Read Online The Dark of Twilight (Twilight Shifters Book 1) by Kate Danley - Free Book Online Page A

just your friend, will die if we do not get help now."
    "But—"
    "I am not heartless, Aein.  But if he is alive, it means he has found a way to stay alive.  If he is dead, us risking our lives to find him will not change the fact.  We must place the survival of the larger stronghold above the survival of just one.  We must continue on to my father." 
    "But you are cursed, too!" said Aein, the words spilling out from her before she could think them through.  "What if we infect your father's kingdom?"
    Gisla stiffened and turned away to continue walking.  "That is not true."
    Aein raced up to catch her. "Princess, tell me what happened during the wedding feast?"
    There was a pause.  "I don't know," she finally replied.  "I can't remember...  But that does not mean anything."
    "You can't remember anything?" said Aein.  "Doesn't that seem strange?"
    "What are you implying, little girl?" she asked.  Her blue eyes pierced the darkness of the hallway. 
    The rage in Gisla's eyes robbed Aein of all her words.  Aein opened her mouth and shut it again, but then remembered Finn and the deep calm he seemed to always carry with him.  He would do his duty no matter the cost.  Aein had to be brave enough for the both of them.  "We need to be careful not to place your father's stronghold at risk."
    Gisla kept walking, refusing to look at Aein.  Refusing to acknowledge there was even anyone with her.  The tunnel ended at a doorway.  Gisla placed her ear upon the door and listened.
    "There is no sound beyond," she said, placing her hand upon the handle.
    Aein reached out to touch her arm.  "Princess, reconsider."
    "This is a trick," she spat at Aein.  "A filthy trick of this stronghold.  Did your traitorous Lord Arnkell put you up to this?  Did he drug me at my own wedding feast?  And then sic you on me to keep me prisoner here?  To turn me into a madwoman?  To get me to forfeit the lands I won by right?"
    "Our two strongholds are now one," said Aein.  "I serve you as well as Lord Arnkell.  I am your servant, even more than I am his.  And so I must put this question to you—"
    "Stop," said Gisla, looking at Aein with hatred and mistrust in her eyes.  "We are going to leave this cursed place.  We are going to seek help.  And we shall see, once the sun sets, what sort of curse has been laid upon this land.  We shall see if it is indeed magic or just some invasion of wild dogs."
    "You know these are not wild dogs."
    "I know that you pushed me out of the room before I could even look at one."
    "You slew one.  You saw how big they were."
    "Battle makes everything seem more frightening than it is.  It is only in the aftermath of their defeat that we see how small and helpless our enemies truly are."
    They stepped out of the door.  It emptied behind a tapestry in the great hall.  There were sounds of screams and fighting drifting into the room.  The princess clenched her jaw in frustration and defeat.  "We shall be back with my father's forces."
    Aein did not know how else to convince Princess Gisla of what was going on.  Defeated, she agreed.  "We shall."
    They pushed open the front door, but that was where their luck ended.  In the courtyard, circling and hungry were a dozen wolves.
    As soon as the creatures caught sight of the women, they began creeping forward, prepared to leap at any moment. 
    Gisla pulled out her sword.  "You must promise me that no matter what... no matter what happens to me, you will go to my father."
    "I promise," said Aein, not allowing her eyes to leave the brutes.  There was one in front of her with a gash on his shoulder.  She would go after him first.  She would pick upon the weakest.
    And then the battle was met.  Without any sort of warning, the beasts leapt through the air to take on Aein and Gisla. 
    Slashing and cutting, Aein forced her way through.  She felt buffeted by them, she struggled to keep her feet.  She could not allow them to knock her over.  To be