Valle : Book 2 of the Heku Series (40 page)

Chevalier knelt down beside her and took the towel away from her neck, “It’s not too bad,” he said angrily.

Emily leaned back on Kyle’s bed.

“Emily?” Chevalier asked in a panic.

“I’m ok, just let me lay down for a second.” She shut her eyes and took some deep breaths.

“What happened?” She felt him sit down beside her.

“I heard someone out in the bedroom, it was an Encala. He just… well… attacked,” she said, and heard a low growl.

“Stay lying down, I’ll be right back,” Chevalier told her, and then stormed out of the room.

Emily tried not to listen to him, but it was hard, he was shouting. She heard the other Elders join him in their bedroom and the door slammed. With the outer door shut, she could only hear voices shouting angrily, but couldn’t make out the words. She cringed, thinking how badly someone was going to get into trouble for this. The door opened and slammed again and then Kyle’s voice joined in the angry shouting.

Emily got to her feet and found she was steady again. She dropped the towel by the door and walked out into the hallway. She gasped, the guard assigned to her while Kyle was away was lying in a bloody heap outside of her door. She knelt down beside him and put a hand on his shoulder.

“Are you ok?” she asked him, rolling him over.

She looked down into his face. His eyes were open and fixed, and she wasn’t sure he was even breathing. She put a hand on his chest and waited, but it didn’t move. Tears came to her eyes. He died trying to protect her.

Kyle stepped out of the doorway and put a hand on her arm, pulling her up.

“Is he dead?” she asked, looking into his eyes.

He nodded, “Come in here, Em.”

Emily nodded and walked into her room. There had to be more than thirty heku guards in there, but at least the blood and body parts were gone. They all looked at her when she walked in, and she covered the gash on her neck, she knew they were staring at it.

“You said he was Encala?” Chevalier asked her, concerned.

She nodded.

“Did he say why he was here?”

“The Encala wondered why the Equites allowed a mortal to live in the palace,” she said guiltily.

“Then he attacked?” Elder Leonid asked.

Emily nodded and then whispered, “I think I better go live on the island.”

“You belong here with us,” Elder Maleth said.

She shook her head, “That poor heku out there died trying to protect me. I’m not worth it. I’m just a mortal, and no one else needs to die.”

There was a rumble through the guard ranks. One heku stepped forward, he was one of the guards Emily was helping train for the Cavalry.

“I’ll guard her, and I’d die to protect her,” he said proudly.

Emily reached down and picked up Allen, then disappeared into the nursery, shutting the door. She didn’t want to cry in front of the guards. They didn’t get it. It would be safer for them all if she left.

She got Allen dressed and interested in a toy and then walked back out into the room. There were only the Elders and a handful of guards left, and they all watched as she slipped a suitcase out from under the bed and started to pack.

“Emily,” Chevalier said, putting his hand on her shoulder.

“He didn’t need to die,” she said, and threw some clothes into the suitcase.

“Don’t leave, please,” Elder Leonid asked.

“I’ve done what I can to teach your guards how to take care of and ride a horse. Kyle can do the rest, and then they can train the others,” she suggested, and looked around the room for her riding gloves.

“You aren’t a mere mortal, Emily. You’re the last Winchester,” Maleth said. She cringed as the guards all looked at her and began to talk among themselves.

Chevalier turned to them and silenced them with a glare, “Get out.”

They all turned immediately and blurred from the room. Kyle shut the door behind them and walked over beside Chevalier.

“If you’re worried about losing your precious weapon, then don’t be… I’ll be safer on the island now that the other factions think I’m here.” She jumped up onto her suitcase and zipped it shut.

“Emily, when we swore you in at the coronation, you became more than a weapon, you became one of us, royalty, if you will. You belong here in the palace with Chevalier,” Maleth said softly.

“I’m tired of heku dying for me,” she told Maleth, turning to look at him.

“It’s their duty,” Leonid said plainly.

There was a knock on the door and an older heku walked in with a black bag.

“Oh good,” Chevalier said, pointing to Emily.

She backed up, “What?”

Chevalier grinned, “Don’t worry. He was a doctor before joining the heku.”

Emily moved back more, “How handy for you… but no, I don’t need a doctor.”

