”

“Already? I was sure it would take her at least 10 minutes,” Chevalier said, shaking his head.

“We called this meeting to go over the palace staffing,” Kyle said sternly. Chevalier knew he was taking this attack personally.

“We’ve gone through staffing, and if we get rid of anyone who’s been in Council City for less than 50 years, we will need to find 12 in laundry, two cooks, sixteen housekeepers, and almost twenty guards,” Quinn said.

“Damn, we really have that many new ones?” Zohn asked.

“Yes, hard to believe, but we do,” Quinn said.

“I’m mostly worried about the guards,” Chevalier said. “They are our first defense, yet she’s been attacked by them.”

“Even without Emily in the picture, we still can’t have disobedient guards on staff. We discussed briefly, with Mark, appointing the Cavalry to the palace. They are the elite… but we decided it is their place to keep the city safe,” Quinn explained.

“So what did you come up with?” Chevalier asked.

“I suggested we stick with the 50-year rule, but then I think we need to set up a… what shall we call it… trap?” Quinn asked Kyle.

“Sort of. What we want to do is hold a kind of interview with the guards and give them some alone time with Emily, completely controlled of course,” Kyle said, and glanced at Chevalier before continuing. “We can weed out the mortal haters that way.”

Chevalier sighed, “That could turn bad, quickly.”

“We’d be very close, I swear, and watching every move. My days in prison gave me the idea. Every time someone visited, we were watched from one-way mirrors,” Kyle said, grinning slightly.

“And the rest of the staff?” Zohn asked.

“We think if the guards are doing their job, the others won’t matter as much. As long as we have veteran city dwellers and… now… a butler for Emily, the same person delivering her meals after checking them, without her knowing of course,” Kyle said.

Chevalier nodded.

“What do we do about the Valle?” Zohn asked the Council.

“Right now, nothing. We still have to handle Ingram and Selhman,” Quinn said. “Once they are taken care of, the Valle may back off.”

The Council turned around when the back door opened.

“Em? What’s wrong?” Chevalier asked when Emily entered. She eyed the Council suspiciously and walked to Chevalier, still weak and unsteady on her legs. She sat down on his lap and glanced again at the Council.

Emily put her hand up and whispered into Chevalier’s ear, “I’m hearing things in the room.”

Chevalier sighed, “Like what?”

Emily shushed him and whispered, “I was in the shower and I heard mad voices and a loud crash.”

“Where did the doctor go?”

Emily shrugged, “He wasn’t there when I got out.”

“So you’re alone up there?”

Emily nodded.

“The doctor wouldn’t just leave her alone,” Zohn said.

Emily turned and glared at him.

“Doctor?” Quinn called out.

“We’ll find him. I’m sure he was coming right back,” Chevalier said. Emily leaned against his chest.

“Kyle, Mark, find him,” Quinn said when the doctor didn’t come. Kyle hurdled the desk and they left in a blur.

“What did the mad voices say?” Zohn asked Emily, ignoring how she looked at him.

“It wasn’t in English,” she said to Chevalier. He had to fight to keep from grinning. He held her while they waited for the doctor.

Emily looked up when an alarm sounded. The council members blurred from the room, except for the Elders.

“What’s that?” Emily asked.

“Palace has gone on lockdown,” Maleth said, sighing.

“What? Why?” Emily asked.

“We will know soon enough. When everyone’s in general quarters, we will be notified,” Quinn told her.

“So you just sit here?”

“That is our job as Elders, to wait for information so we can make a decision,” Maleth said, smiling at Emily reassuringly.

Emily crawled out of Chevalier’s lap and sat on the chair of a council member she didn’t even know. She drew her knees up and wrapped her arms around them and waited while the Elders sat silently. She started to get irritated at how patiently they sat, not moving, not making a sound. She was dying to know what was going on.

After what seemed like an eternity to Emily, Kyle and Zohn came back into the room.

“The doctor is dead,” Zohn said coldly.

Kyle glared at him and then to the Elders, “We found him on the back stairway.”

“Is he really dead?” Emily asked, panicked.

“You’re the last one that saw him, what was he doing?” Zohn asked her.

Emily frowned, “Am I getting interrogated?”

“Just answer the question,” Zohn said, his voice quiet, yet menacing.

Emily gasped and looked at Kyle.

“Zohn!” Kyle snapped.

“He’s sorry, Dear,” Maleth said turning to Emily. “We’d just like to try to figure this out. You said you were in the shower when you heard voices and a crash?”

Emily nodded, still staring at Zohn.

“You said they were speaking in another language?”

Emily nodded again, “Something novus… guber something.”

“What was happening before your shower?” Maleth asked softly.

“We were arguing.”

“You and the doctor?”

“Yes”

“About what?”

Emily finally turned to Maleth, “He was mad that I got my I.V. out, and that I could only eat a few bites.”

“Did he leave the room?”

“No, he said he would have, but he was afraid to leave me alone.”

“Ok”

“So I told him I didn’t need him and went in to take a shower.”

“Suggest we evacuate the Elders,” Kyle said.

Zohn nodded, “Agreed.”

“It’ll be easier for the Council to come to a conclusion about this, and what happened to Emily, if we don’t have to worry about the safety of the Elders,” Kyle said.

Maleth nodded, “He is right.”

“We leave in 20 minutes,” Quinn said.

The Elders stood up and turned to Emily.

“What?” she asked.

“That means you, too,” Chevalier chuckled.

“No, I’m not leaving. If there’s an attack, I can protect the palace,” Emily said.

“No, you can’t, you haven’t been able to ash,” Chevalier reminded her.

Emily turned to Zohn and looked at him as he took a nervous step back.

“Stop, Em, you’re coming,” Chevalier laughed and took her arm. “Let’s go.”

“I don’t want to leave,” Emily said as he led her out of the room.

Emily’s protests didn’t help, and she didn’t have the strength to fight back, so she packed hesitantly and then followed Chevalier, Allen, and Alexis out to the helicopters. Kyle lifted her into Equites 1, and they were soon flying out over the palace with Quinn as the pilot. The city looked dead. Nothing was moving, and the houses and stores were all shut up tightly.