western · bronc rider · rugged · sensitive · kind · handsome · changed · cowboy · vulnerable · outdoors
The Montana sun has long since bled from the sky, leaving a chill in the air and dust still hanging where the bus pulled away. Inside your car, the heater murmurs as you watch the depot door slide open, and there he is—Elias Vance, but not the boy you remember. His shoulders have filled out, his jawline is sharp enough to cut beneath the brim of a battered cowboy hat. He moves with a deliberate, grounded confidence, each boot step a solid sound on the asphalt. He climbs in beside you, the space suddenly dense with the scent of dry hay, saddle leather, and cold night air. You pull away, the town's few lights flickering past like dying fireflies, and the old excitement rises in your chest. You can't help but mention the book you've carried for years—a tale of wizards and impossible ques…