Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Margot followed without question as Braxxos led her through the woods from his secret waterfall hideout. He moved calmly and fluidly, his body at ease now that they were back on familiar ground.

He walked to the large tree she recognized from her prior visit and pulled the vine, dropping the ladder. He gave a tiny bow and stepped aside, allowing her to ascend first then following behind and pulling it up after them. She went and got them both cups of water from where she knew he kept them, then sat on one of his hand-woven cushions, resting her weary legs.

She'd only spent a short time in his treehouse previously, but it was actually a relief being back here, she realized. Braxxos had carried her farther and faster than she'd initially thought in her stunned and panicked state. Between the dangerous situation on the scouting ship and its crash, Margot's senses had been a bit overwhelmed. Then throw in fleeing for her life and you had a trifecta of distracting stimuli.

But now, safe and sound, bathed and fed, hiding in the security of Braxxos's familiar treehouse, the reality of the situation was becoming clear, as was exactly the sort of distance he'd traveled.

The man had been very far away from his home. And it was a very lucky thing he had been. Without him, she'd have been discovered, captured, and at the mercy of Tikks once more, and that would have been an almost unimaginable peril.

Gromm's camp wasn't the safe haven she'd initially thought it to be. Not by a long shot, it seemed. Braxxos's treehouse, however, might have been primitive and lacking even the most basic of amenities she'd gotten used to over the last several days, but it was secure, comfortable, and, most importantly, a place she was certain she was not in jeopardy.

And speaking of jeopardy, with a clear mind replaying his earlier exploits, Margot found herself more than a little impressed at just how far he had managed to whisk her away, and with great speed and stealth at that. He'd covered a lot of ground. She couldn't help but wonder how far he could run if unencumbered by a muddy human in his arms.

"I am glad you have the runes now. It will make conversation much easier," he said with a little smile, his voice soft and deep, even more melodic in its tone now that she actually understood his words.

And speaking of words. "Yeah, I got inked when I was being held."

"I can see."

"So, fraghazi ?" she said, fixing him with a jokingly hard glare. "Really?"

The innocent look on his face barely hid his amusement. "What?"

"It means clueless . Seriously?"

He laughed, a cheerful, rumbling sound that brightened the entire room. "Ah, you figured that out, did you?"

"Yes, I did, jerk ," she shot back with a chuckle. "Clueless? I may not be from around here, but that's just rude."

He nodded, his smile bright and amused. "Well," he said, heading for the door, "why don't we do something about that?"

Margot's legs were still a bit tired, but getting out and moving would probably actually make them feel better. She'd learned long ago that a little exercise to get the blood flowing could help relieve minor aches and stave off the worst of the muscle soreness that followed overdoing her exercise routine.

Of course, this hadn't just been some mere gym workout. She'd been quite literally fleeing for her life, and as a result her body had been pressed into more extreme action than any treadmill or cardio class could ever achieve.

She followed him back out, carefully climbing down from his hidden treetop home to the forest floor once more. "Okay, now what?"

"Now? Now I will show you how to forage. How to track. How to properly live in this place. And this time I will use words."

"You're not going to go abandoning me in the wilderness, are you?" she asked, only half kidding.

"I would not do such a thing. I promise, I will keep you safe. And that starts with knowledge. You are a resourceful woman, clearly. You're just operating at a bit of a disadvantage, is all. I would do what I can to help rectify that situation."

Given how helpful he had been using only pantomime, Margot had zero doubts of his ability now that he could properly explain things without relying on a very strange game of charades where a mistake might accidentally cost you your life.

Braxxos walked much slower this outing, really taking the time to show her the little things they'd glossed over in their prior time together. The details that one simply couldn't convey without the convenience of language. There were stories about the plants she'd learned were edible, along with some fascinating additional uses for many parts of them she'd never have guessed.

They walked for hours, leisurely taking in the sights while the alien guide added to Margot's knowledge in a casual yet informative way that didn't feel so much like study but rather a pleasant detailing of useful things in a conversational, relatable manner.

"It will be getting dark soon," he said, gazing up through the canopy above. "We should get back. You've had a long day."

"You're the boss. Lead the way."

He did just that, altering their course and heading in a direction she now knew to be the way home. His terrain reading and navigation tricks were already coming in handy, she noted with pleasure. They walked quietly, enjoying the scenery, comfortable in the lack of conversation as much as the presence of it. Familiar terrain told her they were almost home when she spotted a little purple flower, the delicate blossom peeking out of some tree bark a few feet above her head catching her attention.

"Ah, you've noticed the Timpania," he said, impressed. "It is hard to see, and something of a loner. Most would walk right past it, distracted by the bigger, brighter blossoms at ground level."

"It's beautiful."

"Would you like a better look?"

"Of course."

He crouched down, offering her his strong shoulders to sit upon.

