The tracking hadn't worked, so Jace resorted to placing the knife in a safe at the Institute. He locked it with heavy hands, feeling the fatigue of the broken night, and his worry for Alec and Magnus weighing him down. He inked an energy rune on his wrist and let the false power take him back to the loft.

It was early morning, and Catarina had arrived by the time Jace got back. She, Clary, and Izzy were sitting at Magnus's dining table with textbooks and scraps of paper spread around them. Jace kissed Clary lightly in greeting, and slipped away to check on his parabatai.

Their bedroom was dimly lit, the jewel colours of the walls and bedding glowing ruby red and sea sapphire, and the couple were curled around each other, clearly asleep. Alec must've fallen asleep sitting up - he was still half-upright, with Magnus's head and shoulders resting on his chest. They were holding hands, and Jace couldn't help but grin when he saw Magnus's lipstick smudging Alec's lips. The warlock was pale, and clearly exhausted but he slept with no pain or worry in his face, only comfort. Jace left as silently as he could.

"How are they?" Izzy asked immediately, as he returned.

"They're fine. Sleeping."

Izzy nodded, and smiled worriedly. "Magnus looked okay?"

"Yeah. We should probably check on that wound in a bit though."

The group went back to scouring the books, and Clary began trying to draw warlock-safe versions of the Curing rune. Every hour, Cat would summon tea and coffee for everyone, and discard useless books. The day passed at snail's pace, until a ruffled Alec appeared supporting Magnus. Aside from the mostly red bandage wrapped around the warlock's stomach, they looked messy and bright. Both of them were smiling as Izzy leapt up to get Magnus to the sofa and the others began to fill them in, and Cat leant her friend back to begin reversing as much of the poison's effects as she could. The black veins around the wound faded but remained present. Alec sat down behind Magnus and put a mug of tea in his hands as he winced, and pulled him back against him, forcing him to relax into Cat's magic. They had established Magnus's own magic was drained, as his cat eyes were permanently showing which caused him to keep them down. Alec had to keep reminding him how beautiful they were before he would make eye contact.

"So, we know whoever did this isn't human or a Downworlder, there were no fingerprints on the knife, and Cat confirmed no traces of warlock's magic," Clary said.

"There were traces of magic though. Powerful enough to be picked up," Cat grimaced, still focused on Magnus.

"So, demon?"

Alec tightened his grip on Magnus's shoulder as Jace spoke. "Nothing we haven't handled before."

"And it would make sense, you can't track a demon, you have to summon them."

"But which one? There are thousands of demons and Greater demons, why would any of them want to hurt.."

"Me," Magnus said quietly. "There are a few who come to mind."

"Who?"

"Any that I've banished, weakened, made vulnerable, or, apparently, betrayed, so quite a few."

"And you don't remember seeing anything?" Izzy pressed.

Magnus had recounted what had happened before Alec had found him. He had been home working, waiting for Alec to return from his late-night mission. The inconvenience of the mission had made them miss dinner, so set out on the coffee table was a bottle of wine to accompany a conjured meal. Magnus was getting out the plates and bowls and was setting them on the side when the first hit came. It was blunt, a wide forceful hit to the back of his head, and the crockery slipped from his grasp as he cried out. He didn't even hear it smash.

When he next woke up, he was sitting against his bedroom wall, and there was a pair of hands covering his eyes, boots pinning his wrists down. He struggled and the wiry body pinning him down hit him across his face, and hissed in a unknown voice, seething with contempt: "Traitor." The snap of his wrists breaking came next.

"At some point, the knife… happened," Magnus had said vaguely. "I asked him why he was doing this and he shut me up."

"So how many of them can shift to human form?" Izzy asked now.
"The more powerful ones," Magnus answered wearily.

"I'll look up potential Greater Demons at home," Catarina called from the door, shouldering her bag, ready to leave.

"Thanks, Cat. Hug Sweetpea for me."

"Always do."

Izzy grinned. "Sweetpea?"

"Madzie's the sweetest thing alive today, Isabelle. Alexander and I were even thinking of.."

He tailed off when he caught Alec's expression, and became interested with his chipped nails. Clary broke the strange silence with a clatter as her sketchpad hit the wall and slid down it in dejection. Jace picked it up silently as Clary pushed her unruly hair back.

"I'm sorry, Magnus. I just… I can't think of it."

Magnus only smiled and offered his hand to her. Clary took it and sat down beside him.

"Biscuit.. You once said to me that your runes, they only come to you under times of immense pressure, that drawing them isn't a tap you can turn on and off. Why would it be any different now?"

"Because it's you!" Clary started crying, which forced Alec to stand up and walk out onto the balcony, wearing his 'I'm not putting up with this' face. Magnus quirked an eyebrow as the balcony door shut.

"My Alexander," he smiled softly. "Forgive him for that."

"He loves you," Clary smiled, tears falling slowly. "We all do."

"I love you too, Biscuit. But you aren't getting rid of me that easily."

Jace smirked and stood up to check on Alec. At the same time, Magnus flinched sharply and his hands went unconsciously to the bandage under his shirt. Clary realised and prised his hands away carefully, revealing fresh blood staining the black shirt.

"The poison keeps opening it more," Magnus said uncomfortably.

"You should go back to bed," Isabelle said. "I'll send Al in after you."

"Okay. I assume you lot are staying over?"

Clary wedged herself under Magnus's arm as he got up. "You're not getting rid of us that easily."