Times are crazy, but my wonderful beta managed to go through this chapter, so I can post it with no fear Your eyes would bleed seeing all my mistakes ;) Thank You a lot, dear Yugi! It's all here thanks to You only! :) I hope You all still enjoy the story so far ;) Let me know how do You find the chapter! ;)
13. The Lost Chance
Maybe I was too formal?, Alec thought as Featherdark smiled with an unreadable twinkle in his eye, and no reply came. Admittedly, using the extraordinary abilities of both vampire parabatai as a kind of broken telephone game and for such trivial matters seemed suddenly out of place to Alec, and he started regretting his over-zealousness when Featherdark spoke:
"Ragan Sinclair addressing Alexander Lightwood through Marant Featherdark. You are exceedingly kind, Mr. Lightwood, and while I did not expect any thanks since I was just following my father's orders, you have graciously tickled my infinite vanity, for which I am deeply grateful. I hope I will soon have the honor of meeting Magnus Bane's exceptionally charming partner in person, because I am eager to learn the secrets behind being in the same room with the High Warlock of Brooklyn without resorting to violence. I believe an experienced specialist like you could provide invaluable advice and help in this matter."
"Oh..." Alec commented, unable to make up his mind whether he was embarrassed or confused by the vampire's rather vague intentions. He had pointed out quite clearly that he didn't like Magnus's company and strongly preferred to be far away from him but yet wanted Alec to teach him how to co-exist with the warlock.
"Don't worry, Alexander." Featherdark smiled warmly. "Sinclair mocks court etiquette and yet teases everyone with similarly pompous speeches, but there is nothing wrong with his head. He and Magnus Bane have hated each other honestly and consistently for about thirty years, and the relationship is unlikely to warm up. You shouldn't worry about it, though."
"I see," muttered the Shadowhunter, though he didn't really understand anything. He knew he would need a little more time to think it over and mull over the relationship between the vampire and the warlock.
"But they believed it, right?" Simon asked. "They believed you could pass on information? And will they decide to intervene now?"
"I hope so…" muttered Featherdark grimly. "But for the story to be fulfilled, I should bring the tale to the end. We stayed with Camille for nearly a year, and then she sent us away when we didn't matter to her anymore. She didn't care about us from that point onwards. She had discovered the limits of our abilities and satisfied her curiosity that the monsters she had created aroused in her. Besides, I think she was irritated by our feelings" he added thoughtfully. "As I watched her, it always seemed to me she was really hoping that we would go mad and kill each other in the end. We were tied together so closely after all. The seal tethered us with every innermost thought creating a common fate that bound us together tighter than any other parabatai duo in history, and Camille didn't think we would be able to withstand the weight of this bond. Sometimes, she would go berserk and kick us out of the mansion for the night. Sometimes, she would order her slaves to block the crypt and not let us out for several consecutive nights, screaming that she had no desire to see us. It was a tremendous relief when she finally threw us out and ordered us to never show our faces to her again. We wandered the world then, carefully avoiding other vampires, until we finally arrived in New York, where we found Camille again."
Alec had a vague idea of the time the clan had been set up by Lady Belcourt, the founding of the Hotel Dumort and the shifts in the balance of power, but he let Featherdark narrate it from his point of view.
"We met Raphael Santiago by accident. It was a quite fortunate coincidence that saved his skin and unexpectedly allowed him to gain the position of the head of the clan. We lived in the shadows of the underworld while he walked in its full light, was recognizable, and had a lot of contacts among the races. We had heard of him, Camille Belcourt's right hand, and that alone was enough to keep us at a healthy distance from him. Anyway, we were going to leave New York and we were just waiting for winter to pass. If we had hit the road with the first thaw, everything would probably have turned out very differently."
"Something detained you?" Simon asked, and in his gaze Alec saw a genuine interest in the history of a clan that, unfortunately, he could become a ruler in just a dozen hours.
"Magnus Bane" Featherdark explained with a teasing smile, the gleam in his eyes indicating that the warlock had been involved in the whole situation by accident. "The parties hosted by the High Warlock of Brooklyn had always been considered elitist and sensational. Every Downworlder would woo and try to impress him in order to be invited. For many of them, he was a real star that had fallen from the sky."
