Page 80 of A World Enough

“When my starships attacked Danus, the Map Keeper was with you then,” Davor said.

“She was, and I told her to run, but not to where. I brought her up, Davor. I taught her never to reveal to anyone where she was going. Do you honestly think I’m that gullible? Asking her where she was going? Because I knew I’d end up sitting here.”

Davor put one hand around the monk’s neck and snapped it. Her lifeless body slowly fell to the ground.

“Maybe it’s just you she doesn’t share a confidence with, because my intelligence says the wolf she picked up doesn’t go out of her sight.”

He stood and straightened up his uniform. “Guard, take her back to her cell, and Escheal, get someone to clear up these bodies.”

“Yes, Davor.”

Ninti followed him outside.

“Get that information out of her,” Davor said. “I know you can do things to enter and terrify the mind.”

“It’s a fairly new science, Davor, not tested on higher lifeforms,” Ninti said.

“Then Vorka can be an unwilling test subject.”

“What if Cardo finds Camber?”

“It will make me feel better that that woman has been tortured. Get it done,” Davor ordered.

Ninti shuddered at what she was about to do.

Chapter Sixteen

There had been a frostiness around the hotel suite since Brogan’s declaration of her feelings earlier, and their subsequent argument. Brogan had been hurt, but as time passed this afternoon, she softened.

What Camber was going through right now was like nothing she’d ever faced before. Camber had run all her life, but she’d run by herself. She was never used to being around other people, except sometimes resistance fighters. She looked after herself, and now not only had she let Brogan in, as a friend, as a companion, but they had also developed feelings for each other, despite Camber’s protestations to the contrary.

Brogan knew that Camber had feelings for her. She could see a softness in her eyes, she could scent her pheromones and see how Camber got goosebumps when Brogan touched her. Brogan’s wolf drew her to Camber and felt Camber’s openness.

Brogan also knew that Camber knew Brogan was going home. In the best case scenario, when they found a portal, she was going home. Camber would be frightened, frightened of feelings she’d never had before and would most likely lose.

Brogan had these conversations in her head. She realized that she was the experienced one and had a better understanding of love and life. She too was feeling frustration and pain that she was having feelings about someone she was about to lose.

She had decided to let the bad feelings from earlier go. It wasn’t fair on Camber, and she’d probably come on too strong anyway. But her wolf knew what her wolf knew, and she told her Camber was her mate.

Even with all the girlfriends and lovers she’d had, her wolf never told her that any one of them was her mate. It struck Brogan by surprise as well.

In the early afternoon, Brogan knocked on Camber’s door and asked if they were still going out tonight. A small voice said, “Yes, I don’t want to let Ziggy down.”

“Okay, what time will you be ready?”

There was a pause. “Seven o’clock?”

“That’s fine, just so I know when to be ready,” Brogan said.

And so she was. In fact Brogan had been ready for quite a while. She’d put on the suit that Ziggy had given her, and it fit like a glove. She wasn’t one for dressing up. Brogan was much happier in jeans and a T-shirt.

But this did feel nice, and it was a special night, or it was meant to be a special night. Whether it still was, who knew. Besides, Ziggy would be with them, and as loud and enthusiastic as she was, she would carry the conversation.

Brogan had been ready for the last hour. She came through to the living space and sat down with a drink. Seven o’clock came and went and still no Camber. Brogan wondered if she had fallen asleep, but then she heard the shower go off, and some banging around the room.

She went up to Camber’s door at one point and said, “It’s half past seven, Camber.”

“I know what time it is,” Camber snapped. “I’m running late.”