il ya seulement l'obscurité; magnus only

[magnus]

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

What weaves between them is not the same as what had spun between him and Joelle (he is not sure that he will never be able to give those shattered pieces of his heart again; not sure he will never be whole enough to sacrifice again), but it is rooted in the truth of them. She comes near him, and he embraces her with a sigh, wrapping his scarred body around her own, pressing his cheek to her flesh and enjoying the warmth of her—the acceptance of his scars, the no strings attached to her gentle words and kindness.

He says nothing when she speaks and instead just watches her, studying the lines of her face and the soft breath that expels her words. He says nothing when she herself opens up, completing this ritual of honesty—what he views as expelling their demons, but she views as exposing. His mouth turns more and more into a frown, the slash of it just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all that he feels as he listens to her story.

Finally, when her voice trails off and the story exists between them, spinning and alive with all of its sad truth, he speaks, pressing his mouth first to her poll and then to her cheek and finally to her forehead, lingering there for several seconds. “Minette,” as she would never tired of him saying her name, he would never tire of saying it, “you are so much more than you know. You are strong and brave and a fighter. You were clever enough to protect your child and selfless enough to go through with it. You mourned for what could have killed you. You led your friends from that prison even when you know what was at risk for yourself. You are braving a new world you know nothing about. You are a miracle.”

Magnus drew back and looked a her, holding her gaze, his voice rich with emotion. “I know you will never see this, but know that when I look at you, I see the most incredible soul I have ever met.” He shudders, “And I love you. I never thought it was possible and I do not know what it means—if I am even able to love in that way again—but I love you. I wish I was whole enough to give you what you need.”

MAGNUS

once general. once lord. once king.