Page 53 of A World Enough

That made Morrigan furious. What about having the time over with her? Treat her the way a daughter should be? But if she opened her mouth about that now, she wouldn’t get the info she needed, just a big argument.

“So, Morrigan. Did you call to tell me about your brother or something else?”

“I knew you would know about Balor—you know everything that happens in this realm. Which is the reason I’m calling. Balor flung my friend through a portal while he was fighting us, and I promised the humans I was helping that I would try to find her. I know with your…connections you could help.”

“I see,” Queen Emaris said.

Morrigan didn’t want to say she was working with the resistance. Their anonymity was crucial. “She is called Brogan, a werewolf from Earth.”

“Ah, the one travelling with the Map Keeper?”

“You know about that?” Morrigan said with surprise.

Emaris laughed. “Of course I do. The Abnobians put bounty hunters on notice to find the Map Keeper travelling with a wolf. Most came back to Davor empty-handed and were struck down, but…”

“But what?” Morrigan asked.

“A Derag Due called Cardo was given the chance to lead a squad of Drazani warriors after them.”

“Do you know if they got any tips for where they were?”

Queen Emaris sat back. “Is this the only reason you contact your mother? To get information?”

“The last time we spoke didn’t exactly go well,” Morrigan said.

“You should be here, my heir, learning what is expected of a Queen of Vetia. I’m not getting any younger.”

“You’re also fit and healthy, Mother. Once this is all over, and I find my friend, I will come home for a visit.”

Queen Emaris leaned forward onto her desk. “Do you promise?”

“I’m not a child, Mother. You don’t have to bribe me to come home to see you. If you had contacted me at any time and asked me, I would have come. But since you have now, I will,” Morrigan promised.

“Very well, I’ll trust you. Our intelligence found out that Cardo and his men went to a mechanic moon, where old ships go to die and people to hide. The bar manager there sells information. He has a listening post there. People usually pay with money for what he sells, but this time he paid with his life.”

“What did he tell them, do you know?” Morrigan asked impatiently.

“Yes. Cardo is going to Ziggy’s Place.”

“The gaming moon?”

Queen Emaris nodded. “He has a head start, but I can have one of our ships hold him up with an inspection, since they will go through the edge of our space.”

“You would do that?”

“Yes, just come home and visit when you are free,” Queen Emaris said. “I’d like to see my child again.”

This was the most open and honest conversation she’d had with her mother ever. Maybe she was feeling her age?

“I will come back. Once all this is sorted out.”

“I’ll take your word for it, then. Goodbye, Morrigan.”

The signal cut, and Morrigan flopped back in her seat. That call was emotionally confusing, a lifetime of hurt feelings challenged by one honest call, where her mother expressed she wanted to see her.

Morrigan couldn’t think too deeply about those emotions right now, or she would lose herself.

She got up quickly and walked through the sliding door. Margot turned to her and said, “Anything?”