"No!" Alec's cry of pain matched Magnus', who cried out when Valentine placed the sword against his neck, cutting open his wound from before in the battle.
He could faintly see Izzy on the phone behind him and Jace ordering shadowhunters to try and track them, but all of his attention was on the screen, staring at Magnus' pain riddled face.
"Alec?" Magnus' voice was weak. "Alec-help. I-I can't get through this, I-I need you. I-"
"Warlock." Valentine grabbed his jaw, hate burning in his eyes. "-did I say that you could speak?"
"Do I need your permission?" Magnus sat strong, not daring to back down to this man. Alec knew that he was putting a strong face on for him, he knew that Magnus was trying to appear brave because Alec was watching.
Valentines' hand swung back and slapped Magnus across the face, smiling when blood dripped down his face from his many sharp, silver rings. Alec couldn't hold back a gasp and he faintly heard voices behind him gasping too.
"Actually, yes you do." Magnus looked up at Valentine through blood stained eyelashes and watched him as he strided around him like predator and prey. "-Oh, and thanks for the rings, they're rather beautiful." That was when Alec noticed the rings were, in fact, Magnus'. He recognized them from when he would hold Alec's face and smile, when he would kiss Alec in the streets, from when he would whisper 'I love you'. And Alec realized that if he failed to get Magnus back there were little to no chances he would ever get that again. Anger coursed through his veins, he wanted, needed Magnus back. And he was prepared to do whatever to get him back.
But sadly, sometimes it wasn't that easy.
"Jace." Valentine's voice boomed out, picking Jace out. "My dear, loving son. I understand that you and Magnus are friends?"
Jace stuttered, "Well-um."
"Yes or no?"
"...Yes." Jace shot Alec a wary look and Alec could see his own fright reflected in Jaces' eyes.
"And you would be upset if he, let's say...died?"
"Yes, of course." Jaces' face had hardened.
"Calf, thigh or bicep?"
"What?" Jace sounded outraged, panic in his eyes.
"To stab him, you idiot." Valentine raised an eyebrow and held up a blade about the length of his thumb. "You have five seconds to choose or he'll get all three."
"I-." Jace was truly scared, he didn't want to hurt Magnus, for Alecs' sake if nothing else.
"5 seconds, counting. And don't even think about not choosing, I've already said what will happen if you do that. And you know I will do it, don't doubt me for even a second."
Jace shot Alec a look, who only nodded in response. There was no way out of this, they couldn't track Magnus with magic or runes and not from the camera either. It had to be done and Alec looked away from the screen, tears dripping down his face.
"C-Calf."
"Calf? Is that your final choice?"
"Yes." Jace' voice was strong and he felt his brother's arm go around his shoulders and was glad for Jace to be there, his rock through this pain.
And Valentine looked up and held the dagger, swinging it down into Magnus' calf. There were a few seconds of shocked silence where his eyes widened and mouth let out a gasp before the screaming started. Alec could tell Magnus was trying to hold it back but to no avail. Broken howls and gasps filled the institute, everyone shocked into sorrow. Tears rolled down his makeup stained face, and Alec let a few tears roll down his face, letting his walls down. He felt his heart go out to his lover, his darling, his everything. How had he gotten into this situation-this was all his fault, how could he let-
"Alec." Magnus' broken and pain racked voice came through the speakers. "Look, this-this isn't your fault. This still would have happened, okay? There's nothing, nothing you could have done to stop it. Besides," Magnus tilted his head sadly, "I've been through worse. J-Just stay strong for me, okay Alec?" He could barely hold a choked sob back yet he nodded, Alec knew he was right. Someone had to be there for Magnus, he needed to clear himself up, he needed to be there for Magnus.
"Urgh, he is annoying isn't he Alec? Wonder why you stick around." Valentine held up a gag and roughly grabbed Mangus' head for the third time, ignoring his whimpers. He tied it around Magnus, effectively silencing him, and smiled up at Alec. "Much better."
Alec desperately tried to ignore him and looked into his boyfriend's eyes. "Yes, babe. Yes, of course, anythin-" Alec was cut short when he noticed that Valentine had knocked Magnus out. His neck had bent forward and Alec could see his dipped red hair that he loved oh so much. But was it blood or dye?
"Aw, how sweet." Valentine's voice mocked him. "Now then," Alec faintly noticed he was holding something that looked a little like a remote control and was proved right when Valentine pointed it at the camera. "Watch out, because... Izzy" The pale girl looked up, eyes wide and scared, "It'll be your turn to choose Magnus' fate tomorrow." She dropped the phone in her hand and looked in horror at Alec. "8 pm. Be there." And with that last note, Valentine turned the camera off, winking before the screen went black.
And that left Alec to wonder, would they ever find Magnus- and most importantly, when they did find him... would he be alive or dead?