Eternity of Vengeance : Book 7 of the Heku Series (58 page)

“She has a limp,” Kralen said as he
took up his spot outside of her office door.

“I saw that,” Silas said.
“Stay here. I’ll go report to Dr. Edwards.”

Silas called for the
doctor, Quinn, and Zohn to meet him in the main conference room.
When he arrived, the others were waiting.

Dr. Edwards sat down at
the table, “Is there a problem?”

“Yes, we were asked to
watch for signs of problems while with Emily, and she’s shown some
of those today,” Silas explained, and sat down beside
Quinn.

“Like what?”

“She forgot Kralen’s name,
and she has a slight limp. We also noticed she’s not using her left
arm.”

Dr. Edwards frowned,
“That’s not good. Those are all signs of a stroke. We need to get
her in for a CT scan to see if we can find out which kind of stroke
she’s having.”

“She’ll never go in for a CT scan,”
Quinn said.

“Can we buy one?” Zohn
asked. “She may be more willing to have a scan if it’s done
here.”

“I disagree,” Quinn told
him. “She’s more likely to sneak out and get a CT scan.”

“That’s true. She did
sneak out to see me on numerous occasions,” Dr. Edwards said. “It
would be nice if we could find out the extent though… how weak she
is on her left side.”

“Any suggestions?” Silas
asked.

“I’ve already asked her to push me
once, I’m not sure she’d do it again.”

Zohn turned to Silas, “Do you think
you can make her mad enough to push you?”

“I’m pretty sure I can.
She’s already irritated with Kralen and I.”

“For what?”

“Just stuff we were talking
about.”

“Restrain Dain,” Quinn
told him. “It doesn’t matter for what. She’ll fight
back.”

“I hate to upset her this
soon after waking,” Dr. Edwards said. “Just watch her and see if
you can ascertain how weak she is on the left side.”

“When will the Elder be
back?” Silas asked Zohn.

“He hoped to only be gone
a couple of days. He just wanted to scare the Encala
Council.”

“Keep her calm for now,
but see if you can catch her using her left hand for something and
see if it’s working properly,” Dr. Edwards suggested.

Silas nodded, “Will do.”

Silas walked back up and
stood beside Emily’s door with Kralen. He filled Kralen in on what
was decided and then stood back to wait for her to
emerge.

***

“Good morning,” Chevalier
said, and smiled. He was sitting on the edge of the bed watching
her sleep.

Emily crawled out of bed and onto his
lap, and then wrapped her arms around his neck, “I’m glad you’re
back.”

He kissed the top of her head, “I was
able to come back early.”

She looked up at him, “What
happened?”

“Nothing really. The
Encala, of course, denied it and again asked us to let them
rebuild.”

“Did Kyle give them my
message?”

“Yes, and it seemed to
send a panic through their Council. Wanna tell me what that was all
about?”

She sighed, “They want me
to ask you to back off.”

“Interesting”

“They’re under the mistaken impression
that I can influence what you do.”

“If it were up to you, would you let
them rebuild?”

“I’ve been thinking about that and I’m
torn.”

“Ok… tell me.”

“Well, they killed Wilson,
not happy about that. On the other hand, there’s always been 3
factions. What if two throws off the balance of power or
something?”

“That is a concern to us
all. That’s why we’re having a meeting with all of the Elders next
week.”

Emily looked up at him, “All nine of
you?”

“Yes”

“Even Frederick?”

“Yes, and we’ll want you there to keep
the peace.”

“Ok”

“And, Em?” he asked, and
looked down at her. “We need you to not ash Frederick right
away.”

She grinned, “Am I that
predictable?”

“Yes, you are.”

Emily reached over and
pulled a blanket over both of them as Chevalier studied her every
movement.

“I just talked to Silas
and Dr. Edwards,” he told her.

She looked up at him, “They’re
watching me like I’m a leper.”

“They’re worried, and I
want you to be honest with me.”

“About what?”

“Are you having memory
problems?”

“Don’t you think if I
were, I’d be the last to know?”

He chuckled, “Yeah, I
guess. They mentioned you forgot Kralen’s name.”

“I did, for just a second.”

“And your left hand?”

She sighed, “It’s not really working
right now.”

“How bad?”

“It’s actually gotten better over the
last two days.”

“Let me see,” he told her,
and she scooted off his lap. “Grab my hands.”

“Are you doing Dr.
Edwards’ dirty work?”

“No, I want to know.”

“Fine,” Emily said and took his hands
in hers.

“Squeeze”

Emily squeezed his hands as hard as
she could, but knew her left hand wasn’t putting a lot of
pressure.

“Hmmm,” he sighed and then
looked down at her hands. “Your left-side is pretty
weak.”

“I know, but it’s getting
better.”

“I just wish I could figure out what’s
going on,” Chevalier said, obviously frustrated.

“Who knows. I know
everyone around here thinks I’m ashing someone in secret, but I’m
not.”

“I don’t think that.”

“Well, maybe not you, but
others do. Then half the palace staff acts like I’m going to keel
over.”

Chevalier chuckled, “You
sort of keep doing so.”

“Gah, it’s embarrassing,”
Emily groaned.

“Why don’t you go join the
Cavalry? They’re running through water drills today.”

“I quit the Cavalry,
doesn’t anyone remember that?” she asked, crawling off of the
bed.

“You can’t quit the
Cavalry,” he reminded her, and then grinned.

“I can too.”

“Nope, it’s not allowed.”

