#alec lightwood is wild as hell | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

cinberella · 8 months

Text

DEVIL IN DISGUISE

Artist: @skylar102

Rating: M

Pairing: Malec

Word Count: 48.500

This fic was created for the Mini Bang 2023 presented by the @malecdiscordserver

CHAPTER 5/7 Unforgivable

Suddenly alone in his loft, Magnus lets out a wild and almost feral growl. The door is still open and Magnus slams it with his magic so forcefully that the walls of his loft tremble and the trinkets on the shelves in his living room tumble down. Frustration and wrath wash all over him, spurring his inner power to lash out, but he must remain in control of his magic, for his own sake and all the good people in New York. Therefore, before it’s too late, the Warlock curls on himself trying to rein in the worst outward effect of his scathed feelings, but two balls of magical energy form around his hands ready to be released anyway. Magnus can barely retain them; by Lilith, he is beyond himself, so deeply and rawly angry that he is almost relieved Alec ran away like the coward he is, otherwise, he could have already broken the Accords by now. Not even regrettably so.

How dare Alexander Lightwood make fun of him and play the "I like you for who you are" card, regardless of who Magnus really is and has always been? He is half-demon and the son of the most powerful Prince of Hell. His magic can be wild and catastrophic. Baneful, he thinks with a glint of irony. And Magnus has always been someone who doesn't give a shit about the Clave, someone who has never forgiven them for what they have done. The last time he felt this amount of rage overwhelming him was during the Uprising when he failed to save two Warlock children from the Circle's rampage. They were children, for heaven's sake, but that didn’t stop the merciless fury of Valentine’s men. Magnus did end their lives afterward, horribly and painfully, but those little innocent kids… How could he even forget what Shadowhunters are capable of? And yet, he allowed one of them into his loft. In his bed. In his body. He feels violated, somehow.

Fucking Hell… He has very little time to assess the situation and make a fast decision. For sure, he needs to leave before they can get to him. With this awareness in mind, Magnus can finally hold back his destructive intent. It’s useless now, if not self-defeating. Quickly, the burning power in his hands fades away; Magnus does not waste any time and reinforces his wards with a quick flick of his wrists. No one with Angel blood in their veins will be able to enter his home. Ever again. Not when the purpose of getting closer to him is just to trick him, to make him lower his defence and have him dragged to the Guards and executed.

It’s unbelievable that Alexander Lightwood effortlessly and slyly almost succeeded in getting rid of him… But Magnus has lived through centuries of war and won’t capitulate because of a heart of stone behind an angelic face. Perhaps, when Alec was injured by that demon… Maybe even then it was all about his wicked plan to get closer and fool him. He looked so vulnerable, bleeding, and poisoned. And he looked so grateful, afterward. So… nice and well-mannered, and even respectful.

Magnus is so pissed at himself. He has fallen victim to his own good heart and Alec’s deceitful, dazzling hazel eyes. Alec is good at dissimulating his feelings; his mother has taught him well.

The apple never falls far from the tree. Magnus takes a deep breath, while his magic flares out once again from his fingers with a damaging purpose, fueled by Magnus’ rage and disappointment. It would easily crush anything in its path and Magnus has no intention of demolishing his beloved home. He’d prefer to bulldoze the New York Institute in its entirety. Magnus would really love to tear it down and reduce the holy building to a pile of stones and dust. How dare those assholes, so full of themselves, so pointlessly arrogant, and at the same time so absolutely ignorant and blinded by racial hatred, accuse him? Him, the High Warlock of Brooklyn? If this warrant for his imminent arrest was due to the stolen Sword, it would be really ridiculous. It’s not like they can take it out against the High Warlock without a shred of evidence. Unless they have any. Fake one, of course. Cunningly planted for the Inquisitor to believe it. And possibly by Alexander himself and his equally mischievous siblings.

“I know that it seems like my siblings and I hang out with Vampires and Werewolves only to have fun, but it’s not like that. I have a bunch of pretty nice friends among them, and I care about them dearly.”

Dearly my ass!!

In any case, this is all his fault. He should have known better than to believe Alec’s honeyed words, but he was fooled by that pretty face so easily. The truth is that Magnus has been waiting to hear those words his entire life. Words of acknowledgment, apology, and hope for a better future.

How could he even think he could trust a Shadowhunter? And a Lightwood, no less. How could he be so thoughtless as to bare himself to Maryse’s son, so intimately? Even though it was just sex, Magnus started being really smitten with Alexander. He seemed different. A conflicted boy victim of the circumstances, honest in his meaning to improve the world they all were to live in, Shadowhunters and Downworlders alike. But no, the boy deceived him and had the Clave charge him with a crime punishable by the death penalty.

High treason… Seriously?

