Page 67 of A World Enough

There wouldn’t be a Map Keeper without Vorka, because Vorka brought her up and, between her and the monks, kept her hidden, until it was time for Camber to go out on her own. Ninti knew she would keep it together. She always did, but it would cost her deeply.

Ninti arrived at Davor’s door and took a deep breath, tried to adopt her Goddess persona. She pressed her hand to the announcement button.

Davor’s escheal came to the door. “Chief Science Officer, Madam Ninti. It is a pleasure to welcome you to Davor’s rooms, my Goddess. Please come in.”

“Thank you, Escheal Rupin.”

Ninti knew that Rupin was Davor’s sexual partner, although he and Davor did not share the emotional connection that she and Kartog had. There had been many Rupins, and Davor had many sexual partners outside the escheal arrangement.

Davor and the commander of defence, Matok, were enjoying a glass of wine when Ninti joined them.

“Ninti,” Davor said, “come and join us, dear lady.”

Davor walked over to her, bowed his head in a gentlemanly manner, and kissed her hand. The defence commander did the same. “Madam. Delighted to see you.”

Abnobians prided themselves on courtesy to their equals, convincing themselves they were far above the rabble that lived under their boot.

“We were just talking about the standoff at Danus,” Davor said.

Matok said, “I said to Davor that we should just destroy the place. Quick, clean.”

Ninti had to go against her natural feeling and say, “That would defeat the object, Matok. The resistance may be led by the people at the top, but there are many places that the resistance cells spread all over the realm. To find them and the Map Keeper, we need Vorka alive to get every ounce of information out of her.”

She felt sick saying these words, but it had to be done. When you were brought up in these worlds of gods and ultimate power, cruelty was a normal way of life. Empathy and love were a weakness.

“Well said, Ninti,” Davor said. “There is no one else alive who would know where the Map Keeper would be. So a carefully curated questioning session needs to be undertaken. Once it is completed, then, Defence Commander, you can have your wish and destroy the godless place. These ancient ones they worship are gone forever, and yet they fight for and worship them, and yet don’t bend the knee to us. Gods—living, breathing gods. That resistance brought down the peak of our empire, and we have slowly climbed our way back up.”

Davor turned to Matok and said, “Only Ninti and I remember that time, Defence Commander. It was a perfect world, where everyone knew their place, and I want our world to be like that again, as we all do.”

“Well said, Davor,” Matok said.

Davor gave Ninti a glass and poured a drink into it. “I think you’ll like this one, Ninti.”

Ninti took a sip. “Hmm. Very nice, Davor.”

“You’re very good with your wines and spirits, Ninti. Can you tell me which wine this is and where it’s from?” Davor said.

She took another few sips, rolled the liquid around on her tongue, and suddenly it came to her. “Cresa?”

“Indeed, Ninti. Indeed. Cresa. The world that started our downfall, and the world that we will get back to.”

They went to the dinner table, and Rupin brought out the first course. They began their meal talking about inconsequential things. Then in between bites Davor asked, “How goes your search? Has your escheal got back to you yet?”

“She’s on the moon called Ziggy’s Place.”

“Ziggy’s Place? That’s where Cardo and our guards have gone,” Davor said.

“Oh? Is it? Maybe they can help. I’ll let her know.”

That was all they needed. The Map Keeper right under their noses.

“Kartog received a tip-off. Dealers come to buy and sell items, then lose their money on the gaming tables. Kartog went to meet someone who claimed to have an ancient vase that contained the last essence, the DNA, of Commander Redu. We may kill two birds with one stone. Get the vase, and if she can be of help to the Drazani guards, she most certainly will do.”

“Excellent.”

Matok leaned forwards and rested her elbows on the table. “Davor, is it really necessary to put so many resources into a warrior that lived so long ago? One that betrayed us. We have exceptional warriors now.”

A darkness came over Davor’s face. Ninti knew what was coming. Apart from finding the Map Keeper, the subject of Commander Redu was the thing closest to his heart, as much as he had a heart.