FINDING COURAGE

LEGACY UNDER FIRE

Book #6 of the

Halo Legacy Series

"The barn is on fire!" Shiloh's horrified cry alerted others at the farm. While one person called 911, others started the pump that ran the irrigation system to start spraying water on the fire and opened the barn doors to let the animals out. 

Shiloh stared at the flames, terror swelling up in her chest and choking off her breath. 

Orange tongues of fire roared toward her like the angry bellow of a giant beast intent on swallowing her whole-- 

No! Shiloh shoved away the memories that kept her frozen in place. I have to help! 

She forced her feet to move. Forced herself in the direction of the flames. With shaking hands, she joined those accounting for the animals who had charged out of the barn. 

"Where's Mystique?" Shiloh shouted to be heard over the roar of the fire and other noises. Her dappled grey horse wasn't among the animals clustered in a nearby pasture. 

"She must still be in the barn." Phoenix stared at the structure rapidly being engulfed in flames. "She's terrified of fire." 

Without thinking, Shiloh stripped off her sweater and doused it in one of the water troughs. 

"What are you doing?" Phoenix grabbed at her arm. 

"Finding my courage." Shiloh slipped out of Phoenix's grasp as she flung the soaking sweater over her head and ran for the barn. 

"Leave her. She'll never get out." Shiloh pushed away the memories of the arsonists' voices in her head and whispered, "I'm coming, Mystique. Don't lose faith, baby." 

Keeping a vision of the little mare firmly in her mind, Shiloh crouched low to stay under the worst of the smoke and moved as fast as she could toward Mystique's stall. 

The stall door stood open, but Mystique huddled in the back corner, too terrified to find her way to freedom. 

"It's time to go to outside." 

The little mare jerked at the sound of Shiloh's voice and reared back, the whites of her eyes reflecting a terror Shiloh knew so well. Use the energy. Call on your guides and angels to focus. 

"Come on, baby. You saved me, now it's my turn." Shiloh held out her hand and Mystique timidly stretched her neck to sniff. 

"Let's take a walk, sweet girl." In slow motion, Shiloh stretched the sweater over the horse's head and grasped her halter. Mystique jerked again, but Shiloh held on. "Just a walk, baby. Just a walk." 

She took a step forward and the little mare followed. 

As they emerged from the stall, flames seemed to surround them. The closest exit was the side door into the llama's pasture. Shiloh hesitated only a split second. "He'll just have to tolerate me this time. Come on, girl." 

Once Mystique started moving, she stepped quickly toward the exit, with Shiloh's arm looped over her neck. 

They emerged into the twilight, and were immediately soaked by water from the irrigation hose, manned by Richard "Bigsy" Dalton and Jane. 

They were safe! 

As tears and creek water streamed down her face, Shiloh laughed and tossed the sweater off her head. She gave Mystique a kiss and let go, allowing the mare to trot to the far end of the pasture. 

E-book specially priced

at 99 cents!

BUY NOW at Rogue Phoenix Press

(Excerpt from LEGACY UNDER FIRE, copyright Genene Valleau, writing as Genie Gabriel)