The chill bite of the water soothed her thoughts in tandem with her aching muscles, and she surfaced into a better world. Assuming one could call a ring of kelpies “a better world.” The water horses watched her with hungry eyes, fangs on full display and ears tight against their heads. Regan blinked. No fear followed. The centaurs had protected her too well, and Gristle had carried her too far, and she could never truly fear something that looked so much like her beloved horses. “Hello,” she said. “I’m Regan. I’m supposed to save the world, and I can’t do that if you eat me.”
