sey

dn't b

bsidian burned behind my eyelid

hing other than this h

sharp bite

e stables after the

guests, I slipped inside and saddled a

, skittish,

rf

ety vest Bennett had custo

earlier. It hung on the rac

ut to the ju

still set high fo

nd kicked her

ging my eyes, blurring the world

st

outrun the

e first ju

cond.

riple bar, the highe

d, feeling her musc

ched int

into the stirrups, tightening my gri

n

a gunshot cracking

disintegrate

vanished

ravity claiming me

rushed up

rd-packed dirt wit

white, then diss

up to

, pulsing in time with th

ing in t

my legs, but the

t my voice was nothing

rs, I fumbled for my

only number t

nn

r

ra

the field, my

ld se

the paddock, three

e had spook

dle, stroking the horse's n

ked his

d at the

cond thought, he slid

gnor

the phone

the screaming pain, I drag

a stable h

as a blur of sirens

ivate room at the

bandaged. My leg w

ting in the cha

file, looking ent

" he said. He

," I rasped, my thro

d, turning a page. "

t died,

id of sympathy. "You were reckless. You

od up and walk

l be fine. Just a conc

ked his

. Aria has an

l

hospital bed to go hol

ring at the ster

the corners of my

, the door was l

e whispering i

rein was cut,

hissed. "Don't

lph. The leather was sliced clean

did he

report. Said his wife needed to

my veins tu

't an a

a pun

had been c

miled enough while

n't just st

ated

enough to

tion didn't

rized th

throbbing, but the pa

mply

stening to the rhythm

call th

call my

ared into

a vow

another tear for

ted a

give h

him the silen

him the spa

ly what he asked for,