Frostwhisper and the Mirror Mind: Book 13 (Painted Path Series)

Thirteen-year-old Chloe doesn’t know what’s wrong with her—only that something is. She hesitates before speaking, second-guesses her every move, and lives in a fog of what-ifs and almosts. Everyone tells her to “just be herself,” but what if she’s not sure who that is?

Sent to spend the summer with a quiet aunt in a small prairie town, Chloe expects boredom, maybe even punishment. Instead, she finds something stranger and more powerful: a pale gray Quarter Horse who doesn’t behave like the others. His name is Frostwhisper—and he doesn’t come when called.

Frostwhisper watches her, not with suspicion, but with knowing. He seems to read the thoughts she won’t speak, the choices she hasn’t made. Around him, Chloe’s mind grows louder—not in chaos, but in honesty. What she’s been avoiding begins to surface, whether she’s ready or not.

But Frostwhisper doesn’t speak. Not yet. Not to anyone. It’s said that he only uses his voice if he chooses you. That his words are a gift granted once trust is earned, and not a moment before. If Chloe can’t find her way through her confusion, she may lose the chance to hear him at all.

As days unfold under the wide prairie sky, Chloe begins to change. She faces the fears that keep her quiet. She stops pretending everything’s fine. With each step closer to herself, she comes closer to him—not just to the horse, but to what he represents: clarity, truth, and a voice that belongs to her alone.

And when the storm comes—because it always does—Chloe will be forced to decide. Will she keep running from herself? Or will she finally step through the fog and speak the truth she’s always carried?

Frostwhisper and the Mirror Mind is a tender, magical tale of transformation. At its heart is a powerful question: What if the thing you’re searching for has been inside you all along?

Author Trudy Myrland brings her signature warmth and wisdom to this thirteenth book in The Painted Path Series—a collection where horses speak only when trust is real, and each child’s journey reflects a deeper virtue. This time, the lesson is clarity—not perfection, not certainty, but the kind of stillness that lets you hear your true voice.

Perfect for middle-grade readers and adults alike, this story invites you to slow down, look inward, and find the courage to stand in your truth. It’s not about being loud—it’s about being real.

Because sometimes, the quietest path is the one that leads you home.