Page 76 of A World Enough

Brogan cleared her throat. “What happened?”

“Redu was sent to govern Daytra, a hot, dry world where the drought had been going on for generations. The Abnobians had ruled there for centuries, stripping the world of its minerals, much like Oipra. They kept people compliant by controlling the weather, claiming to be gods.”

“Could none of the other worlds have told them it wasn’t magic?” Brogan asked.

“You have no idea what a tight grip they had on this sector. Even if you could talk to them, how could you explain weather control tech to people that had animals pulling carts? It would make more sense to believe in magic than in tech.”

“I suppose. What happened?”

Brogan moved closer to the statue, getting different viewpoints.

“Davor and his people let the people of Daytra die in famine, in the baking heat of the planet. Only when they had begged and pleaded enough did the Abnobians return, with Redu as governor. She vowed to be fairer than the last governor. Rain fell at last, but in return the Daytrans were treated like slaves.”

“How did she meet this Kela?”

“No one quite knows. She was a slave in the baking hot kitchens. They met somehow, and Kela became her escheal, the chosen body servant of the god. It’s not always a sexual thing, sometimes it’s just someone to help organize their day. But against her upbringing, Redu fell in love, and through Kela, Redu realized what the Abnobians were doing was wrong. When rebellion came, Redu chose the rebels over her own people, then led the rebels and helped bring down the empire.”

Camber stood and pointed at the embrace of the two people. “This was how they died, looking into each other’s eyes, while a bomb wave was headed for them. They died for the rebellion, and all because they fell in love.”

Brogan closed her pad to hide what she’d been working on and moved closer to Camber. “You sound like a romantic.”

“I’m not a romantic.”

Brogan moved ever closer and put both hands on Camber’s hips. “The way you described that story, it was like you were singing from your heart. Singing for something that you would yearn to feel yourself.”

“No.” Camber’s breath became shorter. “Love like that only happens one in a million, one in a billion. Redu needed Kela’s love to open up her heart. If Redu hadn’t turned, Danu knows where the Abnobian Empire would have been. I need to run and keep away from anything or anyone that would distract me from my mission.”

Brogan’s eyes were drawn to the pulse point on Camber’s neck, and she shut her eyes. She could hear the boom boom of Camber’s heart in her body. Her wolf was telling her this was her mate.

She opened her eyes and pushed a stray lock of Camber’s hair behind her ear. “I need you.”

Camber was caught in this moment. Caught in Brogan’s now yellow, predator’s eyes. She pressed her lips against Brogan’s. Softly at first, and then more passionately.

Not a lot was known about GallowGlas wolf mating, but Camber assumed some type of pheromones brought two wolves together and kept them together.

She couldn’t be swept up in that. She pushed Brogan back by the shoulders. “This isn’t happening.”

Brogan looked dazed by their kiss. “What? This is real. You know it. My wolf longs for you.”

“You’re going home.”

Brogan looked hurt, hurt and angry. “If I don’t have a reason to stay, then this isn’t real, is it.”

Camber felt so guilty. She had hurt Brogan, she could see. Brogan marched to the entrance and opened the door. The view of their hotel room broke the illusion of where they were.

The doors shut again, and Camber held her head in her hands. It was no wonder that Map Keepers tended to stay alone, because for her at least, Camber couldn’t deal with feelings, romantic feelings.

Camber felt bad for clearly hurting Brogan. Why had her life become so complicated? She used to do well enough going from place to place, looking after her map, and that was enough, but Brogan had given her a taste of what she had missed out on.

Out of the corner of her eye, Camber spotted Brogan’s drawing pad. She lifted it up, thought about not looking for a millisecond, but she had to know.

Camber flipped open the pad, expecting to find a rough sketch of the stone circle. Instead, she found the stones very much in the background, with the main picture being a soft pencil drawing of herself.

Although it was only the beginnings of a portrait, Camber could almost feel every soft touch of the pencil.

“Vorka, I need to speak to you so much right now.”

Ninti was sitting in her office assessing some files on her computer system. Her intercom beeped.