ared to the cold dread that settled in my heart.

cided to take my horse, Apollo, for a ride, to clear my head

ike a gunshot, spooked Apollo. He reared violently, his eyes wild wi

ngerously close to my head. I scrambled to get away, but my ank

had a rifle in his hand, not pointed at me, but at the sky. He had fired i

ne, and he was walking towards me,

he called out, his voice casual. "These

. He was going to make it

eld. A man on a powerful black horse rode towards us at incredible speed.

cing him to jump back. The stranger dismounted in on

er asked. His voice was deep and calm,

ed. "This is private prope

er said, his gaze fixed on Ethan. "It looked

his bravado. "She' s my... she'

k to Ethan. "Your talk seems to have scared her

m stand up. Ethan, for all his bluster, clearly felt it too. He hesitated, then back

beside me. "Are yo

. When he looked up, his eyes met mine. They were a startling,

ain," he said. "But you

ed me into the saddle with an ease that belied his lean frame. He mounted behind me and we rode bac