Alec winced involuntarily at the memory of the crazy, noisy party Magnus had organized in honor of Chairman Meow. He had met Magnus there and Alec was thankful for that, but the blaze of colors and the drunken bands of Downworlders he had experienced were definitely not a dream come true for him. Alec could genuinely not imagine how anyone could consider them an object of desire. From the corner of his eye, he noticed a similar grimace appearing on Simon's face. Most likely he recalled the rat incident and his forced stay at Hotel Dumort, from which Clary and Jace had pulled him out during a breakneck rescue expedition.
"The party was taking place in Brooklyn, in the loft of an old apartment complex, and the amount of magic devoted to its organization and the pungent smell of spells lingering around the entire building irritated our oversensitive senses. We found ourselves there by accident, because we still didn't know the city very well, but upon understanding what was happening we intended to change our route immediately. This is how we came across an argument between Camille and Raphael, who had been thrown out of the apartment complex a moment earlier, pursued by the screams of a half-drunk Magnus Bane. The party was in full swing as, in the alley just a block away, not only the fate of the vampire clan was at stake, but also Raphael's life was about to end. We both knew perfectly well that having a different opinion from Camille was severely punished. That way the offender would remember the lesson for a long time and think long and hard before repeating the same mistake a second time - if there even was a second time. Raphael, however, was adamant, guided by his need to ensure the welfare of the clan, and was ready to fight, though of course he must have known that confronting an elderly vampire gave you the same chances of surviving as a mosquito going against a hurricane."
Alec nodded, thoughtfully. He had never held any particular affection for Raphael, and he knew the vampire felt similarly about the Clave, but he had to admit Raphael had no shortage of common sense and cared for his clan with admirable devotion, putting its welfare above all else.
"Sinclair saw him as the perfect leader, and we learned from the course of the argument how Camille had committed a number of horrible crimes. This was why we made the decision to step in between them and prevent Raphael from being killed. It seemed we made the right decision since he was already counting the last minutes of his life down. Camille was furious, but she knew too well that she wouldn't be able to beat us. It was then that a deal was made whereby power passed into the hands of Raphael, and our mother obediently abdicated her claim so that her offenses would not bring the wrath of the Clave on the clan and her. Sinclair and I became the sworn sons of Raphael and a part of the clan. In return we offered him the truth about ourselves and he promised not to tell anyone else. That way, only three people knew who we really were, and one of them is no longer alive."
He paused for a moment only to continue with his gaze fixed somewhere in the void from which his eyes must have fished out old images and memories:
"It may sound cruel, but I'm glad Camille was murdered. She hated us and our bond, but it was not she who had created this unity of hearts. She didn't create this covenant of souls. She had no right to use our love or experiment on it."
Alec started as he felt an icy wave of understanding flood him. He cast a quick glance at Simon, but saw no signs of awareness in his relaxed pose of what Featherdark's next words would be. He cursed his own mind for not giving him at least a few more seconds of ignorance, and meanwhile the former Shadowhunter started speaking in a harsher tone that sounded more like a sound a vampire would produce.
"I suppose we were Camille's playthings from the very beginning. She had watched us longer than she claimed. She had staged an attack precisely designed to bring me into a state in which even Catarina Loss would be powerless to help, and thus manipulated Sinclair into agreeing to have us transformed into a pair of vampires. He had to agree, he had to be aware of what he was doing. In order for the transformation to be successful, it had to be voluntarily and with my best interest in mind. Camille sensed that we were precious clay from which she could shape two truly powerful monsters, but she couldn't risk have them openly against her. She wanted to pass in our eyes as the savior, not the torturer which she really was."
Simon's mouth dropped open, perhaps not fully realizing it. Alec felt a wave of horror, sympathy and hatred for Camille building inside him. He rarely allowed himself to react instinctively. That was definitely Magnus's middle name and domain, while he had to think carefully about each point before making a choice or a decision. But now the situation made him rid himself of the long moments of reflection and do the first thing that came to his mind. He wrapped his arms around Featherdark's neck, pulling him close to him.
"You're not a monster" he declared with steadfast confidence in his voice.
