Chapter Three
The rain drove hard onto the windows of Morrigan’s transport as it came into dock at the moon Boran. Boran was a merchant moon. It was a natural stop on the way to many of the outer planets in this system.
It was depressing being back in her own realm, sitting on a packed transport like an ordinary being. On Earth, in the Sol system, Morrigan was a goddess who could perform miracles to the eye.
Well, she had once been worshipped as a goddess but was still held in awe by those that talked about the Celtic pantheon.
Here in her own large realm of galaxies, systems, and worlds, Morrigan was one of many beings who had powers. That, along with help with far greater technology, made many beings from Morrigan’s realm seem like gods to those from less advanced species.
Now she was back, trying to get to her destination in a crowd cooped up like farm animals, and the scent from the big guy next to her was making her question her life choices.
When she first set foot on Earth, Morrigan fell in love with the people.
They had a drive to prosper, a curiosity for knowledge that not every developing civilization had.
Long after the other people from her realm left Earth, she still loved staying there.
Whenever she came home from Earth, she was reminded that she wasn’t the great Morrigan of myth and legend, and she didn’t like it.
The transport came to a shuddering halt, and the body odour of the guy next to her hit her as he stood up.
If only she could snap her fingers and move with intention from world to world—but that skill only worked over shorter distances.
If only there was a portal to Boran, but there wasn’t, and so here Morrigan was, like a human on Earth, trying to catch a bus in the morning.
The transport was emptying, so she got up and made her way off. Boran was known for its perpetual rain, so the market district was built beneath ground.
She stepped onto the transport platform, which was protected by shield technology so that customers kept dry until they descended underground.
Morrigan always liked the sound and smell of the fresh rain. One of her favourite things to do as a child, back on her world of Vetia, was to camp out in the forest with her friends, listening to the rain hitting and trickling off the leaves.
She walked with the other people over to the main entrance of the merchant world.
The shops and food establishments, hotels, and housing were all accessed through the giant rocky entrances.
You could access the housing levels through a separate entrance that would take you straight there, but you could also travel down to the housing level from the market.
Overenthusiastic greeters welcomed them at the entrance, trying to sell cheap tourist trinkets.
“Welcome to Boran. If it’s your first time on Boran, there’s fifteen percent off any purchase.” He lifted a wooden board with tatty jewellery. “I have luxury jewellery for rock bottom prices.”
Rock bottom was right. It probably gave everyone who wore it a rash.
Although they were underground, it didn’t feel dark and damp, like a normal cave dwelling. This below ground living had been built up because the Boran weather system changed to continual rain millennia ago.
There were some brave souls like the fisher people who lived above ground, a hardy breed who brought food from the oceans to the population down below.
Morrigan took the elevator down to the main promenade.
She could have quickly reached her destination, but she felt like taking in the sights and sounds of the merchant world.
It was such a long time since she had been there.
The noise of chattering shopkeepers and the smells of exotic fruits and vegetables were delightful.
In this cave system, market stalls were placed on each side along the wide path. The more exclusive goods and tradespeople had shops built into the cave walls.
Morrigan heard and smelled the blacksmith’s shop before she saw it. Margot the blacksmith came from a long line of smiths. Her ancestors were said to have helped create the weapons forged and given to the werewolf packs, back on Earth.
Margot sang a song from her world as she hammered the weapon she was bringing into being. She was a gorgeous full-figured woman, and Morrigan’s gaze lingered on Margot’s long curly red hair, her more than ample bust, and—
Just as she was thinking how sexy Margot was, Morrigan was yanked up in the air by her collar.
“What do you want with my wife?”
“I can’t find anything, sir.”
Brogan held up her hand, signalling Camber to stay still until she heard the footsteps go away into the distance.
“It should be okay now,” Brogan said.
Camber moved quickly and threw her satchel over her shoulder and across her body.
Brogan got up. “Where do we go now?”
“I’m getting out of here. I don’t know about you.”
“I showed you that I’m trustworthy. Please help me get home.”
“You kept quiet for five minutes. That does not show me trust. Do you know how many people have played along and appeared as though they were on my side? Enough so that I or people close to me nearly got killed—some did get killed. It takes more than you’ve done to make me trust you.”
