Kean
I wait in line to pay my signup fee anxious to get back to Bree and Cinis. As the season has progressed the competition has gotten fierce and the competitors have gotten desperate; last race two girths were cut and one horse dropped three strides over the line. These men might make and honest living off the sea and earth but they tended to be less than honest on the cliffs in the dark when the old rules of magic are the only rules to play by. Half of the reason I allowed Dunkin to come with me was so I'd have someone to make sure my tack and horse remained unharmed. But he seems to have wandered off in the time it took me to yank Bree out of the way of a rampaging Aughisky.
Connor takes my money wishing me luck.
Ronan grabs my arm as I turn, "Careful tonight, shifty eyes and desperate pockets make for reckless actions," he warns.
I nod in understanding and he lets me go. My head is beginning to hurt from all the different worries pulling it in different directions; there's Marissa causing problems and the racers and the constant pressures of the Sidhe and Ciná. The letter floods back to my mind, after agreeing to let Dunkin come with me I retreated to my office and was finally able to sit down and read the letter, it read;
Kean,
I've got your number little brother. Don't be surprised when I come calling, your time is just about up, I am getting impatient, blood will spill.
• Cináed
My teeth grit together at the memory but I push it aside, I can't have distractions if I'm going to win this race. I start threading my way back through the crowd dodging out of the way of two bays that are ripping at each other's throats. When I reach the other side of them I freeze, my blood turning to ice. I can see Cinis his neck arched curiously, his head cocked to the side and I can see Bree, her back to him as she talks to someone who is walking away from her. While the rune circle prevents Cinis from walking out of it he can move within it something I forgot to mention to Bree. I am too far away, I know I cannot get there in time even as I lunge forward.
Cinis stretches his neck forward his muzzle out as he reaches for her, my shout of warning is lost among the shouts of everyone else. I see it as if it were slow motion as his muzzle touches her back, her laughter cuts off as she jumps and spins around, his ears perk, I freeze again as a scene I never thought I would see unfolds. In her hast to spin around Bree loses her balance, on instinct she reaches out and steadies herself against his cheek, instead of sinking his teeth into her chest as I expect he allows her to find her footing and closes his eyes and presses his forehead into her chest breathing deeply. She freezes her eyes wide her hand still on his cheek and her hair falling over her shoulder, she is at the mercy of a predator and she knows it.
I resume walking over slower than before not wanting to startle him. I put my hand on Bree's shoulder to let her know I am there before I slip my hand between her and him. My rings press against his nose and push him back as I push her behind me. His eyes shoot open and roll back, I get ahold of his reins and slid the rod out of my pocket and snap it against his neck, he rears and the rod lands against his cheek a warning. He drops back to four feet and drops his head and but his muscles are still tense and twitching. I half turn to Bree keeping an eye on Cinis – I trust him less than usual, "Are you alright?"
Her eyes are still wide and her face pale, "Yeah, he didn't hurt me."
I breathe out a sigh of relief. Dunkin steps up to my shoulder with a bright smile on his face, "Where have you been?" I snap quietly.
"Talking to Torren over there, seems to think he's going to win the race. I was setting him straight," he grinned, "And who is this little lady here?" he asks noticing Bree with a look of intense interest in his eyes.
"Breena Rowan," she tells him quietly.
"Thomas Dunkin at your service," he sticks his hand out to shake, "but our friend over here calls me Dunkin."
She grabs his hand to shake, "Nice to meet you Dunkin," she laughs.
"Dunkin why don't you take Bree to the spectator area," I suggest tensely wanting to get them out of the way before the race starts.
As they went over to the relatively safe area Bree muttering something about finding her brother I rub out the runes in the dirt. Cinis is restless and more distracted than usual, I braid an extra white cloth into his mane in beside the usual red one. I do not know why he did not attack Bree but it is a puzzle for another time I need both of our minds on the race. I swing up feeling my mind clear and my body settles with the familiar feeling of Cinis under me and his weight in my hands.
We make it to the line up between a palomino mare and Torren's mare, Cinis is twitchier than usual but as soon as the bell sounds his hooves are eating up the dirt. This is where I feel at home, the wind carding my hair and singing in my ears, the chilly air biting my cheeks and stinging my eyes and Cinis running full speed beneath me. 'Only missing the splashy little mare and her rider trotting along the beach,' a little voice adds but I push it away in favor of finding a way around the wildly weaving Aughisky in front of us.
