Proditor : Book 5 of the Heku Series (47 page)

Sotomar growled, “I’d like to see you try
it.”

“
Stop!” Emily screamed. “No
more… the ultimatum was clear, and it has been broken.”

“
Please, Em,” Chevalier
said, taking her hand. “We figured out how Exavior was finding out
your secrets. We handled the familiar, give us one more
chance.”

“
I don’t think the
ultimatum stated that there were second chances,” Emily said, and
looked down at their hands.

“
He’s not even an Elder,”
William said. “One stupid move by a member of the Valle shouldn’t
validate you disappearing.”

“
It does. He’s not just a
member of the Valle, he’s a member of their Council,” Emily
reminded him. “One that has been a thorn in my side for
years.”

“
If you would realize that
that irritation is love, then things would finally be right,”
Exavior said haughtily.

Chevalier growled, and started to lunge
forward, but Quinn held him back.

“
Will you stay if the Valle
agree to take care of their idiot?” William asked.

“
No, they’ve already taken
care of Exavior, and he still finds ways to track me down,” Emily
said. “Like the night you and he showed up while I was having
dinner. He just finds me.”

“
You had dinner with the
Winchester?” Sotomar asked Exavior.

“
Yes, as did William,”
Exavior said, grinning slightly.

“
My part was accidental. I
saw the Chief Interrogator sitting in a restaurant, and it seemed
odd, so I checked it out and found him with Emily,” William told
them.

“
This isn’t the first
mistake by the Valle. I was kidnapped by some of their members
posing as Equites guards,” Emily said. “It’s obvious to me that I
can’t have peace.”

“
You can,” William said.
“You promised the Encala a visit, come to our palace and you can
have peace.”

“
She isn’t becoming an
Encala,” Zohn growled.

“
I didn’t say she would
stay, but it would give her time to think without having the Valle
spying on her,” William told them.

“
All we’re asking,”
Chevalier said, and touched her cheek lightly, “Is for more time to
iron this out. It started before the ultimatum, and that could
negate its affect.”

Emily sighed, “I don’t know…”

“
Go on the vacation,”
Sotomar said. “See what the Encala palace looks like…”

“
I’ve seen it,” Emily said,
smiling slightly.

Sotomar grinned, “See it when it’s not full
of ashes. Take the vacation and let us work things out with
Exavior. The Equites and the Valle Elders will work out an
agreement.”

“
That sounds like a good
idea,” Quinn said. “Take some time away.”

“
And the kids?” Emily
asked. “I don’t want them at the Encala’s palace.”

“
They can stay here on the
island with me,” Chevalier said. “We’ll hold all talks here so the
kids are with me.”

“
Are the Encala ready for
me to visit?” Emily asked.

“
Yes, we have been since
you agreed to come,” William said. “We can leave right
away.”

“
We, of course, would want
to send some guards,” Zohn said. “I’m sure you won’t
mind.”

“
No, that’s expected,”
William said.

“
As would we,” Sotomar
said.

“
Wait… Equites and Valle
guards?” Emily asked, frowning.

“
It’s fine, we can house
them,” William said. “I understand why they each want to protect
you.”

Emily nodded, “You can each send 2, that’s
it.”

“
Two is good, we have them
here,” Sotomar said.

“
Equites in the room… Valle
out though,” Chevalier said sternly.

“
Of course,” Sotomar said.
“She would be more comfortable with the Equites guards. We
understand that.”

“
When Exavior had me at his
coven, when he tried to turn me…” Emily said.

William growled softly.

“
He said I could have
guards, and then he took them to prison…”

“
We won’t do that,” William
said. “We won’t risk breaking the ultimatum, I assure
you.”

Emily looked at Chevalier, “Is it ok?”

Chevalier nodded, “Yes, it gives us time to
work something out with the Valle and I know the Encala won’t risk
breaking the treaty.”

Emily sighed, “I don’t know.”

“
Come to my office for a
few minutes,” Chevalier said, standing up.

Emily nodded and followed him out of the
conference room, and into his office where the door locked
automatically behind them.

“
Please, go, let us work
this out,” Chevalier said, pulling her against his chest and
wrapping his arms around her. He never thought he’d be trying to
talk her into going to the Encala for a week.

“
No one will abide by the
treaty if I cave,” Emily said, leaning her head against his
chest.

“
They will, I swear. This
is more of a wake-up call than you caving,” he said, and tightened
his arms around her. “Go visit the Encala, relax, and take
advantage of them being terrified of you.”

“
Think they have forgiven
me?”

Chevalier chuckled, “If they haven’t, they
would be too afraid to do anything about it.”

“
You’re seriously ok with
me going to the Encala for a week?”

“
Yes, I am,” he said,
looking deeply into her eyes. “Anything, but having you
disappear.”

Emily thought for a moment, inhaled deeply,
and then nodded, “Ok, I’ll go.”

Chevalier kissed the top of her head, “Go,
have fun.”

“
Sure,” Emily said, and
headed for the door. “Try not to kill Exavior.”

Chevalier grinned, “Do I have to
promise?”

They walked hand-in-hand back to the
conference room and heard yelling from outside. Chevalier ran the
rest of the way, and threw the door open. He grinned and then sat
down when he saw that it was the Valle Elders yelling at
Exavior.

Emily stood in the door and looked at
William, “I’m ready.”

The Encala Elders smiled and stood as the
Valle Elders stopped yelling.

“
You have agreed to give it
a week?” Sotomar asked.

Emily nodded, “Yes, I’ll see what you come
up with.”

Sotomar spoke quickly, and two of the Valle
guards appeared behind Emily. She looked at them and then turned
back to the conference room.

