Not Magic Enough and Setting Boundaries - By Valerie Douglas Page 0,5

to see him there beside her. His kind and hers rarely interacted.

“Do not,” he said, gently. “I can hold him still, if you can but unbuckle the harness.”

Dorovan often worked with the horses in Talaena Enclave and the horses of men were much less headstrong than those, so keeping the animal still was only a matter of empathy with it - of sinking his awareness into that of the animal trembling beneath his hands.

It was on Delae for a moment to ask if he was certain, but he was Elf - of course he was. If he said it, he was. There was that about Elves that they didn’t lie - it going so against their Honor.

Then he laid his strong, long-fingered hands on the horse, one on the horse’s strong neck, the other covering its eye, murmuring soft words as he did and it stilled completely.

“Dan, Pell, Tad, help me,” she said, softly, not wanting to disturb the Elf’s concentration.

Both seemed as dumbstruck by the presence of the Elf as she’d been - staring at him in amazement.

“Dan, Pell,” she called, more sharply, before tugging her gloves from her nearly frozen fingers to work the straps free of the buckles. “Tad.”

That broke their suspension and they rushed to help her, Tad goggling owlishly at the Elf.

Still it took all of Dan and Tad’s muscle to lift and Delae’s and Pell’s efforts to get the harness unfastened from beneath the horse. Then it was free and she turned to the Elf.

As lightly as a feather, the woman touched Dorovan on the shoulder, letting him know he could release his control of the horse.

It surprised him she would know his people didn’t like to be touched by anyone other than other Elves, but even that brief touch told him much about her - including the knowledge that she possessed an empathy he’d thought uncommon among the people of men. Still, he couldn’t help but be grateful for it and for her consideration.

He looked up into her blue eyes and nodded, stepping back carefully, drawing her back with him with a touch to her shoulder as the horse thrashed to its feet.

Quickly he reached out to grasp the frightened animal by its halter.

“Pell,” Delae called. “Come help us get the horse harnessed. Have one of the women hold it.”

The other man nodded while Dan took the reins of the other horses.

Delae looked at the Elf hesitantly. “I can’t ask you for more than you’ve done…”

With a grave nod, Dorovan said, “But I can offer it.”

The gratitude in her eyes was thanks enough.

“I’m Delae,” she offered.

“Dorovan,” he said.

She smiled, her blue eyes warming, turning her beautiful.

Borrowing the traces from wagon, he set them on his own Charis, who shook himself at the feel of the leather on him before settling. The Elven-bred stallion knew his duty here; it didn’t need to be said. Dorovan attached the traces to the sturdiest rails on the side of the wagon. Before they could move it, they must first right it.

Even so, it wouldn’t be an easy task. It would take all of his strength and more to achieve it.

“Do you want to do this?” Delae asked.

He shook his head. “They are your people.”

Relieved, Delae turned briskly to the others.

This just might be possible.

“Dan,” she called, “get the horses moving forward, slow and steady. Pull them back as soon as the wagon starts to break free of the mud, as soon as it starts to go. Pell, Tad, I’ll need you with myself and Dorovan.”

The four of them bent to the wagon, dug their fingers into the thick mud to find the edge of the wagon bed. She only hoped the rails above would hold as the Elven-bred pulled against them.

Her gaze turned to the Elf beside her.

Somehow, it didn’t surprise Dorovan to find Delae crouched down beside him and them in the mud to lend what strength she had to lifting the massive wagon. He could only admire her – one who wouldn’t spare herself.

“Now,” she shouted and the man Dan called to the draft horses, shaking the reins to get them pulling.

Charis needed no instruction, throwing his great weight against the traces.

At the side of the wagon, Delae, Dorovan, Tad and Pell heaved.

There was a pause and then they felt it begin to move, to shift. With a wet, sucking sound, it pulled free.

All of them leaped back as Delae shouted, “Stop!”

The wagon tilted free of the mud, paused for a moment teetering on its