Page 109 of My Wild Horse King

I shrug. “Other than Daniel, I’ve never reallybeenridden.”

“How’d you like to try it again?” Whitney inhales and doesn’t let it out. She cares about my answer.

“Sure,” I say. “Why not?”

An hour later, we’ve really improved my turning. When Whitney finally slides off, she’s never looked so happy. “Holy catnip, you’re fast.”

I can’t speak in this form, so I just toss my head.

“It’s so cool, having a horse who knows what I’m saying. A real partner.” She shakes her head. “You might have ruined me for regular horses forever.”

I’ve barely shifted—I’m super sweaty—when Kristiana calls for me.

“What?” I might sound a little terse, but sometimes it feels like one of them is always looking for me, watching me, ready to find fault with some new flaw.

“Sorry.” Kristiana’s eyes are a little hurt when she reaches us. “Gustav was looking for you.”

“Why do you guys call him both Gustav and Daniel?” Whitney asks. “It took me two days to realize they were the same guy.”

“His real name,” Kris says, “is Gustav.”

“Unless you think his real name is the one he chose,” I say, always unable to stop myself from playing the devil’s advocate, even though I mostly call him Gustav.

“He didn’t choose Daniel,” Kris says.

And I realize she’s right. His parents chose Gustav, and his grandfather forced Daniel Belmont on him. The poor guy has never been able to pick anything for himself. He was always being shoved one way or another by everyone who supposedly loved him.

I know how that feels better than most anyone.

“Do you know why he’s looking for me?” I ask.

“What?” Kris frowns.

“Well.” I gesture at myself. “I just shifted back to human, and I need a shower. But if there’s something wrong, I should run straight to him.”

“I think he’s showering right now.” Kris’s eyes are twinkling. Does she mean. . .

I feel my cheeks flush. “Wait.”

“You better hurry,” she says.

I glance between poor, shocked Whitney and devilishly smiling Kristiana, and then I turn and run toward the house. What did Gustav say to her that made her. . . I can’t even think about it.

But when I reach the house, thereiswater running in the guest bathroom—the one that opens onto the hallway. Did Gustav tell hissisterthat he wanted me to join him in the shower? Because that’s a really disturbing way for him to. . .

No. That can’t be right.

But what if it is? Will he be upset that I ignored him? The thought of seeing him in the shower. . . A shiver runs up my entire body. My hand hovers over the knob for a few seconds, and then for a few more. The water cuts off, like he’s just getting out of the shower. My window’s closing rapidly. I’m about to walk away when I remember what he said a few days ago.

I should get the one thing that makes me happy.

Me.

I’m what makes him happy.

Any doubts I had dissolve, and my hand grips the doorknob, yanking the door open and slipping inside.

Gustav makes a strangled sound and tightens the towel he was tying around his waist. “Katerina.” His brow’s furrowed, and his eyes are full to the brim with shock.

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