Chapter 10

After lunch, Sam wandered off to look through Grizz's bookshelves that were displayed in the living room while Jace had disappeared off somewhere in the house, leaving Grizz and Alec to deal with the dirty dishes alone.

The way Jace just assumed it was okay to snoop around his property without permission was slightly aggravating to Grizz, but, honestly, he wasn't that surprised. He hadn't even known the guy for twenty-four hours, and Grizz was already picking up on a few traits that he didn't care for in the man. In the few hours he had spent getting to know Jace, he came off to him as arrogant and self-centered, the complete opposite of his brother, Alec.

As both of their companions entertained themselves with their own activities, Grizz and Alec worked side-by-side in front of the kitchen sink, Grizz washing the dishes before passing them on to Alec to towel dry.

"That's why you don't want Campbell to know, isn't it?" Alec spoke up quietly, breaking the silence that had drifted over the room.

Grizz frowned at the question. "What about Campbell?"

"Back at the church, you said something about how you and Sam especially didn't want Campbell to know that the two of you are together," Alec elaborated, taking the dripping plate that Grizz handed him. "It's because he's-"

"Campbell's little brother?" Grizz sighed, interrupting him. "Yeah. He kicked Sam out of their house soon after everyone else disappeared and they haven't had much interaction with each other since, but . . . Sam's brother terrorized him growing up and has always giving him a hard time for being gay. When Campbell finds out about us . . ."

"Hey Alec, are you almost ready to go?" Jace asked, strolling back into the room before Grizz could figure out how to continue his train of thought. "If we're heading back tonight, I'd like to get going soon so we'll have plenty of time to get back before the sunsets. It'll be a lot harder to get home if we get turned around out in the middle of the woods in the dark."

"Yeah, almost," Alec called over his shoulder as he retrieved the last of the silverware from the teenager beside him. Quickly drying them off, he placed the forks on the pile of plates that were now stacked to the right of the sink. Folding the towel he had been using, Alec set it down on the counter before turning to follow the blonde back into the dining room to grab their shoes and coats.

Grizz quickly returned the cups, plates, and silverware to their proper cupboards and drawers before following their guests to the front door to see them out. With a last promise from Alec that he will be back tomorrow with his husband for the assembly at the church, the brothers left the residence to begin their journey back home.

Locking the front door behind them, Grizz made his way into the living room to find his boyfriend sitting cross-legged against the wall next to the bookcase, a bolster pillow propped up behind him. Sensing his approach, Sam looked up from the book he was looking at, smiling when he saw Grizz.

"What are you reading?" Grizz asked, sitting down beside him as he brushed a few stray hairs behind his ear. Irritatingly, it fell right back into his peripheral vision.

Sam held up the book so he could read the title. Studying the cover, Grizz frowned in confusion and he glanced skeptically at the bookcase to their right. He was sure he had never seen that book on the shelves before.

"I got it at the library," the red-head signed as he spoke, and Grizz's frown vanished in favor of a smirk, the memory of Sam reading a book in the gazebo drifting back to him.

"Where are Alec and Jace?"

"They just left," Grizz explained. Sam nodded his head and turned back to his book. Grizz rested a hand on the boy's knee to grab his attention again, allowing concern to enter his eyes before he spoke. "Are you okay?"

Sam's eyebrows furrowed, and he let his book close in his lap so he could freely use both of his hands to sign. "I'm fine, why?"

"Becca said you've been worried about me all week."

Sam lowered his gaze, biting his lip gently, and Grizz had to tap his fingertips against his leg to get him to look at him again.

"I'm sorry," Grizz said, signing the word. "The last thing I wanted to do was worry you."

Sam shook his head. "It's not your fault. You had to go. I understand."

Grizz nodded slowly and gave him a sly smile, some of the guilt lifting from his shoulders at Sam's words.

"Hey, do you want that book back that you gave me before I left?"

Sam waved him off. "It wasn't mine. I found it in one of the English classrooms at school."

"Oh . . ." Grizz thought about that for a moment. "That explains all the highlights and notes throughout the pages."

Sam chuckled, just like Grizz had hoped he would, especially given what he was going to bring up next.

"I have to go to Allie's house for a little while. Is that okay?"

"Why?" Sam frowned. "What's going on?"

Grizz sighed. "Apparently, your brother is causing trouble again. We need to discuss what we are going to do about him."

"Oh . . ."

"You're welcome to stay and hang out here while I'm gone," Grizz said. "I shouldn't be too long."

Sam nodded gratefully. "What has Campbell done this time?"

Grizz bit his lip, deep in thought. He didn't really want to have this conversation with Sam right now; not with his cousin being the one that Campbell was currently targeting.

"I'll explain everything to you later," Grizz promised, before a smile grew on his face. "Are you spending the night here?"

Sam nodded hopefully, his eyes lighting up at the prospect of getting to spend more time with him after being away from each other for a week.

"Alright." Grizz leaned forward to give Sam a small kiss on his lips. "I'll be back soon."

Letting himself into Allie's house, Grizz caught movement in the sitting room to his left and turned to find Luke handing glasses of water to Jason and Clark who were starting to come down from their highs.

Locking eyes with him, Luke nodded towards the hallway. "Allie and Will are waiting in the kitchen."

"Okay, thanks."

"I'll be there in a minute," Luke called after him as Grizz headed farther into the house.

Hearing him approach, Will and Allie glanced up from their seats at the island, Allie nursing a mug of tea in between her hands.

