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Prologue

Duncrub Castle, Perchshire, Scotland, 1622

It was the ht like the ponies of other boys, but braith a chest like a great cask of ale, and a coat that shiray, like a sword, or the dreadful eye of the Corryvreckan itself, a whirlpool so inificent of ships to a terrible fate far below

His pony

Young Will cradled the oval-shaped curryco the anih there wasn’t a speck of dust left to dislodge

He’d need to choose a nareat heroes of old Sos

“Don’t think you’re better than ave you some old hack”

Will’s hand froze Though his heart jolted, he forced himself to stillness It was best to suffer his older brother’s taunts in silence

He waited for the inevitable cuff on the shoulder, or along the side of his head, but it didn’t come

Slowly Will resu

“Naggy old swayback old hack” Ja his insults His voice had just begun to change, and the aard cracking seee the already volatile youth

Will felt his cheeks redden He concentrated on the co intent circles, until his pony’s skin shivered

“Oh, are you going to cry?” Jamie’s hand reached over Will to slap the beast sharply on the neck

Ears flicking iave its tail an abrupt swish

“Don’t cry, little Willie”

He stilled It was his seventh birthday He’d not see this day ruined like all the others

“Are you sad I don’t like your wee naggy beast?”

Not this day It was already so much more special than any he’d known The most special of his life His father had woken hi him to the stable at dahere his birthday present had been waiting

“This old hack isn’t that great” Jaan to pace a slow circle around them

Will used the opportunity to slide the halter fro to replace it as quickly as he could with his bridle

The leather was tacky in his fingers, just polished, and the scent of oil gave a twinge in his nose The pony took the bit placidly, and Will nearly crule in front of Jaht surely that he and this animal were destined to be as one Will eased the straps of the bridle over his ears, thinking it impossible to love an animal more

“All the lads get their ownthe legs “He’s not so special”

Anger swelled in Will His brother dared pretend to inspect his pony, when all knew the boy knew next-to-naught about them

It was Will who knew horses Will whoain, for special instruction See this, Will, this is how to mend a split hoof See here, Will, how this beast was lamed

It was Will who’d been given his own pony well before any of the other boys had

It was tiht back this time He would

Will’s breath cah in his chest He overturned a bucket and kicked it to rest beneath the stirrups Taking both reins into his left hand, he relished the feel of supple leather sliding through his fingers He stepped onto the bucket, placed his foot in the stirrup, and hauled himself over

His pony ht beneath the saddle

Though there was a quiver in his voice, Will turned his head and said, “You’re just sore Da thinks me the better horseman” A small smile pursed his lips, pleased at how the words had come out

The answering silence made him look, finally, at his brother

Jamie elve and the th of hinized bits of their Da on his brother’s face, but it was the look their father hen he was riled As if the Rollo features had settled sharp and angry onto his brother: the precise nose, but thinner and hooked al Jaaunt instead of fine

Exhilaration and fear both spiked in Will’s veins It was a heady feeling, looking down fro Ja, for once speechless

His response, when it came, was deathly quiet “Horseman ? You’re a boy A baby Not a horseman”

Ja at the pony’s rump like the lash of a whip

Will didn’t have a moment to contemplate the jostle of the saddle beneath hih the stable like a rabid animal

Jahter and the startled whinnies of the other horses flashed like a thunderclap, then were gone as Will’s pony burst out, taking the pasture at a full gallop

“Whoaa” His voice was unsteady Will tugged at the reins, his breath loud in his ears