Pandemonium: Chapter 28

A/N: So I'm slightly impressed with myself. This is the first time since mid October that I've successfully published something relatively on time! Anyway, here's the next installment; I hope y'all enjoy it. Please review, like seriously it motivates me to write more.


Warmth.

Softness.

Sandalwood.


These are feelings that Alec awoke to. His eyes stayed shut; his mind was enjoying the senses that were being delightfully kindled. Somewhere very close to him, it seemed as if a kitten were gently snoring-purring even. From beneath his eyelids Alec could tell that it was already close to midday. Eventually he would have to get up.

With a slow, creaking movement, his eyelids cranked open and viewed the scene around him:

The location was entirely unfamiliar. He was in a very soft, comfortable bed snuggled up to the greatest heat source in the room-Magnus. As it turned out, Magnus was the softly snoring kitten that his ears had noticed. Drawing himself closer to Magnus, Alec realized that the two of them were entirely naked.

Then the events of the previous night hit him.

Recalling what happened, he smiled a little, but also blushed incredulously. He had never engaged in such acts, but he was happy to have done it with Magnus. Though, it was probably for the best that they change and wash the sheets.

Speaking of sheets, and beds for that matter, it occurred to Alec that he really had no idea where exactly he was. As far as he was aware, this was most certainly not anywhere in the palace, but it was also not Magnus' place.

Confounded, he finally disentangled himself from Magnus' grasp-whilst unfortunately giving up on the warmth and hearing Magnus purr in displeasure-and left the covers. Stark naked and a bit cold, he quickly ran to find his clothes from last night strewn across the room. Placing them on haphazardly, he snuck out of the room and was startled to see what awaited him.

The soft glow of late afternoon sunshine permeated the partially drawn blinds to illuminate the room in a peculiar way, throwing shadows all around. It was in this strange half-lit way that Alec found the room he had entered. It was a beautiful foyer filled with some extremely expensive furniture. It was attached to a small kitchenette designed for small simple meals. He spotted the door that lead outside, and walked out.

His pupils dilated immediately. In the shimmering twilight, the green leaves gave off a golden hue as the forest emanated a scent of earthen renewal. The absence of human noise was filled to the brim with the chirping of delicate birds and the grand orchestrations of crickets, all supplanted by the rustling of the leaves, who owed their movement to the slow, lazy, zephyr that meandered its way around the forest, gently caressing Alec's cheek.

Smiling softly to himself, Alec returned to the house and the room. Still clothed, he climbed into the bed and kissed Magnus softly.

Half groaning Magnus said, "Good morning, darling."

Chuckling lightly, Alec said, "Good evening."

Lazily, Magnus started to rise from the bed; first, by stretching his arms delicately; second, by emitting a soft yawn that resembled the quiet purr of a satisfied kitten; finally, by languidly removing himself from the tangle of bedding and clothing himself in a silk robe.

He graciously sat himself back down on the bed and stared at Alec, smiling.

Finally, after what seemed like an age of oogling at each other, Magnus said, "You're not freaking out?!"

Naturally the moment that Magnus said that, Alec realized where he was, what he was doing, and most importantly, where he wasn't. In essence, he freaked out.

An abashed Magnus who just noticed the reaction he caused, immediately set out to rectify the situation.

"Don't worry. Everyone knows you're not in the palace. You're not expected back until later tonight anyway. Remember your sickly friend Moncrieff? Well right now they all think you're visiting him and spending the day with him. This place we're at is technically his house. Carstairs helped me get it. You'll find there are clothes for you in the drawer and that Carstairs has your horse in the stables around the corner."

It took Alec a moment to let that all sink in. The realization that he was safe was stunning.

Eventually, with a little smirk, he asked, "So how often do you think my friend should be visited? I really think it should be quite often because he seems very sickly, and I thoroughly enjoyed visiting him."

At that Magnus almost fell out of the bed.

Uncontrollably giggling, he said, "So long as your visits don't prevent you and-uh-Mr. Moncrieff from doing their jobs, I think it should be as often as possible."

A slow, satisfied smile grew on Alec's face.


