10. Chapter 9

Jasmine pinned another leaf sample into her notebook and jotted down some sketches of the forested mountains and valleys outside the window. Sophia’s voice interrupted from behind her. “What do you make of the construction of this Keep, Jasmine?”

Jasmine turned around to see the archaeologist studying the corner of the central hall with a magnifying glass. “It’s pretty impressive. That’s all I can say. I still can’t figure out how they did it with their primitive technology.”

Sophia bent closer and squinted one eye half-shut. “You can see the chisel marks in the stones. Whoever built this Keep did it by hand. I wish I could get one of them to tell me how they did it.”

“Have you asked?” Jasmine asked. “That shouldn’t be too secret for them.”

“I have asked. I asked Freya. She says no one who built the Keeps is still alive, and the family archives don’t include anything about how they did it. It happened so long ago, nobody seems to keep track of that stuff.”

“Dana is down in the archive room with Freya now,” Jasmine remarked. “Maybe we should go check on her progress. If she knows you’re interested, she can keep an eye out for any reference to the Keep’s construction.”

The two women left the hall. They went down one of the myriad passages to a high, small room. There they found Dana buried under piles of papers, hand bound books, and sheaves of yellowing documents. Dana read half a page before scribbling notes in her notebook. She didn’t look up when the women entered.

Freya emerged from between rickety wooden shelves stacked with more papers. “Did you find the samples you were looking for?”

“Yes, I did,” Jasmine replied. “Thank you for your help.”

“Anytime. Just let me know what you want, and I can help you find it.”

“Sophia wants to find some reference to the Keep’s construction. We’ve never seen anything like it—at least, we’ve never seen anything like it done with your level of technology. There must be something in this room to give us a clue how your ancestors did it.”

“I don’t think so,” Freya replied. “I’ve been through most of the documents in this room and have never seen anything, but I’ll ask my mother and father the next time I get a chance. It does seem odd that no one left a record of it.”

“So, none of your people have any idea how your ancestors built these Keeps?” Jasmine asked. “Did they find the mountains already hollowed out? Did Krataks hollow them out, one bowl scoop at a time?”

Freya laughed. “It does seem unlikely, doesn’t it? We’ll keep searching until we find something. How are the rest of your team getting along?”

“I have no idea what Rex is doing, if he’s not making more trouble for everybody,” Jasmine grumbled. “I’m going to see Dr. Simons after this.”

Freya’s eyes popped open. “I know! We’ll ask Gao. He knows more about the archives than everybody.”

Jasmine frowned. “Gao? I thought he was too injured to get out of bed.”

“That was days ago,” Freya replied. “He’s fine now. He’s down in the armory now.”

Jasmine brightened up. “Oh, good. I want to see the armory, too.”

Freya frowned. “Actually, I was planning to go down there while you visit Dr. Simons.”

Jasmine stiffened. “Why can’t I go down to the armory? No one will tell me anything about your battle plan against the Ulasso.”

Freya turned away. “You don’t want to know about that. Your studies here are much more important.”

“I’ll be the one to decide what I want to know,” Jasmine shot back. “We’re supposed to study everything about your people. I could understand why you wouldn’t want Rex or someone like that seeing your armaments, but why not me? Don’t you trust me?”

Freya smiled. “You’re just as much a representative of the Allies as Rex is, maybe more so. He has never asked to see our armaments. You’ve insisted on it from the moment you entered our Keep. What are we supposed to think?”

“I thought I made it clear I’m on your side. I’ve been warning you nonstop about the Allies, but no one seems to believe me.”

“We believe you,” Freya replied. “However dangerous you think the Allies are, the Ulasso are much more dangerous. We’ve fought countless wars against them. We can’t let them defeat us in another one. They would overrun us in seconds.”

“What do you think the Allies are going to do?”

Freya only shook her head, and Jasmine turned away to find both Sophia and Dana staring at her.

Freya patted Jasmine on the shoulder. “You go find Dr. Simons while I go down to the armory to talk to Gao. I’ll meet you back here in a little while. In the meantime, don’t say anything to anybody about seeing our armaments. Don’t stick your nose into this Ulasso business. You’re only making people uncomfortable.”

