Chapter 25
By the time Magnus slipped into Alec's office, the others were already assembled. Jace was talking quietly with Isabelle whose stoic face could not completely hide the concern she felt. Shivvy and Josh were peppering Ian with questions about what had happened at St. Joseph's Church in the West Village. Magnus thought he caught the word 'Reaper' and a small shudder ran down his spine. Clary was sitting quietly beside Alec, but moved to allow Magnus to take her place.
Sitting down, Magnus put an arm around Alec and pulled him into brief embrace. "You're cold love;" he said before snapping his fingers to start a cheery blaze going in the fireplace. Without a word being said the others began to draw closer to the hearth, settling themselves in the chairs and couches that surrounded it. As Magnus looked around at those assembled he thought about how grateful he was to have the support of Alec's family and friends, his family and friends as they now were.
All eyes turned to Magnus waiting for whatever news he had to give them. "The location spell I performed was successful. As we suspected, Lucia has gone to ground in France and she is holding Catarina in a place called Chateau Trecesson."
"Okay;" Said Jace; "So when do we leave?"
"Please don't let the term Chateau deceive you, Trecesson is a 15th century castle, and was built at a time when noble houses were as much about defense as prestige. It has thick stone walls, small windows and is surrounded by a moat." Magnus replied dryly.
"So I guess that means we'll need to dust off the siege weapons;" Jace said cheekily.
Magnus laughed, glad for once that the irreverent Jace had managed to ease the tension in the room. "I'm hoping we won't have to resort to antiques of that sort." He replied, but before he could say more the doorbell rang and Shivvy scurried out of the room to find out who could be requesting access to the Institute at that hour.
"Anybody expecting company?" Alec asked. A quick scan of the room proved everyone was just as mystified as he was, so they waited until Shivvy returned with Cardinal Richelieu in toe.
"Look what the cat dragged in!" Shivvy crowed, ignoring the disapproving look her comment garnered from Ian.
"Armand!" Magnus cried getting up to welcome the ancient warlock. "What are you doing here?"
"I heard the news about Catarina and I wanted to help;" Was the simple reply.
"My location spell indicated that she is being held at Trecesson;" Magnus added to bring Richelieu up to date.
"Hmmm, I'm not surprised, there have been some strange rumours circulating about that place and I was going to look into it. It seems as if a number of vampires and warlocks have been congregating there, and that they may have resurrected the Danse Macabre." Richelieu said looking thoughtful. "It would be very like Lucia to do that."
"There is something else you should know Armand;" Magnus said studiously not looking at his husband. "Lucia has sent a Reaper demon after Alec;"
"A Reaper!" Richelieu exclaimed a look of genuine shock on his austere face. "I did not think even she could be so foolish, and heaven only knows what she had to promise to get it."
"M-Magnus? Alec stammered shocked in turn by his husband's certainty that the Reaper had been called, not for himself, but for Alec.
"I'm sorry love, but my father would never allow Lucia to send Lucifer's Reaper after me. He has a wager on who is going to win this little contest." Magnus' voice was quiet, but the revulsion he felt was clear in every syllable he uttered. He wished with all his heart he could erase the horrified look on Alec's beautiful face.
Conversation moved on to how they would get into Trecesson to rescue Catarina and the baby. Both Magnus and Richelieu expected there would be pretty stiff opposition and that Lucia would definitely be expecting them.
"She has gotten what she wanted from me, and now all that remains is for her to best me in a second contest of cunning and power." Magnus said. "Lucia underestimated me the last time, she won't do so again."
"Are you prepared for that, old friend?" Richelieu asked softly.
"I have done my best to prepare;" Magus replied; "I have performed the Adficio spell;"
"Adficio! But Magnus that is blood magic from the Mal..."
"Yes I know!" Magnus interrupted him hastily. "Lucia's position at Trecesson is nearly impregnable, I had to do something to even the odds." A grim nod from the Cardinal was all the response he got, but that didn't satisfy the others who listened to the exchange.
"What is the Adficio spell?" Shivvy asked giving voice to everyone's curiosity.
"Adficio is a draining spell." Magnus explained. "It prevents the warlock's magic from regenerating, so that each spell they cast reduces their power."
"Won't she be able to tell that's happening?"
"No Shivvy, that's what makes the Adficio so insidious." Magnus replied looking like he wished the conversation was over.
"Brother Armand said it was blood magic." Alec spoke for the first time, looking directly at his husband. "Isn't that illegal?"
"Highly illegal;" Magnus agreed; "But there is nothing going on at Trecesson that is legal, and we can't get the Clave involved so there will be no reinforcements to rescue us; once we are there it is do or die."
"Just the kind of odds I like;" Jace said grinning; "So I suppose we'd better decide who is going, and who needs to hold the fort."
Magnus was grateful for Jace's interruption, but he could tell by the look on Alec's face that the discussion was far from over. After much debate, it was decided that Alec, Jace, and Clary would accompany Magnus and Richelieu to Trecesson. Isabelle and the three younger shadowhunters would remain at the Institute. Josh, Ian and Shivvy were unhappy with the decision, but had the grace not to grumble too much.
As they were all leaving to prepare for the upcoming fight, Jace placed a hand on Magnus' shoulder detaining him. "Why are you letting Alec go when there is a Reaper with his name on it. He would be safer here at the Institute, on sacred ground."
Magnus shook his head, occasionally amazed at Jace's ability to misunderstand his parabatai. "You're right Jace, Alec would be safer if he remained here, but you and I both know that the minute a distress call came in he would be out of the Institute like a shot without either of us to watch his back;"
"You have a point;" Jace said grudgingly.
"I frequently do;" Magnus said with a wry grin as he slipped quickly out of the room to try and catch up with Alec.
Magnus found his husband already in their bedroom pulling on his gear. Magnus' breath caught in his throat as he saw the defined muscles of Alec's chest and abdomen. He would never tire of the beauty of his beloved shadowhunter.
"Magnus, you're staring;" Alec said softly.
"Sorry love, but you have that affect on me;" Magnus replied smiling as he stepped closer and placed a soft kiss on Alec's lips.
Alec's arms wrapped around the warlock's narrow waist and his head dropped down to rest on Magnus shoulder. "Do you think we will be able to save our baby?"
The dread in Alec's voice was like a dagger to Magnus heart. He knew how much it cost the shadowhunter to give voice to his deepest fears, and he also knew that he couldn't lie to Alec and say everything would be alright, no matter how much he wanted to. "Sayang, I will do anything I have to ensure you and the baby are safe from Lucia."
"Magnus, I need you to be safe too;" Alec cried.
"Then we'll just have to make sure we all make it back in one piece!" Magnus said brushing the hair gently off Alec's forehead. "Come on, time to collect you're weapons and meet the others in the garden. Richelieu is going to open a portal to the woods outside Trecesson. The castle is probably heavily warded so access is going to be tricky."
Alec and Magnus made their way to the small garden behind the Institute. The others had already assembled and Richelieu was about to open the portal that would take them to France for what Magnus hoped would be his final showdown with Lucia. Izzy and the three younger shadowhunters were there to see them off. Alec had a few words with his sister before stepping into the portal followed by Magnus, Clary, Richelieu and Jace.
Shivvy never knew exactly what made her do it, but as the portal began to fade, she threw herself into it at the last possible moment, ignoring the cries of Ian and Josh as she disappeared from sight.