[open] i'm contagious, it'd be safest if you ran

[magnus]

— find what you love and let it kill you —

He does not miss the way she sidesteps the question and although one corner of his mouth pulls, briefly, in the corner with concern, his expression soon washes clean. He was not the type to press or to worry a piece of thread until the tapestry unravelled. If she did not want to discuss what brought her here, he was not going to pester her into doing so. Everyone had their own reasons, their own cards to play.

Instead he turns toward Rodrik, his gold-flecked eyes analyzing the other carefully. If there was something of the red stallion that reminded him of Lucrezia, he did not say. He had no way of knowing how their two paths intertwined. How Rodrik’s daughter Lucrezia was a steadfast resident of Tephra and comrade of Magnus. How Magnus’ own daughter Brunhild, his brother Makai, and his father Atrox played a role in the once-Chamber King’s life. They stood, completely separate, and yet tied together.

“I like getting a chance to meet those who are at a crossroads in their life,” he answered honestly, his gaze moving back toward the mare. “The field is a chance of new beginnings for many, and I consider it a great honor to help others on their way into the next chapter.” Sometimes, that meant guiding them home to Tephra, but not always. He had helped others discern the best choice for them before when the answer was not his home. After all, it did no good to bring someone home who would not be happy there.

At her own question, he thought carefully, his eyes slightly stormy. What had he become? He was many things. Titles had never eluded him. He had been many things in his time—King, Lord, General—in more than one home. In his personal life, he had been other things. Loyal son, friend, lover, father. And then there were the other things, the things he was not proud of, the things passed on through blood and then fostered in his heart. Warmonger, murderer. Things with ugly thorns that drew blood.

After several moments, he rolled his scarred shoulders and shook his head, the sun-bleached edges of his tangled mane flipping to the other side of his heavy neck. “I am not sure,” his brow furrowed and one corner of his lip rose into a crooked smile. “It’s an answer I am looking for every day.”

magnus