The Black Stallion and the Lost City by Steve Farley

Author:Steve Farley [Farley, Steven]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-375-89887-7
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2011-06-28T04:00:00+00:00

Dust to Dust

“How do we get out of here?” Alec said.

“I think it’s this way,” Xeena said, pointing down the corridor to the gallery they had passed on the way to the banquet room.

Alec kept a close hold on the Black’s lead and spoke to his horse softly, trying to keep him settled. The words came in a steady stream that lasted until they had returned to the Black’s room.

“What in the world kind of party was that?” Alec said to Xeena as he took off the Black’s halter.

“Wild,” Xeena said. “Really spectacular, except for when that crazy gray stallion went after the Black.”

“He didn’t concern me so much,” Alec said. “The Black can handle himself with other stallions, and no one there seemed too surprised about what happened. I suppose that with all those horses and people bumping around together on the dance floor, a confrontation between horses wouldn’t be unusual, no matter how well they are trained.” Alec shook his head. “It’s not the gray,” he said. “It’s that albino mare I’m thinking about. She’s poison and the Black can’t see it. If he gets another chance at her, I’m not sure I can keep them apart.”

Alec walked through the passageway to his own room. He could see someone had been there while they’d been away. There were fresh blankets on his bed, and a fire had been lit in the corner fireplace. He splashed some water from a wash basin onto his face, then returned to the Black’s quarters, picked up a brush and gave his horse a light grooming. The Black didn’t need it, but the routine and familiar touch of his horse always made Alec feel better. Xeena stood at the connecting door, her eyes fixed on the stallion watching her.

“Pretty cool when you think about it,” Xeena said after a minute.

Alec laughed. “Certainly unusual. That Medio really knows how to have a good time. Want to go back?”

“No thanks. I need to get some sleep now. But that was fun.”

Could it all be just that? Alec thought. Just harmless fun? He had to admit that from the safety of his room, things suddenly started to look different. Could any of this be more than some kind of strange role-playing reenactment of ancient times, a place where people could get dressed up in costumes and pretend they were somewhere other than the modern world? He remembered hearing about people who reenacted famous Civil War battles in period uniforms. Maybe it was all just something like that. Some sort of club. Sure, Alec thought. That must be it. The only difference here was that these folks seemed extremely serious about it all, almost too serious, like actors who could not get out of character.

Perhaps he had overreacted, Alec thought. The gray was no threat to the Black. As for the albino, perhaps she was nothing more than a pretty white horse, a genetic oddity of nature on the outside but like any other horse inside. All the same, Alec still felt wary about everyone in this place, people and horses alike.

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