Laci was already standing and pacing around when Chase and Gabriel came into her room. Gabriel set down her breakfast on the table, while Chase went right up to her and ran a hoof through her mane. She threw her head up and stepped away from him, snorting fearfully. He didn’t miss a beat.

  “Morning, Laci! Eat up. You’ve got a big day today,” Chase told her.

  Nathan knocked on the open door behind them. “Chase? I’ve got some updates for you about what we discussed yesterday.”

  Chase whipped his head around. “Is it good news?”

  “No.”

  Chase groaned and marched out toward the hall, but paused in the doorway. “Gabriel, can you make sure she eats that? I’ll be back.”

  Gabriel nodded, and looked up at Laci. She didn’t appear interested in eating anything other than horseflesh. He felt a piercing headache coming on, and put a hoof to his forehead, grimacing. Ashley’s magic went to work on him.

  “Relax. Nothing’s wrong,” Ashley lulled. “The more you fight me, the more it will hurt. Just calm down.”

  Back in the house, she was sitting on the bed, legs folded, eyes sharp with deadly focus. Greg sat before her, holding her hoof to ground her.

  “Did you find him?” he asked.

  “Yes. He just needs to let his guard down. Laci’s supposed to be eating breakfast, but she knows it’s chock full of sedatives,” she answered.

  “Do what you can to get her to eat. Orion will need all the help he can get,” Greg said. “Remind her that he’s coming.”

  Gabriel slowly put his hoof out toward Laci, and approached her carefully. “Easy. You’re alright.”

  She lowered her head for a moment, and pressed it against his hoof. She let out a long, steady breath.

  “It’s okay. Orion is coming,” he whispered, rubbing Laci’s forehead gently.

  Sultan whined and circled her, skin twitching and shivering with energy. His bloody nostrils flared, eyes dark, sweating bullets. Laci’s right ear was turned to Gabriel, but her left was stuck sideways, swiveling around and tracking Sultan. Her skin felt hot to the touch.

  “Laci, you need to eat. Orion is going to help you. You’ll be home soon,” Gabriel said, leading her to the table.

  She smelled her breakfast cautiously. Sultan hissed at her, and she jumped back. Gabriel took a lock of her mane and held her steady.

  “Laci, look at me. I need you to ignore Sultan right now. Everything will be fine,” Gabriel whispered.

  He started humming a familiar song to her, one Ashley remembered she liked. She finally gave in, biting ravenously as Sultan shrieked beside her in defeat. Every time she heard his voice, her whole body grew tense, trembling visibly. Gabriel shook his head, trying to free himself from Ashley’s influence.

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  “Shhh. Stay with me for a minute, Gabriel,” Ashley hushed.

  Her power was waning, and Greg held her hoof tightly as she strained.

  “I’m going to release him now. I’ve just got to clean up his memory,” she said.

  “Go quickly. Don’t worry about Gabriel too much. You did what she needed,” Greg reminded her.

  Chase walked in just as Ashley was trying to release Gabriel, and his anxiety shot through the roof. His heart was pounding, and his headache was explosive now. He panted and gripped his head, pain ripping through him like he was being stabbed.

  “He’s too scared of Chase. I can’t hold him,” Ashley cried.

  “Gabriel? Are you alright?” Chase asked.

  Ashley gave a final rush of magic and let go of him. She collapsed back onto the bed, and Greg rushed to her side. She was out cold.

  Gabriel fell to the ground and exhaled with relief. “I just had the worst migraine of my life.”

  “Well, you got Laci to eat. I’d consider that a win,” Chase said. “I get it. Dealing with her is a pain in the neck for me too.”

  Gabriel got up and brushed himself off, and Laci shrunk back into the corner as Chase came closer. He grabbed her by the neck and forced a bridle onto her head, and she reared up in terror. He smacked her on the shoulder with his whip.

  “Quit that. Let’s go,” he said, pulling her out the door.

  Chase worked her into a lather in the round pen, then quickly wiped it off for her to show. The hall to the ring was packed with horses, standing nose to tail waiting to enter. Everyone was tacked in the finest saddles and bridles ERUJ had, and they were groomed impeccably. Sultan trotted up by Laci’s side, tail flickering, and she could hardly contain her energy as they grew closer. Chase had to work the reins hard to keep her in check as they walked by the line of horses.

  Laci looked into the ring and saw Isabel pushing her way through a dressage test. Her face was wrought with anxiety, and her tail was swishing with intense focus. She jerked her head at random, visions tearing at her mind and trying to take over. Alissa was watching from the gate, nervously gripping the rail.

  “Is everything alright?” Chase asked, walking up to her.

  She didn’t look away from Isabel. “She’s fighting out there. If she messes this up again, I’m turning her black and blue.”

  Chase sighed sympathetically. He knew Isabel was a lost cause. That was the very reason he had Laci scheduled right after her. If there was any horse who could make Laci look sane by comparison, it was that possessed Spanish mare. He shifted closer to Alissa, and she leaned against him, squeezing his arm to comfort herself.

  Isabel’s rider sawed at her mouth with the reins, trying to get her attention. She punted her with the spurs to get her into a stiff piaffe. Isabel’s heart was pounding, and she could hardly see. She could hear the screams of hotblooded horses torturing her mind, and the air was filled with the stifling scent of rot. She could not force them away.

  Alissa watched in utter horror as Isabel jumped into the air and bucked like a bronc. Her rider was thrown into the dirt, and she galloped around the ring uncontrollably, rearing up and shrieking. Without wasting another second, Alissa grabbed her whip and sprinted in, trying to corner Isabel, but she would not yield. Alissa finally got close enough that she could take the reins, but just before she could, Isabel jumped and kicked her in the head, sending blood spraying everywhere. The lights flickered, and Isabel’s body was electrifying. Sparks of yellow lightning ran up and down her like living beings.

  Chase took a tranquilizer gun off the wall and fired at Isabel, but the bullets seemed to have no effect. She raced around in sheer terror, crashing into the walls and screaming wildly. Two heavy draft horses dashed into the ring and managed to grab her, hauling her out by the skin of her neck as she twisted and kicked in the air. Alissa hurried behind them, brushing the blood from her face as she came through the gate. Her wound was quickly replaced with a fresh coat of glowing skin.

  “Laci, are you ready?” Chase said.