Royal Dilemma

Sentimental Moment

Magnus Bane usually kept within his inner circle, except for the occasional wild party. Being a warlock meant you couldn't live anywhere near the Palace but it also meant that cleaning up your house, after a few dozen people get drunk there, was quick and easy.

The primary member of Magnus's inner circle was his best friend Catarina Loss. His other warlock friends included Tessa Grey and Ragnor Fell, both of which had come to the party he'd hosted the previous night and were currently asleep somewhere in the house. Magnus always invited the fey folk to his parties as well which meant there was a rather intoxicated fairy or two sleeping on his couch. There also was a gnome in the ceiling light as well as a few pixies hovering about the alarmed gnome. Despite his generous invitations, the only member of the fey folk Magnus considered a friend would have to be Raphael, though they were on better terms some days more than others. The fey folk in general were a slightly untrustworthy people, despite the fact that they were incapable of lying.

Magnus didn't count any Nephilim as friends, especially after how they'd treated Catarina. Magnus had his own theory as to why those high and mighty Nephilim didn't like the warlocks or the faeries ― he firmly believed they were just jealous because their bodies would grow old and wither away, while warlocks and faeries remained young forever. Magnus had watched countless generations of Nephilim live and die during his life and he had yet to be impressed by a single one of them.

Though, if you asked Tessa Grey, she would say William and James had been rather wonderful. To this day Magnus didn't understand what his friend had seen in those two Nephilim boys. Being immortal as she was, Tessa had outlived them both. Magnus remembered vividly, Tessa sobbing in his arms over their deaths. It had been over fifty years ago now that they had died, yet she still mentioned them almost every day. Magnus could not fathom ever being so devoted to anything, let alone a Nephilim. He'd love and lost before but found that, in the end, it was far easier to remain unattached. Catarina was of a similar mind to him as far as romance went. She was married to her healing magic. Unlike most warlocks, Catarina's mother had not rejected her once she'd been changed. Magnus thought it was for this reason that his friend had the kindest heart of anyone he'd ever known.

Magnus had been just over ten years old when the demon had touched him. The moment his mother had seen her son's new eyes she'd ran from him, screaming. His father had reacted even more strongly, trying to drown Magnus in the water barrel outside the house. Magnus had almost given up that day but with his last breath he'd used the magic he still didn't understand to throw his father off.

Magnus remembered wishing, in the months that followed, that the demon had just waited a few more years before attempting to turn him. It was common knowledge that a demon could only turn a child into a warlock if the child had not yet hit puberty. Magnus eventually gave up wishing but it was almost ten years before Magnus learned the truth; the timing of the demon's attack had not been an accident. His parents had in some way displeased the demon and Magnus's transformation had been their punishment. Since both his parents had died shortly after Magnus figured the demon had been satisfied.

Magnus couldn't remember the exact number of years it had been since those days. The years ran together like the fibers in the blanket that made up his life. He knew where the pattern changed but the individual threads were harder to pick out. Magnus estimated it to be at least three centuries since he'd last seen his parents' faces and he had long ago forgotten what they'd looked like. This didn't bother him however.

"Why is my head pounding?" came a groggy voice. Magnus turned to see Ragnor Fell walking shakily towards Magnus, holding his head. Ragnor had light green skin and extra digits in his fingers. When a demon cursed you it always left a physical mark. Magnus's eyes were his, but a much more common mark was a change in skin colour.