Chapter 22 - Supervisor

“Enter,” Emily said when there was a knock on her office door. She shut the ledger and looked up when one of the floor leaders came in. “Have a seat.”

The heku bowed slightly and sat in a chair by Emily’s desk.

“What’s up?” Emily asked.

“Floor five again, Ma’am,” he said, and frowned slightly.

“The same thing?”

“Yes”

“Ok, I’ll go talk to them,” Emily said, and stood up. She pulled down her shirt, still trying to make it an inch or so longer to cover the band of skin on her abdomen.

Emily followed the floor leader up to the fifth-floor. She ran up the last flight when she heard them screaming at each other and saw a chair fly across the hallway and slam into the wall. As she rounded the corner, she was hit in the hip with another flying chair and she fell back against the wall as the heku gasped and immediately fell quiet.

“Damnit,” she yelled, and grabbed her throbbing hip. “What the hell is going on?”

The three heku all began yelling an explanation at the same time, and Emily wasn’t able to pick out any of what was being said.

“Stop it!” she yelled, and they all quieted down. “Get to my office.”

The heku blurred away and she sighed and looked at the floor leader.

“Are you ok?” he asked nervously. No one wanted to have to be the one to tell the Elder his wife was injured.

“I’m ok, get another crew up here for now,” she said, and limped down the stairs to her office. She opened the door, “Get in.”

“Winder threw it!” one of them yelled, and pointed at another.

“I did not!” was the heku’s reply.

“Sit,” Emily said sternly, and then sat down. “I’ve about had it with you three… I’m splitting you up.”

“Please don’t, we’ve been a team for over four hundred years!”

“I don’t care. You can’t seem to stop fighting, so I’m splitting you between floors and on different shifts.”

“We won’t do it. We’ll quit first.”

“Fine, then I’ll just replace you,” Emily said, and grabbed a stack of applications.

The heku’s eyes narrowed, “We’ll go to the Council.”

“If you feel that’s necessary… as of right now you are all on suspension until I can re-work the schedule,” Emily told him, then watched as they blurred angrily from her office. She looked up when she saw someone appear in her door.

“Guess what?” Derrick asked, grinning.

Emily sighed, “I’m coming.”

She stood up and stretched her sore hip and then followed Derrick toward the council chambers.

“Ma’am?” someone said from behind her.

Emily turned toward the Head Chef.

“Can you approve this?” he asked, and handed her a clip board.

Derrick waited while Emily looked over the schedule and signed at the bottom, “Looks good.”

“Thanks,” the Head Chef said, and disappeared.

When they finally reached the council chambers, Derrick opened the door and Emily walked in and moved up to the trial area beside the three servants from the fifth-floor.

She looked at them, “I thought I took care of you.”

Quinn grinned, “They wanted to tattle tale, but ended up mentioning that one of them threw a chair at you.”

Emily sighed and looked at them, “That was smart, now wasn’t it?”

They all looked at the ground.

“Are you injured?” Zohn asked.

“No,” Emily told him, glad that Chevalier and Kyle were away for a week.

“So instead of suspension by you, they get to be punished by us for assault,” Quinn told them angrily.

“What can I say? You’re fired,” Emily told them, and started for the door.

“Em?” Zohn called out.

Emily stopped and turned around, “Yes?”

“You’re limping slightly.”

“It’s purely a figment of your imagination,” she said, and left the room.

Quinn chuckled and then turned to the three on trial, “Who threw the chair?”

None of the three answered.

“Fine then, we’ll just charge you all with assault.”

They nodded.

“Are we charging them with assaulting a supervisor or a member of the Council?” the Court Reporter asked.

Zohn grinned, “Assaulting a member of the Council.”

“Yes, Elder.”

“Report to General Mark immediately,” Quinn said, and watched as Derrick escorted them out.

“With the reports we’ve had about Emily, I’m surprised this is the first she’s been assaulted,” Dustin said.

“It was an accident, but an assault nonetheless. I don’t think any of them would dare touch her,” Zohn told him.

Quinn grinned, “Besides, the reports we are getting that she’s too strict aren’t all that bad, in my opinion.”

“Agreed,” Zohn said, turning to the Council. “Too strict is just what they need.”

“As long as it’s not abuse,” Dustin said.

“It’s not… we just didn’t realize that the previous supervisor let a lot of little things slide, and Emily’s not like that.”

“I like it,” the Chief of Defense said. “There’s no such thing as too strict.”

“Still, she’s taking it a bit far, don’t you think?” Dustin asked. “The staff is scared to death of her, and I’ve seen them do the same job three times just to make sure she wouldn’t find fault with it.”

“We should clarify that, they aren’t afraid of her… they’re afraid of Chevalier,” Zohn told him.

“Still, afraid of their supervisor, it causes tension.”

“I’m shocked that one of General Skinner’s people would think being too strict is bad,” the Chief of Staff said.

“I’m not necessarily saying it’s bad…”

“Yes you are,” Zohn told him. “You think we don’t see what’s going on? Quinn and I were on Emily’s hate list for years longer than you have been. We understand.”

“This has nothing to do with my dislike of her.”

Zohn grinned and went back to his roster.

 

***

 

“Em?” Kralen asked as he knocked on her office door.

Emily looked up and smiled, “Come on in. I’m almost done.”

“Good, Silas and I want to show you something.”

She nodded and quickly filled out a form before shoving it onto the top of her out box, “Done.”

“Ok, we have a surprise,” Kralen said, grinning.

Emily’s eyes narrowed, “Do I trust this?”

“Probably not…” he said, and held up a blindfold.

Emily grinned, “This should be interesting.”