Freya walked out of the room. Jasmine faced her friends. Dana bent her head over her papers. “Nice try. Better luck next time.”

“I don’t see what the big deal is,” Jasmine snapped.

“They must have some secret they don’t want us to know about,” Sophia observed.

“Of course, they have some secret,” Jasmine growled. “Knowing that only makes me want to find out what it is.”

“They won’t tell you,” Sophia remarked, “and you’ll only alienate them by pushing for it. I would drop it if I was you.”

Jasmine smacked her lips. Sophia was right. That’s what annoyed her more than anything. She couldn’t drop it. The Assans opened their Keep to the team to study every detail of their lives—but not this.

Sophia guided her to the door. “Go talk to Ron and see what he’s up to. By the time you get back, Freya may know something.”

“She’ll know something about the construction,” Jasmine muttered. “She won’t tell me what I really want to know.”

Dana spoke up from her desk. “They won’t tell us anything about the tapestries, either. I’ve asked everyone I meet. They won’t explain what the images mean. Have you noticed how some of the pictures seem to show people turning into animals and back again? You’d think they were showing something about the native population. Every time I ask Freya about it, she changes the subject. The men won’t talk to me at all.”

Jasmine frowned. “That’s strange.”

“Strange doesn’t cover it,” Dana went on. “There images are everywhere. They’re in the Krataks’ clothes, in the men’s medallions, all over the walls. They must be something important. How are we supposed to understand these people if we don’t understand their most basic artistic images?”

“I wish I could explain it,” Jasmine replied. “You see the same designs in the Krataks’ skin. Have you noticed?”

Dana and Sophia nodded.

“I wonder, we didn’t notice the patterns on Fawks,” Jasmine went on. “Even if the patterns were white, we should have noticed that.”

“That only means the patterns are more important than ever,” Dana pointed out. “It means these images we keep seeing in clothes and art really are depicting the Krataks themselves. Whatever else we do, we have to find out what they mean.”

“Maybe Ron can tell us,” Sophia suggested. “He’s a doctor. If anybody can understand these patterns, it’s him.”

“I don’t see how anybody can understand them,” Jasmine replied, “but I’ll ask him. You two stay here in case Freya comes back.”

She hurried away to talk to Ron. She went all the way back to the passage containing the teams’ bedrooms. She found the Simons family in their room with the door standing open. Charlotte and Leona reclined on the bed, reading books. Abigail discussed a mathematical textbook with Jane in one corner.

Ron smiled up at her from writing in his notebook when Jasmine knocked on the door jamb. Abigail dropped what she was doing and hurried toward her. “Aren’t these Krataks fascinating, Jasmine? Have you ever seen anything like them before? How do you think they got so tall and strong? I’ve never seen men so big. They seem to be bursting with spirit and energy and lust for life. I was telling the girls last night that must be why they get into so many conflicts with each other.”

“I don’t know about that,” Jasmine returned. “We get into a lot of conflicts with each other, too, and we’re not as vibrant or as big as they are.”

Abigail waved those comments away. “Yes, but these Krataks are such a primitive people. Don’t you wonder how they developed a male-dominated society? It seems so contrary to everything we know.”

“It seems perfectly natural to them,” Jasmine murmured.

“I want to ask them about it,” Abigail gushed. “I want to find out exactly what happened in their history that caused them to turn away from the more normal female-dominated society.”

“I doubt they would tell you that,” Jasmine told her. “We can’t even find a record on how they constructed their Keeps. For all we know, they’ve been male-dominated from their beginning. Female-dominated is normal to us. The Krataks would probably resent any reference to their way of life being some kind of deviation, just as we would resent someone referring to us as deviant.”

Abigail’s lips compressed until they turned white. Jasmine didn’t wait for her to argue back. She turned to Ron. “How are you getting along, Doc?”

His face fell. “Not very well, Jasmine, now that you ask. I’m making notes on what I can see of the Krataks’ physiology. Most of that has to do with their general health, which is excellent, and their tattoos, which I really can’t understand at all. It makes no sense from a medical point of view. I can’t find much out without examining one of them.”

