Magni
Khan didn’t look up when I entered his office. He was focused on a game of chess in front of him, two of his fingers touching a bishop. His brow furrowed in thought.
“Don’t you ever get bored of playing yourself?”
He didn’t look at me when he answered. “Pearl tricked me with her knight yesterday, and I’m making sure that never happens again.”
I took a seat in front of him. “Do you think you can leave your toys until we’re done talking?”
With a deep inhalation, Khan lifted his eyes and looked at me with irritation. “Don’t fucking test me, Magni. My patience with you is running thin.”
“Maybe you need to go and meditate some more with that wife of yours.”
“My wife has a name, and you should use it when you go and apologize to her.”
“What for?”
“I didn’t ask you to pick her up at the border.” Khan’s nostrils flared. “I asked you to stay the fuck away from her.”
“I thought you just now asked me to go to her and apologize. Make up your mind.”
“If you threaten or intimidate her one more time, you and I are going to have a serious problem.”
I leaned forward, hardening my jaw. “It’s my job to have your back, and I don’t fucking trust Pearl.”
Khan narrowed his eyes. “Maybe she’s right about you. You’ve become paranoid and see danger where there is none.”
I jerked back. “You don’t think you’re in danger?”
“There will always be small-minded people who think they can run this country better than I can.” Khan waved his hand dismissively. “Just wait until the women start pouring in with the new matchmaking system. No one will be talking about a revolution then.”
“If I apologize to Pearl, it will be because I want to, and not because you tell me to. And at this point I don’t want to.”
Khan slammed his fist down on the table. “I am your ruler, and you will take orders from me.”
Standing up, I leaned over the table with my palms planted firmly in front of me. “Shut the fuck up.”
Khan flew up from his chair. Like two male gorillas we stood opposite each other with hard expressions.
“I’m done with you taking me for granted.” Spit flew from my mouth when I hissed at him. “My whole life I’ve been in your shadow, cleaning up shit for you. I’ve killed people to keep you and Mom safe, and this is the thanks I get?”
“We each play our role.”
“And now those roles have changed. You fucking sold me out. Did you think I would be okay with Pearl outranking me?”
“I already told you. It’s a pro forma thing and only in the far future.”
“You’d better show me respect and appreciate what I do for you.”
“Is there a threat in that statement?” Khan asked through gritted teeth.
“Yeah, I’ve been thinking. Maybe a small cabin in Alaska would be a nice change. Bear hunting, fishing, and peace and quiet sounds like a fucking good deal compared to politics and a brother who betrays me.”
“I didn’t betray you.” Khan pulled back, his voice calmer. “I get why you’re angry, but you have to get over it, and it is not Pearl’s fault.”
Straightening up my back, I crossed my arms. “You do what you gotta do. I’m going to Alaska to look at cabins.”
“What about Laura?”
I scrunched up my face, a knife twisting in my heart. “She chose the Motherlands.”
Khan rubbed his forehead and sighed. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“It is what it is,” I said refusing to show him how broken I was on the inside. “You’ll have to find someone else to do your dirty work. I’m done.”
He angled his head and frowned. “Magni, don’t.”
Ignoring his attempt to reason with me, I continued talking. “I brought Mom back. You need to speak to her.”
“Why, what’s wrong?”
“Zobel and his friends are conspiring against you, and I didn’t want her in his house when the soldiers arrived this morning.”
Khan dropped his jaw. “You’re not serious?”
“Dead serious.”
“I don’t believe it.”
“No, why would you? You and Pearl already agreed that I’m a paranoid fucker, right? But for all it’s worth, it gave me a sense of purpose when I spent two hours interrogating all eight conspirators last night. They told me everything to my face.”
“You tortured Mr. Zobel?” Khan’s hands flew to his hair.
“The only person who was tortured was me! I had to sit there and listen to their disgusting talk about women. Don’t worry, you’ll see what I mean when you listen to the recording I got from last night.” While talking I used my wristband to transfer the file to him.
He looked confused. “Why would they tell you anything? That makes no sense.”
I angled my head. “Because they thought I was in on it.”
“What?” Khan looked like he had swallowed a fly. “Why?”
“Because they were eager to invade the Motherlands and wanted to take advantage of the border wall being down. The greedy bastards were eyeing a chance to divide the Motherlands between them and grow their wealth and power.”
“Yes, but why you?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I’ve been advocating for us to invade as well and I don’t trust Pearl. With the Motlanders rebuilding the wall, time was running out…” I shrugged. “They took a chance on recruiting me, hoping that I was fed up too.”
“Who was there?”
For every name I gave him, his ears grew redder and when I played a bit of the recording for him, Khan began pacing his office.
