here it comes with no warning; any

[magnus]

— find what you love and let it kill you —

Tephra was not home yet, but he was growing to appreciate it.

He liked the heat that made even the winters mild. He liked the humidity that made his coat slick, even now with the morning barely beginning to roll across the land. It reminded him of a land that had been home, of a time when things were simpler. He had risen early again, watching the steam curl up into the air, taking his morning stroll along the border, although he felt fairly protected here.

There were not the same vulnerabilities as there had been in the Gates, where they had been open and vulnerable to attack. Here, there were only two options: arrive by sea, which was exhausting, or come through the meadow. Even that was difficult, with the rivers of magma and temperamental land.

It was during this journey, his head lowered to brush along the vegetation, that he saw her, brightly colored and silent amongst the steam. The smile that curled along his scarred lips with natural and genuine, warming his features with pleasure. He veered toward her quickly, walking up her right side to look out across the land. “It is different,” he offered with a nudge to her neck, “but you get used to it.”

He was silent for a breath before he tilted his head toward her. “I am glad to see you again, Lucrezia.” He would not forget her bravery in being the first to join the meeting, to stand up to that intruder. He would be always grateful for her loyalty, her strength. “Tephra is always better with you around.” Magnus meant that. He had grown fond of her in their meetings; he liked her intelligence, that she did not bend easily, that she made up her own mind. “I would love to learn more about you, about who you were before the Reckoning—before we met in the forest.” His gold-flecked eyes met hers. “If I may be so bold as to ask.”

magnus