"Lying is the first step to big troubles"
Magnus was running a few possible scenarios, about what he'd do with his favorite Shadowhunter, once he'll be back home. At first, he'll conjure them some nice dinner, maybe the Greek food Alec's been fond of. Then he'll try to persuade Alexander to a bath together and wonderful night in their bed. Maybe if he'll be lucky enough, no nightmares would invade his mind this night.
"You should at least pretend to listen, Magnus Bane," he heard the Seelie Queen's voice. "You're in my home."
"Apologies, my Queen," he replied, lowering his gaze. He didn't mean to be disrespectful to her. He didn't want to be in troubles with the Seelie Court. No one wanted to mess with the Queen. She was manipulative, little bitch in Izzy's and his own words. "It's just…"
"I know love, when I see it, Magnus Bane." She offered him a coy smile and turned to Luke. "I would never believe that a downworlder will fall for a shadowhunter. Tell me, Luke Garroway, do you fall for shadowhunters too?"
"Not anymore, my Queen," he responded, bowing his head slightly. "But I know for sure that Alec Lightwood isn't like others shadowhunters. He's headstrong and brave against the policy of the Clave. He wants to change both policy and the law of the shadow world, now that he's the Head of the New York's Institute."
"Yes, Alexander wants to have a complete transparency in both shadowhunter's and downworlder's business." Magnus cut in. "He will change the world."
"You are so certain of your lover, Magnus." the Queen drank her wine. It was strange to see her in the child's appearance while drinking an alcohol. "You believe in him with your whole heart, I can see it. But you are baffled, just like Simon was. But I showed him the reality. Shadowhunters always watch their own back, no matter how much they claim to love us."
"Alexander isn't like that." Magnus defended his boyfriend. No one had a right to bull shit Alec. No one. Not even the Queen. "He chooses the right side, makes the right calls. He's changing the ways of the Clave's working."
"And he lies just like the Clave." She pointed out, smiling viciously. "How do you see him, changing the world, when he let Valentine loose on his watch."
"It's not Alec's fault." Luke tried to defend the young man as well. "It's another shadowhunter who probably worked for someone. No one could suspect Duncan working for him. We're still trying to find out what really happened. Everyone in the shadow world is looking out for Valentine and those who are working with him."
"Yes, Valentine is not the only thing they need to look for." At that, both Magnus and Luke looked at themselves and then at the Queen. She always had a way with words, manipulating them in her favors. But she never lied. "I believe you do not know."
"Know what?" Luke decided to ask, observing the Faerie accurately.
"That the soul sword is somewhere out there."
"That's impossible." Magnus protested loudly. "The Clave has the sword in their possession. Inquisitor Herondale took it back to Idris, to restore it's working after Clary put her rune on it."
"The Clave is nothing but a bunch of liars, my fellow downworlders." she continued, calling for Meliorn. "My dear Meliorn have visited that Institue on the request of Isabelle Lightwood to help a young shadowhunter in his training, along with Simon Lewis."
"Max." Magnus whispered the name of the boy.
"Miss Lightwood wanted to teach her brother about the rules of the downworld and she needed the...helpful example." Magnus knew all about the meetings between Isabelle and Meliorn. Alec was kind enough to complain about it many times at home. "Meliorn have heard Robert Lightwood screaming at the young Maxwell for reading very personal fire messages of his to the Inquisitor Herondale. Tell me, Magnus. Have you not wondered, why your lover is still a Head of the Institute, after such a failure?"
"What are you saying, my Queen?"
"Shadowhunters do not have the mortal sword anymore, my dears. And this is a great danger to our kind." she made a small pause and looked both of them in the eye. "A danger we cannot let roam freely."
All the way back home, Magnus was thinking about the Queen's words. He knew that she couldn't lie, but he refused to believe that Alexander, his sweet Alexander could lie to him about such an important matter. Only three days ago, after the first meeting in the Seelie Court, Alec was telling that there's no threat to the shadow world, but the Valentine. He strongly suggested that they're close to capturing Valentine again. He did not mention the soul sword.
Maybe he doesn't know? His heart was trying to defend Alec.
He must know, he's the Head of the Institute.
At the evening, Magnus was sitting in his loft, waiting for Alec. The young shadowhunter promised to not be late for tonight's dinner, seeing as it was their six months anniversary. In the morning, Magnus had plans to make it their night, but now? He wasn't so sure.
