“These beasts are better than most men.” Barrow laughed.
“That they are,” Ian said. “That they are.”
Barrow led Ember into the stable while Ian returned to forking through a mound of hay. The stables were spacious and airy. Sweet and musty scents mingled in each breath Ember drew. As they walked the wide path between the stalls, snorts and whickers sounded. Heads stretched over the stall doors and large eyes kept watch over them. A sudden banging against wood accompanied by a bellow made Ember jump.
The bellow came again.
“I see you, Toshach,” Barrow called. “Have patience.”
Ember saw a finely shaped head with ears flicking back and forth reaching over the barrier. The animal resembled a living shadow. In the dim light of the stable its black coat revealed a violet undertone. The horse tossed its mane and snorted, fixing them with a startlingly intelligent gaze.
Barrow glanced at her. “I suppose introductions are in order.”
Ember followed him to where the horse continued to bow its strong neck, straining to be free of its confines.
“Easy.” Barrow went to the horse confidently. The dark creature blew into Barrow’s outstretched hand and bent forward when the knight reached up to scratch behind the horse’s ears.
“Ember, meet a dear friend,” Barrow said. “He’s called Toshach.”
She edged forward, looking up at the horse’s large head. “He’s yours?”
At the sound of her voice, Toshach abandoned the bliss of having his ears scratched and snorted. The giant head moved toward her. Ember turned up her palms and let the horse take in her scent. He mouthed at her fingers playfully and then tossed his head, not finding a treat hidden for him within her grasp.
Barrow nodded his approval. “He likes you. And to answer your question, I could hardly call a creature with this one’s spirit mine. But we fight together. I owe him my life many times over.”
Ember watched as Barrow returned to greeting the horse. Having satisfied his curiosity over who this new visitor was, Toshach gave his full attention to the knight, pressing his huge head against Barrow’s shoulder. The horse banged against the stall door again.
“All in good time, my friend.” Barrow laughed. “We must find Ember a suitable mount first.”
Ember’s heart seemed to flip in her chest. Of course she’d expected she’d ride, but she’d never had a horse of her own. Her sister, Agnes, was afraid of horses, and Ember had endured the effects of that fear by spending far too much time in carriages that kept Agnes at a distance from the huge beasts.
“Take a walk to the far end of the stables,” Barrow said, nodding toward the long stall-lined building she had yet to explore. “All the claimed horses are here, but those without riders have stalls in the back of the building. I’ll find you shortly.”
“What am I supposed to do?” she asked.
Barrow’s attention was focused on Toshach, who had made a game of trying to steal the knight’s cloak.
He didn’t look at her when he said, “It will become clear to you as it happens.”
Ember almost stomped her foot as she turned to walk away from her teacher, but she knew it wouldn’t do any good. Barrow’s idea of instruction apparently pivoted on frustrating her and forcing her to figure everything out for herself. Stewing in her own temper, she was vaguely aware of horses watching her as she moved down the long hall, feeling aimless. Perhaps she’d be better off finding Ian and asking him what she was supposed to do. She was about to turn around to seek out the stable hand when a brief, high-pitched whinny sounded so close it made Ember trip over her own feet.
Regaining her balance, Ember whirled to see liquid brown eyes fixed on her. The horse’s gaze was sharp and bright; its head was tilted and bobbed as it watched her. The horse snorted and chomped its teeth. Ember couldn’t shake the sense that it was laughing at her.
With her hands on her hips, Ember faced the horse.
“You think it’s funny to frighten someone?” she asked, somewhat surprised she was speaking to the horse. “What if I’d fallen?”
The horse flicked its ears at her and suddenly bowed its head. Ember laughed, taking a few steps toward it. The horse glanced at her, then made a deeper bow, straining down over the door of its stall. When Ember was close enough, the horse blew out a long breath, pushing its velvet-soft nose against the back of her hand.
“Very well,” Ember said, and began to stroke the horse’s nose. “You’re forgiven.”
The horse lifted its head and looked directly into her eyes. Its coat had been groomed to a burnished gleam, an ocher that resembled Ember’s own fiery tresses. The horse had no markings that she could see, just this rich shade, deep as a sunset, coloring the beast from head to tail.
“You’re a lovely one, eh?” she whispered, taking the horse’s face between her hands. The horse stood very still, happily accepting Ember’s light fingers on its nose, ears, and neck. “Do you have a name?”
“It’s Caber.”
Ember jumped back at the sound of Barrow’s voice. He’d approached quietly, not drawing her notice. Now he was watching her, a look of surprise and interest playing over his face.
A sharp snort drew Ember’s gaze back to the horse. Caber glared at Barrow for a moment and then threw a pleading look at Ember. Without thinking, Ember went to the horse and resumed stroking its soft nose. Caber whickered his pleasure, sparing Barrow a stern glance before pressing his head against Ember.
She sensed when Barrow moved beside her but kept her gaze on Caber. A low sound came from Barrow’s throat, followed by words:
“I wasn’t expecting this.”
“Is something wrong?” Ember looked at him, and Caber snorted.
Barrow shook his head, smiling at the horse. “Don’t worry, boy, I’m not going to take her from you.”
He looked at Ember. “How much experience do you have with horses?”
Though she briefly considered lying, Ember said, “Very little.”
“I thought as much.” He reached out to touch Caber’s bowed neck. Ember winced at his easy dismissal of her skills as a horseman. “Though I’m sure through no fault of your own.”
“My sister fears horses,” Ember said. “And my father thought it best to keep both of his daughters away from the stables.”