Page 60 of Jace

Unfortunately, he must have gotten a little too close.

The buck lifted its snout to the air, tasting, and then turned to look directly into Jace’s eyes.

Its nostrils flared and it stomped a gigantic hoof hard enough that Jace could feel the vibrations in the soil.

His training had taught him that wild animals could sense fear.

He turned his body to face the moose completely, and held confident eye contact with it.

He took a single step backward.

The moose blinked, but didn’t charge.

Jace stepped backward again, never breaking eye contact.

The creature seemed content to stare at him threateningly, without moving.

He was nearly back far enough for the trees to begin to take him out of its sightline when something came crashing through the thicket.

“Jace?” Susannah’s voice carried to him worriedly.

“Stop where you are,” he called to her.

But it was too late.

She crashed into his back just as the moose let out a furious bellow.

Then it was charging, moving faster than he would have imagined it could.

He closed his eyes, preparing to let the dragon burst from him.

“What the…?” Susannah yelled.

He opened his eyes to see that the moose’s antlers were caught in thick ropes.

It thrashed angrily, bellowing like a trumpet, but the ropes held firm.

“How?” Susannah asked.

As if in answer, there was more movement from the trees. People jogged out silently to hold onto the ropes and help each other bring the big creature under control.

So, he hadn’t been mistaken about the scent after all.

Each of them was dressed in the colors of the forest, with simple leather clothing that reminded Jace just a bit of his Invicta armor. Though they had been silent on their approach, they were speaking urgently to each other now, in the Terran tongue.

“People,” Susannah breathed.

A young woman ran up to them, her brown eyes sparkling, a shock of fiery-red hair flowing behind her.

“Come with me,” she said excitedly. “The ropes don’t always hold.”

25

Susannah

Clutching Zeke to her chest, Susannah followed the girl with the flaming red hair as they ran through the trees.

Jace followed along behind them. She could tell by his heavy footfalls that he could have run far faster, but she was glad he was willing to bring up the rear.

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