"Alexander" the vampire whispered incredulously, and tried to back away, but the Shadowhunter just tightened his grip on him, keeping him from letting go. "You know well what I am and how terrible my abilities are…"
"Yes, but that doesn't make you a monster" Alec repeated, stepping back enough to meet Featherdark's eyes that were so similar to his own. "If I feared you and thought of you as a monster, I would have never allowed myself to be so close to you. I trust you. I believe in you" he assured him with a slight smile as he tucked a long strand of black hair behind his ear. "And I hope Simon and I can get out of Hotel Dumort in one piece, because I'd like you to introduce me to your chosen one in the future. I have to thank him personally for saving Magnus" he added, bringing out Featherdark's gentle and tender smile.
"I'm glad I've met you, Alexander" the vampire replied, returning the hug, and Alec suddenly felt as if they were not separated by the long decades of immortality but rather had a strong family bond based on trust and mutual support. It was as if he had another brother whom he loved, cared for and was attached to, though it had not actually been two hours since he had met him. "I swear I'll do my best to free you from here."
The feeling of abandonment and terror the boy had being carrying since he had found himself in the hotel passed like a dream meeting the morning sun's rays, and even Alec himself was surprised that, like a dream, his situation seemed unreal and fleeting to him. He was not alone here, although he had experienced moments of doubt and pain, and the presence of Featherdark and Simon, smiling merrily, gave him faith that it could all end well, that he would leave the clan's headquarters alive, that he would return to his family... and to Magnus. Though he did not know yet how to regain the warlock's trust, he was sure he would find the strength to fight for his lost love.
"I'm not your only ally here. There are more of Raphael followers in the clan's circles than meet the eye" the former Shadowhunter said, finally releasing him from his grip. "But Maureen is powerful and must not be taken lightly. We need the Clave's help to put our own affairs in order, and there is the shadow of a great, terrible war on the horizon" he added, again staring unseeingly at some distant visions, invisible to him or Simon. "Meanwhile…"
He broke off abruptly, his gaze lingering somewhere in the void again, though his suddenly hardened body and frowning did not suggest Featherdark was hearing or seeing anything good through his bond with Sinclair. Alec tried to pick up the vampire's mood and emotions, and they didn't seem to indicate that the bargaining was going the way the vampires wanted. The Shadowhunter sighed inwardly, his fingers tightening around Magnus's cloak.
I am truly an unfortunate hostage, he thought, and looked down, feeling something tightening unpleasantly around his throat. By the Angel, they'd rather sacrifice me than risk Maureen drinking Jace's blood and starting the march of the vampire army in full daylight to fight the Clave alongside Sebastian. He squeezed his eyes shut as his eyes stung, heralding tears. In an instant, he understood that he would not leave the hotel.
He didn't look up when he felt Featherdark's cold, statuesque hand on his. He preferred not to turn his face towards him and let his expression betray anything. He simply tightened his eyelids preventing the tears from running down his cheeks. How gullible he was! How naively he had deluded himself that he'd leave that place when the safety of the entire Clave was at stake. What a pipe dream! It was a dream of an unreachable future which suddenly became a bitter disappointment and a source of suffering. Whatever Featherdark could hear through his bond with Sinclair would mercilessly destroy the remnants of hope in his heart.
He would never again yell at Jace for being reckless and unnecessarily risking his life in a fight. He would never again have the chance to stealthily spill Izzy's soup down the drain not to hurt her feelings. He wouldn't be annoyed at Clary for acting first and then thinking. He wouldn't see his parents anymore. He would never tell Magnus how much he loved him and how much he wished he could be with him again.
And though he was so desperate to suppress the surging waves of despair, he needed to know what Featherdark had seen. The vampire squeezed his hand comfortingly before speaking softly:
"Things aren't good, but I'll do my best to convince the Clave about what they should decide. I have to go to Sinclair for a while. Be very vigilant during this time and listen for steps in the corridor, okay?"
Alec had no chance to respond, though, as the vampire suddenly fell on his lap unconscious, and somewhere nearby Simon barely suppressed a cry of surprise.
…
Magnus watched the Shadowhunters with rising rage. How did it happen that only in the face of a real threat, only when forced against the wall, this band of idiots could abandon any traces of reason? The quarrel about Sinclair's latest revelations had been going on for a good quarter of an hour and - as the warlock had guessed - it was by no means ending.
