Free Gray (Awakening Book 1) by Shannon Reber

Ben’s mom walking toward me, the same compassionate look on her face which had been there on the night I had come back. It shouldn’t have surprised me in the least to see her, since it was her property. I hadn’t expected to see anyone though, so the sight of her was an odd comfort.
    I took a step toward her, my hand held out between us. “Mrs. Connelly, I never got a chance to tell you how sorry I am that I scared you the night I came home.”
    She stopped in front of me, then in a move which almost made me cry, she pulled me in for a hug. “Shayla, I’ve never met a sweeter burglar,” she said and pulled me back to look hard at me. “I’ve seen your sister around town once or twice since you got back and I have to say, I’ve never seen her looking so happy.”
    I wasn’t sure what to make of that kind of comment since Kassia was on my smack-list, but hey. “She’s not very happy to have a little sister today.” I looked away from her and walked to the fence, my arms on the rail.
    She walked over and stood next to me, her eyes fixed on the mountains in the distance. “I’d say you’re wrong about that, Shayla. To be alone in the world is the worst feeling imaginable.”
    Wow. The sorrow in her voice made it clear she knew just what that felt like. I wanted to ask, but if she wanted to talk about it, she would.
    I looked out at the horses, then let out a low whistle which graduated up to a high pitch in the middle and went low at the end. Sif turned her head and trotted to the fence. Tears rose in my eyes as I ran my hand down her black muzzle which ended in her red-brown nose. She made me feel as though home had not gone up in a puff of smoke. Some small portion of home remained, right here with my mom’s mare.
    “ Næmnæe, vænn Sif.” A few tears spilled over as the horse snorted and bobbed her head happily, almost like she understood the compliment, ‘Hello, beautiful Sif.’
    Mrs. Connelly put her arm around my shoulders as I continued to cry, but she didn’t speak.
    After a minute, I brought my lips together again to let out another whistle. This one started out high, went low in the middle, then graduated up at the same high pitch. Yet more tears came to me as Thor raised his head and trotted toward me. He was a masterful horse, his big, black body with a single red-brown streak on his neck always having made me laugh when I was little, like Thor had gotten dirty.
    “I . . . I used to rub mud on my neck in the same spot.” I was practically bawling by that point.
    “They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” Mrs. Connelly gave me a sweet smile. “I’m sure Thor appreciated it.”
    I let out a watery chuckle and shook my head when Thor turned away as though to show me precisely what he had thought of those flatteries so many years ago. He trotted back to where he had been before. Sif stayed as close to me as she could get, pressed against the fence as though she may truly remember me. I wasn’t sure if she did, but it was such a nice idea, it hardly mattered if it was true.
    “Would you mind if I rode with you?” Mrs. Connelly asked, her arm still around my shoulders as though she understood I may fall apart if she let go of me yet.
    I sniffed and nodded. Even the idea of being alone in the moment was more painful than I had the strength to handle. “I would love to,” I said with a chuckle as Sif leaned her head into me and sniffed loudly. It was like she tried to find out where I’d been for so long.
    It took a few minutes to get Sif saddled, so by the time I mounted, my tear ducts had been gotten under control. It made me feel as though some part of my mom was still alive and that feeling made everything so much better.
    “ Koma, Sif,” I said, relieved as the horse recalled Mom’s commands and did indeed come about.
    “Is that German?” Mrs. Connelly moved her horse up next to me, her dark eyes fixed on me so much like her son’s occasionally were in school.
    I