Alicante, January 2008
Magnus walked through what was now the remainder of angel square. Everything seemed quiter after a tragedy as if the world were holding it's own moment of silence. Nobody was out today. The streets were deserted, and he had no idea what he was doing out here.
Maybe he needed to have his own moment of silence for the world.
He walked towards the hall of accords only to stop at the sight of a young man with dark hair leaning against the outside of the building. He took a couple more steps closer to get a better view. He recognized him but it took him a minute to figure out why. were it not for the strand of silver hair hanging over his eyes Magnus would have never recognized him.
Magnus had heard what happened at the cathedral battle after he'd returned. Of the silent brother who'd returned to the state of a mortal man due to the exposure to heavenly fire. He'd thought it interesting that it was a Herondale who'd been the one to cure this particular boy.
Magnus was startled to find that Jem Carstairs was staring right back at him. "Are you looking for something?" He yelled from across the deserted square. Magnus looked around him before deciding to walk forwards towards the hall. Jem had his brows raised and a smirk he'd never seen on the boy's face before. His features were that of someone in their late teens or early twenties but it was the scars on his cheeks and the worn look in his eyes that told otherwise.
He leaned next to him on the wall and tried not to look him in the eye. There was always guilt when he saw him or heard mention of him. Jem was one of the only living souls who was there to remind Magnus of a dark time. Not just in history but also in Magnus's life. He had not known James Carstairs well enough to call him a friend, but did know the people he loved and that made him think of Will and of London, clockwork, death and tragedy. He wondered what it was like for him to feel included in the world again. To move and break the wall of glass that had been separating him from humanity.
Jem was looking up at the sky, snow falling and sticking to his now dark lashes. He was holding a piece of paper in his hand with a symbol Magnus recognized printed on it. "What does the labyrinth want from you?" Magnus said gesturing to now he was certain was a letter.
Magnus himself was banned from the Spiral Labyrinth after an unfortunate incident involving a watermelon and a toothbrush. The labyrinth was like the silent city in which it maintained and recorded records and maps other realms of the shadow world. Part of the agreements in the accords was that the nephilim be forbidden to ask about it's location for that was the business of warlocks.
Jem looked at the parchment in his hand and tucked it carefully away in his jeans without responding. " All my friends are dead." was all he said. Magnus wondered if he should respond to such a randomly morbid and true statement. "Thats not true." He said softly maybe because he knew it was true or maybe to shed light on the conversation. "He's dead. Most of them are." He said continuing to look at the sky probably forgetting who he was talking to. Magnus didn't need to guess who 'he' was. "She's still here." Magnus said still pushing him towards the positives. "She doesn't need me." Jem said " She doesn't need me to be a another person for her to lose." He placed a hand inside the pocket where the letter was. "How do you know that? Does that letter addressed to the council say ' and tell the handsome silent brother I'm done losing people so if he ever becomes mortal again tell him I won't be there.' How do you know?" Magnus said knowing it was too late to escape this depressing conversation about a one hundred and forty seven year old man's love life. Jem looked at him for a moment and sighed. "I don't." Magnus mentally slapped himself in the face. "Exactly! Go to London! Wait on the bridge! Confess your undying love! For God's sake!" Magnus pushed himself off the wall and walked away thinking he needed to take his own advice.