Valle : Book 2 of the Heku Series (7 page)

Chevalier added, “Restraints used on Emily frequently, restraints there were situated as to cause muscle spasms and intense pain.”

A rumble roared across the Council.

“Is he speaking the truth, Emily? Did you put the mortal in the same restraints that were regularly used on you and caused pain?” Selest asked, softly.

Emily nodded, “I’ll take responsibility for that. That happened before Chevalier and Kyle even got to the city. Send the punishment to me.”

Leonid rose angrily, “There will be no repercussions for that.”

Chevalier growled, “She was already punished by the Valle for that.”

Selest spoke, “Everyone calm down, let’s get on with this.”

Maleth spoke again, “Lastly, did you take the city crest?”

Chevalier looked into his eyes, “We took nothing but what we came for.”

The Elders turned away from them and spoke quickly.

Selest stood, “Very well, now leave us with Emily.”

Emily’s hand tightened on Chevalier’s arm.

“Why?” he hissed.

“We wish to speak to the child… alone.” She smiled down at Emily.

Chevalier’s body tensed, but he pulled away from her grasp and whispered in her ear, “It’ll be ok. Kyle and I will be right outside.”

Soon, Emily found herself standing alone in the bright lights with the twelve heku looking down at her. Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around herself.

“Breathe, Child,” Leonid said, smiling at her.

She took a deep breath and ran her eyes along the heku.

“You are safe here with us. We can control ourselves,” he said reassuringly.

“What is the cause of your enticing blood, Child?” one of the Council members asked, inhaling slightly.

Emily blushed, “Chevalier thinks it’s because I’m pregnant.”

Selest clapped her hands together, “That is great news, Child! So glad the doctors were wrong.”

Emily blushed deeper and dropped her eyes.

Maleth stayed in his chair and addressed Emily, “Are you well, Child?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Do you mind talking about what happened?”

Emily looked up at him, “Ok.”

“How were you taken?” She could feel all of the eyes on her.

“I don’t remember that… but others tell me I was taken from the pier.”

“Very well, where were you kept?”

“It was under the ground, just a living area, bathroom, and bedroom. They watched me on cameras in the bedroom and living area.” She shuddered as she thought of those rooms.

“Were you alone?”

“No, there was a guy there, Tim. He’s the one I… well… tortured.” She felt the heat rising back to her cheeks.

“I see,” Leonid said, writing something down. “What was his purpose?”

“He, um.” Emily fidgeted, “He was supposed to break the bond I have with Chevalier.”

A murmur ran through the Council, and Emily shifted nervously.

“It is ok. We’re trying to help,” Selest said.

Leonid continued, “Were you tortured?”

Emily knew they could see the bruise on her cheek and the bandages on her wrists but answered anyway, “Yes.”

“Was there a reason?”

Emily nodded.

“What were their reasons?”

Emily sighed, “The first was because I broke their cameras, I... um… smashed them with a chair a few times. Then I got in trouble for attacking their guards… erm... twice. Then because of what I did to Tim.”

Leonid wrote frantically on the paper in front of him, “What do you mean, attacked their guards?”

“They came in every other day and tied me to the bed to take blood.” She didn’t want to mention the embarrassing measurements.

“Forcibly took blood from you?”

Emily held up her arm, and watched as their eyes fell to the many puncture wounds surrounded by bruises and red, swollen skin.

“Did they say why?” the heku on the end asked.

“To see how strong the baby is.”

He nodded and sat back in his chair.

“So when they had done it enough, I decided to try to fight back. I broke one of their noses… and then took out a kneecap and… one guy… I broke his neck.” She dropped her eyes again and blushed when a few of the Council members laughed.

“It’s ok, Child. We are not here to judge you,” Leonid said, glaring at those who laughed and they promptly stopped.

“You were able to do that much damage to a heku?” Selest asked, impressed.

Emily nodded, “Travis and Kyle taught me that.”

“What was the punishment for your actions?” Leonid asked when everyone was again under control.

“Longer time in the restraints on the bed.”

“Did that cause pain?”

Emily nodded and wrapped her arms tighter around herself, ignoring the painful pull in her shoulders.

