Chapter 27 - Trio

“Mark, have you seen Chev?” Emily asked as she pulled on her leather gloves.

“No, he and Kyle set out this morning to do something and haven’t been back,” Mark told her. “Are you going out 4x4 again?”

Emily nodded, “Yeah, I’ll be back in a bit.”

Mark nodded and backed his guards off. It was now commonplace for Emily to take her Jeep out alone and the privacy had been approved by the Council. Mark suspected it was for the safety of the guards, without the quick reflexes of a heku at the wheel, anything off-road seemed dangerous.

Emily headed down the stairs and stopped to give Alexis a kiss. She picked her up off the floor and kissed her twice, “Did you have a good 3^rd birthday?”

Alexis nodded, “Yes, tan I have take?”

Emily nodded and turned to Silas, “One tiny piece, and then toss the rest of it. It’s going to go bad soon.”

Silas nodded and handed a Barbie doll back to Alexis.

“Emily?” she heard Quinn call from the council chambers. Emily changed course and headed into the trial area.

“Yeah?” she asked, pulling on a leather jacket.

“Are you going out after Kyle and Chevalier?” he asked.

“No, I was going out in the Jeep. Do you want me to go out after them?”

“If you see them, just send them in. We have an important case we need them here for.”

Emily nodded, “Sure thing.”

“Or were you planning on kidnapping them again?” Zohn asked, scowling.

“Damn, Zohn, get over it. That was almost 7 months ago, and I haven’t kidnapped anyone since.” She glared at him and then left.

Emily went to the garage and climbed into the Rubicon. She waved to Mark as she pulled out onto the road. She had just gone off of the main road through a rocky field when she saw someone in her rear-view mirror. She screamed and hit the brakes.

“Don’t do anything rash… listen to me, and your Elder won’t get hurt,” the heku said, smiling.

Emily turned around and looked at the heku in her backseat, “Who are you?”

“Doesn’t matter. We have Chevalier and Kyle. If you come with us, we won’t hurt them,” he said, and looked toward the road. There was a black van sitting beside the field with the doors open and the windows darkened.

“How do I know you really have them?” Emily asked skeptically.

The heku smiled, “I told them you would need proof.”

He handed her an Equites faction medal of honor, the one that Kyle had received during Zohn’s coronation as an Elder.

“So we can’t really prove we have the Elder, but now you know we have your Chief Enforcer,” the heku said, and smiled.

Emily sighed, “So I take it I’m about to get kidnapped… again.”

The heku nodded.

“Peachy,” Emily said, and dropped her riding gloves into the passenger seat and got out. “Let’s go.”

He ran up behind her and pulled her hands behind her back, handcuffing them quickly.

“Is that really necessary? I’m going with you aren’t I?” she asked, pulling against the cuffs.

“It is necessary,” the heku said, and led her to the van.

“Hey! Now you know better than that,” Emily said, when someone put a blindfold on her.

“That’s not for your abilities, Child,” another heku said.

“What faction is this?” Emily asked, and then groaned when a gag was placed over her mouth.

She sat in the back of the van for a few hours and listened to the heku talk about a basketball game. After transferring to a helicopter, she started to drift off and didn’t wake up until the helicopter landed. She was shoved into another van for a few more hours.

Emily was dragged from the van, and a heku grabbed each of her elbows and led her down a long corridor. She heard the sounds of electricity from all around her as she walked. The heku stopped her and she heard a door open just as she was forcibly pushed inside. She felt hands catch her before she hit the ground and a door slammed behind her.

“Damnit, Em,” Chevalier growled.

“I told you she’d come,” Kyle said as he untied her.

“Yeah, well, for some reason I thought she might use common sense and stay put.”

“Sooo, what’s up?” Emily asked, when Kyle untied her gag. She began to massage her wrists where the cuffs were.

“Just couldn’t let us deal with this on our own could you? Had to come save the heku again.” Chevalier was obviously irritated.

Emily looked around the small room. There were no windows, and the one door was electrified. There were no beds or chairs, just a hard cement floor and shackles that hung from high on the wall.

She grinned, “Fancy meeting you all here.”

“This isn’t funny! Why the hell didn’t you ash them and get away?” Chevalier hissed.

She laughed, “You know me better than that… besides… it’s about time I’m kidnapped with friends.”

“Seriously, you should have just let us handle this. Why do you always have to come save the heku? We’re supposed to protect you,” Kyle frowned.

“I came because I’m more able to destroy the lot of them, and there’s no reason why you two need to be tortured, or whatever they were doing, just to get me,” she said, and sat down on the hard floor. “They could have thrown a chair in here though.”

“You make it so easy for them, it’s irritating,” Chevalier said, and turned away from her.

“Cheer up or I’ll ask for my own room,” Emily said, irritated. “We’re more likely to get out of this with the 3 of us.”

“Ask for your own room?” Kyle yelled. “This isn’t the Hilton.”

Emily’s eyes narrowed and she went up to knock on the door, but Kyle held her back, “Don’t touch it, it’s electrified.”

“Hey! I need to talk to someone!” Emily yelled at the door.

“Just sit down and be quite,” Chevalier growled.

Emily turned to him and glared, “What?”

“Em, sit,” Kyle said, and pointed to a corner.

“Oh, I see, this is how it’s going to be? Fine!” Emily said, and sat down facing the corner.

The sounds of electricity stopped and when the door opened, a strange heku came into the small, cement cell.

“You called?” he asked Emily, and frowned when he saw her facing the corner.

“You’ll have to ask my wardens if I’m allowed to talk,” Emily said, still facing the corner.

“Ask… who?” the heku asked her, confused.

“Just go,” Kyle said to him, and he shrugged and left. The sound of electricity returned.

Emily stared at the blank stone wall and rubbed her arms. She was starting to get cold, and the light halter top wasn’t enough to keep her warm. She heard no noise or even movement from behind her, but had the feeling that Kyle and Chevalier were whispering to each other.

The electricity was shut off to the door again and four heku entered. One stood by Kyle, and one by Chevalier, while the other two picked Emily up off of the floor and led her out of the room, one on each arm. She didn’t fight them, but followed silently, still fuming at what happened in the cell.

Emily was led through a door and she recognized the familiar setup as the council chambers. She looked up and saw Sotomar among twelve other heku.

Emily sighed, “Nice.”

