Page 54 of Heart of the Sun

But she could do this. She could catch the buggy and take control of the horse. I knew she could. “Run!” I yelled before turning quickly toward the man who was almost on me, his eye bleeding profusely, teeth bared. I raised my fist and surprised him with a right hook to his jaw. He went flying backward, and I looked behind me to see that Emily had made it to the buggy, reached for it with a yell of effort, her grasp falling short as she let out another sound of frustration and increased her speed.

Spooked by the slams and bumps and yells coming from behind it, the horse raced faster. We’d passed the scattered businesses on the edge of whatever small town we’d entered and were now speeding through what looked like the center of town, buildings more plentiful and closer together. And though we were one street over from the main drag, cars were appearing, some parked, and a few abandoned here and there, pulled to the side of the road, or standing in the center of it, causing the horses to veer around them.

I looked over my shoulder to see that the one-eyed man had regained his balance and was gearing up to lunge at me, his partial blindness no deterrent for his rage. I looked around the buggy, ready to jump, reminding myself to roll when I hit the ground in order to minimize injury, but saw Emily push herself forward, a look of intense concentration on her face as she reached forward and grasped something on the back of the buggy. “Yes, holy shit! Emily! Climb up!”

Fingers dug into my shoulders, and I was pulled backward before hands wrapped around my throat, my air halting. I kicked backward,vision blurring as I brought my hands to the man strangling me, prying them off just enough to gasp in a breath before he tightened them again. Emily had found purchase with her feet and was now moving around the side of the buggy. For a moment, I floated, sure I was going to pass out, and in that dreamy moment, I was so fucking proud of her. I almost laughed. She was climbing next to the wheel, pressing her weight on the buggy, mindful not to drag it over.That’s it, Em. You’ve got this.

She looked over her shoulder at me just before she hopped up to the driver’s seat. “Tuck,” she yelled, as the horse pulling her buggy broke into a gallop, now neck and neck with the one I was on, down the center of the street that I blearily hoped to God wasn’t blocked by a stranded car that left no space to move around. “The light!”

Dark spots appeared before my eyes, my head pounding as I pulled the man’s hands, kicking backward but with dwindling strength.The light. The light.Then my eyes caught on something reflective on the side of the buggy. A red reflector light was attached. The sight of Emily in the driver’s seat of the buggy, now careening wildly, and the horses running at a full-out gallop, gave me the burst of strength I needed to let go of the man’s hands, grab for the light, and pull it toward me.

Thankfully it came off with a twist and then with the dark spots melting together before my eyes, I slammed it backward into the side of the man’s head.

His hands unclenched, and I sucked in a gasping breath, pivoting around, the world swaying and blinking as I faced the man whose face was scrunched into a grimace, his hand holding his head as he let out a wild howl.

I turned back toward Emily, the wind whipping my face, buggy shaking and tilting and rocking side to side, Charlie’s sobs increasing in volume from inside the compartment. Emily was on her knees now, leaned forward as she tried to grasp the reins that had fallen forward and were draped over the side of the out-of-control horse.

Oh,shit!There was a car in our path ahead, and my horse was going to have to veer left into the horse Emily was currently draped over as she tried to catch hold of the reins, or right where there was—hopefully—just enough room for the horse and buggy to fit between the car and a large brick building. My eyes darted between the man—now leaning toward me, hands reaching for my neck again—to the upcoming car and building.

Instead of leaning away from the man, I leaned toward him, but ducked so his hands came up empty, throwing my body down so that both of our weights were on the right side of the buggy. The horse followed the tilt, racing right around the car, and then with a mighty roar, I stood and used all my strength to sweep the man’s legs out from under him and then push him off the buggy, grabbing on the side as the man was flung out, his yell cutting off abruptly as he hit the side of the building with a loud crunch.

I cringed even as I pulled myself back and quickly clambered into the driver’s seat and grabbed the reins.

I didn’t slow, not yet, but instead steered the horse around another car and then came up on Emily’s right just as she pulled herself up onto the horse, the reins clenched in her fist.Holy fuck.“Hold on!” I shouted. Emily scooted backward as carefully as she was able on a galloping horse attached to a careening buggy.

I looked ahead to see that this street dead-ended in a grouping of trees, and my heart lurched.Come on, Em.I kept pace with her, and if the horses saw the trees ahead, they didn’t make any attempt to slow. They’d likely turn at the last minute and the buggies would tip, all of us smashing into the trees in a heap of splintered wood and cracked bones.

Four hundred feet…

Emily lifted her head to look in front of her, her eyes widening as she began moving more quickly now, losing her grip once and freezing as she gripped the horse and got her bearings.

Three hundred feet…

“You’re good, Em. You’ve got this,” I repeated. She did. I had faith in her. She was going to get control of the horse, I knew she was, even if my heart was beating so hard it felt like it might slam through the wall of my chest. How many games had we played growing up where we’d encouraged each other?Faster! Run! That way!And she’d always come through, the mighty little thing with the skinny legs and will of iron. She’d pushed and pushed, surprising everyone because she was so full of heart that her size didn’t matter.

Emily gave a nod, right before she flung herself forward, landing awkwardly in the driver’s seat, the horse shaking its head in response to the sudden jolt and speeding up again.Shit, shit, shit.

Two hundred feet…

Emily sat up, holding the reins and looking ahead. “Gently, Em,” I said, pulling slightly on my own reins. “Take control. That’s it. They’re tired. They want to stop.”

I pulled harder, but not too hard, and both of our horses went from a gallop to a canter. I glanced over at her and met her eyes, both of us leaning back slightly as we pulled harder.

A hundred feet…

The horses slowed, going from a canter to a trot and I heard Emily let out a sound of relief as the horses bounced to a stop, the trees a mere twenty feet in front of us. For a moment I sat there in stunned shock, blinking at the reins held so tightly in my hands my knuckles were white. Then my head pivoted, and I looked over at Emily, who was already looking at me, her face bright red, eyes shimmering with shock and fear and victory as one emotion after another shifted over her expression.

I propelled my body forward, leaping off the driver’s bench and racing over to her.She was already standing, and I reached up as she practically flew into my arms and I lifted her down, her back against the side of the carriage.

My palms were slick, blood pumping furiously. Heart skittering and slamming as my breath came in rapid pants. I ran my hands over her hair, her face, smoothing her tears away and tracing the tremulous smile on her lips. “You were fucking amazing. God, Em. You did so good. Holy fuck. Come here.” I pulled her to me, and she wrapped her arms around me as well, holding me tight and then running her hands up and down my back as she let out a small sob.

I pulled back and looked at her again. I couldn’t stop taking stock of her, making sure I hadn’t missed some injury or another, ensuring she hadn’t been harmed and I didn’t know it. She was shaking, but also laughing, little bursts of what sounded like shock and awe, and we were both breathing heavy as we ran our hands all over each other. “I was so scared. Oh my God. We did that. Tuck. You and me.”

“We did. You and me.”

“I thought I was going to die for a minute there—”

“But you didn’t. We didn’t. You should have seen yourself, Em. I’ll never forget it.”

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