Harper

“Is everyone ready? Then let’s go!” Rhylen shouted, his voice cutting through evening air, as he shot forward in a blur of motion. Thorin and Maisie were quick to follow, their horses thundering after his lead. I barely had time to process it before I was left behind, fumbling in the saddle, trying to get my horse moving.

“Come on, girl, let’s go!” I urged, giving her a light nudge with my heels.

My horse shifted, but only in the most hesitant of ways, as though she wasn’t entirely sure she should be going anywhere. She took a few slow steps before halting entirely, and I could feel my stomach tighten. Why did we have to leave so late? The sun was sinking fast, and the shadows were creeping in, the air growing cooler by the second. I watched as Rhylen, Thorin, and Maisie became smaller figures in the distance. The growing knot in my stomach twisted even tighter. Was I really going to be left behind?

I glanced ahead once more, hoping to see them turn around and wait for me. But no. They were gone, and I was still stuck here, struggling to figure out how to get my horse moving. My heart sank, and the knot in my stomach twisted again, tighter this time. The trees around me seemed to grow darker, more ominous. I wasn’t sure if it was just the fading light, or if my nerves were getting the best of me, but the sight of the path ahead felt like an invitation into the unknown.

I shook off those thoughts. I told that jerk, I don’t really know how to ride a horse. Why would he just take off like that? Should I just turn back? Return to the lodge? They have to come back right? The whole reason we are going to Arion is so I can drink from this weird pool.

Just when I thought I might completely give up, a figure appeared in the distance, approaching on horseback. My heart skipped a beat. Could it be Thorin? I squinted through the darkening light, willing myself to hope. But as the rider drew closer, my stomach sank. Of course, it was Rhylen.

He slowed his horse, stopping right next to mine. His gaze lingered on me, and a smirk played at the corner of his lips. “You really have no valuable skills, do you?” he teased, the words dripping with mockery.

I couldn’t help the heat that surged up my neck, but I wasn’t going to let him get to me. “I told you before we left that I’m not exactly experienced at this,” I snapped back, fighting to keep my voice steady, trying to hold onto whatever shred of dignity I had left.

Rhylen just rolled his eyes. “How did you even get to Dunlam when Thorin brought you to us? Did you fall off halfway here?”

His face softened for a split second, like a light bulb had flickered on. “Ah yes, one horse,” he mused, as though that explained everything. It hadn't felt like much at the time, riding with Thorin had been a blur of awkwardness, a bit too close for comfort. And ffter the training earlier today, I was pretty set on not having to share a horse.

Rhylen’s horse sidled up next to mine, and I was briefly caught off guard by his sudden patience with me. He spoke in a calm tone that almost made me want to roll my eyes.

“Alright, let’s get you comfortable with steering. It’s not as hard as you think. Just clear signals and gentle guidance.”

I was skeptical, but I nodded, willing to give it a try. He explained, and I followed along, pulling the left rein toward my hip and applying gentle pressure with my right leg.

“Like this?” I asked, hopeful.

To my surprise, my horse obeyed, turning in the direction I’d wanted. “That’s so cool!” I exclaimed, thrilled that something had actually worked. “But how do I get her to move faster? You guys just left me behind, like, way back there!”

Rhylen smirked, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “We weren’t even going that fast.”

I could feel the irritation bubbling up inside me again. “Well, maybe I’m not built for this,” I muttered under my breath, though I wasn’t sure if he heard me or not.

He tilted his head, as if thinking, then suddenly became serious again. “Alright. To make her move faster, you squeeze with both legs against her sides. Think of it as a polite request. Start light, and if she doesn’t respond, nudge her with your heels. Trust me.”

I gave it a try, gently squeezing my legs around the horse. For a second, nothing happened. Then, with a small jolt, she began to pick up speed, slowly at first, but it was enough to make me feel like I wasn’t completely hopeless.

“Better,” Rhylen said, a small nod of approval in his direction.

But I was far from satisfied. I wanted to catch up. The darkening path stretched out ahead of us, and I could see Rhylen’s horse speeding up a bit. “This is good, but we really need to pick up the pace.”

He glanced at me, then gave a quick, impatient nod. “Alright. Squeeze a bit harder and give her a sound like this,” he instructed, before making an odd noise, somewhere between a whoop and a whistle.

I couldn’t help it. I burst out laughing. “What was that? You sound like you belong in some old western movie!”

Rhylen glared at me for a moment before raising an eyebrow. “What’s that?”

I forced myself to stop laughing. “Nothing,” I said quickly, feeling my cheeks heat up. “I just… I wasn’t expecting that.”

He shot me a look, but his mouth twitched, like he was holding back a grin. “Just follow the instructions, Harper.”

I nodded, trying to contain my amusement, and gave my horse the same squeeze with my heels, adding the strange sound Rhylen had made. To my surprise, the horse responded, moving into a quick trot. The rhythmic pounding of her hooves against the ground filled my ears. It wasn’t as fast as Rhylen’s horse, but it was a start. He mirrored my movement, and soon we were galloping side by side, the wind whipping through my hair and the ground flying beneath us.

I couldn’t help but smile. This was more like it.

“Thanks, Rhylen. I think I’m starting to get the hang of it,” I called over the wind.

Rhylen’s face softened, just a fraction. He nodded, giving a brief acknowledgment. “We’ll be back to training in the morning,” he said, almost absently. “Don’t forget what you learned tonight.”

But just as quickly as the moment passed, he shifted into that smug, confident demeanor again. “Let’s see if you can keep up with me now,” he added, and with that, he pushed his horse into a full gallop.

I grinned, and with a surge of determination, I followed suit, pushing my horse harder and faster, the thrill of the ride washing over me. We raced together, side by side, down the path toward Moonlight Thicket. I hadn’t noticed before, but as the light from the two brilliant moons began to shine down through the trees, I realized just how strange and beautiful this place was.

But then, as we neared the edge of the woods Rhylen slowed his horse, urging me to do the same. “Slow down, Harper.”

I wasn’t ready for this. My horse was still charging forward, the wind in my face, the trees looming up ahead. I pulled back on the reins, but panic set in. Before I could make any sense of it, I was hurtling into the trees. Branches whipped by me, too fast for me to avoid. My heart raced in my chest, the adrenaline coursing through me.

I yanked on the reins harder, trying to regain control. But just as my thoughts were swirling, something struck my face, hard. The world spun around me, and just like that, everything went black.

I felt myself falling, tumbling through the darkness.