The Renegade Read Online Free PDF Page B

once he had. And tonight he seemed lonely and almost tame. Temptation told her the stallion might let her ride him into the night.
    “One day, a long time ago, you let me on your back, boy.” Sam edged closer. “You know I wouldn’t hurt you.”
    The stallion flicked his ears but trusted her to come closer.
    As she put one foot on the rock, the Phantom turned to watch. When both feet were up, Sam bit her lip.
    “Zanzibar …” She sighed his secret name and the stallion answered with a nicker.
    A wild horse shouldn’t be so trusting. She wouldn’t try to climb on tonight.
    But if she only did it once …
    No night birds called. La Charla ran as quietly as unfurled satin. The entire world held its breath, waiting to see what she would do.
    “Zanzibar, could I try? Please? You know I won’t hurt you.”
    Sam leaned one palm on the stallion’s back. It felt smooth and muscular. She placed her other hand there, too, then smoothed her hands together along his back.
    The Phantom sidled just out of reach. Sam felt her chest deflate.
    “Not tonight?”
    As if he understood her disappointment, the stallion lowered his head. His, lips whuffled along the ground as if he’d lost something, and Sam knew just what it was. For a minute, they’d both lost their good sense.
    Then, just like the playful colt he’d once been, the Phantom surprised her. Head still lowered, he grabbed the ruffle at the hem of her nightgown and tugged until the ruffle ripped.
    Then the stallion released the fabric and shook his head.
    For the space of three heartbeats, he rubbed his velvet muzzle against her neck. He uttered a deep nicker that was so much like language, Sam tried to understand the words.
    And then he trotted away. Light as a ghost horse, he drifted over a series of trails and shortcuts up the mountainside.
    By road, the way to the Phantom’s valley took close to four hours. Riding Ace and following thePhantom’s path, Sam had made it once in two.
    She wanted to follow him. Instead, Sam watched the silver stallion until he was out of sight. She didn’t cross back to River Bend until even the sound of his passage had died into silence.
    Finally, she walked home. With each step away from him, Sam felt a tearing in her chest. Her head believed it was time to go back to bed, to pretend the night hadn’t been interrupted by magic. But her heart knew better.
    Together, she and the Phantom had woven a spell that let them read each other’s minds. And tonight, Sam had the awful feeling that the stallion had been saying good-bye.

Chapter Four
    S he didn’t get caught returning to her room on Saturday night, but Monday afternoon was a different story.
    Journalism was Sam’s last class of the day and her busiest. Mr. Blair expected the Darton High Dialogue to be a real newspaper, so he treated students like real reporters. If they didn’t turn in daily homework, meet deadlines, and follow the direction of student editors, they didn’t get “paid” with passing grades.
    The classroom buzzed with the sound of tapping computer keys, rustling papers, and a ringing phone, but Sam often escaped to the photo lab.
    Eerie red light that wouldn’t damage exposed film glowed over the darkroom sinks where Sam developed the film she’d shot for a story about overcrowded classes. Little string “clotheslines” held wet prints of Friday night’s football game.
    In spite of the smelly chemicals used to develop the film, Sam smiled at her handiwork. Everything about photography was fun. She loved getting down on the football field, far closer than the fans and cheerleaders, and crouching to catch the action with her camera. When grunting players crashed into each other, the ground shook as it did when wild horses galloped.
    Sam stared at the sink before her. There was a different sort of excitement to this moment. In an almost supernatural way, images turned from vague blotches into pictures.
    It was quiet inside the darkroom. The revolving