“It’s best if Khan’s death looks like an accident. The few people who are loyal to him should be given no reason to suspect that it was treason that killed him.”
“Was that Sheldon Grant who spoke?” Khan’s face was distorted in cold fury. “Those motherfucking traitors. Just wait until I get my hands on them.”
I shrugged. “It’s all taken care of. This morning, at a quarter to six, I had eight teams simultaneously picking them up.”
“Where are they now?”
“The usual place, no special treatment.”
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“I’m telling you now.”
Khan plunked down in his chair. “Who did they want to replace me with? You?”
“Uh-huh. They think that Pearl has too much power over you, and they knew I agreed.”
“But not enough to take my place?”
I snorted. “If I wanted to be the ruler of this country, I would’ve taken you out a long time ago. The job is not for me.”
“You never considered it?”
“Sure. But I was fourteen and I grew out of it when I realized how boring the job is. You sit behind a desk all day. I always preferred to be hands-on. Being among my Huntsmen and feeling the adrenaline of a good fight; those were the best days to me.”
“I should thank you.” Khan looked a bit stiff when he said it. We weren’t raised to apologize or give thanks.
“It’s okay. Just because you're a gigantic ass doesn't mean I have to be one.”
For a moment none of us spoke, and the room filled with an energy that prodded at my emotions. When Laura first left me, I had gone on a drinking binge, and I would never forget Khan for being there for me. We were the two only people who would ever understand what it had been like to grow up as the sons of Marcus Aurelius. The man had been a monster at times, and hardest on Khan. I could remember being frantic for a way to distract my father to spare my brother. Working out and practicing fight techniques had been an obsession of mine. Not because I loved it, but because it was the only thing I knew my father would always take time to watch me do. And as long as he was watching me, he wasn’t harassing Khan.
It was Khan who broke the silence. “Alaska, huh?”
“I would prefer a warm beach down south, but I hear those are crawling with Momsies, and you know how I feel about them.”
“I don’t want you to go. I need you here.”
I shrugged. “You should have thought about that before you agreed to make Pearl your co-ruler.”
Khan opened his mouth looking like he wanted to argue, but then he closed it again with a sigh of resignation.
“Fine, but I want us to tell Mom together.”
“Why? I did the hard work. It’s only fair that you break the bad news to her. I hate it when she cries.”
“She’s going to want to hear it from the source.”
In the end we went to our mother’s suite together. Khan did the talking, and I was the silent brooding son in the background.
“Did you know anything?” Khan asked her.
Erika was fiddling with her hands, her face pale, and her eyes full of tears. “No.”
“You never suspected anything?”
She shook her head and sniffled. “I had no idea.”
“You know the punishment for treason in this country. Zobel will be executed with the others and their assets will be confiscated.”
“Please don’t kill him. I’m sure he didn’t mean it,” Erika begged.
“Mom.” Khan sat down beside her. “He wanted me dead.”
Her voice was thick when she spoke “He was your father’s best friend. I’ve known him for thirty-five years. He would never do something like that.”
I was shocked at how naïve she was.
Khan played some of the conversation for her, and several times he looked up at me when blatant treason was discussed. “The evidence is there, Mom. Zobel is a fucking traitor and you need to accept it. He wanted Magni to kill me.”
She was miserable and confused, and it dawned on me that I remembered her standing up to my father in my childhood. Where had that feistiness gone?
“Why would you defend him? Do you love him that much?” I asked her.
“I don’t love him. But I don’t want him to die either.”
“Where is your indignation that he wanted to kill your son?” I asked. “How can you not be furious with him?”
She hid her face in her hands, sobbing. “I don’t understand what is happening. I trusted him. Why would he do something like that?”
I groaned. “The man has always been a greedy selfish bastard, that’s why.” Seeing my mom crying made me regret I hadn’t strangled Zobel with my own hands. She deserved so much better than him.
Khan leaned in and kissed Erika on the top of her hair. “Mom, it’s going to be all right. I’m going to have Pearl come up here and talk to you. She’s much better at things like this.”
We waited in the room for Pearl to arrive. She and Khan spoke softly by the door as he brought her up to speed.
“Oh no.” Pearl drew a hand in front of her mouth, and then she looked to Erika with deep sympathy on her face.
We left the women with Pearl holding her arm around Erika, and speaking low to her.
After closing the door, Khan looked at me and drew a deep sigh. “It’s early, but I could use a cold beer before I go deal with those fuckers.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure you don’t have to ask for Pearl’s permission first?”
“Very funny. You want a beer or not?”
A smile tugged at my lips. “Hell yeah, I want a beer.”