"Tomorrow, all bets are off," he promised darkly. He waited for her response and then realized she was already lightly snoring in her sleep.
She has got to be the most exquisite thing I have ever seen.
It wasn't long until he too closed his eyes and went to sleep
*****
The next day, Kari sat in Magnus' office going over his files from the past two decades. Most of them had been organized, and they both decided that anything older could be gone through at a more leisurely rate. The most pertinent information had been catalogued.
Rex had called Magnus early that morning and advised him that the council members had arrived. They were settled and would be arranging the trial soon.
"Gods, what a morning," Magnus complained. "As much as I want DuBois to pay for what he has done, I absolutely loathe the idea of having a trial." He sat back in his chair, looking worn out. "Even though I hated the man, it seemed like things were so much easier when DuSang ruled. He would have just pronounced DuBois guilty and dealt with it."
Kari walked over to where the electric kettle was plugged in at a makeshift coffee bar. She poured the steaming water over a couple of tea bags and started them steeping. "Yes, sometimes it is easier to be a dictator, but not in the long run. I know what you are doing seems thankless and impossible, but you have to know that you are doing the right thing. Your people need to feel like they are being heard, and you are doing a wonderful job of doing what is best for them."
"It is disheartening to do so much and still find yourself falling short." Magnus closed his eyes.
Kari carried the teacup over and set it in front of the prince. "Magnus, I have heard you on more than one occasion say that you did not want to rule. Are you okay?" she asked.
He looked at her and shrugged. "I am tired, Kari. I have been doing
this for hundreds of years, and you are right, it is a thankless task. I am trying to bring these people into the twenty-first century and give them the freedom to do what they wish. And after seven hundred years, I realize that they have been arranging matings behind my back. They do not tell me anything; yet expect me to instinctively do what they want. The weaker ones simply want to be told what to do, and I seem weak if I am not the dictator they want me to be. Sometimes, I wonder if I am doing any good at all."
Kari went back over to the stack of the more recent files and slammed them on his desk. He looked up at her, startled. "If you ever doubt that you are doing any good, look at that."
He opened the folder and his breath caught. With trembling hands, he went over each picture. Each file held the snapshot and profile of one of the Wolftown refugee children.
"Look at the children, Magnus. Those children have a future because of you. I am sorry; it may sound callous, but your seven hundred years of thankless tasks is worth it for those little faces."
Magnus looked up at her, his eyes bright. "Thank you. Thank you for being my assistant and for being more than a mindless drone. Maybe if I had somebody like you at my side over these long years, it would not have been so bad."
"That is what a true assistant is for, someone to reach into the blackness and help you shoulder the burden and to remind you that you are doing a good job. I am sorry you have not had the support you needed in previous years, but I am here now and I will do anything I can to help."
Magnus smiled. "Anything?" he asked.
"Why?" she asked suspiciously.
He reached into his desk, pulled out a file folder, and handed it to her. "Leif Grassfield and Travis Hickory are two witches that recently left Noctem Falls to return to Storm Keep for testing; that is how we got Nigel and Neil."
"What about them?" she asked.
"I want them back," Magnus answered.
Kari blinked. "Excuse me?"
"Storm Keep knew that Nigel and Neil were untrained and were pretty much walking disasters. They may be pranksters and tricksters, but they are good boys. I took them in because I did not want them to be separated. As it turns out, they are actually very powerful, so it was a good decision on my part. The problem is they are just not suited to Noctem Falls. There is way too much politics swirling around here, and they are too young. I want to see if I can get Leif and Travis reassigned to Noctem Falls."
"What about Nigel and Neil?" she asked, concerned for her new young friends. "They belong here, Magnus. They are happy with Meryn and..."
Magnus held up a hand. "You do not need to go mama bear on me. I have a soft spot for those boys, and I know Meryn would not give them up either. She has done so much for the city; I would like to keep her happy."
She grinned. "And you would like to stay off any of America's Most Wanted lists."
"I have to admit, she does scare me a bit with that laptop of hers."
Kari looked over the files. "What exactly would you like to do?"
"I would have you call Storm Keep and make a complaint about the twins recent behavior. But tell them I very magnanimously have decided to offer to train the boys and keep them here. However, due to the current refugee situation, I need more experienced witches. Maybe let it be known that I will not hold it against them for sending the twins."