Kralen tied it over her eyes and took her arm, then led her down the stairs and just grinned at anyone they passed. Emily was walking slowly with her hands out, not fully trusting Kralen not to get sidetracked and run her into a wall.

“Ok, ready?” she heard Silas ask.

“Nope,” she told him.

Kralen lifted the blindfold from her eyes and she gasped at her truck. The dark blue Dodge Ram 3500 was jacked up, had KC lights, fog lights, and huge over-sized mudding tires.

“Oh my God!” Emily yelled, excited.

“Like it?” Silas asked, leaning back against his car.

“Yes!” she screamed, and used the step to look inside. “Speakers too?”

“Yup, woofers… for your… country music,” Kralen chuckled.

Emily reached in and popped a CD into the drive and cranked the volume up. Suddenly, the palace filled with Black Sabbath’s Paranoid.

“What in the world is that?” Zohn asked, glancing toward the door.

“Get in!” Emily yelled, and crawled into the driver’s seat. Kralen and Silas both hopped into the Ram and she spun out and headed out of the palace’s garage, taking the loud music with her.

“I do believe that is Black Sabbath,” Dustin said, grinning.

“Yes, but who is filling my palace with it?” Zohn asked, and then heard it disappear. “There, much better.”

“Derrick?” Quinn called.

“Yes, Elder?” the door guard asked.

“Who do we have to blame for that?”

Derrick grinned, “The Cavalry tricked out Emily’s truck.”

“Tricked out her truck?”

“Yes, jacked it up, better tires, sound system.”

Quinn grinned, “That explains everything, thank you.”

Emily waved as they flew by the front gate guards and the guards grinned at the blaring music, shocked as the rest that Emily was listening to something other than country.

“Where are we going?” Silas yelled over the music.

“I don’t care!” Emily yelled back.

“We better not stop. We didn’t get permission to leave,” Kralen said, laughing.

Emily reached over and turned down the music so they could talk, “I’m hungry. Can we grab some Chinese food?”

“Nasty, but sure,” Silas said, and opened his phone. He quickly called Mark and filled him in.

Emily pulled over at a little Chinese restaurant and stopped the truck. Silas looked over at the building beside the restaurant, “That’s where a lot of us get donors.”

She looked over at the dark biker bar, “Seriously?”

“Yup,” Kralen said. “I’m thinking that sounds like a good idea.”

“I want to see,” Emily said, and jumped out of the truck.

“I’m not sure about that,” Silas told her, glancing at the bar.

“So you just go in there and… I don’t know… drink?”

Kralen chuckled, “Pretty much. There’s a back bar, and if you’re back there, you’re either a donor or a heku.”

“No way!”

Kralen nodded.

“I want to see.”

“Didn’t you hear? If you go in there, they’ll think you’re a donor.”

“Who besides Equites goes in there though?”

“All factions use it if they are in the area.”

“They know me and know I’m not a donor, let’s go,” she said, and slid her purse over her shoulder before walking in.

“I’m not feeding in front of her,” Silas whispered.

Kralen grinned, “I will.”

“That is not a good idea. I’ve seen you feed, your hands travel.”

“I’ll behave.”

“Right,” Silas sighed, and followed Emily into the bar. “Mark’s going to kill us.”

Kralen waved at the man behind the bar, who smiled and yelled over the music, “Go on back.”

Emily smiled at Kralen and followed him through a large black door, into an adjacent room. She stopped inside and gasped. The dark room was full of both men and women who were waiting to be donors. She was surprised at how many were waiting for heku to enter.

Off in the corner, Emily saw two familiar city guards already feeding from the same pretty blonde. She was obviously enjoying it and winked at Silas when he glanced at her. Emily blushed and walked over to the bar to sit down.

“What can I get you?” the woman behind the bar asked. Emily was surprised to see two fresh puncture wounds on her neck.

“Rum and Coke, please,” Emily said, and watched Silas sit down beside her. The bartender pushed the drink toward Emily, and she paid and then glanced around for Kralen. She finally spotted him in the corner with a long-haired brunette. All that was visible of Kralen was his knees as she sat on his lap facing him and his face was buried in her neck.

“Don’t wanna feed?” Emily asked Silas, and took a drink.

“Not in front of you, no,” Silas told her.

“Kralen didn’t seem to have a problem… course…” she glanced back and saw Kralen slip his hand under the brunette’s shirt. “I don’t think he’s just feeding.”

“He never does.”

“Ahhh… want me to go eat so you can?”

“Nope, can’t let you go.”

“Oh, that’s right.”

“The Elder will kill us both if he finds out we brought you here,” Silas told her, grinning slightly.

“Why’s that?”

“Because the heku in here that don’t know you, think you’re a donor. I’ve already had to back four of them off.”

Emily gasped and looked around, “Really?”

“Yes”

“Maybe I should go.”

“Let’s wait for Kralen and then you can go get some Chinese food.”

She nodded and took another drink, trying to find something to look at other than feeding heku. She knew they fed, but hadn’t really witnessed it much, and was surprised to find herself uncomfortable being around it. After only twenty minutes, Kralen joined them at the bar.

“Done?” Silas asked him, irritated.

Kralen grinned, “Yup.”

“No, she’s mine,” Silas said, and took Emily’s arm. “Let’s go.”

Emily nodded and left with the guards. Silas was obviously mad at Kralen, and Kralen was pleased with himself for his actions with the brunette. When they stepped out into the parking lot, it had begun to snow again. They walked across to the Chinese restaurant, but stopped when they heard laughing.

“Dang, seems we missed the opportunity to snack on the Elder’s wife,” someone said from behind them.

