Magnus was hunched over his desk, a cup of coffee in hand, and buried in the latest report from his Storm Trackers. The last two days had been full of storms, mostly small, which was good news for him since their storage chambers below ground were still full from the last big one. As soon as his father returned, they would have to make plans for the next trading post run as soon as possible.

A knock at the door pulled his focus away, and in walked Rafi with a new storm report.

"Please tell me it's another small one?" Magnus scrubbed his face, yawning.

"Well, you'll be happy to know that our Storm Trackers have been working tirelessly with their faces in their computers, and it looks like clear skies for the next few days."

"Thank you." He rubbed his eyes.

"Are you alright, man? You seem kind of out of it?"

"I'm just tired. We've had so many storms lately, and between doing Samson's job and mine, I feel worn out."

"Yeah, well, everything starts going downhill in your thirties," he laughed softly. "I swear, the other day, I almost put my back out just tying my shoes."

"We're definitely not those twenty-year-old guys working the wall anymore, that's for sure."

"Speaking of being twenty-something..." Rafi rested his bottom on the edge of the desk and folded his arms. "Looks like you were getting cozy with Estera the other day when I walked in."

"That's not what you think."

"No? Because I heard a little whisper that you were seen running back to your apartment with her that very night." Rafi playfully cocked a brow.

"Um... Uh..."

"It's ok, man. She's an attractive girl. Maybe a little young for you, but I see why you like her."

"I hardly know her."

Rafi face-palmed himself. "Here we go with excuses."

"I'm not making any."

"Yeah, you are. You always do. How many girls have practically thrown themselves at you, and you've turned them down? I know you shoulder a lot of responsibilities around here, but life can't always be about work. Have some fun every once in a while. Hell, sew your wild oats, just because you can! I know I would if my name was Magnus Juarez."

"You don't get it. They throw themselves at me because of who my father is. They want a title."

"Excuses."

"It's true! The only women who've ever seen me for who I really am are Zemora and Mira, and they ended up falling in love with each other."

"Ah, come on, what about Serena? That relationship lasted at least a year."

"We just... Drifted apart." He shrugged.

"Because you're a workaholic."

"No, it's because one day it'll be me running this place, and I have to prove to everyone that I'm capable. If I can't, then how can they trust me? And if they don't trust me, this place will fall apart."

"Mag, people trust you. We all believe in you. Now if you would just stop using these excuses to deny that something is cooking with Estera-"

"Get out." Magnus pointed to the door. "All the way out."

"Just think about it, man. Estera is an outsider, which means you get to have a clean slate with her, and if you stop being such a hard ass, maybe she'll get to know the real Magnus instead of the facade?"

Sighing, he leaned over the reports on his desk. "I have to get back to work."

"Alright, fine. Be stubborn." Rafi stood and began making his way to the door, but then paused. "So did you did you sleep with her or not?"

"Rafi, I swear!"

"Ok, fine, fine... But you would tell me if you did, right?" He grinned and then ducked from the paper ball catapulting his way. "Ok, ok, take it easy. I'm leaving."

An hour later, Magnus glanced at his pocket watch and headed for the front gate. Evening had arrived with a purple hue as the remnants of sunshine clung to the horizon in a wink of orange. He rode his lawnmower to the usual spot where he, his father, and brother, often waited for one another to return. It was a tradition that his mother created long ago before the Great War, and despite the negative feelings she often brought up for Samson, his brother never argued with their ritual.

Within a few minutes, the guards cranked the gates open, revealing the citizens unloading from the vehicles. When he saw Estera step out, he bit back a smile and straightened his posture. His father and Samson walked ahead of her, their heads bowed in conversation with one another as if discussing something private. He met them halfway, drawing their attention as he walked, and Jupiter opened his arms to embrace him tightly.

"How was the trip?" Magnus asked.

"Good. We traded all of it, and Estera was able to buy a few things for herself. Isn't that right?" Jupiter turned to include her.

"Yes." She nodded, and Magnus noticed the smile she was trying to hold back as soon as their eyes met.