Magnus has no idea of what's really going on, he only knows that he had nothing to do with the disappearance of that damn Sword. Most importantly he has no clue about what the young Lightwood girl may have reported to his mother. Who knows what she eavesdropped on at the Hotel Dumort? Maybe she was there when Raphael talked about what happened with Meliorn?

It’s possible. Isabelle Lightwood feels rather at home at Raphael’s, Magnus knows that, but maybe this time his fanged friend was too reckless and permissive with her.

A sudden thought startles him. Alec Lightwood himself may be the mind behind the theft, maybe his resentment toward the Clave is, in fact, sort of genuine, after all, and he may be planning on destroying the Shadowhunters’ legacy from its root. To get rid of Raziel’s blood in their veins. In his own veins? Oh God… Could it be? Could Alexander be another rogue Shadowhunter, like Valentine? One who wants vengeance against the Clave, willing to drag the entire Downworld into the abyss together with the Nephilim?

It surely would be a rather complicated scheme and not very logical. But did what Valentine planned a couple of decades earlier make any sense at all? Shadowhunters are…irrational and dangerous like some Warlocks are. Maybe human beings are not strong enough to bear either angelic or demon blood in their system. It might mess their mind up, Magnus has seen it before.

Perhaps they are all nothing but puppets in the hands of the Angels and the Greater Demons, too lazy to fight a fratricidal war among themselves.

Yet… He did not see this coming, and the most unsettling thing is that Magnus is desperately trying not to feel hurt. One thing is to be furious for the betrayal suffered, but to feel hurt? That would be like admitting that Magnus had expectations of the young Shadowhunter. Since when has Magnus cared about any one of them in the first place?

Ok, there have been exceptions. But they were just that, exceptions, not the rule. The rule had always been disarming simple.

Do not trust Shadowhunters. Period.

Anyway, he quickly comes to terms with the sad truth that Alec didn’t want to get to know him. Alec didn’t want to be his friend like he claimed. Possibly he just needed a scapegoat. Everything they shared was just a frame job. By Lilith…

If it is so, Magnus must disappear from circulation immediately, without wasting any time, and take the people who are closer to him away with him. He is a fugitive now.

But one thing doesn't add up. Magnus can't explain why Alec did seem upset by the fire message. Maybe the timing wasn’t what he was expecting, or maybe… He just wanted to fuck him one last time. No, that would be too vicious. Perhaps he had no choice but to fool him, maybe he was unwillingly following his Mother's orders. This is hard to believe, though, and Magnus won’t waste his energy and time hoping that Alec isn’t as horrible as he is.

People always have a choice, and Alec chose to lie to him and he did a good job like Maryse wrote on that damn fire message.

Anyway, he needs to hurry. A very clear and blunt fire message is sent away with his magic to a few friends who might be in danger right now. He needs to gather them somewhere safe. He doesn't dare think what the Clave could do to them to track him down. Raphael primarily but also Catarina, and Ragnor... and a few other Warlocks who are particularly close to him. Magnus truly believed that the times when they needed to hide and escape the Clave were over. What an idiot he had been. Maybe he should warn Maia as well. She may be in danger. The whole pack of New York may be at risk of their lives.

In fact, Alec Lightwood happens to be well-liked by werewolves and can easily use their goodwill and trust for his own evil purposes. Who knows where the Lightwoods' mischief and cruelty would stop? Whatever the reason behind Alec's actions, whether it's against the Clave or the Downworld, or both, whether his ultimate plan involved sacrificing only Magnus or every demon-blooded being in New York, Magnus doesn't know. But he won't wait around to find out. If the New York Institute and the whole Clave want to pursue a war, a war is what they will get. He just needs to gather his allies, reorganize the Warlock forces. They fought so many years back, they can fight again.

Magnus is aware that there might be a third faction in this imminent war. A faction that Magnus has yet to evaluate. He has known Meliorn for centuries, he considers him his friend, but maybe he cannot be trusted. Not completely. Seelies aren't reliable after all. It's in their nature. Obedience to the Queen is ingrained in their culture, as is the art of distorting the truth, of deceiving without lying. A fine art they master gracefully, Magnus easily admits.

Considering that it was the Queen herself who spread the word of the disappearance of the sword and that, rather suspiciously, the portal from Paris had opened in Central Park, maybe Meliorn wasn’t seeking help but throwing bait. Because Magnus bets that the portal was very close to the secret entrance to the Seelie Court, embedded in the water surface of the small stream below a secluded bridge. A coincidence? The Shadowhunter sent from Paris may be an accomplice of Alec Lightwood, after all. Oh God, now that Magnus thinks about it, Alexander's blond brother, the one who looks a bit dumb is pretty close to the Seelies.

