-ALEC!-
Jace woke up in the middle of the night screaming and shaking, his hair plastered on the back of his neck.
Brother Zacariah moved at his side trying to put a reassuring hand on his shoulder but the moment he did so he felt the sting of burning in his fingers and was forced to let go. The Shadowhunter's hands were glowing more brightly than usual and the Silent Brother knew that that was not a good sign. The Heavenly Fire was barely in control.
Jace did not realize any of that, he kept staring at the wall in front of him suddenly aware of the sorroundings and recognizing the Infirmary. He did not seem to find the realizion anything near reassuring.
-I have to find him, I have to go.- He moved frantly to put the sheets away.
"Who are you talking about?" The words resounded in Jace's head.
Brother Zacariah was standing beside the bed, the aching fingers still clutched into a fist. The boy looked at him as he hadn't noticed the Silent Brother was there until that moment. Even though Jace knew all too well that he spent every night watching over him.
"You seem worried, what did you see in your dream?"
Jace shook his head and got out of the bed.
-Alec, I have to find him.- He started collecting his clothes and putting them on. Brother Zacariah did not make a move, he seemed to be waiting for the Jace to tell him everything, and Jace did not want to waste any time.
-I saw him, he was smiling and he asked me to forgive him, when I told him there was nothing I had to forgive, he shrugged and said "Goodbye". I called him, but he turned and went away and on his shoulders there were wings, silver wings. I don't know what it means, but Alec is my parabatai and I need to find him, to know he is ok.-
The fist Brother Zacariah had his hand clutched into tightened, it was impossible to say, but he seemed upset.
"Do you feel anything?"
Jace stopped moving altogether and closed his eyes focusing on his parabatai rune and on Alec. He gasped.
-I don't understand.- He bit his bottom lip -I can sense him, but not the way I could before. I feel his presence, but it's different, it's like Alec is under the water and I cannot reach him. I need to find him.-
Jace ran to the door, but Brother Zacariah was faster and grasped his wrist, careless of the pain that spread to his palm.
"Do you have anything to track him?"
Jace's eyes widened in disbelief.
-Will you help me?-
"I know what it feels like to care for another person the way you care for Alexander."
Jace took the book Alec had left in his room that afternoon and tore a little piece of paper, he used the simple tracking spell he had once used for Sebastian.
At first he saw nothing but darkness, then slowly pieces of pictures came to his mind: a small garden, the familiar door. He could not say whether they were slice of the present or memories, but he recognized the place.
-He is at Magnus'!-
Brother Zacariah nodded once and then motioned for him to go.
"I will follow you."
Let the Silent Brothers to know how they could move through the city, but when Jace reached Magnus' home, Brother Zacariah was already there waiting for him.
The buzzer rang twice.
Magnus swore under his breath, Simon looked at him waiting for an answer to his unspoken question. They were both in the living room at the moment, Magnus' kept running hands in his hair – and it was starting becoming really unnerving - as he restlessly turned the pages from the five books he had in front of him. Simon kept serving him cup after cup of black coffee.
The buzzer rang for the third time.
-Open that damn door!- The warlock snapped at the vampire. -And kill them, whoever they are!-
Simon tried to take a breath in an attempt to calm his nerves, it seemed to work despite the obvious fact that he did not need to breath.
He had never seen Magnus like that, he seemed scared to the point of being freaking out, at least the Warlock had not tried to kill him again, Simon decided that should be a good sign.
By the time he opened the door someone was already running up the stairs and he could smell the scent of Jace. Simon waited for him on top of the stairscase and his eyes opened wide when he saw Brother Zacariah following the Shadowhunter. Jace was supposed not to leave the Institute so something should have happenened, but Simon felt himself unable to think about it, knowing he had killed one of his friends and Turned him was enough of a bargain to bear.
-Simon what the hell are you doing...-
-That's not the best moment to come here, Jace.- Simon cut him off.
The blond boy stared at him in disbelief.
