Page 23 of My Queendom for a Horse

He still won’t budge.

“What?” I ask. “I’m sorry, but I don’t speak horse. I get that you’re mad, but I have no idea why or what about.”

He steps toward me, bumps me with his nose and then tosses his head toward the saddle again.

“You want me to ride you?”

He bobs his head.

“You’re saying yes?”

Again.

“Uh, well, if I’m being honest, it feels weird now.” Actually, it feels kind of dirty somehow. “I’d rather not.” I turn to walk along again, but he still won’t so much as budge. I turn back around and sigh. “I don’t want to, okay? I know you now, and not as a horse. I would never ride a person like that.” Images come to mind of riding the naked man from a few minutes ago, in the mud for some reason, and I shake my head to clear it.

Shame on you, Kris.

He picks up his left hoof and then puts it down one inch ahead of where it was. Then he does the same thing with his right hoof. He then does the same with his left and right rear hooves. He starts again with the front, inching ahead.

“You’re going to move like a snail now?”

He bobs his head.

“Why?”

He snorts. He bumps my arm with his nose and huffs. Then he moves his hooves again, very, very slowly.

“Me? I’m slow? That’s what you’re saying?”

Head bob.

“I’ll have you know that I was jogging, and I’m pretty fast, actually. I’m in good shape.”

He tilts his head to one side, clearly unimpressed.

“Oh fine, if you insist.” I tighten the saddle. “Now, don’t blow out your belly. When horses do that to keep the saddle from being uncomfortable, it makes it loose. I could slide off and die.”

He exhales gustily, and I pull the saddle a few inches tighter. I use a nearby tree stump to help slide my foot into the stirrup and swing what feels like fifty feet up to his back. “Fine, I’m on now, so let’s go.”

I don’t have to tell him twice. He shoots off toward home, flying over each jump we pass on the way. I should feel guilty, but once we get moving, I don’t.

I’m having too much fun.

That’s why I’m beaming when we finally get back, zooming into the meadow just behind the arena. I pull Obsidian up short and lean over his neck. “Now, listen. No one else can know, because I’m struggling to believe this, and I saw it with my own two eyes. And don’t forget your promise to be on your best behavior, even to the grooms and stable boys. Got it?”

He bobs his head.

“No more leaping fences, or banging on the wall, or snapping at anyone, okay?”

He snorts and leans down to snag a late blooming dandelion. He’s munching on that when I notice someone waving at us from near the stable.

I’d almost forgotten about Sean. Again.

I’m so muddy. Maybe he’ll give me a pass on lunch.

“I’m going to hand you off to a groom, okay?” I urge him forward slowly. “They’ll make sure you get cooled down and then put you in the stallion pasture.”

He shakes his head. Not the bob I’ve grown accustomed to. A side-to-side shake.

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