Page 1459

~~((The 12 Pages of Christmas + Double Monday = Page 13 of 14))~~
‘You don’t seem particularly concerned about these strange people,’ said Yangéra.

Jasirok merely tilted his head at her.

She exchanged glances with Diego. ‘Are you not worried that they are behind the disappearances, somehow? I thought that was why you mentioned that the disappearances only started happening after they first arrived here.’

“No, no,” said Jasirok. “That was only to give you a sense of chronology. I do not think Ettol and his comrades are to blame.”

‘Why not?’

“Because the disappearances began while they were away. Only Carver has been here all along, and... I mean no offense to him, but he is rather weak--in both body and spirit. I have no reason to believe that he could harm any of us by himself.”

‘Harsh,’ said Yangéra privately.

‘But not inaccurate,’ thought Diego.

Yangéra returned to her public voice. ‘Well, if you don’t think Carver and his friends are responsible, then do you have some other theory?’

“I... do not,” Jasirok admitted. Then he stood up from his chair. “However, I did find this.” He moved toward his cabinet and opened it to retrieve a small object.

It was a pyramid, pitch black and perfectly shaped--apart from three stubby protrusions, one on each of the top sides.

Diego just waited for Jasirok to explain, but Yangéra got there first.

‘This is a Kag, isn’t it?’

“You recognize this object?” said Jasirok.

‘It’s a kind of ancient key. Do you know what it unlocks?’

Jasirok seemed confused. “Key? What does that word mean?”

The reaper struggled for an explanation. ‘It’s something that allows you to open something else.’

“I see...”

‘If you didn’t know what it was, then why were you showing it to us?’

“I found it in the residence of the first one who went missing. I had not seen the like before, so I decided to take it with me for study. I had yet to learn anything of it until just now.”

‘Hmm. Well, my question remains the same. Do you know what it unlocks?’

“I... I am still not quite certain I understand,” said Jasirok. “Unlocks?”

The reaper sighed. ‘Like a door? Or a box? This key should have an accompanying lock, somewhere.’

“I do not--”

“There are no locks in Himmekel,” said Diego.

They both looked at him.

He eyed Jasirok. “It was something I noticed earlier. You guys don’t have locks on any of your doors, windows, cabinets--anything. Pretty strange for a place that’s supposed to be a vault.”

“I... do not know what you mean.”

“Exactly,” said Diego. “You hardly even understand the concept of locking things up. In fact, privacy in general isn’t a very big concern among your people, is it?”

“I suppose not...”

“The only lock I’ve seen since coming here was at the very front entrance that Carver led us through, the one up in the ruins of Himmestat.”

‘Hmm.’