Page 56 of A World Enough

She didn’t have these feelings with Ziggy or any of the resistance. Plus, the resistance was designed to keep itself blocked off in cells, so that information couldn’t be shared. It was a lonely life. One she’d never chosen.

Sometimes when she’d bedded down for the night on some remote moon or planet, she would daydream about having been brought up in a real family, with parents, siblings, and then a loving partner. Her mind could not have imagined someone like Brogan the wolf.

“Are we ready for dessert yet?” Brogan was impatient.

“Okay, Wolf.”

Camber took the lids off the chilled desserts, and she heard Brogan growl at the sight of her double-sized cake. Brogan had explained what chocolate was on Earth, and Camber ordered what she thought was the closest thing to it. And Camber ordered herself a smaller, more delicate cake.

While hoovering up her cake, Brogan asked, “What were you thinking about?”

“When?”

“Just before we started on these cakes. I could feel your anxiety, your tension.”

“You can sense that?” Camber asked.

Brogan nodded. She’d read it on Camber’s scent. Scent was descriptive but only went so far, unless the person felt like pack, like home.

“I was just thinking how nice this was. You and me eating great food and laughing with each other. I don’t get to do these kind of things…ever, really.”

Brogan’s heart beat louder in her chest. Was Camber starting to feel the same emotions that she did?

“What about people in your resistance, or Ziggy?”

“The resistance…it’s not intentional, but sometimes it feels like they are taking care of a commodity.” Camber rubbed her face. “No, that’s not fair. More a precious thing to protect than anything else. The resistance took care of me until I was old enough to run. I left friends that had brought me up, and I suppose I shut down on feelings of friendship so it didn’t hurt so much.”

Brogan didn’t say anything but reached for Camber’s hand and held it. Camber didn’t pull her hand away but put her plate down on the coffee table.

“Ziggy is like my favourite big sister, and she always takes care of me when I come here, but in the end, I come up to the hotel room on my own.”

Brogan squeezed her hand and said, “You’re not alone tonight, and you won’t be tomorrow or however long it takes.”

“Thank you.”

Brogan didn’t know how much longer that would be, but she imagined letting go of this beautiful woman would be hard.

The tension hung heavy between them, and Brogan inched closer, but Camber pulled her hand back, and she stood up, breaking the moment.

“I’m supposed to be working on my map. I’ll get it.”

Kartog’s shuttle pulled into one of the exclusive entrances, kept for people like the Abnobians and their escheals.

An attendant met her at her shuttle door. “Good evening, Escheal Kartog, will Goddess Ninti be with you?”

“No, just a solo trip,” Kartog said.

Even though escheals were servants, that role came with great trust, so others treated escheals with great respect.

“If you’d like to sign in at the desk, Escheal Kartog, I will take your bags to your room and leave you free to have a drink or something to eat at one of our restaurants. Thank you, Escheal.”

He bowed his head, and Kartog walked through the VIP entrance. She hated people treating her as if they were subservient. Freedom was so precious, and no one should ever live in bondage or feel subservient to another.

She knew how much worse it was for Ninti. Ninti hated being treated as a god. That’s why they were both fighting for the future, where everyone would be equal, and the Abnobians would learn humility.

Kartog hoped rather than expected them to ever feel that emotion.

She walked in the doors to reception and was immediately recognized.