"Well, I bet you're all tired, so I'll leave the business talk for tomorrow."

"Why? What happened?" Jupiter narrowed his eyes.

"We just need to plan for the next trip as soon as possible, but it can wait for tomorrow. So go on and get some rest." He squeezed his father's shoulder. "Happy you made it home safe."

As Jupiter walked away, Magnus waited for Samson to do the same so he could catch up with Estera, but his brother stayed behind and cleared his throat. "We should talk."

"Sure, Sam, but mind if I have a moment with Estera first?"

"Fine. Meet me in the Weather Room," Samson grumbled and marched off.

"Did something happen on the road?" Magnus turned back to Estera, confused.

"No. He just hasn't been in the greatest mood since we left here."

"He wasn't rude to you, was he?"

"It's nothing I can't handle."

"I don't doubt that." He smiled and remembered what Rafi told him about opening up. They only problem was, they had yet to address him passing out on her. It wasn't his finest moment, and he needed to make a move if they were going to get past the awkwardness hovering over them. To break the ice, he curled his index finger around hers. "So, did you miss me?"

"Un poquitito," she pinched her fingers together.

"Come on. I'll take you home."

They hopped onto his lawnmower, and as they rode to the apartment with her arm wrapped around his waist, he held onto her hand as it rested on his stomach. The drive was short, and part of him was tempted to blow Samson off, but he'd never hear the end of it. So instead, he walked her to the door and said goodbye by pressing her against the wall with a kiss.

When he pulled away, she appeared breathless while searching his eyes, and as much as he wanted to kiss her again, his reluctant feet carried him back to the lawnmower.

Once he got to the Weather Room, Samson was going through reports on his desk, but then straightened his posture, and folded his arms with his mouth going to the side in a scowl. Clearly, he was upset about something, so Magnus sat down on the couch to prepare for an earful.

"So what's up, Sammy?"

"Well..." He rounded the desk and sat on the edge. "It's about Estera."

"What about her?"

"You know how I told you that something is off with her? Well, I saw her talking to someone at the Trading Post."

"Yeah, and?"

"And it was definitely someone she knows."

"Yeah, so?"

"You wouldn't be so Cavalier if you saw his leather armor and all-black attire. He's clearly a southerner, so if Estera is supposed to be from the west, how does she know someone from the south?"

"I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation. He probably saw a pretty girl and wanted to talk to her, and Estera was just being polite."

Samson scoffed and shook his head. "You're unbelievable. I knew you'd make excuses."

"Oh, and jumping to conclusions is better? Don't you think we should give her the benefit of the doubt first?"

"You just don't want to face the fact that your little girlfriend isn't who she says she is."

"She's not my girlfriend."

"You're being defensive, and we both know it's because you've developed feelings for her." When Magnus didn't respond, Samson continued, "Don't be like mom. Listen to what I'm telling you. Estera is lying to us about where she's from. She's a southerner, and for all we know, she was sent here as a spy."

"A spy for what? The war is over. There's nothing to fight about!"

"Don't be like mom."

Magnus stood and glared. "Don't you start about mom again."

"Or what?"

"Just... Don't."

"And what are you going to do if I don't stop, tough guy?"

"I swear if you don't drop this-"

"Or what!" Samson shoved him, and Magnus swatted his hands away.

"You want to know what really happened, Sammy?"

"I already know what happened!" He shoved again.

"Oh yeah? Then tell me, go on, tell me what you think happened."

"Mom had an affair with Catalina Montenegro's right-hand man, Elliot Shaw. Dad found out and went ballistic."

"You are dead wrong."

"No, you're wrong!" This time Samson shoved Magnus so hard that it caused him to stumble back.