“Welcome, Lady Emily,” Sotomar said, and stood up. “You are on trial by the Valle Council for the wanton killing of twenty of our members 7 months ago.”

Emily raised her eyebrows, “I am?”

“Yes, how do you plead?”

“Erm… not guilty,” she said, and rocked slightly on her heels.

“Not guilty? They were following you when they were killed, and you do have a history of turning the masses into ash,” Sotomar said.

“Yes, but if you remember correctly, you had pretty much nullified that ability, so I just ran from them and they ran into some of the Equites guards,” Emily explained. “So nope, didn’t kill a soul.”

“The Council finds you guilty and you are sentenced to fifty years in our prison,” he said, and sat down.

“Oh great, well, that sounds like fun,” Emily said, frowning.

One of the heku threw her a gray hooded robe, “Put that on.”

“No thanks, I’m fine,” she said, and tossed it back.

“That was an order,” Sotomar growled.

“Fine,” she said, and slipped on the robe. The robe was several sizes too big. The sleeves hung almost a foot longer than her arms and the hem gathered on the ground beneath her.

“Remove your clothing underneath,” Sotomar said.

Emily slipped her arms inside and undressed discreetly, then tossed her jeans and shirt to a heku beside her, “There.”

“Return to your cell,” Sotomar said, and the two heku took her arms and led her back down the hallway.

They stopped in front of the cell and turned off the electricity to the door before pushing her inside. She ignored Kyle and Chevalier and returned to her corner to sit down.

“Nice to know you’ll be here for the next fifty years, Sweetheart,” the Valle said, and laughed as he shut the door.

There was a sudden scream from the hallway.

“There, give me 50 more for that!” Emily yelled to the door.

“Are you ok?” Kyle asked her.

She didn’t respond, but pulled her arms into the robe and leaned against the cement wall.

“Emily, are you ok?” Chevalier asked her, his voice finally calm.

The cell fell quiet and Emily slowly drifted off to a restless sleep, shifting often as her arms and legs fell asleep.

Emily slowly slid down to the cement floor while she slept, but sat up and looked at the door when the flow of electricity was cut off. Kyle and Chevalier stood slowly while Emily stayed on the floor, too sore from the cement floor to stand.

Sotomar stepped in angrily, “You have earned yourself another 10 years for the little stunt you pulled yesterday.”

The two guards by Sotomar both fell to ash, “10 more for those, too?”

“Emily, stop it,” Chevalier whispered.

“This is not a game. You would be wise to listen to your mate,” Sotomar said as two more guards came up behind him. They pushed in a dirty silver tray and shut the door quickly.

“Please, stop antagonizing them. We don’t need any more trouble,” Chevalier told her.

Kyle picked up the tray and smelled it before handing it to Emily, “It’s good to eat.”

Emily took the tray and threw it against the door. When the metal tray hit the electrical current, it exploded in a bright flash and the electrical current to the door stopped. The sound was followed by several dozen footsteps from the hallway. The door flew open and four heku each grabbed Chevalier and Kyle and moved them out of the room while two grabbed Emily and pulled her out. They were escorted down the hall by dozens of angry Valle.

They were thrown into an identical cell, and the door was locked and electrified behind them. Emily sat down in the same corner she had been in, while Kyle and Chevalier looked at her.

Chevalier sighed and knelt down by her, “I’m sorry I yelled at you. I really hoped they wouldn’t get you this time.”

Kyle sat down in the corner across from them.

Emily shrugged, “I didn’t need that shit from either of you, and I’m still not happy about being treated like an imbecile.”

“We didn’t mean it like that. We just hoped that you would send in the Equites Army or something, and wouldn’t try to come yourself.”

“Sit down and be quiet?”

“I’m sorry, ok, I... am… sorry.”

Emily glared at Kyle and Chevalier glanced at him.

Kyle smiled, “I’m sorry, too.”

“Are you hurt?” Chevalier asked, and sat down by her.

“No”

“Still mad though?”

“Yes”

“For now, stop ashing, ok? Let’s wait and see what the Equites come up with for our release,” Chevalier asked.

Emily grinned slightly, “I got 50 years for killing those Valle that the guards killed, and more for the 4 or 5 I’ve ashed since last night.”

“For now, stop, please,” he asked calmly.

Emily nodded.

“How did they get you?” Kyle asked.

“One was hiding in the back of the Jeep,” she said, and looked around the cell again.

“Damn, they seem to get into the palace easy,” Kyle growled.

“There’s one… small… well… minor… problem,” Emily said, and looked down at the floor.

Chevalier rolled his eyes, “What now?”

“Never mind then, be that way,” Emily said, and turned away from him.

“I’m sorry, ok. I just can’t imagine what could be more of a problem that the three of us in here,” Chevalier said.

Emily frowned, “I can think of a lot worse things.”

“Just tell us,” Kyle said, irritated.

Emily brought her knees up to her chest and slipped her arms into the body of the robe and wrapped them around her legs. She leaned against the cold cement wall and shut her eyes.

Chevalier moved over by Kyle and Emily could hear the faintest sound as they whispered.

Chevalier and Kyle stood up when the sound of electricity stopped and a key rattled in the door. They both crouched and moved between the door and Emily when Exavior entered.

“What do you want?” Chevalier hissed.

Exavior smiled, “You know what I came for.”

“Leave her alone,” Kyle growled, and his hands curled into claws.

“Emily?” Exavior called to her, and she slowly opened her eyes.

Emily stood up and frowned, “Exavior?”

“Come, Child,” he said, and put a hand out for her.

“Take me instead,” Chevalier growled, and batted Exavior’s arm away.

“Oh, you’re not nearly as attractive as she is, and I desire company for a few minutes,” Exavior said, and guards piled into the room and pinned the Equites against the wall.

“Let them go.” Emily glared at Exavior.

“They will be when you come with me,” Exavior said, and Emily glanced at Chevalier and then took Exavior’s hand. They walked out of the room and Emily looked behind her as they walked down the hallway, and saw the Valle guards move out of the room and re-electrified the door.

“What’s going on?” Emily asked him.

“I had a talk with Elder Sotomar about your living conditions, and I feel they are unacceptable. I’m taking you now to sit somewhere comfortably and get something to eat,” he said, and smiled at her.

“You tried to turn me,” Emily said angrily, and let go of his hand.

“I still feel that is what is needed in your case, but I have decided not to push the issue.”

