The High King's Tomb by Kristen Britan

Author:Kristen Britan
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 0101-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

Fields became apple groves, a sweet scent arising from fallen apples pulverized beneath hooves. Soon the apple groves turned to overgrown meadows with trees still clutching onto brightly hued leaves, and finally they entered the darker, more primal forest, all sounds subdued and the ground soft with pine needles and moss.

They had galloped and cantered over open land, jumped hedges and old stone fences, laughing and scattering birds and a fox from the fields before them. But now in the forest they quieted for a time, absorbing the feel and woodsy smell. Now and then a hoof clacked on a rock or a horse snorted.

Goss was turning out to be something of a nuisance. The run got his blood rising and he was all too interested in Lady Miranda’s mare, who must be in heat. He arched his neck and pranced, his ears perked straight ahead.

“This is not the time,” Amberhill murmured to his stallion. Goss tossed his head, uninterested in anything his master had to say.

Then, without warning, Lady Estora kicked her horse into a quick trot, then into a canter, and they were off again, careening through the trees, ducking beneath low limbs, clods of dirt flying up from hooves. They came upon a series of old rotted logs lying across the path and leaped them. Goss refused the trees and paced in a circle until Lady Miranda’s mare went before him.

Amberhill leaned forward and said into his horse’s ear, “Before the day is done I will see you gelded!” It was an empty threat, for he’d intended to use Goss as the foundation stud of his horse farm.

But Goss did not pay a whit of attention to him anyway, all his senses focused on the mare, his nostrils flared. Amberhill growled. He needed to be up front, closer to Lady Estora, but Lady Miranda, a more timid rider, hung toward the back. The trail was a narrow track, and it would not be easy to thrash through the trees to get to the front, and they were nearing the place…

In a moment of inattention, Goss snapped at Lady Miranda’s mare above the tail. The mare kicked and Goss sidestepped with a snort.

“Idiot!” Amberhill slapped Goss with his crop, causing the stallion to half-rear and circle. While he struggled to control his horse, he was passed by the servants. A Weapon on a steed as black as his uniform gave him a sympathetic glance as he cantered by.

“I will feed your bones to the dogs!” Amberhill told his unimpressed horse.

When Goss realized the mare was out of sight, he whirled and charged down the trail, Amberhill barely maintaining his seat. By the time Amberhill caught up with the party, it was too late.

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