"Have Alec and Jace left yet?" A frown appeared on Will's face as the names left his lips. Grizz assumed he still hadn't gotten over the strange request the men had made of them.

"Yeah." Grizz leaned against the side of the island. "Alec promised that he and Magnus will return in time for the meeting tomorrow. Have you told everyone yet?"

"I texted Gordie," Allie replied. "He'll make sure everyone knows to be at the church on time."

"I still don't think you should have agreed so quickly," Will reproached.

"What would you have preferred I do?" Allie glared at her advisor. "They have offered to help us with our food supply. Not to mention the medical care. We need their help, Will."

"But in return they want blood? Just blood? Nothing else?" Will's gaze flickered between Allie and Grizz, a desperate look in his eyes. "Come on, I can't be the only one that thinks something fishy is going on here."

"We have other things to worry about right now," Luke announced, taking his place across from Grizz before addressing Allie. "What do you want to do about Jason and Clark?"

Their young Mayor sighed, staring into her cup. "I'll confront them about their alleged disloyalty later. Campbell is the bigger concern right now."

"We told you, you shouldn't have let him go before," Will scolded under his breath.

Allie pursed her lips. "You mean after we arrested him for killing my sister? He was innocent of that charge."

"But Sam warned us then that Campbell was psychotic," he reminded her. Will gestured in Luke's direction who was standing next to him. "We told you, we can't have someone like that running around free. Not when we don't have any real police officers around to help us. With everything else that we have going on right now, the last thing we need is someone like him loose on the streets."

Allie shook her head in frustration. Resentment at her friend's constant dispute over her choices today was quickly wearing her down. "Despite everything that is happening, I still stand by what I said back then. We can't arrest someone for what they might do."

"Maybe not arrest," Luke shyly proposed, "but don't they have places where they take in people like that? Insane asylums?"

"Mental hospitals," Grizz corrected. "That's a lot different from jail. It includes therapy and medications, things that we don't know how to deal with. We can't just lock someone up, say we are helping them, and not act out some kind of 'healing' plan. This is way beyond our capabilities."

"Okay," Luke drew out the word as he contemplated something. "Well, then what about this new plan of his? I mean, he's talking about overthrowing our current leader and taking power. Isn't that considered a crime? Couldn't we arrest him for this?"

Silence drifted over the room, only intruded by the muffled voices of Jason and Clark goofing around a couple rooms over.

Allie slowly raised her mug of lukewarm tea to her lips. "That's true . . . Although he hasn't really done anything yet that we can arrest him for. Right now it's all just talk."

Grizz nodded in agreement. "It would also be easier to sentence them if we can get Jason and Clark to agree to testify against Campbell and Harry."

Two hours after Alec and Jace had left Grizz's home, Alec let himself into the loft that he shared with his husband. He had parted ways with his parabatai outside of the Institute, leaving him to update Isabelle and Clary on the day's adventures. Usually, Alec would have relished the opportunity to sit down with his friends and family after a long day to discuss everyone's outlandish, supernatural pursuits, but he was drained from the day's events and had just wanted to get back to Magnus.

"Magnus?" Alec called as he walked into the living room. No reply reached his ears, but he did hear someone moving around upstairs.

Climbing the spiral staircase, Alec stepped foot into another sitting room. This one contained a good-sized television that was displayed on a table against one wall and a large 'U' shaped, gray couch took up the majority of the space. A dark blue carpet laid under the couch and wooden coffee table. To one side of the TV was a huge shelving unit that held Magnus' large DVD collection, which Alec was sure had to have taken years for the immortal warlock to build up. To his right, sliding glass doors stood open, leading out onto a sizable terrace, certainly bigger than the balcony on the floor below.

Approaching the open door, Alec found Magnus leaning back in one of the outdoor sofas that covered the patio.

"Mags?"

A smile spread across the warlock's face as he turned to meet his eyes.

"Alexander," Magnus greeted, leaning forward. "Did you just get back?"

Alec hummed his affirmative as he joined his husband on the couch.

"How did it go?"

Alec let out a heavy sigh. "Well, like we expected, they were pretty shocked about our request."

The warlock's face radiated sympathy for his spouse, but Alec didn't miss the apprehension that was in the man's eyes as well.

"Did they not agree to the arrangement?"

"No . . . their leader, Allie, agreed to it, but she seemed hesitant at first. Her 'advisor' seemed pissed off by the request. I think it was the offer of medical assistance in the future that won them over."

Magnus took a sip from the alcoholic drink he had been holding. "Hmm, right."

"How did your meeting with the Downworlders go?"

"The pressure on Raphael to find a substitute for the depleting blood supply has grown greatly over the last couple weeks. He's certainly becoming more irritable due to his subordinates' harassment towards him," Magnus admitted. Allowing Alec to wrap an arm around his shoulders, he leaned into his Shadowhunter's chest. "I was reluctant to tell him about our neighboring town, though, until we found out if they would willing supply us with more blood."

Alec nodded in understanding. "Allie is arranging a meeting with her town's residents tomorrow morning to discuss the agreement we made today. I promised her we would be there to help her explain everything to them."

"Probably a good idea," Magnus agreed. "The last thing we need right now is the teenagers in West Ham becoming hostile towards us. We have to be careful with how we handle this from here."

"Yeah," Alec sighed, leaving a light kiss on Magnus' forehead as his partner stared into his glass. "What about Meliorn? Any updates from him?"

"He's been in contact with the Seelie Queen in her realm," he reluctantly informed him. "Nothing noteworthy yet. They're still looking."