Protecting the wild horses on the island had always been something the riders believed in—stood for. But for Mia, that belief had started to crumble.

Everything had gone wrong.

After chasing a runaway wild horse, Mia had taken a brutal fall off Firefly. The fear that gripped her in that moment hadn’t let go since. It shook her so badly that she couldn’t even ride back—Pin had to walk Firefly home.

That fall was just the beginning.

Mia quit riding and started working for the mayor. She’d burned bridges with Marcus. She wasn’t going to the under-18s tryouts anymore. And worst of all—she’d sold Firefly.

Now, she stood at the edge of the pasture where Firefly was grazing peacefully, the mare she used to know better than anyone. But Mia couldn’t even bring herself to step closer.

Her fingers twisted the buttons of her perfectly pressed blazer—the one she wore to look put-together, in control. But her eyes told a different story. Tears clung to the edges, threatening to fall as she stared at the horse she couldn’t face.

She didn’t know who she was anymore. But she knew she missed the girl who once rode Firefly without fear.