Accepting Fate - (Slums to Riches, Book one)

Chapter 26

Angelique woke up screaming in pain, curled on Logan's lap, and bunching his shirt in her fists. Her mind went straight to Michael, but she could hear him talking to Andrew near the end of the bed. The pain came from someone else. Even as she thought those thoughts, She cried out in pain as another blow connected with her stomach.

Cook shouted from somewhere much further away. "Logan, you have to get to the stables. Lightning lost his mind."

Angelique shook her head and tried to slide off Logan's lap. "He won't listen to you. I have to go stop him."

"Like hell you do," Andrew shouted. "Your nose was bleeding and your eyes... It looks like someone beat you up and I know no one touched you. Those bruises appeared right in front of our eyes."

"That's why I have to go," she said and pushed away from Logan's chest.

"Then I will take you," Logan said, gathering her into his arms. "Michael, could you get Angelique some sandals from her closet and meet us at the stables. It's behind the ranch directly in front of the house."

Logan didn't wait for any other arguments or Michael's answer. He ran all the way out of the house, down the steps and across the grass patch. Angelique pressed her face against his chest as the wind whistled around them. Three minutes later, they ran around the ranch to the stables. Michael could run the same distance in the same time, but it would take Andrew at least two minutes more.

As soon as they neared the gate in the wooden fence, Logan set her on her feet and vaulted over calling someone named Senior. A young blond man had a whip in his hand. As he brought it down, Lightning reared. It caught across his forelegs. 

"Stop. Both of you. Stop right now!" she shouted, pushing through the gate.

Thunder rumbled as black clouds gathered in the reddening evening sky. She had slept far longer than she intended. Her siblings would need food soon and Michael asked for a cottage-pie.

Logan spun around, eyes wide. "Oh, bloody hell. Not again. Angelique, please don't conjure lightning again."

"I don't know how, do I? Get that idiot to stop hitting Lightning or I'll find a way to send a bolt up his ass."

An older version of the blond man rushed passed them and grabbed the whip out of his hand. "What the hell do you think you are doing?"

"He kicked me. You said he needed to breed with the mare in the third stall next."

A soft whispered cleared into louder words in her mind. "She's too young to breed and it's not breeding season yet. I won't mount a mare unless she is in heat. Meredith already told them that."

Angelique glanced at the stallion and acknowledged him with a discreet nod before turning her attention back to the arguing blonds.

"If you listened to what I said, you would know it is not time yet. I said she is next to breed as soon as she is in heat."

"If I may make a suggestion. Next time you give instructions, perhaps it would be prudent to give a little more details and training. From what I have read, mares usually gestate for a year and foal in spring. It stands to reason, the breeding should start the same time. I can also see two sides to the stables. Maybe he went into the wrong side, because you did not explain that the fillies and colts are on one side and the mares and stallions are on the other side. That may not excuse his behavior, but it does explain it."

Without waiting for anyone to say more on that subject, she reached a hand to the young man's face and allowed the shimmer to run down her arms again. She shivered before releasing it into him, thinking the word 'sana' instead of saying it. Immediately, her own face healed as well.