But now, safe and sound, bathed and fed, hiding in the security of Braxxos’s familiar treehouse, the reality of thesituation was becoming clear, as was exactly the sort of distance he’d traveled.
The man had beenveryfar 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, andthatwould 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 wascertainshe 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 alotof 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 meansclueless. 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 somefascinating 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.
