Leaving the Horse

Chapter 9

Despite my thoughts, Grace asked, "do you want to try? I can put your boots back up two sizes and you can give it a go."

"No," I replied quickly, "I'd rather not, thank you."

Grace didn't push the subject any further.

Just then I remembered what I'd been waiting to hear about. "So what's my punishment for today? I know Jonah was furious."

Grace's smile faded. "Yeah, Jonah was furious. But that was because he was scared for you. He was shaken by the idea that they might have hurt you. I was nervous about that too, to be honest," Grace admitted. "But he went to the meeting with Josh and explained to Lord Heath that your issue was medical related. So you had better start acting like a horse again."

"I was! I mean I am!" I said immediately.

"Were you? I'd say you had a lot of clever moves out there to be acting totally horse. A horse wouldn't have done that for a friend."

I turned at the new voice. Jonah had just walked in.

Oh crap, I'm going to get it now.

"But we will talk about that later. What I need to tell you is-"

Grace interrupted Jonah quickly and said, "I'm sorry Jay, I didn't know that Josh was with Jonah when I asked him about your future here," Grace began.

"What?" I gasped. "He knows?" I didn't know what I would do. Being the son of the Lord, he could easily report me and I'd be killed! How will I get out of this one?

"Calm down, Jauda," Jonah said.

"No! Tell me! What does he know?" I was sure the news was going to make me flinch. I prepared for the worst mentally as Jonah opened his mouth.

"Josh heard Grace ask me how Jauda was. Luckily Josh only interpreted your name, because then he turned to me and demanded to know if Jauda was here. I couldn't lie this time because he would have known so I said you were, that you were boarding with family just outside the castle and that I visited you daily. I..."

"What?" I asked thickly.

"I told him the reason I covered for you to not travel with us was because you were too shy to talk to him. That you liked him. I told him that-"

"WHAT?" I shouted. I don't know what is worse. Josh knowing I liked him and having to play two different lives or exiling myself.

"I told him that you would meet him tomorrow at noon!" Jonah finished loudly.

"WHAT?" I was speechless. I didn't know what else to say.

"And you have better show up otherwise he will be questioning me, and knowing him; he won't stop until he finds out the real truth about where you’re really staying!"

I shook my head furiously. "YOU COULDN'T COME UP WITH ANYTHING BETTER TO LIE ABOUT? ANYTHING?"

"No! Stop yelling, goodness gracious, you will wake up the whole castle!"

I shut up at that thought. "I can't face him Jonah. I want a normal horse life now. I can't play two lives."

Jonah sighed. "You will have to pick one eventually but what's wrong with talking to him? You can experience what it's like to be human and you won't even be committed to it."

I sighed, angrily.

"Look," Jonah said quickly, "if you act shy and like you actually do like him tomorrow at noon, I'll stop bothering you about how you’re meant to be human."

"And about the stupid destiny stuff?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"Yes," confirmed Jonah. "Just get through this last lie and I'll be done with convincing. I promise."