Read Online White Horse Talisman by Andrea Spalding - Free Book Online

sense.”
    â€œMom, it wasn’t my fault. We were all doing fine. The lightning startled the horse. That’s why Chantel fell.” Adam’s voice rose. “No one can help lightning.” He hunched over the receiver and turned his back on his cousins.
    Holly and Owen stared at each other across the table.
    â€œAdam said they blame him,” Owen mouthed.
    Holly nodded. She busied herself with toast. Owen did the same. The distant voice on the phone droned on and on.
    Adam suddenly pushed the off button, and dropped the phone on the table.
    â€œYou okay?” asked Owen.
    Adam looked at him, his face white. He shook his head and walked upstairs.
    Holly and Owen watched until he disappeared.
    â€œThat sounded awful,” whispered Holly.
    Owen agreed. “Poor Adam. He had a bad night too. He tossed and turned for ages. He was real hard to wake up this morning.”
    Holly looked around. Her dad had left for the barns and she could hear her mother in another room. She dropped her voice further. “I wonder if Adam overheard Mum and Dad talking. I did.”
    â€œYou did? You eavesdropped? What did they say?”
    â€œIt was an accident,” said Holly. She beckoned Owen closer. “I thought everyone was asleep. I came down to the fridge for some milk, and they were talking in the living room with the door open. If I tell you what they said, promise not to tell?”
    â€œCross my heart or hope to die,” said Owen, swiftly crossing his chest with his finger.
    Holly bent close to Owen’s ear. “Aunt Celia and Uncle Brent might be getting a divorce,” she hissed. “That’s why Adam and Chantel are visiting England on their own.”
    â€œWhen they go back to Canada, their mum and dad will be divorced?” Owen’s eyes were wide with shock.
    â€œShhhhhh.” Holly shook her head. “Not quite. Chantel and Adam are here so Aunt Celia and Uncle Brent can have time together to try and work things out.”
    Owen let out his breath in a whoosh of air. “Phew. Poor Chantel and Adam.”
    â€œDon’t say anything. But maybe that’s why Adam and his family are angry all the time.”
    Owen turned and looked at the stairs. “I should go and see if he’s all right.”
    â€œYou promised not to say anything!” Holly grabbed Owen’s arm. “You promised.”
    â€œKeep your hair on. I’m not stupid,” said Owen, shaking her hand off.
    â€œWell, don’t go yet,” Holly insisted. “Leave it a bit. So it doesn’t look like you’re being nosy.”
    Owen nodded slowly. “All right. A divorce, though. Wow!
    Are they supposed to choose between their mum and dad? That’s not fair.” He wandered out of the kitchen, looking dazed.
    CCC
    Adam threw himself on his bunk. His mom was mad at him again. He’d figured she would be. Chantel was her favorite. Dad’s too. Everything blurred as his eyes watered. A lump formed in his throat. He thumped the pillow with his fist. “It wasn’t my fault, it wasn’t my fault, it wasn’t my fault!” he said.
    After a while he stood up and wandered over to the window. He stared into the distance with his hand in his pocket, absently turning the talisman over and over.
    He pulled out the piece of gold. “Do I ever wish my dream was real, that you truly had magical powers,” he whis–pered to himself. “Oh boy, would I change my life!”
    The talisman lay still and silent in his palm.
    Adam looked up again at the rolling swell of the downs beyond the farm. He considered the possibility of magic. “My little sister says she’s talked to the White Horse, and I dreamed about a dragon imprisoned in Dragon Hill. We must both be going nuts.”
    He looked down at the broken talisman again and shrugged. “All right, I’ll take you to this Wayland’s Smithy place,” he said. He leaned his