Maybe the Lightwoods siblings are in cahoots with the Queen and are planning something really ominous together, something Magnus can’t really grasp at the moment.

Everything is too elusive, circumstantial, and difficult to interpret. The first thing he has to do is get to Cat, Ragnor, and Raphael, hide them from the Clave, and send a formal request for a hearing with the Queen herself for a courteous, yet hopefully probing and enlightening talk.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

"Jace?”

Alec presses the phone to his ear, without slowing his pace.

"Alec, where are you? Are you ok?"

Alec’s breathing is ragged; he is running, but he is not out of breath because of that. He feels a very unpleasant weight in his chest, that makes it difficult for him to fill his lungs properly.

Guilt. That's what it is. Alec is rather new to this kind of feeling. He has always believed he didn’t have anything to feel guilty for. Not toward his parents - because admittedly their behavior elicited more shame than other kinds of sentiments - not for his sexuality, or his lifestyle. Surely not for his choice to be nothing but inclusive with those same people that Nephilim have always treated as inferior. For the first time in his young life, he has done something bad towards a person who doesn't deserve it and who is now in serious trouble because of him and his siblings. But he will make it right, somehow.

He's realizing now that he should have spoken clearly to Magnus from the start. Precisely by virtue of the fact that he didn't believe in the bullshit of his parents. Alec knows Magnus is innocent. He just knows it in his gut. Magnus doesn't have to prove anything to him. The idea that he stole an ancient heirloom in Paris is as ridiculous as it is insulting. If it's that, of course, if the charge was related to that crime, but Alec is convinced that things are connected in some way. The plot against the Consul and the theft of a sword that holds a mysterious power; a fucking sword that is making the Consul and all the Council squirm in what appears to be pure terror.

“In Brooklyn… near Magnus' loft."

"Perfect, Clary and I are on our way there. Did you hear from Mom?"

"I did. But I was with Magnus when I received her message and now he knows about what I was doing..."

"Fuck... Did he... hurt you? I can feel you’re not completely ok, well, you’re not in pain…"

"No! No, it's not that, I am ok. Physically, I mean. But he was livid and I am sure he is not home anymore. I… fuck! I ran away... He was so pissed off… I didn’t know what to tell him to calm him down and he could have portaled anywhere in the World by now."

Magnus was about to unleash his magic against him, so fleeing was the most sensible choice. But Alec regrets not having been honest with the Warlock from the start.

"So, are you telling me that he was about to attack you and that he fled the country? Well, that's suspicious, isn’t it?"

Alec doesn’t like what Jace is implying, not even subtly.

"He didn't have much choice, did he? He did nothing wrong and you are coming here to arrest him, Jace!”

“I know, but we can have a good reason to take him in custody and interrogate him, Alec. Stop thinking with your dick, ok?”

Alec doesn’t have the strength to dignify Jace’s insinuation with a snarky retort. He is more worried than offended.

“Alec, you need to calm down, we are arriving, tell me where you are. The situation is already pretty messed up…”

“What are you saying? What aren’t you telling me?”

“That you don’t have the whole picture, do you?”

“And you do?”

“Look, something doesn’t add up. Magnus said there was only one portal from Paris, but they were two, ok? And one of them opened in Brooklyn; now tell me this is a coincidence. He lied to Mom… He must have something to do with that Sword…”

“No… It can’t be true.”

“There is evidence, Alec. Strong one. And Magnus needs to clarify his position. Maybe… If he accepts to be interrogated by the Inquisitor…”

“You know you can't reason with the Clave. And I know he's innocent..."

"Alec, look..." Jace sounds too hesitant and unsure for Alec's liking.

"Jace… I don’t care what Mom fed you up with. They are lies, ok? Magnus is not conspiring against us. And now he hates me and won’t accept my help… God, this is my fault.”

Alec stops running, suddenly too upset to keep going. The awareness of what he has done comes crushing him.

“Jace, I made a terrible mistake…”

"Listen to me, Alec, and listen very carefully. I don’t know if Magnus is behind this mess, but I have never seen Mom like this. It’s not only that she is determined to catch him. There is something off with this whole situation. Mom is… scared. She seems genuinely convinced that Magnus Bane got that Sword and that he is involved in the plot against the Consul. So I ask you this… What if she was right? If Magnus Bane was a real threat against our very blood and legacy? Our runes? What if you are wrong, Alec, and Magnus was, indeed, using you and not the way around?"

Absurd. Alec doesn’t care about his mother’s bullshit. Or Jace’s speculation. Magnus is not a murderer or a conspirator.

"I refuse to believe that, Jace, it’s not true, ok? Whatever she told you, there must be another explanation. Look, we need to hurry; meet me at the Jade Wolf and bring Isabelle with you."

