Page 66 of My Trojan Horse Majesty

“Aleksandr, Grigoriy, Alexei, Boris, and Mikhail. They’re the men who came forward with me from around the time of the Russian Revolution. As far as I know, only the five of them and Katerina were pulled through, and none of them can.” I feel a little guilty leaving Gustav out, but I haven’t explained why it was important that he not be allowed to threaten me yet. I’ll get to it, once I’m sure she’ll understand.

“Boris and Mikhail—as in, the two men I just met?”

“They’re the men who surrendered their magic to me before I tried to force it—Boris is Katerina’s older brother. When I met him, he was a complete mess. He’s come a long way since she had to haul him around, drunk all the time.”

“But they—can they still use the elements?”

“When I allow them to, yes.”

Except I’m not sure what happens with Gustav added to the mix. His control’s similar to mine—that’s the big unknown. His impact’s my big vulnerability, other than Izzy.

“And the other elements are?”

“I just acquired earth and wind,” I say. “You can fly with wind, once you learn how. I’ve never even tried.”

“Fly?” Her eyes light up. “I’ve always wished I could fly.”

“The last thing I’m doing is trying it with you for the first time.” I pull on wind and it picks up all around us, whipping through her hair, and shoving it into her eyes. “See?” I shake my head. “It’s too dangerous at the beginning.”

“Well, you can’t use it without me.” She tugs her hand away. “So I’m not sure what choice you have.”

I step closer. “I think you’ll have to let me try some smaller things and work my way up at the very least.”

Her breath hitches, and I smile.

She isn’t running, and that’s progress. I close the space between us, my hand cupping her cheek. “Like this.” I drop a kiss on the side of her mouth, my finger stroking the smooth skin of her cheek. “Or this,” I whisper, pressing a kiss lower, right on her soft, full lips.

She softens, tipping her head up toward me.

The beast inside of me unfurls, growlingmine.

“You must have kissed a lot of women,” she whispers. “Every girl we meet stares at you.”

I freeze, my hand still curled around her face, my fingertips brushing the edges of her hair. “No, actually. None.”

“None?” She pulls back, her arched brow and incredulous eyes focused on me. “I don’t believe you.”

I release her face and step back. “You should. I never lie.”

“Never?” She snorts. “I don’t believe that, either. You’re like the wind—tempestuous and uncontrollable. You must have women chasing you from every continent.”

“I can’t be caught,” I say. “I’ve never been caught.” I step alongside her, one hand encircling her wrist. “At least, not until now.” I whip my free hand around in a circle and snag a pinecone in loops of air, swirling it up, up, up in front of us, and then freezing it mid-air. “You say ‘mid-air.’” I chuckle. “I’d never thought about that English phrase before now, but it’s apropos for what I do. This is literally hovering amid bands of air.”

“What’s the last element?” she asks. “What can you do with earth?” She’s not meeting my eye, and I can’t tell whether she’s embarrassed that we kissed, or upset at her reaction, or avoiding me because she disliked it. Interpreting her feelings is more disconcerting than trying to master two new powers.

“Earth,” I say, casting about for knowledge on something I don’t yet have. I gained these powers and then was knocked out immediately. “It’s a power that allows you to grow things. It’s mastery over dirt, rocks, and the elements, including. . .” I smile, and I reach out and around with my senses. I feel quartz—plenty of quartz. That’s boring. Feldspar, I think? There are a few garnets here and there. But then I sense it, something valuable. Something precious.

An emerald.

I tug, and it barely budges.

I tug again.

“Are you alright, Leo?” Izzy’s waving her free hand in front of my face. “You sort of froze, there.”

“I’ve never used earth, but I’ve heard there’s a trick you can do to pull rocks you want toward yourself.” I sigh. “It’s harder to do than I thought it would be.”

She smiles. “Poor Leonid, struggling with something superhuman. That must be terrible for you.”

---