Sheena hung back at the end of the line when the group moved out. Assan Keep stood up tall and dark on their right-hand side. They came closer and closer to it with every passing hour, but its proximity made Sheena's heart sink. She didn't want this journey to end.
Once they got to the Keep, Fawks would leave and she would be alone. She would have to carry this secret against all odds and never reveal it to anyone, and she couldn't look forward to any more rendezvous with him.
What would become of her, when he was gone? What would she become? Never again would she be the Sheena Lamb who landed on this planet. She'd become something different. He made her something different. Would she stay that way without him? How could she be that, when she couldn't look forward to him commanding her with his touch, his body, his being?
Later in the morning, Jasmine dropped back to walk at Sheena's side. “We'll be at the Keep soon. I'll be glad when we're finally out of danger. What do you make of Sophia getting better like that”
“I don't make anything of it.”
“Maybe the Krataks know something about it. Maybe it's something in the air of this planet. Fawks certainly seems like a rare specimen of health. He's bigger and stronger than any of our men.”
Sheena couldn't think of anything to say to that, but before she could answer, Jasmine's arm shot up. “Look! Look at that!”
The whole team looked up to see dozens of dragons circling in the sky above their heads. The girls gasped, and the others murmured and exclaimed over the phenomenon. “What are they doing? Are they preparing to attack?”
Sheena started walking again. “I'm sure they're there because we're getting closer to the Keep. They're probably just checking where we are.”
Jasmine hurried to catch up. “How can you ignore them like that, after that dragon attacked us in the air? They must be moving in for the kill, and we have no way to defend ourselves. Those things would be ten times deadlier than the morlock.”
“I doubt they're moving in for the kill. Just ignore them. Come on. Let's get moving. We don't want to spend another night out here without food.”
Jasmine stopped where she was and stared at Sheena walking away. Sheena kicked herself for not playing her part better. Any strange behavior would only alert Jasmine and any other astute person something was going on. She should have pretended to be surprised by the dragons' appearance, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. So, the Krataks—the Ingasores—were watching them approach their Keep. What of it?
She headed into the forest before anyone could interfere. She got on her way even before Fawks. He stared up at the dragons, too. Everyone assumed he was as surprised and concerned as the rest of the team.
Rex hurried to catch up with Sheena. “I'm not worried about those dragons, either. I've still got my gun. Aren't you glad I brought it, even if these backward people don't like it? I'm sure the dragons' skin isn't as tough as the morlock's. Anyways, we have a way to drive them off.”
“We had a way to drive them off in the shuttle, too. The computer couldn't read them. Something in their skin deflected the scanner. They may have other abilities we don't know about. Maybe they can make themselves invisible or something. I don't know. I wouldn't underestimate them if I was you.”
“It doesn't matter what abilities they have. The Allies will take over this planet one way or the other. If the Krataks won't help us get rid of these dragons, we'll just have to bring in the whole fleet to knock them off, one at a time.”
“Somehow I don't think the Allied Command will bring in the fleet to fight a bunch of dragons. The Allies want to convince the Krataks to join the Alliance.”
“Come on, Sheena. You know that's just a pretense. This whole research mission is just a ruse to get us down onto the surface and inside the Krataks' Keeps. Once they let us in, they won't be able to stand against the Allies' full invasion force.”
Sheena rounded on him with her fists clenched. “Do you have some point you're trying to make, Rex? Of course, I know the Allies want to conquer this planet, but they want to do it peacefully. That's the whole reason for sending a research mission.”
Rex grinned at her. “I knew you of all people would understand, Sheena. These pathetic scientists still believe the Allies are benevolent. They think joining the Allies is the best thing that could happen to the Krataks.”
“So, what's your point? Is that all you want—someone to share your dirty little secret?”
“Who said anything about it being dirty? All's fair in love and war.”
Sheena glared at him. “Is that what you think?”
“That's the Allies' whole strategy. Who cares what happens to the Krataks, as long as we wind up with the planet? Did you know these mountains contain one of the richest mineral and ore deposits in the galaxy? I doubt the Allies will leave that lying for very much longer. One or two dragons won't stop them.”
He sauntered away down the trail. Now he was heading the line with everyone following him. That was Rex Masters' dream come true. He wished he'd been born a woman so he could be a leader and make the important decisions with everyone looking to him for answers.
So, he wanted a confidante, and he couldn't find one anywhere else on this team. He couldn't even reveal the truth to his own sweetheart. Jasmine might be Commanding Officer, but she was still a scientist. She had to represent the Allies' benign intentions, not only to the Krataks, but to her own teammates. She couldn't do that if she didn't believe in them herself.
Now what could Sheena do? She knew all along the Allies never really wanted to study the Krataks—not for scientific purposes, anyway. Any valuable information the team reported back, the Allies would use in their future plans to bring this planet under their rule. That's the way they always did it.
They would do the same thing with the knowledge these people were really dragons with superhuman healing powers. So why didn't Sheena reveal that fact to Rex when she had the chance? What kind of officer was she?
