Page 64 of A World Enough

She pulled on her boxers and T-shirt quickly and went back to Camber’s room.

“Sorry for intruding,” Brogan said. “I couldn’t sleep, so I took my wolf for a run in the RR, and I heard you having a nightmare. And I just wanted to make sure you were safe and calm you down if I could, and guard you. I must have fallen asleep there.”

Camber smiled. “That is the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.”

“I want to protect you. It’s who my wolf is.”

“You did, you protected me from my nightmares,” Camber said, “and I remember them.”

Camber crawled down the bed, and Brogan’s eyes followed her the whole way. Her blood was hot and her heart booming, especially when Camber made an extra stretch for her satchel, and her sleep shorts rode up her behind.

Brogan gave a low growl, the slapped her own face. Stop it.

“What was that noise?” Camber said.

“Just clearing my throat. What have you got?” Brogan changed the subject.

“My map.”

Camber got it out and unfolded it. She looked up to the top of the map. There was a gap at the top with two curved borderlines, each side of the blank space. In between the two curved lines: The Beyond.

Camber pointed to that part of the map and said, “That’s it. That’s what my dreams were about. The Beyond.”

“What’s that?” Brogan asked.

“No one quite knows, none of the Map Keepers knew as far as I know, but I know what my dream told me it was, and I trust my dreams.”

Brogan ran her hand over the space on the map. “Have your dreams given you information before?”

“Yes, when I was younger and on my own, not knowing what to do next,” Camber said.

Brogan’s heart ached for Camber. She had to face life alone, and this life wasn’t even her choice.

“I dreamed of a golden bridge going from where I stood to infinity,” Camber said.

“Are you sure you want to tell me this? I could be an Abnobian plant,” Brogan said, joking.

“As sure as I am about the dream, I am about you.” Camber took Brogan’s hand and trailed her fingertips across the back of her hand.

Camber did this without thinking. This was new, wanting the touch of another, not any other, Brogan. She felt compelled to touch her, be close to her, and hunger for her.

She hadn’t broached the subject of the kiss, but she would need to sometime. That was hunger and why she got spooked and ran.

Camber squeezed her hand. “You kept guard of me all night. No plant would do that.”

“I’m here to protect.” Brogan gave her a kiss to her hand, and Camber’s heart fluttered.

“I…” She couldn’t form words at this point.

“Go on.”

“Um…there was a big portal barrier. Only the Map Keeper could open it. A menacing voice told me to walk through, but I didn’t want to.”

“It frightened you?” Brogan asked.

“Map Keepers know it exists, but not what it is, and never to enter it. The ancient ones thought it was too powerful for even a Map Keeper to know about.”

“So what did you do?” Brogan asked.