Patrick walked up to Alec with that annoying smirk on his face and brought the blade he just used on Magnus to Alec's lips. He grabbed Alec's jaw and forced his mouth open, wiping the blood all over his tongue.
"How does it taste?" Patrick taunted. Alec wanted to vomit.
"They're coming for us," he said. "I let Jace track me. He knows where we are and he's coming."
"Wonderful! I'll let Valentine know."
He left the room happily.
"You hear that, Magnus? They're coming to help us."
"It won't be enough," Magnus said miserably. "Valentine has hundreds of Shadowhunters working for him. What makes you think Jace and Clary will be enough?"
"They'll bring backup. Jace isn't stupid, Magnus. He'll bring help. The whole Institute, even. And Luke's pack. Your Warlock friends, and Raphael. They'll all come. And I doubt he has all this followers here. Think, have we seen any? Heard any? It's a small house, we'd know if they were here."
The room was silent for a while.
"You really think we'll get out of here?" Magnus whispered.
"I know it. Have faith in our friends. They'll free us and then I'll kill Patrick myself. I promise."
Silence again.
"I want to go home." Magnus's voice was barely a breath.
"I know. We'll get you there."
Just as he finished his sentence, Valentine and Patrick reentered the room.
"I hear you gave up," Valentine said to Alec. "About time. Jace and Clary are on the way, then?"
"And they're not alone."
"We'll be ready." he cupped Alec's bruised cheek. "Thank you, Alexander. We couldn't have done it without you." He dropped his hand and turned to Patrick.
"Leave them alone for now," he told him. "We got what we wanted. If you beg him, Alexander, maybe Patrick will agree to clean your Warlock's wounds."
Valentine left and Patrick grinned.
"I'm not about to beg you for anything," Alec said to him. "I'll clean his wounds myself as soon as we're out of here."
"What makes you think you'll be getting out of here?"
"I know Jace. If he's determined enough to free us, it will get done."
"Well, someone needs to win this battle. Don't be so sure it will be you."
He followed Valentine out.
Magnus was getting weaker and weaker with every passing moment. Alec knew he was losing too much blood. He could barely keep his eyes open, and Alec couldn't remember the last time either of them had slept. It was nearly impossible to do so in Alec's position, and Magnus couldn't lay down in any matter without upsetting his various wounds.
It would all be okay. Magnus could sleep for days once they get free, and Alec hoped Magnus could forgive him enough to let him rest beside him. There was nowhere else he'd rather be.
Alec knew the moment help arrived. He looked out the only window in the room, hoping to see something, but didn't. He could only hear what was happening. Shouting, groaning, even laughing. He could hear the Werewolves growling and snarling, could hear the Vampires hissing around their fangs.
He could feel Jace. His heartbeat, his breath, they way he cut through enemy after enemy. Alec realized he had underestimated how many Circle members were at the house, but neither side was outnumbered.
They were going to win. Between the Werewolves and the Vampires and the Warlocks, they had more skill than the false Shadowhunters Valentine had created with the Cup. Valentine hadn't seemed to think of this, and Alec was finally, finally relieved. He had hope.
There was screaming coming from just outside the room Alec and Magnus were in. It flew open and a feisty redhead walked in with her nerdy Vampire friend behind her. Both had almost as much blood on them as Magnus.
"Oh my God, Magnus," Clary said in shock, looking between him and and Alec.
"Clary, let me down."
She did as she was told, using her stele to unlock Alec's chains. His arms felt painfully sore from being held above his head for so long, blood seeping from his wrists. He did his best to ignore his own pain and went straight to Magnus.
Clary unlocked Magnus's bound wrists without being asked, and tried to do the same to the collar around his neck.
"It's not working," she said.
"What do you mean? It has to work, that collar is what's keeping him from using his magic. We have to get it off so he can heal himself."
"I know, Alec, but I'm telling you, it's not working."
"Guys," Simon said, "maybe we should focus on getting out of here? More bad guys are probably on the way."
"He's right, Alec. We can find a way to remove the collar later."
"Fine." Alec wrapped his all but dead arms around Magnus, not quite able to keep them from shaking. Magnus was barely awake. Alec wondered if he knew they were safe now.
"Take him back to the Institute," he told Clary. "I have something to take care of."
"No, Alec, come with us. You're too weak to fight and besides, Magnus needs you."
Alec thought of Patrick, of his promise to Magnus that he would kill him for his actions. He knew the evil man would probably be killed in the battle, but he really wanted to kill him himself
Magnus was more important than revenge.
"Okay," he said. "I'll go with you."
Clary opened a glowing portal and the three of them went through. They were back at the Institute, and Alec could breathe again. He and Simon supported Magnus's now unconscious form.
"We need to get him to the infirmary, now."
They were there within a minute. Alec didn't want to lay Magnus on his back because of the lashes, nor on his stomach because of the carvings. Both options were not ideal so they chose to put him on his back. A nurse was beside Magnus's bed immediately and started cleaning the wounds on his chest. Alec hoped it wouldn't hurt him enough to wake him up. He deserved to have a break.
"Alec, you need to be looked at too."
"I don't. I have runes to heal me, Clary. I'll be fine."
Once the nurse bandaged Magnus's front, Alec helped flip him over to treat his back. Even the nurse flinched at the brutality of what she saw. She didn't ask questions.
"Is it infected?" asked Alec.
"No," the nurse said. "But if it went untreated any longer, it would have been."
Catarina Loss came to Magnus's side the moment she was able. She tried to use her magic to heal him, but found it wouldn't work.
"It's the collar," she said. "No magic will work on him while he wears it. If we cannot get it off, my guess is that only the one who placed it there could."
Patrick. Alec was glad Clary hadn't let him stay behind to kill the man. It looked like they would need him.
"What if they kill him in the battle?" Alec asked. "How do we get it off then?"
"They won't kill him if they can help it. Izzy will get him here, Alec. I told her we might need him."
Alec's wounds were almost completely healed by the time Isabelle walked into the infirmary.
"Tell me you have good news."
"Good and bad," she said. "The good news is, Valentine is dead. Jace killed him with a blade through his chest. We won."
Alec could remember that moment. He had felt Jace's excitement and pride. Jace was glad he was the one to kill Valentine. He would have to congratulate him on his success later.
"And the bad news?"
Izzy paused before responding. "It's that guy, Patrick. I know what he did, Alec, and I'm sorry, but he got away."
Alec was suddenly dizzy. "You let him get away?" There went their only chance of getting Magnus's magic back. Without it, how would he fully heal? It would take forever.
"Nobody let him do anything. He slipped away in the heat of the battle. I only realized when his car nearly ran me over on his way out."
Alec needed to sit down. The idea that that monster was free… it was too much for him.
"There is hope," Izzy went on. "We rescued another Warlock from the house, the one who made the portal when we were first taken. He says he knows where Patrick went off to. He and Valentine had a sort of lair. He believes Patrick will have gone there."
Alec processed this, and knew he would still get his revenge.
"Izzy, I need you to do this for me. For Magnus. You're the best Shadowhunter we have. I need you to go out, find Patrick, and bring him to me. Alive."
Izzy looked hesitant. "Alec, what are you going to do?"
"First, he's going to open that damn collar. Then, I'm going to give him what he deserves."