y grounded me. Today, however, the air wa

harp click of my boots on the concret

s slightly ajar, slicing a beam of light

was inside.

eveal a custom riding helmet. The De Luca crest was embl

't shown me in years, he

gers lingering on her jawline with

oice low and intimate. "Now y

weight press do

ly identical helmet. He had whispered, "Wear t

t on a high shelf, while he

the shadows before

outrun this suffocating grief

; I couldn't bear to look a

y. A temperamental grey mare that only the mo

er called out, jogging toward me

y voice brittle. "

ack. I yanked the girth tight, ignoring the usual safety che

Fury into a gallop bef

d into the

y were laughing-a carefree sound that grated against my

t even gla

etting the wind whip t

" I wh

launched into the air, a powerfu

the jump. Mid-fligh

sharp, met

rth ga

gravity seizing me i

he grou

ng my lungs. Then came the sound-a sickening, w

as white-hot, blinding, consuming m

asping for air, star

toward

still fixed on Aria, his hand brushi

t, ten yards away, and my hus

silence where the h

amed, my voice

r came sprinting

ned, his expression one of mild annoyan

white of the estate's Medical Bay.

quet of lilies wrapped in cheap, cr

" he said. No hello

rs onto the bedside

I managed to say t

it entirely. "You should have let the Stabl

h mechanical, devoid of warmth. He was irritat

ded. "I have busi

heel and left wit

ion pulled me in and out of

nd of hushed voic

in, low and urgent. "The buckle on the girth was f

stopped

ndro asked, h

ck room before Katari

ched, heavy a

I waited for him to storm out

" Alessan

os

e grave. "Katarina has had worse. Don't make it a tragedy. Aria was ju

d incredulous. "She cou

red smoothly. "Get rid of the saddl

is footsteps fadi

ark, staring a

ough my chest was far wors

k

tress had tried

as prote

sliding down my cheek

t wipe

y skin like a war

ice sculpture. He was about to learn that ice, w