Silas and Kralen both turned and crouched slightly. Emily spun to see two Valle watching them.

“Why are you this close to Council City?” Kralen growled.

“Calm down, passing through and felt the need to feed,” the taller one said, and ran his tongue over his teeth as he watched Emily.

“Feed and get out. You’re not welcome this close,” Silas told him.

“Oh, we know… just surprised to see the Winchester here… mind if we try some?”

Emily gasped and covered her neck with her hand.

“She wasn’t here as a donor.”

“Pity,” he said, and took a step closer and then crouched. “If the Equites fed correctly, she’d like it well enough to keep you all satisfied.”

“Stop it!” Emily yelled. “No fighting. We were just leaving.”

“Letting the little mortal tell you what to do? Typical Equites,” the smaller one said, laughing.

Emily’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t have time to respond before Kralen blurred into a fight with the taller one. She headed in to stop them, but the other Valle grabbed her arm hard enough that his hands dug into her flesh.

“Where are you going, Sweetheart?” he asked her.

Emily heard Silas growl and slam into him. His hands were pulled off her arm, leaving deep red fingernail scratches on the bruises. She rolled her eyes and headed back for the truck, deciding to let the two guards fight it out themselves.

When she got to the truck, the sounds of fighting stopped and she turned, just as the Valle fell to the ground, groaning and clutching wounds. Kralen and Silas were both standing, but also injured. She ran to Silas, who seemed hurt the worst, and put his arm around her neck. She helped him to the truck and then went back for Kralen.

Once her guards were in the truck, she ran back to the closest Valle and kicked him in the face, shattering his cheek bone, “Get away from Council City,” she growled at them, and then jumped into the truck after both turned to ash.

Emily started out for Council City as the heku healed.

“Damnit, Valle don’t fight fair,” Silas groaned.

“There’s a fair way to fight?” Emily asked.

“Yeah, in casual fighting like that, we don’t normally bite.”

“Fucker got me good,” Kralen panted.

Emily sighed, “You two are more trouble than I am, I swear.”

“You don’t have to yell at us, Mark’ll have our heads for this,” Silas told her.

The rest of the drive was silent. Emily killed the headlights and music when she got into the city, and then stopped in front of the Cavalry’s barracks.

“Mark won’t know if you two go to bed and heal before he sees you,” she told them, and jumped out of the truck. She opened the back first and helped Kralen out. He was still slouched over, grasping vicious bites on his side and his shirt was covered in blood.

Hidden by the blizzard, Emily helped Kralen into the barracks. As soon as she opened the door, the Cavalry inside grew quiet and then ran to her when they saw their Captain.

“What happened?” Jaron asked, taking Kralen from Emily.

“Nothing happened,” Emily said, and went back after Silas. Another of the Cavalry came and helped him to his bed.

“We’ll need to report this as an attack,” Jaron said to her.

“We weren’t attacked.”

His eyes narrowed, “Then how did they get hurt?”

Emily went over to Silas and slipped off his cape and shoes, and then covered him with a blanket, “They aren’t hurt.”

“What are you playing at?”

“Nothing, ok? They aren’t hurt,” she said again.

“And this?” Jaron asked, pointing to her bruised and scratched arm.

Emily looked down and noticed it was in the exact shape of a hand, “That’s… I did that to myself.”

“It’s impossible to turn your own hand in that direction.”

“Drop it, Jaron, please.”

The Commander sighed, “Fine.”

“You aren’t going to get very far into the palace. You’re covered in heku blood,” one of the Cavalry said to her.

She looked at her shirt, “Damnit… I can get in though. No one’ll see me.”

“They’ll smell you.”

“One second,” one of the Cavalry said, and he blurred from the room. He returned a few minutes later with clean clothes. “Go shower and change.”

“Thank you,” Emily said, and went into the shower.

Jaron shook his head at Kralen, “You’re going to be lucky if Mark doesn’t find out.”

“I know,” Kralen said, and smiled slightly.

“We cannot allow Lady Emily to lie and cover for one of us,” a newer member of the Cavalry said, one obviously from Powan.

Jaron turned on him, “It’s her choice. If we break and tell the General, she’ll get mad, and that only causes trouble for us.”

The guard, obviously irritated, returned to his bed and began to read.

Jaron walked over to stand by the shower door, ensuring no one went in while Emily cleaned up. She came out a few minutes later, no longer smelling of heku blood.

“Who are my guards?” she asked, heading for the door. Four members of the Cavalry fell in behind her, “Get in the truck, let’s go back.”

They nodded and walked out to her truck while she checked one more time on Silas and Kralen. Silas was already sitting up, almost completely healed, but Kralen had one bite that was still hurting. Once she was sure they were ok, she met up with her guards and returned to the palace.

 

***

 

Emily jumped slightly and sat up in bed when someone knocked on the door. She told whomever it was to enter, and then yawned and glanced at the clock.

“Sorry to wake you,” Derrick whispered. “The Council wants to see you.”

“Right now?”

“Yes”

She sighed and slipped out of bed. She was still groggy from sleeping, and walked out the door in her nightgown. Derrick grimaced and followed her out, along with her four guards. They all looked anywhere but at her. They knew she was too tired to realize she was walking through the palace in a short pink silk nightgown.

“Sorry about this late hour,” the Chief Interrogator said, and shifted nervously at how she was dressed.

“Ok,” she mumbled, still trying to wake up.

“We need to know what happened tonight that caused you to turn two Valle to ash in the parking lot of one of our donor bars in the city.”

This immediately woke Emily up, “That wasn’t at a donor bar. That was at a Chinese restaurant.”

