Chapter 21

Oh my God, Alec NO!" Izzy placed her hands on either side of her brother's pale face trying to see if there was any change, if he had gotten enough of the antidote. "Please be alright, please be alright..."

Maryse stood looking at her daughter in stunned silence. What on earth was going on here, Isabelle seemed to be talking to Alexander as if she expected him to wake up. She placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder and pulled her away from the coffin. "Isabelle stop this right now and tell me what is going on, you're scaring me;"

"Mum, please you have to understand, Alec isn't dead, he was given zombie toxin in New Orleans. It mimics death and I was giving him the antidote. I just don't know if he got enough of it before I dropped the bottle." Izzy looked over at Alec as she said this trying to see if there was any change and huffing in frustration when none was visible.

Maryse gave her daughter a concerned look, whatever she had expected Isabelle to say, that was not it. Max's death a few years before had upset her daughter terribly. Perhaps losing Alexander had been too much, pushed Isabelle over the edge. "It's alright, I know how difficult this has been for you, but come away now. I'll find someone who can help you Isabelle, I promise;" Maryse said in a calm, soothing tone as she tried to lead the girl away from her brother's body.

"No! You don't understand;" Izzy cried snatching her arm away from her mother's grasp and stamping her foot like a petulant child; "I'm not crazy! Alec is alive! You've got to listen to me."

"Isabelle, I know it's hard to accept, but Alexander is dead and no amount of wishing is going to change that;" Maryse responded trying desperately to maintain her calm tone despite the surreal situation.

"Haven't you listened to a word I just said, Alec isn't dead, he been drugged!"

Two fierce, stubborn women faced each other and it is difficult to say which of them might have won the standoff if Alec had not chosen that moment to let out a soft moan as his eyes fluttered open.

"Alec!" Izzy squealed.

"Alexander!" Maryse gasped clutching the side of the coffin as her knees threatened to give out from underneath her.

Isabelle, because she knew the truth was the first to recover and quickly went over to Alec to help him sit up before throwing her arms around him. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Bit dizzy and I have the headache from hell, but I'm really grateful you got here, how did you know and where's Magnus?"

"It's a long story, let's help you out of here, get some food in you and I'll tell both you and Mum the whole story." Isabelle replied looking over at Maryse who had lowered herself onto the nearest pew. Seeing her mother's pale, shocked face, Izzy was sure she was thinking about how close they had come to burning her son alive.

Isabelle helped Alec out of the coffin and over to where Maryse sat. The elder woman rose as they approached and soon the three of them were engulfed in a tight group hug. No words were necessary to express the joy this unexpected reunion brought them. There were tears in Maryse's eyes as she told Alec how sorry she was for what he'd been through, what she'd almost done to him. Alec hushed her quickly, knowing that none of this was her fault and wanting only to erase the pain he saw on her tired face.

A short while later they sat in a quiet cafe in Angel Square with a good view of the large, bronze statue of the angel Raziel that dominated the bustling city centre. Izzy was pleased to see Alec looked a little better after some food and drink, but she was afraid it would be a long time before the haunted look left his beautiful blue eyes.

The story of what had transpired in New Orleans took Isabelle some time to relate as she was unable to refrain from adding what Alec considered excessive details. At last however she was done and Alec asked her, not for the first time; "You're sure Magnus is alright, that Cally LaMort has the evidence she needs to stop this farce of a trial?"

"Yes, I'm sure Alec and now you've had some food and time to rest, we should be able to go get back there so you can see for yourself;" The grin on Izzy's face softened the note of exasperation in her voice as she looked at her brother.

"Before we go anywhere;" Maryse said grimly; "We are going to the Guard to get the Mortal Sword. No way is Ezra Highsmith going to wriggle out of what he tried to do to our family;"

~~~~~ ! ~~~~~

Magnus was pacing around the small cell like a caged animal. Cally could feel the barely controlled magical energy crackling around him as he moved back and forth. She had always known Magnus was a powerful warlock, but she finds herself thinking she would not want to be on the receiving end of all that pent up anger.

"It won't be long now cher, we have proof of the conspiracy, Izzy has gone to Idris to give Alec the antidote. We'll have you out of here and back with your husband before you know it!"

Magnus stopped pacing briefly and looked at the VooDoo Queen as if seeing her for the first time. "I'm sorry Cally, I hope you know how grateful I am for all you've done, I just wish I could have Highsmith and Dredd alone of five minutes to express my feelings about what they did to Alec."

"I hear you cher, but then I really would have to defend you on charges of murder;" Cally grinned; "Besides, you'll get to watch those two get just what they deserve in front of the Coven and the Clave in a few minutes time."

Almost as if on cue two guards came to escort Magnus and Cally to the court room. As they entered through a side door, Magnus saw that the other members of the court and the spectators were already in place. All eyes seem to be trained on his face and he gave them a defiant look as he moved to sit beside Cally at the table reserved for the defense.

Turning to the side, Magnus locked eyes with the Inquisitor. Mutual hatred blazed between them so fiercely that Magnus might have leapt at the man if Cally hadn't laid a restraining hand on his arm, and recalled him to a sense of his surroundings. "Easy Magnus;" She whispered softly; "You just need to be patient a little while longer."

Magnus tore his eyes away from the Inquisitor as he heard the sound of the Judge's gavel calling the court to order. Once the crowd settled, Luke asked Ezra Highsmith if he was prepared to continue his case against the accused. Ezra indicated that he was and proceeded to call a number of witnesses who claimed to have seen Magnus and Alec arguing during their brief few days in New Orleans. Morag who was seated just behind Magnus in the gallery smiled softly. Anyone who really knew Alec and Magnus knew they bickered like an old married couple. It was never about anything serious, just a reflection of how comfortable they were expressing their feelings to each other, good and bad. Still she would be very glad when this farce of a trial was over, she wanted nothing more than to see Magnus and Alec back together, bickering.

At last, satisfied that he had buried the High Warlock of Brooklyn, Ezra Highsmith rested his case and settled at the prosecution table to see what that chit of a girl could possibly come up with to try and save her client.

Luke addressed Cally asking her if she was prepared to call her first witness. The VooDoo Queen rose from her chair and despite her diminutive form, her presence seemed to fill the space. Even Ezra found his eyes glued to the young girl as her voice rang out; "Yes Your Honour, I would like to call Ezra Highsmith to the stand!"

With those few words the court dissolved into exclamations of shock, and even the repeated banging of the Judge's gavel could not seem to bring it back under control.