Burning Desire

Chapter Thirty-Four

{ A/N – just a lil disclaaaaimer.....i don't know anything about medicine or veterinary practises or chemical compounds or legal implications so i'm sorry if any of this is factually incorrect, but i tried to keep it as accurate as possible. please vote, comment n enjoy }

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Cold, icy panic paralysed the blood in my veins, yet perspiration formed on my palms instantly. I practically shoved the vet out of the way to peer over the stable door. Inside, Brenna's legs struggled to hold her weight and sweat coated her neck as shivers racked her body. She staggered, throwing her weight against the wall. My sleek, elegant, flashy four-star Warmblood looked in even worse condition than she had when she'd first arrived at Belmont Equestrian Centre. After everything we'd been through together and all the effort I'd invested into our partnership, it felt like the mare, and my dreams, were turning to dust in my hands. Yet again.

"I was staying late to finish off some paper-work," Donna began to explain. The panic in her voice had evaporated, leaving the warm, motherly tone that managed to seep some comfort into me slightly. "But you know how hopeless I am at it, so I gave up and decided to check the yard before locking up for the night. That's when I noticed Brenna in such a state – she was on the floor when I found her."

"Miss Evans, I understand that you are the main rider and carer of this horse?" the vet inquired in a clipped tone.

I nodded tersely, unable to tear my eyes away from Brenna yet the sight of her burning my pupils, my heart, my dreams.

"And have you noticed any symptoms recently?"

I finally tore my gaze away, blinking at the vet in shock. "Not at all. She was completely fine when I rode her earlier this afternoon, and was her usual self when I put her away for the night."

"She wasn't off her food or anything?"

"Not at all."

"Do you have any idea what could've caused the mare to deteriorate so quickly, in that case? A new food which she may have had an allergic reaction to? Exposure to poisonous plants?"

"No part of her routine has been changed recently," I answered. Then my mind, sluggish with panic and fear, crawled back to the feed room earlier this evening; Annabel's bitter smile as she handed me Brenna's food, the metallic scent in the air, Brenna's hesitance before eating it. I turned to Donna. "Donna, did you ask Annabel to prepare the food for the horses earlier?"

She shook her head blankly. "No. I haven't spoken to Annabel all day."

The panic fused into an inferno of anger; as if there was a dragon buried in the pit of my stomach, breathing fiery rage into my bloodstream. Tears burned threateningly behind my eyes. Annabel would stop at nothing in order to sabotage my attempts at making my dreams come true.

"She..." my voice escaped breathlessly; the fire from the dragon had caused smoke to rise up my throat like bile and suffocate my words. "She told me that you asked her to make all the horses' feeds earlier, including Brenna's. There was a strange smell coming from it, but I didn't question it."

"Are you...are you suggesting that Annabel poisoned Brenna?" Callum said, his voice thick with anger too.

"It wouldn't surprise me," I replied bitterly.

"Madison! I'd appreciate it if you didn't jump to conclusions about other riders – about your colleagues. We have no proof that Annabel would do such a thing," Donna defended.

"Actually, Mrs Wilson, we do have some evidence. Poisoning seems to be the most logical explanation behind Brenna's symptoms," the vet reasoned.

"What exactly are those symptoms?" Callum inquired.