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"Meddling," I answer, because it’s an answer that is difficult to argue with I look back at the boy at the counter He turns then, so he’s in profile, and suddenly, I think I know hi about his expression and his wind-torn hair o thump thump stop

"Puck Connolly," says the oldat hinore "Who is he?"

"Lord, that’s Sean Kendrick," the oldthe name Like a bit of history you’ve been told a few times in school but don’t quite need to recall "No one better than hi the horses He rides every year and I reckon he’s the one to beat Always is But he’s got one foot on the land and one foot in the sea You steer clear of hih I don’t know at thethe na shtly, I think, like she’s proving a point I can’t hear what she says, but I can’t stop watching as he leans slightly toward her, uncrossing his arers as he speaks He has two fingers held up and he presses the the I can tell that he, for one, is not in love with Peg Gratton I wonder if it’s because he doesn’t know that she could cut his heart out neat or if he does know and is just uni turns around with the chalk and stretches all the way up and I see now that the space just underneath JOCKEYS was left there intentionally, because she doesn’t hesitate as she writes Sean Kendrick at the very top of the list above everyone else There are a fehoops fro his name Sean Kendrick doesn’t smile, but I see him nod to her

One of the other men pulls him aside to talk and the line uts do a s if it’s nerves or the pressing heat of all these bodies that’s ht-headed Another step up

My stomach is an ocean of trouble as thesmiles at me, like she smiles at everyone She doesn’t look scary at all She looks plain and friendly "Hi, love, what do you need? You’ve picked quite a night to come out"

I realize that she thinks I’m here for meat I feel n up, actually"

Peg’s smile remains in place, but it’s like a picture of a s on her face instead It is utterly motionless and her eyes don’t n up He wanted ainst it"

She es in a whole neay I try not to sound frantic as I lean across the bloodstained counter And right after that I realize that she knew all along what I was here for and still asked e how I’ of her, but I can’t, because she still looks just plain and friendly "There’s no rule, is there? There isn’t any reason I can’t"

"There’s no rule, and I told hione and suddenly I can i out my heart, in a hard, blank way that means she wouldn’t even notice the blood "What would your parents think? Have you thought this through? People die, love I’a else I’ve heard all day It’s not even relevant I give her the fierce look I practiced in the h I want to add er, and I don’t let hs, picks up the chalk, and turns to the board She starts to write a P and then rubs it out with the pad of her hand She glances back at me "I can’t remember your real first name, love"

"Kate," I say, and I feel like everyone in Skar at my back "Kate Connolly"

There are moments that you’ll remember for the rest of your life and there are moments that you think you’ll remember for the rest of your life, and it’s not often they turn out to be the sa Gratton turns around and chalks my name on the list, white on black, I knoithout a doubt, that it’s an iet

When she turns back around, one of her eyebrows is raised "And your horse’s name?"

"Dove," I say The word comes out too quiet I have to repeat it

She writes it down, no questions asked, but of course -- ould she doubt that Dove is a capall uisce?

I chew

"It’s fifty, Puck," she says "To enter"

I feel a little ill as I dig the coins out of h, but then I find theto buy flour I hold it out, not releasing it into her waiting hand

"Wait," I say I lean across the counter, voice low "Are there, uet disqualified and lose the fifty, I really will be sick "About the says, "You want a rule sheet?"

She has to look for it I feel like everyone is staring at my name on the board while she does When she offers it to me, a rumpled piece of paper, I scan the front and back There are only two lines about the horses: Jockeys must declare their mount by the end of the first week at the Scorpio Festival riders’ parade Swapping ofat all, but there’s nothing Nothing to say that I can’t enter Dove