"Oh, you don't have to?—"

"Please. It is my pleasure to show you the wonders of my home. And the Timpania flower is indeed a wonder. In fact, I believe you have a little of it in your runes, if I am not mistaken."

Now that got her attention. "Hang on. What, now?"

"Timpania is a powerful collector of the galaxy's energy, and its flowers are used in the making of some of the more potent pigments used in the Dotharian runes. It does, however, require quite a lot of them to create even the smallest amount of pigment, which is one of the reasons it is so hard to come by. It is also an exceptionally rare flower that only grows wild, meaning one must spend a great deal of time to gather enough to be of any use. It is a bit more effort than most are willing to put in when other pigments are far easier to harvest."

"Well, in that case," she said, sliding comfortably onto his muscular shoulders.

"Hold on."

He stood, rising slowly, allowing her to get her balance set then stepping close to the tree to provide her a better look. The heat coming off his body was substantial, and his hot neck pressing between her legs was downright distracting, the slight jostling as he moved sending tingles through Margot's bits in a surprising but delightful way.

Margot leaned close to the tree, pressing against him even harder. The sensation was even stronger, but, amazingly, the tiny purple flower somehow managed to draw her attention even more. There was something about it. A draw she could feel in her body. Braxxos noticed the shift in her energy.

"Yes, as I thought. You are reacting to it."

"You feel that?"

"Yes. I too have some in my pigments. The reaction you feel is perfectly normal. A connection to the living plant, its power saying hello to its cousin, now living symbiotically in your body. Most do not have this effect, but Timpania is rather special. But do not worry, it is nothing to be afraid of."

"I'm not afraid," she replied, staring in wonder at the tiny plant. "I think it's wonderful."

Braxxos seemed pleased with that reply, holding still a while longer to afford her a better chance to simply sit quietly and take in what she was feeling. It was courteous of him. Thoughtful. And definitely not the sort of thing she would expect most men to even be cognizant of, let alone relate to.

She let the sensation float through her body, noting the way the pigment now living within her skin could somehow feel its relative in such close proximity. And Braxxos had it too. What sort of sensations might he be feeling? Was it different for his race? How did it affect him?

As if he could sense her thoughts, he stepped back from the tree and crouched down. Margot slipped off his shoulders, the pleasant hotness of his neck pressing against her between her legs suddenly noticeable in its abrupt absence.

There was something in his eyes. An odd look. A flare, but of what she couldn't say. Braxxos seemed a little disturbed.

"You okay?"

"Yes," he said, his voice a little husky. "It is just sometimes a bit much, the sensation."

"I'm sorry. If I'd known it made you feel bad, I wouldn't have?—"

"It's okay. But we should get you back. Come."

He moved faster now, his body more tense than earlier. Whatever had happened, he was still feeling the effects of it.

They climbed up and into his treehouse in short order, but rather than relax, he moved about the place quickly, taking out several baskets and placing them on the low table.

"There is ample food and water for days," he said. "Stay inside, and remain quiet. You will be safe here."

"Hang on, where are you going?"

He hesitated. "Your crash brought a dangerous sort to the area. I must make a run to another campsite of mine, and I'm afraid your runes have not taken hold enough to provide adequate night vision. You would not be able to keep up, and I must ensure my belongings are safe. I cannot risk them stumbling upon them."

"But—"

"Have I done anything to harm you?"

"No."

"Then I ask you please trust me on this. You will be safe here, but I must go. I will be back in a day. Maybe two."

"Two days?"

"Time will pass quickly. Now, eat, rest, and stay here. I will be back soon."

With that he climbed out and shut the door, leaving her all alone. But, as he'd said, she was safe up here. Safe and pretty much invisible from both the air and the ground. She just hoped he would be okay out there.

Margot dug through the baskets, happy to find an impressive spread that was more than enough to please both her tastebuds and her belly. She ate well, did some yoga to loosen her body, then curled up for the night, the absence of artificial light actually rather pleasant in a quiet camping sort of way.

It was late at night when the sounds of animals woke her from her slumber. Growls and yelps, crashing brush and running paws. There was a fight going on, and it was violent by the sound of it. It wasn't close by, not by a long shot, but with the way sound carried in this place it was still near enough to rouse her with a start.

Damn, something's really getting into it out there , she realized, propping up on one elbow in the dark. I hope Braxxos is safe.

Her logical mind knew he would be far away by now, but there was still a part of her that worried about the man. He'd been so kind to her, saving her and showing nothing but kindness. She'd hate for anything to happen to him.

It's okay. This is his turf , she reasoned, lying back down. This is his home. He knows what he's doing. He'll be fine.

But despite that rational thought, she couldn't help but worry. And so it was that with a bit of lingering concern on her mind that she finally slipped back to sleep, her exhausted body winning out and pulling her into a sound slumber.