Page 79 of My Trojan Horse Majesty

I know that, too.

I’m sure my whole family’s been talking about it. It’s not a lovely feeling, knowing that everyone you love thinks you’re a moron. I can’t argue with them, either. They were right. When I think back on my time with Tim—I can’t believe it took me so long to see how selfish and dishonest he was. I think I stuck around for so long because leaving him meant giving up on myself.

And even now, I’m not sure he couldn’t be saved by someone. The right person. I’ve just lost interest in being the one to do it.

That’s the bummer about optimists. We’re the happy ones, always hoping, always wishing, but we’re also let down more than anyone else in the world. Your bubble can’t be popped if it’s not floating, and each time it is, it hurts.

“We’re almost there.” Abigail stops, releases Steve’s hand, and turns around. “We said we’d talk.”

Leonid looks around, squeezing my hand. “I can sense the others. We may as well walk all the way to where they’re waiting for us.”

The others? I look around, unsure whom he means. “There’s no one else,” I say. “They’d have said.”

Mom looks at the ground.

Steve grunts.

“They’re all right up there, around the bend.” Leonid sounds utterly calm.

“I thought you told Boris and Mikhail not to come.” I frown.

“I did.” He tosses his head at Steve. “They made no such promises.”

“You didn’t ask,” Steve says.

“I didn’t ask.” Leonid tugs on my hand, and then he starts walking again.

“Who is it?” I seem to be the only one who doesn’t know. “Who’s up there?” I stomp. “Is it Aunt Helen?”

“Perhaps she’s with them too,” Leonid says. “But those whom I can feel are the people I’ve mentioned before. Aleksandr, Kristiana, Gustav, Grigoriy, Alexei, and Katerina.”

Stupid Katerina? Ugh. I guess I’ll find out just how pretty she is. Which isnotthe point. “Why are they all here?”

“To destroy me.” But Leo’s smiling.

“Why aren’t you worried?” I ask. “You should be nervous.”

“He’s not nervous.” A man steps out from behind the edge of the massive stone kiln up ahead. “Because he’s rescinded our ability to use our magic.”

Gabe hops out from beside the man. “Hey, Iz. I can’t believe you knew about all this too! Mom said I couldn’t tell you, but I really wanted to call anyway.”

“We were trying to keep you safe,” Mom says. “Clearly that didn’t pan out.”

As we approach the limekiln, a large stone facade with small arched doors in the front, all of them barred over, I see quite a few people. Gabe’s the only one I know, other than Mom and Steve.

“Who’s who?” I whisper.

“The blonde who’s small and crazy looking is Adriana.” Leo points. “The other small blonde’s Kristiana, who’s Gustav’s sister. The third, taller blonde—not much diversity in Russia—is Katerina.”

“Their names are confusingly similar, too,” I say. “If the same person had named them all, say, an author of a book series, I’d say she was a total idiot.”

“No kidding,” Leonid says. “The big bulky man, that’s Grigoriy, and his wife? Girlfriend?” He snorts. “I can’t keep up, but she’s the one brunette, the one who looks like she may have eaten once in her lifetime.” He points again. “Grigoriy normally has wind magic, when I choose to allow it. The tall dark-haired man’s Aleksandr, Kristiana’s husband, who usually has earth powers. The slim blonde man is with the tiny, crazy woman, and his name’s Alexei Romanov. Water powers.”

“I recognize his face from the news,” I say. “Vaguely.”

“You should let go of his hand and come over here,” Gabe says. “Red Rover, Red Rover, send Izzy over.” He smiles.

Does he really think this is all just some kind of game? Of course he does. Gabe thinks everything’s a game. And with their faces—they all look like they could walk right off the set of a movie. I might think this was all fun too, if I were his age.

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