Love's Sacrifice (Mystic Hope Book 2) by Kelsey Norman

Author:Kelsey Norman [Norman, Kelsey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mountain Brook Ink
Published: 2017-03-31T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Two

No. That couldn’t be. It couldn’t be here.

The boy looked different. What was it? He was smiling. I took a tentative step forward, and his curved lips dropped into a frown. My brows wrinkled. I took another step toward the painting, and bags formed beneath his sad eyes. What would happen to him if I got any closer? With one more stride, I stood face to face with the little boy. His face morphed and contorted as though it were made of wax. It dissolved completely, the paint mixed together into a swirl of red and orange hues. What in the world?

A feeling in the pit of my stomach told me to run. An inner voice begged me to get away. But I couldn’t stop watching the strange occurrence unfolding before me. I was mesmerized. The paint colors stopped swirling and separated. A new portrait began to paint itself. It took shape of a woman with soft auburn hair and intoxicating green eyes. It was me. The painting was of me.

I stared at the upgraded version of myself. She was so beautiful with flawless skin. No freckles, no blemishes, no scar at her neck. The contented smile on her face made me experience an envy I never knew I could feel. Why was she so happy?

The whinny of a horse startled me and pulled my attention away from the painting. I clutched my chest. “Hezzie, you scared me!”

I turned back to the portrait. My heart jumped all over again. The painting was gone. I spun around, searching the other barn walls. Nothing. Bare, save for saddle equipment. I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. “I really am losing it.”

Wait, where’s Hazel? My eyes shot open, and I looked to Hazel’s empty pen. The door that led to the field was still latched and locked. She couldn’t have let herself out. Somebody had to have done it. Whoever’s footprints were outside had to be the culprit. Did they steal her? My nostrils flared as rage rolled through my body. But if somebody had stolen her, wouldn’t I have seen hoof prints as well? Unless they let her out before it snowed. But then why were their prints in the snow? Did they come back once it had snowed to get Hezzie, but were unsuccessful? None of it made any sense.

“Come on, buddy. We need to find Hazel.” I unlocked Hezzie’s gate and readied his saddle the quickest I ever had. Before getting onto his back, I grabbed my trusty hatchet and stuck it in the back of my pants. It might come in handy today.

I led Hezzie out of the barn, sliding the door closed behind me. With a hop, I plopped into the saddle, slipped the hood of my coat on my head, and slid my hands into the mittens.

“Let’s go,” I said, tapping Hezzie’s sides. He took off in a sprint, seeming to pick up on the urgency in my voice.

The anger coursing through my veins made me oblivious to the cold surrounding us.

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