Free Messenger by Moonlight by Stephanie Grace Whitson Page A

those reins, now. Don’t let her get away from you.”
    With the next crack of thunder, Shadow whinnied and reared. A blast of cold air nearly swept Annie’s hat off her head. She reached up to grab it just as lightning flashed. The gesture gave Shadow a chance to take the bit. With the next crack of thunder, she bolted, and the clouds opened. Blinded by the downpour, all Annie could do was hunker down and hang on.
    Frank and the others were little more than blurs as Shadow streaked past. Finally, the mare charged up a rise, and then the earth fell away. They were in the air, below them therocky approach to a fast-running creek. Somehow, Shadow kept her footing when she landed. After only two steps, she lurched right to avoid the rushing water. Annie went flying into the creek. Soaked nearly to her waist with icy water, she fought to keep from being dragged under as Shadow disappeared into the distance.

    The instant Shadow streaked past, Frank freed his string of ponies and spurred Outlaw into the storm, after Annie and the runaway paint. Through the pouring rain, he caught a glimpse of Shadow’s white rump just before it fell out of sight. His stomach lurched.
The draw
. And Shadow had just dropped into it.
    He barely managed to pull Outlaw to a skidding stop before the two of them pitched headlong down the steep creek bank. Down below, Annie was clawing her way out of the churning waters of a creek. With a shout of relief, Frank flung himself down from the saddle and slid down the bank to his drenched sister. Cursing Shadow, he grabbed Annie in a desperate hug. “You all right?”
    Annie clung to him. “J-just c-c-cold.”
    The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun and the sun came out. Annie retrieved her hat and Frank helped her scramble back up to where, miraculously, Outlaw waited, his head down, his dark coat even darker where the rain had drenched him. “You’re a wonder, you crazy horse,” Frank said, patting the horse’s neck before boosting Annie into the saddle and scrambling up behind her.
    “C-can’t believe he didn’t run off,” Annie chattered.
    “He’s got more sense than all the others put together,” Frank replied, surprised by the affection that welled up insideof him for the same animal that had once seemed bent on killing him. The minute he reached around Annie and took the reins, Outlaw wheeled about and headed for the others. Emmet and Jake appeared in the distance, galloping toward them—without their strings of ponies.
    “Thank God,” Emmet cried out when he saw Annie. “You’re all right?”
    “Nothing hurt but her pride,” Frank said before muttering to Annie, “an amazing bit of horsemanship, by the way.”
    Shivering with cold, she stuttered, “I w-would have landed that jump if sh-she hadn’t jerked right so f-fast.”
    “Luther’s making camp,” Emmet called. “Jake and I can chase down your ponies. Can you track Shadow?”
    Frank nodded. “Soon as I get Annie situated.”
    Back at camp, Annie used the wagon for cover while she changed out of her soaked clothes and wrapped up in a dry blanket. Frank spread her things on the wagon wheels to dry.
    Luther was making coffee, and as soon as it was ready, Frank produced his flask and added a little whiskey to Annie’s mug. “It’ll warm you right up.”
    She frowned. “How’s this fit with that oath I witnessed?”
    “About as well as my swearing at the horse that nearly killed you.”
    “I—I’m sorry.” Annie ducked her head. “I tried to hold her back. I just—couldn’t.”
    Frank held out the tin mug. “I’m just trying to keep you from catching your death of cold. The last thing we need is for you to be too sick to do your job at Clearwater.”
    Annie drew the blanket close about her shoulders and sat down by the fire. Cupping the tin mug with her hands, she sipped the toddy. With a shudder, she inched closer to the campfire. She took another sip.
    Frank spoke to Luther. “I’m riding back to