Page 40 of Property of Legend

The fire pops and sparks rise into the dark.It’s all funny talk until it ain’t.Until someone remembers what happened to Midnight Glory.

I glance at Legend.His face’s unreadable.Always is when the past sneaks up on him.

He doesn’t speak right away.Just stares into the flames like they might tell him a different story.

“Whatever it was,” he says finally.“It wasn’t natural.”

"Well," I say, finally chiming in."Whatever Legend saw, it wasn’t no regular wild animal.I found a foal like that just the other day.Ripped open.Wrong somehow.Didn’t even look like a clean kill."

The fire goes quiet.The laughter dies down like someone hit mute.

Legend’s voice cuts through the still air behind me.“Why didn’t you say so before?”

“Well, I told y’all we found a dead foal, just not the details.”

“Walk you back, Horse Princess?"

I rise, nodding, and fall into step beside him.The path back to the house is soft with summer mud, the woods whisperin' secrets.

"That foal you found," he says quietly.“It was like what happened to Midnight Glory?"

I hesitate."Yeah.Too much blood.Not enough reason."

He nods once, jaw tight.“Think you should’ve led with that?”

Neither of us says it out loud, but I think we’re both wondering the same thing.

Whatever it was...might be back.

Chapter 21

Sophie

The grand dining room at Paradise Falls is suffocating tonight, high ceilings, antique chandeliers, crystal so polished it hurts to look at.Every damn thing in here screams of legacy, of pressure.Of my father’s looming absence.It’s nothing like last night over in Hell with Legend.

Bikers are out on the lawn, and he’s out there somewhere or he soon will be as the bikers take shifts.I fight the urge to go find him.I’ve spent all day up to my eyeballs in preparation for the race, because if I fail, my brother will take over.

James sits across from me like he owns the place already, arms folded, mouth twisted in disapproval.His tie’s still perfect, not a hair out of place, like the whole world hasn’t tilted sideways.

“Bikers, Sophie?Really?”he spits, tone rich with contempt.“Have you completely lost your damn mind?”

I stab at my dinner like it’s personally offended me.“They’re here to help.”

He scoffs, leaning back like I’ve proved his point.“Help?Is that what we’re calling it now?You bring in a gang of patched-up criminals and expect them to play security?Dad built an empire, and you're handing the keys to a pack of outlaws.”

“They’re not criminals,” I shoot back, voice low but sharp enough to cut glass.“They’re protecting me.Us.”

James barks out a humorless laugh.“They’re dangerous.”

“So am I,” I say flatly, meeting his stare without blinking.

His eye twitches.“You’re gambling everything he worked for.Do you really wantthisto be your legacy?”He gestures toward the camp they set up.

I set my fork down slowly, deliberately, then push back from the table.“My legacy?”I say, standing.“Is keeping Paradise Falls out of the wrong hands.And right now, that includes yours.”

I leave him there, stewing in his tailored bitterness, and step out onto the porch.The air’s thick and damp, the kind that carries thunder.I drag in a breath and try to shake the fight out of my shoulders.

But then I hear it, the low, throaty rumble of Legend’s bike rolling up the drive.

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