Laci stretched out on the undersized mattress and stared at the ceiling blankly. She had little to think about other than what happened that day and what was to come. With the flashlight-wielding guards constantly passing by, there was no way she could find much rest. She turned over as another came through, shielding her face from the light and noise with the musty pillow. A small thud sounded, but from a new angle. Laci looked up to see a jet black horse tapping on her window.

  “Hello?” she whispered.

  The black horse seemed to be motioning her to move away from the window. She got up and squeezed into the opposite corner of the stall. He turned around and drove a hind hoof clean through the glass, sending it flying all over the room. She covered her face with the blanket until she heard it crash on the floor.

  “Are you insane? This place is crawling with guards,” Laci whisper-yelled.

  The stallion was undeterred. The nearest officer rushed over, but as soon as he came within sight of them, he dropped to the floor unconscious. Black mist trailed around Laci’s feet and led straight to her visitor’s extended hoof.

  “You want out? I’ve been looking for you, Laci. I know how it feels to be stuck here.” His voice was noticeably deep, and Laci guessed he was probably around her parent’s age.

  “I can’t go with you, I have no idea who you are and what you want with me. What do you mean you’ve been looking for me? And did you just kill that guard with your cult-voodoo-”

  The Friesian shushed her. “Are you trying to get us caught? My name is Orion. You’ll just have to trust me. I can take you to a place where you will be safe from rabbit masters. Don’t be afraid. The guard isn’t dead, only asleep.”

  Laci paused and watched the officer’s chest slowly rise and fall again before looking back at Orion. “I’m only going with you because I can’t do this anymore. I’m willing to give you a chance, but I’m not going alone,” she told him firmly.

  “Who will go with you but me?”

  “A stallion waiting for me in West Norfolk Park.”

  The gallop through the moonlit streets felt unreal to Laci. Her legs took up the last bit of strength she had left to give. She was lucky that Orion was built to pull and not to run; otherwise, she’d have to strain herself to keep up.

  “How did you even find me here?” she asked between breaths.

  “I read your records. They’re much easier for horses to get a hold of than they’d like to believe. How do you think so many rabbits end up with them?” he explained.

  “So you already know about-everything?” She was shocked. A horse who knew of her violent streak wanted to find her?

  “Yes, and I took pity on you. There are many horses who need the help I’m giving you, but I chose you.” He glanced at her with a sincere eye, and she felt her heart swell.

  “Why me?”

  “Because you have potential I have only seen a few times in my life. That, and I thought it unique that even a horse by Lebanon could end up in this position.” He smiled at her. “Enough questions for me. What about this stallion? Who is he?”

  “His name is Marshall, and he was smitten enough to be the first to call me in jail. So I owe him a favor,” she said. “Most horses like him just ignore me. He’s-strange.”

  “Really? What’s he like?” Orion was fascinated.

  “You’re about to find out. There he is, down by the willow.” Exactly where he said he’d be. She rushed over to him, and when he saw her, his face lit up with joy. She didn’t know what else to do but tuck her neck tightly against his.

  “Oh, Marshall. You came, and I’m so glad you did,” she sighed.

  “Why wouldn’t I?” He stepped back slightly, looking at her with the excitement of a new puppy.

  Orion approached cautiously from the side, not wanting to intrude. “We’ve got to go. They’re going to track us here,” he said. His words spurred Laci into action, and Marshall noticed.

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  “Who is going to track us here? Laci? Who is this?” Marshall’s increasing worry came through in his voice.

  “This is Orion, he’s helping me escape. You’re coming with us,” she explained.

  “You broke out of Services?” Marshall exclaimed.

  “Pipe down or they’re going to hear us! Laci, you never told me he’s a riding horse,” Orion hissed.

  Laci’s ears drooped. “I’m sorry, I-”

  The thunder of hoofbeats started rolling down the hill.

  “Okay, we’re leaving. Say bye to your hometown, school horse.” Orion grabbed Marshall by the mane and pulled him toward the city gates. The three of them bolted for the fence and jumped over it with an inch to spare. Orion pushed them to keep running.

  “We’ve got to make it to the tree line! If we stop, they’ll dart us,” he shouted.

  Luckily, the officers were called off and didn’t pursue them into the woods. They vanished into the cover of the trees. Marshall was beside himself with panic.

  “Oh my Epona. Laci, I’m a fugitive. I’m going to lose my job, and get expelled from school, and my parents will-”

  Orion nudged his shoulder with his heavy head. “You’ll survive. If you stay quiet and don’t lose your head, that is. Welcome to the wild.”