"I am with Clary, now. We have been assigned to bring Bane in, together."

"Well, that’s not gonna happen. And… I don't trust that girl... She came out of nowhere right from Idris. Isn't it strange? I need to keep this among us and us alone. You and Iz are the only ones I trust right now. I am afraid we've been involved in something bigger than ourselves, and so has Magnus. Do you trust me, Jace?"

Jace is silent for a few moments and Alec hopes, hopes with all he has that his brother will listen to him.

"You know I do.” He says eventually. “And I admit you have been the closest to Magnus, so if you believe he is innocent, I’ll help you prove it. Fuck… Mom won’t be elated if I ditch Clary, but you may have a point about her sudden arrival. I think she is ok, but we have to be cautious now. See you in a bit, brother."

"Thanks, Jace. We need to understand what the fuck is happening and we can’t afford to share information with anyone related to Idris right now. I am scared… And worried.”

“That makes the two of us.” Jace concludes before hanging up and Alec resumes running as fast as he can. The image of Magnus’ face transfigured with anger, his glowing eyes burning with indignation, sticks in his mind all the way down to Red Hook.

^^^^^^^^^^

He gets to their favorite Chinese restaurant, and the New York pack’s headquarters in barely 20 minutes. Jace and Isabelle are already there, waiting for him outside the place near the dock.

Isabelle runs toward him and hugs him seeking comfort; she looks like she has been crying and Alec wraps his arms around her. There is no Universe where Alec won’t comfort his sister.

“Alec! I am so sorry! They interrogated me on the Sword and asked so many questions. I tried to resist… But… It hurt so much…”

Alec clenches his fists and sets his jaw. He is sure Isabelle hasn't heard anything crucial at the DuMort, at least according to what she's told him and Jace, and the Clave nearly tortured her into pulling what they wanted to hear from her.

"Iz, I'm so sorry. How are you now? Are you still in pain?"

"Well, I don't care about the pain. I just feel a little nauseous, but they induced me to say what they needed me to say. It was horrible. And then they said you were the smartest of us, the only one who understood that the High Warlock was the mastermind behind the conspiracy. Mom kept bragging about you with the Inquisitor and then the Consul came and she announced they have proof that Magnus was also the culprit for the theft of the Sword. Alec, my God, the Consul was so upset… I mean, Jia Penhallow is the coldest woman I know, but she was on the verge of losing her shit. She was freaking out and so was the Inquisitor."

Alec hugs his sister even more tightly, while the girl has started sniffling again, wetting his T-shirt. Alec knows that her tears are not for the physical pain that she must have suffered during the interrogation but for the humiliation. Isabelle is a proud and fierce woman and he can only imagine what they put her through, what kind of questions they might have asked her. The mere fact that she spent the night in a vampire lair is downright unacceptable to the Clave. Still, they seem preoccupied with much more serious matters than a Shadowhunter girl with a bit too loose morals according to their standard. Jace is next to them, staring at Alec’s face with concerned eyes. He also looks very confused. The boy doesn't understand what the hell is going on, he's not used to understanding political schemes like his brother, he's a soldier who follows orders, but plots and conspiracies are definitely not his strong suit. He is so caught up in the moment, that does not sense Maia approaching. Well, maybe because the woman who appeared behind them had never been a threat to him. Not really.

“Hey, Lightwood. Can I have a word?”

Alec was, on the contrary, aware of Maia's arrival, and he knows she was referring to him. She and Alec are friends, they trust each other, but there is something off in her voice, a hint of worry and distrust. Maia came with two of her lieutenants, who are a few steps behind, not knowing if Alec and his two siblings are in fact friends... or foes. She is ready to fight them, to defend her pack, and Alec hates the Clave even more for jeopardizing what they have accomplished so far. The Shadowhunter releases his sister’s body and turns around slowly.

“Maia, I… We came to talk to you. It’s not what it seems, I can explain and… I need you to listen to me very carefully. Would you?”

“Well, there's a lot you need to explain, Lightwood, starting with the arrest warrant against Magnus. I mean, have you gone crazy? Are you trying to start a war? What the fuck, Alec…"

“Of course, I don’t want a war! And I won’t fight against you, whether you believe me or not. But please, would you listen to us? We want to… help Magnus. Shit, Maia, you know me, right? Tell me if there was ever a time when I lied to you, just once, and we'll walk away.”

Maia seems to be searching in her memories, but she knows Alec is not a liar.

“What is Magnus accused of? Raphael called to tell me to take the whole pack away and hide someplace safe. But I'm not going to do that, ok? We did nothing wrong and we are not going to run away."

