Banishment : Book 9 of the Heku Series (44 page)

Emily finally smiled, “I’ve really missed you
two.”

“We’ve missed you too,” Allen said, finally
relaxing. “Island Coven isn’t the same without your impromptu
visits.”

“Why’s that?”

“You keep them on their toes. Dad comes so
rarely that they all just worry about you showing up and seeing
disobedience.”

“Why worry about me? I don’t really care what
they do.”

Alexis laughed, “Yes you do! If you saw a
heku in Dad’s guards messing around, you’d have their ash in a
second.”

Emily shrugged, “Well…”

“You feel partially responsible for the
well-being of this coven. Admit it.”

“I guess partially.”

Alexis couldn’t hold back and reached over to
hug her Mom, “Thank you for coming.”

Emily held her daughter. It felt good to be
near her kids again, and it somewhat lessened the pain of losing
Dain. The hole in her heart had grown smaller since even walking
into the room.

“We’re ok then?” Alexis asked through
tears.

Emily nodded, “Yes, we’re ok.”

“And you and Dad?”

“Why would we be on the outs?”

“Just checking.”

Allen smiled and sat back in his chair.

~The End~

Chapter 14 :
Epilogue

…
200 years
later

The two figures could barely be seen walking
along the sparkling white beach under the full moon. The dark waves
crashed against the sand as they walked hand-in-hand.

Out of nowhere, a Border collie ran out of
the dark and flew past them, nipping at the incoming tide.

“We should just move out here,” she said,
smiling up at him.

He nodded, “That’d be fun to explain.”

“You can punish the innocent by
teleconference.”

“I don’t…”

When she laughed, he couldn’t help but
grin.

“It’s been so long since we were alone,” she
said, watching as the dog submerged in the water to fetch something
floating in the ocean.

“I know. It’s been too long.”

“I wish the kids were here.”

“That would negate the being alone part.”

“True”

“I know you miss them,” he said, tightening
his hand.

She nodded.

“Why don’t you visit them when we get
back?”

“I guess I could. I know that Island Coven
isn’t far, but they have lives now and don’t want their old Mom
hanging around.”

“Allen and Miri were asking about you the
last time I went over.”

“I know.”

“Alexis and Niccolo just finished building
the expansion on the barn, and Island Coven now has almost 15
horses.”

“I wouldn’t mind seeing that. Megara and I
have been so busy with the Cavalry, I haven’t had time to do much
else.”

“Well with 300 mounted guards, that’s a lot
of horses to care for. However, from what I’ve heard, Megara can do
it alone for a while if you leave. She can even get that husband of
hers to help.”

She smiled, “Stop calling him that husband of
hers. Just because he doesn’t want to be a guard, doesn’t mean he’s
a bad heku.”

“Yes, it does. It’s not natural.”

“He loves her.”

This time it was he that nodded.

“Besides, it’s Asher I want back in Council
City.”

“He loves being on the Thukil Cavalry.”

“I still can’t believe you all turned
him.”

He stopped walking and looked down at her,
“It’s been almost 150 years since he asked us… you’re still holding
a grudge?”

“I don’t like the turning thing!”

“If Asher hadn’t decided to turn, then he’d
be dead by now.”

“I guess,” she said, and pulled him forward
to walk again.

They walked in silence for a while before he
broke the silence, “It’s too quiet here.”

“I prefer quiet, remember?”

“True”

He sighed, “Come on...”

“What?”

“What was the Ancients Room for? And that
forearm torture!? It’s been 200 years.”

She simply smiled.

Books in the Heku
Series

• Heku
  

• Valle
  

• Encala
  

• Equites
  

• Proditor
  

• Ferus
  

• Eternity of Vengeance
  

• Ancients and Old Ones
  

• Banishment
  

Other books by T.M.
Nielsen

Dimensions Saga

• Dimension Shifter
  

• Paragoy Dimension
  

• Shadowmere