Total pages in book: 204
Estimated words: 193124 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 966(@200wpm)___ 772(@250wpm)___ 644(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 193124 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 966(@200wpm)___ 772(@250wpm)___ 644(@300wpm)
“I don’t know what you speak of—”
“My sister told me you approached her and begged her to let you help yesterday. That you saw what that animal did to her and so you were compelled—” She has to collect herself. “For so long, I’ve tried to get her to come and stay with us. The stabler and his wife are very kind and good people. They would have taken her in in a moment. She wouldn’t leave though.”
Because the cook had threatened to take her sister in her place, I think to myself.
The stable hand continues, “I never understood why he picked on her the most, but I was certain that one night, he was going to…” She looks away. “My twin is the other half of me, and the guilt I feel that she’s lived with what she’s had to and I have everything so safe and contented with the horses—it wasn’t fair. But you changed that—”
“I’m afraid you’re mistaken. I did talk to her, yes, and I asked her to allow me to—”
“I know what you both did for her.” She presses the reins into my hands. “And you must take him. He is the only thing I possess in this world other than the clothes on my back. I raised him from a foal, and though I have been offered money enough to live on my own … I haven’t wanted to let him go. Until now.”
“And you must keep him—”
“Tell me you did not put your own lives at risk to save my sister’s. Tell me, and upon your honor, do not lie.”
I open my mouth. Close it. “You don’t have to do this.”
“You didn’t have to save her.” The girl brushes the tears from her cheeks and then looks at the horse. “I always had the sense that I was just holding him for his real destiny. I feel as though this is all working out the way it was supposed to.”
I look at the horse properly, although not in the eyes, of course—
Oh, he is even more magnificent up close. And I am struck with the conviction that this big, strong stallion, with his intelligent head carriage, and his long, powerful legs, might well be the only thing that can get me where I need to go.
“I will come back,” I hear myself say. “And I will return him to you.”
This is a terrible vow to make. I can no more ensure I can make the journey, much less swing back through here as a war is started.
“He’s very smart.” The girl runs her hand down his gleaming muzzle. “He’ll pull his head if you let him. And watch his back left shoe. He throws it when he gets bored.”
Then she winds herself around his neck and squeezes. I want to tell her no, just as I tried to stop Lena, just as I wished the maid wouldn’t cook anything special for me. But these gifts that refuse to be denied are filling a place in me that’s so broken, I can’t bear to look too closely at it.
In the village where I spent all my days in service to others I was a pariah. Here, at the Outpost, among strangers, I’m embraced and taken care of.
So much of this destiny of mine has been unexpected and difficult to bear or believe, but this … is a lovely surprise.
The girl smiles even though her heart is clearly breaking. “I would have wanted to give him to you, even if you hadn’t lost your horse. I couldn’t have you leave with what you both did without paying you back in some way.”
“Thank you.”
Though I duck her eyes, I draw her in for an embrace, and I feel her tremble as she holds on to me. Then she pulls back, and straps the pack full of Lena’s clothes behind the saddle.
Where I used to sit.
The enormity of what I’m about to do hits me. Merc was my sword and shield. Now I’m on my own.
The girl offers me a lift up, and the instant I am in the saddle, I feel as though I’ve been astride this horse already. Beneath me, he prances and tosses his head, his platinum mane like a spray of water, but he doesn’t buck and he doesn’t bolt.
Maybe he’s just minding his manners for the moment and all the misbehaving comes later.
“What’s his name?”
“Lavante. In my language, it means wind from the east.” She steps back and crosses her arms over her chest. “He’ll eat anything, by the way. No worries there.”
As she looks out to the pasture, I can feel the energy coursing through the stallion, and he minces his hooves into the slop.
“I’ll take very good care of him.”
“I know you will.” She glances back in my direction. “It’s your nature. And when you find the way impassable and have to return, come here and I’ll check that back shoe while you wait for the water to recede.”