He glanced at a frustrated Sinclair. His long fangs remained perfectly visible, and his nervously splayed and fisted fingers suggested nothing but profound irritation and an overwhelming desire to convince the assembled Clave without using any more words.
When he suddenly got up from his chair, Magnus at first thought that murder would take place with a particular cruelty if he did not intervene in time - preferably, by preemptively stunning him with a well-aimed blow to the back of the head. He rose from his seat and then froze.
Sinclair's gaze was different this time - much more attentive, it passed over the Shadowhunter's faces deliberately, while calculating something in a meticulous, methodical way that was definitely not one of his strongest points. The pose he adopted was stiff and upright with an air of elegance that wasn't his. Magnus didn't know what had happened, but Sinclair had suddenly stopped looking like a tense, enraged predator, though clearly he still had good reasons to tear off the heads of at least half of the Nephilim focused on their fierce quarrels.
"Clave!" He boomed suddenly in a rasp voice, and the warlock recognized the voice perfectly, though he also felt that it was Sinclair's voice, used in a way the vampire had never used it before. "War is coming! Jonathan Morgenstern is amassing allies and an army none of you have ever seen! You have to do the same if you wish to give yourself any chance of winning! Raphael Santiago promises a covenant and will bring all his vampire forces to fight this monster alongside the Shadowhunters, but he asks for help in removing Maureen, who is now at the head of the New York clan, from her position! This is his only condition!"
"An offer from the dirty Downworlders!" The Nephilim snorted, his face twisted in an expression of disdain so profound that Magnus could almost feel his fist itch to show the man what he thought of any further remarks in that tone. "Making an army out of the Night Children is as possible as making a trumpet out of a goat's ass. Raziel's insides would twist if he saw his sacred race fighting alongside the Underworld's spawns!"
No one saw him move. Magnus didn't even have time to blink before noticing Sinclair wasn't by his side anymore but was rather standing right behind the man – who was now much more panicked than angry. Sinclair had one arm around the man's waist, and with the other he had pressed the blade of the man's own seraphic dagger against the Shadowhunter's neck so tightly that the first red line of the shallow incision appeared on his skin. The warlock gasped quite certain as the rest of the Clave in the Sanctuary were that slitting the throat of one of them would not be the best way to continue their negotiations. Sinclair, however, gave no one a chance to protest as he jumped back sharply with incredible grace, sending the captured man to the floor with one accurate, barely perceptible kick.
"What will you do when someone surprises you like this in battle?" He asked coolly, dashing rapidly to the next Nephilim.
With inhuman ease he disarmed each of them and dealt them simulated blows that if they were real they would have been fatal. Magnus watched the smoothness of his movements and strokes, so incompatible with the fury that Sinclair possessed when he was in battle mode, in disbelief. The vampire was a natural born warrior who stormed at his enemy as he moved at lightning speed and struck with the force of thunder. His movements now, on the other hand, resembled a murderous dance in its delicacy rather than the insane amok with which the vampire used to treat his opponents.
Within moments, the Clave was in turmoil, and while they had all been vigilant after hearing the vampire's words, no one had escaped the treacherous blade that had appeared unexpectedly and had always aimed to kill. Within fifteen seconds, Sinclair had slaughtered half the hall in an imitation of combat. There was a pause as he finally froze motionless next to Isabelle Lightwood, who was struggling furiously with her own electrum whip clenched around her neck. Impossible! Magnus worried. This weapon was supposed to protect her and be absolutely obedient to her!
"What will you do when, apart from the demons and whatever other monsters that Jonathan Morgenstern will bring on you, you will also have to face an army of vampires wandering in the light of day?!" Sinclair roared, his voice echoing off the bare walls that multiplied his words as they carried them along the corridors that led from the Sanctuary to the depths of the Institute. "Do you think you are ready to fight us?! Was anyone attacked a moment ago able to defend themselves before I killed them with their own weapon?! Do you want us with or against you?!"
The demonstration of strength had clearly worked, and Magnus had to admit to himself that Sinclair's battle potential had become an invaluable argument in the discussion. He watched the vampire as he freed Isabelle from the tangles of the whip with gentle, fluid movements. He handed her back the weapon and with a gentle smile said something that made the Shadowhunter suddenly stare at him sharply, oblivious to her mother who was pulling her sleeve to take her place.
