Page 20 of Oh, Sacred Dark
Tyler went slow as he neared the main house where Connie lived, the barns and fields dotting the background.
“Okay, this is it,” Tyler said unnecessarily as he cut the engine. He looked at Roman through the rearview mirror, but the guy was just sitting there, calm as anything. The spectre of the panicking man on his knees had been exorcised completely.
It made Tyler feel completely off-kilter. He was a leader by nature—was used to taking care of people, to trust his gut in how to do that. Peering at Roman searchingly, there was a silent, invisible thing pinging his instincts he could neither define nor understand.
The day was blessedly cool despite the sun as they stepped out of the car. Tyler knew how unbearable the farm could get during summer. The earth would bake and recycle the sunlight it absorbed all day, so hot it would blister your feet if you were dumb enough to strip your shoes off. It was amazing how the animals tolerated the temperature when they were outside, although Tyler didn’t doubt that was due to how meticulously Connie and her staff cared for them—some of the barns had A/C, for goodness sake.
“Yo. Connie,” Tyler called out loudly.
A moment later, Connie’s front door opened, her head sticking out. “You have a phone, you know. You don’t have to shout at me like a barbarian,” she complained, but there was an easy smile on her face.
Her eyes passed across Roman and Cross, expression lightening even more. “Hey, guys. Roman, didn’t know you were gonna stop by. It’s nice to see you.”
From the corner of Tyler’s eyes, he saw Roman nod his head. A few hours ago, Roman’s lack of verbal greeting would have irked Tyler as rude, but he pushed the instinctual response down, watching how Connie didn’t seem offended.
Maybe Tyler was missing something entirely.
Connie stepped out fully, closing the door behind her. “Okay, so, I gotta talk to you about the whole searching for a new Animal Magic person,” she started, nodding at Tyler. “And Cross, you were wondering about being a hand? I’ve got another guy here you can talk to first without me so you can ask any questions you like, and then we can chat. Sound good?”
Cross nodded. “Thank you. That sounds perfect.”
Connie’s eyes landed on Roman. “You like horses?”
“I’ve…never been around them,” Roman responded in his quiet, monotone voice.
“Okay, well, I can show you the horse barn so you’re not bored. Or were you thinking about working here?”
“I can stay out of the way,” Roman promised.
“You’re not in the way, but you can explore as much as you want,” Connie responded, her tone unusually soft, as if Roman had meant that literally instead of it being a typical figure of speech.
Cross was dropped off with Charlie, the hand, and then Tyler watched as Connie introduced Roman to the horses. “We train them, help owners bond with them for shows and stuff, but this barn is for the old and faithfuls—the horses that got too old to show or race. Here, let me introduce you to Seashell. I think you’ll get along.”
Tyler hung back as Connie walked Roman over to a large, cream-coloured mare that swung her head over the stall door immediately, nuzzling into Connie and then Roman too.
Tyler watched as Roman’s face seemed to…transform. It softened, the corners of his eyes and lips loosening as if he’d been holding on to some pain that had suddenly dissipated. Slowly, he lifted his hand so that Seashell could smell it before stroking it down her face.
It was achingly gentle.
Connie tilted her chin towards the animal. “You want to brush her while Tyler and I talk?”
Roman hesitated. “I’ve never done that. What if I hurt her?” And wasn’t that a weird thing to say? Normally, people were scaredofthe horses, notforthem.
“This big old girl? Not a chance. And I’ll show you how to do it.”
They disappeared into the stall, Seashell standing patiently without bolting for freedom the instant the doors were open like some of the foals would do. Tyler walked over casually so he could look inside. He watched as Roman followed the movement of Connie’s hand as she stroked across Seashell’s flank with the brush, copying her gesture carefully when it was his turn.
“There you go,” Connie encouraged. “You’ve got it. Just go with the direction of the hair, and you’re good. And you can apply a little pressure—she’ll like it.”
“Okay,” Roman replied softly.
Tyler didn’t know why disappointment shot through him as he was forced to walk away with Connie. He felt like he could watch Roman brush Seashell for hours.
“Okay. What have you got for me?” Connie said, and soon Roman’s strange, vibrant aura was forgotten in favour of business that actually needed Tyler’s attention.
By the time they were finished, Cross had wandered over and joined the conversation easily, optimistic about his ability to help out. The pay was fair but not incredible. Without rent or meals to worry about, though, it would be more than enough to live a comfortable life—a big reason many people chose to live in tight-knit covens instead of cities where fending for yourself was the norm.
“I’ll get Roman,” Tyler offered lowly, wanting to catch the other man unaware.
