{Melistair}
It was morning and Melistair was sitting in Javir's garden, nursing a cup of coffee that was strong enough to wake the dead. Which was, of course, exactly how he liked it.
He watched as Jaylin, who looked very concentrated, guided Margaret through a simple spell. His wife's face was lit up with childlike wonder, her red eyes sparkling as a small flame danced above her palm.
[Damn,] Melistair thought, a fond smile tugging at his lips. [She looks just like Melisa did when she first started learning magic. Cute.]
Unprompted, the memory of the attack on Javir's manor flashed through his mind.
Kimiko's voice pulled him from his reverie.
"She's quite the natural, isn't she?" the kitsune purred, settling beside him on the bench. "Must run in the family."
Melistair chuckled, shaking his head at his sister-in-law.