Key of Time Excerpt

Chapter One

Maen growled low in his throat at the approaching hooves. Never a good sign. Imogen sighed taking a quick second to look up from the mare struggling to birth her foal. Through the stable doors she caught a glimpse of riders and the Amhearst carriage approaching. Her heart beat erratically while sweat poured down her mostly bare back. Grimacing she pulled her attention away from the new arrivals and back to the life or death situation before her.

"That's it my girl. Sweet and easy now." she cooed sending waves of reassurance and warmth to the mare.

This wasn't her first foal and hopefully it wouldn't be her last. Maen let out a brief yap of joy and took off. The mare's stomach clenched, but nothing happened. Bloody hell!

Reaching her small hands inside she discovered the problem. The foal was backwards and stuck. She bit her lip sending a quick look around the stables. Just her luck. Empty.

The room spun as she stood up too fast. The lack of sleep and the heavy work load today was finally taking it's toll. Shaking her head to clear it she went into her Veterinary Surgery and pulled down the heavy chains. She dumped them at the mare's hind quarters startling the poor thing. Sending more reassurance out she leaned out of the stable doors. Imogen frowned.

The carriage was definitely Lord and Lady Amhearst's vehicle. The black machine was lined with royal purple velvet and silk inside. It was the same carriage that had delivered her to the estate twenty-one years ago. Imogen scanned the motley crew of men with a judicial eye for a strong man. The similar coppery tan skin and various cuts of black hair proclaimed them all to be of the Ettarian race. Perfect.

"You! Sir! Give me a hand, will you?" Imogen shouted out to the nearest one who'd just dismounted. Without seeing if he would accompany her, she turned back to the labor in progress.

The heavy chains rattled as she pushed them aside to kneel down. Thankfully on the next push a hoof appeared. Slowly so as to not frighten the mare she wrapped the chains three times around the hoof. Looking up to double check someone had arrived to help her she groaned. Her head pulsed in time with her heart beat. She winced at the sign of a headache emerging. Of course no one had come to help. What was it with men? Why did a woman asking for help always scare them off?Especially the Ettarian males.

Grumbling under her breath she wrapped the chains around a hitching post. It wasn't the most ideal way to get it done, but it would do. Hopefully.

"Alright Sweet Lady. I need you to push." The mare who lifted it's head as if to say are you insane. Smiling she whispered encouraging words until the next contraction hit. At the same she pulled on the chains making them tighter around the post. She grunted with the enormous effort it took. The hoof moved an inch.

The next contraction hit and again she pulled the heavy chain as hard as her weak human body could. Another inch. At this rate the mare and the foal would both die in labor. Tears burned. She wouldn't let that happen. She couldn't! Imogen dug her feet into the straw laden cobblestone and on the next contraction pulled. As if she had suddenly grown wings she jerked backwards and landed solidly against a man's muscled chest.

Power zapped through her at the immediate contact. She held her breath tilting her head back. She blinked. The horse screamed at the same instant pain slammed into her own stomach. She fell to her knees not expecting the sudden connection. Nausea burned. Large familiar hands wrapped around her upper arm and pulled her to her feet. The jolt of awareness from their contacting skin jerked her heart against her ribs. A shiver chased down her spine leaving a tingling pleasure in its wake.

Blaise.

The mare screamed again. Swallowing Imogen turned away from him to check on the mare. Only the lower section of one pair of legs were out.

"Tell me what you need me to do to help."








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