It had been two days since the Clave had refused to help.

Both Catarina and Magnus had slept through most of it, their conditions deteriorating, and Alec's worry for his boyfriend spiking almost every hour. Izzy had to keep taking him out of the room.

Progress had been made though - they had found the name of the poison - charmile - a magical herb that could only grow in viciously hot temperatures. It's powder had been coating the blades that had injured Magnus and Cat - now both their wounds were streaked with black blood that crawled up their veins, spreading over their bodies in spidery lines.

In a few days, Magnus was expected to hallucinating, then coughing blood, as the charmile found its way into his lungs and grated away at them from the inside. Catarina would go through the same not long after him.

"There has to be a cure," Clary said into the silence. She, Jace, Izzy and Alec were sprawled over the dining room table, reading and re-reading the book they had found.

The extract read:

'No medicinal cure is powerful enough to remedy charmile's effects. Theoretically, warlock or demonic magic should be able to reverse it, but no cases of the healer or patient in question surviving the process exist. The poison offers strong resistance to magical and mundane healing.'

"Even if we could find a warlock, they'd have to be willing to risk their life," Izzy said. "And that means risking Magnus and Cat too."

"But this book was written almost a century ago. What if a cure has been found by now? What if someone somewhere knows the easy way?" Clary pressed.

"Then we have to find them," Izzy said. "They'll be Seelie or warlock - someone who's been around long enough to know their stuff. Charmile is a magical herb-" she stressed. "Maybe it's a rare potion ingredient, maybe it only grows in the Seelie realm or a demon dimension, maybe the Silent Brothers have heard of it."

"Or the Iron Sisters?" Jace said, looking back at Izzy, who nodded.

"I can talk to them," she said.

"And doesn't Magnus know one of the Silent Brothers?" Clary said to Alec.

"Brother Zachariah," he nodded. "Tell him what's happening, and he'd do anything to help."

"I'll go," Jace said. He and Izzy were already pulling on jackets and slotting blades into belts.

"Be as fast as you can," Clary said. "I'll keep researching, looking up possible Seelies, warlocks we could talk to."

"Okay," Jace zipped up his jacket and leant down, kissing her lightly. Izzy hugged her brother tight, and then she and Jace left quickly, leaving Clary with research and Alec with his thoughts, which weren't the slightest bit comforting.

Jace and Isabelle were gone for almost two hours, and Magnus was violently sick, spending that time leaning over the sink with Clary and Alec either side of him. Alec had finally gotten him to bed, and exhausted, he had passed out almost immediately.

Clary was sitting alone in the lounge, talking to Simon on the phone.

"How is he, Fray?"

"I don't even know. Not good. Oh, Si, I'm so worried about him, and Cat."

"I know. I'm sorry I can't be there, I'll try my hardest to sneak away this evening, I promise."

"Thanks. Have you checked the DuMort archives for books on charmile?"

"Yeah, there were a few promising ones, I'll bring them round as soon as the sun goes down."

"Thanks."

"Hang in there, Fray."

Simon rang off, and not a moment later, Jace let himself in with the spare key.

"Clary," He said quietly. She looked up from the table and stumbled into the hall, hugging him tightly.

"Did you get anywhere?" She asked, then trailed off as she noticed a silent brother come in behind him. He was unusual for a silent brother - runed, but not silenced - his mouth wasn't sewn up, and other than the robe, he looked like your average Shadowhunter.

"This is Brother Zachariah. He insisted on coming when he heard about Magnus," Jace explained.

Zachariah nodded at Clary. "Where is he? I believe I may be able to delay the charmile's effects."

Clary nodded. "Thank you," she said, and led him over to their bedroom, knocking lightly on the door.

"Alec, you awake?" She called. "One of the Silent Brothers is here."

"Come in," Alec replied softly. He was sitting upright with Magnus curled at his side, clearly asleep. The warlock's head was resting in his lap, and Alec was stroking his hair. The room was candlelit, casting glimmering shadows on every wall, and Alec's face glittered.

"Brother Zachariah," he said, looking up.

The Silent Brother took down his hood, revealing silver hair, and Alec frowned.

"I recognise you. Also known as James Carstairs, right?"

"Jem." Jem corrected. "Where did you know me from?"

"Insitutute archives, I think. There's a lot on you."

Jem smiled. "That sounds about right."

