Kari looked up from her desk or what she had commandeered to be her desk. "Because in the long term, paranormals will remember when something happened, not who, where, or what. It is just how we think. Humans remember people and faces."
"How do you know this?" he asked.
"I did a study to help better organize things."
"Why are humans better with faces?" he wondered.
"They have shorter lifespans and usually interact with significantly less people over the course of their lives than paranormals. Most humans live in the same place where they are born, surrounded by familiar things, people, and family. The only thing that changes for them are the people in their lives.
"Paranormals, on the other hand, can live up to fifty times longer. Cities rise and fall, religions are born, family and friends become strangers, but time is a faithful companion. Time never changes, it is why a vampire can tell you when he came to America, but not who was on the boat with him, the weather the day the boat landed, or even who they were traveling with." She stood up and went to his desk. She looked through a tall stack of manila folders before she pulled out a single file. She flipped it open. "When did you begin the Royal Gardens?"
"Six hundred and forty years ago," he answered almost immediately.
She smiled. "And who was the powerful witch that set the crystals?" Magnus' face became blank, and then slowly, understanding began to dawn on his features. She continued. "This is why timelines are better for you than personnel files. A file for the witch Louis Tournesol would be useless since you can not remember who he was."
Magnus sat back. "That is impressive."
"I am glad you think so. Those eight stacks need to be divided by decade." She pointed to the stack leaning against the wall.
Magnus paled. "Those are all of my daily reports from the day I took over as Prince."
"Yes, I know."
"Why are you not doing it?" he asked.
Kari raised a brow. "What good would it do if I organized them? They are your files; you are the one who will have to use them. You will need to know what is there and how to get to them. I may
be an excellent organizer, but I cannot think for you."
Magnus nodded, looking properly chastised. "That is fair enough. Your methods have already helped me change how I think. That alone will make things easier."
"And we are just getting started," she said smiling wide.
Magnus was about to answer when the phone rang. He went to reach for it when she popped his hand. "Never answer your own phone," she admonished.
"But Cheryl..." Magnus started.
"Cheryl is not here and for a good reason." Kari picked up the phone from its cradle. "Prince Magnus' office, how can I assist you?"
"This is Ivan DeLaFontaine; I demand to speak to Magnus at once!" Magnus, overhearing the conversation, reached for the phone again only to have Kari bat his hand away.
"I am sorry, Mr. DeLaFontaine, Prince Magnus is not available at the moment. I can review his upcoming schedule to see when he has an opening." There was a brief moment of silence.
"This is not Cheryl," Ivan stated.
"No it is not."
"Do you know who I am?" he asked.
"Of course."
"Then I demand to speak to Magnus at once," he insisted.
"No," she answered shortly.
"No? No? How dare you?" he sputtered.
"I dare because it is my job to do so. You are so angry that you have forgotten to call our prince by his proper title twice. You are demanding he come to the phone like an errant schoolboy. My job is to not only assist Prince Magnus but to assist you as well. I know you are a member of one of our esteemed Founding Families. What kind of impression do you think you would make if you were to speak to Prince Magnus now?