Equites : Book 4 of the Heku Series (75 page)

“
You had a headache?” she
asked the doctor, frowning.

“
Ok, I won’t give her that
again,” the doctor said to Chevalier.

Chevalier nodded and picked Emily
up.

Emily kissed him lightly, “Let’s have
another baby.”

“
We are not discussing this
right now,” he chuckled, and carried her up to bed.

“
I’m a Commander, now I
outrank you,” Emily said when he laid her down on the bed and
slipped her robe off.

“
Whatever you say,”
Chevalier told her as he pulled the covers up.

Emily almost immediately fell asleep,
and once Chevalier was sure she wasn’t going to wake up, he left
the room quietly to make arrangements to try the Encala Elders in
front of the Council.

***

Emily sighed and rolled over in bed as
the haze over her mind slowly cleared. She sat up and grabbed her
head as the world began to spin. She felt someone sit on the bed
beside her.

“
Here, see if coffee
helps,” Chevalier said, and handed her a steaming cup.

“
I don’t feel so good,” she
said, and sipped the coffee.

Chevalier smiled, “The doctor overdid
the medication. You’ve been asleep for almost 24 hours.”

“
Are we going back today?”
Emily asked, and took another sip.

“
Yes, after they give you a
medal.”

Emily cringed, “Seriously?”

“
Yes, it would mean a lot
to them.”

Emily nodded, “Ok, then to the
island?”

“
We need to try the Encala
Elders first, and we’ll need you to testify,” Chevalier
explained.

Emily stood up slowly and grabbed her
jeans out of the suitcase.

“
Em?” Chevalier said,
grinning.

Emily turned around “What
now?”

“
You’re receiving a medal
as a Commander of this army.”

“
Did you see that uniform?”
Emily sighed.

Chevalier’s grin widened, “Yes, I
did.”

“
Why did they modify it? I
don’t see the heku with heart cut-outs or skin showing,” Emily
said, grabbing the uniform and disappearing into the
bathroom.

Emily emerged brushing her hair, and
Chevalier let his eyes follow down her body, appreciating the way
the fitted uniform clung to her curves and accentuated her
features.

“
We should have made you a
member of our Cavalry. I hadn’t thought of that,” Chevalier
said.

“
I think one Commander
title is enough,” Emily said, and glanced in the mirror.

Emily fastened the cape, tossed the
left side over her shoulder, and then turned around, “Let’s get
this over with so we can go.”

Chevalier blurred to Emily and lifted
her up so he could kiss her. She took his face in her hands and
pressed her lips firmly against his.

After setting her back on her feet, he
grabbed her .45 out of the dresser and handed it to her.

“
Damn, forgot my gun,”
Emily said, and holstered it. She followed Chevalier down to the
banquet hallway and stopped at the doors.

“
Go in,” Chevalier told
her.

Emily sighed, “You go for
me.”

“
Come on, Killer,”
Chevalier said, amused, and opened the door.

The room broke out in applause and
Emily felt her stomach turn. Chevalier’s hand on her back was all
that kept her from running as he gently pushed her down the aisle
toward Lord and Lady Thukil.

As Emily approached them, the Lord
stood up and quieted down the heku.

“
It is with our greatest
admiration that we bestow the Medal of Honor upon Commander Emily
for her heroic act in protecting this coven from over 700 Encala
warriors. She fought alone and with great bravery, and will forever
be held in the highest regards by all of Thukil Coven,” Lord Thukil
said.

Emily smiled politely, but her insides
were turning and the desire to run was growing stronger.

Lord Thukil stepped forward and pinned
a diamond and ruby ‘T’ to her collar below the Commander ranking.
The decorated ‘T’ was surrounded by platinum fern leaves and had a
tiny dangling Equites crest underneath it.

“
Thank you,” Emily said,
and winced when Lord Thukil again fell to one knee and bowed. She
heard the rustling behind her and knew that all of the heku had
done the same.