He heard hard steps in the hallway, recognizing them as Alec's. Magnus got up from his turquoise chair and waved the door open before Alec could knock.
"Mags?" He heard him calling out for him. "Magnus?"
"In here." he couldn't help at his cold tone. Soon Alec's footsteps were closer, mixing with the clatter of his seraph blade being put on the desk in the living room. It was his thing, after coming to the loft, he'd depose all of his weapons. Bow and quiver by the door, blades in the room, in case of a sudden attack. Like anything could attack Magnus in his own home. But Alec liked to be a step ahead of everyone.
Alec walked closer to him with a soft smile on his lips. As soon as he stood before Magnus, he leaned down to capture his lips with his own. Alas, Magnus didn't kiss him back. Alexander pulled away from him and put his hand on his neck, looking deeply into his eyes.
"Are you ok, Magnus?" he asked, trying to look for any signs of pain. "Are you haunted by the nightmares again? Can I do someth…" Magnus got up from the chair and turned his back to Alec. He felt him place his hands upon his shoulders, rubbing them. Magnus tried his best to not flinch at the touch. "Magnus? Talk to me."
"Is it the truth?" He questioned his doubts.
"What?"
"The soul sword, Alec." He heard him gasp. "Where is it?"
"Magnus…" the warlock turned to him and watched his face closely.
"You looked me straight in the eye and lied." Alec looked down nervously at his balled hands, now crossed before him. "So it's true. The Clave don't have the sword."
"How do you know?"
"The Seelie Queen told me." He pressed the matter. "I wanted this to be her manipulation, but Alec…"
"I didn't want you to worry!" Alec tried to grab Magnus's hand, but the warlock shoved it back before he could do so. "You've been through so much lately. Magnus, you almost had a panic attack, when we learned about Valentine's escape. You've suffered by the Clave's and mine's hand. You've been haunted by your painful memories. How could I put another weight on your shoulders?"
"This is serious Alec!" Magnus hissed at him. "This sword is the greatest danger to my kind. To myself. Do you not care?"
"I care more about you than I care for myself, Mags." Alec tried to take Magnus's hands into his own. Before Magnus could stop him, Alec grabbed him strongly. "You are one of the most important people to me, Magnus Bane. I won't ever let you get hurt." Magnus opened his mouth to argue. "As long as I live, I will protect you from any danger, including myself if I have to. I promise you, Mags, I will find that bastard and kill him and once the sword will be in my hands, I will destroy it, so nothing could ever be a threat to your life. I love you, Magnus, so much."
"How can I trust you now, Alec?"
"I promise to be fully honest with you." He brought Magnus's hands to his lips and kissed them softly. "I will tell you about everything, whatever it will be."
"Don't make promises you can't keep, Alexander." His eyes lit up when Magnus called him in his full name. "I want you to tell me things you can that concerns me and my kind. Your shadowhunter business is not my thing, same as the downworld business isn't shadowhunters' thing. But things that can and are a threat to us...I need to know, Alec. I need to know when I have to protect myself from crazy maniacs and their deadly weapon."
"I will protect you, always."
"No more secrets like this, ok? I promise that I will use your information wisely, but…"
"I will be open in the matters concerning the downworld." Alec promised, squeezing Magnus's hand. The warlock just nodded to that, pressing himself into the board chest of his boyfriend. "How are going the searching for Valentine? The Seelie Queen still doesn't tell a thing. Either she knows nothing or she's been deceiving me and Luke. I never liked that little wench."
"Sebastian has a few leads. He thinks that Duncan had to work with someone else in the Institute" Alec explained, sitting down on the chair and pulling Magnus on his lap, making him squeak in a surprise. "Jace and Clary are still searching around the New York, now that we know, that Valentine has been in the cabin at the Broceliande forest, he's not in Idris anymore. They think that since her brother is alive, Valentine may be looking for him as well. So they're looking out for this Jonathan too. Isabelle is working with Simon and Meliorn at searching in the downworld. And I'm...I'm trying to avoid dad since he came back from Idris again… so… how about that dinner?"
"Are you sure you deserved it, shadowhunter?"
"I'm sure I can make up for everything to deserve it."
Did you like it?
I felt that I need to write something what could possibly happen in the next chapter, after the sweet date they will have at Alec's office ;)
Review if you feel like to,
Intoxic