Blood & Cinders- Choose your Own Adventure Story

Chapter 17

Isabelle's eyes ran over the same ornate wooden carvings on the outside of the grand double doors to the stables. It smelt of fresh hay and manure. A comforting scent that reminded her of her time back at the family manor.

It had only been a month and a bit since she last set foot here, yet it was a very different atmosphere. Gone were the bonds of master and servant, now simply kindred spirits. She hoped they were friends but had not yet the courage to ask.

Both shackled by this castle, by this curse. She had learned that Adam loathed his form probably more than the frightened humans did. It was part of the reason he kept to himself. A lone wolf. Though Isabelle suspected he had always been the sort to wander solitary.

He opened the doors with a loud crack, a chorus of whinnies greeting them from inside, expectant that someone had come to feed them.

A big black head poked out from the stall on the far right nickering a warm greeting.

"Hello Philip" Isabelle held out her hand for the horse to sniff her, while Adam went into the back room grabbing a saddle and woolen blanket from the back wall where tack was displayed in neat rows.

"It's amazing that he is not frightened by-"

"Me?" Adam finished for her, coming up behind with the tack and letting himself into the stall.

"No. Well, yes. I meant all creatures."

"Most animals are terrified. We lost a good deal of livestock back then. Most are only used for hulling carts and carriages now." His eyes took on a far away look as he spoke, as if he were remembering the horrors. "It's as if they too instinctively know that we are a perversion of nature." He tightened the girth with a snap. The way he spoke of himself made her wince. " It took Philip a few weeks to get used to my new face and several buckets of carrots, but eventually he came around." He gave him an affectionate pat on the neck, "I raised him from a colt myself. The only gift my father ever gave me."

Isabelle ran her fingers through Philips' glossy black mane. "He is a marvelous horse. Very clever." Philip nudged her chest with his nose as if he understood the compliment. He was a large horse bigger than the white mare she had plowed fields with back home. Adam was the size of a very tall man if Philip wasn't as big as he was she doubted he would be able to carry their weight at all. "Yes, such a strong boy you are." She reached us to scratch his muscular neck.

"Why thank you," Adam replied.

"I wasn't-" Isabelle turned to correct him. That she had been talking about the horse, but stopped whence saw his long muzzle curve up to reveal a sharp toothed smile. Was that a jest?

Adam slipped the bit gently into his mouth, careful of his claws as he fastened it over Philip's head.

Philip pawed at the floor.

"Ready?" he asked.

"I know he is," Isabelle chuckled, moving out of the way for him to open the door. She could swear she saw a grin stretch across his long muzzle.

He placed the cloth satchel of food in one of the saddlebags before grabbing her gently around the waist and hoisting her up on the large animal.

"He makes our old plow horse look like a field pony," she mused aloud.

"You must have ridden often as a child. You have a good seat." Adam complimented before swinging himself up behind her. Philip lurched into a brisk walk under the press of his master's heel.

"My father taught me to ride." Isabelle explained, "He would take me out hunting with him. Mother would always worry by the window till we came back."

A low rumble from his chest, like a laugh, vibrated from behind her, tickling her back.