Chapter 9
The sun is shining from a clear blue sky and I’m running as fast as I can through the forest, my feet drumming on the path, my chest heaving. In the distance, I catch a glimpse of what I’m chasing—a tall animal with a midnight black coat, running on a path parallel to mine. No matter how fast I run or how hard I try, I can’t catch up.
“Please stop,” I call, my voice scaring all the wildlife in the forest. “I’ve searched for you for so long.”
My heart thunders in my ears, in tempo with the sound of galloping hooves. The path takes a sharp turn, and when I come out of it, the animal is closer, and I can see it properly for the first time.
It’s a horse, with a majestic neck and a long mane flying in the wind. The sunlight makes its coat shimmer more than the surface of the Maide