When he recovered, he charged Samson with a tackle, sending them both to the ground. Their arms tangled as they fought to take swings while rolling on the ground, with legs kicking. For a moment, Samson overpowered him by managing to swing, and when his knuckles made impact, Magnus saw stars in his left eye. He grit his teeth through the pain and tried to gain back control by locking his legs around Samson. With both of them on the floor like wrestlers in a cage, they held each other tightly and took body shots through every crevice they could find. Magnus kept aiming for the same spot on Samson's ribs until it became so tender that his brother had no choice but to protect himself to make it stop. He pushed Samson off and pinned him to the ground, but when he was about to swing, he paused, his fist inches from his brother's face.

"Do it!" Samson shouted at him. "I know you want to, you coward."

But Magnus couldn't. He retracted his fist and could already feel the blood in his veins receding along with the rage that had blinded him. Staggering back, he shook his head and panted, "What are we doing?"

"Don't wuss out on me now..." Samson got to his feet and put up his fists. "You want this just as badly as I do. So come on!"

"No." Magnus exhaled a tired breath and plopped onto the couch with a loud sigh. "You're going to listen to me, and I want it to be the end of this. Our mother did not have an affair."

"Bull shi-"

"Shut up and listen!" Magnus barked.

"Fine." Samson set his jaw and folded his arms.

"Leading up to the war, there was a lot of tension. The south demanded that we share our resources with them, so to prevent a war from happening, mom went down there to negotiate terms. Dad figured that if anyone could negotiate peace and a fair deal, it would be mom since she and Catalina were old acquaintances. During her trips there, Elliott Shaw became obsessed with her. Everywhere she turned, he was there, and one time during her visit, she woke up to him standing over her bed - just staring at her. He terrified, mom.

Samson rolled his eyes.

"Don't make that face!" Magnus scolded. "I overheard her telling dad about what happened, and how she didn't want to go back there, but we were so close to negotiating peace, so dad made her go south again to finalize the agreement. A few days later, dad receives a handwritten letter from the postal service, and it's from mom, saying that Catalina and the other leaders never planned on agreeing to our terms. It was all a ruse, and the south was going to invade the north. That same day, mom is found in the wasteland and beaten so badly she was almost unrecognizable. The person who found her said the last words on her breath were Elliot and ambush. They killed her because she learned the truth. That's when dad declared war."

"That still doesn't prove she didn't have an affair. She could've lied to dad."

"Sammy..." Magnus dropped his face into his hands with a groan. "What will it take for you to believe that mom didn't cheat on dad?"

"If she didn't cheat, then how come people say that Jupiter isn't my biological father!"

"What?" Magnus looked back up and saw the tears gathering in his brother's eyes, which contradicted the fists curled at his side.

"If she didn't cheat, then why do people say, behind my back, that I'm not dad's real son?"

Magnus stood and went to his brother. "Who said this?"

"What does it matter if it's true?"

"Sammy..." He cupped the back of his brother's head and searched his glossy, red eyes, but Samson pushed away.

"That's why dad loves you more than me!" His voice cracked.

"Sammy, no. You are Jupiter's son. You were five years old when mom started going to the south to make peace. Before that, she hadn't been down there in at least a decade."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better."

"I'm saying it because it's true." Magnus pulled him close, squeezing him tight. "I would never lie to you. You're my brother, and I love you. Don't you trust me?"

"Yes," he sniffled.

"Then believe me."

"Ok, but Mag..." he sniffed again, and pulled away to look him in the eyes. "I know I'm right about Estera, and you need to be careful with her. She's not here by accident, so please, trust me the way I trust you."

Magnus darted his eyes to their feet - his brother's plea a brick on his heart. "Alright, I'll be careful. Even if I think you're wrong about her."

"I think once you put your feelings aside, you'll see things more clearly."

When Samson exited the office, Magnus swayed with dizziness from the roller coaster of the last few minutes. It was too much to digest, and on top of it all, he had his feelings for Estera to consider. He wasn't sure where things were heading with her, but he felt something, so his brother's suspicions only made him wonder if her charms were blinding his reasoning?

Burying his head in his hands, he hoped his brother was wrong because if Estera could easily manipulate him, then maybe he wasn't fit to run the community?

It was a sobering thought and one that caused his legs to give as he sunk onto the couch.