“Why don’t you just let us go?”

“I can’t do that.”

“How did you even get out? Last I heard you were in Kyle’s ash collection.”

Exavior laughed slightly, “I was released last year by the Equites Council in return for one of the political prisoners we held. Did they not tell you?”

“No, they didn’t,” she said, irritated.

“Part of the agreement was that I would not contact you, but when you are here, that is null and void.”

“Great”

“I wish you would trust me again. I’m not going to turn you against your will.”

“You have a funny way of showing that.”

Exavior smiled, “I’ll show you that we can be friends again. I miss that friendship.”

Emily shrugged and followed Exavior into a bedroom. Her eyes grew wide and she turned to run, but slammed into one of the heku guards.

Exavior laughed, “Don’t panic, it’s not what it looks like.”

Emily turned slowly and looked at Exavior, “Then what is it?”

“Your room, Dear, nothing more.”

“Mine?”

“Yes, you don’t have to stay in that cement cell. You can stay here where you will be comfortable.”

“Chevalier and Kyle?” Emily asked, looking around the room.

“They are heku. They will be as comfortable there as they would be here,” Exavior said, and pulled a dome off of a tray of hot pancakes.

“I want to stay with them.”

“Pancakes, your favorite,” Exavior told her, and poured steaming syrup over them.

“No, take me back.”

Exavior sat down, “You have got to be hungry. Now sit and eat, and then I promise that you can go back.”

Emily hesitated, and then sat down, watching Exavior closely.

“Good, now eat. I know your history of starving yourself, but I don’t wish for that to happen here, in my care.”

“Your care?”

“Yes, I have taken your care upon myself.”

Emily took a small bite of pancake, “If you let me go, I can take care of myself.”

“I know you can, but here I get to do those honors.”

“Honors? I fully plan on making your life a living hell,” Emily told him, and took another bite.

Exavior leaned his head back and laughed, “I would expect no different.”

“Why are they doing this? They know I can ash the entire Valle palace,” Emily asked, and started to eat again.

“Don’t think that hasn’t crossed our minds. However, you won’t do it unless you can save the two heku also. As long as we have them where you can’t let them free, we are safe.”

“Not necessarily. I could ash the Valle palace and call in the Equites, they can get to Chev and Kyle,” Emily said, and sat back in the chair.

“Maybe”

Emily’s eyes narrowed at him, “Why can’t you all just leave me alone?”

“We want you to join us, simple enough. The Encala wish the same, and if you were ours, the Equites would do this also.”

“So it’s faction crap… who has the weapon? Like a demented game of keep-away.”

Exavior nodded, “Precisely.”

“I would expect more than playground games from a species older than dirt.”

“One might expect more, yes.”

“Ok, I ate, now take me back,” Emily said, and stood up.

“Is there anything I can get you?”

“No”

Exavior stood and nodded, “Very well, as promised, I will return you.”

Emily followed him back to the cells and stepped inside once the current was turned off and the door was opened.

Exavior followed her in, “She turned down a warm stateroom for this, just so you know.”

“Exavior, get lost,” Emily said, when Chevalier looked at her, irritated.

Exavior laughed and shut the door.

“Are you ok?” Chevalier asked her.

“Yes, he forced me to eat is all,” Emily said, and sat down on the cold cement.

“Was he telling the truth about the stateroom?”

“Yes”

“Then call him back and take it,” Chevalier said.

“No.” Emily frowned, “I’m not going to sit in luxury while you two are in this cell.”

“Just do it, stop arguing and for once… just do it,” Kyle yelled.

“Don’t yell at me!” Emily screamed back. “I’m not going to lap it up while you two are in prison.”

“We can take the cold cement, you, however, need something softer,” Kyle said.

“Why didn’t you tell me you let Exavior go?”

“It was none of your concern.”

“Oh? You don’t think freeing the heku who tried to turn me is any of my business?” Emily glared at him.

“No, I don’t. It is none of your concern what we as a Council decide to do.”

“Calm down you two, this isn’t helping,” Chevalier said calmly.

“You could have told me, Chev.”

“I agree with Kyle. It was a political move, and I didn’t want you seeking Exavior out.”

“You’re a hypocrite,” Emily growled at him.

Chevalier frowned, “How so?”

“You’re so hell bent on keeping me from trying to protect the heku, yet all you ever do is keep things away from me for some misguided attempt at protection,” Emily yelled at both of them.

The door opened again and a Valle guard stepped in, “The Council wants to see you again.”

Emily nodded and left with him, still scowling at the Equites. She followed the guard to the trial door of the Valle Council Room and stepped inside. She immediately saw Zohn and four members of the Equites guard staff looking at her.

Thinking quickly, Emily ran to Zohn and wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered as softly as she could, “Smell my neck.”

Zohn wrapped his arms around her and she felt his nose against her neck.

“Do it again, try harder,” Emily whispered again.

“Enough hugs, we have business,” Sotomar fumed.

Zohn inhaled again, and Emily felt his body tense. She pulled away from him and turned to Sotomar.

“What now?”

“The Equites have come to check on your welfare,” Sotomar said.

“Well, we’re fine,” Emily told Zohn.

Zohn had a feral look in his eyes which passed quickly, and he turned to the Valle Council.

“I see she is well, but part of this was to also set the terms for her release,” Zohn told them.

“There will be no terms. She is a war criminal that has been tried and found guilty of the murder of 20 Valle. She was sentenced to 50 years with us, and has since added an additional 20 years for turning guards to ash,” Sotomar said, amused.

Zohn turned toward her, “Would you stop, please? Let us handle this. You don’t need more years than you already have.”

Emily shrugged, “More years won’t matter. I’d never make it 70 more years anyway… so what’s another 200?”

Zohn sighed, “Just stop and leave this to us.”

“Sure,” Emily said, and saw the understanding glance from him.

“Good, so we’ll have no more revivals during your stay?” Sotomar asked.

“Sure,” Emily said again. “Unless I get a chance to ash the entire palace and city, then there may be some revivals required.”

“Emily!” Zohn yelled.

“You won’t get the chance, Child, not if you want to save your mate and the Equites Chief Enforcer also,” Sotomar told her with a smile.

“Just… let us do this,” Zohn said to her again.

Emily nodded.

“She may be returned,” one of the Valle Elders said, and Emily was grabbed roughly on the arm by two heku.

