But I can’t help it.
I cannot stop laughing.
Gabe put all his money into this, I’m sure, and he’s losing. Stupendously. When all’s said and done, they come in dead last by a wide margin. Literally, the other horses almost lap them. Of course I run down to meet them, shoving and jamming my way through, and pushing past a door marked “owners and riders only,” so that I can laugh right in Gabe’s face.
His very red, very agitated face.
I can’t stop laughing. “How could you both suck so badly?”
“He’s really heavy.” Xolotl shrugs. “And I never said I was fast.”
I’m laughing again. I can’t seem to stop.
“I just put all my money into this,” Gabe says, sputtering. “You think it’s funny?”
“It’s the funniest thing I have ever seen in my life,” I say.
“Well, I’m glad someone finds it funny, because when Mom and Dad find out, they’re going to kill me.” Gabe looks like he might cry.
I wipe the tears off my cheeks, and I straighten. “Okay, it’s fine, though. You know we can always get money when we need it.”
“How?” Xolotl asks. “You said we can’t knock over ATMs anymore.”
I can’t help my hard eye roll. “Dude, Gabe. You’re so stupid. You know he has all the powers Leonid has.”
Gabe frowns. “And?”
“And that includes Aleksandr’s powers.” I lift my eyebrows. “Plus.” I lower my voice. “He can teleport us. Aleks was stuck flying from place to place, and that meant he had to declare things.”
“I still don’t follow,” Gabe says.
I whip out my phone and search up the list of the world’s biggest diamond mines. I swivel it around, and I show Xolotl. “This is the Jwaneng mine in Botswana. It made almost twelve million carats of diamonds in 2023 for DeBeers and the government there. I vote we go on a field trip. You up for it?”
Xolotl smiles. “I am.”
Gabe whistles. “Me too.” He actually tries to walk right along with us.
“Oh, no,” I say, jabbing him in the chest. “Not so fast. We have no idea what kind of security they have, and you’re not bullet proof.”
“Neither are you,” Gabe says.
“But my boyfriend is, and I’ve gotten way better at using wind.”
After a lot of complaining, Gabe finally lets us go without him. “But you have to bring back some for me.”
“Duh,” I say. “That’s the point.”
“And who’s going to sell them?” Gabe asks.
“I can do that,” I say. “I negotiate way better than either of you.”
“Plus, I’m still a minor for a month,” Gabe says. “Which is why I need that money for college, and soon.”
“I know,” I say. “I know.”
We drop Gabe off, and then ten minutes later, Xolotl and I are standing on the remote edge of the mine in Botswana.
“I did not think this through,” I say.
