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Fergal made no reply, but his head was bowed

Karigan left the bridge andhie Fergal and Sunny followed

Karigan could have sworn she heard Fergal say he was sorry, but if he did, the words were not meant for her Some of her tension eased, but it see beyond mere duty in his care of horses were never to be realized Maybe with his background, he’d never be able to genuinely care for horses, never allow himself to care And with his cruel knacker father as his an shook her head

And yet Fergal had been called He had been called to be a Green Rider, which necessitated riding horses Perhaps whatever higher powers existed in the world knew so she did not

Was it just coincidence Fergal was chosen for an errand that included visiting the man who supplied the Green Riders with their horses? Definitely ironic, but coincidental?

She’d experienced too much in her own life to believe in pure coincidence Maybe, justto help Fergal see beyond duty Maybe he’d learn to care Or it could be too ht drive hiether

It was out of her hands, she decided Only Fergal could determine hoould all turn out

“Wait,” Fergal called to her

Karigan halted Condor, and Fergal nudged Sunny up beside theentle with the bit

“Yes?” Karigan asked Was that the shine of tears on his cheeks? It was too dark to tell

“It won’t happen again,” he replied “I–I don’t want to disappoint Captain Mapstone or the king”

Or you, he ht have added

“I know Sunny’s not stupid,” he continued “It’s just…I don’t kno to be”

“Listen to your heart,” Karigan said

“I just hear my da”

“He’s far, far away, Fergal He can’t tell you how to think or feel now You are a Green Rider, and we are your family You don’t have to be the knacker’s son if you don’t want to be”

Fergal fell into thoughtful silence and again they set off, at last coan noted Fergal patting the mare’s neck as they crossed, and the last of her tension eased, allowing her to settle into a kind of peace

In the dark, Karigan feared she would n, a cairn at a junction of three trails She need not have worried, however, as the pile of stones was enormous and it was topped by a flat-faced rock with a horse painted in white and an arrow pointing the way

“We’re almost there,” she said

“Good I’al continued to feel remorse for his earlier behavior, she could not hear it in his voice, unless he sounded just a little too chipper