“Stop it,” Zohn growled. “There’s no reason to injure her.”

“I’m perfectly capable of walking on my own. I can’t kill you with my hands, so I won’t even try to fight back manually,” Emily told them.

Sotomar nodded at the guard, and he let go of Emily’s arm and walked out of the trial area behind her.

Emily was taken back to the cell with Chevalier and Kyle, and the doors were shut.

“What did they want now?” Chevalier asked.

“Zohn is here. He was checking on our welfare.”

“See, they will get us out soon.” He smiled.

“I doubt it,” Emily mumbled, and leaned against the wall, facing away from the others. She pulled her arms into the thick robe and curled up against the wall so she could nap. She was already feeling tired, and her outlook on the weeks to come had grown dim.

Kyle sat next to Chevalier and whispered so Emily couldn’t hear, “She needs to take the stateroom.”

“Yeah, she does, but I don’t see how we can get her to,” Chevalier said, and glanced at Emily.

“She’s just going to get sorer and sorer the more she sits and sleeps on this cement.”

“You know… maybe we should let this go. If she gets too sore to handle, she’ll take the stateroom if we haven’t harped on it.”

Kyle grinned, “You’re right.”

“Now, how to get out of here.”

“You don’t think the Equites can get us out?” Kyle asked.

Chevalier glanced toward the door, and then back to Kyle, “I think they can get you and me out, but the Valle aren’t going to give Emily up now that they have her. Look how many times they’ve asked for her and we said no.”

“Yes, well… she wanted to be with us. She’s going to retaliate and cause problems here.”

“True, but I’m not sure there’s anything she could do to get released,” Chevalier said.

“So we just sit back and see then? I hate doing that.”

“Join the club.”

Emily sat up quickly when the door opened as Chevalier and Kyle stood defensively. A heku pushed in a plate and shut the door quickly.

Emily grinned slightly, “No more metal trays I see.”

Kyle grabbed the tray and smelled it, “Smells fine.”

“I’m not hungry though,” Emily said, and sat the plate of spaghetti down on the floor.

“It’ll be easier when we get out if you aren’t starving,” Kyle told her.

“I know, and I’m not starving myself on purpose. I’m just not hungry,” she told them, and leaned back against the wall. She slept on and off over the next few hours while Kyle and Chevalier discussed ways to get out.

Emily gave up on sleeping and looked over at Chevalier, “Where’s Kyle?”

Chevalier shrugged, “I’m not sure exactly. They took him about an hour ago.”

“I’m kind of glad. I need to talk to you,” Emily said softly.

“Ok, what about?”

“I wasn’t sure, so I didn’t say anything, but Zohn kind of confirmed it.”

Chevalier frowned, “Zohn confirmed what?”

Emily rubbed the bridge of her nose. She was starting to get a headache, “Don’t be mad.”

“I will try,” he said skeptically.

“I mean, I could have read Zohn’s body language wrong.”

“Em, just tell me.”

Emily glanced at the door, “I think I hurt my back.”

Chevalier looked at her, confused, “How exactly is that something Zohn would confirm?”

Emily crawled over to Chevalier and climbed onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and whispered, “I don’t understand.”

She leaned her head against his shoulder, “Go ahead, take a whiff.”

Chevalier sighed and ran his nose along her neck and gasped. He rested his forehead against her shoulder, “Damnit.”

“I have impeccable timing,” Emily said softly.

Chevalier nodded, “Yes, you do.”

“Was Zohn right? Is my back hurt? I mean… I could just be late.”

“No, he’s right. I’m glad he at least knows, this changes everything. I thought you had medicine for your… back.”

Emily looked up at him and glared, “I do, but it only helps 97% of the time.”

Chevalier pulled her head back to his shoulder, “I didn’t mean it that way.”

“How strong is it?” she whispered.

“Not too bad yet, you have to be right against your neck to notice, but it won’t be long.”

Emily wrapped her arms around herself, “I’m sorry.”

Chevalier kissed her forehead, “It’s not your fault, just bad timing is all.”

“I was going to tell you as soon as I knew, course, I halfway expected you to know first.”

“How long before you get... the flu?” Chevalier glanced at the door.

Emily sighed, “Should be any day now.”

Emily turned and looked at the door when Kyle was pushed into the cell. He rolled his eyes when the door shut.

“So?” Chevalier asked him.

“He wanted me to tell them the top three covens in Equites with locations, troop counts, and defensive capabilities,” Kyle said, and sat down.

Chevalier chuckled, “Ok.”

“So when I refused, they said I would pay and then brought me back here,” Kyle shrugged.

Chevalier looked from Emily to Kyle, “Kyle, Emily hurt her back.”

“This damned cement floor,” Kyle said.

“Em, go show him your bad back,” Chevalier said.

Kyle looked suspiciously at Emily when she crawled out of Chevalier’s lap and sat on his, straddling his legs and facing him. She glanced at Chevalier and then leaned her head against Kyle, who tensed nervously and looked at Chevalier.

“Smell my neck,” Emily whispered.

Kyle, his eyes locked on Chevalier, inhaled slight, “Ok.”

Emily sighed, “Put your damn nosed against my neck.”

Chevalier nodded and Kyle did as he was told. He pulled back with wide eyes, and looked at Emily.

“Bad back,” she said to him.

Kyle nodded, and Emily returned to Chevalier’s lap. It was a lot more comfortable than the ground.

“Did you… know your back was hurt?”

“Not for sure. I was waiting until I knew before I complained,” Emily said, and leaned back against Chevalier’s chest.

“Zohn knows,” Chevalier said.

Kyle nodded, “Had you planned on hurting your back?”

Emily frowned, “No.”

“Well, the Equites Council won’t want her to stay here with a bad back, so they are bound to step into action quickly.”

“We have two days, three at most,” Chevalier said, mostly to himself. He was staring at the cement wall, trying to think of a way out of this.

“I could wait until the door is opened and then… erm… take care of them all,” Emily suggested, but felt Chevalier tense.

“No, we’ll think of another way,” Chevalier whispered.

“Well we have two days to think of something, and then it’ll get much harder,” Kyle said.

Emily leaned her head back against Chevalier’s neck and shut her eyes. His arms wrapped around her and she slowly slid off to sleep.

“At least she sleeps better on your lap than on the floor,” Kyle whispered.

