Early the next morning, Elysia was up before sunrise.
After chatting with the innkeeper, she rolled up her sleeves and made scrambled
eggs and pancakes for the kids, along with some simple sides-crispy bacon,
hashbrowns, and a bowl of fresh fruit.
She knew everyone had different tastes, and the kids hadn''t really eaten much the
night before the local food just wasn''t what they were used to. Today was the
first day they''d be heading into the mountains, and from here on out, it was going
to be pic meals and campfire food for a while. Elysia wanted to make sure her
family got a good breakfast in them while they could.
The innkeeper and his wife were true Darkfort City locals, blunt and friendly. They
went on and on about how adorable the kids were, then startedplimenting
Elysia, and even threw in some praise for Tarquin.
"I swear, your whole family looks like you stepped out of a magazine!" the
innkeeper''s wife said. "We''ve had so many families stay here over the years, but
none as good-looking as yours!"
After all the ttery, she turned serious for a moment, giving them some advice:
"When you head up the mountain, follow the marked trail. Stick to the signs-
don''t wander off on the smaller paths, it''s easy to get lost out there. And if you see
a sign telling you not to go somewhere, don''t ignore it. Most of these mountains
are just untouched wilderness-real wild, not part of any park. Nobody goes in
there. It''s dangerous."
She lowered her voice. "Justst week, they carried out a few bodies. Some folks
went off-trail, adventurers or something. They got attacked by wild animals-one
had his head bashed in, another was half-eaten. Whatever did it, it wasn''t human.
There''s all kinds of dangerous creatures out there, not just bears or wolves. Some
say there''s things in those woods that nobody''s ever seen."
"Don''t go exploring just because you''re curious," she added. "It''s not worth it."
Elysia nodded, genuinely grateful for the warning.
Maybe it was all her years living in the mountains, but she wasn''t scared so much
as concerned for the kids. She finished up breakfast and went to wake them.
Over coffee, she told Tarquin about the deaths in the woods. Tarquin just nodded.
"It was a group of wildlife photographers snuck into the restricted area to get
pictures. They got mauled by animals. The coroner found animal DNA in the
wounds-nothing to do with people."
Elysia frowned, letting out a sigh. She felt bad for them. She didn''t mind going into
the mountains herself, but she''d never rmend it to people who didn''t know
what they were doing. The wild was no joke.
"If I hadn''t lived out here for years, and if it weren''t for White and Evan, I''d never
drag my family out here for an adventure," she said. "There''s so many fun ces
in the world you don''t have to choose the most dangerous one. It''s not worth
risking your life."
"No worries," Tarquin said, giving her a reassuring smile. "We''ll be fine. I''ve lived
in these hills for five years and never seen anything like ''wild men.'' Still, we''ll keep
our guard up."
After breakfast, the seven of them set out-just family, no bodyguards, no
entourage.
The first part of the hike was along a narrow, winding trail. Evan and White led the
way, the boys practically bouncing with excitement. The wilderness was home for
them-Evan especially, who''d grown up at the foot of these mountains and knew
every rock and tree.
Baby, on the other hand, was more used to being pampered by Keith Garcia. Not
much stamina. After a little while, she started tog behind, her little legs
struggling to keep up.
Tarquin, carrying the biggest backpack, just scooped her up and settled her on his
shoulders. He was strong as a bull and twice as energetic.
They hiked on, taking breaks here and there, until they reached the edge of the
restricted area by afternoon.
Elysia eyed the warning sign, cautious. "Evan, are you sure this is the right way?"
He nodded confidently. "It''s the safest route. And there''s a perfect spot to set up
camp just a little ways in-I checked it out before."
"Alright," Elysia said, "let''s get moving. We want the tents up before dark."
With Evan leading the way, they slipped past the sign and into the forbidden
woods. The air was cooler and seemed to hum with danger.
Elysia''s heart pounded, but years of mountain living had made her tough. She
wasn''t scared-just alert. Emmett was the same, a little wary but not afraid.
Baby clung to Tarquin, wide-eyed and nervous, not letting go for a second.
After about an hour, they reached a
bubbling creek with a big, grassy
clearing perfect for tents. The
forest at night could be treacherous,
with hungry animals prowling for
food. The tents were for more than
justfort-they were their best
shot at staying safe.
They dropped their packs and took a breather. Tarquin got to work setting up
tents, with Elliot and Elijah helping. Elysia took Evan, Emmett, and Baby to gather
firewood and get a campfire going.
Baby finally started to rx. "Mommy, look! Mushrooms! Can we put these in the
stew?"
She reached eagerly for some bright red and white mushrooms growing under a
tree, but Elysia caught her hand just in time.
"Whoa, slow down! Those are fly agaric mushrooms-they''re poisonous."
Baby''s eyes went round as saucers. "But they''re so pretty! Really, they can hurt
you?"
Elysia nodded. "Some of the prettiest mushrooms are the most dangerous. You
have to be careful with wild things out here. If you see something weird, ask
Mommy before you touch it, okay?"
The deep woods were dangerous for
a lot of reasons-the unpredictable
weather, the confusing terrain, the
wild animals, and all sorts of toxic
bugs and nts. Even the most
innocent-looking things could be
deadly out here.
Baby nodded seriously. "Okay, I promise!"
Elysia smiled and ruffled her hair.
As they walked away from the tree
and the poisonous mushrooms,
neither of them noticed a deadly
viper pinned to the trunk above their
heads skewered through the body,
held fast by a broken-off branch. It
hadn''t been Evan or Tarquin who''d
done it.