Page 16 of My Wild Horse King

“Daniel Belmont,” Leonid says, “and he lives in Manhattan. His company’s about to make an initial public offering.”

I freeze. “You already knew.”

He shrugs.

“So you won’t give Alexei his powers?” My heart sinks. How did he already find out? Being the czar of a large country must come with some perks, I suppose, but I hate thinking that he already has this kind of power. “Is he already dead?”

“I said I’d give Alexei his powers back, and I meant it. You were willing to tell me the name. I’ll hold up my end of the bargain.”

“No way,” I say. “You’re not that kind of guy.”

Leonid leans closer to me, his breath brushing warmly over my ear. “You have no idea what kind of guy I am. To you, I’ve always been thewrongguy. I’ve always been a piece on your chessboard, a pawn you didn’t care about. But it doesn’t matter. I’ll do this anyway, because it amuses me.”

“Amuses you?” Now I’m shivering, and it’s not at all cold outside.

He steps backward, retreating down the same path he took toward my side. “Yes.” He holds out his hands. “The idea that every single time your little boyfriend uses his power, he’ll know it’s because I allow it? That his magic exists only because of my generosity? That’s why I’ll do it.” His smile is genuine.

Genuinely irritating.

“But you can take it back at any time.” My voice is too flat. He can tell I’m displeased.

“That’s always been true. For him. For you.” He tilts his head, and I can feel it, like a light switch going off. My power’s gone.

“So that’s the payment, then? I can have my power, or he can have his?”

Leonid shrugs. “Everything has a cost, and what you brought me, I already had.”

“Fine.” My nostrils flare. “Fine. If that’s what you want, you can have my power.”

“Oh, I already do,” he says. “What I’m trying to gauge is how badly you want this forhim.”

“I’ll make the trade,” I say.

Before I can storm off, Leonid speaks, and his voice is so calm, so quiet, and so stark that it once again makes me shiver. He’s like this sometimes, like the striking of a viper, like the flick of acid rain, deadly earnest and unforgiving. “And Katerina, if you happen to come in contact with this Gustav when you run back to Alexei?”

I swallow, forcing myself to ask. “Yes?”

“Do your best to keep him in America,” he says. “Because if they advance toward me, if they make a move ofanykind to work against me?”

I stay upright, forcing myself to hold his gaze.

“I really will take it personally. And if I have to come after them, if I feel like they’re a threat, I’ll raze them to the ground. That’s a promise.”

I’m not sure, in that moment, what comes over me. I’m not usually the kind of person to yank on a tiger’s tail. I’m certainly not someone who would taunt a cobra. It’s just not how I behave. But I can’t help myself. “What are you doing, Leonid, with all these executions? You may be powerful, but if you let everyone find out you’re a psychopath, they’ll be forced to do something about it.”

He nods slowly. “I’ll keep that in mind. I shouldn’t let anyone else find out the truth about who I am.”

For a split second, it almost feels like I’ve offended him—or stranger, hurt his feelings. But there’s no way. . .Leonid doesn’t reallyhavefeelings. Not like a normal person.

“Don’t worry, though, princess. They’re a necessary evil, no more, no less. They’ll be done soon enough, and then things will be much simpler all around, I assure you.”

“I’ll text you when I want Alexei’s powers restored.”

Leonid just nods, but as I’m exiting the palace, one of the guards hands me a phone. “It’s from His Majesty. He said to text or call him from this phone, or he won’t get your message.”

I’m distinctly uneasy as I head back to the airport, again bound for New York City, but not because of Leonid, precisely. No, I’m uneasy because, other than losing my powers, I got what I wanted with almost no sacrifice. Leonidneverdoes something for nothing. Never, ever.

Which means there’s something I’m missing.

---