"No, Maia, listen, Raphael is right. You need to go and keep the others safe. I will fix this mess, I promise. I know you have nothing to do with this and Magnus doesn't either, but the Clave needs someone to blame, and Magnus… He is the perfect fall guy, don’t you think? They used me, Maia, it wasn’t my intention to get Magnus arrested, you have to believe me…”

Maia looks at him, gnawing at her lower lip, her eyes reduced to narrow slits. Then she makes a gesture with her hand toward the two werewolves behind her. And Alec exhales in relief.

“Ok, Alec. I will listen to you. We can go inside and talk in front of a plate of Moo Shu. All this bullshit made me hungry.”

Alec nods, smiling.

“Thanks, Maia. This means a lot to me.”

“Alec... God, we have known each other for so long... And I can't believe you or Isabelle could be such assholes, so, ok, I am willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, but make sure you don't bullshit me, especially Jace, are we understood? If I hear any crap from him, I’ll put a muzzle on his pretty face."

The blond Shadowhunter's eyes go comically wide, as he opens and closes his mouth like a fish.

"Maia, come on! This is so unfair…” He complains, while Isabelle pats him on the shoulder, trying to soothe him. Maia and Alec exchange an amused look and let out a brief giggle before they start walking toward the restaurant, Isabelle preceding them and shaking her head at his dumb blond brother.

Jace stands perfectly still for a few seconds, stubbornly offended, until he seems to realize something.

“Wait! Maia! Do you think my face is pretty?" He yells while stumbling on his feet to reach them.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

This is the result of his shallowness and honestly? Of his arrogance too. Magnus knows he's one of the most powerful Warlocks walking the Earth, but a little humility wouldn't hurt anyway. He managed to bring most of the Warlocks to safety and the entirety of Raphael's clan. The old evacuation procedures still work and his friends have helped him make the operation fast and fairly untraceable. Now he is alone with Cat, Ragnor, and Raphael, for a quick and hopefully useful brainstorming. New elements have come to light and the situation is even more disturbing than expected. With Ragnor's help, he checked the ley lines again and fuck… Someone messed around with him. From an initial check, Magnus had been able to perceive the portal that the High Warlock of Versailles, his friend Ambroise, had opened from the Paris Institute to Central Park. But by doing a slightly more in-depth scan, Magnus noticed that another portal was opened at the same time, again from Paris to New York. It was hard to notice because its magical footprint was cleverly intertwined into the first portal. Whoever had opened it had exploited the ley line channels between the two cities in a very clever way, Magnus had to admit that. And he knows who did it. At first, Magnus didn't check any portal that was confined in New York, but it was a mistake, because, thanks to Ragnor’s insistence, he found that the second portal bounced from Central Park to... Brooklyn. Of course. They are trying to frame him, right? He is accused of having stolen the Sword and, considering how dangerous it is in the eyes of the Clave, it's only natural that they want Magnus’ head. Oh, but Magnus will sell his life dearly and the first thing he'll do is find the Warlock responsible for the scam. Magnus wonders who is working with the Warlock. Alexander Lightwood? The Seelie Queen? Magnus must figure out who the enemy is to be ready to take them down. At the time of the first Uprising, an insignificant, vile Warlock, named Galaster Qibynn, sided with Valentine, offering his shuttling services for members of the Circle. When Valentine died, he became a fugitive criminal, and went awol. Until now, at least. Now faint remnants of his distinctive signature are still perceptible in the intricate weave of the city's magical lines.

"Magnus, what do we do now?"

"Now, I have to go to the Seelie court. I need to figure out which side the Queen is on, although I have no illusions about it, I also need to get a hold of Maia and to track down that asshole of Galaster. He's good at hiding his tracks, but if he's still in New York we'll find him."

"I’ll come with you." Raphael says resolutely, leaving no room for arguments.

"Raph..."

"Magnus, my clan is safe and I won't let you go to see the Queen alone, not when you think she may have betrayed us."

"What else should I think? She probably has the Sword, if she hasn't already given it to Lightwood. It takes demon blood to activate it, but Seelie's blood isn't good. It’s contaminated with angelic one. Unless… Unless there is something I am missing.”

"I won't let you go alone. Maybe the Queen is looking for a… donor, after all.”

Magnus nods. It makes sense. He's not afraid to face the Queen alone, but Raphael can help him; besides, he couldn't convince Raphael to let him go alone.

"Ragnor… In the meantime, can you take care of looking for Galaster? And Cat, I need you to get in touch with Maia. Even werewolves have demon blood and… Alec can easily get to them. We have to warn them not to trust him."

"Okay, I'll portal there right away."

"Be careful, dear, and let me know right away if you talk to her. Bring them here, of course, should they accept our protection."

Magnus knows Maia is a proud leader, but she wouldn't put her pack at risk. Not for a Shadowhunter.

