Ancient Guardians: The Uninvited by S. L. Morgan Page A

horseback ride on the beach. “I don’t think riding the horse is going to help solve anything.”
    Areion grunted, and Levi smiled in response. “Do you remember what I told you about this particular breed of horse in Pemdas?”
    “They’re the only horses that can cross the protective barriers of this dimension,” she answered.
    Levi nodded. “And they have a unique way of reading whether or not anyone will bring us trouble.”
    She looked over at Areion, whose golden eyes seemed to bore through her.
    “Areion can decipher emotions and people’s mental states very easily. This breed will not allow anyone or anything upon his back that would cause his land or master,” he paused and grinned, “ complications ,” he said slowly, using her word from earlier. “I trust this horse completely when it comes to his intuitive abilities.”
    Reece looked at him in confusion, “What are you trying to say?”
    “You’re going to ride my horse.” He stated. “Now, if you’ll allow me.” He firmly gripped her waist and hoisted her effortlessly up into the saddle. “Swing your leg over the other side,” he said, as he adjusted the stirrup to match her height.
    “Levi! NO!” she said in a panicky voice, resulting in Areion grunting and shifting his weight from underneath her. “Please. We’ll figure this out some other way.”
    Levi looked up at Reece with a smug grin. “No, we can’t; now, relax,” he said in a firm voice, and then observed Areion, who seemed as agitated as Reece was about this. “Areion, settle.”
    “I’m not riding this horse by myself.” Reece said in a firm voice.
    Levi didn’t respond. Instead, he mounted the horse and sat behind her, alleviating Reece’s fears. Areion seemed to calm down in the same moment she did. Levi reached around her and grabbed the reins that were hanging loosely around Areion’s neck.
    He carefully pried Reece’s hands from where she held tightly to the saddle. “Take the reins,” he said.
    “Levi—” she said through clenched teeth.
    “You have no reason to fear. Areion has already accepted that you will master him. Now, he is feeling every emotion you are experiencing. He senses your fears, and therefore, will not budge until you are prepared to ride. Your anxiousness is making him uneasy as well, which is why he is fighting you some.”
    Reece let out her breath, fighting to calm down and trust that Areion wasn’t going to run wildly out of control. She may not have been around this horse much, but she had witnessed his personality enough to understand that he was a fierce horse, and she still couldn’t understand how Levi mastered his high spirit so effortlessly. Areion began stamping his feet, and Reece shivered at the raw power coming to life beneath her.
    “Settle,” Levi ordered the horse. “Clear your thoughts, and encourage him to go,” Levi said with a laugh.
    Fine! She bit her bottom lip. “Let’s go, boy,” she said nervously.
    Areion stepped out and began trotting down the beach. Reece tightened the reins, thinking that Areion was going to explode into his usual speed at any second. He didn’t. Instead, his nose was pulled tightly into his chest as Reece fought to stay in the saddle and not bounce off his back.
    “Give him his head,” Levi instructed.
    “What?” Reece responded in frustration, while pulling in hard on the reins.
    “Loosen the reins, love.”
    She did, and Areion sprang into a gentle gallop. It took her a moment to adjust to the magnificent feeling of the powerful horse beneath her. Areion galloped gallantly along the oceanfront, and the liberation Reece felt was inexplicable. Levi’s hands latched onto her waist as Reece began imagining the excitement of Areion moving at a faster speed. In the moment she desired it, the horse responded, gaining even more speed as he dug heavy hooves into the wet sands of the shore.
    Reece squealed in delight, and then guided Areion toward the shallow waves rolling into