Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem ( Elysia and Tarquin)

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 picnic 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 started complimenting

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 flattery, 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. "Just last 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 recommend 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 places

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 to lag 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

just comfort-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 relax. "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, asknoveldrama

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 plants. 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.