Page 43 of A World Enough

Brogan turned away from her, and Camber could feel the anger rolling off Brogan. So they rode on in awkward silence.

When they finally arrived at the bottom, Camber said, “Follow me.”

Brogan followed without a word. They walked down a staff corridor until Camber opened the door onto the public hotel and casino floor.

She looked back, and Brogan was purposely trying not to meet her eyes. Petulant wolf.

It was just a joke, after all.

Camber walked to the hotel desk and waited her turn in the line. The man behind the desk said, “Hello, how can I help?”

“I’m here to see Ziggy. She told me to ask for her at the desk.”

“Of course. I’ll have one of the staff take you over.”

He looked past them and shouted to one of the waitstaff, who was Flusion. They were blue skinned with a flat nose and ears and a strong body.

As they walked into one of the gaming rooms, Camber sneaked a look at Brogan and saw her taking in all the lights, sounds, and people with wonderment. Maybe she hadn’t taken full account of how much Brogan’s world had changed since she was flung through the portal from Earth.

Brogan had to take every new thing she met in this realm in her stride. Maybe her joke in the elevator was a little unfair. She could try to make it up to her later.

She could hear Ziggy before she could see her.

“Little Cam! Come to me, sweetheart.”

A woman in a dark pink suit, an open button-down shirt, and her hair tied back in a short ponytail held her arms open wide, welcoming Camber. Camber sneaked a peek at Brogan and saw a dark scowl on her face.

She went into Ziggy’s arms and hugged her tightly. It was so reassuring to be hugged by someone she knew she could trust.

They pulled apart, and Ziggy cupped Camber’s cheeks. “I was so happy to get your message. I hadn’t heard from you in a while, and I was worried.”

“I’m okay. I’ve been on the move for—” Camber looked around in case anyone in particular was listening. “We can catch up in private. Anyway I’m so happy to be here. I’ve brought a friend with me.”

They both turned around to face Brogan. Ziggy put her arm around Camber’s shoulders.

“Ziggy, this is Brogan. Brogan, this is Ziggy, owner of this moon world.”

“Good to meet you, Brogan. You’re a wolf?”

“How could you tell?” Brogan asked.

“I’m good at reading people. I won this moon, and everything on it, by the turn of a card,” Ziggy said.

Camber watched Brogan give Ziggy a false smile.

“Well, hello,” Brogan said flatly.

Camber noticed Brogan was zeroing in on Ziggy’s arm across her shoulders. She didn’t understand that.

Camber felt she had to fill the silence. “Brogan’s not a GallowGlas Wolf. She’s not even from this realm. I’m trying to help her find her way home.” Camber was sure Ziggy could feel the tension between them all. “We wondered if you could put us up for the night.”

“Of course, Little Cam. I’d be delighted if you made it a few days. Let’s find a quiet table and we can have a catch-up.”

Brogan trudged after Camber and Ziggy. If she’d been in a foul mood in the elevator, she was in an even worse mood now.

Ziggy was the exact type of person Brogan didn’t like—showy, flamboyant—and she was sure there was something going on between Camber and Ziggy. The pair had no boundaries, like the way Ziggy held Camber by the waist when they hugged, and then the possessive arm around her shoulder.

Brogan didn’t like it. Something in her gut didn’t like it, and Brogan wasn’t going to think any deeper than that.