B0161NEC9Y (F) by K.F. Breene

going to pay us to take these animals after we’re through here.” Sanders stepped closer to the stall.
    Without wasting any time, Shanti sauntered into the small area, thoroughly aware that this horse was twice her size, much stronger, and had more hard surfaces with which to hurt her. She didn’t care. This bastard would not get one over on her. She’d already put up with too much crap where it was concerned. There was no way she was going to let it off easy by spending its life knocking up mares. If she couldn’t hang around and have sex all day, neither could it. Fair was fair.
    “ You’re coming with me, you bloody bastard! ”Shanti said in her native tongue, ready for action.
    It neighed at her, shaking its head.
    “ Now. Are you going to play nice? ”She reached out to pet its neck.
    It neighed again, and this time, it threw out a hoof. She jumped out of the way just in time.
    “Oh!” Gustov yelled. “Watch out!”
    “ You get one more chance to be nice, and then— ”She narrowly dodged another hoof. The horse kicked behind, banging against the stall.
    “ Enough is enough! ”Shanti punched. Her fist connected with its cheek. “ Knock it off or I’ll buy you just to make a stew out of you! ”
    The horse gave its weird equine growl, a sound unlike any other horse she’d ever heard. It stomped.
    She lifted her eyebrow, and then reached out again.
    Another stomp.
    “Careful…” Gustov cautioned.
    Shanti’s palm touched the horse’s dirty neck. Then, slowly, remembering when this horse had let her hug its neck for comfort, she lightly placed her palm on its nose. The horse bobbed its head and blew out a breath, but he stilled. Shanti touched his nose again. After a moment, she rubbed.
    He remembered her.
    In a soft voice, she said, “ I need an animal I trust on the journey ahead of me. Will you be that animal? ”
    “What is that tongue she speaks?” Gustov drew out his words suspiciously.
    “Never you mind about that,” Sanders said, losing interest in Shanti and walking down the line. “What other stock have you got?”
    Gustov stared at Shanti for a moment longer. When she glanced at him, she saw a flicker of realization. His eyes widened, but he didn’t say a word. Instead, he hurried after Sanders.
    In confusion, she watched him go.
    Shanti took her hand away from the horse and stepped back. When the horse took a step, she backed out of the stall and closed the lower half of the door. The Bastard put his head over the barrier, allowing her to pet its nose one last time. If she let him, he’d probably follow her back to the inn. If he were human, he’d probably grumble the whole way.
    “He’ll be fine,” Shanti said to Cayan.
    “Good. Sanders?” Cayan waited for Sanders to glance up from the other end of the stables. “Take care of this.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “I’ll send Tobias and the boys over to help move the animals.”
    “Yes, sir.” Sanders turned back to the horse. “Now this one is seriously lacking. I hope you don’t want much for it—”
    Shanti felt Cayan’s warm hand on her back. “Let’s get back.”
    “I thought you were worried about having enough gold?” Shanti asked in a low voice, hoping Rohnan had finished getting them rooms.
    “Sanders seemed confident. He’ll make it work.” They walked in silence for a moment before Cayan said, “That stable master had a strange reaction to your eyes.”
    “You noticed. He must’ve heard about me, but he didn’t say anything. That hasn’t happened before.” The uncertainty started to niggle Shanti again. “And if he knew I was Chosen, he would’ve known you are, too. Yet he never gave you a second glance.”
    “I don’t like this, mesasha. There was a large battle in this town only a few months ago. There was a huge battle in the Shadow Lands shortly after. Things are changing, but that isn’t reflected in this town. Why?”
    Shanti should’ve told Cayan about what she suspected, but even if she