“Oh, we’ll make sure and mention that so they don’t think we took you to a donor bar,” Dustin said.

“Of course no one would take me to a donor bar.”

“True”

“Good night then,” she said, and turned to leave.

“Wait, we’re not done,” Dustin called after her.

She sighed and turned back to the Council, “What then?”

“Why did you turn them to ash?”

“Where’s Quinn and Zohn?”

“Out for a few days… you didn’t answer my question. Why did you turn them to ash?”

“I don’t think that’s any of your concern.”

“It is,” the Chief of Staff told her. “The Valle Elders want a reason, so they know if they need to punish them.”

“Nope, I already handled it,” she told them, and again turned to leave.

“We’re not done with you,” Dustin told her.

She glanced up at the ceiling and then walked over to the trial area, “What?”

“What happened?”

“Nothing important.”

“Tell us, please.”

“No”

Dustin frowned, “I’m not accustomed to being told no.”

“I don’t feel that it’s any of the Council’s business what I was doing or what happened.”

“It is our business when one of the Equites is attacked by a Valle.”

“Who said I was attacked?”

“Your arm speaks for itself,” the Court Reporter told her.

Emily looked down at the deep purple bruise and dark red scratches, “I did that to myself.”

“It’s physically impossible for your hand to be at that angle,” Dustin told her.

“Don’t try to dig up trouble where there is none,” Emily said to them. “Nothing happened, no one was attacked, and those Valle should be sent on their way with no further punishment.”

“If you refuse to tell us, then we will have to confine you to quarters until Chevalier returns,” the Chief of Staff told her.

Emily’s eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms, “I’m not telling him either, so that won’t do any good.”

“It doesn’t matter if you do or not. This would take the decision of all three Elders for a punishment.”

“You can’t keep me in my room, I’ll get away… and I’d like to see this Council toss me into prison while the Elders are away.”

“Guards, take her to prison,” Dustin said, smiling.

“What!?” Emily yelled as one of the palace guards restrained her hands behind her back.

“If you decide to talk, you may request a meeting with the Council. Until then… you are confined.”

The guards walked Emily out and as she passed the four members of the Cavalry, they gasped and started to follow her, but were called into the Council.

“Yes, Sir?” the highest ranking of the Cavalry asked.

“You are relieved of guard duty for now. Tell the Cavalry that they are hereby banned from the prison until further notice,” Dustin told him. “Make sure and advise the General.”

“Yes, Sir,” he said, and they walked out of the council chambers, confused.

Emily was taken to a cell across from Vaughn, and as the cell door was slammed shut and locked, he looked over at her and laughed.

“See they finally found a way to restrain you.”

“Shut up, Vaughn. I can still turn you to ash,” she grumbled, and sat down on the cold, hard bed.

“Is that what you sleep in?” Vaughn asked, smiling at the small amount of fabric covering her. “No wonder the Elder stays jealous.”

Emily sighed and looked around the cell. There were no blankets or pillows, nothing she could use to cover up with.

 

***

 

“What!?” Mark yelled.

“They took her to prison and have banned us from going down there,” the Cavalry member told him.

“Why did they put her in prison?”

“She turned some Valle to ash and won’t say why.”

“Damnit,” Mark growled. “I can get her to tell them.”

“Not if we can’t get into the prison.”

“When is Chevalier supposed to return?”

“In 6 days. The other two Elders will be gone about that long also.”

Mark sat down, obviously furious, “They can’t keep her in prison, it’s freezing down there.”

“And they didn’t allow her to get dressed.”

“What’s she wearing?”

“Some little pink thing. She was asleep or I would imagine would have grabbed a robe.”

“Great,” Mark growled, deep in thought. “Get Tobin, now.”

“Yes, General,” he said, and blurred away to get one of the palace’s prison guards that was applying for a position on the Cavalry. It was only a few minutes later that the heku guard came into the Cavalry barracks where Mark was waiting.

“You called for me?”

“Emily’s been put in prison…”

“Yes, she has.”

“She’s not sufficiently dressed to keep warm in there. She’ll need a robe and blankets.”

“Sorry, Sir,” Tobin said. “We’ve been banned from taking anything to her, food and blankets included.”

“Why?” Mark yelled.

“I don’t know. It just came down from the Council.”

Mark sighed, “The Elders aren’t going to like this.”

“I fully expect them to punish us for this,” the prison guard explained. “However, right now Dustin has been put over the Council.”

“Go away,” Mark growled.

***

 

“Emily! I still love you,” David yelled across the dark prison. Emily shivered on the cold bed. Her arms were wrapped around herself and she was curled up on the cot. As procedure dictated, all lights in the prison were turned off.

Vaughn chuckled from across the hallway, “You have quite the following.”

“You Bitch!” Larry yelled. The former leader of the V.E.S. was still serving time in the Equites prison, “It’s about time they threw you in here to rot with us.”

“I hope you die down here,” Cody yelled.

“Leave her alone!” David screamed.

“Ask your precious guards to let you in my cell. I’ll warm you up,” Vaughn said, still amused.

Emily sighed, “Just shut up.”

 

***

 

“We can’t leave her down there,” the Chief Interrogator said, turning to the Council.

“Yes, we can. She needs to answer my question,” Dustin told him.

“The Elders will be back in four days. If they find out we kept her down in the cold prison without food or warmth, they’ll banish us all,” the Chief Investigator told him.

“I’m tired of this! I’ve been listening to you all complain about this for two days and I won’t have it,” Dustin said. “Either deal with it quietly, or visit your covens.”

The Chief Investigator, Chief Interrogator, Records Keeper, Faction Liaison Officer, Chief of Staff, and Chief of Defense all got up as one and left the council chambers.

