you and i both know that the house is haunted; syden, mast, any

[magnus]

you and I both know that the house is haunted
and you and I both know that the ghost is me

Magnus is not surprised when Mast returns his call, and his lacerated lips twitch into a ghost of a smile as he watches the antlered-king trot toward them. Giving a militaristic nod, he fell silent, listening as Mast navigated through the complexities of a kingdom’s working with ease. At his apology, he just laughed, the sound rich and warm in his throat. “No apologies needed, Mast.” Magnus may have a short fuse, but he was not quick to offense—not among friends, at least. “You explained it far better than I could.”

His attention is drawn back toward the new recruit, and his gold-flecked eyes light up as he listens to him. Glancing to Mast, he simply smiles, his lips a little tight. “I figured we could use all of the soldiers we could find. I was lucky to run across Syden in the field today.” Luckier still that the stallion had taken him up on his offer instead of going toward the harsher, perhaps more intriguing climate of the Tundra.

Meeting Syden’s eyes, he sobered a little. “He has indeed given his word that he would serve the Gates,” and he would hold him to that promise, “but I don’t think we need to be concerned about whether or not he will be a strong soldier.” Magnus winked at him lightly. “The Gates’ General has a tendency to push even the newest of warriors to fight their best, and Syden doesn’t look too green behind the ears to me.”

It was easy to slip back into the position of General—it felt like a second skin. Magnus was determined to fashion an army out of the skeletal bodies they had now. He would not let them be caught unaware, and he certainly wouldn’t be content to let his soldiers be a ragtag team. If that meant mocking, drilling, or just giving pointers, he would do everything that he could to whip them into shape.

MAGNUS

once general. once lord. once king.