Seers by Kristine Bowe Page B

her neck to her withers. Am I supposed to know that the bones at the base of her neck are called withers? Is that common knowledge? I watch her shift her weight from left hind foot to right. She’s shoed. Should I notice that? She’s been clipped; all the stray hairs around her hocks and muzzle are neatly trimmed. I shouldn’t know that, right? What does it matter? My gut tells me I have been here before. Not in this barn, but in a barn, in every nook and cranny of a barn. I have mucked stalls, I bet. I have fed and watered the horses, groomed them, handled their tack, saddled them. I can feel it. I
know
I have.
    I leave Cleo with one last stroke down her neck and walk out of the barn to find Daisy, Eri, and Jackson.
    Eri is standing to the left of Jackson’s head. Daisy is tightening the girth on his saddle. She has changed into English-style riding pants and boots. She looks the part. But, with her white T-shirt tucked in instead of a straight-collared blouse, she makes what could appear pretentious look natural and casual. I can’t get over how well she wears her money. There really is something so easy about her. She’s not snobby or high-maintenance. I like her more and more each time I am around her.
    “There you are! Did you meet anyone you liked inside?” Daisy greets happily.
    “I saw Mr. Fellerman. And Cleo.”
    “Norman is a hoot! He’s old, but he’s still got his personality. And Cleo, well, she’s spectacular. She’s the owner’s daughter’s horse.”
    “Yes, she’s lovely. I think she liked me.”
    “Did she? Well, she’s picky. You must have good horse sense then, from all that time at your aunt’s stables.”
    “Yeah, I guess so.”
    “Well, girls, I am going to walk him over. Do you want to meet at the riding ring? I’ll warm him up, and then if either of you would like to hop on, well, you just say so!”
    Eri and I watch her walk Jackson away from the barn. She looks so graceful. He looks so content. We turn left and walk to the ring. There are seats in front of the ring, and as we sit, we see her enter from the other side. She mounts him once one of the barn hands closes the gate. Daisy leans forward, wraps her arms, reins in hand, around his neck, and whispers in his ear. He flicks his ears toward her in response. She straightens up and adjusts her feet in the stirrups. They start out at a walk.
    “It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Horse and rider?” I ask her.
    “Yes. You must miss it.”
    “I do. I miss a lot of things.”
    Neither Eri nor I ride this afternoon. We watch Daisy. Cheer her on. Like she cheered Patrick. We just sit and are with her. With each other. And when Jackson has been lovingly put back in his stall after many more treats and strokes and kind words, we head to Eri’s, where I look forward to giving her the same thing: a cheering section. And maybe, maybe if I learn to be someone’s audience, someone will want to be mine someday. Not because of a forced connection, not because of a mission, but because I have real people who want to be my friends, my family.

Chapter

    As I sit in the backseat of Daisy’s car, I look out at the farms we passed only a few hours ago. I see them differently now. Now I see everything as a possible trigger for memories that might come back. Flashes of something I used to know or may have experienced with people who were mine. Tobias said it could happen as my skills improve.
    Suddenly my mission is not my only focus. I will continue to pursue my relationship with Eri, but I will also focus on myself. Who was I when I was just a girl with a family?
    Since I found Tobias, I have been someone with a lot of catching up to do. So much time had been lost. I was so late in connecting with my Preceptor. I had so much learning to do, Tobias said. I should have accomplished so many missions by now, Tobias said. And so I threw myself into my work. I had so much expected of me, being the type of Seer that I am. Tobias said someone with my