Earthsong and the Grounded Way: Book 14 (Painted Path Series)

In the wild heart of Idaho, beyond the reach of roads, one boy finds the only voice steady enough to silence his storm.

John didn’t ask to come to the boys’ ranch. He didn’t want new people, new rules, or new expectations. What he wanted was quiet—real quiet. Not the kind that echoes with shame or rings with anxious thoughts, but the kind that settles into your bones. The kind he imagined lived somewhere far from everything… and everyone.

He didn’t expect to meet a horse like Earthsong.

A short, stocky Fjord mare with a two-toned mane and a watchful gaze, Earthsong doesn’t look like much at first glance. But she doesn’t just walk the earth—she listens to it. And once she chooses John, she doesn’t stop listening to him, either. With hooves planted steady and eyes that seem to see too much, she becomes the one presence in his life that never rushes, never judges, and never walks away.

As the days stretch long under the canyon sun, John learns the rhythm of ranch life—splitting wood, hauling water, riding trails that twist like the thoughts in his head. But it’s Earthsong who teaches him how to breathe again. How to feel without tipping over. How to stand still and strong, even when the inside of him is shaking.

Then one evening, in a moment so quiet it barely counts as sound, she speaks.

Earthsong’s voice isn’t dramatic or thunderous—it’s calm, grounding, and entirely real. A gift only for John. In secret, she tells him stories from the earth’s memory, jokes that make him laugh when no one else can, and truths he didn’t know he needed to hear. Her words are a lifeline, and with every shared secret, John begins to find his footing again.

But the world doesn’t stay simple for long. When a new boy arrives at the ranch—loud, angry, and too familiar—old fears resurface. And this time, Earthsong’s wisdom might not be enough. Unless John can take what he’s learned and plant it deeper than fear. Unless he can find a way to stand grounded… even when everything shifts.

Book 14 in the Painted Path Series, Earthsong and the Grounded Way is a soul-deep tale of balance, belonging, and the power of stillness in a world that never stops moving.