Noting the change in Emily’s body posture, Selest took over the questioning, “After you injured the mortal, what was said?”

Emily sighed, “Well… the tall heku told me I needed to swear my allegiance to the Valle and when I said no, they…”

Selest noticed Emily’s heart began to race.

“They… took me somewhere and tied me up by my wrists and hung me in a room.” Emily’s eyes were far away, picturing the awful scene in her head.

“For how long?”

“I don’t know.”

“Did anyone come to you?” Selest asked softly.

“Yes… they came in regularly and told me if I swore allegiance to the Valle, they would let me go.” She was watching Selest’s pitch black eyes.

Selest grimaced and frowned, “You did not agree to this?”

Emily shook her head, “No, I did not.”

“Even to stop the pain that must have caused?”

“No”

“Anything else?” Selest asked, watching Emily with more respect.

“They came in once and told me if I were to join the Valle, they would not only let me go, but would give me anything I wanted. So I spit in his face, and then…” She shivered, “They got a strap.”

She didn’t need to go on, they all knew the rest of what happened and all of them looked at her, astonished. Never had they known a mortal to show such devotion, and to endure that kind of pain, just to stay loyal to a heku faction.

“Lastly, Child, did you turn any of the Valle into ash?” Leonid asked respectfully. The Council all looked nervously at her.

“No, I did not.”

“Why? When it was in your power to do so, numerous times?”

“I was outnumbered. I knew I could take down the few in the room, but then there was the entire coven. There’s no way I could do that many without someone killing me first. Then I was afraid if they knew what I could do… they would attack the Equites for keeping it from them.” As she finished, the Elders all nodded, it made sense.

“Can you control that power then?” Selest asked.

Emily nodded.

“Right now, if we brought in a heku, could you turn him to ash?”

Emily looked up, terrified, “Please, please don’t make me.” She took a step back.

“It’s ok, we do not wish to see a demonstration,” Maleth assured her.

The heku were surprised that she wasn’t eager to show her abilities. Most mortals found the heku so inhuman that killing them wasn’t a problem.

Chevalier wrapped his arms around her from behind and looked over her head at the Council. Kyle stood beside her.

“That is quite the mortal you have, Chief Enforcer,” Leonid said, impressed.

“We think so,” Chevalier responded.

“She brought some light to the Council,” Leonid told him, and stood. “You won’t be surprised to learn that we were bringing you here today to remove your position as Chief Enforcer. What she said has shed some light on the situation though, and we wish to keep you at your command.”

Chevalier nodded, “Thank you, Sir.” He wondered what transpired that had instilled the Council’s faith in him.

“Now, please, come and join us in a more casual setting,” Selest said, and smiled. The Council members all filed out through a door on the top level.

Emily looked nervously at Kyle.

He smiled at her, “Apparently, you made quite an impression.”

Chevalier’s arms tightened around her, “I guess now we go make nice with them.” He didn’t sound happy.

Kyle smiled at Chevalier and turned to Emily, “He’s always hated socializing with the Council, even though he’s one of them.”

Kyle laughed and walked out the door, followed by Emily and Chevalier.

They were led into a large banquet room that was decorated from floor to ceiling with odd looking runes and old drawings. The room was dimly lit, and everyone turned to smile at them when they entered.

The first to greet them was one of the younger looking council members. He shook hands with Chevalier and Kyle then smiled down at Emily, “It was a pleasure to meet you, Child. We do look forward to meeting with you again.”

She nodded politely.

“I was also…” He thought for a word, “Surprised, to smell the Winchester blood for myself. The rumors and stories weren’t at all exaggerated.”

Emily wasn’t sure how to answer, so she just smiled.

Chevalier’s eyes narrowed and the council member walked off quickly.

Emily was aware throughout the evening that the heku would all happen by her, and she could hear as they inhaled slightly, then walked quickly away. She grimaced each time, halfway expecting one of them to attack her. Chevalier kept her close to his side as he talked about the attack on the Valle to eager ears.

The room grew quiet when a newer heku servant entered with a silver tray in his hand. He met Emily’s eye, and then came to her and lifted the top off of the tray, revealing small dainty pastries inside.