“
Who are you sending?” she
asked Chevalier.

“
I’d like to send Mark and
Silas,” Chevalier said, but turned to Quinn and Zohn. They spoke
quickly and quietly, too soft for Emily to hear. Chevalier turned
back to her after a few minutes, “Never mind, we’ll send Russ and
JV.”

“
I don’t know them,” Emily
said, frowning.

“
I know, but the Cavalry
has a mission. These two are door guards from the palace. They came
with the Elders, so they are already here,” Quinn said.

“
Let me say good-bye to the
kids, then I’ll meet you up at the helicopter,” Emily said, and
left the room.

The Valle Elders had a private conference
with the two guards they sent and the Equites Elders talked to the
Russ and JV, giving last minute orders.

Emily stretched and rolled over, cuddling
the large pillow between her arms. She could smell the hot coffee
and lunch waiting for her on the table. They hadn’t gotten into the
Encala city until well after 9am, and with the 4am meeting and the
prison sleeping, she slept past noon. She rolled onto her back and
looked over at Russ and JV by her door. They were facing away from
her, giving her as much privacy as possible. Emily looked around
the large bedroom. The deep reds of the furnishings stood out
against the black rock the room was constructed with. Two
fireplaces roared along one wall and a large bay window looked out
over the Encala’s main city.

She finally crawled out of bed and threw on
a robe, then sat down at the table and poured herself a cup of
coffee as William came into her room.

“
Good afternoon” William
said, smiling. He was proud of his faction for hosting the
Winchester after twelve years of trying.

“
Can I go for a run?” Emily
asked, and took a bite of French toast.

“
I see no reason why not,”
William said, and sat down beside her.

“
Alone?” she asked,
watching him.

William cringed, “I don’t know if anyone
would feel comfortable with that.”

Emily shrugged, “Had to ask. I’ll head out
in a bit.”

“
Is there anything you
need?”

“
I think I’m set,” Emily
told him, and watched as he left. She finished her lunch and went
into the bathroom to change into her jogging clothes then sat down
to slip on her running shoes as the guards watched her, already in
clothing to jog.

As Emily headed down the stairs with her six
guards in tow, she felt like everyone was watching her and waiting
for her to turn them all to ash again. She ignored the way they
moved out of her way when she passed, or the way they dropped their
eyes when she looked toward them.

Stepping out of the palace, she turned her
on iPod and strapped it to her arm. She could feel the guards
running at her sides and back as she headed out into the enemy
city

***

The Valle and the Equites Elders sat in the
conference room, talking within their factions, while Exavior sat
quietly at the head of the table.

“
I know what you all are
thinking,” Exavior said. “I’m not going to back off. She loves me,
and I’m better for her than Chevalier. She’ll see that
soon.”

Chevalier growled, “Shut up.”

“
Just stop it, Exavior,”
Sotomar said. “We’re trying to save your life here, and you aren’t
helping.”

“
Banishing me won’t change
my feelings for her,” Exavior told them.

“
It’ll stop you from
harassing her though, and possibly pushing her over the edge to
disappearing,” Quinn said.

Exavior shrugged, “Give her time, she’ll
come to me.”

“
I say we just banish him
now,” Zohn said angrily.

“
He’s the best Chief
Interrogator we’ve ever had. I hesitate to let you banish him,”
Sotomar said.

“
Will you agree to leave
her alone until she comes to you?” Quinn asked him.

Exavior shook his head, “No, she needs my
presence to know I’m out there protecting her.”

“
Shut up,” Sotomar growled.
“Just… shut up.”

Exavior sat back in his chair smugly.

“
Can you not control him at
all,” Zohn asked. “I thought he had direct orders to stay away from
her.”

“
I did,” Exavior said.
“Until I heard she was being put in prison.”

“
She was in prison?”
Sotomar asked, frowning.

Chevalier grinned, “It was her idea. She
knew information was going to Exavior, and wanted him to show up…
well… she actually wanted to interrogate him in my room.”

Sotomar chuckled, “That would be
interesting.”

“
Should have let her,”
Exavior said. “I’m not afraid.”

Chevalier smiled, “I don’t think she has it
in her to do. She thinks it sounds like a good way to get even, but
I once the pain started, she would give up.”

“
It would turn her anger
into passion, I assure you,” Exavior said, grinning.

Chevalier shook his head and turned back to
the Valle Elders, “You have no replacement if we banish him?”

Sotomar shrugged, “Of course we do, would
they be as good? No.”

“
If it’s between losing the
Winchester or the idiot…”

“
Then, of course, we would
remove Exavior from the Council.”

“
She won’t let it happen,”
Exavior said. “She still considers us friends.”

“
Maybe not anymore,” Zohn
said.

“
You, she hates,” Exavior
said. “Me, she loves… she hides it though.”

“
Damnit, Exavior, just stop
with the love thing,” the tallest Encala Elder said.

***

Emily stopped just inside the palace when
the Encala’s Chief Interrogator stepped in front of her. He held up
a garment bag.

“
What’s that for?” Emily
asked, pulling the earphones out of her ears.

“
I thought William told you
about the ball,” the Encala said.

Emily sighed, “Ball?”

“
Yes, the coven dignitaries
are coming to meet you.”

“
Seriously?”

“
It would mean a lot to us
if you would attend,” he said, smiling.

Emily took the garment bag, “I refuse to be
heku Barbie.”

“
Excuse me?” he asked,
frowning slightly.

She sighed, “Nothing, but if I don’t like
this dress, you’re getting jeans.”

The Chief Interrogator smiled, “I’m sure
that would do, though you may feel under dressed. It begins in two
hours.”

“
Perfect,” Emily said, and
walked up the stairs to her room.