Sinclair turned to Magnus and looked at him, and the warlock understood instantly what had happened. He was staring straight into the eyes of Marant Featherdark, who nodded gently at him in a way so deceptively similar to Alec that Magnus's heart skipped a beat. The painful realization that the ancestor of his beloved Shadowhunter was standing a few steps ahead of him made him want to run up to him and question him about the boy. But then the sensation passed, and the familiar wildness and violence of the movements returned as Sinclair in a few strides returned to his chair, watching the effects of his recent actions with malicious satisfaction. The warlock noticed the change of mood within the Clave with amazement. It was a change for the better.
Jia Penhallow was listening to what Jocelyn was saying, quickly leaning toward her. Small groups of Shadowhunters were silently debating among themselves, and the loss of their recent high ground, pride, and confidence made something deep within Magnus shudder, filling his heart with hope. Marant Featherdark was a strategist as perfect as Sinclair had described him. He had played exactly the strings that had to be played to achieve their goal. Magnus gathered his wits as Jia stood up and gestured for the Nephilim to be silent.
"We take whatever you say to be true" she said. "We need time to discuss among ourselves and give Raphael our final answer."
"What?" Sinclair snapped, a menacing twinkle in his eye.
"The Clave doesn't act lightly on these things."
"Well, probably not reasonably either" the vampire hissed in response, then looked up and closed his eyes as if trying to pick up something with his senses that was on the edge of his mind. "Maureen has given you until six in the evening. Use this time wisely because you have wasted my time already."
"I don't understand..." the Consul began when Maryse interrupted her, already guessing what had become clear to Magnus at once:
"He's falling asleep, Jia. Dawn has come. The whole Hotel Dumort is falling asleep and our answer will no longer be passed to Raphael."
"A medal for that lady" Sinclair yawned with a malicious smile.
Though he struggled with the sleepiness, Magnus saw his gaze becoming less sober-minded and felt fear choke him. The Clave had wasted half of the night arguing and insulting them, and now a new day was coming and contact with the hotel was irrevocably cut off.
…
"I can't believe they still want to discuss it!" Simon exploded in anger and waved his hands furiously, almost knocking down an old bedside lamp on a nearby cupboard.
Knowing that a moment ago Featherdark had left his body in the most literal sense and took control of his lover's body somewhere far away in the Institute did not arouse any fear in the Daylighter. He had already convinced himself and had become unwaveringly certain that the vampire was absolutely no danger to them. Therefore, any other unusual abilities the duo held just made Simon curious and intrigued him, rather than make him imagine in detail what his intestines would look like if Featherdark used even half of his half-demonic abilities against him.
That way he could focus on the news the former Shadowhunter had given them, barely masking his own sleepiness. Dawn was approaching inexorably, which meant that they were irretrievably losing their ability to communicate with the Nephilim. He clenched his fists angrily, imagining that somewhere out in Manhattan Isabelle was doing the same, furious and embittered.
The knock on the door was so soft that Simon barely heard it. When Featherdark opened the door, a dark-skinned vampire, previously introduced to them as Anabelle, slipped into the room. She, too, was showing signs of poorly combated drowsiness as she handed Alec a paper bag with the logo of a fast food brand Simon didn't recognize. The bag smelled invitingly of junk food and hot coffee. Anabelle looked at him with concern, and then pressed a small bundle into Featherdark's hand, slovenly wrapped in a dirty, greasy piece of paper torn crookedly from the daily newspaper. An average person would have hated to even kick something like that on the street, but the vampire pressed the bundle against him like a treasure.
"It wasn't easy, but Priscilla managed to get it" Anabelle said, barely suppressing a yawn. "You have to be very careful with it. You know a faerie's handicraft is no joke." She shook her head to clear her thoughts, and her hair in small plaits fell loosely around her face, though the gesture itself did not help much to beat the more and more overwhelming sleepiness that enveloped her, because she yawned widely before she managed to continue. "Maurice's death and failure has been reported to Maureen, as well as the warlock's escape. She's furious, really furious. Even Raphael had a hard time stopping her from losing control. Be careful, everyone" she warned, and slipped out of the room as softly as a shadow.
"Alexander" Featherdark whispered, unrolling the newspaper.
