After the Hearthfire Feast-sized breakfast, Ethan Gray gathered his keys and prepared to fetch his SUV. He left the three females—one adult and two toddlers—waiting in the courtyard of the Little Red Pony Academy.
As he walked toward the garage, Berry Golding stood with her hands on her hips, looking down at the two little girls. They were currently huddled together, their heads practically touching as they were whispering secrets. Every few seconds, they would break into muffled giggles, their eyes darting toward Berry before they ducked away again. They were a closed circle, an impenetrable fortress of childhood friendship that clearly had no vacancy for a twenty-four-year-old woman.
Berry felt a sudden, sharp pang of self-pity. She had volunteered for this mission with such high hopes