He knelt down on the floor beside Magnus and felt his forehead with gentle hands.

"How long since the poisoning?"

"Four days."

"Has he been eating?"

"Any fluids come straight back up. And his appetite is barely there."

Jem nodded, and lifted Magnus's shirt, pressing lightly around the wound.

"Have you seen charmile poisoning before?" Alec asked.

"Once. The patient was brought to us, and we were able to delay the effects for quite a while. I'm going to try the same method with Magnus and your friend, Catarina."

"Thank you."

"Of course. He's a very old friend, I'm sure you know."

"Yeah."

"How long have you two been together? If you don't mind my asking."

"A year, just gone," Alec said. Jem's mouth twitched.

"What?" Alec asked.

"He once said he could never love a Shadowhunter. Looks like he was wrong."

Alec smiled, and reached for Magnus's hand, suddenly very protective.

"What're you going to do to him?" He asked quietly.

Jem looked up, surprised.

"I would never hurt him, Alec."

He spoke gently, and with his eyes - looking at Alec with good, genuine intentions.

"Never. I owe him my life, and I'll do everything I can to save his. I promise."

Alec bit his tongue to stop himself from crying - he wasn't sure he could deal with hope right now. All he did was nod, and Jem rose, leaving to talk to Clary and Jace, who were thigh deep in piles of books.

"I will be able to delay the charmile's progression," Jem said to them.

"How?" Jace asked.

"It's very simple. Potion making without the magic, but it will require these ingredients. Some are quite rare."

Clary looked over his shoulder at the list Jem had written.

"Simon can get ahold of lots of those, they have them at the Hotel DuMort. I'll call him back."

Just then, there was a knock at the door, and Jace let Isabelle in.

"Hey. Find anything?" He asked.

Isabelle said nothing - she looked stunned and scared, her eyes blank. Jace looked around the room to find himself alone - Clary was on the balcony talking to Simon and Jem had disappeared.

"Iz, is it that bad?" He whispered. "Tell me."

Izzy swallowed. "Charmile only grows in Edom. And there are only two Greater Demons from there that are capable of this. Lilith and.."

"Asmodeus," Alec said. He was standing in the bedroom door, with messy hair and Magnus's bright pink dressing gown wrapped around him. "I have something I should tell you - well, it's Magnus's to tell but he's-"

"You're mumbling, Alec."

"Asmodeus is his father," Alec said loudly. "Alright? His demon parent. So I think that narrows it down as traditionally warlocks don't have the best relationship with their parent."

"How do we kill him?" Jace said.

"We don't unless Magnus says we can. It's still his father. His decision. There are other ways to get rid of demons."

"Banish them beyond their realms."

"Trap them in limbo."

"So we still need to find out more. Why does Asmodeus want this, why not just kill Magnus, instead of poisoning him like this?" Isabelle said.

"Greater Demons are known for their passion for revenge."

Jem had appeared again, holding four cups of tea, which he handed out, setting the last one down on the coffee table for Clary.

"Has Magnus done anything to wrong his father? Anything a demon would consider to be betrayal, or disownment?"

"Not that I know of," Alec said.

"Sorry, who are you?" Isabelle said.

"Iz, this is Brother Zachariah, he's a friend of Magnus's," Jace explained. "He says he can brew a balm that will counter charmile's effects for a while."

"Thank you," Isabelle nodded at him. "Oh, the Iron Sisters! They said that charmile was used a lot by warlocks for necromancy spells, like the one Iris tried to use to bring Jocelyn back."

"Could Iris tell us more?"

Izzy nodded. "I'm sure of it. I set up a meeting with her in an hour."

"You shouldn't go alone, Iz," Alec said.

"Clary and I will go," she said, as Clary came in from the balcony.

"Simon's on his way with the stuff you need, Zachariah," she said. "Where are we going, Izzy?"

"Iris Rousse."

Clary paled slightly, but nodded. "Okay."

The door swung open again as Simon sped through, smoking slightly.

"Hey," he said breathlessly. "Remind me to allow a few minutes after sunset before leaving." He pulled his bag off his back. "I got your stuff. Some really strange ingredients, rosewood, holy water-" he dropped the vial as his hand started burning. "And a ton of other stuff."

He hugged Isabelle, and then Clary.

"You alright, Fray?"

"Yeah, fine."

"We're going to Iris's, Simon."