“Anyone else want to complain?” Dustin growled.

“No, Sir,” the rest replied, and turned back toward the trial area.

At the front doors to the palace, the Chief Investigator turned to the others, “We can’t let this happen.”

“He is starving her, she has to be freezing, and I can hear the prisoners yelling at her from here,” the Chief of Staff said, obviously upset.

“If we defy him, then we essentially defy the Elders, as they’ve left him in charge,” the Chef of Defense reminded him.

“I know, let’s all just go.”

The others nodded and left for their individual covens.

 

***

 

“Sir, here they are,” Derrick said. His tone was respectful, but it was obvious he wasn’t happy about what was going on.

Mark, Silas, Kralen, and Jaron walked in leading the rest of the Cavalry, all surrounded by city and palace guards.

“I’m highly disappointed in you,” Dustin said to them angrily. “My orders are law right now, and I forbade you from going into the prison or helping Emily. Right now she’s a traitor to the Equites, yet you chose to defy the Council and help her.”

Mark glared at him, “She’s cold, hungry, and scared down there.”

“I can tell you what happened,” Silas said. “Kralen and I were there too.”

“No, she should answer my question, and I will let her go,” Dustin told him. “As for the Cavalry, you’re all relieved of duty… return without honors to your covens.”

“Don’t you realize what’s going to happen when the Elders return?” Silas growled. “You could be banished for this.”

“Do not speak to me like that!” Dustin said. “I am in charge, and if she won’t answer my question, then she can stay in there.”

“With all due respect… you’re wrong,” Silas told him.

“Derrick, take him to the prison,” Dustin yelled. “The rest of you leave immediately.”

Silas was hauled way to the prison, while the rest of the Cavalry began to fight and argue with the city and palace guards. Before the mutiny was over, Mark and Kralen were also thrown into the prison, and the rest of the Cavalry was forcibly removed from Council City.

Dustin sighed and looked over at the Chief of Finance, “This is out of control. How can our elite guards turn on the Council?”

“Lack of respect. Their leaders are too attached to her.”

“I’m right though. One simple answer, and I’ll let her out of prison, out with food and warmth.”

 

***

 

“What happened?” the Chief of Finance asked when Allen, Miri, and Alexis were thrown into the council chambers onto their knees.

“Where is the Coven Liaison Officer?” one of the guards asked.

“Dustin is away, what happened?”

“Allen and Miri attempted to get into the prison, after Alexis turned the two prison guards to ash,” the guard explained.

“You turned two guards to ash?” the Chief of Finance yelled at Alexis.

The 11-year-old nodded, “Yes, I did.”

“Leave Alex alone,” Allen growled. “You cannot keep my mom down there. She’s mortal. She can’t live without food and in those cold conditions.”

“She can and she is,” he told the young heku. “All she has to do is answer the Council’s question and we will let her go.”

“My Dad will be back in two days… you can either let her go now, and lessen your punishment, or wait until he gets back and face him directly,” Allen said angrily.

“I should banish you three for this insubordination.”

“You can’t touch Alexis. She’s mortal,” Miri yelled. “Do what you want to me. It won’t change the fact that you’re killing Lady Emily because of your pride.”

“Shut up, girl,” the Court Reporter yelled.

“I’m sentencing Miri to banishment for 300 years,” the Chief of Finance said. “Put her in prison until the Chief Enforcer returns.”

“No, don’t touch her!” Allen said, and stood up. He began to fight with the guards, and was soon pinned to the floor by three palace guards.

“It’s ok, Allen, the Chief Enforcer won’t banish me,” Miri said, and calmly walked out with the palace guard.

“Now what to do with you two,” he said, watching Allen and Alexis.

“Alexis is too young to be held responsible for her actions. Let’s just confine her to her room with Dain,” the Court Reporter suggested.

The Chief of Finance nodded, “Very well, take her to her room and confine her there.”

“No!” Alexis screamed. Allen could tell she was trying to catch the eyes of one of the guards.

“Alex no, just go, wait for Dad to get back.”

Alexis looked over at him and nodded. She then walked out after the palace guards.

“You, Boy, have already been stripped of your rank and guard title… what to do with you now?”

“It won’t matter, not when Dad gets back,” Allen told him.

“We’ll see about that. He’s going to be concerned about the mutinous nature of his elite guards and now his family.”

Allen grinned, “Keep thinking that.”

 

***

 

“Lady Emily?” Miri called from two cells down.

“Who is that?” Emily asked, and sat up, shivering.

“It’s Miri.”

“Miri? Why are you here?”

“Alexis called us… Allen and I came and tried to get to you.”

Emily’s lips were dry and cracked and she shivered uncontrollably in the cold, “Where are they?”

“I don’t know… I’ve been banished, but I honestly don’t think the Chief Enforcer will do it. I was brought here before Allen and Alexis were sentenced.”

“You tried to get me out?”

“Yes, I’m sorry we failed.”

“If you’d have joined the Ferus with me, you wouldn’t be in prison,” Vaughn said to her.

“Emily! I love you and I’ll get you out!” David yelled.

“Listen to them call for you… these beings you once loved… they turned on you and you can meet them in hell,” Larry shouted.

“Shut up!” Mark yelled. “I will get out of here, and I’ll make sure you pay for this.”

Miri sighed, “Lady Emily, ignore them. The Elders will be back in two days and this will all end. I’m sure of it.”

“Look at me, Emily,” Vaughn said, suddenly standing at the bars to his cell. “I can make your body warm. I can make the hunger go away. Just trust me enough and let me control you for only a short time.”

