I pressed my forehead against his neck, inhaling the salt and earth that clung to him. My hands worked through his mane, untangling knots in motions we’d performed a thousand times before. He snorted and shifted his weight in that way that dared me to hurry up.
I smiled despite myself. “Impatient, aren’t we? Hold on, let me grab at least the bridle.”
By the time I led him from the barn, the world felt suspended, time bending just for me. I slipped onto his back without a saddle, feeling the warmth of his hide against my legs as his hooves struck a steady rhythm against the packed dirt.
We started slowly, weaving through trails I’d explored with him in previous weeks. With each breath, with each rise and fall of his gait beneath me, the knot in my chest loosened. For precious minutes, I felt unshackled.
When we reached the open field, I couldn’t hold back.
“Go,” I whispered.
Hyacinth surged forward like lightning freed from a storm. I leaned into the motion, hands steady on the ebony reins as wind ripped past me, tangling my hair and stealing breath from my lungs. The world blurred: gold streaking along the horizon, shadows reaching like dark fingers, the burn in my muscles as I held tight.
For a moment, it wasn’t this life or the last. It wasn’t Violet the student or Violet the broken girl who’d been bought and sold. It was justme, bare and unbound, freedom pulsing in time with Hyacinth’s stride.
We galloped until his breathing turned harsh, and only then did I draw him down, circling slowly until his muscles eased. My legs trembled from the strain, but I laughed: an unguarded, reckless sound that startled even me.
When I finally slid down to walk him back, the sky had shifted to indigo, stars pricking faintly against velvet. Grass cooled under nightfall, cicadas humming somewhere in the distance. Hyacinth lowered his head, nudging my shoulder with a huff that nearly knocked me off balance.
“I missed you too,” I murmured, stroking his muzzle.
We were approaching the gate when a voice—thick with an Irish accent—cut through the evening air. “Sure, you know fine rightly, ya shouldn't be goin' out without protection.”
Stablemaster Aaron stood by the entrance, his red hair catching the stable lights as he clicked open the gate. Those ice-blue eyes fixed on me with a familiar, stubborn set jaw I’d seen countless times on Rowan. I’d learned quickly after starting school that Aaron was nearly as headstrong as Hyacinth and Rowan combined.A common theme with the men in my life, it seems.
I waved in acknowledgment, hearing gravel crunch under my boots as I threw the reins forward. “There are few things I can ride as well as my horse.”
Hyacinth snorted in response.
Aaron let us through, mindful of his manure-coated boots and Hyacinth’s hooves. The careful dance between them had me fighting back a smile. Theyreallydidn’t get along.
“The school’s legal team would have me head on a platter if anythin' happened, so they would,” he said, locking the gate and leaning against it. His arms crossed over a charcoal grey shirt tucked into grass-stained jeans, sweat slicking his hair despite the cooling air. His red hair and handsome face clashed with his gruff country boy aesthetic. “Look here, Violet, it’s the insurance and the liability—the whole bloody mess. Thisis your final warning, so it is. Catch me again, and I’ll be forced to file a complaint that’ll put your scholarship in real jeopardy.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said with a smile, though my face said,‘Not a chance.’
Aaron huffed, reading between the lines and my look. He pulled away from the gate, hand rubbing the back of his neck and leaving streaks of dirt mixed with sweat. “Listen, Violet. I know you’ve got the trainin’, but you can’t break rules without consequences.” His words softened, his accent lilting as he spoke. “Even a blind man can see the bond between you and that horse.”
It was true. Hyacinth and I had grown up together in the fields that stretched between our home and my father’s business: both of us headstrong, both unwilling to yield. I loved him with a fierceness that ached, though it hadn’t always been this way. The early years had been blood, sweat, and tears until my father hired the trainer who’d finally gotten through to both of us.
“My trainer refused to coddle either of us,” I said, leading Hyacinth towards the grooming area. “Forged together in frustration and discipline.” I looked pointedly at my horse, making kissy noises. “He won’t ever buck me, right, baby?”
“Ah, sure you can’t know that for certain, now. A horse is still an animal, and an animal still has instincts.” Aaron’s voice carried exhaustion and concern in equal parts. “Besides, there’s been somethin’ in the woods spooking the horses something awful ever since the semester started.”
Guilt crept up from somewhere deep as I began preparing to groom Hyacinth. The last thing I wanted was to get Aaron in trouble for my selfishness.
The joys of having a conscience.
“Aaron, listen. . . I’m sorry.” The words felt strained but genuine. “I’ll try to be more mindful about riding bareback here. Back home, there wasn’t a single day I didn’t ride. It’s like breathing for me.”
I knew I had him then. He studied me as I moved around Hyacinth’s flank, then handed me a brush. “A good rider can hear his horse speak. A great rider can hear his horse whisper.”
I was intimately familiar with the quote. I went to work removing sweat, stimulating circulation, and promoting relaxation. Silence stretched between us until I heard his sigh of surrender.
“If someone else brings it up, I'll have to back them up, so I will.”
I peeked over Hyacinth’s withers, careful not to let my grin show. “You got it. I swear to be careful, only ride bare whenno one’s looking, never to endanger you or us.” I knew I was admitting to my continuation of breaking school rules, but at least I was honest.
“Don't be comin' late for archery this week. It’s me own free time your folks are payin' for, so you should make the most of it.” Aaron grumbled and walked off, mumbling about being too soft.
