Book Four: Chapter 68

The man eyed both of them and let out a sigh. He was dressed in a simple tunic with cloth pants, and was barefoot. His skin was pale, but his hair and eyes were dark like mud, and there was a collection of damp leaves in his hair that looked like they had been hastily tucked away.

“You’re lost, aren’t you?”

“No,” Mike told him. “We know where we’re going. We just don’t know if we’ll get there before nightfall.”

“Oh.” The stranger shrugged. “In that case, you’ll need shelter for the night. You don’t want to be out here when the sun sets. There are unnatural beings who roam this area.”

“Do you know where we could find some shelter?” Beth stepped between Mike and the stranger, batting her eyes.

“I do, actually.” The stranger pointed the way they were going. “Up ahead a bit, you will see a large boulder on the left. There’s a small path on the other side, it’s hidden by some berry bushes. Don’t eat those, by the way. They’ll make you sick. Anyway, the path