-What do you mean, not the best moment? I need to speak to Magnus, it's...-
-Jace trust me. This is not the right moment, go away and come back later, please.-
-Let me in!- Jace stubbornly insisted.
Simon did not move, he just shook his head.
Magnus appeared in the frame of the door, his cat-like eyes still marked from unshed tears and his face grave with a deep sadness. He was bare-footed and there was no trace of glitter on his body.
-Leave Shadowhunter, now.- He said in a low harsh voice which Jace did not recognize as Magnus'.
-I won't until you tell me where Alec is.-
Magnus' eyes widened and the boy ifinally realized that he was shaking.
Jace was about to break in but Brother Zacariah moved a step foreward revealing his presence to Magnus.
The Warlock shook his head looking at the Silent Brother.
"Can you tell us what happened? Please Magnus"
For the first time that night Magnus looked defeated.
-Come in.- He whispered painfully and moved to the living room.
Simon closed the door and was the last to follow.
Magnus snapped his fingers and a couple of armachairs appeared out of nowhere.
Brother Zacariah took the hint and sat down, had he not been so worried, Jace would have found the idea of the Silent Brother sat on the blue armachair in the colorful room very funny.
Magnus paced around taking the books from the floor and from the sofa in order to put them on the coffee table.
-Stop fussing around, tell me, is Alec ok? Where is he? Magnus.- Jace's voice sounded groggy even to himself.
-I'm here.- Someone spoke calmly from behind Jace, Magnus stopped moving while Jace and Brother Zacariah turned.
Alec was standing against the kitchen counter wearing just a pair of blue jeans, his eyes seemed too big on his pale face. Nobody had heard him coming.
At first Jace felt just relief, Alec was alive and all right, it was only when he felt an uncomfortable sound in his head, probably from Brother Zacariah, that the Shadowhunter realized what his eyes had refused to see: the Marks on Alec's porcelain skin were not black as they were suppose to be, they were silver except for the parabatai rune near his collarbone, that one was a bright red which made Jace think of blood.
Magnus ran to Alec and clutched him in his arms in a clear attempt of shielding the black-haired boy from something.
Alec lightly brushed his tan cheek and smiled, but didn't move away from the Warlock.
-Don't worry. Apparentely I can stand the sun.-
Magnus nodded but didn't let go. Alec put his head on Magnus' shoulder and looked sideway at his parabatai.
Jace had his lips slightly parted and was clearly confused.
-What happened?- He managed to ask a little too curtly, but Alec didn't seem to mind, he just shrugged and smiled sadly.
-I was reckless and a demon bit me.-
Brother Zacariah seemed to hunch his shoulders as he was in pain and Simon moved a step closer to him.
-Is that why your Marks are silver?- Jace asked.
Alec shook his head.
-Magnus is still trying to find an answer to that.-
-But are you all right now, did Magnus heal your wounds?-
Magnus stiffened in his lover's embrace. Alec heard his heartbeat quickening and took his hand in an attempt to calm him.
-There was no need for him to heal any wound when I arrived here, but he stayed by my side all the time.- He said looking straight in the Warlock's cat-like eyes.
Simon was beating his lower lip. He was grateful Alec hadn't told the part of the story where he had Turned him yet, but surely he would be forced to tell everything and Simon was not anxious to see Jace's reaction.
-Alec I don't understand.- Jace said looking hopelessly at his own hand. -I felt something was wrong, like you were too far away from me.-
Alec smiled again, this time his smile was just sad, and it was then that Jace saw how his little incisors were sharper than usual.
This time he felt no relief, just fear. Brother Zacariah stood next to the Shadowhunter.
"In his dream, Jace saw Alexander with silver wings." Though the Brother's voice echoed in everyone's mind, it seemed clear that he was talking to Magnus who lowered his head.
-That's what I feared.- He whispered.
-What?- Jace asked. Magnus held Alec tight in his arms and kissed his hair with so much love and devotion that Brother Zacariah knew he would regret the words he had to say for the rest of his life.
"Alexander is a Nephilim no more, he is one of the Fallen now."