First World (10 page)

“Come on, Red. Let me know what to do?”
he questioned again.

I managed to suck in a gulp of air as
an impatient Brace yanked me into his arms, heavy pack and all.

Spinning around, he stopped.

The creature was five foot away, staring but not approaching.

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 whi
le 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.

“So do you want to spend the night in
Angelisian?”

Even
now, when I wasn’t prepared for it, the accent still stunned me. It should be registered as a weapon against women. What did he just say?

“Uh
... what?”

Lucy, still grinning wildly, answered. “Yes, that sounds perfect.”

We were out of the forest now. There was a path running parallel with the tree-line, but beyond that w
ere rolling fields of green. A green so bright it looked false.

“I probably should have taken
Deralick’s off-road vehicle.” Brace looked around. “Would have been a faster journey.”

I hadn’t thought twice about transport. There
were very few functioning vehicles on Earth. And those that did work were in the hands of the Gangers.

He continued. “Vehicles just haven’t been the same since the Empress banned all polluting machines and converted everything to renewable clean energy.”

His crestfallen look was that of a boy who’d had his toys taken away.

We started along the cobblestone road. In the distance, trees were dotted around and fenced-off areas held large herds of grazing animals. The grass was almost a lime green, so much more vibrant than anything back home.

But where were all the people?

The path was wide and, despite the appearance of large pebbles, was smooth. The forest stayed on our left for some of the journey but we veered off as the path dropped over a small incline.

As we walked up the other side I gasped in awe. As far as the eye could see was the most incredible sight. Something I’d only ever dreamt I’d have the chance to experience – the ocean.

Its majestic and vast beauty stunned me. Crystal blues
, aqua greens, burnt reds – the most unbelievable colors threading through the crashing waves. In the distance a small town bordered the white sandy beaches. Angelisian, I assumed.

Lucy gr
asped my hand. “Can you believe ...?” She trailed off.

“Better than shoe stores, Luce?”
I kidded.

She just shook her head, before taking a deep breath. “You know, I think it actually is.”

A single tear descended along her cheek. Her face was alight with an innocent joy I hadn’t seen for years.

“Are all of the towns here this beautiful?” I questioned Brace. “They certainly aren’t up north
,” I tacked on the end, to keep up our charade.

He shook his head. “No
Angelisian is special. It’s actually the only town to exist on the royal Isle of Itowa, besides the castle that houses the royal family and the castle subsidiaries. Angelisian is exclusive and filled with many of the higher powered families.” His lips lifted in a half-grin. “That scene you can’t take your eyes off, that’s Bellus Ocean. One of our natural wonders.”

I couldn’t believe we were going to experience this city on the ocean.
I nudged Lucy as we ran along the rest of the path, both of us filled with renewed energy.

“
We should go swimming,” I called.

It was hot and sticky and the water was
an oasis of temptation.

“Abby, we don’t know how to swim,” Lucy laughed. “But we can go for
a drown, if you want.”

“Spoil-sport,” I muttered.

Either way, I couldn’t wait to get closer. And I was so ready to meet more First Worldians ... Worlders ... whatever they were called.

We reached the end of the path but were blocked from entering the town by a large set of gates.
It looked really odd; the gates appeared to be sitting in the middle of the path, but without a fence on either side. I was wondering what the point was, until I noticed the shimmery force field surrounded the city.

Brace stepped forward and spoke
to the large brown structures. “Brace Langsworth – to see the Frayre family.”

The voice that boomed back was so loud both Lucy and I jumped.

“Who accompanies you, Brace
Langsworth?”

I craned my neck trying to see where it was coming from.

Brace gave us a sideways glance. “They are friends of my family. Lucy and ... little Red.” He winked at me.

Turning my head away, I chose to be the bigger person and didn’t punch him in the
kidneys.

There was a pause, as though the gate was considering the request, before it slid open.

These words echoed as we stepped through. “You have been granted entry. But beware: there is no tolerance here for mischief of innocent or evil nature. The Frayre’s have vouched for you; do not mislead them in their trust.”

I looked back
. I still couldn’t see who was speaking. Shaking my head, I turned to Brace.

“I have to say the gatekeeper kind of has a stick up
its as...”

He
wrapped a hand around my mouth, cutting me off, and leaned in close. “There is no keeper, just the enchanted gate. Be careful what you say. The very walls have ears. Angelisian has top-level security; it’s one of the older towns, rich with history. Like I said before, very powerful families reside here.” He gestured to the emptiness. “No one enters unless a founding family vouches for them.”

He finally released my mouth. I ran my tongue along my lips. They felt strangely swollen.

