Ride the Wind by Kateri Eichler (books to read in your 20s .TXT) 📖

is that nesciecery? I don't see why that's really important." she said. 

Slowly, the doctor looked up from the clip board. "It matters because I don't belive you. That's not a normal boy in that room, Mrs. Wilcox, I want to help him, and you, too. But there's nothing I can do untill you tell me the truth." 

Mariah hung her head. "You wouldn't believe me. Its crazy. We have to leave. If he's concious, whe have to leave now. There are people after us. Powerful people. Plaese... I can get him out if he's not hurt." 

"Mrs. Angels... the boy is not in that room. He's conscious... but... he's a horse..."

After the doctor said that, Mariah heard a loud whinny. Mariah leapt up and threw open the door to see the huge back stallion rearing up, whinnying. She reached out to him with her mind, calling, Dervisa, I'm here! it's okay, but we have to run! 

Dervisa stopped. Mariah! what happened? he thought to her. 

Theres no time, we have to go. The others are close! Solay and Juan are trying to lead them away. But we have to leave right now. she replied.

Dervisa stood steady as Mariah swung up onto his back. "Go!" Mariah cried. Dervisa reared, then forced the door open. He charged out into the hall and bolted towards the door of the hospital. outside, Dervias took off into the sky. Now, tell me what happened. said Dervia.

Well, you were a human, you said you love me, I became a horse and flew to London, then I became a person again, then you became a horse again, and now, here we are. Now, where to? she replied, quickly summerizing, trying to play down the whole thing. 

Mariah, said Dervisa, Are all of those things really equal to you?

Well, no. but right now, the Gods of the elements are trying to kill us, while their human bonds do all they can to stop them from finding us. so at the moment, im focusing on geting us out of here. So, what do you think, trip to germany? she replied.

"Okay. Zugspitze. The highest mountain in Germany. he thought to her.

Though she questioned the inteligance of going to the highest place around when trying to hid, but she gaurded her thoughs and settled in for the ride.

Chapter Nine

The ride didn't feel too long, but Mariah couldn't really tell. most of the time, she was laying on Dervisa's neck, feeling his mane, which was now its normal, feathery feeling. the two didnt comunicat, but MAriah knew that both she and Dervisa felt better in eachother's company. His presence was comforting. 

Slowly, a mountain arose before them. finally, she broke the mental silance. Hey, are you doing okay?

Not really. I'm Becoming weak. Mariah, I'm so sorry. I promised that I would protect you. But now... I'm so sorry. I didnt mean for this to happen. Kravan was right. He was right all along. replied Dervisa. Mariah could feel his pain, both phusical and emotional, very clearly throught their mental link. 

No, Dervisa, you can't blame yourself. she thoght. she wanted do badly to console him, but she was afraid it would only make things worse.

Mariah, who's to blame if not me? I was warned. And really, I should have known. Something... What drew me to you was something powerful, something stronger than the bond that should have connected us. I didn't know what that meant at first. But seeing you for the first time, I felt alive in a way that I haven't in a very long time. I should have known right then that there was something wrong... but I could see someting in your eyes, a love, not that of a pet, but that of something to be feared. You loved me, not as I do you, before you ever laid eyes on me. You wanted so badly to make me yours... As a horse. You didn't want me for power. You didnt want me as a lover, for obvious reasons. You wanted me as a horse, a stallion, a friend, a companion. You asked for my trust, not knowing I would want so much from you. You were so lovely. I couldn't bear to turn you away. And now, look. I've made such a mess of things, all because... Because I was just too human. Mariah, I'm so sorry. 

 By this time, they had reached the peak. Mariah hadn't even noticed how near they had drawn until she was thrown off of Dervisa's back as he made a rather rough landing. She hit the ground on her back, facing up. she watched as Dervisa took off again to try to come in for a better landing, like an airplane making a second pass upon making a bad landing attempt. Are you okay? he thought to her. She knodded, and was about to say something when Dervisa suddonly arched in pain, mid air. he fell from about 10 feet up, not high enough to hurt him badly, but he was clearly in pain. Mariah stood and ran to him, about 30 feet from her. To he horror, by the time she was by his side, only a few seconds after the initial fall, he was a human again. She pulled his head into her lap and took his hand. She could feel his pain threw their link, and it was almost unbearable. But she blocked him off from her so he could not tell that she was feeling the pain he was. 

