Free Dark Moon by Elizabeth Kelly Page A

chest.  “Fine, whatever.”
    “Dani, you can stay with Sophia and Leta in their room, and Nicky and Kaden can share the other.”  James said helpfully.
    “No.”  Kaden snapped.
    “Like hell I will.”  Nicholas growled.
    Dani raised her eyebrows.  “I’m looking like the better option now.  Aren’t I, Kaden?”
    He flushed and Bree rolled her eyes.  “Oh for the gods sake!  Nicky and Dani will share the second room, and Kaden, Sophia and Leta can share the third.”
    She took James’ hand in her small one and before anyone could argue, said, “Now, are we going shopping or not?” 
    She glanced at the darkening sky above her.  “I’d like to get some shopping done before it’s time for dinner.”
    * * *
     
    “Kaden!”  He turned at the sound of Dani’s voice and waited patiently for her, as well as Sophia and Leta, to catch up to him.
    “Did you find some clothes before the store closed?”  Dani asked.
    “Aye.  I was just looking for Bree.”  Kaden replied.
    “James took her into that store over there.”  Dani pointed across the road.
    She slipped her hand into the crook of his arm.  “They won’t be too much longer.  They told us to go ahead to the restaurant and they would meet us there.”
    She tugged on his arm and he followed her as Sophia and Leta trailed behind them.  “Have you ever been in a restaurant before, Kaden?”  Dani asked curiously.
    “No.”  He admitted.
    “Then this will be a treat for you.”  Dani smiled at him as she stopped in front of a small building with weathered and greying boards.
    “Do you think they’ll have the peach pie?”  Leta asked Sophia eagerly as they stepped into the building.
    Sophia shook her head.  “Probably not.  The season for peaches has passed.  They might have apple though.”
    “I don’t like apple pie.”  Leta sighed.
    “Where’s Nicholas?”  Kaden asked as Dani led them to a long wooden table.  When they had split up after the flower shop, Nicholas had been with Dani, Sophia and Leta. 
    Dani sat on the wooden bench that ran along the wall behind the table and urged Kaden to sit beside her. 
    “He had a few things to pick up for Uncle Tristan.”  She shrugged.  “He said he would join us for dinner.”
    “I’m starving.”  Leta moaned.
    “It won’t be much longer now.”  Sophia was sitting across from him and Kaden stared briefly at her.  She looked tired, but she smiled at Leta and stroked her hair affectionately as a man approached their table.
    “Good evening.”
    “Hello.”  Dani smiled cheerfully at the man as he handed each of them a single piece of paper.
    “We’ll need three more menus please.”  Sophia said. 
    The man nodded and left the menus stacked neatly on the table.  After a few minutes he returned.  He was balancing a round wooden tray, filled with glasses of water, on his muscular forearm.  He set a glass down in front of each of them and smiled at Leta.
    “Are you ready to order or will you be waiting for the rest of your group?”
    “We’ll wait.”  Sophia replied.
    Leta moaned and grabbed at her stomach.  “I’m so hungry, Sophia.  Do we have to wait?”
    “Yes.”  Sophia said firmly.  “Drink some water.”
    Dani looked up from the piece of paper she was reading.  “What are you going to have to eat, Kaden?”
    Kaden looked down at the paper in front of him.  It was filled with meaningless scrawl and he could feel sweat breaking out on his forehead.  He had never learned to read or write, but he was too embarrassed to admit it in front of Sophia.
    “Kaden?”  Dani prompted.
    Sophia stared curiously at Kaden.  His face was red and he looked both embarrassed and angry as he scanned the menu in front of him.  When Dani patted him gently on the arm, he jumped a little and gave her a weirdly nervous look.
    “Um, I’m not sure yet.”
    He glanced quickly at Sophia and she was puzzled by the look of shame in his eyes.  What was going on