  Laci marvelled at the wonders of the woods she had only seen from the back of a stuffy horse box. “Where exactly are we going?”

  “We’ve set up a camp a little ways from here. Miracle is waiting for us there. You’ll adore her, she’s wonderful. I freed her from another Services branch in the area,” Orion explained.

  “Was it from the Granbury branch, by any chance?” Marshall ventured.

  “Yes, actually. How’d you guess?” Orion replied.

  “Houston told me about an escape there.”

  Laci’s eye sharpened in suspicion. “Who is Houston?” she asked.

  Marshall hesitated. “My cousin. He works there,” he admitted.

  “Your cousin is a Services officer? Laci, where did you find this stallion?” Orion appeared more confused than irritated.

  “How was I supposed to know? He’s not his cousin!” she defended.

  “I didn’t even want to come here!” Marshall shouted.

  Orion stopped dead in the path and looked both of them in the eye. “Well, now you have no choice. You know where we’re going. I can’t have you revealing that to the whole world,” Orion said.

  “What? I have to go back before it’s too late!” he begged.

  “It’s already too late, Marshall.” Orion sighed sadly. “The horses there, they don’t know you anymore. To cross the gate is to betray them. If you go back, they will be as unkind to you as they are to us. They know no difference.”

  “This is insane! Laci, you have to get us out of this.” He looked at her with desperation in his eyes.

  “I’m sorry, Marshall. I had to escape.” She dropped her head in disappointment. “You heard Orion. You have to come with us.”

  “Why are we trusting him?”

  “Because he cared enough to rescue me!”

  The next few minutes of walking were completely silent. Somehow, they reached the camp in one piece. There was a little fire going in the center, tended by a chestnut stock horse. She looked younger than Laci.

  “Miracle!” Orion greeted.

  She dropped her tinder and rushed over to him. “Orion! I missed you.” She looked at Marshall and Laci. “You didn’t tell me there’d be two of them!”

  “There’s always room here,” he said.

  They all settled on the ground by the fire. Laci was enchanted by its rhythmic crackling and flickering, sitting closer than the others to feel its heat. Miracle soon drifted off to sleep, her head resting on Orion’s side. He tucked his cloak around her, huddling her close to his body to keep her warm.

  “Laci, what do you know about magic?” he asked softly.

  “Only what you’ve shown me,” she whispered.

  “Every horse has magic, Laci. That is why I went to find you. I believe you have new power, an element I haven’t seen before.” He reached for Laci’s hoof. “Take my hoof. I will show you.”

  She gave it to him. Marshall watched intently in shock.

  “Relax, and let your energy flow out from your body’s center. You shouldn’t have to try hard, it will come to you naturally,” Orion said.

  She breathed deeply, and as she exhaled, did exactly as he said. Fire erupted from the base of her hoof, dancing and bending to her design. Her eyes widened with surprise. Marshall drew his head back, wary of its power.

  “There. Now relax again, draw it back in. That was perfect. I have never seen a horse of fire before, not in my lifetime,” he said proudly.

  Laci snuffed out the light and pricked her ears with interest. “You know other magic horses?” she asked excitedly.

  “I do-they’re in trouble, actually. All the other horses who knew of magic were locked away in the last ten years. First Ashley, then Knight, Marmalade, Ariel, Eliza, and Rune. I promised I’d help them, but I’ve been too afraid to go alone. If I can find horses like us-with enough power to free them-we might stand a chance,” he explained.

  “I can help you, if you’ll take me. It would be an honor,” she said.

  His ears swiveled as he thought hard. “You need more training. The place where they are being held is no local Services office. It’s a highly secure federal prison. The horses are trapped in permanent stasis. If we get captured, there’s no going back. The rabbits are willing to do anything to make sure no one finds out about magic,” he said.

  “I will do my best,” she promised.

  “I’ll teach you everything I know. You and I and Miracle’s water magic might be enough,” he speculated. He looked over and saw she had fallen asleep sitting next to him, head drooping over her lap. “Alright. Let’s get you to bed.”

  He and Marshall tucked them into a tent snugly. The two mares were both so exhausted, they did not stir. Orion asked Marshall if he’d like to share a tent with him.

  “No, thank you. I’d rather be on my own. I’ll feel bad taking up so much space,” he said, drifting toward the third tent.

  “It would be much warmer. But I won’t force you,” Orion said. He curled up inside and was fast asleep in moments.