“Emily, wake up.” Kyle's voice was in whispers, but urgent.
“What's wrong?” Emily sat up and put her hand on Allen's back. He was still asleep.
“Come on, we're in lockdown,” he explained, and pulled the covers off of them before picking Allen up. A piercing alarm sounded through the island.
Emily followed Kyle through the secret wall and down the stairs to the cave bedroom, “Kyle, tell me what's going on.”
“There's been an attack on one of the Elders,” he said, lying Allen down on the bed. He turned to comfort Emily, but was surprised because she was smiling slightly.
“Is she dead?” Emily asked, watching his eyes.
Kyle's eyes narrowed, “How did you know it was Selest?”
She sat down and rubbed Allen's back as he began to wake up. They were both silent until he fell back asleep.
“My God, it's Chevalier,” Kyle said, shocked.
Emily shrugged.
“Tell me what's going on,” he said sternly.
She frowned, “I'm not supposed to. I'll be good and stay down here until the alert is over.”
Kyle leaned over and looked directly into her face, “What did he do, Emily?”
“You know I can't say,” she told him, her hand still on Allen.
Kyle stood up and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
“Gah, Kyle…” Emily hissed when Allen woke up. She rubbed his back softly and curled up next to him.
“Daddy?” Allen asked sleepily.
“He'll be home soon,” she said, and kissed his cheek softly.
Emily drifted off to sleep curled up next to Allen.
***
Chevalier put the last of the dirt over the former Elder's banishment sight and sat down to lean against a tree. As he watched the mound of dirt, his mind whirled. He'd done it. He killed an Elder, which in heku tradition, made him an Elder. He pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and dialed the number.
“It's done,” he said when he heard Leonid's voice.
Leonid sighed, “Come back to Council City.”
“I need to go and get Emily first,” Chevalier replied. “Then I'll be there.”
“No, come directly here. We'll have Kyle bring her and the boy.” Leonid hung up, and Chevalier growled slightly. Leonid had no right to tell him what to do, at the moment of Selest's burial, he became Leonid's equal. He opted to go to Council City and wait until his coronation to begin exploring his new powers.
***
“Emily?” Kyle said, touching her shoulder. She woke up with a jerk.
“It's ok, it's just me,” he said, sitting on the edge of the bed. “I got word from the Elders. It's time for us to go to Council City.”
She nodded and picked up Allen.
“Are you sure about this?” Kyle asked, unmoving.
She looked at him, “No, I'm not. In fact, I'm very much not sure about any of this, but tell me what my options are.”
He shook his head, “I can't believe he did it.”
“It sounded like he didn't have a choice to me.”
“Still… Chevalier's an Elder now. That makes you part of the faction's royalty, for lack of another word. I'm just shocked.”
“I promised Chev two months. If I don't like it, then… I'm gone,” she said sadly as she watched Allen sleep in her arms.
“Then what?” Kyle asked anxiously. “Then you disappear and go back to being plagued with heku attacks? Running a ranch by yourself, being a single parent?”
“What am I supposed to do?” she whispered angrily.
“I could go with you,” he said, taking her hand.
“Kyle…” She didn't know what else to say. He'd kissed her once, she hadn't forgotten that, but since then they had been only friends.
He leaned toward her and pressed his lips to hers gently as his hand slipped behind her neck to hold her close. She was still able to pull away from him and look down. He stood up, shut his eyes, then opened them slowly, “Let's get ready to leave.”
Emily nodded and carried Allen up the stairs. Anna was waiting for them in Emily's bedroom.
“I'll get him ready,” she said softly.
Emily nodded and then turned when she felt a hand on her arm, “The Chief Enforcer had me make this for you. You'll need to wear it tonight,” said Margaret.
Margaret held up a simple, dark blue slip dress. She smiled when Emily took it and thanked her. Emily was surprised because her dresses were usually a lot more revealing. Margaret also handed her a box and hugged her.
“We'll miss you, Child,” she said, then left quickly.
“So everyone knows now?” Emily asked Kyle.
Kyle nodded, “Official word came down from the Elders an hour ago.”
As Emily headed to the bathroom to change, she felt a hand on her shoulder, “Em?”
She turned and looked at Kyle, “Keep it in mind, ok?”
Emily nodded and went to change. The dress was elegant and beautiful, and she loved the feel of the satiny material against her skin. She was a little embarrassed at the way it clung to every curve of her body, but it was modest by Margaret's standards. She pinned her hair up into a bun and let soft tendrils fall down to frame her face and cascade down her back.
Lastly, Emily opened the box Margaret gave her and gasped. Inside of the black box was a diamond necklace. She ran her fingers along the clusters of diamonds in a delicate platinum setting. She picked it up, almost afraid to touch it. She'd never seen anything so beautiful.
“Let me help you,” Kyle said from behind her. He reached around and took the necklace from her and gently laid it across her neck. He brushed her hair away from the clasp and fastened it. Emily pulled away from him when she felt the soft caress of his lips against her shoulder.
“Kyle, don't,” she said, stepping away.
“You look amazing,” he said.
“Thanks,” Emily whispered, and then headed back out into the bedroom. It looked so empty. Her things were