"We’ll meet here again as soon as possible. If you come across any of the Lightwood siblings… Take them, but don't harm them, are we clear? I need them alive."

Cat stares at him horrified. She is a healer. She is not going to hurt anyone. Not intentionally.

"Magnus..."

"I know, Cat. But I also know that you can defend yourself if you are under attack. Don’t hesitate in that case, ok? Anyway, I was talking to Ragnor and Raphael."

Ragnor may look like a middle-aged bookworm, but his magic is powerful and the Warlock knows quite a few deadly tricks. Raphael too is strong and fast and as loyal as he is unscrupulous. He hasn’t said a word about Isabelle’s betrayal so far. But the Vampire is not one to take backstabbing well. They all have survived through years of wars, riots, treason, and persecution and have seen the worst side of humanity, experienced it firsthand. Most importantly they have suffered the consequences of the cruelty and madness Shadowhunters are capable of. So, they all can defend themselves and Magnus will make sure this will be the last time they need to.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

"High Warlock Bane, it is a pleasure to see you again at my Court."

The Queen’s voice sounds as velvety as absolutely mocking.

"Your Highness, thank you for seeing us."

"Of course. We’ve been through difficult times, so I assume you're seeking refuge. I hear the Clave wants to arrest you. You can stay here under my protection as long as you like, Magnus. And the Vampire too."

"Thank you, Your Highness, I can defend myself, but I've come to see if you have any information to share with us."

"I think you mean about the Sword, am I wrong?"

"No... I know it was brought to New York. Do you have any idea where it is?"

"Well, I know it's not in New York anymore. You know about its true power, don't you Magnus?"

Obviously, the Queen is dodging his questions and trying to question him in turn.

"I'm aware of it."

"Not many Downwolders are."

"That’s why the Clave thinks I have the Sword. The fact is that I know who has it."

"You do? And why don't you tell me?"

"Because you already know, Amara. As you know about its power."

If the Queen skips the formalities and calls him by name, Magnus can do just the same. The Queen has decided to meet him in her child form. But Magnus doesn't allow himself to be influenced by that. Amara has lived for more than a millennium and Magnus becomes more and more convinced that she was behind the disappearance of the Sword in the first place.

"Are you worried about the Nephilim’s fate, Magnus? I didn't know you cared about them."

"I'm concerned about the Mundanes and Downwolders living on Earth. Without Shadowhunters protecting..."

"Shadowhunters have no interest in protecting Warlocks, Magnus, or Vampires or Werewolves. I thought you understood that." Her voice has sharpened.

"And who could do that instead?"

"They're not the only ones with angelic blood, you know." She says, grinning not so subtly.

"Of course… because the Seelies care about fighting demons for the safety of the Mundanes." Magnus can't help sounding sarcastic and derisive.

"Maybe it's time to take on a new perspective on the matter, Magnus. What would you think about a world without barriers, without divisions, without racial segregation, all living creatures united in a single Kingdom that extends itself to the infernal dimensions.

"What the fuck..." Raphael mutters next to Magnus.

Suddenly the situation takes on a completely different connotation. The Queen… She doesn't want to protect the Mundanes in place of Shadowhunters, she wants to exterminate them. She wants to release hordes of demons on Earth until only Downwolders will remain.

"You can't be serious."

“I'm just speculating, Magnus. You know the Sword has several powers, right? And one is to break down the barriers between dimensions. It's just a dream, a dream of equality and freedom. But you need to make a choice now. You can stay here, by my side, or go back there and face your death by the hand of the Clave."

Magnus scoffs. As if the Clave could catch him.

"You're insane, but it doesn't surprise me. Not really. I am just curious, though… What did you promise Alexander Lightwood to help you? Immortality? Power? What?"

The Queen seems genuinely taken aback by the insinuation and that doesn't happen often.

"Alexander Lightwood? You mean the dark-haired brother of that Shadowhunter my fairies and warriors occasionally have fun with? He counts for nothing... and without his runes, he will be dead in no time. So why bother about him?"

Oh… Well, the Seelies can't lie and Magnus has run out of questions to ask. Her last statement wasn’t what he expected, but Alec Lightwood may have his own reasons and goals and work on his own. Or with his brother and sister.

"I think we overstayed our welcome, Amara. It was lovely to see you.”

"That's the wrong answer, Magnus. I thought you were smarter."

Magnus feels something move near his feet. Enchanted plants are growing out of the soil and about to grab his ankles to prevent him from escaping. But Magnus was prepared. With a quick gesture, he incinerates the nooses and throws himself at Raphael, knocking him down to the ground but simultaneously opening a portal around them that takes them back to their temporary headquarters.

