Chapter Thirteen #2
“Shit. Hang on, Ziggy,” Camber said, grabbing for a dressing gown.
“Brogan, ask her where we met.”
“What?”
“Just say it.”
Brogan let out a sigh. “Apparently I have to ask you where did you meet Camber?”
“At the edge of nowhere,” Ziggy said theatrically.
Camber gave Brogan a nod, and she opened the door. Ziggy looked between them both. She could probably feel the tension in the room. Camber certainly felt it.
“What’s with the secret question?” Brogan asked.
“In case I am a shapeshifter with evil intent. Now, as promised, here are your clothes for tonight. Could you take a couple of boxes for me, Brogan?”
Brogan took all the boxes and put them on the coffee table.
“Don’t worry, I haven’t given you a pink suit.”
“That is a good thing,” Brogan said.
“Each to their own. I know a dominant wolf like yourself would be uncomfortable in it. I myself am comfortable in my sexuality,” Ziggy said.
“Hey, I am very comfortable in—”
Ziggy held her hands up. “It’s only a joke, Wolf. Everyone’s so tense around here.”
Camber said, “You look very handsome today, Ziggy.”
Ziggy was wearing white suit trousers and a sleeveless jumper with a shirt underneath.
“Thank you, charming girl.”
Ziggy walked up to Camber and twirled her around. “You, however, will be the most beautiful woman in the place tonight.”
Brogan marched up to them and said, “Okay, okay, put her down.”
“Ziggy can dance with me as much as she likes,” Camber said.
Brogan went from wanting to pull Camber’s lips and tongue onto her neck, to feeling a raging ball of anger igniting inside her.
Ziggy took a few steps back. “It’s okay, don’t worry about it. There was something I wanted to talk to you about.”
“What is it?” Camber asked.
Ziggy took some steps back and put her hands in her pockets.
“I want to treat you to everything good I have and make you smile. I’ve never been able to show you a good time.
You’ve always needed to be in the secure basement floor, but since you have a big wolf bodyguard, I thought now would be a perfect time. But maybe it’s not.”
Camber folded her arms. “Why?”
“Because I have heard that the vampire Cardo knows where you are, and he’s coming with a squad of Drazani. You would be on display, and believe me, everyone will notice you. Maybe we should cancel.”
Brogan was on it immediately. “Yes, I think that’s a good idea. Let’s cancel.”
“No you will not,” Camber said angrily. “Do not answer for me, Brogan. I’ve never had the chance to have a night out like this before. I’m going to have it tonight with you and Ziggy.”
Brogan said, “Listen, just listen. They are coming, and who knows when it’ll be. We need to be here alone, with Ziggy’s guards in place. I need to protect you, please let me do it.”
“Wolf, I’ve been protecting myself my whole life. I’m not turning into some damsel in distress because a big wolf lands on the scene,” Camber said.
“Fine,” Brogan said with a growl. “Have it your way.”
Camber thought Brogan was behaving like a bad-tempered child. “We are going to have dinner, then play some games, then come up here, have a good night’s sleep, then leave in the morning for GallowGlas. No more talking, no more speculation, end of conversation.”
Then she stormed off to the bedroom and slammed her door shut, leaving Ziggy and Brogan in her wake.
Ninti walked along the corridor of the large cruiser ship at a brisk pace. She was going to Davor’s private quarters for dinner, along with Matok, commander of defence.
In the council of twelve, hierarchy depended on age. Davor and Ninti were of the same age and so had the final say if there was disagreement on the council, but Davor had lead chair, as a scientist was mostly in the lab, and Davor had served primarily as a warrior in the command structure.
Davor wanted to talk about their meeting with Vorka tomorrow, when they reached Danus. She tried to remember Kartog’s words about being calm, doing what she had to do to keep her cover story, and what Vorka would want her to do.
It was going to be so painful, Ninti knew it. She would need to have the strength of ternite, and she had done in the past, but face to face tomorrow was going to be extremely hard.
Ninti admired Vorka deeply. She was such a strong woman, and a strong part of the resistance. In fact there would be no resistance without Vorka.
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.
“Commander Redu was the greatest warrior we ever had, even without enhancement. I mentored her. She was destined for my position on the council, Redu was the future, and I let her waste it. That is why.”
There was then a long silence. Ninti broke the tension. “Delicious food, Davor. Compliments to Rupin.”