Lucy raised her eyebrows, a sneaky smile on her face. She mouthed.
“Abby and Brace – L.O.V.E.” She mimed each letter as she said it.

I grabbed her before Brace noticed. “You’re a five-year-old.”

She laughed. “Six, actually.”

We moved as a group through the outskirts of the small town. It looked like we were heading for the centre of the city.
Not that it could really be referred to as a city, more like a country town. New York, full of massive derelict sky-scrapers and warehouses held the ugliness of ‘big city’.

This
town was lovely.

Almost every building was large
, but only single- or double-story, with incredibly detailed architecture. A variety of colors and styles – very individualized. But it was so quiet. Besides one or two people in the distance, hurrying along, the streets were empty. No vehicles, and not even a stray piece of paper floated past. I couldn’t trust any place this clean.

Brace’s next comment held an air of dejection.
“This town used to be vibrant. They’d have the most incredible street parades, and each family would organize elaborate displays. They worked hard to keep their lives free from the darkness, but in the last year everything’s gone to hell.”

I didn’t know what to say.
But one thing was clear; our worlds definitely had some parallels. The last year had seen an even greater downturn on Earth. And I felt the same unnatural sense of unease here as well.

We continued through the town. I could hear the crashing of the waves in the distance, much
louder than I’d anticipated. A saltiness in the air coated my tongue. I liked it. The air was also much cooler here. The sun was starting to descend toward the horizon, out over the ocean. This just added to the excess of colors intertwining through the depths.

“Want me to teach you how to swim tomorrow?” Brace had noticed my fascination.

Lucy’s eyes lit up, but then worry crossed her features. “I think I’ll stick to getting a tan.”

I smirked at her; she was worrying about sharks, for sure. I wondered if they even had any here. Not that I cared.

I clapped my hands. “Are there waves – can I surf?”

Brace laughed. “Maybe we should stick with learning to swim first.”

I frowned. How hard could it be?

“So who are the
Frayres?” Lucy changed the subject.

A true smile crossed Brace’s face. It changed
his entire persona. The dark beauty he often displayed was softened. He looked a little different in that moment, though no less beautiful.

“In some ways I grew up in their house. Sammy, their son, is
... was ... my first and greatest friend. There were never too many children on Itowa, but we had so much freedom.” Sadness shadowed his words. “He’s been missing for almost a year now. We were supposed to go fishing, but he never showed. The Frayre’s are one of the oldest magical lines in First World. They’re descended from the royal house.”

He cleared his throat. “Disappearances are common, but Sam – he’s intelligent and powerful. Considering his family called in every
favor, and used their sizeable influence and gifts – I don’t want to think about what must have happened to him.”

We resumed walking,
but the silence was heavier, filled with the weight of unspoken thoughts. I was momentarily distracted by a large blue and yellow house which dominated the street. Once again it was made from the seamless material, although it wasn’t reflective. Instead, the colors were so vibrant, with no signs of chipping, peeling or fading. 

“
Whatever Angelisians build their houses from is remarkable. I’ve never seen such material.”

Brace
was again confused; he’d get that a lot around us. “It was my understanding that Alestrite’s mandatory in every city now, after winning ‘invention of the century’.” He laughed a little. “I’m not sure if that really happened, or if it was just claimed by its inventor, Great Uncle Marke.”

Lucy laughed. “This material is one of your
... our ... greatest inventions? What does it do, build itself?”

She stepped
away from my side, and up to the house for a closer look. I stole a swift glance at Brace.

He
looked intrigued ... or suspicious ... it was hard to tell.

He still answered. “Uncle
Marke should have considered how convenient that ability would be.” He smiled, flashing his gleaming teeth. “The updated environmental laws were passed over two thousand years ago – mandating that the protection of the environment was above all others in importance. Alestrite’s a non-degrading and impenetrable plastic that utilizes the power waves of the sunlight to store energy. It powers our lives without the burning or consumption of fuel, just pure sun energy.”

“If it’s non-degrading, isn’t that bad for the environment?” I questioned, wide-eyed.

This world was more enlightened than Earth. Of course, monkeys were more enlightened than most Earthlings.

“Where does it go when you
’re finished with it?”

“On the rare occasions you need to dispose of your
Alestrite, there is a method which dissolves the bonds. It forms harmless crystals, which are used in the powering of many smaller objects.”

I stared at him in wide-eyed shock for a
moment.

Finally –
a culture that understood destroying the organism that kept you alive was a dumb-ass move. Shaking it off, I continued to follow Brace as he moved along and then abruptly turned into a small side street, a shortcut to one of the largest residences I’d ever seen. It was in its own little alcove and the ocean almost crested on its doorstep.

