Max and Lissie
The girl looked too small, too innocent, too sick to be a killer. Max had been told to guard her, anyway. It was not his place to question orders, so he sat there in the infirmary while the criminal slept in her hospital bed.
She was not expected to live through the night. The team of shadowhunters that found the girl came too late. She had run into demons in an alleyway and been bitten several times. No amount of iratzes could save her. No one knew her name, though the girl was clearly a shadowhunter, but they had found papers in her pocket identifying her as Amalgeous, a mysterious figure the clave had been hunting for months.
Amalgeous had killed ten nephilim so far. Max had trouble imagining this girl committing one murder, let alone ten. Sure, she looked strong, but she also looked half-starved and exhausted. Then again, perhaps he was wrong, his father liked to say that compassion was his greatest strength and greatest weakness. (He tended to warn him emphatically about the weakness.)
"She would be executed by the clave if she were to live, Max, remember that. It is better that she go this way." His mother had told him, "and she is a monster who killed ten of her own people in cold blood. She deserves none of your kindness or sympathy. I hope that makes your job easier."
Max had nodded grimly at his mother, then. Now, he repeated them silently to himself, wishing he that did not have to guard a dying girl.
A very beautiful dying girl.
He had ordered himself not to look at her, but he did now. Long, sunshine-blond hair. A small nose. Pale skin. He couldn't see what color her eyes were. A part of him was dying to know if they were dark, like his sister's, or gray like his own. She did not take up much space on the bed. It was hard for Max to guess her age. She could have been fifteen or twenty. The criminal was barely breathing, small, infrequent puffs of air disturbing the fabric of the pillow near her mouth.
Maybe he would get lucky, and the next guard would relieve him before he had to watch 'the monster' take her last breath.
Where were the silent brothers? They should have been there hours ago. Max opened the door to the infirmary and peeked out into the hall. Nothing. He heard the click of high heels right before his mother turned the corner.
"Mom, where are the silent brothers?"
"I did not summon them, Maxie."
"Why not! There is a dying girl in here."
"Maxwell...look, she is most likely too far gone, and I told you already, the clave would immediately order her execution if she recovers."
"She would have a trial, though, before that. Right?"
"Yes, but she would be found guilty."
"You don't know that for sure."
"I do, Max."
"At least summon the silent brothers."
Maryse sighed. "Max..."
"She deserves a chance, doesn't she?"
"Fine, if you really want that."
A half hour later, two silent brothers glided into the infirmary in their own unsettling manner, and asked Max to leave the room. After an hour of pacing in the hallway, the brothers called him back inside to tell him the news.
There is nothing the brotherhood can do for her. Brother Enoch spoke quietly into his mind. They left, while Max remained with the girl in the infirmary.
Why did he care so much? Maybe he hated seeing someone helpless. Either way, it would be a long night. Max tried calling Magnus, his brother's warlock boyfriend, thinking he might be able to do something, but he didn't pick up. Neither did Alec.
Stupid lovebirds he thought grimly.
"Hey, Max. You can go now. I'm here to take over." The next guard took his place.