Page 66 of A World Enough

Brogan took all the boxes and put them on the coffee table.

“Don’t worry, I haven’t given you a pink suit.”

“That is a good thing,” Brogan said.

“Each to their own. I know a dominant wolf like yourself would be uncomfortable in it. I myself am comfortable in my sexuality,” Ziggy said.

“Hey, I am very comfortable in—”

Ziggy held her hands up. “It’s only a joke, Wolf. Everyone’s so tense around here.”

Camber said, “You look very handsome today, Ziggy.”

Ziggy was wearing white suit trousers and a sleeveless jumper with a shirt underneath.

“Thank you, charming girl.”

Ziggy walked up to Camber and twirled her around. “You, however, will be the most beautiful woman in the place tonight.”

Brogan marched up to them and said, “Okay, okay, put her down.”

“Ziggy can dance with me as much as she likes,” Camber said.

Brogan went from wanting to pull Camber’s lips and tongue onto her neck, to feeling a raging ball of anger igniting inside her.

Ziggy took a few steps back. “It’s okay, don’t worry about it. There was something I wanted to talk to you about.”

“What is it?” Camber asked.

Ziggy took some steps back and put her hands in her pockets. “I want to treat you to everything good I have and make you smile. I’ve never been able to show you a good time. You’ve always needed to be in the secure basement floor, but since you have a big wolf bodyguard, I thought now would be a perfect time. But maybe it’s not.”

Camber folded her arms. “Why?”

“Because I have heard that the vampire Cardo knows where you are, and he’s coming with a squad of Drazani. You would be on display, and believe me, everyone will notice you. Maybe we should cancel.”

Brogan was on it immediately. “Yes, I think that’s a good idea. Let’s cancel.”

“No you will not,” Camber said angrily. “Do not answer for me, Brogan. I’ve never had the chance to have a night out like this before. I’m going to have it tonight with you and Ziggy.”

Brogan said, “Listen, just listen. They are coming, and who knows when it’ll be. We need to be here alone, with Ziggy’s guards in place. I need to protect you, please let me do it.”

“Wolf, I’ve been protecting myself my whole life. I’m not turning into some damsel in distress because a big wolf lands on the scene,” Camber said.

“Fine,” Brogan said with a growl. “Have it your way.”

Camber thought Brogan was behaving like a bad-tempered child. “We are going to have dinner, then play some games, then come up here, have a good night’s sleep, then leave in the morning for GallowGlas. No more talking, no more speculation, end of conversation.”

Then she stormed off to the bedroom and slammed her door shut, leaving Ziggy and Brogan in her wake.

Ninti walked along the corridor of the large cruiser ship at a brisk pace. She was going to Davor’s private quarters for dinner, along with Matok, commander of defence.

In the council of twelve, hierarchy depended on age. Davor and Ninti were of the same age and so had the final say if there was disagreement on the council, but Davor had lead chair, as a scientist was mostly in the lab, and Davor had served primarily as a warrior in the command structure.

Davor wanted to talk about their meeting with Vorka tomorrow, when they reached Danus. She tried to remember Kartog’s words about being calm, doing what she had to do to keep her cover story, and what Vorka would want her to do.

It was going to be so painful, Ninti knew it. She would need to have the strength of ternite, and she had done in the past, but face to face tomorrow was going to be extremely hard.

Ninti admired Vorka deeply. She was such a strong woman, and a strong part of the resistance. In fact there would be no resistance without Vorka.