Page 5 of My Queendom for a Horse

Nothing’s okay.

If we lose, I lose everything. My life savings, my family farm.

Maybe even Five.

Tears stupidly well up in my eyes. As we clear the sixteenth fence on a downhill incline, Obsidian’s three full horse lengths ahead. Even if Finn screws up, we can’t catch him.

I’ve lost.

Everything.

Then inexplicably, with one fence to go, Obsidian slows. Finn’s whipping him, but it doesn’t seem to matter. Five and I race alongside him. Five pulls around on the outside, clears the last jump, and puts on every bit of speed he has. We fly past Obsidian, and I swear he bobs his head at me when we pass him to win by a nose.

Obsidian pulled back and let us win.

I’m sure of it.

A horse let me win. A horse just granted us a stay of execution.

I can hardly hear myself think for all the cheering, the loudest of which is coming from my father. The world feels crazy and confusing, but when I see his smile, I know everything’s okay.

2

“That was incredible.” Sean’s dragging a wreath of roses toward me that’s even larger than the winner’s wreath already hanging around Five’s neck. “I haven’t seen a race that flawless in a decade or more.” He’s beaming from ear to ear.

He looks his best when he’s smiling.

“Thanks.” I don’t try to stop him from setting the wreath around Five’s neck, though my pretty boy’s eyes roll a bit when yet another huge flower-laden wreath goes around his neck.

“You did it.” Dad pats my boot. “That was just amazing.”

I’m not so distracted by the congratulations that I don’t notice the tongue-lashing my friend Finn’s taking a dozen paces away. “—the crop. I told you he hates it.”

“All horses hate it at first,” Finn says. “It’s your job as trainer to—”

Obsidian’s dancing around like he’s auditioning for Riverdance. No one’s paying enough attention to his frustration. They’re just arguing among themselves, and it worsens with the arrival of Rickets.

“Absolutely unconscionable,” he shouts. “There’s no reason we shouldn’t have won that race. You pulled him back.”

“Kris,” Sean says. “Earth to Kris.”

But I can’t seem to pry my eyes away from Obsidian Devil. He looks furious, like he’s about to chuck Finn off and trample his owner. Not that I’d care much about Rickets being trampled, but I’m sure that won’t result in anything good for the gorgeous stallion, either.

And then he looks up at me and my eyes lock with his.

We both freeze.

It’s like I can’t hear or see anything else. Just that big, bold stallion, and the furious pounding of my heart. In that moment, I’ve never wanted anything more than I want that horse.

Only, it’s not like he’s for sale. And even if he was, I can’t afford him. I can barely afford to make the first balloon payment so we can keep the farm. And all that does is delay our troubles. Three more huge payments are looming on the horizon.

“Here.” John takes Five’s reins and gestures for me to climb down. They’re already prepping for the next race of the day, the work crews sweeping through to clean up and shift the jumps.

Nothing slows down around the racetrack for long.

It’s one of the things I’ve always loved about it. But not today. Today, I’m dreading having to talk to Sean. And I’m still furious with my dad for calling him.

“I don’t need your help,” I practically spit, the second my feet hit the ground. “Besides. I’m sure the perfect Clara would be livid if she knew you were here.”

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