The Dark of Twilight (Twilight Shifters Book 1) Read Free Page B

and we could pick them up on the way back."
    "They might not be here when we come back," said Aein as she took the bag and her knife from her belt and began scraping.  "If I can gather him some rare mushrooms for the most important feast he will ever cook in his lifetime, well... it seems an easy way to make sure we get all the choice cuts at the dining table from here to eternity."
    "You make sure to tell him I helped you!" Lars said, changing his tune.  "You wouldn't have even been able to reach them if I wasn't here."
    "Yeah, yeah," Aein called back.  "I'll make sure he's made aware."  She dropped the bag and he caught it before it hit the ground.  By the time she had climbed down, he had pulled one of the mushrooms out and was nibbling it. 
    "Put that back!" she shouted in a panic.
    "What?  Just think if these are the most special mushrooms in the territory, we should at least get to taste test them or something."
    Aein snatched it from his hand and thrust the mushroom back into the bag.  "Cook Bolstad said not to until he confirmed they were the right ones.  Wouldn't want to accidentally kill you."
    "You're not even sure those are the right ones?"  Lars began wiping his tongue on the back of his hand.  "And you let me sit there licking that thing?"
    "Double rations for me, my friend."
    "Very funny," he replied, walking back over to the horse.
    Aein put the bag into the wagon and secured it safely before mounting.  They continued on for what seemed like hours.  The fog surrounded them but did not cross onto the walkway.  Strange bird cries filled the air.  Loud insects hummed and darted across their path.  Frogs sang, their sound interrupted occasionally by a loud splash in the water.
    And this was just day one, Aein thought.
    Without a clear view of the sun, there was no way of gauging time's passage.  The only sign she had that the day might be at an end was when the air became cooler.
    "So, this becomes easier, right?" Aein asked as a strange lizard slithered across the boards.  "You get used to it?"
    "No," replied Lars.
    The platform walkway ended on a large hill.  Aein was so concerned with the fog around them, she would not have even noticed it if her horse's footsteps had not changed.
    "We're here," announced Lars.  He jumped off his horse and cupped his hand to his mouth.  "Johan?  Whalter?  Your relief has arrived!"  But there was no response.  Lars shook his head and led his horse to the middle of the camp, taking off his halter and saddle.  There were logs placed around a large fire pit.  Beyond the pit were several wooden shacks.  They looked just big enough to house a single person lying down.  "The last vestiges of civilization, Aein.  Take your pick, for tomorrow we sleep in our cart."
    She picked one on the opposite side of the pit.  She opened up the door.  There was a roped bed frame.  No rocks, no crawling insects.  Just a few heavy blankets, Aein thought, and it would feel better than a feather bed.
    She stepped out and began taking off her horse's halter and saddle.  Lars already had the supply wagon resting tidily to one side.  The fog, for whatever reason, pooled around this hill, but it did not venture into their campsite.
    "That is so weird," she said, pointing at the gray.
    "It's got a mind of its own," said Lars ruefully.
    "Maybe Johan and Whalter would prefer to stay and we can head back to the stronghold?" Aein suggested hopefully.
    Lars was so tired, he did not even bother to respond.
    As the fog continued to swirl around the hill, she thought to herself, Not a chance .

Chapter Three
    T he evening wore on, but for the first time since their journey began, their conversation was stilted.  Every shadow in the swamp beyond their hill seemed to hold some sort of menace.  The summer sun was still over the horizon when Lars turned to Aein and said, "Sleep while you can.  It is going to be a long night."  He looked out into the fog.  "I may need to wake you