"Get off me, Magnus. You are not light, you know?".

Of course, Raphael has to be his dramatic self

“Sorry if I have just saved you from being kidnapped, Raphael.” Magnus retorts flatly, getting up on his feet and helping the other man too.

"I was ready to flee; you know I have vampire speed, do you?"

The Hispanic man deadpans, smoothing his rumpled suit.

"Ungrateful."

“Drama Queen.”

Magnus is about to continue his bantering with the Vampire, when a fire message from Cat materializes in his hand.

"The Jade Wolf is empty. No one is here and Maia isn't answering her phone. Maybe she got her pack to safety somewhere."

Magnus reads it for Raphael’s benefit.

"Unlikely." is the realist comment the Vampire murmurs and Magnus agrees. The woman had been very clear with him. The pack wasn’t going to leave New York. But strange things are happening, so he cannot be sure.

"Do you think the Lightwoods took them?"

"I don't know Magnus, but what the Queen said doesn't make sense. Could it be that Isabelle's brother isn't involved in this mess?"

Magnus knows what Raphael is implying. Maybe Isabelle is innocent after all.

"I don't know… Fuck, I don't know what to think anymore."

He quickly sends Cat a message to tell her to come back in when a green portal opens in the middle of the room.

Ragnor emerges from it, dragging with him another man, shorter and thinner, bald and with round glasses. He is handcuffed and a little… ruffled.

"I found this jackweed trying to escape the City..."

"Great job, Ragnor. I knew I could count on you, my dear cabbage. Hi, Galaster. Long time no see, am I right?"

"Fuck you, Bane."

“Oh, no, Galaster. You are the one who is fucked up. You should haven’t gone against me. Big mistake you made, darling, you have no idea how big it was. Oh, but you’ll learn about it very soon.”

Raphael can’t help but feel a cold shiver down his spine, and Vampires don’t shiver usually, but the smirk on Magnus’ lips is wicked. He hasn’t seen that smirk in so long that he has almost forgotten what Magnus is capable of to protect the ones he loves.

There's something demonic about his lopsided smile, cruel, lacking the usual kindness and benevolence that Magnus bestows on the people he considers friends. And his voice is so…cold. Everything about Magnus, his eyes, his posture, his grin, is the clear telltale of an incoming war. The Vampire really wouldn't want to be in the shoes of the captured Warlock right now and he takes a moment to thank his God that Magnus is on his side.

Because, not even divine mercy will be able to save those who are not.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

An hour earlier

Eventually, Maia was convinced and sent her pack, 27 people in total, to the Praetor Lupus headquarters for protection. After arranging the sudden and urgent transfer and supervising that everyone left within half an hour, she and her second-in-command Lily join Alec again, who is still sitting at the table. Isabelle and Jace, instead, are already on their way back to the Institute. They are going to test the ground and understand what the Clave intends to do about the fugitive High Warlock, while Alec with the two werewolf girls will try to locate Magnus. Since Maia has received several calls from Cat, a Warlock healer very close to Magnus, she suggests calling the woman and asking for a meeting. Maybe Magnus trusts Maia enough to agree with that. Alec's hopes aren't very high, but tracking the Warlock down, it's pretty much an impossible mission, so he agrees with Maia to give her idea a try.

"Do you think she will convince Magnus to meet with us?"

"I don't know Alec. He might think this is a trap, or that you forced me to help you; or even that you may be threatening my pack. Wouldn't you think that?"

"Yeah… Of course, I would. And he'd think it was a trap even if you told him I'm your hostage."

Alec considers rather grimly. "There is nothing we can say that will make him trust us. Trust me.”

"For this very reason, we will aim to tell the plain and simple truth. What do you say?"

Alec sighs, looking at his hands clasped together on the table.

"Okay, call her. And let's prepare ourselves for the worst."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

"Where the Hell have you been?"

Uncharacteristically, Maryse sounds more concerned than angry.

"Mother… We had a lead to catch Warlock Bane, but he screwed us over again. We've lost track of him. We are sorry."

"Where's Alec?"

"He's still hunting him down. You know how stubborn Alec can be."

Maryse squints at him. Well, that is true, at least. Her eldest can be bull-headed to the point of becoming unmanageable. Jace is usually more inclined to follow her orders… If only to sneak out of the Institute and do his…thing. Usually. Not last time, though. He disobeyed her, quite blatantly.

"By the way… Why did you dump Clary here? You disobeyed my direct orders, Jace."

The boy rolls his eyes at her and he looks annoyingly like his brother.

“Because Magnus doesn't know her and Alec thought that if it was just us, I mean me, him, and Isabelle, maybe we'd catch him by surprise. We have already been to his place… But someone must have warned him. There was no sign of him anywhere and even Raphael's clan and Maia's pack have gone, vanished into thin air."

