The Horse Maiden (Pin Hawthorn Love Story)

Chapter 13

Emma's P. O. V:

I wear my short sleeved leopard printed shirt and matching paw print jewellery as I stand next to Zoe and Pin in the back stall with Gaby, Ariel pawing at the ground in front of us.

Wanted posters of the mare have also been put up around the yard. I'd also gotten a new client this morning, about a gray Dutch warm blood stallion owned by a female stable hand at a nearby stable who'd gotten traumatised and severely wounded in a barn fire, which was completely accidental. While the physical wounds had been healed, the mental ones and scars hadn't.

His owner, Amanda Hart, had gone back into the stables to rescue the horses but she'd come out with a burned face as well. Zeus is wild without sedatives and it had worn off earlier, so he's going crazy in his stall right now.

So far, he hasn't let me anywhere near him, and I'd tried talking to Amanda, but she'd refused to come see him. Like Zeus, Amanda's also shut herself out of the world.

Gaby says, "Something's wrong."

I say, gazing at the anxious mare, before resting my left elbow on my hand and chin in it in thought, "I can't figure it out. She's physically fine." I'd just finished examining her with Pin's assistance, but find no physical wounds on her. Ariel is shaking and her tail is really high, but other than that, I can't find anything wrong with her...

Zoe suggests, gesturing to the mare, "Well, maybe she knows there's a price on her head? The whole island is looking for her."

As Ariel nickers, the top stall door opens and Marcus pops his head in. "Hey, is Mia here?" He asks.

I say, "No. what's up?"

Marcus says worriedly, "The training center called and they want me to do my exam today and she's supposed to be riding for me..."

"Today?" Zoe asks worriedly.

"Yup. The examiner's on her way."

Gaby says, stepping forward, "You have to cancel."

Pin tells the Greenbridge, "Ariel's distressed. We can't let any outsiders in until we've worked out what's wrong with her."

Gaby inputs fearfully, "They could report her to the Mayor!"

Looking disappointed, Marcus says, holding up his cellphone, "I'll give them a call back."

Zoe says, making Marcus pause, "Marcus, wait. You're always putting us first and now it's our turn to do the same for you. So, Golden Boy, go out there and ace that exam!" Marcus smiles appreciatively before he closes the door and Zoe turns back to us. "We can handle Ariel. Right?"

We look back at the anxious mare as she shifts and nickers.

Pin says he's going to get some medicine for Ariel and I go to get a lunge rope to do some work on Zeus. I look through a draw for the lunge rope as Pin pulls out a tub with a green lid. He shows it to me and I nod my head in approval.

"Have you heard from Mia?" We turn to the door to see Marcus.

"Mia?" Pin and I echo.

Pin says sarcastically, "Yeah. She called earlier and asked if Em and I wanted to go on a pony trek."

I roll my eyes playfully at my boyfriend as we turn to the Greenbridge.

"Haha," Marcus laughs sarcastically, entering to grab his jacket.

I ask, "Why? What is it?"

Marcus checks his watch as he says worriedly, "My exam starts in ten minutes and she's still not here."