She burst through the doors out of breath and searched the barn for anything suspicious. The Riders’ horses were standing silently in their stalls but there was no one else in the barn. She raced up the ladder to her loft. The hatchling bounded toward her as soon as he recognized her. Gwinn relaxed immediately. “You’re safe.” She said. She scratched him behind his floppy ears and he licked her face. “There are horses in the barn but you don’t have to worry about them. It’s the people that come in here you have to worry about. I’m going to take care of the horses. Stay up here out of sight.” He sat back and whined at her. “It’s just for now.” She said giving him a reassuring pat on the head.

Gwinn went back down the ladder and began her chores. She put some hay in the horses feeding trough with her pitchfork. Then carried water in with a bucket and poured it in the water tray. The horse in the stall went for the water immediately and she brushed its neck. “You’re awfully thirsty. You must’ve had a long ride.”

The horse lifted its nose from the water and snorted. “Not a long ride but an interesting one.”

Gwinn blinked at the horse. “Are you talking to me?”

“I believe you were talking to me.” The horse responded.

“I didn’t know horses could talk back.” She said to it.

It snorted. “Special horses can. Normal horses obviously can’t but I’m special.”

Gwinn stroked her mane. “Yes you are. Does that mean all of the sky horses can talk like you?”

The horse nodded. “Of course they can but not all humans can understand us.”

“I see, kinda.” Gwinn said. “Are there other animals that can talk to humans?” Her eyes drifted to the loft as she asked.

“There are other special animals but the normal ones don’t have the ability. Could you scratch behind my ears?”

“Sure.” Gwinn smiled. The horse may be special but she was still a horse. The other Pegasus neighed at her. “Oh I’m sorry do you want to be scratched too?”

“No,” he said. “But I would like some grain.”

“All right.” Gwinn laughed. She brought the horse some grain and placed it in his stall. “I’m not sure if I’m supposed to give you any but since you asked.” He dug into the grain without another word. “You’re the same horse from before, the one with the spot.”

He stopped between mouthfuls and nodded. “Markab.”

“I know. I remember. Your name is Markab and you’re a very handsome horse.”

“Ahem.” Gwinn jumped as she heard someone clearing their throat. “Am I interrupting something?” Kellin asked her.

She grabbed the side of the stall and tried to recover her nerves. “I…uh…I didn’t know you were here.”

“I’m sorry if I surprised you.” He shrugged with a grin on his face.

She didn’t believe he was really sorry but she let it go. She noticed a bandage on his face and became curious. “What’s wrong with your face?”

“I’m not going to fall for that one again.” He said.

She pointed to his bandage. “No, I mean it. What happened?”

“Oh, that.” He said touching the bandage on the side of his face. “I got scratched.”

“That looks like more than a scratch.” She said eyeing the long bandage.

He shrugged. “I had to get a few stitches.”

“You should be more careful.”

He laughed. “Does that mean you care what happens to me?”

“No.” She said quickly. “It’s just that…most people would care more about their own hide. If you want to get yourself all scratched up, then go ahead.”

He crossed his arms and smirked. “I’ll try to be more careful.”

She nodded satisfied. He didn’t really think that she cared about him. Gwinn turned her attention back to the horse but, a noise disrupted her. Chaney strolled into the barn like she owned the place.

“O, there you are. Daddy said there were Riders here.” She squealed.

Kellin rolled his eyes. “We only stopped for a quick rest. We’re leaving again soon.”

She skipped over to them. “Then I guess I caught you in time. Can I pet your horse?”

“They don’t like to be handled by strangers.” Kellin said in a serious tone. He suddenly looked more stern and rigid than Gwinn had ever seen him.

Chaney drooped like hot air being let out of a bag. “Gwinn messes with them all the time.” She crossed her arms and pouted.

“She feeds them and takes care of them.” Kellin said with his stern voice. “You can’t pet them. They wouldn’t allow it.”

Chaney stomped her foot. “How do you know if you won’t let me try?”

Kellin crossed his arms. “I know, now go play and stop worrying about it.”

That did not abate Chaney’s anger. Her lips tightened and, she stomped her foot again. She glared at Gwinn who was still standing close to Markab. Close enough to pet him and the hatred glowed in Chaney’s eyes. She turned on her heel and pounded her into the ground. Even Chaney wouldn’t dare go against the word of a Rider. Gwinn let out a small sigh of relief. The irritating girl was leaving.

