Read Online Trusted: Dragons' Trust Book 1 by Krista Wayment - Free Book Online
Authors: Krista Wayment
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asked.
"It looks like an abandoned way station," Thane commented. "They used them before, when the passenger baskets were more cramped." He kicked at the fallen tents and sent a flurry of bugs scampering away.
Lainey wrinkled her nose. "Eww."
Renick handed Plyth to Lainey and went to investigate the storage shed. The door was hanging crooked on its hinges and when Renick pulled it open, it fell off completely. Renick scrunched his face and shoulders in anticipation of the sound. When the door crashed to the ground, he turned to Thane and Lainey with an apology on his face. They all stood quiet for a moment, waiting. Renick strained his ears for any movement through the woods around them. After several tense moments, he exhaled. "That was close," he said.
"Just be more careful," Thane said. "We don't want anything out there," he pointed to the woods, "to know that we're in here."
Lainey looked at Renick and rolled her eyes before turning away.
Renick entered the dark shed. A sliver of light from a crack in the ceiling allowed him to make out the shapes of sacks and barrels. Starting at one end and working his way around the shed, Renick inspected every sack, basket, and barrel. He found spoiled bread, wheat, and fruit. Mice had gotten to some of it. He even came across an old bird's nest. He found a few useful things: a small pot for cooking that fit in his rucksack, some dried meat to add to their stores, a long hunting knife, and a coil of rope.
Carrying his treasures, Renick ducked out of the shed and looked around for the others. Lainey was seated at the table, humming softly. Plyth sat on the table near her, his head tilting back and forth in time to her song. Thane was nearby, picking through the fallen tents and other debris.
"Look what I found," Renick pronounced, placing his finds on the table next to Plyth.
Lainey squealed and clapped her hands. "Oh, I can make us stew." She scooped up some of the dried meat and the pot and carried them to a nearby fire pit.
Thane came over to investigate. He picked up the hunting knife and examined it. "It's a good knife," he said, holding out the handle to Renick. "You should keep it."
Renick took the knife and tucked it in his belt. "Thanks. I—"
A sound much like a branch breaking in the forest made Renick stop and Thane place his hand on his sword. Plyth ducked his head and laid his ears back.
Danger.
Lainey had frozen with the small pot still in her hand, poised over the budding fire. Renick jerked his head toward Thane and Plyth, and Lainey moved stealthily to stand with them.
Thane motioned them to lean close. "I think the hunters are out there," he said, his voice barely audible.
"Hunters," Plyth hissed, mimicking Thane's tone and body language.
As if to confirm Thane's suspicions, a voice sounded from the woods. "Pick it up, men. I want to camp in the way station tonight."
Renick exchanged looks with Thane and Lainey.
"We need to get out of here," Thane whispered.
Lainey reached out and gripped Renick's arm. Her bottom lip quivered slightly. Renick extracted her fingers from his arm and gave them a reassuring squeeze. "The fire," he whispered. A light went on in Lainey's eyes, and she nodded and hurried over to the fire she had been starting.
Renick scooped up the rest of his finds and met the others at the gap in the thorny bushes. They paused while Thane poked his head out to make sure it was safe. Without looking back, Thane motioned for Renick and Lainey to follow. They moved through the forest, Thane leading them to a dense portion of trees.
They slipped behind the trees just as they heard a voice saying, "Ah, here we are."
Crouching down, Renick peered through a space between two tree trunks. The band of hunters, all eight of them, stood outside the tall, thorny bushes. Seven of them disappeared into the way station. The eighth stood watch at the gap.
Thane leaned down to Renick's ear and whispered, "He's too close. I don't think we can move
"It looks like an abandoned way station," Thane commented. "They used them before, when the passenger baskets were more cramped." He kicked at the fallen tents and sent a flurry of bugs scampering away.
Lainey wrinkled her nose. "Eww."
Renick handed Plyth to Lainey and went to investigate the storage shed. The door was hanging crooked on its hinges and when Renick pulled it open, it fell off completely. Renick scrunched his face and shoulders in anticipation of the sound. When the door crashed to the ground, he turned to Thane and Lainey with an apology on his face. They all stood quiet for a moment, waiting. Renick strained his ears for any movement through the woods around them. After several tense moments, he exhaled. "That was close," he said.
"Just be more careful," Thane said. "We don't want anything out there," he pointed to the woods, "to know that we're in here."
Lainey looked at Renick and rolled her eyes before turning away.
Renick entered the dark shed. A sliver of light from a crack in the ceiling allowed him to make out the shapes of sacks and barrels. Starting at one end and working his way around the shed, Renick inspected every sack, basket, and barrel. He found spoiled bread, wheat, and fruit. Mice had gotten to some of it. He even came across an old bird's nest. He found a few useful things: a small pot for cooking that fit in his rucksack, some dried meat to add to their stores, a long hunting knife, and a coil of rope.
Carrying his treasures, Renick ducked out of the shed and looked around for the others. Lainey was seated at the table, humming softly. Plyth sat on the table near her, his head tilting back and forth in time to her song. Thane was nearby, picking through the fallen tents and other debris.
"Look what I found," Renick pronounced, placing his finds on the table next to Plyth.
Lainey squealed and clapped her hands. "Oh, I can make us stew." She scooped up some of the dried meat and the pot and carried them to a nearby fire pit.
Thane came over to investigate. He picked up the hunting knife and examined it. "It's a good knife," he said, holding out the handle to Renick. "You should keep it."
Renick took the knife and tucked it in his belt. "Thanks. I—"
A sound much like a branch breaking in the forest made Renick stop and Thane place his hand on his sword. Plyth ducked his head and laid his ears back.
Danger.
Lainey had frozen with the small pot still in her hand, poised over the budding fire. Renick jerked his head toward Thane and Plyth, and Lainey moved stealthily to stand with them.
Thane motioned them to lean close. "I think the hunters are out there," he said, his voice barely audible.
"Hunters," Plyth hissed, mimicking Thane's tone and body language.
As if to confirm Thane's suspicions, a voice sounded from the woods. "Pick it up, men. I want to camp in the way station tonight."
Renick exchanged looks with Thane and Lainey.
"We need to get out of here," Thane whispered.
Lainey reached out and gripped Renick's arm. Her bottom lip quivered slightly. Renick extracted her fingers from his arm and gave them a reassuring squeeze. "The fire," he whispered. A light went on in Lainey's eyes, and she nodded and hurried over to the fire she had been starting.
Renick scooped up the rest of his finds and met the others at the gap in the thorny bushes. They paused while Thane poked his head out to make sure it was safe. Without looking back, Thane motioned for Renick and Lainey to follow. They moved through the forest, Thane leading them to a dense portion of trees.
They slipped behind the trees just as they heard a voice saying, "Ah, here we are."
Crouching down, Renick peered through a space between two tree trunks. The band of hunters, all eight of them, stood outside the tall, thorny bushes. Seven of them disappeared into the way station. The eighth stood watch at the gap.
Thane leaned down to Renick's ear and whispered, "He's too close. I don't think we can move
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