The Dark of Twilight (Twilight Shifters Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

hand.  His square jaw twitched beneath his stubble.  "I received word from my lookouts you returned."
    She stood.  Their eyes connected, his light brown eyes to her dark ones.
    "I come bearing terrible news," she said.
    He sat forward in his throne as the entire room fell to absolute quiet.  "Proceed."
    "We arrived at the rendezvous point to discover the guards Johan and Whalter were dead.  They were brutally killed by some sort of animal."
    There was a murmur of shock that sped around the court.
    Lord Arnkell silenced them with a single motion of his gloved hand.  "We shall send our deepest sympathies to their families, but animal attacks are not unheard of and certainly not cause for one of my warriors to leave her post."
    She wished Lars was here to explain it.  "It was Lars's command, my lord.  He stated the animal bites were unlike anything he had ever seen before.  He stated he needs further reinforcements... that the border needs further reinforcements.  He says that this is how it always begins when trouble crosses over.  That we must prepare."
    "And you? You saw these wounds."
    She nodded.  "Please.  Lars is left guarding the border alone."
    Lord Arnkell turned to an advisor.  "Whom can we spare?"
    "I shall check with the commander, my lord.  We are at a skeleton crew, at best, having sent out our best men to secure the border posts prior to your upcoming nuptials."
    Lord Arnkell sighed.  "Very well.  Do what you can."  He looked at Aein severely.  "I thought after watching your training that you were advanced enough to handle the challenges of the border.  Evidently I was wrong, and that was my misjudgment.  You are to stay here and take upon the duties of whomever we have to pull in order to handle this issue you have created."
    His sideways rebuke hit her like a blow to the stomach.  She had obeyed her commanding officer's orders.  She had come to report a grave danger. "My lord..." she stammered.  "I only came to warn you of a serious threat to this stronghold and its people."
    "There is no threat to the stronghold and its people.  There was an animal attack and you left your post."
    "That is not... Let me go back and serve my time with Lars," she begged, wanting somehow to make this right.
    "You allowed the madness of the fog to affect you.  It is not your fault.  Lars has been commanded to the border too many times for a single man in a year.  We were all aware of the dangers.  I am sure he convinced you of his logic.  I had hoped with a partner such as yourself, he would have had the strength to stay sane.  You were obviously not strong enough.  As soon as Princess Gisla brings her father's battalion, we will all have some relief.  But that has not happened yet, so we must do what we must.  Now, you are dismissed," he said, not giving her another glance.  "Send in the next petitioner."
    Aein closed her mouth with a snap and stood, walking backwards out of the room.  The doors closed in her face as she stepped outside the room and she felt her embarrassment tighten in her chest.  Lord Arnkell had been watching her.  He had noticed.  He thought her well beyond her years and capacity... and she had failed him.  She felt her face burning with red shame.  If she looked in a mirror, she was sure she would be as bright as Lars after too much time in the sun.
    She walked back to her room and found the few belongings she carried back with her upon her bed, including the bag full of mushrooms for Cook Bolstad.  She wiped her nose and the hot, angry tears from her cheeks.  Perhaps he would be happy to see her, she thought.  Perhaps once he saw the mushrooms, she would feel like she managed to do one thing right.  She grabbed the sack and made her way down into the kitchen. 
    It was like no time had passed in the three weeks she had been gone.  Cook Bolstad looked up in shock, though.  He seemed to want to run to her, but stopped himself.  They always had a connection and