When we turn for the stretch home Cinis starts to drift, I twist the cloth braided strips of mane between my fingers as I try to hold him straight. But although we are gaining on Torren and his mare and the other two horses in front of us I doubt we'll be able to pull off this run. That is until there is the flash of metal and Torren's saddle slips to the right dumping him on the ground, he rolls into the fall and Cinis manages to jump over him. Torren's mare panics and flies to the left crashing into the rider who cut the girth in the first place. I tuck myself even closer against to his neck giving him his head and whispering in his ear. He blows by the remaining Aughisky in front of us streaking across the finish line wining the fifth race of this Tráth.
It hits me as we cross that this is the first time I've had friends waiting for me at the finish line.
Breena
I weave through the crowd trying to find Declan, Dunkin stays on my heels chattering lightly about the Magic of the island and how amazing it is, "So how long have you lived on the island?" he asks
"All my life," I tell him peering around us.
"How long have you known our Kean Donoghue?" he asks as we find our way to the rope railing.
"Not long, about a month and a half now, we ride on the same beach," cheering breaks out within the crowd and I turn my attention to the cliffs.
Four horses streak towards us; I can make out Cinis and Kean at the back of the pack, Cinis is the largest of the group and his light coat glints in the moonlight, Kean sits astride him blending seamlessly into his mount. I can't exactly make out what happened as one of the riders falls and his horse crashes into another and they tangle running blind for the edge of the cliffs. I turn my attention back to Kean as a roar of approval rises from the crowd, Cinis appears to be gliding over the turf, his hooves eat up the ground breathtakingly fast, Kean's hands are up by Cinis's ears giving him his head as they thunder by their last opponent. They lead by more than ten strides by the time they cross the line.
Kean pulls Cinis into circles to slow him and bring him under control; I let out a whoop at his victory. I duck beneath the barrier jogging over to where Kean is dismounting to congratulate him, though it is my first Race I have a feeling I am now hooked. Dunkin follows me like the puppy dog his personality resemble, the island had gotten into his blood, I will be surprised if he leaves.
"You did it, you won" I exclaim.
He laughs, "I've got a good horse," Cinis still excited from the race blows and prances in place.
Without really thinking about it I leap to hug him, he hesitates a moment before wrapping an arm around me. When he winces slightly I break away remembering his shoulder, we don't meet each other's eye after, a bit of color rises to his cheeks and I can feel hot blood staining my cheeks as well.
He clears his throat and scratches the back of his neck, "I better," he motions to Cinis, "walk him out." He claps his hand of Dunkin's shoulder, "Can you grab his cooler?" Dunkin nods with a small smirk and follows him.
A hand clamps down on my shoulder, I turn and it's Declan, "What are you doing here?" he asks looking ticked off.
I feel the excitement and giddiness drain out of me leaving annoyance in its place, "Looking for you," I snap.
He raises an eye brow, "So who was that," he points over my shoulder to where Kean is throwing a red cooler over Cinis's twitching flanks.
"A friend," I tell him, "Kean Donoghue, we ride together, you met him when I had that concussion."
He looks thoughtful for a moment, "Why don't you invite him to dinner tomorrow night, I'll be home early and I swing by the butcher on the way home and get some good chicken or something."
"Okay," I say slowly a brow cocked in disbelief.
He nods, "Meet me at the truck when you're done I need to collect my winnings from the bet."
I nod in answer and start my way over to Kean making sure to give the sweat lathered Aughiskys plenty of room. I tap his good shoulder, "I found my brother so I'm going to be heading home," I chew on my lip, "but my brother wants you to come for dinner tomorrow if you'd like."
He turns and squints at me for a moment chewing on his bottom lip, "Yeah, I'll see if I can make it."
"Alright then I might see you tomorrow then, congratulations on your win," I tell him turning to Dunkin "Bye Dunkin, I'm sure I'll see you again sometime."
He grins ear to ear and winked at me, "I'm certain we will, I'll be at Allard's for at least the next six months."
I smile back at him and pick my way to the truck by the glow of its headlights and the rumble of its engine.