Brogan was frustrated. “At least tell me where I can go to get help. I come from Earth. Is there one of these windows…portals, whatever they are, to take me back there?”
“If you are telling the truth, and that’s a big if, I can’t help you. I’ve never heard of a place called Earth, and I’ve got my own worries.”
“But you knew where you were going when I followed you.”
“I’ll throw the handcuff key to you when I’m nearly out the door.”
Camber started to walk.
Brogan needed to show this woman how much she needed her help.
She went on one knee and held up her cuffed hands in surrender.
She hated to be in such a weak position.
Her wolf wanted to growl and run home on her own speed, but Brogan had no alternative.
“Map Keeper, please. I need your help. I just want to go home.”
Camber rested her hand on the barn door and let out a sigh.
She had learned to be ruthless for her cause since she was a little girl, but this big wolf was pulling at her heartstrings.
Camber didn’t realize she had any left to pull.
Don’t look back, she kept telling herself.
But she couldn’t help it as her head turned.
“You follow me, you don’t ask questions, and I’ll take you to people who can help you—if you’re sincere about who you are.”
Brogan stood up. “Who?”
“The GallowGlas wolves,” Camber said.
“Werewolves. You have werewolves here?” Brogan said with surprise.
“Yes. They are decent people. There are some dark lone wolves who can’t be trusted, who side with the Abnobians.”
“Who are they?” Brogan asked.
“The race who sent those people to kill me, and who run and own every inch of this world.”
“Why do they want you?”
Camber walked to the door of the barn and looked outside. The coast was clear.
“Because I am the Map Keeper, and just like you, they want to find the portals, but if you are telling the truth, you just want to find one. The Abnobians want to find them all, and that is terrifying.”
“So you will try to find my way home?” Brogan asked.
“I’ll try. That’s why we’re going to the GallowGlas home world. It will give me time to decide if you are with the Abnobians, and if you’re not, mediate and help find your way home.”
“You still don’t trust me?”
“Don’t take it personally. I can’t afford to trust anyone. Let’s go.”
Camber began rummaging in her bag.
Brogan lifted up her wrists. “Can you take these off now?”
Camber gave a wry laugh. “Not a chance, Wolf. I don’t trust you, I told you.”
Brogan growled in frustration. “Everyone’s going to see these and ask questions.”
Camber brought a shawl like the one she wore out of her satchel and threw it to Brogan. “Put this on, and we can get going, Wolf.” Camber could see the anger on Brogan’s face, and it made her smile.
Brogan’s eyes flashed yellow, and Camber felt a shiver run through her body. She shook it off and covered it with a laugh.
“Has anyone ever told you you’re smug, Map Keeper?” Brogan growled.
“Yes, and much bigger monsters than you, Wolf. Let’s get going if you still want to.”
Brogan pulled the shawl over her body and cuffed hands. Camber was enjoying this a little too much.
“Yes, I want to. Let’s get on with it, so we can be out of each other’s company more quickly.”
Camber closed her satchel and said, “When we step outside, you follow my lead in everything. You don’t talk to people, you don’t interact with anyone.”
“Why?”
Camber took a step towards Brogan. “Because I’m in charge, and you will stick out like a gordal bird.”
“I take it gordal birds are good looking beasts?” Brogan asked.
“It depends on what you’re into.” Camber smiled. She could see this dominant wolf was not used to taking orders or direction.
“So, where are we going?”
“To the docks. It’s not far. We need to find a boat that will take us to the Temple.”
“Is there not a portal thing to take us?” Brogan asked.
“They aren’t everywhere for public transport. They are sacred portals, left to us by the First Ones.”
“The First Ones?”
Camber crossed her arms. “Wow, you really are from somewhere different. More reason that I do the talking. Let’s go. Shawl over your face and follow me.”
“Stop,” Brogan said.
Camber looked around. “What?”
“I need to take my shirt off. The heat is killing me.”
Camber sighed and led her behind a small building. “I’ll hold your shawl, you wriggle out of the shirt, and I’ll put it in my bag.”
Brogan undid her shirt buttons and slipped out of her shirt. “Take the cuffs off and I will.”