Chevalier nodded, “If we weren’t in a Valle prison, I would be ecstatic.”

Kyle chuckled, “Congratulations again. I thought she was done.”

“Not sure this one was planned.”

“If the faction doesn’t come in two days, are you going to let her do it?”

“I haven’t decided. We need to before they find out though.”

Kyle sighed, “She was smart to let Zohn know.”

“I’m worried about Exavior, if he tries to…” Chevalier took a deep breath to calm his anger. “If he tries to kiss her, he’ll know.”

“Has he kissed her?” Kyle frowned.

Chevalier shrugged, “I don’t know. You’re the only other heku I know that she’s kissed.”

Kyle shifted uncomfortably and looked at the door.

“This is bad to say,” Chevalier said, and grinned slightly. “I’d like to see her ash the entire palace. I have yet to see her do that.”

“I saw her at the one reception, it’s pretty amazing.”

“The doctor though, he was worried that one of these times she might have a stroke.”

Kyle nodded, “I don’t doubt it. I wonder if Alexis will be as strong as Emily.”

“She has a reoccurring dream.” Chevalier glanced to make sure she was still asleep, “Where Allen, Alexis, and another child, sometimes it’s male and sometimes female, they come to the Council, but they are all grown up. Allen is seeking the Equites help to control Alexis. In the dream, Emily is always dead, sometimes Alexis has killed her, sometimes it’s a disease, or car wreck. Anyway, in these dreams, Alexis is always completely out of control and powerful. She has Emily’s abilities, heku traits, and the Ancient’s strengths.”

“Wow, that would be great to see though,” Kyle said.

“Yes, well, except she feeds and kills anyone she wants. Pretty much breaks all heku rules, but no one can stop her. She can ash any heku who crosses her, but she’s gone rogue.” Chevalier smiled slightly, “It’s an interesting dream.”

Kyle nodded, “I bet.”

“Do you remember what you promised me the night I left to banish Selest?”

“Yes.” Kyle remembered it vividly, and often thought of taking Emily off to the island and living there together.

“I wondered if you would consider that now that you are Chief Enforcer, if anything ever happened to me.”

“I’m sure I would still take her away. You hold the mortal haters at bay, and she wouldn’t be safe any longer,” Kyle said.

Chevalier nodded, “Thank you.”

“What about you? What are you going to do when she dies?”

“I used to think I would retire for a thousand years, but with Allen and Alexis, it’s all changed. I would need to stay here for them.”

Emily jerked in her sleep and sat up suddenly, looking around.

“It’s ok, bad dream,” Chevalier said, and kissed the top of her head.

“Couldn’t have been a bad dream,” Emily whispered, and leaned back against his chest again. “I’m still here.”

Everyone glanced up when the door opened. Exavior stepped in and a sudden jealousy flashed across his eyes, “Come, Emily.”

Emily held onto Chevalier’s arms, “Why?”

“Because I told you to,” Exavior said, and held his hand out for her.

Emily turned and kissed Chevalier, placing her hands on the sides of his face. His arms wrapped tighter around her.

Exavior grabbed Emily’s arm and tore her away from Chevalier. Chevalier jumped to his feet and lunged at Exavior, but he dodged and shut the door quickly.

Chevalier growled and sat down, his body still tense and ready to attack, “He’s going to hurt her.”

“I don’t think he will,” Kyle said. “Did you see the look on his face? He loves her. He was just jealous, but at least that means he probably won’t hurt her.”

Chevalier glared at the door, “If he does…”

“He won’t, trust me. He’s just mad because Emily saw the jealous look on his face and decided to show him who she belongs to,” Kyle said, smirking.

Chevalier relaxed some and chuckled, “I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes if he tries anything with her.”

“You’re hurting me,” Emily said to Exavior as he hauled her down the hallway toward the stateroom.

“Just come with me,” he growled.

“I’ll walk with you. Let go, you’re hurting my arm,” Emily said, and looked up when someone walked in front of them.

“Let her go,” Sotomar said. “There’s no reason to hurt her.”

Exavior obeyed his Elder and let Emily’s arm go. She rubbed where the hand-shaped bruise was forming. Sotomar smiled at Emily as they walked past, and Exavior opened the door to the stateroom and shut the door when they were inside.

Emily turned to look at him, “More food?”

“No, I’m offering you a shower,” he said, and pointed to the bathroom door.

“A private one?”

“Of course.”

Emily glanced at the bathroom door. She remembered the look on Exavior’s face when he’d seen her in Chevalier’s arms, and decided the shower wasn’t a good idea, “No thanks.”

“Don’t be difficult, just go shower,” Exavior said, and sat down.

“No”

“Fine, be dirty if you want.”

“Please, let me go,” Emily asked him, and sat down across from him. “If you care about me at all, you’ll let me go.”

“I can’t, I won’t break the Council’s decision.”

“What exactly do you want? Just tell me. You didn’t take on my care just for your health,” Emily asked, watching him carefully.

“Maybe I just want to be around you.”

“Something you could have done without kidnapping me.”

“I didn’t kidnap you, that was a council decision. I just took it upon myself to make sure you were taken care of.”

“I find it hard to believe that I was kidnapped for killing 20 Valle that obviously, I didn’t,” Emily said, glancing at the window.

Emily gasped when Exavior fell to his knees in front of her and took her hands, “Please, let me care for you. Let me treat you like you should be. I know you miss your Equites, but they haven’t come close to treating you like you should be. Just let me have this.”

Emily pulled her hands out of his, “You have no idea how well the Equites treat me, and what they’ve put up with from me.”

“I love you. I’ve loved you since I saw you walk down the aisle in New Mexico,” he said, and took her hand again to kiss it softly.

“Exavior, I’m sorry… but I don’t love you,” Emily said. She was so shocked, she didn’t realize how quickly she had said that.

“You will,” Exavior told her angrily, and left the bedroom. She heard the door lock from the outside.

Emily got up and walked around the bedroom. There wasn’t a fireplace, but it was warm and cozy. The bed was soft, but she refused to lie down. She looked out the window, studying the side of the building. She couldn’t see any way to get out of the bedroom through there. She was six floors up and there were no hand-holds or pipes to crawl down.

She went through the closets and drawers, but all she found were frilly dresses and high heeled shoes. She pulled them all out of the closet and tossed them out the window, watching as they floated to the grass below. She saw an overhang above the front doors of the palace and tossed all of the shoes onto it.