Kellin relaxed his shoulders as Chaney stomped away and Gwinn smiled. The girl’s little tantrum hadn’t worked. She didn’t get her way for once and Gwinn was glad for that. There was a loud crash and, they both turned.

The grain storage bin was turned over and grain had spilled all over the floor. Chaney stood beside it with her hand over her mouth in mock surprise.

Gwinn rushed over to the spilt grain and the mischievous girl. “What have you done?!”

“It was an accident. I’m so sorry.” Chaney said with fake sincerity.

Gwinn glared at her. “It will take me days to clean this up.”

“You shouldn’t have left the latch down.” She said.

“You little…” Gwinn was so angry she couldn’t finish her sentence. She went straight for Chaney and grabbed her by the throat.

Chaney was completely surprised. She hadn’t expected Gwinn to come after her. She was the Innkeeper’s daughter. Her eyes grew wild and, they filled with panic. “Don… don’t hurt me.” She choked out.

“I should teach you a lesson. You little weasel.” Gwinn said through gritted teeth and suppressed anger. Her grip tightened around Chaney’s throat and the girl coughed.

Strong hands gripped Gwinn’s arms and pulled them away. She looked up in surprise and saw Marshall standing over her. “You should be ashamed of yourself. She’s only a child.” He told her.

Gwinn’s hold slipped away and Chaney ran off as quickly as her little legs could carry her. Marshal’s intimidating presence stalled Gwinn for a moment but then she rallied her nerves and responded. “She deserves everything she gets.”

“That is not for you to decide.”

Gwinn pulled her arms from his grip. “You don’t know her like I do.”

“I don’t need to.” He chided her.

Gwinn shook her head. She knew Chaney deserved a swift kick in the rear even if Gwinn wasn’t the one to give it to her. Then she realized that she was actually lucky Marshal had stopped her. He was right but for a different reason than he believed. If she had hurt Chaney Mr. and Mrs. Cuthbert would make her life a living hell and she didn’t want that. Besides, one swift kick wouldn’t stop Chaney from being a brat.

“Come on Kellin. We need to get going.” He said.

Kellin gave her a shrug and a look of commiseration before saddling his horse. There was no reason to argue with Marshall and she resigned herself to clean up the mess. She found a dust pan and began to sweep up the grain. Marshall saddled up his own horse and paid her no regard. As they left the barn he did bother to step around her as she worked but that was all.

Kellin gave her one last sympathetic look from his mount as if to say he was sorry for how things turned. Gwinn shook her head and tried to reassure Kellin that it wasn’t his fault and there was nothing to be sorry for. Marshal acted exactly the way Gwinn expected him to, as an arrogant Rider. She turned away from them and continued to scrape up the grain. 

Gwinn woke with a groan. Her muscles were sore because of her extra chores. The Cuthberts had given her extra duties since the incident with Chaney. Alcor frowned at her but she shook her head. “I’m all right. I’m just a little stiff.” He licked her face and, she smiled despite her aches. He was getting bigger and, she had to push him back with a strong arm. “Hey, that’s enough. I have to get going if I’m ever going to finish my chores.” He frowned again. “Don’t look at me like that. I’ll bring you back something for lunch.”

Gwinn looked at him with a frown of her own. She wished to stay in the loft with Alcor but she knew the Cuthberts would never allow her to do that. It was her lot to do the chores and put up with the Cuthberts at least for now. She braided her hair and climbed down the ladder to begin her long day.

By midday she was already feeling tired and, she headed to the kitchen for some lunch. The cook was there making stew for the patrons and stirring the large pot. Her cheeks were rosy from the steam. She was a larger woman and her hair was pulled back in a tight bun. Gwinn smiled at her hoping there would be something to eat.

Gwinn took her sore muscles and flopped down at the small wooden table. “I’m so tired.” She complained. “These extra chores are killing me.”

The cook put a bowl in front of Gwinn. “Eat your stew.”

“She did it on purpose.” Gwinn complained.

The cook sighed at her. “I’m sure she did but if you argue it will only make things worse for you.”

“I know.” Gwinn slumped where she sat.

“Besides,” the cook went on. “It builds character.”

“I already have enough character.”

“Eat your stew. You’re going to need the strength.” She went back to her pot and picked up the spoon again.

