Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 128313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
“Something like that,” I said, and pushed Huxley into a canter. I was riding fourteenth out of fifteenth. Sage was tenth, and Atticus was last. So I got my head down and made sure Huxley was warm and supple. I kept my breaths steady and listened to every instruction Leon gave me.
When the ninth jumper left the practice ring, Sage walked up to me on her way out of the gate. I put my hand on her arm. “Ride strong, babe,” I said, a little mantra we had started as teens. We’d never not said it to one another before a competition.
“You know it,” Sage said, and as I watched her go, I had to blink away moisture from my eyes. Sage and I had been through everything together. To see her walking into the arena on Fefe, Leon giving last-minute instructions as he walked beside them . . . I was so happy for her I could burst.
A collective, “Ooo . . .” suddenly came from the arena. As I looked up, Tristan Meyer from Austria had just knocked down poles on the double, both jumps—eight faults. When his horse, Blueberry Note, refused the next fence, he waved his hand, retiring them both from the course.
This was Blueberry’s first time in a five-star Grand Prix, and clearly the uberchallenging course and packed audience had her spooked. She was only eight. I patted Huxley’s neck and kissed his soft and perfectly groomed mane. “Just keep focused, milord. Ignore the crowd, just listen to me.” Huxley liked me talking to him around the course. If I was ever too quiet in practice, I noticed a dip in his attention, and that’s when he would make mistakes. I would make sure my voice was loud enough to keep him focused.
A round of applause sounded, and I stopped Huxley to watch the big screen. Sage trotted Fefe out into the arena. I smiled in pride. She looked incredible, so confident. Atticus halted Barnaby beside me, eyes glued to my best friend. The announcer read out her name and Fefe’s, and I felt chills break out all over my body.
She was doing it.
We both were.
The horn sounded, and Sage began the course. My body was tense as I watched her clear the first several jumps. Fefe was spritely, nostrils flaring, wanting to storm the course like the crazy mare she was, but Sage kept her steady. I heard the creaking of leather and looked to my right to see Atticus’s hands tightening on his reins. I fought a smirk. He could pretend he wanted to beat her all he wanted, but the way his midnight eyes were glued to the screen, he wanted Sage to soar.
I kind of adored Atticus. I always felt he and I could be good friends, but the truth was, his and Sage’s animosity toward one another had put a wall between us. Sage was my best friend, and as much as she seemed like a tough cookie, Atticus had really hurt her, and she hadn’t been able to move on from it. Sage had to be my priority. But you couldn’t help but like Atticus. He was like an electric heater, being around him made you feel warm.
As Sage approached fence ten, the one with the Liverpool, I could see determination on her face. But as predicted, as soon as Fefe spotted the water, the mare balked, thrashing around, looking for freedom.
“A strong reaction to the water there,” the commentator said. I held my breath as Sage fought with Fefe to get her under control. Fefe did everything in her power on the approach to run out and avoid the fence, but Sage was cool, calm, and collected. She succeeded in getting her over without a refusal, but “That will cost Miller some time on the clock,” the commentator said, taking the words straight from my mouth. Once she was past the Liverpool, Sage calmed Fefe down, and when she cleared the final fence, I couldn’t help but cheer and clap.
“Well played, Miller,” Atticus said under his breath, but I could hear the genuine happiness in his tone. The camera panned to Leon, who was cheering from the viewing point. Sage’s smile was infectious, and she patted Fefe on the neck, leaning down to kiss her. Jasper came on the screen next, smiling as he clapped too, then Leon from the viewing plinth, nodding his head in satisfaction.
She’d done it. Sage had gotten a clear on her first Grand Prix five-star course. The first from Team Knighton to ride, and ride she had!
I waited for her at the entrance to the practice ring. I jumped off Huxley and wrapped my arms around her when she dismounted from Fefe and saw me standing there waiting. “You were amazing, girl!” I said and crushed Sage to my chest.