"Hang on, what?" Simon exclaimed. "Where she was almost impregnated by an angry demon! Are you crazy?"

"Si, I'll be fine. We're doing this for Magnus."

The vampire's face fell. "How's he doing?"

"He's been sick a lot," Alec said quietly. "The charmile is spreading fast."

"Anything I can do?"

"Help Jace and I with the brewing," Jem said. Simon nodded. "Okay, so what needs doing?"

Jem, Jace and Simon split off from the group to start making the balm, and Alec left the girls to gear up, going back into the bedroom and finding Magnus struggling in his sleep.

Alec sat down beside him, taking his hands.

"Mags.. I'm right here."

Magnus pushed back against the pillows and cried out. "Alec.. Alexander!"

"I'm right here with you. Come on, baby, wake up."

"Alec! No, please don't hurt him, Alec-" Magnus started crying.

"Wake up, come on," Alec shook him gently, running his hands through his fringe. Magnus cried out again and jarred awake, immediately sitting up and hugging Alec tightly. Alec cradled his head and hugged back.

"Hey. I'm here."

Magnus gave a sob and tightened his grip on his boyfriend. His vest was soaked with sweat and Alec could feel tears wetting his shirt.

"Oh, sweetheart, what were you seeing?"

Magnus shook his head shakily. "No, I can't -"

"Okay, no, never mind, Just hold on to me, I've got you."

"Alec, I'm going to be sick."

They got to the bathroom just in time, and Magnus was horribly sick again. Alec stood behind him, holding his shoulders to keep him upright, and rubbing his back comfortingly.

"Isabelle!" He called, greeted two seconds later by his sister.

"Magnus..," she gasped.

"I don't feel comfortable leaving him alone while we're researching."

"I'll make up the sofa in the lounge," she said.

Magnus coughed and leant back onto Alec, who reached for a flannel to wipe his mouth.

"Better?"

His boyfriend nodded. He was so white he was almost blue.

"Come on then, let's go into the lounge." He took off the dressing down and wrapped it around Magnus, and then lifted him off his feet.

"I'm fine, Alec, put me down," he said weakly.

"Yeah, forgive me if I don't believe you," Alec replied, setting him down on the sofa. "I'm gonna get you a drink."

"I'll be sick again."

"Well, we need to try."

Magnus sat upright for a few moments and then lay down properly, eyes closed and knees hugged to his chest.

"You alright, Magnus?" Clary asked, leaning over him. Magnus murmured, and nodded.

"Dizzy," he breathed.

"Come here," Alec said, kneeling down next to him. "Drink."

Magnus did, and within a minute his grip on Alec's hand loosened and he fell unconscious.

"You put a sedative in the water, didn't you?" Jace said.

"He's having nightmares," Alec replied. "Bad ones."

He looked down at Magnus worriedly for another few moments, and then picked up the nearest book. "Let's carry on, then."

It was much later at night now. Izzy and Clary has been gone for almost an hour, and Jace and Alec were sat among a sea of books on the lounge floor, with Magnus and Cat asleep on opposite sofas. The pair had settled into a rhythm, checking the temperature of both warlocks every ten minutes, and now Jace was sat worriedly beside Magnus. His fever had soared in the last half an hour.

"Alec, it's worse."

Alec dropped his book immediately and leant over Magnus, feeling his cheeks and forehead.

"Oh, by the Angel. It shouldn't be this bad."

Magnus was burning with the kind of heat that you couldn't shake off, or counter by opening windows. It was the sort of heat that stuck to you like sand on wet skin, and made Alec feel very powerless.

"Is Brother Zachariah ready?"

"I'll go and check," Jace said.

Alec watched Jace go, then looked back down at Magnus, and started shaking. Tiny fragments of memory kept tearing through his head, tormenting him. All the beautiful moments he'd had with Magnus, all the times he had suddenly realised that he was happy, happier than he'd ever been. Singing at the tops of their lungs to Mariah Carey, sliding across the polished floors in their socks and crashing into each other - it seemed impossible that in a few days, maybe even a few hours, Magnus could be gone. And all those happy memories would become sad ones.

Alec looked down at Magnus and started shaking. After a while, he started crying too.

Hi guys, so I'm aware it's been a very, VERY long time since an update - very sorry, there were all sorts of complications, but basically, I'm back now, aiming to finish this soon. Hope you enjoyed the latest chapter, reviews are always appreciated!

N.A x