“That shouldn’t be too hard,” Jasmine replied. “The Assans have been willing and friendly with everything—at least, just about everything. Rocor mentioned a medical examination, too, so they must be expecting one. I’ll ask if you can examine someone.”

Ron jumped out of his seat. “Would you really ask for me? Oh, thank you! I’d like to take some blood samples, too, but that might be pushing it a little too far.”

“We can ask. The worst they can do is say no.”

Ron whispered under his breath. “I don’t dare ask. These people scare the pants off me.”

Jasmine had to smile. “I know what you mean, but I think they look a lot scarier than they really are. Once we learn more about them, they won’t intimidate us so much.”

Jasmine left, but as soon as she got into the passage, she regretted promising to ask about the medical examination. Who could she ask? She didn’t want to ask Rocor. She didn’t even want to see him again—not after their encounter in that secret bedroom.

He didn’t come near her again in the days following their tryst, but he still bothered her. Whenever she stole a glance at him, she found him studying her with those inscrutable eyes of his. What was he thinking about? Did he regret their encounter as much as she did?

Not that she didn’t enjoy it. She never experienced anything like it. Her body still tingled all over when she remembered what he did to her and how he did it. She just didn’t want it to happen again. If he ever came near her again, she couldn’t say no. She would do it with him again, and again, until she lost herself in him.

Not only that, she would lose her team’s respect. The more times she met Rocor, the more likely one of the team would find out what was up. She already threatened her position by speaking out against the Allies. She only clawed her way back by never mentioning it again.

She made up her mind to ask someone other than Rocor about the medical examination. She headed back to the archives room, but Freya was nowhere in sight. Dana and Sophia hadn’t seen her, either.

Jasmine started for the central hall, but no matter where she went, she couldn’t find one Assan anywhere. Where could they be? They must all be down at the armory. Jasmine could surprise them there, but she didn’t know the way. What could she do?

She hated hanging around waiting for something to happen. She retrieved her notebook from her room and walked up the long passage to the Keep’s front entrance. The sun dazzled her outside, but the fresh air revived her after so long underground.

She hiked into the forest in search of some more plant samples. She didn’t want to go too far. She didn’t want to meet another morlock like the one that attacked the team on the journey here. She wouldn’t be able to defend herself against it alone. Not even the whole team working together could stop it until Fawks saved their lives by killing it.

The sunshine warmed her face. She would like to close her eyes and doze off right now, but the fresh breeze invigorated her. She walked faster. Why didn’t she come out here sooner? The outdoors always cleared her head and washed her troubles away. Life made sense once again.

She only made it a few paces into the forest when she heard loud voices not far away. She migrated toward the sound, but the closer she got, the slower she walked. She recognized those voices. She couldn’t fail to recognize them when she heard them every day.

She crept closer and ducked behind a tree when she saw people moving between the trees. Rocor’s voice boomed through the woods, and Warku’s answered. What could they be doing out here, yelling at the top of their lungs?

At first, she heard only a garble of confused shouting. She got as close as she dared before she peaked out to stare at the scene. All four Assan brothers—Callan, Rocor, Warku, and Gao—stood in a loose circle between the trees. They bellowed and threatened each other back and forth. Every man in that group argued at full volume with every other.

Even staring right at them, she couldn’t tell what they were arguing about. Little by little, she separated one voice from the next.

“You don’t even belong here,” Warku thundered at Callan. “We haven’t seen your face in years, and now you want to take over.”

“When you act like this, someone’s got to take over,” Callan yelled back. “You’ve been an insolent punk since you were young. I should have put you down when I had the chance.”

“You want to put me down? Do it right now.” Warku jabbed a finger in his brother’s face. “I’ll kill you and take Haya for myself, the way she should be.”

Gao smacked Warku’s hand down. “Can’t you talk about anything but Haya? You haven’t touched her in twenty years, and you’re still stuck on her.”

“Shut your trap, boy,” Rocor interrupted. “Let them work it out between themselves. You’re too young to get involved in this.”

