Chapter b43 /b

bCharlotte /band bVivian /bweren’t bclose /bbto /bbbegin /bbwith/bb, /bbso /bVivian bdropping /bthe act and bditching /bthe fake sweetness bsomehow /bfelt bless /bbawkward /band

more bhonest /bin ba /bbway/bb. /b

bCharlotte /bbegan walking her through the bbasics/bb. /bb“/bbWhen /bbyou’re first /blearning bto /bride, posture bis /beverything. bOnce you’re /bbin /bthe bsaddle/bb, /bsit up straightb./bb” /b

bShe /bhanded Vivian the reinsb. /bb“/bbHere/bb, /bbtry /bbholding /bbthese/bb. /b

b“/bbWe’re /bbgoing /bbto /bstart bmoving /bbnow, /bbso /bbdon’t /bpull bback /bbtoo /bhard. Keep the tension blight/bb. /bThat btells /bbthe /bhorse it’s safe bto /bwalk.”

Vivian bfollowed /bbCharlotte’s /binstructions band /bheld the breins /bbgently/bb. /bSnowbell began walking forward at an easy pace.

b“/bbShe’s /bcalled bSnowbell/b. She’s really gentleb, /bso byou /bbdon’t /bhave bto /bbbe /bbafraid/b.”

b“/bbIs /bthat bso/bb?/b” bVivian’s /bbtone /bwas tb, /bher words oddly bpointed/b. 1

Charlotte didn’t notice banything /bstrange. “Don’t worryb, /bI’m right here. Nothing’s going to happenb./bb” /b

Vivian smiled faintlyb. /bb“/bHow reassuringb. /bThanksb… /breallyb./bb” /b

bCharlotte /bcontinued patientlyb. /bb“/bbIf /bbyou /bwant her bto /bpick bup /bspeedb, /bbuse /bbyour /blower legs to gently bsqueeze /bher sides. That bcreates /bpressureb. /bIt’s how she knows bto /bbgo faster/bb. /b

“The bmore /bpressureb, /bthe faster she’ll go. And when she starts movingb, /bease boff /bbso /bshe knows bto /bbstay /bsteadyb./bb” /b

She nced up. b“/bbGot /ball that?”

b“/bbYeah/bb,/bb” /bVivian replied.

bBy /bbnow/bb, /bthe two bof /bthem had wandered far from the others.

Vivian nced over her shoulder. Sean was nowhere bin /bbsight/b.

Charlotte was still focusedb, /bexining briding /btechniquesb. /bShe waspletely unaware bthat /bVivian’s mind was elsewhereb. /b

Clutched tightly in Vivian’s right handb, /bstill holding the reinsb, /bwas a brooch. One she had deliberately removed and hidden in her palmb. /b

Charlotte bhadn’t /bbnoticed /bba /bthing.

b“/bbSo/bb, /bbhow /bbdo /bbyou /bbfeel/bb?/bb” /bbCharlotte /bbasked /bcasuallyb. /bb“/bbFeels /bkind of amazingb, /bdoesn’t it?b” /b

Vivian responded half–bheartedly/bb, /bb“/bbYeah/bb, /bbnot /bbad.”

“The weather’s bbeautiful /bbtoo/bb./bb” /bCharlotte bsmiled/b, gazing out toward bthe /bsetting sun.

It waste bafternoon /bbnow/b. The bsky was /bbstreaked with /bvivid oranges and breds/bb, /band a bgentle /bbbreeze /bbrolled /bbacross /bthe fields.

Charlotte walked alongside the bhorse/bb, /btaking in bthe /bpeaceful scenery.

bAfter /bba /bwhileb, /bshe saidb, /bb“/bbWe’ve /bbgone /bfar benough/bb. /bLet’s head bback/b.b” /b

Vivian’s blips /bbcurled /binto ba /bcryptic smile.

bCharlotte /bblinkedb, /bunsure what that smile bmeant/bb. /b

And bthen/bb, /bbeverything /bbchanged/bb. /b

bOut /bof bnowhere/b, Snowbell reared and bolted forward in a wild sprint,

Vivian screamed bin /bpanic, bbarely /bholding onto the reins.

bHelp/bb! /bbSomebody /bhelp me!b” /b

Charlotte bfroze/bb, /bstunnedb. /b

What bthe /bbhell /bbjust /bhappenedb? /b

bSnowbell /bwas busually /bcalm and obedient. This waspletely bout /bbof /bcharacter.

bIt /bhad bhappened /bbso /bbfast/bb, /bCharlotte bhadn’t /bhad time to bgrab /bbthe /breins or bstop /bbthe /bhorseb. /b

b1/2 /b

Chunter 43

+25 Bonus

Her bmind /bbnked /bfor ba /bbsecond/bb, /bbthen /bkicked into bgear/b.

She pulled out her phone and bcalled the /bbemergency /brescue team bfor /bthe stables.

bBy /bthe btime /bbhelp /barrived, Vivian had balready /bbeen thrown from the saddle. Her bbody /brolled bacross /bthe bgrass /bbefore bing /bbto /ba bstop/b.

Snowbell was bstill /btearing boff /binto the distanceb, /bbpletely /bout of control.

The brescue /bteam rushed to Vivian’s side and bcarefully /blifted her bonto /ba stretcher.

bSean /band bthe /bbothers /brushed over bbehind /bthe rescue bteam/bb, /bbhurrying /bbto /bcheck on the situation.

The bmoment /bhe saw Vivian lying injuredb, /bSean’s brows furrowed sharply. His bexpression /bturned grim as he cast a heavy nce at Charlotte.

Charlotte bstood /bfrozenb, /bstaring back at him in ba /bdazeb, /bher eyes wide and confused.