Staring up at the beautiful building, I sighed. It was a deep rich blue, a
color I’d always been drawn to on Lucy’s color chart. Cerulean blue.

Two large pillars ran up the front entrance, elaborately carved with unusual symbols. The walls were
Alestrite but the pillars looked like a porous deep burgundy stone.

I turned
back to see if Lucy had caught up. She’d be loving the colorful buildings. Empty space surrounded me. Spinning jerkily, I looked left and right.

A horrified cry escaped my mouth. My hands flapped helplessly at my side. Brace was
next to me in an instant.

“Red?” he questioned me, before he noticed. “Where’s Lucy?” His tone was low and gruff.

Where was Lucy?
Had she followed us down the alley, or was she still back at the house she’d been examining?

The world was going
gray around the edges. Pulling myself together, I refused to faint. We had moments before the trail grew cold. I hadn’t forgotten the story of Brace’s friend. Wrenching myself out of his arms, I ran back through the side street. We had to have lost her in the moments between this street and the house.

“Lucy
... LUCY ... LUCY!” My throat ached, protesting the screaming.

A few of the shuttered house windows showed signs of movement.

Someone grabbed me from behind, halting my frantic progression through the town. Yanking free, I spun around, eyes firing, so ready to kick some ass.

It was Brace.

“Abbs, stop. Our only chance is to get help from the Frayres.” His face was all kinds of serious as he gripped my arms. “Trust me, Red.”

I was trembling so violently my cells felt like they would crumble apart.

Silent tears ran down my face. I needed to move but nothing responded. Reaching down, Brace lifted me into his arms. Turning, he ran toward the house. I dried my eyes on the soft material of his shirt, but tears just kept falling.

He dashed up to the front steps of the house. Pulling my face away, I stared at a group of men gathered there.

A search party.

I felt small relief, despite the fact it was impossible for them to have gathered so quickly.

Brace barked out a few instructions and everyone dispersed.

I strongly believed Lucy wasn’t dead – yet – but being kidnapped
... I didn’t even know how bad this was.

Brace’s strong arms tightened around me as he carried me through the front door. Stepping through the entranceway and into a sitting room, he placed me on a white couch.

As he crouched before me, his expression was serious. “Don’t give up hope, Abby.”

He hesitated, but shook his head suddenly. Standing, he looked down at me.

“And please don’t run off on a vigilante mission to get her back. They’ve already locked the town down. No one enters or leaves.”

He left.

Closing my eyes, I sank into the soft padding and drifted in my sea of worry, pain and anger.

Eventually, my independence kicked in and I started formulating a plan. I needed to gather information and find some supplies. Then I’d tear this world apart looking for Lucy. I was ready to destroy anyone who stood in my way.

Whoever had taken Lucy must have entered through the gates. Surely it kept a record of
visitors?

A loud gasp drew my attention – I opened my eyes. A woman was paused in the entrance to the room, a slender hand pressed to her throat, disbelief on her face. It was
Lallielle. My mother, the person I had dreamed of and yearned to meet. And I felt nothing.

Her wide green eyes, lighter than mine, were shocked. She ran her other hand nervously through her thick shiny hair. As black as a raven, it hung almost to her waist.

Her face was unlined; she looked far too young to be my mother. As I examined her closely, I began to understand how wealthy these people were. It wasn’t just the amazing house. Lallielle also had that sheen of old-money confidence. She was dressed in a deep-purple calf-length dress, which was draped loosely on her frame. The cut was exquisite; Lucy would be in ecstatic revelling.

I sucked in a ragged
and pain-filled breath.

They had to find her.

Lallielle’s eyes never wavered from my face; we stared at each other for an endless period of time.

“
Aribella?” Her voice shook. Tears filled her eyes but she stayed frozen across the room.

Brace re-entered the room, his presence drawing our attention.

I stood and moved toward him.

“Lucy?” I questioned.

He shook his head, sympathy obvious in his velvet eyes.

“I’m sorry. We’re still searching, but so far it’s just like Sam. She’s disappeared into nothing. Not one energy trace or clue left behind.”

“Did your men question the gate?”
I knew how ridiculous that sounded.

Brace nodded.
“Of course. That’s the first thing we did. No one has entered or left. We were the last ones.”

“Could the front gate be tricked?” I was panicking now.

He shook his head. “Technically, no. But we’re dealing with magic way beyond our comprehension, so I don’t know.”

The pain was a dull throb now, a consistent flow. I welcomed it. This I could use. The pain and anger would keep me going.