***

Chevalier and Kyle looked up when Exavior walked in, obviously angry, “She’s not coming back. Emily has decided to stay in the stateroom.”

Exavior slammed the door and walked out.

Kyle grinned, “And so it begins.”

“I wonder what he did to make her mad,” Chevalier said, and shrugged.

The door opened again and six heku came in, “You two, come.”

Kyle and Chevalier stood up, and each was guarded by three Valle as they walked down the corridor. The guards backed off when the Equites walked into the trial area. Zohn turned to them and nodded as they stepped up to stand by the other Equites.

“Where is Emily? We asked for all three of them,” Zohn asked angrily.

“Well you get two, Emily is busy,” Sotomar said. “So tell us why we are here.”

“We’ve decided to give in and exchange Ingram and Selhman for the three Equites that you have,” Zohn told them.

“We accept,” Sotomar said.

“Good, bring Emily here and we will arrange the exchange.”

“Oh, Emily isn’t an Equites, but we will exchange your Elder and Chief Enforcer for Ingram and Selhman.”

“Emily is too an Equites,” Chevalier growled. “Just ask her.”

“Mortals can’t claim a faction.”

“She’s more than a mortal, and you know it.”

“Yes, we agree she has special abilities, but is still a mortal, therefore, not factionable,” Sotomar said, and glanced to the Valle Elders.

“We aren’t leaving here without Emily,” Kyle said, and Chevalier’s eyes narrowed at the Valle Elders.

Sotomar chuckled, “If you ask her, she no longer wishes to be with you.”

Chevalier nodded, “Fine, but I want to hear it from her.”

“She doesn’t want to see you,” Exavior said, stepping into the council chambers and taking his seat with the Valle Council.

“Then no deal. Unless we hear it directly from her that she doesn’t want to return,” Zohn said.

“Take them,” Sotomar said. Chevalier and Kyle were forcibly dragged from the room.

***

Emily turned when the door opened. Exavior looked around the room and shut the door, “Do you feel better now?”

“Maybe,” Emily said, looking at the destroyed room.

Exavior tossed a dress to her, “Put that on.”

“No thanks, I’m good,” she said, and started to toss the pink dress out the window. Exavior blurred to the window and caught it.

“That wasn’t a suggestion, put it on,” he said, and shoved it back into her hands.

Emily glared at him and walked into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She changed quickly, aware that he could break the lock easily. She held up the dress and sighed. It was a low cut, floor-length, pink a-line with thin spaghetti straps and diamonds embroidered into the fitted body. She cringed as she walked past the mirror and then emerged into the bedroom.

“Beautiful,” Exavior said, and walked around her, smiling.

“Not really my style,” she told him, and glared at him.

“Sit, someone’s coming to do your hair,” Exavior said, and pulled up a chair.

“Why are you doing this?”

“You will see,” he said, and took her hand, kissing it softly.

“Good, I hope my hair matches the bruise you put on my arm,” Emily said, and sat down.

She sat, impatiently, while a heku worked frantically on her hair. When she was finished, she got approval from Exavior and left the room, locking the door after her.

“Go and look,” Exavior said, and offered her his hand. She stood up without help and glanced in the mirror, her eyes growing wide.

“What the hell?” she asked. Her hair had been twisted onto the top of her head and was used to secure a diamond tiara.

“Now, this… is how a Winchester should be dressed,” Exavior smiled.

Emily tried to take off the delicate diamond crown, but her hair held it tightly in place.

“Come, we’re attending a ball,” he said, and held his hand out. “I would suggest you behave tonight too, or we may have to punish your cell mates.”

Emily frowned and took his hand. He led them down several corridors and staircases, and then through a set of double doors into a large banquet hall filled with heku. They all turned to look at her and she felt her skin crawl. She was very much mindful that everyone looking at her was a Valle. She flexed her hands as they began to tingle. She was suddenly aware that wherever Chevalier was, they were using electricity on him.

Sotomar came up to them and kissed her hand as Exavior smiled, “You look lovely, Dear. So glad you decided to join us.”

Emily smiled politely and kept repeating to herself that she was protecting Chevalier and Kyle. She politely nodded to each of the dignitaries that Exavior led her to, and stood silently as they commented about her beauty, or mentioned how helpful it would be to have her abilities in their faction.

“Emily, I’m Elder Ryan, so good to finally meet you,” a heku said, and kissed her hand.

Emily nodded and smiled, afraid her voice might give her irritation away.

The banquet hall fell quiet when the building began to shake. The sound of landing helicopters filled the palace and Emily couldn’t help but smile. She felt the tension building within the banquet hall as Valle guards streamed into it and Exavior pulled Emily into the protective circle with the Council. She crossed her arms, excited to see who was causing so much tension in the Valle ranks.

Emily felt her heart leap when she saw the green uniforms of the Thukil Cavalry. They were followed by a massive Council City Army. Darren spotted her almost immediately, and he grinned and headed the Thukil Cavalry towards her. Exavior let go of Emily and began to fight one of the Equites guards. Emily stepped back away from the fighting and ran out into the hallway. The corridor was deserted. All available hands were fighting in the banquet hall.

Emily pulled up the long hem of her dress and started to search frantically for the prison. She remembered landmarks from inside the palace and tried to follow them from memory. When she found her stateroom, she knew she was on the right track.

She opened a door and came face-to-face with the long corridor full of cells. She began to search for electrical controls. Emily found the control room and started flipping all of the switches. The menacing sound of pulsing electricity faded, and she looked around for the control keys. She was able to reach them after climbing on a chair and then she quickly ran back to the corridor.

Emily opened each door. If they were Equites, she told them of the fight in the banquet hall, if they were Encala, she told them they had 5 minutes to get out of the Valle city. Emily turned around when she’d opened the last cell and glanced down, all of the doors were opened, but she hadn’t found Chevalier or Kyle.

One of the Encala turned around on his way out of the corridor, “What’s wrong? Get out of here.”

“I can’t, I don’t see the ones I came with,” she said, and looked at him frantically.

The Encala turned around toward the exit, and then ran back to her, “There may be more cells down here, come.”

Emily followed him through an adjacent corridor and they emerged in another row of cells. The Encala quickly shut off the electricity and Emily used the keys to go through each cell.

“You’re Emily, aren’t you?” the Encala asked, and she felt a panic rising.