“Don’t do it, please… just two days,” Miri said.

“Shut up, Girl!” Vaughn hissed.

“Listen to me, Emily,” Miri said softly. “Two days… this will all be over.”

Emily spoke through chattering teeth, “It’s just so cold.”

“I know… do what you can to stay warm, he’ll be here.”

“Trust us, Em,” Silas said from far away. “We’ll get out, I promise.”

She nodded and sat against the wall of her cell on the floor and pulled the thin, stiff mattress over her. The cement was freezing and uncomfortable, but the mattress kept some of her body heat in. She coughed into her arm and tried to focus on Chevalier’s return.

 

***

 

Dustin returned from a short absence and sat down with a smile, “How are things going?”

“We cannot do this anymore,” the Court Reporter told him. “We’ve been to see the Lady. She’s going to die down there if you don’t let her back up here. She’s not a heku.”

“I know that and all she has to do is answer me.”

“Then I will be going,” he said, and stood up to leave.

“As will I,” the Chief of Finance told him. “Her children risked their lives to help her, and have been punished. I can’t do this and I won’t be here when the Elders come back to a dead Winchester.”

“Go then!” Dustin growled. “They will stand by my decision.”

“Think of what you’re doing… remember when Zohn sent her on a mission? The other Elders were livid… this is much, much worse.”

“Go,” Dustin said, and pulled out a ledger. He began to write as the rest of the Council left for their covens. When he was done logging what happened, he sighed and decided to give Emily another chance.

“Good evening, Sir,” the prison guards mumbled.

Dustin ignored them and walked over to Emily’s cell, “Are you ready to tell me what the Valle did?”

“No,” she whispered, shivering. He could hear the slight wheeze as she breathed.

His eyes narrowed, “Guards, get that mattress. She’s too comfortable with it.”

“Please, no,” Emily said when the only source of warmth was ripped out of her hands. She curled up into a ball on the cement and began to rock as her cell door was slammed shut.

“Last chance. If you don’t tell me now, then I’ll let the Elders deal with you.”

She began to cough into her arm as Dustin shrugged and walked away.

“Dustin!” Mark yelled. “Listen to her. She’s getting sick… she needs warmth.”

“Traitor,” Dustin growled, and walked up the stairs.

“Miri, can you see her?” Mark asked.

“No, I can’t,” Miri answered.

“Silas?”

“No, Sir, I can’t.”

“Oooh, I can,” Vaughn said, and grinned. “She’s pretty bad off. She’s pale, running a fever, and that cough is getting worse.”

“Kralen?” Mark called out.

“No, I can’t see her,” Kralen said.

“I love you so much,” David yelled.

“Oh, shut up!” an unknown prisoner yelled at him.

“Who can see Emily, other than Vaughn?” Mark called out. “I can reward you.”

“I can see her,” one of the prisoners said. He was housed in the cell next to Vaughn.

“Who are you?” Mark asked.

“Pollard, I’m an Encala.”

Mark sighed, “Can you lock her gaze? As I said, I will reward you for it.”

“Emily?” he said, and went to his bars.

“Oh sure! Trust the Encala,” Vaughn said, laughing.

“Emily, look at me,” the Encala said.

“No,” Emily whispered, and then started to cough.

“Emily, trust me, just let him get a lock on you,” Kralen said. “I know you can control that… he can help.”

“Just look at me,” the Encala tried again. One of the door guards blurred to his cell and opened it. He quickly pulled the Encala out and hauled him to the other end of the prison to a different cell.

“Damnit,” Mark growled.

“You all be quiet!” the guard growled. “The next one to make a noise gets the interrogation chamber.”

The prison fell quiet as Emily rocked on the hard cement and coughed often. She could no longer feel her hands, and she watched her breath in the freezing air as it drifted off and disappeared. She could feel it getting harder to breathe, and her head began to pound as her fever grew.

 

***

 

“Wow, it’s quiet in here,” Quinn said when he stepped off of the helicopter.

“Yeah, it is, where are the guards?” Chevalier asked, and looked around the empty roof.

Kyle walked over and looked over the side of the roof, “Hmm, the Cavalry’s horses aren’t out in the corral.”

“The quiet is good after that nightmare,” Zohn said, and headed for the door. “I’m thinking about taking a week vacation.”

Chevalier opened the door, “Go to the island, it’s much more peaceful than your warring coven.”

Zohn laughed, “It’s peaceful now! They are all too afraid Emily will come back.”

Quinn frowned and glanced around as they walked down the stairs, “Where are all of our guards?”

“Odd, isn’t it?” Zohn said, noticing that there were no floor guards.

Kyle blurred down the stairs and then returned, “Powan is guarding outside of the palace.”

“Powan is?” Quinn asked, confused. “Did they say why?”

“They just said to speak to Dustin,” Kyle answered, and stepped into the council chambers.

Dustin smiled, “Welcome back.”

“Where is everyone?” Chevalier asked. Dustin was the only council member left and it was during regular hours when the entire Council should have been convened.

Dustin sighed, “It’s been a long week, to say the least.”

“What happened?” Zohn asked.

“Well, for starters, I dismissed the entire Cavalry, except for the General and the Captains, and they are imprisoned.”

Kyle gasped, “Why?”

“Traitors, they broke a direct order from the Council.”

“The Cavalry did?” Chevalier asked, shocked.

“Yes, and then started a fight when they were told to return to their covens. The fight was led by Mark, Silas, and Kralen, and they were imprisoned. The rest were sent back to their covens without honor,” Dustin explained.

Quinn sighed, “Great… what was the direct order?”

“That involves another explanation on something,” Dustin said, and braced himself. “They broke a direct order to stay out of the prison.”

