Read Online Chartile: Prophecy by Cassandra Morgan - Free Book Online

tell you where you are, and how to get to certain places of
importance. Some tunnels have sharp turns every twenty feet for
miles! But they are truly gorgeous. Human or no, I would never want
to live anywhere else.”
    “ If you work for the
Empress,” said Jack as he banged and scraped mud from his shoes,
“who’s the Emperor?”
    Dimitri laughed a deep belly laugh
unbefitting his age. It made Piper smile in a way the boys had not
seen before.
    “ My apologies,” Dimitri
replied. “I forget you are not of this world. There can be no doubt
of that now, I am sure.” He wiped a tear from his eye and looked at
the sky above him. It was growing darker by the minute. The shadows
around them had lengthened significantly since they had stopped.
“We should set up camp. I told the Empress I would be back by
nightfall, but it is too dangerous to travel much farther in the
dark.”
    “ That overhang is probably
as safe as we are going to find without exploring.” Piper pointed
at a location several yards away.
    “ That’s why I’m here, my
gem.” Dimitri smiled at her again, and ran his fingers through his
curly black hair, making Piper blush. “Just a little further is a
small cave. It will be a bit crowded, but we will be safer there
than out in the open.” He scanned the area, squinting through the
deepening darkness. “There are worse things than bumbling mountain
trolls out here. Come.”
    They travelled only another quarter hour,
yet it was so dark when they arrived, they could barely see the
person in front of them.
    “ Night sure comes fast
here,” said Leo.
    “ It is the angle of the
mountain,” said Piper. “You will find morning comes too soon, and
the dew seems to linger.”
    They built a fire with what little kindling
and wood they could find in the dark. The threat of creatures that
feared the flame was greater than those attracted to it. They took
turns keeping watch. Jack was too excited for sleep, and
volunteered for the first watch.
    “ You never finished
telling me about the Emperor,” he said quietly to Dimitri. They had
all settled into their respective nooks and crevices in the tiny
cave for the night.
    “ Ah, yes,” Dimitri
whispered. Piper had already fallen asleep against Dimitri’s chest.
He carefully adjusted his arm and continued quietly, “Well, there
is no Emperor.”
    “ Did he die?” asked
Jack.
    “ No, there simply isn’t
one. The Dwarvik society is mostly run by our women. Ladies are
very rare amongst the dwarves. Women are the head of their House,
and they can take up to four husbands. The first Hasana, or
husband, to give her a daughter becomes Harasan, or the Head
Husband. He is in charge of the daily running of the household. Our
men are our craftsmen who specialize in trade skills.”
    “ What do the wives do,
then?” Jack asked as he poked the fire with a long
stick.
    “ They manage the finances
their hasanas earn. They negotiate raises and work place
advancements for their hasanas. If they do not yet have a Harasan,
they designate the daily tasks necessary to run the House and
decide whether they will continue in their current profession or
find other work. Our women find apprenticeships for their children
and work to arrange good marriages for them. They are our religious
leaders and political negotiators with other peoples. They make our
laws and carry out justice. Women, unlike men, can rule with their
heart, mind and soul. It is very difficult for men to find their
souls.”
    “ That’s not, like, very
fair,” chimed Jayson, who had apparently been listening.
    Dimitri scowled. Even by firelight, his once
twinkling eyes were hard as stone. “Our system has worked well
enough since long before you or any great kings were here in
Chartile. If I did not know better, I would say you sounded much
like a Black Diamond.”
    “ A what?” asked Leo,
pushing himself up to sit.
    “ Ssh!” said Jack as Piper
stirred slightly. Dimitri repositioned his arm again