Simon leaned closer to better see the contents of the package, and so he saw a small, very intricate key on a gold chain. The vampire, in one swift movement, hung it around the Shadowhunter's neck and hid the key under his clothes.
"It's faerie's work" he explained with a seriousness that could hardly be beaten by the overwhelming sleepiness. "It's illegal, of course. You have to get rid of it as soon as you're done, otherwise it will take over and turn you into a thief and burglar. Iron, Alexander. Destroy it with iron" he muttered and grimaced as he rubbed the corners of his eyes. "Items made by the Seelie Court's craftsmen are handy, but always enchanted in some nasty way. This key will open every door in the Hotel for you, but keeping contact with it for too long makes you think only about theft and burglary."
Simon looked incredulously at the gold chain around Alec's neck. He had dealt with faerie jewelry before when he had used a pair of rings to communicate with Clary. The items themselves, as it had turned out, weren't cursed, but the Seelie Queen had tricked them into using the rings' powers on purpose, and nothing good had come of it. He grimaced. Iron. They would have to find something made of iron in the hotel to smash this idiotic thief's key to pieces.
"Vampires sleep during the day, so use this time to find your stele and weapons, because I believe Maureen dragged them here with you" Featherdark continued, his voice increasingly monotonous. "Stay away from any sleeping vampires; otherwise they will tear you apart by instinct. Don't come near me either, neither of you, understood?"
Featherdark got up as he could no longer hide how sleepy he was. He started toward the door and leaned heavily on it, then nodded at Simon.
"Maureen has Alexander's blood in her, but still remains a chick, which is why she is falling asleep right now" he explained. "You have to go and at least say goodnight, because you haven't come back to her for way too long. She won't hurt you, her human part is too attached to you, so you don't have to worry about anything, but you'd better come up with a good lie just in case. And you," he said as he turned towards Alec, "eat and get some sleep, Alexander. The door will be locked. No one will bother you" he added. "By noon, even the oldest vampires will be sound asleep. Then start your search, but don't try to leave the clan's headquarters. You don't want to know what will happen to you if you try to breach security. See you in the evening. Good luck."
…
"It was Featherdark, right?" Magnus asked when only he and Sinclair were left in the Sanctuary. "He's partly a demon, which is why he has this ability, right? Do you let him possess you?"
"Oh, if that scares you, you don't really want to know, my dear Magnus Bane, what I let him do in bed with me then'' the vampire laughed hoarsely, curling up to sleep beside his motorcycle, apparently completely unaffected by the cold in the room and the hardness of the stone floor on which he was planning to sleep through the day.
The warlock just rolled his eyes irritably and turned to follow the Shadowhunters. He was exhausted and felt depleted of all his strength. He had not been invited into any further talks, which was one thing he was pleased about, because it allowed him to fall asleep for at least a few hours, though the awareness of sleeping in Alec's bed without Alec's presence made him feel confused and uncomfortable. Somewhere in the corridor ahead of him, Isabelle's angry voice came to him:
"What do you mean we can't participate in the discussion because we are underage?!"
"Well, of the three of you, you should know best why you're not going" Robert said sternly.
Even though he wasn't close enough to see them, Magnus could clearly conjure in his mind the image of a furious Isabelle marching into her room in helpless anger and slam the door at the end, signaling that she did not want any visitors because she was extremely offended. At such times he was delighted that Alec was almost the complete opposite of his sister.
"You want me to pass something on to your boy?" Sinclair asked sleepily, and when Magnus looked at him, he gave him a lazy, malicious smile.
"No" the warlock decided after some thought.
Though he was intent on asking questions and telling Alec whatever was in his mind, he found using Sinclair's services too degrading in the matter of their obvious dislike of each other. He turned, but only managed to climb the first few stairs up when he heard the amused voice of a vampire about to fall asleep:
"He loves you, too."
"Did you pass him something?!" He growled angrily.
"Not really. It's so obvious that I didn't have to ask. Featherdark agrees with me and he saw that for himself." Sinclair laughed mockingly, his eyes narrowing in superiority. "He loves you too, you stupid dumb warlock, so whatever's happened between you, guys, you should fall on your knees and ask for forgiveness to try and fix your relationship with the boy. That's some good advice coming from an old, bitter enemy. Sleep well."