“Why was the Cavalry so bent on getting into the prison?”

“To help Emily.”

“Emily’s in prison?” Chevalier yelled.

“Yes, she is,” Dustin said proudly. “She refused to answer a simple question and was thrown in there. The Cavalry tried to get a blanket and food to her.”

“Wait!” Zohn growled. “She’s in the prison with no food or warmth?”

“Correct, and I took her mattress because she was using it to get warm.”

Kyle followed the three Elders when they blurred down to the prison. They could hear the heku prisoners screaming for Emily’s blood as they entered the front foyer. Using rage, they instantly appeared in the prison and the guards turned on the lights.

“Elders,” the guards said, and bowed.

“I love you, Emily!” David screamed.

“So help me, when I get out of here you’re dead!” Silas growled.

“Feel that hatred, Bitch!” Larry yelled. “How are those warm, carrying vampires now?”

“Silence!” Zohn shouted. “The next one to speak will be killed.”

The entire prison fell silent when they heard the Elder. Chevalier quickly found Emily and waited for a guard to open her cell. She was no longer able to rock as she sat on the cement, her fever was too high and she was breathing in short raspy breaths. Her thin nightgown was wet with sweat, and she was coated in dirt from the cement floor.

Kyle rounded the corner and gasped when he saw her. Chevalier walked in and picked her up, wincing at how hot her body was.

“Chev,” she whispered, and leaned her head against his shoulder.

“Damnit,” Kyle growled as he felt her forehead.

Mark quickly ran to her cell as soon as Zohn released him, “We tried…”

“I know,” Chevalier told him. “Make sure anyone involved with this is released and taken to the council chambers.”

“Yes, Elder,” Mark said, and started going cell to cell.

“Elder!” Miri yelled, and ran out of her cell.

Chevalier turned and frowned, “Miri?”

“They have Allen. He wasn’t brought to the prison.”

“Kyle…”

“On it,” Kyle said, and disappeared.

Chevalier turned and handed Emily to Kralen, “Get Dr. Cook, as soon as he comes, meet us in the council chambers.”

“No,” Emily whispered, and reached out to Chevalier.

“I need to deal with Dustin, Em, go with Kralen,” he said, and kissed her forehead.

She nodded and wrapped her arms around Kralen.

Kralen immediately started up the stairs with Emily.

“Get the Cavalry back here,” Quinn said to Silas.

“Right away, Elder,” Silas said, and also headed up the stairs.

Chevalier took a deep breath, his features were dark and ominous, and he was obviously furious. The Elders all left the prison once they were sure anyone involved with Emily’s imprisonment was released. Dustin cringed slightly at how angry the Elders were when they returned to their seats and sat down.

“Where’s the rest of the Council?” Quinn asked.

“They had the choice to either be quiet about Emily or to leave,” Dustin said. “They all chose to return to their covens.”

Chevalier couldn’t yet speak. He concentrated on those in the trial area to try to keep from ripping Dustin apart.

Kyle came in with Allen and shut the door as Allen ran to Miri and pulled her into his arms. Kyle walked up and sat down in his chair.

“I’ll handle this,” Zohn growled. He knew Chevalier was too angry to speak.

Dustin smiled, “I agree, Elder. Such insubordination can’t be tolerated.”

Zohn glared at him, “Don’t think you’re off the hook. Before we deal with the insubordination of those in the trial area… I want to deal with you.”

“Me?” Dustin asked, shocked.

“How dare you put Emily in the prison… she obviously was dragged out of bed and thrown into a cell without any warmth or food.”

“She directly refused to answer my question about why she turned two Valle to ash.”

“So for that you condemn her to death?” Zohn yelled.

“No, I put her in prison as a punishment.”

“Did you check on her?”

“Yes”

“Did you see she can hardly breathe and has a fever?”

“Yes”

“She could have died!” Quinn yelled.

Dustin sighed, “I would have released her the second she answered my questions.”

“So this all started because Emily told you no?” Zohn growled.

“Correct”

“Derrick!” Quinn yelled.

“Yes, Elder?” Derrick asked, walking into the trial area.

“Get the Council back here, now.”

“Right away,” he said, and disappeared.

Zohn shut his eyes for a moment and then looked out over the trial area, “First, let’s start with the Cavalry.”

Mark, Silas, and Kralen stepped forward.

“You were given what orders?”

“We were banned from the prison and from attempting to bring Emily food or warmth,” Mark told him.

“And you chose, as a unit, to break those orders?” Zohn asked.

“Yes, we did,” Mark said, not ashamed of that choice.

“You then attempted to do what?”

“We got Emily’s robe and slipped a sandwich and drink into the pockets… we then tried to get it into the prison,” Mark explained.

“Who stopped you?”

“The prison guards did. Kralen and Silas attempted to restrain them while I got to Emily, but they called for backup and we were stopped.”

“Then imprisoned?”

“Not at first. The entire Cavalry was called into the council chambers and relieved of duty. Silas was the first to be sent to prison, and then Kralen and I when we began to fight the guards.”

“You disobeyed a direct order by the Council,” Zohn said. “Then when you were relieved of duty, you fought the palace guards?”

“Yes, we thought it was our last chance to get help to Emily.”

“Is the Cavalry on their way back?”

Silas nodded, “Yes.”

“And all are willing to be punished for attempting to help a prisoner?”

“Yes,” Mark said proudly.

Zohn nodded, “You three will be Emily’s guards until the Cavalry returns. As soon as this is over, return to your posts.”

“What!?” Dustin yelled.

“Yes, Elder,” Mark said, and grinned.