She wasn't an officer anymore. That was the plain truth. She wasn't an adjunct of the Allies anymore. She'd gone feral. Sometime last night, the last tie holding her to her old life broke free and cast her adrift. She wasn't Commander of the Allies Air Wing anymore. She was nothing but Sheena, pure and simple.
She stood back from the trail as the others passed her by. She barely recognized them. Sophia smiled at her and passed on. The lizard hadn't changed Sophia with its magical saliva, but Fawks changed Sheena with his tongue and his heat and his throbbing flesh.
She waited until the whole line passed and Fawks drew up at her side. He didn't smile. “Are you all right, Sheena?”
She took a deep breath. “You were right, Fawks.”
“Right about what?”
“I should have told you last night, but I was too surprised by you changing in front of me to tell you. Your patriarchs, or whatever you call them, they were right about the Allies. The Allies never had any peaceful intentions toward this planet. The research team is nothing but an advanced force to gain a toehold on this planet. Once they complete their studies, the Allies will step up their agenda to bring this planet under their control.”
His eyes hardened. “What made you decide to tell me?”
“I don't know. Something changed last night. I don't know how it happened, but I guess I don't feel like I belong to the Allies anymore. I want your people to be able to fight them with everything they have. I think the other Clans were right about keeping your dragon natures a secret. I think that will give you the best advantage against the Allies.”
“I better leave. I'll go home and warn my people.”
“Wait!”
“I can't wait. You can all see the Keep from here. You won't lose your way. You don't need me anymore.”
“I need you. Please don't leave.”
“I have to. If you're right, we have to prepare to meet the threat.”
Sheena wrung her hands. “I never would have told you if I thought you would leave. I ca
n't face going in there without you. Stay here. Please.”
“I can't go in there. I can't go anywhere near the Keep. It's only because of you that I've come this close. If the Assans find me here, there'll be trouble. You can count on that.”
“Can't you talk to them? Can't you explain you were only helping us?”
“You don't really want me to stay here. You have your sweetheart back home. Go back to him.”
“I can't! Don't you see? Everything's different now. I'm different. I don't want to go back to my sweetheart. I want you. I don't want anything or anyone else. I don't know what happened, but I can't face losing you when I just found you.”
He took a step closer. “Come with me, Sheena. You don't belong here. Come back to my city with me. I can fly you there in a few hours.”
A woman's voice interrupted them. “Sheena? What's going on?”
Sheena whirled around to find Jasmine and Dana staring at her. Ron and Abigail Simons trailed behind them with their girls. Pretty soon, the whole company came back looking for Fawks and Sheena.
Sheena whirled away. She couldn't face them. “Nothing. Nothing's going on. Let's get out of here.”
She took two steps forward—and froze. A band of some twenty men marched through the trees behind Rex, threading their way in a line shoulder to shoulder.
Chapter 13
Rex backed away from the strange men. The whole team backed away to form a line against the oncoming strangers. The closer they got, the more clearly Sheena saw them. They stood just as tall as Fawks, but their dark hair and skin gave them an evil appearance.
They wore the same curious clothing, with sleeveless shirts and knee-length pants. Their bare shoulders and arms bulged with massive muscles, and they padded through the forest on bare feet.
They wore the same diagonal bucklers with an ornate medallion decorating the center of each man's chest, but these strangers wore swords hanging at their sides. They marched with their hands on their sword hilts, ready for action.
They arrayed themselves in one long rank in front of the team. When they all got into position, one tall man drew his sword from its scabbard and pointed its tip at Fawks. He bellowed at the top of his voice to make the whole forest ring. “Retreat, Ulasso! Retreat, or die.”
Black-blue patterns whirled under his skin. They looked like tattoos, but they rose and fell with the timber of his voice. They swirled over his cheeks and forehead and trailed down his neck into his shirt. They covered his arms and twined down his legs.
The same patterns rippled under the skin of every man in that line. The dark patterns gave these men a sinister appearance, but Sheena noticed different colors on each man. No two were alike. They marked each man with a curious stamp, like fingerprint whorls.
Jasmine spoke up first. “We are the Allies research team on our way to Assan Keep. We are guests of Clan Assan, and we call on the patriarch for sanctuary. This man helped us find our way through the forest when we were lost and in danger.”
The stranger slashed the air with his sword. “We are Clan Assan, and this Ulasso is our blood enemy. No one can approach our Keep with him in their company. Turn your backs on him now, or die a bloody death along with him.”
“What about us? How can we find our way to the Keep without him?”
“We will take you there. He cannot take another step closer to our Keep without losing his head. Come over to us. We will protect you and see you safely to your destination.”
Jasmine turned to Fawks. “I'm sorry about this, Fawks. We have no idea if these men really are Clan Assan, but if they are...”
Fawks swept the ranks with flashing eyes. “They are Clan Assan.”
“Are you sure?”
“I'm sure. I know every single one of them. Don't apologize. Go with them. You'll be safe.”
“What about you? Will you be safe?”
“I'm going home. They won't bother me.”
Jasmine pressed his hand. “Thank you for everything, Fawks. We won't forget you.”
