Page 16 of A World Enough

Brogan sighed. “If I was, I don’t think I’d pretend to be a wolf who’s dying of the heat, following you across this desert world, while trying to work for the bad guys.”

“You’d be surprised what people will do to try to capture the Map Keeper. As long as you keep on those cuffs, I’ll play along. So? Your world?”

Brogan plodded along, trying to keep up with Camber. She had never been this hot in her life. Sweat was pouring off her. If she’d been by herself, she would have stopped for a longer break, but Brogan wasn’t showing any weakness to Camber.

“Ah, Earth is a beautiful place. Can be a beautiful place, but humans sometimes make it not so nice.”

“How so?” Camber asked.

“We pollute the oceans, chop down forests, and cause pollution in the air with our vehicles. Well, werewolves try to protect the forests and landscapes in our pack lands.”

“Are there more than wolves on your world?” Camber asked.

“Oh yes. Humans who have no power dominate our world, and the paranormals live separate lives. There are vampires, witches, shapeshifters, good people and many dark forces. We aren’t out to the humans. We live separate lives,” Brogan said.

Camber asked, “Do your people cross the stars?”

“In ships?”

Camber nodded.

“Yes and no. We’ve been to our moon, sent probes to the planets in our system, and satellites travel to interstellar space, but as far as people in crafts—no.” Brogan continued, “But it sounds as if some of our ancestors came from a realm like this.”

“Maybe. Are your vampires…I don’t want to say bad, but…?”

“Bad,” Brogan finished for her. “All except for the most powerful clan. They are called the Debreks, and their leader Byron and her wife are good friends of mine. Their clan took a vow to only take blood by consent.”

Camber looked surprised. “Wow, I’ve never met vampires like that.”

“They led the resistance to banish Balor—the battle that had me flung into this realm.”

“Amazing.”

The conversation had taken up a good bit of the journey, but Brogan needed another rest.

“Can we stop for a break? I’m close to cooked.”

Camber pointed to a rocky outcropping, up on the sand dune hill they had climbed. “We’ll stop here. We are just about there.”

Brogan leaned her back against the rock where they stopped and gulped down the water they had brought.

Camber brought out the fruit she had bought from the market. It reminded Brogan of slices of watermelon.

“Eat this—it hydrates you more than water, something very important on this world,” Camber said.

“I don’t know how the Oiprians manage to live like this.” Camber watched as Brogan took her first bite of the fruit. “Mmm. That is so delicious. How can they grow the fresh fruit and vegetables I saw at the market in this climate?”

“Not all of Oipra is like this. There is a continent on the planet that is green from the trees and plants, and blue from the fresh water of seas, lakes, and streams,” Camber said.

Brogan looked shocked. “But why do they live here, like this?”

“Because they have been conquered by the Abnobians for the last thousand years. The Abnobians are seen as mages of sorts, and they worship them as gods. Look at this.” Camber pulled herself above the rock and took a monocular from her jacket pocket. “Look down there.”

Brogan got up next to Camber. She held out her cuffed hands, asking to be let free, but Camber shook her heard. “Not yet, Wolf. I’ll hold this up for you. Look down.”

Brogan looked through the lens, then with one of her chained-up hands moved it around the scene. If she hadn’t known otherwise, Brogan would have guessed she was looking at a scene from ancient Egypt, Greece, or Rome.

There was a huge temple structure with beautiful lush, green gardens, tiled pools of crystal clear water, and waterways connecting them.