Page 48 of My Wild Horse King

I’ve always lamented that the electric and fire powers don’t come with any healing abilities, but now it feels personal. I’m forced to watch as Alexei and Leonid suffer. I try to shift Leonid a bit—he slumped forward on his side. The only part of his face I can really see is the swollen eye, and I’d like to at least get him on his back. But when I try to shift him, the hand of his unbroken arm shoots out and grabs my wrist.

He’s still got some fight in him, which is good.

“It’s me,” I say. “Katerina.”

His hand loosens then. “You’re alright.”

“I am,” I say. “Which is more than I can say for you. Why on earth did they think you were Alexei?”

“I told them I was.” He groans. “I woke up—he didn’t. They found his cursed ring on the ground between us, and they were arguing. They hated his father.” He’s wheezing as he talks, and then he coughs.

Blood sprays all over my boot.

“There’s something wrong with my breathing.” He coughs again, and this time, it’s even worse.

I’m actually worried he won’t be able to make it to the car, even if I drag him. “Leonid, I’m so sorry.”

He shakes his head.

“Don’t try to talk, okay? Don’t do anything.”

But he smiles, then. “I did something selfless.” His smile becomes even wider, and I realize that one tooth isn’t straight. “I took the beating for him.”

Oh. My eyes widen. “And?”

He should have some kind of powers by now.

“Do you feel water calling to you? Or maybe the earth beneath you?”

He shakes his head.

“Okay, what, then? Anything?”

He coughs again and soaks the entire bottom hem of my dress in red.

“Maybe we should talk about this later.”

He grabs my boot. “When I see people now, their faces look strange.”

“Strange?” I crouch down near him again. “What does that mean?” Could it be water? Maybe it’s not just their faces. Maybe it’s everything—Alexei says he can see the water in all living things. “Do you mean?—”

“Your face lights up.” His eyes brighten. “It’s beautiful.”

I frown. “I’m not sure?—”

“But the men who were beating me?” He shudders. “Their faces, it was like they were covered in tar. Like their faces were hidden behind a mask of evil. A mask of darkness.” He shakes his head. “What does it mean?”

I stand, my hand shaking. “I—I’m not sure.” I can’t bring myself to tell him that it doesn’t sound likeanyof our powers. It sounds. . .crazy. Useless and crazy. “Maybe don’t talk about this to anyone else, alright?”

Leonid, through the oozing blood, the swollen eye, the crooked tooth, and the bruised jaw, looks truly broken for the first time.

“I’ll get Alexei,” I say. “If I can wake him up. . .”

“Don’t,” he says. “I think I can stand.”

Watching him try and stand upright on a broken leg, with a broken and dislocated arm, with a face that’s swollen like a pumpkin, is the most painful thing I’ve ever seen. “Leonid.”

He shakes his head. “Maybe I haven’t done enough yet.” His speech is slurred. “Maybe it takes more.” He stumbles his way over to Alexei and reaches underneath him.

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