The doctor looked at Chevalier questioningly. Chevalier turned to the others in the room, “If you would, please, give us a moment.”

Emily headed out with them, but Chevalier pulled her back by her arm, “Not you.”

He held her arm when she tried to pull free, “I don’t need a doctor.”

“Yes you do,” Chevalier countered.

“Look, it already quit bleeding,” she said, and pointed at her neck, careful not to touch it, it was extremely tender.

The doctor looked at her neck and moved toward her, “Let me see.”

She tried to back away from him, but Chevalier held her tightly. Emily glared at him the entire time the doctor poked and prodded her neck wound.

“Pretty nasty, but it is clotted already. She’ll need B12 and Folic Acid. There’s a lot of scarred tissue on her neck. That’s going to start taking longer to heal if the bites don’t stop,” he said, and wrote something down in a small notebook.

Chevalier growled and Emily pulled her collar up to cover her neck.

“What about the bruises?” Chevalier asked.

“What?” she gasped.

“Bruises?” the doctor asked, looking up.

“Let it go,” she said to Chevalier icily.

“She got kicked by a horse, back and front of her chest,” Chevalier said, ignoring her.

Emily ripped her arm away from him and crossed her arms on her chest, “I am fine.”

“I could take a quick look, Child…” He started, but her glare stopped him.

“Not if you want to keep your hands,” she snapped.

Chevalier laughed, “Just let him look at your back at least.”

“Let him look at your back.”

“Mine’s not injured,” he said, amused.

“Neither is mine.” She turned to the doctor, “And for your information… I’m not a child.”

“I’m sorry, I did not mean to offend you,” the doctor said. He had kind eyes and an angelic face. Emily was trying not to like him, but his smile was warm and sincere.

Chevalier nodded at the doctor and he left, still smiling. Emily could hear him talking softly to the heku outside of her room.

“What the hell was that?” Emily asked, turning to Chevalier.

“I just wanted him to take a look, Em,” he said, squaring his shoulders off. Emily’s eyes narrowed, she recognized his stance, and he was ready for an argument.

“Next time you decide to treat me like your child instead of your wife, why don’t you warn me first and I’ll be sure to leave,” she scowled.

“Calm down, all I saw was you covered in blood.” She looked down and saw that her shirt was drenched in blood.

“And the bruises? Nice funny afterthought?”

“I figured while he was here…” Chevalier seemed truly honest.

“I should leave,” she said to him, no longer angry.

He shook his head, “You are more protected here.”

“Someone died defending me, and that’s not right.”

Chevalier walked to her and wrapped his arms around her, “It is right. You have to understand that the people here in this palace will defend you to the death, it’s their choice.”

“The attacks haven’t been any better since I left the ranch,” she said softly.

“Why didn’t you ash him?” Chevalier asked, the question on everyone’s mind.

“I thought we didn’t want anyone to know,” she reminded him, looking into his eyes.

He smiled, “Ash them, Em, don’t let them get near you.”

She nodded and yawned into her hand.

Chevalier smiled, “Go to bed, I’ll put Allen down.

She walked into the bathroom, changed into a nightgown, and then curled up in bed. She watched Chevalier walk past her with Allen, and disappear into his room. Emily thought for a few minutes, though she was so tired, it was hard to stay awake. She wasn’t sure if it was the long hours with the Cavalry or just stress, but she was always tired.

Chevalier smiled when Allen finally fell asleep in his arms. The toddler didn’t want to sleep anymore, and it was taking longer and longer to get him to bed. Chevalier heard footsteps in the next room and stepped out of the nursery, shutting the door softly. He headed across the room and stopped when Kyle came in carrying Emily. He gently laid her down in bed and went back to the hallway.

Chevalier followed Kyle out of the room and shut the door behind him.

“Headed downstairs again,” Kyle said, sitting in a chair by another guard.

“That’s it… I say we follow her all the way tonight,” Chevalier said, sitting down. Both Kyle and the guard nodded.

It wasn’t more than two hours later when Emily appeared in the doorway again. Chevalier, Kyle, and the other guard followed her as she slowly descended the stairs, never talking, never looking around. It was almost ethereal, the way she moved, gliding along with no expression. Again she got to the brick wall then reached out and touched the trigger to open the secret door.