She reached out and hit Chevalier
lightly on the arm when she heard him chuckle. She was relieved
when Lord Thukil stood up again.

“
Please, come visit us
again soon,” Lord Thukil said. He smiled and took her hand and
kissed it softly.

“
I will… thank you,” Emily
said, and took Chevalier’s hand. He led her out of the banquet hall
and up to the Thukil’s helicopter where Kyle, Zohn, the doctor,
Silas, and Alexis were waiting. She hopped in, still blushing, and
buckled herself in. Three of the Thukil Cavalry Lieutenants joined
them to help her in the trial.

“
Nice, I don’t even have a
medal of honor.” Kyle grinned.

The helicopter ride was short. It was
only a few miles to the waiting jet, and soon they were at 32,000
feet and heading for Council City. Emily unbuckled her seat belt
and crawled onto Chevalier’s lap. She was still feeling groggy and
needed to feel his arms around her. He kissed the top of her head
and leaned his cheek against her as she slept.

“
Ever held a Commander
before?” Kyle chuckled.

“
No, I think this is a
first,” Chevalier said, laughing.

Zohn watched her, “It’s hard to
believe that someone who desires to be held, has the ability to
massively slaughter our species.”

“
I’ve always found it hard
to believe how that temper can come from such a tiny package,” Kyle
added.

Chevalier winced, “Don’t let her hear
you call her tiny.”

Kyle grinned, “Oh come on, Elder. You
have to admit when she stands by some of the heku, she looks like a
child.”

“
Nope, I won’t admit to
that,” Chevalier said, grinning.

“
It’s hard to think of her
as a child when she wears… well… we all saw that leather getup,”
Zohn said. When Chevalier growled, he added, “All I’m saying, is
she’s a bit curvy to be thought of as a child, and if the Elder
did, surely they wouldn’t be bonded.”

“
Change the subject,”
Chevalier said, irritated.

The Thukil Cavalry members that were
on the plane shifted nervously in their chairs. The conversation
wasn’t one they wanted to be present for.

Kyle grinned, “Calm down Elder. We
won’t touch her, but we’re still men and it’s our nature to notice
things.”

“
It’s a compliment to you
that we notice some of her feminine features,” Zohn said
matter-of-factly. “She looks delicate and fragile, in harsh
contrast to the heku women, so we can’t help but see
it.”

“
Enough,” Chevalier
hissed.

Kyle and Zohn glanced at each other
and then the both turned to look out the window.

Chevalier was suddenly aware of the
strip of skin showing above the belt on her pants and pulled her
cape to cover her better. He also hadn’t noticed before how the
diamond cut-out on her shirt showed the slightest hint of cleavage,
so he pulled her a little closer to him.

Emily groaned slightly in her sleep
and her hand grasped Chevalier’s shirt. Zohn and Kyle turned to
look at her, concerned.

“
Nightmare,” Chevalier said
to them.

“
Can you see those?” Zohn
asked.

Chevalier nodded, “Yes, they appear
like a movie to me. I have to be touching her though, if I’m not,
all I get are the emotions from it.”

“
Is it about the Encala
attack?” Kyle asked.

“
No, it’s about… well…”
Chevalier hesitated.

Emily sat up suddenly and yelled, “No,
Damon!”

Chevalier pulled her back to his
chest, and she laid her head against his shoulder and her eyes
slowly shut again.

“
Still having nightmares
about him?” Zohn asked, frowning.

“
Once it’s in her dreams,
it stays. She still has nightmares about her ex-husband,” Chevalier
said, brushing the hair away from her face.

The jet landed, and they all piled
into the Blackhawk helicopter for the ride to Council City. Emily
watched out the window as the city she had grown to hate came into
view. The pilot circled twice and then landed softly on the roof.
When he cut the engines, the palace doors opened and members of the
Equites Cavalry opened the helicopter door and stood at
attention.