She nodded at him.

“Ok, go check for them,” he said, and she repeated what she had done with the previous hallway. The Encala took off quickly while the Equites headed deeper into the palace.

“Nothing, still,” Emily said to the Encala.

He sighed, “Come on, let’s keep looking.”

Emily nervously headed down a dark stairway, following what she realized was an enemy, but she was desperate to find Kyle and Chevalier. The Encala opened a door and crouched, hissing angrily.

She ran up behind him and saw four Valle guards crouched to attack him. They fell to ash instantly, and the Encala stood up and looked at her, shocked. She pushed past him and started to turn off the electrical current. It wasn’t until she got into the corridor that she saw there were no cells here, just heku shackled to the walls in various stages of starvation.

“Emily, no,” the Encala said when she moved to one of them. “He’s starving. He won’t be able to resist your scent.”

Emily frowned and looked at the one she was about to release. His eyes were fixed on the throbbing vein in her neck, “I can’t leave them.”

“Go get the ones that aren’t this bad off. I’ll move these ones,” he told her.

Emily nodded and ran down further. She touched the face of a heku and he looked up at her, shocked.

“Encala or Equites?” she asked softly.

“Encala,” he said, and she could tell he thought she would leave him there. She reached up and unlatched his shackles.

“Get out of here, do you hear me? Run,” she said, and he blurred out of the corridor.

Emily moved up to the next one, and then the next one, releasing each and giving orders to either run or join in the fight. She released the last heku and turned to the Encala that was helping her. He had already let go the last of the first batch.

“Still not finding them?” he asked her, frustrated.

Emily shook her head, “No.”

“I smell…” she saw him cock his head slightly to the side and inhaled. “There’s more down here.”

Emily frowned and frantically looked around.

The Encala suddenly took off, and Emily ran after him. She almost ran into him in the dark corridor, but light appeared when he opened the door. Emily walked in and gasped. The room was full of electrified heku, horribly in pain, and she was sure some of them were dead.

The Encala quickly turned off the electricity and Emily ran to Chevalier. He was lying still on the dirt floor, “Chev?”

He opened his eyes slowly and looked at her.

Emily turned to the side. She took Kyle’s hand and touched his face, “Kyle?”

She turned to the Encala, “He’s not moving.”

Chevalier frowned when a well-known Encala murderer knelt down beside Emily and looked Kyle over, “He’s alive. You get the other one, I’ll get him.”

“Did you let the rest of them go?” she asked, looking around.

“If they are alive, yes, I let them go,” he said, and picked Kyle up in a fireman’s hold.

Emily nodded and tried to get Chevalier to his feet, but he was too weak and groaned with the pain.

“Chev, can you stand up? We have to get out of here,” she said, and Chevalier used the wall to stand, but his legs buckled and he fell back to the ground.

The Encala laid Kyle’s limp body back on the ground. He looked at Emily, “How strong are you?”

“Tell me what to do,” Emily said, and glanced at Chevalier.

The Encala nodded and pulled Chevalier to his feet, “Ok, bend slightly. I’m going to lay him across your back. Keep moving. If you stop, it’ll be hard for you to get going again.”

Emily nodded and bent slightly. Chevalier tried to talk, tried to tell her not to trust the Encala, but he wasn’t able to say anything. The Encala leaned Chevalier against her back, wincing at how small she looked trying to carry the hulking heku.

“Can you do this?” he asked.

“If you can help me up the stairs, yes,” Emily said, and grabbed his arms that were draped over her shoulders. She groaned and stepped one foot forward, slowly moving toward the door as Chevalier’s feet drug behind her.

When she got to the stairs, the Encala took Chevalier and ran him upstairs as Emily followed. Once they were on the ground floor, he turned to her.

“I have to warn you, the Equites aren’t going to like seeing you with me,” he said, and picked Chevalier up to lean against Emily again.

“Why is that? I couldn’t do this without you,” she asked as Chevalier’s weight was again put on her back. She grabbed his arms and began to inch forward.

“They just won’t, if they attack, let me be, ok?” the Encala said, and picked Kyle up fireman style.

“No,” Emily managed to whisper.

“Yes, the worst they can do is put me in their jail, but if I can, I’ll run,” he said, and walked slowly beside Emily. “You’re tough for a mortal, do you know that?”

Emily just smiled slightly and groaned with each step.

“Why… are they… unconscious?” Emily managed to pant.

“It’s a torturer’s trick. Electricity and a few special herbs, and it can incapacitate a heku indefinitely,” he said, keeping pace with her.

“How… long?” Emily groaned louder as her legs began to shake.

“Could be days,” the Encala said, and froze. “Watch it.”

Emily looked up and saw Mark and Silas staring at them, both of them were glaring at the Encala.

“Mark, help,” Emily whispered, and Zohn appeared at his side. Mark ran to her and picked Chevalier up. She fell to her knees, her legs unable to bear any more weight.

“No, Zohn!” Emily yelled, when Kyle was ripped from the Encala’s shoulders and he stood crouched, facing Zohn. “He helped me, let him go.”

The Encala grinned slightly, “She doesn’t listen does she?”

“Never,” Zohn said, and suddenly the Encala was pinned to the floor by Equites.

“Stop!” Emily yelled, and tried to get to her feet, but she still couldn’t stand up. Her legs felt like jelly.

Silas picked Emily up and before she could complain, he blurred her to the Blackhawk helicopter and she was lifted inside by Mark.

“Are you hurt?” he asked, looking her over.

“No, Mark, listen to me,” she said quickly. “The Encala I was with, let him go.”

“We can’t let him go. He’s wanted by the Equites, too,” Mark explained.

“He helped me, without him I wouldn’t have found them,” she told him.

“Sorry, Em, he has to be seen by the Council.” Mark ignored the way she glared at him and readied the wounded for travel.

When the Thukil guards brought the Encala out the doors, they pushed him roughly into another helicopter. Emily jumped down from the helicopter she was in, and ran to the other one.

“Get me up!” she yelled, and Zohn pulled her up by her arms.

“Go!” Zohn yelled, and the pilot nodded as the helicopter lifted from the ground.

Emily looked over and saw Thukil guards holding the Encala down.

“Be nice to him,” she said.

“Yes, Commander,” they said, and loosened their grip on him a little. The Encala looked at them, surprised they not only called her Commander, but followed her orders.

