December 15, 2016 10:10 pm
Louisiana, U.S.A.
Somewhere in the Bayou

"Don't be like that, Katerina. Please, I brought you a Christmas present!"
"You want to give me something I would really like? How about a divorce?"
The man's dark eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I already gave you that, over a century ago."
"Then what the HELL are you doing in my house, Wilhelm Magnus?"
He paused and raised a tentative hand in defense. The warlock facing him was fuming. She had never been known for violence, but right then, Katerina's dark eyes gleamed with murder. Her antagonist glanced around the cabin's kitchen for help. The fluffy brown kitten curled up by the old wood stove offered no help. But the volume lying open on the kitchen table caught his attention.
"What is this?" Wilhelm went to the book without invitation. Not that he needed to be told what it was. "Why are you looking at a list of all the men who have died on this planet recently?"
There was no answer from the indignant witch.
"Are you looking for someone?"
Her dark hair was lustrous in the soft kitchen light. It fell past her high cheekbones, thin shoulders, green blouse, and long brown skirt to nearly brushed the spotless floor. A careful eye could pick out a few scarce grey hairs among the otherwise flawless mahogany. Magnus forced himself to pay attention to the matter at hand.
"It just so happens I'm also looking for someone." He rested his thin fingers on the double-eagle's head of his cane. "A little girl. I recently got word she had fled the little nook I had tucked her away in for safe keeping."
"You mean until you found use for her? I know how she feels. If she managed to get away from you, then good for her."
"I think she may be in contact with her brother."
Katerina's scowl disappeared. She blinked in surprise, a look rarely seen on a woman who had seen so much. Magnus smirked triumphantly. The woman's sneer returned. "Get out," she ordered.
"Now now, no need to be so defensive."
"I said OUT."
The male warlock lifted a hand in surrender and turned, walking purposefully to the door. He gave pause at the doorway. His voice was suddenly low and serious. "I know you contacted the boy at his father's funeral, Katerina. I also know that you know how dangerous those children can be, especially together."
"You mean if you manipulate them correctly? Aleksander kept himself out of the spotlight despite his father's madness. He's not a helpless prisoner anymore. Now that the old prince is dead, his son deserves peace."
"Perhaps, if he continues to earn it... but if either the brazen Aleksander or my sweet, darling Anastasia pop their heads out of the sand... well, it's my duty as a warlock of this dimension to maintain the delicate balance."
Wilhelm Magnus lifted his hand in a wave and waltzed out of the cottage. Katerina quickly slammed the door shut and bolted it twice before returning to the book of dead mens' names, hoping the boy would be absent from the list for another day.