Promise – Page 2 – THE LEGEND OF THE GREAT HORSE trilogy

Promise returns…

In moments Meagan was down the stairs and out the back door. On the patio, still in her nightgown, she stopped in shock. The filly’s bridle was pulled halfway off and both reins had snapped. Cuts covered her lower legs and a scrape along one shoulder was crusted with blood.

Promise’s nostrils dilated as she raised her head in jerks, backing a step. “Easy, girl,” Meagan soothed, approaching. “Let me clean you up and get you some food.”

“I am afraid there won’t be time.”

Meagan turned to see an unknown man standing beside Mr. Wells. The trainer held the most incongruous of objects—a gleaming handgun.

“Your horse came to say goodbye,” Mr. Wells said evenly. “She’s caused a bit of trouble.” As he stepped forward, Promise tensed and blew out strongly.

“How did she escape?” the second man asked anxiously. “The animal is a Houdini! Across all the traffic, too!”

Mr. Wells waved his gun toward Meagan. “It looks like that headpiece is about finished. Why don’t you find something else? Fast.”

“I do wish this wasn’t necessary,” the second man told her apologetically. “I wish I’d never seen a betting booth.”

Mr. Wells waved his gun again and Meagan ran out into the tack room, thinking in panicked flashes. Her parents were still upstairs asleep. If the men were going to hurt her or her family, they would have done so—they only wanted Promise and there was no time to do anything except cooperate.

Excerpted from Eclipsed by Shadow, the award-winning 1st volume of The Legend of the Great Horse trilogy. (Hrdbk pg. 81)

Book II: The Golden Spark will be published Fall 2010.

That night Meagan cried herself to sleep. Police had been called and neighbors alerted, but nothing had been heard. Jennifer tried the phone number Pamela knew for Mr. Wells—it had been disconnected.

When she did finally sleep, Meagan dreamt of riding. She galloped with Promise across clear stretches of green. Fences rose up before them and she twitched in her sleep as she and Promise soared over … and then up into the bright sky. Meagan opened her eyes to the gray of early pre-dawn and lay in bed, staring at the ceiling remembering her remorse.

So the dream of the flying horse had finally returned. It gave her no comfort now; the vivid image seemed to mock her loss. Meagan stood quietly and lifted the window blinds. The early sky was gray and turbulent. Birds chirped in the cool pre-morning. She folded her hands on the window sill, ready for tears. Promise was gone, stolen. Even if found, the poor young horse could easily be traumatized. Please be safe, girl, Meagan prayed, putting her head in her hands. She happened to glance down to see a dark shape.

Promise was standing on the patio.