“Are you ok?” the Encala asked her.

“You have no right to talk to her,” Zohn yelled.

“I’m fine, thank you,” Emily said, ignoring Zohn.

The Encala laughed, “I can’t believe you carried him. Looked like he would squish you.”

Emily smiled, “I’m tougher than I look.”

Zohn was infuriated and the Thukil guards were uncomfortable with how she talked so freely with a convicted murderer, wanted in all three factions.

“You’re going to hurt tomorrow though,” he told her.

“I’m sure I will. How can I repay you?” she asked.

“Emily!” Zohn yelled, and pulled her away from the Encala by her arm.

Emily cried out as he grabbed exactly where Exavior had, “Stop, that hurts.”

The Encala growled, “Nice, and I’m the one that’s wanted.”

“Do not talk to him,” Zohn growled at her.

“You’re not my Elder and I can do what I want.” Emily glared at him.

“Feisty little thing,” the Encala laughed, but was silenced by the looks from the Thukil guards.

“You’re pushing the boundaries of being a traitor,” Zohn yelled.

“You’re pushing the boundaries of being an asshole,” Emily yelled back.

“Sit,” Zohn growled, and took his seat up with the pilot.

Emily rolled her eyes and smiled at the Encala, “I’ll handle this.”

“You really should just drop it. I’m fine,” he said, and the Thukil guards nodded in agreement.

“What do the factions want you for?” Emily asked.

The Encala shrugged, “Murder.”

“Heku or human?”

“Both”

“Why?” she asked.

“What do you mean?”

“You must have a reason, right?”

The Encala smiled slightly, “They got in my way.”

“So even the Encala would stick you in prison?”

“Yes”

“Where can you go that you’d be safe?”

“Banishment,” he said, and shrugged.

“Is that what you want though?”

“Yes, it is.”

Emily frowned, “If you’re sure, I can try to get that.”

“I’ve been in and out of faction prisons for over six hundred years. I’m ready to be done with it,” he said.

“Have you tried going straight?” Emily asked. “Maybe they’d let you go.”

“Nope, can’t be done.”

“I’ll ask them to banish you then.”

The Encala nodded, “Thank you.”

“Why did you help me? If you’re so mean and dangerous, why help the lost mortal?”

The Encala smiled, “I have a lot of respect for you.”

“Why’s that?”

“You’re the only one I know that’s killed more than I have.”

Emily frowned, “I kill defensively.”

“It’s still an impressive number,” he said, and turned to look out the window.

Darren moved over to sit by her and took her arm in his hands, “Is this bruise the only injury?”

Emily nodded, “Yeah, not too bad. That and the humiliation of being dressed up like a Barbie doll.”

Darren grinned, “Ever feel like a trophy that’s passed between factions?”

“You have no idea.”

The helicopters landed in Council City. The one carrying the disabled members of the Council landed on the roof, while the others landed along the lawn. Darren helped Emily out of the helicopter, and she followed the Thukil guards while they escorted the Encala down to the prison.

“Do you need anything?” Emily asked, when he was locked in a cell.

“No, I’m fine,” he said, and sat down on the bed.

“If you need anything, ask specifically for me,” she said, and headed up the stairs with the Thukil guards.

“Where’s Chev?” Emily asked one of the guards on the first floor.

“The Elder and the Chief Enforcer have been taken to the Elder’s room,” he said officially.

Emily ran up the stairs and into the bedroom. She frowned when she saw Chevalier lying motionless on the bed and Kyle on the floor beside him, the rest of the room was empty. She went into Kyle’s room and stole a blanket and pillow off of the bed, then returned and knelt down beside him. She put his head on the pillow and covered him with the blanket.

“Mark?” she called out, and sat on the bed to wait for him.

“Yes?” Mark asked, stepping into the room.

“Is someone going to help them?” she asked, irritated.

“No, they are doing ok on their own,” Mark said, and glanced at the injured heku.

“I’m slowly finding the heku species, as a whole, to be just as fragile as mortals,” Emily told him.

Mark grinned, “We’re not.”

“Keep thinking that, but I’m right,” Emily said, and disappeared into the bathroom for a shower. She came out feeling a lot better without the dress and crown. She tossed the tiara on top of the dresser and sat down by Chevalier, taking his hand.

“Don’t be mad at me,” Emily said, and kissed him softly.

Chevalier’s eyes opened slowly and he whispered, “Why?”

“Just don’t,” she said, and stood up to pack. He’d fallen back into a trance, so she was able to pack and head out of the room.

“Going somewhere?” Mark asked when he saw Emily with a suitcase and Alexis following behind her.

“Yes, I’m leaving.”

“Shall I go?”

“No, heading out alone. Is the Council in session?”

“Yes,” Mark said, frowning.

Emily nodded and headed down the stairs followed by Alexis, who clutched her doll tightly. She stopped and dropped her suitcase, and then took Alexis’ hand and walked into the council chambers.

“Good to have you home, Emily.” Quinn smiled and looked up at her.

“I am leaving for a while, but first I wanted to plead the case for the Encala that helped me with Chevalier and Kyle,” Emily said.

Zohn turned and spoke to Quinn quickly.

“What exactly are you pleading for?” Quinn asked.

“His banishment.”

Quinn looked at her, surprised, “Odd that you want him banished after he helped you.”

“Nonetheless, that is my request.”

“We will take it into consideration,” Quinn said.

“Keep in mind… if I come back to the palace, I do consider him a friend and will visit him often,” Emily said, and watched the Council.

“If you return?” Quinn asked, suddenly serious.

“Yes, if.”

“Where are you going?”

“Somewhere where it’s just Alex and I.”

“Does Chevalier know?” Zohn asked.

“No, it’ll be easier if I go now.”

“But the baby…” Zohn said, and the Council turned to her.

“We will manage. Tell… tell Chevalier I love him,” Emily said, and turned before the tear fell from her eye.

Quinn blurred to her side, “Please, stay.”

Emily shook her head, “No, no more kidnappings, no more tortures and deceit. I’m done with it, and I won’t put Alexis through that either.”

Quinn stepped back and let her go, watching her with sorrow in his eyes.

Emily pushed her suitcase into the back of the Jeep and locked Alexis into the car seat. She sighed and looked around the garage, her eyes falling on the three red Lamborghini’s. She slid into the driver’s seat of the Jeep and was soon pulling out of Council City.