Maryse hums, crossing her arms over her chest. She looks at Isabelle then, who is keeping herself unusually silent and put together. She seems concerned about something. Maybe she has finally realized that her so-called friends are not as loyal as she believed them to be, Maryse reasons, not feeling really sorry for her.

"They're gathering an army... I bet they'll move against Alicante before we know it. If they have the Sword… God have mercy on us all..."

"Mother... Would you tell us what is special about this Sword and what has it to do with the uprising you have been babbling about?"

The woman sighs and she seems to evaluate whether to tell her children the truth or not.

“Okay… I wouldn't be allowed to tell you. The Consul told me the truth because apparently it is a need-to-know basis situation and since I am coordinating the operations here in New York, I need to know.”

Her tone is petulant. It is even too evident she is not happy about being left in New York, where a bunch of rogue Downwolders are planning on exterminating every Shadowhunter.

“The Morning Star Sword has the power to throw down the barrier between the hellish dimensions and ours. Demons would flock to Earth in droves. And if it were activated by a Nephilim hand and dropped into Lyn Lake along with the Mortal Cup filled with demon blood… Well… That would be the end of the Shadowhunters’ lineage. For good. Our runes would… burn away."

Jace and Isabelle gape at their mother horrified.

"What??? But that's absurd! Why would the High Warlock want to derune us? It makes no sense at all! He is a good man."

Isabelle exclaims and Maryse scoffs at her. Her daughter is still so naive, isn’t she? She never learns, but this time she will have to.

"Well, Magnus Bane is half demon and his father is a Greater Demon, one of the most powerful and mischievous even. The greatest Demons have a score to settle with Angels, after all. So, he probably just desires to get rid of us in order to rule Hell and the mundane world alike with his father."

"This is ridiculous!”

Isabelle can't help but mutter, lowering her gaze.

"No, it's not. And the sooner you wake up from your torpor and realize that the fantastic world where Downwolders are our friends doesn't exist, has never existed, the better. In any case, the Clave isn't sitting on its hands. Sebastian has had a very good idea. He and Clary have gone to Idris to get the Cup. They'll take it as far from Lake Lyn as possible to a secret location. It's too dangerous now to leave the Cup in Alicante. Look, you'd better get in touch with your brother and help him track down Magnus Bane. Idris borders will be sealed soon, no one will be able to enter or leave, so you better make yourself useful here. Go and bring me that Warlock and his accomplices, understood?"

Jace and Isabelle exchange a dubious look, but there's no time now to try to reason with their mother, rendered irrational by fear and anger at being left behind in New York.

But she is right about one thing. They have to find Magnus and get him to help them and look for who is really behind all this mess.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“Madam Inquisitor, we've come to get the cup. We will take it to the Johannesburg Institute.”

"The Consul has given his all-clear to the transfer.” The woman seems to hesitate for a moment. “Verlac, don't lose it as you did with the Sword. I will hold you personally responsible."

The blond boy bows his head, respectfully. Clary is way less impressed, she is used to having to deal with Imogen Herondale. Her mother is rather close to the woman, after all. Not that Clary or Jocelyn can tell their superior officer everything. Some things needs to remain under wraps.

"Of course, Madam Inquisitor. The transfer remained absolutely confidential."

"I entrust the Cup to both of you, then. Two guards will accompany you to the portal. Clary?”

Her expression and voice soften a little. “How did the transfer to the New York Institute go? I guess you didn't expect to face such a serious crisis right away. I know you’ll do your best."

Clary smiles at the Inquisitor, nodding enthusiastically, while Sebastian looks a little surprised by her confidence in front of the powerful and intimidating woman.

"Of course. I haven't had the opportunity to really settle in. But I'm happy to have taken service at the Institute and to be able to make myself useful."

"I am sure you will. Now go, we don’t have time to waste. We expect an attack any minute. Complete the mission and then go back to New York. After you leave, every portal in or out of Idris will be shut down."

"At your orders, Madam Inquisitor." Sebastian bawls sternly, before looking at Clary and smiling at her, but Clary looks back at him with a weird expression, without smiling back.

"Shall we go, Sebastian?"

"Sure, Clarissa. Lead the way." He says back with a just as weird tone. They start walking away, but discomfort seeps into her bone when she has to give her back to the guy. There is something odd about him. Wrong. Something that Clary can't exactly pinpoint, but that makes her skin cringe.

She holds the Cup in one of her hands, the other one clasped around the hilt of her dagger along her flank. After all, Clary has always trusted her gut, and her gut is telling her not to trust the blond Shadowhunter behind her.

#malec fic #shadowhunters #shadowhunters fic #shmb2023

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