“Fine, I’ll go… but not in
uniform and not as a Commander. I’ll go to make sure they’re not
abusing their horses,” she told him, and then disappeared into the
bathroom to get ready. When she came out, Chevalier was gone and
her breakfast was on the table. She ate quickly and then headed
down to the stables to get her stallion.

“Where are your guards?” the front
door guard asked.

Emily looked behind her.
She hadn’t noticed that her guards were missing, “I actually have
no idea.”

“Did you slip them?”

She glared at the door guard,
“No.”

“Wait here while we find them
then.”

“No, I’m heading out to
the Cavalry.”

“Still…”

“I’m not going to get
attacked between here and the pool,” she told him, and then headed
out of the palace.

Halfway to the
out-building, she heard a timid voice from behind her, “Lady
Emily?”

She sighed and turned around to face a
cowering heku, “Yes?”

“Please… may I speak to you for just a
moment?”

“Sure, why not? Just don’t
attack me, I’m not in the mood,” she told him, and crossed her
arms.

“I beg of you,” he
whispered, and then scanned the area closely. “Please, ask your
Council to leave the Encala in peace so we can rebuild.”

“You’re Encala?”

“Yes, M’Lady.”

“Did the Encala Council send
you?”

“No, Ma’am. I was a member
of a coven that was wiped out while I was away. The Encala are in
ruins. I beg of you to stop the slaughter,” he whispered, still
scanning the area.

“If you’re Encala, how did
you get in here?” she asked suspiciously.

He sighed, “It’s taken me
days to get in here. I had to wait until the front gate guards were
occupied.”

“Well… I can’t influence
the Council. If they are killing off the Encala, then I’m sure they
had it coming.”

“You can influence them,
though. It’s well known that you are not well and the Council will
do what they can to make you feel better.”

“What do you mean not well? I’m
fine.”

“Are you? You have a slight
limp.”

“I hurt my foot.”

“If you say so.”

Emily’s eyes narrowed, “Ok, so spies
have told you things… that still doesn’t mean I can influence the
Council.”

“I beg you to at least ask
them.”

“I’m not so sure I want them to
stop.”

He gasped, “M’Lady, you
are a friend to the Encala. Why would you not help us?”

“The Encala killed one of
my Cavalry.”

“It was necessary.”

“For what!?” she screamed.
“Don’t come ask me for help and then try to justify killing my
friend.”

“Shhh, please…” he whispered, and
slunk back slightly into the shadows of a lone pine
tree.

“There’s no reason to have
killed him. He was doing nothing more than watching that area. He
wasn’t attacking anyone.”

“I apologize for that.”

“You killed him?” she asked, taking a
step toward the trembling heku.

“No!” he whispered. “I
wouldn’t do that. I couldn’t do that. Your Cavalry is too strong
and well trained for one such as myself.”

“You know that you’re not leaving
here, right?”

“Yes, I know I will be killed for
being here.”

“Then why do it? You know
that I’m not going to stop the attacks by the Equites Council,” she
asked.

“I had to try. The Encala
are falling and it is my duty to do what I can to make them strong
again,” he told her.

“You do realize that the
Encala Council already asked me, and that I refused?”

“Yes”

“Then why would I do so for
you?”

“Because I’m begging you.
I appeal to your gentle nature and the friendship you once had with
us.”

She sighed, “I’m not going to ask the
Equites Council to back off the Encala until they prove to me that
they have changed.”

“We have!”

“You have not!” Emily
yelled. “Killing Wilson doesn’t show me they have
changed.”

The once cowering heku stood up tall
and squared his broad shoulders, “Enough… do as I ask or you’ll
pay.”

Emily’s eyes grew wide,
“What!?”

He took a menacing step
toward her, “It’s taken me a month to find you without a guard… now
you’ll do as I say or I’ll end this immediately.”

“Ya think?” she asked, and
narrowed her eyes. The Encala fell to his knees, clutching at his
chest. When the pain stopped, he fell forward, gasping for
breath.

“Don’t come to my home and
threaten me. I’ve about had it with your entire faction,” she
whispered. He groaned when the pain started again and she held him
in agony until he fell unconscious. Running quickly to the stables,
she grabbed her Taser from the tack room and returned to watch him
heal.

“Do that again and you’ll pay,” he
growled when he caught his breath.

“I don’t think so,” she
said. “Now you’re coming along with me nicely or I’ll ash you
here.”

“You can’t tell me what to
do.”

Emily leveled her Taser at him, “I
think I can.”

He hissed and stood up
straighter.

“Start walking,” she said,
and motioned for him to head for the out-building where the Cavalry
was doing more water training.

“You don’t know what
you’re messing with,” the Encala said, and then hesitated before
doing what she told him.

“I’m sure I do. I’m
messing with a piece of shit Encala that is willing to lie and
deceive to undo the stupidity of something his Council
did.”

“Don’t talk about my Council like
that!” he yelled, and turned on her, crouching slightly.

“Fine… I’m done with you,”
she said, and then grinned. “Mark!”

Suddenly, the entire
Cavalry surrounded her and Mark appeared beside the Encala, “What
did you find?”

The Encala spun suddenly and his hands
balled into fists.

“Putz here came to ask me
to stop picking on his faction,” Emily said, and lowered her Taser.
“I figured you all might need a new toy.”

“All contact with the
Encala has to be reported to the Council,” Mark told her, and then
turned to the Encala. “Let’s go tell them.”