Wintermore (Aeon of Light Book 1) by Aron Sethlen Page A

already wondering where we’re at. Hop up, Preta. Let’s get you home and some sleep.”
    “Sleep sounds good.” Preta gives Lurrus a kind smile as she climbs into the cart. “Thanks for everything. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
    “You were brilliant today, Preta, never forget it.”

THE BEAR SLAYER

    Preta steps through the cottage door and into the early morning cool air, refreshed from a good night’s sleep and relieved knowing her project is complete. She strolls through the yard with a new view of the world and a new purpose. The fresh scent of pine and burning wood invigorates her.
    Nala pokes her head out through the front door. “Preta—Preta.”
    “Yeah?”
    Nala points to the chicken coop. “Get as many eggs as you can for the sweet batter bread.”
    Preta waves back. “Okay,” and she walks toward the fence where the hens are clucking and pecking the ground.
    The hens spot her approaching and move to the far side.
    Preta makes her rounds, searching the normal hiding spots; and she piles the eggs in the bottom half of her sweater.
    The eggs roll and bounce as she waddles toward the cottage.
    “It’s a good day,” Preta says, closing the door with a heel kick. “I got nine. Where do you want them?”
    Nala places a large cast iron skillet on a metal grate a foot above the coals in the fireplace. She stacks bacon strips on the skillet and waves her hand behind her back, pointing at the table. “Crack the eggs in the bowl and beat them.”
    Nala scrapes a cinnamon stick with a knife, sending shavings into a pile, then moves back to the skillet, flipping the bacon.
    Preta beats the eggs with vigor. Her mouth waters from the aroma filling the room. “Eggs are done, now what?”
    “Get the boys up, they’ve slept long enough.”
    Preta climbs the ladder to the boys’ loft. At the top, she claps her hands. “Get up, you two, breakfast is almost done.”
    Deet rises with no quarrel. He slips on sandals and makes his way down the ladder.
    Yaz groans and mumbles incoherent words as he turns onto his side away from Preta.
    Preta snatches a sandal off the floor and whips it at Yaz, hitting him in the butt. “Get up, Yaz, we’ve gotta go soon.”
    Yaz swats the air and mumbles. He fondles the sandal and sniffs it. “ Hey , that’s mine.”
    Preta descends from the loft and sits at the kitchen table.
    Nala circles her knife in a figure eight. “Is his high and mighty awake?”
    “I think so, but I’m not sure.”
    Grandpa closes the back door. “Damn, it smells good in here.” Grandpa makes his way straight for the skillet, sticking a knife into a piece of bacon. Sly, he hunches over and peeks in both directions to make sure the coast is clear, then hobbles away before Nala can protest.
    The bacon strip sizzles dangling from Grandpa’s knife. He sits at the table, tilts his head back, and with victory in his eyes, lowers the prize into his mouth.
    Nala scowls, shaking her head at the thief. She removes the greasy bacon from the skillet and places more strips on the cast iron. “Preta, bring me the bowl of eggs.”
    Nala dumps the cinnamon into the bowl with the eggs and mixes. She cuts a bread loaf into fourteen pieces and hands Preta a small ceramic cup filled with solidified fat. “Preta, remove the bacon, and scrape off the excess fat.”
    Preta nods and holds the greasy cup of hardened lard next to the skillet. She scrapes a knife along the surface, piling the bacon on the edge, then tilts the skillet so the remaining liquid runs into the cup. She sets the skillet back on the grate, leaving a greasy, sizzling sheen.
    Nala dips bread pieces into the egg mixture and places the soaked slices on the skillet.
    Preta stands close, taking in the sweet aroma while watching the bread change color as it cooks.
    Nala places her hand on Preta’s back. “Flip the bread in a minute.”
    Deet pushes through the back door. “Is he up yet? We’ve got to leave soon.”
    Grandpa continues