Sadly, he noticed the waning light. Knowing that he was expected back that evening he quickly redressed himself and kissed Magnus goodbye.

He got on his horse and galloped into Alicante.

Upon reaching the palace, with its Doric pillars and golden roof, he noticed that activity was unusually high. Almost unnoticed, Alec made it to his antechamber where he was immediately bombarded by Carstairs, Simon, Izzy, Jace, and Tessa.

Tessa, ever the barrister, asked, "Where have you been?"

Coughing angrily, Carstairs intoned, "Where have you been, your Highness?"

Tessa simply rolled her eyes at him.

Before Alec could respond, Izzy spoke up.

"As I was saying before, an old friend of his, Mr. Algernon Moncrieff, is very sickly; deathly ill, in fact. Alec likes to go visit him from time to time since it gets very lonely in his secluded country house."

"Well," huffed Tessa, "you've missed something extremely important. Ms. Jessamine Flower, whom you met yesterday, was brutally murdered last night. I've been placed in charge of the investigation and eventual prosecution of the culprit. We need to talk to anyone and everyone who was with her. Speaking of which, where is Magnus?"

The room went silent for a second before Jace jumped in saying, "Probably still in bed at home... from what I saw last night he was so thoroughly drunk he probably feels like death itself."

Tessa smirked at that. Then she said, "Whenever he gets up, I need to talk to him about it. He was the last person to see her, and we know she was being a bit overzealous with him. It's a bit suspicious."

"Magnus..." Alec started.

"Magnus what?" asked Tessa.

"Magnus is a good man, I hope there's no undue suspicion on him for this. We all know he's not capable of something like that."

Tessa nodded her head, but said nothing. Then, she swiftly left the room.

Alec gave Izzy a worried look, and she could only return a weak smile.

Feeling extraodinairily tired after his swift ride and now the shock of the murder, Alec dismissed everyone from his chambers and collapsed on his bed, quickly to fall into a soundless, dreamless sleep.


I paused and took a deep breath. It seemed like ages since I had started to speak. The tallow candle on the desk had nearly melted away, leaving the room in just a slim flickering light.

Nodding lightly to The Professor, I said, "That will be all for tonight; I believe you have gotten quite a lot."

He only returned a weak smile and started cleaning up his paper and his desk. He returned the candle to my bedside table. As he was about to leave the room, he turned around and said, "Tomorrow, may I see that source of yours?"

I started to sputter and cough again. Barely able to control the spasming muscles, I nodded weakly.

With a satisfied smile, he left the room.

It took me far too long to stop coughing.

By the time I was done, the candle was almost out. After that, the room would be pitch black and there would be no more light. I moved myself-with great effort-to the seat previously occupied by The Professor. To be honest I was quite surprised; sitting there on the side was a locked chest, yet he had failed to notice it.

Taking the key from around my neck, I quickly slipped it into the lock and opened up the chest. The moment the top opened up, the room was filled with the scent of musty old paper.

I rummaged through the box for a few minutes, carefully moving around the various pieces of paper that had important pieces of information on them; testimonials from that time, things that Annabeth gave me, and most importantly the letter.

My eyes ran across the words yet again. The ancient story told in her hands, passed down from child to child till it was finally given to me. I had taken her maiden name from the story, but that didn't matter. I needed to review the story again and again. The next details would be of utmost importance.

I put everything back and locked the box up again. I have just moments now. I must write this account. Hopefully this account will be read by only The Professor. If you are reading this, then you should know now the truth. Since you know the truth, it is of the utmost importance for you to tell the story, so please do not fail me. Do not let my history burn out with the darkness that is my disease.

The candle is about to go out now; it will be time to sleep, perchance to dream in the darkness of the room that surrounds me.

The darkness that will surround me, though, is nothing. That is a warm, comforting darkness; it is nothing like the darkness within, a cold uncaring darkness that grows with each passing second.

The darkness of a man about to die.


EndNote: Obviously this chapter skipped over a lemon. I tried writing it, but I really felt awkward and not up for it, so I didn't. If you'd like for me to give another try at it just let me know in reviews.