That was easy for her to say. She got to stay in the kitchen all day. Gwinn would be mopping floors, cleaning rooms, hauling hay and anything else the Cuthberts could devise for her to do. Gwinn sighed, picked up the spoon and began eating. She hated to admit it but she was going to need the strength.

She saved some stew and brought it up to Alcor. He licked up every spec with his pink tongue. “That was good. Can I have some more?”

“I’ll bring you more for dinner?” She got up to leave but, he stopped her.

“Do you have to go?”

“Yes, I have chores to do.” She said with a sigh.

“Could I go with you?”

Her frown grew deeper. “No, everyone would be afraid of you and they would take you away.”

“Why would they be afraid of me?”

“Because you’re different,” she tried to explain.

“But I want to go out there.” He wined.

She dropped her shoulders and sighed at him. “I know, but…”

He did a little jump, spread out his wings and flapped them. He stayed up for a few moments before landing in the straw. “Look, I can fly. I’m supposed to go out there.”

She gave him a sad smile because she knew she couldn’t keep him cooped up here forever. “Maybe, at night, when everyone else has gone to sleep…”

“Really!?”

“Maybe, but just stay up here out of sight for now,” she said making her way over the edge of the ladder.

“All right,” he sighed through his nostrils.

She paused and gave him a look of warning. “Promise me, you won’t go anywhere.”

He folded his wings back and sat down. “I promise.”

She hated to leave him like that but what was she supposed to do. If she didn’t do her chores, the Cuthberts would come looking for her. She went back to her work but the rest of her day dragged on. Gwinn washed the same floor three times before Rochelle decided it was clean enough. Then she washed and folded the bed linens. It seemed to take forever and, she was tired of looking at the same cream-colored linens over and over again. All she could think about was getting back to Alcor. The hours and minutes stretched out so slowly.

By the time she finished cleaning the bar and the common room she was exhausted. “Can I go now?” She asked Hal who was counting his bottles of wine behind the bar.

“Yes, get out of here.” He waved at her without looking up.

She hurried out the door before he had a notion to change his mind. Alcor was waiting for her at the edge of the loft when she got back. He was wagging his tail excitedly and smiling. “Can we go now?”

All she wanted to do was fall down in the soft straw and go to sleep but his face was so hopeful. How could she say no to that face? “All right, but we have to be careful.” She relented. He jumped up and did a back flip. “Careful, do you understand?”

“Of course,” he said. “I’ll be careful. I’ll do anything as long as I get to leave.”

She grabbed her cloak. She would need it to keep her warm and protect her against the wind. Then she beckoned to Alcor. “I’ll have to carry you down the ladder. You can’t fly yet.” He did as she bid him. She took him around the middle and tucked him underneath her arm. They made their way awkwardly down the ladder and then she set him down.

He roamed around the barn sniffing everything with enthusiasm and she laughed. “It’s only the barn.”

“I’ve never been down here before.” He went down the aisle and approached the mule’s stall. He tilted his head curiously at the strange creature and it neighed at him. The mule was not as curious. It was nervous and unsettled by his presence.

“Come on.” Gwinn told him. “That’s only the mule. There are more interesting things outside.”

He trotted back to her. “It is a strange creature though isn’t it?”

She really couldn’t deny that. “I suppose it is.” Alcor headed straight for the barn door. “Wait!” She yelled. “We have to make sure that everything is clear and we need a lantern.”

“I can see just fine.” He said.

The barn was getting dark and the only source of light came from the Inn. “You can?”

“Yeah, can’t you?”

She shook her head. “It’s a little dark for me. I need the lantern.” She grabbed a lantern from a hook on the wall. It swung lazily in her grasp. “I’ll light it once we get beyond the yard.” She wrapped the cloak around her and held the lantern close. Then she crept toward the entrance. Alcor crept alongside her. Gwinn poked her head around the door and Alcor did the same with his big nose.

The Inn was across from them. Its gabled timbers stood out against the starry sky. There were only a few windows still glowing with light and she searched them for any sign of life or prying eyes. There was no one in the yard. A small breeze whistled past them and tickled her nose.

Alcor crouched excitedly beside her. His eyes glowed against the night. “I don’t see anyone.” He said.

“I think your eyes can see better than mine. Keep a close lookout.” She said as she stepped across the threshold with caution. The night air felt cool and refreshing on her face but it didn’t make her uneasiness go away.