Chapter 9 - The Taming of the BeastWith blinding speed, Holly didn't lunge at Tristan—she hit a small emergency remote control she had slipped from her pocket.
Downstairs, echoing through the hollow stone foundations of the estate, a deep, resonant gate-latch clicked open.
Outside, in the midnight training ring, Midnight the Friesian stallion—freed from his automated paddock locks by Holly’s override signal—charged toward the mansion.
The massive stallion smashed through the French doors of the ground-floor conservatory with the force of a battering ram, his hooves thundering up the grand wooden staircase, following the familiar scent and vocal frequency Holly had imprinted on him that very morning.
Tristan spun around in sheer terror as the gigantic black stallion came barreling down the second-floor hallway, his eyes wild, nostrils flared, and muscles gleaming under the emergency strobe lights.
The moment Midnight entered the nursery, Tristan lost his nerve. He shoved Mary away, stumbling backward in horror.
Mary tumbled safely across the plush carpet toward Weston, who caught her instantly, pulling his daughter into his arms and shielding her face against his chest.
Midnight didn't charge wildly. He didn't trample the room.
He locked his massive, intelligent eyes onto Tristan, who was backed up against the balcony railing, paralyzed with fear.
Holly whistled—a single, sharp, melodic note.
Midnight reared up on his hind legs, a magnificent, terrifying vision of raw power, and brought his heavy forehooves down directly onto the balcony floor, shattering the stone railing beneath Tristan’s feet.
Tristan screamed as he lost his footing, tumbling backward over the edge of the balcony down into the courtyard below, where security teams and sirens were already converging.
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Silence settled over the nursery once more.
Midnight lowered his massive head, exhaling a warm cloud of breath into the room. Holly walked up to the stallion, gently placing her palm against his forehead. The giant beast instantly calmed, resting his weight against her touch.