“Be quiet,” Quinn said to the Coven Liaison Officer. “We will deal with you later.”

“Allen and Miri, step forward,” Zohn said. Hand in hand, the two moved toward the front when the Cavalry stepped back.

“Yes, Elder?” Allen asked.

“How did you get involved in this? You aren’t even supposed to be in the palace.”

“I know, Elder. Alexis called and told us that Mom was in prison and that the Elders were gone. Miri and I came to free her,” Allen explained. “So Alexis ashed the guards, and Miri and I tried to get to her… but the prison guards caught us.”

“I’ve been banished for 300 years,” Miri said, and looked at Kyle.

“No, you have not,” Zohn told her. “Miri, you were in prison?”

“Yes, Elder,” she said softly.

“Allen, where were you?”

Allen glanced quickly at his Dad and then back to Zohn, “I was in the interrogation chamber.”

A low growl escaped Chevalier.

Kyle looked at Zohn, “He was left on the rack.”

Zohn nodded, “Are you injured?”

“I’ve healed,” Allen told him.

“Where is Alexis?”

Dustin cleared his throat and then answered, “She is too young… so we confined her to her room with Dain.”

“Has she also been starved?”

“No”

“Allen, Miri, step back,” Zohn told them. They both bowed and moved back by the Cavalry.

Chevalier blurred instantly from the room.

Zohn looked over at the last remaining heku, “Why do we have an Encala in here?”

Mark stepped forward, “I put out a call in the prison for help… anyone that was in sight of Lady Emily that could lock her eyes and try to help her… the Encala answered.”

“So you attempted to lock her?” Zohn asked.

“Yes… at first she refused, and then the guards found out and moved me.”

“I promised to reward him for his help,” Mark said.

Zohn nodded, “You are free… get out of Council City.”

The Encala smiled and blurred away.

“He was spying on us!” Dustin said angrily. “You let him go for attempting to help a prisoner.”

“I can’t even deal with you right now. It will take the entire Council to decide,” Quinn snapped at him.

Dustin leaned back in his chair, “I did nothing but punish someone for refusing to answer a question.”

“Shut up,” Zohn told him.

“Allen, Miri, stay in Council City for now… all of you get out of here,” Quinn said to those in the trial area.

Mark, Silas, and Kralen immediately went to the bedroom and walked in when they found the door was open. Dr. Cook was sitting on the edge of the empty bed.

“How is she?” Mark asked angrily.

“She has pneumonia,” Dr. Cook told him. “The Elder has her in a cool bath, trying to get her temperature down.”

Mark sighed, “We tried to get to her.”

“He almost killed her. She’s pretty sick.”

Silas growled lightly and turned to Kyle when he walked in with a tray.

“We thought soup maybe,” he said, and sat down the tray.

The heku all waited silently until Chevalier came out with Emily cradled in his arms. She was in a clean nightgown and had a tight grip on him.

“It’s down to 102 degrees,” he told the doctor, and laid her down in bed.

“Much better,” Dr. Cook said, and listened to her lungs again.

Chevalier looked over when Allen and Miri came in.

Allen walked over and sat on the bed next to Emily, “We… tried…”

“I know,” Emily said softly, and started to cough. Chevalier was able to bottle up the fury so he could help Emily.

“Permission to deal with David, Sir?” Mark growled.

“What did David do?” Kyle asked.

“He yelled for her the entire time, expressing his love and devotion.”

“Granted,” Chevalier told him, and watched Mark disappear from the room.

Miri walked into the bathroom and came out with a cold rag. She gently laid it across Emily’s forehead.

“Get me supplies, anything she’ll need in the next few weeks,” Chevalier said, then stood up and started packing a bag for her. “Allen, go pack for Dain and Alexis.”

Allen nodded and walked into the adjacent room.

“She’s too sick to travel,” Dr. Cook said.

“No, I’m not,” she whispered, and started to cough.

“Do what I said,” Chevalier ordered.

The doctor nodded and went through his bag, setting out enough antibiotics and fever reducers to last. Miri disappeared into the bathroom again, and came out with an armful of things that she slipped into the bag before Chevalier closed it.

“Where are you going?” Zohn asked when he stepped in.

“I’m taking my family away until she’s well,” Chevalier told him.

Zohn nodded, “Once the Council is here, we are going to deal with Dustin.”

“I’ll have my phone,” he said, and gently picked Emily up. Miri slipped leashes on the two dogs and followed him up to the roof. They both got into Winchester 1 and Chevalier laid Emily down on the soft couch.

“Where to, Elder?” Emily’s pilot asked as he crawled into the helicopter.

“You… out, get me Kralen,” Chevalier told him, and covered Emily with a blanket. Miri took the bags from Allen when he got there, and then took Dain as Alexis and Allen got in.

“Please… may I come?” Miri asked softly.

Chevalier nodded, “Yes.”

She smiled and sat in front of Allen, and leaned back as he wrapped his arms around her.

“Elder?” Kralen asked when he got to the roof.

“You’re coming with us. I’ll tell you where once we’re in the air, and then we go to radio silence.”

“Yes, Sir,” Kralen said, and went to the cockpit to start pre-flight checks.

Mark appeared on the roof, covered in blood, “David is taken care of… might I suggest Jaron come also? In case you need to leave for any reason.”

Chevalier thought and then nodded, “Do it.”

Jaron blurred onto the roof a few seconds later and crawled into Winchester 1 next to Kralen. Thirty minutes later, the helicopter took off from the palace. Chevalier heard Kralen talk to the palace base and then announce radio silence. Chevalier handed a paper up to Kralen with coordinates on it, and then sat back and watched Emily during the flight.