Auras-Book One

Chapter 30

                I slowly approached Shadow Caster's stall, bridle in hand.  She watched me, a little wary, but I could see her curiosity winning over, and she stuck her head over the door and whinnied.  I grinned at her, as I leaned forward and placed my hand on her cheek.  She nuzzled into me for a moment, then tossed her head towards the bridle.  I opened her stall door and stepped inside.  She knew exactly what to do, and it only took me a few minutes to get her ready for the ride.  I could sense the excitement coursing through her as I led her out of the stall.

                Dustin was already waiting for me outside of Amaretto's stall.  "Will he be okay with you?"  I gestured towards the beautiful, dark brown gelding.

                Dustin smiled and nodded.  "We had a conversation, and we're good."

                I pulled myself up on Shadow Caster's back and took the reins.  "Where should we go?"

                "Savannah said there's a stream a few miles east of here, and I figured we could check it out."

                "I'll follow you."  I watched as he turned Amaretto towards the stable doors and urged him into a trot.  Shadow Caster didn't need any encouragement, and she took off after Dustin, her hooves pounding the ground like rain on a tin roof.

                The sun was shining as we led our mounts east, towards the stream.  It felt amazing to be riding again, and I was overcome by happy memories of my childhood.  I never felt freer than when I was flying in the wind on the back of a beautiful horse.  I cleared my mind and tried to focus on the task at hand, steering Shadow Caster around bends and under tree branches.

It took merely a half an hour to reach the stream, which was surrounded by low hanging willows.  We dismounted and tethered the horses to a tree before laying lazily along the bank, dipping our toes in the warm water.

"Katie, I know we didn't get the vacation we wanted, but while we're here, we can still enjoy ourselves."  Dustin leaned in for a kiss.  "I got you something."

"Oh, Dustin, please tell me you didn't have Savannah enchant anymore jewelry for me."  I teased him.

"No, this jewelry isn't enchanted."  He pulled a box from his pocket.  "It's just a small symbol of the love I feel for you, and the gratitude that I don't always know how to express." 

I took the box and opened it.  Inside was a ring with a large solitary diamond.  "Dustin."  I breathed.  "It's beautiful."

"I know we haven't been together for very long, but I can't imagine my life without you.  I've searched the world for my one true love, the person who would complete me in that perfect way, and there was never anyone until you.  I love you, and after all this craziness is over, I want you to be my wife."  He slipped the ring on my ring finger, and brought my hand to his lips.  "I've never felt this way before, and I want you with me forever."

I held my hand up and marveled at the beautiful sparkling stone.  "Dustin, I really love it."  My heart was pounding.  I knew I loved him, but sometimes I worried that our Link was enhancing what we already felt.  Were we really this head over heels for each other, or was the Link pushing us together?  "I love you so much, but do you ever think that maybe the Link has influenced our feelings?"

He glanced up at me, a hurt look in his eyes.  "You think I only love you because we are Linked?"

"That's not what I mean, exactly."  I began. 

"Then what do you mean?"

I sighed.  "Before the Link, I had never felt emotions this intense.  But with you, it's truly like life or death.  I don't want to make the mistake of rushing into something this important if there's a chance that the Link is influencing our feelings."  I struggled to make him understand.  "Sometimes our intensity scares me."