“I’m not too young to challenge you,” Gao shot back. “You can’t fight all of us. I’ll cripple you, and one of them will finish you off.”

Rocor narrowed his eyes at his youngest brother. “You’re stupider than I thought if you think you can come near enough to hurt me. Go home to your mother where you belong, and leave this to the big boys.”

“He has as much right to challenge you as anybody else,” Callan put in. “He’s fully mature. I’d like to see you stand up to him.”

“You stay out of this, too,” Rocor told him. “You won’t take over this Clan. You’ll run home to your wife and her family.”

“Maybe I won’t,” Callan replied. “Maybe I’ll rid the world of your stinking presence. Then I’ll bring Haya and Asya back here and live happily ever after.”

“You won’t fight the Ulasso,” Rocor countered. “You would roll over and let them wipe us out. You’re too soft to lead this Clan, just like you were too soft to stick around in the first place. Run home to your hole and don’t bother us again.”

“None of you is man enough to lead this Clan,” Warku boomed.

Rocor rounded on him. “I’m the oldest. I’ll put all of you in the ground before I let you take what’s rightfully mine.”

“I’m the oldest,” Callan interrupted.

Warku snapped over his shoulder. “You don’t count. You’re not even part of this Clan anymore.”

“That’s what I say,” Rocor added.

Warku spun around to face him. “Don’t you dare agree with me. You want to lead this Clan? You’ll have to get through me first. I challenge you to battle it out right here and now.”

The instant the words left his mouth, the whole terrible scene changed. Gao and Callan fell silent, and Rocor froze in his tracks. He stared at Warku, and the other two fell back out of the way. Warku narrowed his eyes at Rocor, and Rocor’s shoulders stiffened.

Jasmine held her breath behind the tree. Whatever this challenge meant, these two would fight to the death in front of her eyes. Did she have to stand here and watch Warku kill Rocor? She couldn’t watch, but she couldn’t get away, either. She stood rooted to the spot, and her eyes strained to catch every detail.

As soon as Gao and Callan retreated, Warku and Rocor started circling. They kept their eyes fixed on each other’s faces. Jasmine’s blood pounded in her neck. Rocor flexed his fingers to grab and tear. Warku’s shoulders swelled out.

All of a sudden, Warku let out a tremendous bellow and launched himself at his brother. Rocor rose off the ground, but to Jasmine’s surprise, neither brother reached out his hands to seize his opponent.

Instead, Warku spread his arms wide. His neck bent forward and kept on going. It extended far over his chest, and his neck stretched to push it forward. Dark grey swirling patterns spread over his face and surrounded his snarling mouth.

Rocor also threw his arms out to the sides. His shoulders exploded out of his body. His fingers elongated to scratch the air. His blue-black colors covered his skin and wiped out every scrap of skin.

In front of Jasmine’s eyes, both men lifted off the ground. They screaming mouths split their heads in half, and mouths full of sharp pointed teeth jutted between their lips. Their arms grew longer and longer until they unfolded into wings. They beat the air to lift themselves between the trees.

The colors darkened their features. The dragon pattern Jasmine noticed emerged in all its grotesque horror. It became more and more distinct until it took over the brothers’ whole being. In a minute, nothing remained of the men she thought she knew. Rocor turned into a gleaming blue dragon.

His head whipped forward on his long neck. His lashing tail cracked through the air, and leathery wings rustled between the trees. Warku rose coal-grey opposite him, and his jaws snapped in deadly rage.

Their wings sent wind blasting through the forest. They dodged their heads this way and that. Rocor darted forward and slashed his brother’s shoulder with his teeth. Warku shrieked so loud Jasmine cringed behind her tree. She couldn’t believe the evidence of her senses.

The dragons fluttered some feet above the ground. They rose and fell and danced around each other, but neither could gain enough advantage to turn the fight his way. Rocor brought his wicked tail around and smacked Warku aside with it. Warku stumbled and hit the ground. He rolled on his side, and his head shot up to shred Rocor’s wing.

Rocor descended on top of him. His clawed feet extended to cut his brother to ribbons, but Jasmine didn’t see anymore. She broke out of her shock and bolted into the forest.