Eternity of Vengeance : Book 7 of the Heku Series by T.M. Nielsen

Cavalry?”
Mark asked, shocked. He’d just come into the stables after talking
to the Council.
    “Yes, I did,” she snapped, still
brushing down her horse.
    “Why are you being so
stubborn?” he asked. “Just give us those ashes and you can have
your damned horse back, and everything will return to
normal.”
    “No, and Dustin’s lucky I don’t do the
same to him.”
    Mark gasped, “Emily…”
    “You cannot threaten the
Council!” one of her guards growled.
    “They have no right to
take my horse away from me,” she whispered, and her voice
cracked.
    “Out,” Mark told her four
guards, and she heard them leave.
    Emily leaned her head against the
stallion.
    “They were under my command when they
died,” Mark said, looking over the stall at her.
    “I could have stopped it,” she
whispered.
    “We asked you not to.”
    “Right, and because I
obeyed, they died.”
    “Vengeance is mine to get
though. I was their leader.”
    She shook her head, “No,
it’s my fault they are dead. I owed Jaron my life, and yet I let
him die.”
    “He wouldn’t blame you for
that, and if he were here, he’d tell you to let Frederick
go.”
    “You get revenge your way.
I’ll get it mine,” she whispered, and started to brush the horse
again.
    Mark sighed, “It’s getting dark and
your dinner is ready.”
    “I’m not hungry,” she told
him, and started to braid the stallion’s tail.
    “I have to go to a
meeting. Your guards are outside of the stables.”
    Emily nodded and kept
braiding. After doing all she could with her horse, she again
crawled under the door and into the stables, then looked around.
Only a few lights were on, and it was dark enough that most of the
stable was thrown into shadow.
    “Are you ready to head
in?” one of the guards asked her. She turned around when she didn’t
recognize the voice and saw a guard she didn’t know.
    “Who are you?”
    “I’m General Meun from the
Samuel Coven. I’m here to cover for some of your Cavalry while
they’re gone,” he said, crossing his arms.
    Emily glanced at the three
members of her Cavalry behind him and then shrugged, “No, I’m not
ready to head in.”
    “Let’s make this simple… I’m here to
get you to tell me where Frederick is.”
    “Why would I tell you?”
    “Because, I’m not your
friend, and I don’t like you. I’m your guard for a week and I will
make your life a living hell.”
    Emily frowned, “Chevalier knows you’re
here?”
    “Nope, Sweetheart, I was sent in by
Dustin.”
    She crossed her arms and faced him,
“Why would he send you?”
    “Because, I’m an ‘old
one’,” he told her, and took a step closer.
    The Cavalry glanced
nervously at him.
    “Not even an ‘old one’ can control me
when I don’t want them to,” she told him, taking a step
back.
    Meun grinned, “Wanna bet?”
    “Does anyone besides
Dustin know you’re here?”
    “Dustin’s all I need for
permission to get the Encala Elder back,” he said, and looked into
her eyes.
    Emily turned her head away from him,
“Stop it!”
    “I also have permission to do whatever
it takes…”
    She looked at him with wide eyes,
“Meaning?”
    “Meaning…” he whispered,
and his eyes fell to her neck. “Meaning you can let me control you,
or I’ll force it.”
    She gasped and covered her
neck, “Chevalier outranks Dustin, and I can assure you he won’t
like this.”
    “By the time I get what I
need, it’ll be too late.” He blurred to her and pinned her against
the wall.
    “Stop it!” she screamed as
he ran his nose up her neck. She saw the Cavalry guards looking at
her, shocked. They weren’t sure what to do. She was in their care,
but the General’s orders came from Dustin, a member of the
Council.
     
    ***
     
    Kyle chuckled, “That’s
new. I hadn’t heard that one before.”
    “It’s true, I swear!” a
panicked heku said from the trial room floor. He was knelt before
the Council and his eyes darted nervously between them.
    Zohn