He shook her hand and smiled at everyone, but he wouldn't look at Sheena. She could only watch with an aching heart as he retreated into the trees and disappeared out of her life forever.
The man with the sword bellowed louder than ever. “Come now, if you want to come.”
Jasmine stood at Sheena's side and watched Fawks out of sight. She let out a heavy sigh. “I hate to let him go like that, after everything he did for us. Well, I guess it can't be helped.” She followed the others on their way through the trees to join the Assans.
Jasmine had to come back and tug Sheena's sleeve. “We're going now, Sheena. Don't stay out here. He's gone.”
Sheena pressed her lips together. She couldn't wait any longer. She spun on her heel and hurried after her friends. She couldn't think about Fawks anymore. He was gone. She had her chance at wild happiness and untamed joy, and she threw it away.
She should have gone with him when she had the chance. She should have flown away on the dragon's back to the underground desert city. She should have thrown all the rules to the wind and floated aloft on updrafts of desire and belonging. Now she would never find that again. She certainly wouldn't find it with the Allies.
The Assans broke up their line and led the way through the trees toward the mountain Keep. The farther they left Fawks behind, the more they relaxed. The man with the sword chatted to Jasmine. “I'm sorry to frighten you and your people, but the Ulasso are our most dangerous enemy. We can't allow them anywhere near our Keep, and we destroy them whenever we can find them.”
“He seemed nice enough. He did everything for us. We never would have survived without him.”
“He's gone now, so you have nothing to fear from him or anything else. My name is Warku Assan. My father sent me to bring you in. We had no idea where you were until you got into our territory. We would have brought you in long ago, but it took us days to find you.”
“Thank you for coming for us, Warku. My name is Jasmine Forsythe. I'm Commanding Officer of this team.”
Warku bowed. “Our Clan looks forward to making you welcome. We have the Keep prepared to receive you.”
“I'm sure we're all ready to spend some time in comfort and safety. These last few days camping rough have taken their toll on all of us.”
Sheena listened to his deep rumbling voice. If she closed her eyes and didn't look at Warku's dark face, she could imagine it was Fawks' voice. She could imagine his clear, white skin, his pale hair and glittering blue eyes. She would never see them again.
“What can you tell us about the Ulasso?”
“They keep to themselves in their deserts. None of the other Clans will have anything to do with them, and for good reason. They are blood-thirsty and ruthless. I'm surprised that Ulasso didn't cut your throats, one by one, in the middle of the night.”
Jasmine shivered. “I'll admit I didn't like him when he first showed up. We all felt something unpleasant about him, and none of us ever really trusted him, even when he did so much to help us. We all help him at arm's length.”
“You should have stayed where you were, rather than rely on him for help. We would have found you eventually.”
“Thank you. Now that you mention it, I agree we would have been better off if we had stayed with our shuttle.”
Sheena broke in on their conversation. “We would have starved. Fawks fed us on the meat of the morlock he killed.”
"We should have killed him when we had the chance."
"But he didn't do anything wrong."
"We can't let an incursion into our territory go unchallenged. If one of them comes around and gets away with no consequence, the others will start flooding in. There will be no stopping them."
"Are you sure you don't have them all wrong? Maybe they have some other reason for coming here."
“Forget the Ulasso,” Warku told her. “He can't hurt you, now that we're here. Look, there's the Keep.”
No one said anything else. The spirit o
f happy adventure that animated the group before departed along with Fawks. They hung close together and wouldn't go near the Assans. The dark shapes moving under their skin gave them a demonic look.
Every step through that forest caused Sheena devastating pain. How could she walk away from Fawks to throw in her lot with these horrible men? He was pure and clean and holy. These men were dark and crude and ferocious.
Warku broke out of the trees onto a vast plain. It spread out in front of the mountain pocked with holes. From that distance, they could see people moving in and out of the holes. A group of people stood in one big open entrance into the Keep. The sun shone on their clothes and refracted prisms of color through the clear air.
“There's the patriarch and matriarch. They've come out to welcome you.”
“Who are those people with them?”
“There's my older brother and some of my cousins. Everyone is excited about your visit.”
Warku stepped forward, and the team joined him to begin the last leg of their long journey. Now the real business of studying the Krataks could begin, and with the dark forest behind them and the Keep in sight, they hurried on their way.
At that moment, a shiny object streaked across the sky. It left a trail of cloud in its wake and soared down over the plain to land in front of the Keep.
Warku drew back. “What is that?”
Jasmine motioned him forward. “There's nothing to worry about. It's a rocket shuttle. The Allies must have sent it to search for us.”
The shuttle touched down, and the silver door in its hull opened. The ramp touched the ground, and a tall woman with long blonde hair stepped out. Her blue uniform cut crisp and straight around her shoulders. It was General Duncan.
Chapter 14
The team rushed across the plain in a body to surround General Duncan. Everyone talked at once. "We were lost! We were attacked by a dragon in mid-air! Have you been searching for us? One of the Krataks saved us. That's Clan Assan. They came out to meet us and brought us in. We haven't even been inside their Keep yet."
Fawks (Dragons of Kratak Book 4) Page 9