"Dervia... Please..." she said. She couldn't bring herself to say more, the pain was so great. 

Dervisa blinked his stunningly bright eyes, and for a second, his hair felt like that of a horse. But Mariah could feel him giving up. "Its useless. I'm human... I have been since I met you." he whispered. His german accent made him hard to understand, but Mariah hung on his every word. She was about to respond when he cried out in pain again. "They know where we are. I can feel them coming. Mariah, run." he said, before groaning in pain again. 

"No, I'm not leaving you. Get up, you have to come with me. I can hold you up, but I can't carry you. just stand and I can help you. Please." she begged. She could feel the others, too. She wanted to cry out in pain as well, but she couldn't let herself show Dervisa her pain. 

Dervisa opened his eyes a little wider, looking deeply into her eyes. There was a long pause. Then, Dervisa finally said, "Okay. Let me stand." 

Carefully and slowly, he stood. Mariah stood with him, helping him despite the fact that she was just as weak as he was. Once they were both on their feet again, the pair began to stumble down the mountain towards the tree line. now, as she lookedout across the landscape, she could see the others, at the bottem of the mountain, cantering up. Despite this, going down the mountain, to the tree line, was her only hope. Dervisa's only hope.

Not too far into the forest, Mariah found a large tree with a hole near the base where she could easily fit Dervisa. "Sit in there. I'll be right here, I swear." she ordered. 

Dervisa did as she asked, kneeling, then crawling into the tree. "Mariah, I know you don't feel how I do. You can't, and I understand. But please, just let me hear you say it. One time. Please." he whispered. Mariah knelt by the tree and took his hands in her own.

"Dervisa. Something happend when you became human. I became a horse.... but I felt human. I was still human. if thats how you and the others are... You aren't horses at all. youre fooling yourselves. To love a hose would be... so unfulfulling, knoing that humans love on a higher order. I know now that you're no horse. So there's no reason I can't love you. Except that, if I say those words, this mountian will fall. This world will fall. I can't let that be my fault." she said. She didn't know where the wise words came from. 

"If you don't say it, i will die knowing that I destroyed the world for a love that was never returned. Please, Mariah." Dervisa begged.

Mariah could see blood again from his wonds which had only partially healed. "No, you can't die. I won't let you. Dervisa, you can't die." she said, clutching his hands.

"Okay, okay. Please, just stay close.." Dervisa replied, gazing into her eyes.

Mariah kissed his forhead, then let go of his hands and stood. "I'm sorry, but I can't do that either. The others are here. Stay safe, love." Then, she squared her shoulders, then walked out from behind the tree to stand in the clearing where the others could see her.

Chapter Ten

 As Mariah stood in th clearing, she tried her best to block her own thoughts while panning te area to see those of others. It only took a few moments to find them. Kravan was broadcasting pure hate and rage. Mariah also found Solay. The girl was terrified. She sent her thoughts out to the girl, thinking, I'm here. I'm okay, but Dervis isn't. i need to know now, who do you stand with? Me or Kravan?

After a moment, Solay though, "Nivia sides with Kravan. But she says she will not let harm befall me if I choose you. So, I do. Juan does, too, though at greater risk. However, I feel like Jade cannot be counted on to side with us.

Okay. replied Mariah. When you arrive, you'll see a large tree. Have Juan go there. Then, she thought the same imformation to Juan.

Okay, is that where Dervisa is?  thought Juan.

Yes, he's hurt. He needs some kind of care. At least someone to stay with him. That way, you're away from Kravan and not in the thick of things. Mariah thought to Juan.

Before they could say anything else, Kravan, Nivia, and Respina, along with their respective mounts, came barreling in. Mariah stood on her own before them, yet, she wasn't afraid. "Im not afraid!" she shouted.

Juan and Solay seemed to take this as a signal. Solay ran to Mariah's side, then took her hand, standing beside the other girl, though slightly less proudly. Juan, on the other hand, Leapt from Kravan's back and ran towards the tree, and dove on the ground beside the hole that hid Dervisa. Trust him, he is going to do what he can for you. she thought to Dervisa.

"You are all very mad, I know. What Dervisa felt is wrong. He is a horse and