The guard raised an eyebrow at Kyle, who motioned for him to follow. Emily walked slowly down the stairs, making no noise in her bare feet. Chevalier noticed that, although pitch black, she didn’t bump into anything and was always sure of her footing. As they entered the expanse of underground caves that made up the prison, she walked past the three stunned prison guards and took the left-most passage.

Now she was followed by Chevalier, Kyle, and four heku guards. Kyle motioned for them all to stay back a ways. Emily reached the end of the corridor and pushed against another rock, which opened yet another secret passageway. Chevalier frowned, she was headed into the medium level security prison section.

Quietly, they followed her inside. Heku were coming to their cell doors and looking out at the mortal walking through their prison. They had seen no one but guards in hundreds of years, so she was drawing attention. She turned at last toward a cell and faced whoever was inside.

Chevalier and Kyle jumped as soon as hands reached out and took her arms. Chevalier ripped the hands away from Emily and ordered the guard to return her to her room and stay with her. The guard didn’t hesitate and picked her up easily and carried her off, still unresponsive.

Kyle started unlocking the cell, but Chevalier stopped him.

“Who are you?” he asked the occupant, a haggard and wrinkled heku.

“I am merely a Valle, locked here unwarranted,” he said with a scratchy voice.

“Why are you calling her to you?” Kyle hissed.

“I would never harm her, the pretty child. I just wanted a taste… I smelled her delicious fragrance when she entered. Just one small taste is all I want, no harm,” he said, inhaling deeply and savoring the trace of Emily that was left.

“Incubus,” one of the guards said, disgusted.

Kyle nodded.

“Take care of him, immediately,” Chevalier said, turning on his heels and walking away quickly. He actually felt relieved to know why Emily had been sleep walking, and also relieved that they always caught up with her in time to stop her.

***

Emily sat up and rubbed her eyes. The sun was already up, she was late. She threw her legs out of bed and stood up too quickly, then sat down hard on the bed when the floor began to slip out from under her.

Chevalier sat beside her, “Don’t worry, I called a day of rest.”

“You did? Why?” she asked, yawning.

“Because I think you need to spend the day relaxing,” he said, brushing the hair off of her shoulder.

“I’m just so tired,” she told him and laid back on the bed.

He nodded, “I would imagine.”

“Did I walk last night?” she asked, pulling the covers over her.

“Nope,” he lied. “Here, take some of these vitamins.”

He reached over and grabbed them, along with a glass of orange juice, but when he turned back to her, she was already asleep. He watched her sleep. She didn’t even turn over once, nor did she respond when Allen called her name as Sam ushered him quickly out of the room.

As darkness fell, Chevalier made the decision to wake her up for some food. The doctor mentioned that she needed to eat well for a few days.

“Em?” he said, gently touching her shoulder.

She opened her eyes and frowned, a little confused. She sat up quickly and threw the covers back.

“No, Em, don’t get out of bed,” he said, and pulled the covers back over her.

“What time is it?” she asked, looking outside.

“It’s almost 9pm. You need to eat,” he told her, and pulled a lap tray over to her. She grabbed half of the grilled cheese and began to eat.

Emily was still tired, so she ate quickly, and then took the pills Chevalier handed her. When she went to grab the second half of the sandwich, she noticed a row of flowers in her room.

“Where did those come from?” she asked before taking a bite.

“Your Cavalry. They were worried when they heard about the attack,” he said softly.

She smiled, “Probably glad I wasn’t going to abuse them for the day.”

Chevalier chuckled, “They’ve been out with their horses all day, brushing, washing, and feeding. I think they really like the idea of being in a Cavalry.”

She nodded, “I’ll get back with them in the morning. I don’t know why, but I’m just so tired.”

He refilled her cup and handed her more juice, “Drink up.”

Once she was finished, she curled up back in bed and pulled the covers up, “Just a little longer, then I’ll get up.”

Chevalier smiled, knowing she was going to be out for the night, “Ok, Em.”

“You know,” she whispered. “I know I’m not your sex slave.”

He frowned, “What was that?”