Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Ethan steps up another rung on the ladder and gives me a dubious look. “Adding a camera to see down the driveway is overkill but the three cameras and two motion detectors you added to the barn isn’t? And that’s not to mention the four cameras you ordered to place around the pasture.”
Taking a sip of my coffee, I shake my head. “Demons or no demons, I like to keep an eye on my animals. You never know what could happen.”
“With horses, that’s true. I never realized how dangerous a walnut on the ground could be.”
“Hah. Spoken like a true equestrian,” I say ruefully, remembering how Mystery slipped on a walnut last month and pulled a muscle. Thankfully, he’s better now and we’re getting into a good routine.
“Can you hand me that?” Ethan asks, pointing to part of the camera. I set my coffee down and help Ethan put up the camera until the vet comes.
“Morning,” I call with a wave, walking down to the barn. Dr. Fisher has been here a handful of times in the half a year we’ve lived here, but she hasn’t yet seen the new barn. Having lived paycheck to paycheck for pretty much all of my adult life, I’ve learned to live frugally. Inheriting a ton of money and not having to worry about paying bills is still weird at times. I’m proud of how reasonable I’ve been with it.
Except for my barn. I definitely splurged and went a little overboard, but I’ve been sketching out my dream barn since I was a kid.
“Morning, Anora,” Dr. Fisher says as she gets out of her truck. “Wow, the new barn looks great!”
“Thanks,” I rush out, all too eager to gush about the barn to anyone who’ll listen. “The barn is pretty much done but some of the material for the indoor arena was backordered.”
“Looks like your outdoor arena is ready just in time for the nice weather,” Karly, the vet tech, says.
“Yeah. It’s so nice not to ride in a muddy pasture anymore.” I steal one more glance at Ethan, silently telling Hunter to keep an eye on him as he climbs up the ladder to put up more cameras.
“Did you get everyone moved over from the old barn?” Dr. Fisher asks as we make our way into the barn. I left the horses and donkeys in today since the vet was coming, and they all whinny to me, annoyed and wanting hay since they’re stuck standing in their stalls.
“Yeah. Just like a week ago,” I answer, a smile coming to my face when I step into the barn. I’ve had a horse long enough to know that simple is best when it comes to a barn set up, but I didn’t skimp on anything. Every once in a while, I get hit all over again with just how fucking grateful I am to have this life. I’ll do anything to protect it…and those in it. “And I’m loving the automatic waterers.”
“Those are game changers, that’s for sure.”
I get Mystery out first, bringing him into the aisle so he can get a dose of tranquilizer before Dr. Fisher starts on his teeth. Nik joins us halfway through, fascinated to learn that horses need to have their teeth filed down once a year to get rid of sharp edges and hooks that can cause pain.
We’re out in the barn for a few hours, and my mind is at ease the entire time. There’s just something about horses that has always calmed me, offering a distraction from all my problems. Ethan has already left for work by the time Dr. Fisher leaves. I spend some time cleaning up the yard and then walk around to the front, trying to remember what Aunt Estelle had in the now-empty flower beds.
Most of my memories are back, but I don’t remember everything. It’s normal, I know, to not recall things from that long ago.
“Whatcha doing?” Nik asks, coming onto the front porch holding a steaming cup of tea.
“Do you remember what kind of flowers Estelle had here?” I point to the stone flower bed beside the porch. I already planted a few flowers around the steps, and they’re not doing too well. I’ve never had a green thumb, and I don’t have to cast spells to know I’ll never excel at green witchcraft. “I know it was pretty and I called it the fairy garden. She even bought me little gnomes to put around it.”
“You know, I’ve always found it amusing the way humans stereotyped us fae. We don’t live in mushroom houses or collect dew drops to drink. But we do like flowers and are quite good at making them grow.”
“So, you’re saying you’ll help me with my garden this spring?”
“I can’t stand to look at the dying flowers much longer,” Nik says and we go inside. I head upstairs to clean Romeo’s cage, bracing myself for whatever mess he inevitably made. Then I shower, straighten up my room, and make a list of everything I need at the grocery store. It’s a rush to get there and back in time to meet Keith at the house, and I’m tired by the time I pull down the street.