Emily smiled sweetly and took one, thanking the heku.

Chevalier moved her quickly behind him when the heku inhaled deeply and slowly dropped his eyes to her neck as the tray of pastries banged loudly as it hit the floor. The young servant crouched down slightly and ran his tongue along his exposed teeth. It all happened too fast for Emily to react. Suddenly, the entire room seemed to descend onto the young heku, and she heard the grotesque tearing of flesh as Kyle whipped her around and covered her eyes, pressing her against his chest so she couldn’t see.

When all was silent, she pulled away from him and turned around. The council members were all looking at her apologetically.

“We are sorry, Child. We should have considered you when inviting in younger members of our staff,” Leonid said.

“I think it’s time we go,” Chevalier said, irritated. He hurriedly put his blood covered hand in his pocket.

Emily was horrified, “You didn’t kill him!”

Leonid nodded, “He knew better than to attack a guest.”

“No!” she screamed. “No, you don’t kill anyone because me.”

Leonid frowned at her, confused, “He savored you, and he was going to attack.”

“He didn’t need to die for it.” She stepped forward to look Leonid in the eyes.

Leonid began to laugh, “Never ceases to surprise me, this one.”

Emily’s eyes turned to an icy glare.

Chevalier quickly ushered her out of the room as she began to argue with the Elder. He grinned as they left the room.

“Why did you stop me?” Emily asked angrily.

“Because nothing you could have said would have helped. I didn’t think the Council could survive a standoff with you.” She glared at Chevalier when she noticed he was amused.

Kyle turned and looked away, concealing a grin.

“They killed that poor heku because of me,” she grumbled.

“And as I’ve said before… that’s not the point. He disobeyed an order,” Chevalier said, trying to control his voice. He found her temper amusing at times.

Emily spun suddenly under Chevalier’s arm and began to storm back to the banquet room, “They need to hear me out.”

Chevalier grabbed her arm to stop her, and then he jerked his hand away when she screamed out in pain.

Kyle was suddenly standing in her way, “It’s best if we just leave.”

Emily turned and headed back to the helicopter as she rubbed her shoulder. Chevalier and Kyle followed her with stifled laughs.

“Irish blood,” Chevalier said to Kyle, too low for Emily to hear.

Emily curled up on the seat in the helicopter and shut her eyes, facing away from the other two.

“I’m still shocked. I knew they were going to release you,” Kyle whispered to Chevalier.

“I was sure too. I was ready to plead my case against the mandatory banishment after being released from the Council.”

“Yeah that too,” Kyle said, relieved.

“What do you think Emily said to them that changed their minds?” Chevalier asked.

“There’s no telling with her,” Kyle said, and laughed.

Chevalier chucked, “I wish I had heard it.”

“Ever considered the trouble you are going to be in when there are two mortals on the island with that Irish temper?” Kyle grinned.

“Yes I have. I figure I’ll spend a lot of time in the office.” He laughed as Emily glared towards the back of the chair.

Hard knocking interrupted the conversation that Chevalier and Kyle were having about security.

“Come!” growled Chevalier.

One of Emily’s guards stepped into the office, panicked, “I can’t find Lady Emily.”

Chevalier sighed, “She’s in her room.”

“I looked and she’s not there,” he said, his eyes were terrified.

Kyle rolled his eyes at Chevalier. Emily had been going through personal guards quickly. Her ability to elude them and escape by herself was becoming a weekly problem. Neither Chevalier nor Kyle could seem to get any control over it.

“Tell me what happened,” Kyle asked the young guard.

“She came and told me she was going for a run. I told her that I’d go change as soon as I could get a replacement, and then we’d go. She said ‘alone’ and I told her she couldn’t go alone,” he said quickly.

“Kyle, go find her,” Chevalier sighed, and Kyle nodded and ran off.

“How did she get away this time?” Chevalier asked the guard, trying to calm him down.

“I don’t know! She got mad when I told her she couldn’t go out alone, and then she said she’d changed her mind. So a few minutes later I heard her call my name, and when I got inside, she was gone,” the guard said, and then looked down at his hands.