“Not a chance, Wolf.” Camber took a knife from her bag and cut one arm of her shirt.
“What the hell are you doing?” Brogan said.
“Helping you. These cuffs aren’t coming off, and you want your shirt off.”
“Fine,” Brogan growled, “here.”
Camber didn’t seem to hear her. Her gaze was distant.
“Camber, my shirt.”
Camber shook off whatever she was thinking and took the shirt from her, then put it in her bag.
“Is that bag like Mary Poppins’s carpetbag?” Brogan asked.
Camber looked at her quizzically. “Mary who?”
“Forget it. Just a reference from my own world. I just meant that bag takes everything you have and never even bulges.”
“A Map Keeper’s secret. You’re getting red around the eyes.”
“It’s this sun and heat.”
Camber rummaged in her satchel again and pulled out what looked like a tin of ointment.
“Put some of this on your exposed skin. It will help.”
Brogan sniffed it and pulled a face.
“Just do it, unless you want to get severely burned,” Camber said.
Brogan did as she was told and handed the tin back. “Thanks.”
“I take it your world is cool.”
“Some parts are. Earth has deserts, tropical beaches, freezing snowy places at the poles, and cold, rainy places like where I’m from. The Irish don’t do well in intense heat. But it isn’t a whole world of extreme heat like here.”
“Hmm…let’s go. The docks are just a few minutes away.”
Brogan felt like Camber was holding something back.
They started to walk again. “Your bag must be magic. You bought all that fruit and water back at the marketplace, and there’s still room for more.”
Instead of answering directly Camber said, “We’re going to need the hydration in the canisters of water and the fruit. After we get the boat to our destination, we have to do a bit of walking.”
“How much is a bit?” Brogan asked.
“Nothing a big, strong wolf like you can’t handle,” Camber said.
Now Brogan wouldn’t be able to complain about the walk, for her ego would be bruised. Brogan could smell the salt in the air and feel a pleasant breeze from being nearer the coastline. Hopefully when they got on board a boat, the temperature would be more manageable.
“Can I ask you something?” Brogan said.
“Depends what it is. I won’t tell you anything about the portal guardians. I don’t trust you enough.”
“No, nothing like that. When we met, we couldn’t understand each other, but you kept telling me to talk more, and eventually it was like you knew my language.”
“Oh, that. It’s a translator, a tiny little chip injected into the ear. If you are met with a new language, it just needs to hear a certain number of words before it can work properly.”
“Whoa. We use phones…um, communicators to do that, and not as well as that. Do most people have them?”
“Uh-huh.” Camber nodded. “There’s so many different worlds and so many languages, trade would grind to a halt if we didn’t understand each other.”
“So it’s not just rich people who have them?” Brogan asked.
“No. Like on this planet, the Abnobians run this planet like many more, and the people around us are dirt poor, but they are all injected with the chip by their second birthday. That way they can understand their overlords, and others who work for them.”
“You need to tell me about these Abnobians,” Brogan said.
The docks were in front of them. Small boats moved gently in the water, while traders walked around, selling everything from food to good luck charms.
“Not here. There are eyes and ears everywhere.” Camber nodded towards the guards with guns, patrolling up and down the dock front.
Brogan noticed something besides the guards. At the far end of the dock was a large ship. On board she could see local guards, but on the dock, in front of the ship, she saw a different kind of being altogether.
They had ridges on their heads and around their eyes, and a pale grey leathery skin, but otherwise appeared humanoid.
Camber must have seen her staring because she elbowed her in the ribs. “If you do nothing else, never stare, never make eye contact with one of those people.”
“Why? Who are they?”
“Later. Now say nothing,” Camber whispered.
They walked down to the water’s edge, and Camber approached a boatman. “I’m looking for passage.”
The elderly boatman had his shawl around his shoulders. He appeared weather-beaten, like he had spent most of his life on the water.
He looked them both up and down. “Where to?”
“South of the Temple waters.”
“Those waters are heavily watched,” he said.
Camber brought out a handful of coins. “I can pay extra. We are meeting my family’s caravan near the south sands.”
He stood up and took the coins. “Get on, then.”