PERSEPHONE

Persephone’s expression creased. Talya was missing. Surely she would return to the Forest, but the girl was so unpredictable it was hard to say for sure. The thought worried Persephone greatly, but for now she had more pressing matters to attend to.

A snapping of twigs and rustling of leaves signalled that someone was approaching, and instinctively Persephone turned to look at the visitor as they emerged, expecting to find Aurora or perhaps Freya. She did not expect to see Evaline step into the clearing, but even more unexpected were the words that fell from her lips so confidently.

Persephone frowned. Her mind worked frantically to try and decipher the meaning behind Evaline’s remarks. Her dark eyes flitted between Evaline and Bob. So she knew him then, but what was she talking about.

Maybe, just maybe, if Bob had been able to retain the calm demeanour that he attempted to begin his response with, Persephone might have truly believed him. She might have thought Evaline up to something, but instead her mind was made up quickly. A man with nothing to hide did not react like that. Something was wrong – Persephone did not know exactly what just yet, but she was about to find out.

Persephone’s ears flicked backwards, her eyes wide with shock at the anger that poured out of the stallion so suddenly. This was not the man she knew, but as it turned out, that was quite true.

Our daughter.

So Talya was Evaline’s child? The pair’s strange reaction to each other that day suddenly made sense. Bob had said she lost her mother – Persephone assumed her dead, of course, but maybe that had just been a careful choice of words.

She felt frozen, dumfounded by this sudden flood of information, but at Bob’s last words she bristled into action. With a snort she took a step forwards, positioning herself between Evaline and this… stranger. Her ears were pinned and her eyes narrowed in fury. The deception was unforgiveable – to have fallen for it at all, despite having no reason to have known, filled Persephone with rage. She could feel her heart pounding against her chest, but she was too enraged to feel intimidated as she squared up to him.

“What is wrong with you?” she snarled, her voice twisted with anger. “Who are you?”

all of your demons will wither away

mixed, bay varnish roan, 14.3hh