“
The Council is ready for
you, Sir,” Mark said as Chevalier stepped out. Chevalier nodded and
blurred away to the council chambers with Kyle and Zohn.

Mark looked up to help Emily out and
froze, surprised. He couldn’t help but run his eyes down her and
the modified guard uniform. He reached up and grabbed her around
the waist and helped her down.

“
Commander?” Mark
chuckled.

Emily nodded and turned to make sure
the Thukil guards were taken care of.

“
The… erm… Council was told
a Commander and three Lieutenants would be testifying, but I don’t
think they knew that you were the Commander,” Mark said,
grinning.

“
Perfect,” Emily sighed.
She wasn’t looking forward to the amused looks from the
Council.

“
They are waiting for you,”
Mark said, and headed for the door. Emily followed him and felt the
Thukil Cavalry close behind her. She had the sudden feeling she was
now doubly guarded by no one’s order.

Emily tuned the guards out as they
began to compare training and tactics, something that didn’t
interest her. She had just stepped down onto the fifth floor when
she was hit hard from the side. Her feet left the ground as she
flew across the foyer and slammed into a door. The doorknob smashed
painfully into her ribs and she fell to the floor.

As Emily leaned back against the door
to wait out the pain, she heard the growls and sounds of tearing
flesh as guards, both Equites and Thukil, violently dismembered her
attackers. As the blur of fighting cleared, she saw the bodies of
four dead heku, all wearing the symbol of the Equites guard.
Members of both Cavalries stood up from crouches, their eyes fierce
and furious as they looked around the foyer for any more attackers.
They were covered in blood, more evident on the white shirts of the
Equites than on the dark green of the Thukil Cavalry.

“
What the hell was that?”
Emily groaned.

“
Attacked by Equites Palace
Guards?” one of the Thukil Cavalry growled at Mark.

Mark just glared at him and knelt down
beside Emily. She was clutching her side with her good hand, “Let
me see.”

Emily raised the side of her shirt
slightly, and Mark hissed at the dark bruise that was already
forming and the small amount of blood seeping from around
it.

“
We should get the doctor,”
Mark said. He stood up and helped Emily to her feet.

“
No, no doctors. I’m ok.”
Emily smiled and started down the stairs again, still grasping her
side.

Derrick eyed the guards suspiciously
and his eyes narrowed, “Were you attacked?”

“
Yes, let’s get this over
with so I can get to the island,” Emily said, irritated, and
straightened up with her hands at her sides. She decided it would
be better to put up with the pain, than be seen crouched
over.

“
Sir, the... ermm…
Commander and the Lieutenants from Thukil are ready,” Derrick said
to the Council. He eyed the two Encala Elders cautiously as they
stood in front of the Council.

“
Very well, bring them in,”
Maleth said. He noticed Kyle grin at Zohn, but ignored
them.

Derrick nodded and opened the door.
Emily was the first to enter, followed by the Thukil Lieutenants.
The council members all began to chat quickly when they realized
that Emily was the Thukil Commander. Emily walked up and stood
beside the Encala Elders. Chevalier was pleased when the Thukil
guards stood in a formation between her and the enemy
Elders.

Maleth smiled, “Lady Emily,
congratulations on your… promotion, shall we call it?”

“
Thank you.” She smiled at
him.

Chevalier sighed and motioned for
Emily to come up to him, “Commander… a moment, please.”

Emily walked up the stairs and over to
the Elders. They turned their chairs to face her. They all noticed
that the strip of skin visible on her side was slowly turning
purple.

“
Yes?” Emily asked, and
knelt down to talk to them.

“
Emily, you were away from
me for 5 minutes… why do I smell blood?” Chevalier asked,
frowning.

Emily grinned slightly, “You would be
amazed how fast a heku can attack.”

Chevalier pulled her shirt up slightly
and growled at the black bruise forming on her ribs. Emily laid her
shirt back down, embarrassed.