Despite the fact it had chased us, right now it was viewing us as the unidentified threat.
Brace dropped me to my feet and shoved me behind him.
“It’s too close. Don’t run, little Red.”
I shook my head. Was I a fairy tale character? “Red?” I questioned.
“I like your hair.” His answer was simple. Then he glanced out of the corner of his eye. “You like to question everything, don’t you?”
I sighed. Now was not the time for an argument. But revenge would be sweet – he was getting a nickname.
The beast roared, attracting my undivided attention again. It arched itself up onto its hind legs. It was dark brown and shaped like a moose, its four legs tipped by large hooves and a short thick fur. But its head, despite the antlers – that was all bear. Including the mouth full of massive, razor-sharp teeth.
Brace stepped further forward. “I’ll try and scare it away. Maybe my gift will actually be useful today.” He muttered the last part.
I waited, wide-eyed, to see what was about to happen.
“Mandalla altrecia conquesca zue.” He stood tall, hands held in front of him. Those four words flowed from his lips over and over. “Leave!” he roared in between the phrases.
As he continued to speak, I noticed the leaves, twigs and rocks in close proximity to Brace were lifting to hover around him. I rubbed my eyes. And when I looked again; everything was back in its place on the ground.
Seriously.
The animal paused. Sniffing the air a few times, it snorted into the space between us. After a few more scrapings at the ground and snorts, it backed away from us, never taking its eyes off the one it viewed as the greatest threat – Brace. Then it turned tail and galloped away. The thundering of its hooves and its echoing roar tapered off into the distance.
“What did you say?” I whispered to his back.
What the hell kind of energy power did he have? My heart pounded in my chest.
He turned and looked down at me. “Just some of the old language – energy words.” He shrugged. “Sometimes it works. This time we were lucky.”
I gasped a few times; my pulse wouldn’t slow. That beast was worse than ten Gangers. I knew how to handle them – but wild animals – no idea.
Brace cupped my face with his large hand. “You did well. Don’t worry so much; I won’t let anything happen to you,” he said with angry eyes and quiet words.
He dropped his hand then and turned away. And in that moment I calmed. Don’t ask me why. It was some type of Brace magic.
He shouldered my pack as well as Lucy’s, and we took off.
I set a quick pace – worried where she’d ended up. It took us ten minutes to traverse the distance.
“Oh, thank eff.” Lucy was pacing frantically at the end of the path.
She ran to me.
I swept her up in a hug.
“I thought for sure you were bear-kebabs.” Her voice was muffled against my arm.
I shook my head. “Nah, Brace went all Chuck Norris on its ass and it scampered off.” I turned to Brace. “And you just earned your first nickname. Chuck.”
Lucy’s relief was apparent, especially as she failed to contain her laughter.
“What the hell is a Chuck Norris?” Brace had the cutest confused expression on his face.
Lucy sighed dreamily. “The man of my dreams is Chuck Norris. He can rescue an orphan, build a fire and escape a bomb threat, all with his utility knife and a paper clip. He is some kind of awesome.”
Brace looked impressed. “In that case ...”
Scrap that. He was too cocky already.
“So where is the town?” My impatience forced the words out.
Lucy smiled. “Don’t mind Abby; she starts getting a little cranky when we don’t get regular food.”
That wasn’t it. I was frustrated by Brace’s ability to both entice and annoy me. Okay, and maybe I was hungry.
He smiled at me. “Don’t worry, Red. Angelisian is just over that crest. I have good friends there who’ll provide food and lodgings for the night.”
“Stop calling me Red.” I sighed. “And you’re staying for the night as well? Won’t your father be waiting at home, to crack you a good one?”
He definitely needed a right hook at times.
Lucy was grinning hugely.
I looked at her. “Don’t even say it.”
She shrugged, but kept her trap shut.
Brace answered me. “I spoke with Father this morning while we were walking, and he also thinks I need to be cracked a good one.” He raised an eyebrow in my direction. “But he knows how I feel. The Guardians think you escaped on your own. He sent them in the opposite direction.”
I had to assume this was the telepathy he had referred to, because there’d been no conversation in my hearing.