Valle : Book 2 of the Heku Series by T.M. Nielsen Page B

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,