Magnus had no idea where Ragnor had run off too or what the hell he'd been talking about before he'd left. He knew Tessa was outside with his son. Catarina was still there with him, speaking words of comfort that did nothing to soothe him. No words could replace Alexander.
Magnus felt like once his lover was gone the world would feel different. Once Alec's heart stopped beating, life on this planet would be so altered as to be unrecognizable. Magnus was waiting to feel the impact of Alec's death. He knew it was irrational. Magnus knew that he wasn't magically connect to Alec and the king's passing could occur without his knowledge. Still, Magnus was on edge, tense waiting for the penny to drop. Waiting to feel his heart shatter.
Catarina handed him a cup of tea and Magnus took it numbly, drinking without thinking. He needed to tell Max what had happened or at least that daddy wasn't coming home again for a long time. Maybe Max could be spared the sharpness of it all. If he slowly forgot Alec... surely that would be the kinder way.
Lifting himself off the floor, Magnus set his tea down and slowly walked out into the garden. He stood in the doorway watching Tessa playing with the little blue warlock Magnus had come to love as his own child. He couldn't tell exactly what they were doing, but Max was smiling and that's all Magnus cared about. He didn't want to be the reason why his son's smile faded.
"And one day I'm going to see the Palace!" Max cried as he spun round holding Tessa's hand. "Daddy said he'd take me." Tessa didn't reply, but Max wasn't deterred. "Papa says you used to live in the Palace. I bet it's super pretty."
"It is quite beautiful indeed," Tessa smiled, but it was a sad smile. With a deep breath Magnus moved forward.
"Thanks, Tessa," Magnus said. "I've got it from here." Tessa took a step back and she and Catarina disappeared into the house.
Magnus took his son's small blue hands in his own and looked straight into the young warlock's eyes. "Max," Magnus began. "Something's happened. Daddy won't be able to visit anymore."
"For how long?" Max asked.
"A very long time," Magnus replied, gently.
"Why?" Max asked. It took everything Magnus had not to cry. He pulled his son close and hugged Max instead.
"He just won't, Max," Magnus mumbled into their hug.
"Why?" Max asked again, but Magnus didn't reply. Max was so young. Life would be kind to him. Max could forget, and Magnus wouldn't take that away from him.
"So we shall have to do something else while daddy is busy," Magnus explained, as he pulled out of the hug, but keeping a hand on each of the young warlock's shoulders. "How about we go on a trip?"
And just like that Max was happily talking about the places he wanted to visit. Magnus would go anywhere Max wanted. He just couldn't stay here. No only would it be infinitely more dangerous than ever before to be a warlock once Valentine was king, but every part of his house reminded Magnus of his Alexander. He would not be returning here.
"You told me about the trees, papa," Max was babbling. "We could go see those, but will uncle Ragnor still teach me if we move?"
"Honestly, I have no idea," Magnus replied, trying to put a smile on for his son. "Uncle Ragnor can be rather unpredictable at times. But Auntie Cat will still come around to teach you healing magic."
"She's so good at fixing people and she's the nicest," Max enthused. "Will daddy be here when we get back from vacation?" It took everything Magnus had not to cry as he replied that daddy would still be busy.
As they entered the house Magnus held up his hands and began to throw blue sparks around the room. Everything around them moved as if directed by the conductor of an orchestra. Books and clothes flew across the room and packed themselves into boxes. The decorations on the walls crumbled into ashes, along with the roof above their heads. One of the benefits of magic is that you can relocate every quickly.
"Magnus what are you doing?" Tessa asked.
"Your house!" Catarina exclaimed, looking around in shock. Ignoring Tessa and Catarina Magnus continued sorting his life here into ashes and suitcases, Max standing at his side. Once all the items of importance were packed, in one last woosh Magnus disintegrated everything else around him, destroying his house from the inside out. The roof over his head and the walls at his side turned to dust, and drifted away on the breeze.
The four warlock's now stood in an open field, within a rectangular shaped patch of dead grass that moments ago had been Magnus's home.
"Where will you go?" Tessa asked, tearfully.
"Away from here," Magnus replied simply. He held Max's hand in one of his, the few boxes he was taking were behind him.
"I wish you weren't doing this," Catarina smiled sorrowfully at him. "I won't pretend to understand what it feels like to love someone this much. But please don't forget that you have friends. You don't have to be alone." He couldn't help but beam at her. Sweet, loving Catarina, always knew what to say. Sparing a moment to hug his kind souled best friend, Magnus pulled back ready to make a portal and leave this place forever.
It was then that he sensed it. A sudden shift in the world. For a moment, Magnus imagined it was the end of Alexander and he'd felt it because they'd truly shared a magical bond. He'd been right all along and their connection had been more than just emotion.
"What was that, papa?" Max asked pulling on Magnus's hand. Magnus looked down at his son, who looked very confused. Had Max felt Alec's passing too?
"Whoa, that feels weird," Tessa piped up and Magnus was both relieved and disheartened. If Tessa could feel it too, then this wasn't about Alec. His connection with Alexander wasn't mystical or otherworldly. It was just love, regular old love. Alec was likely already dead and this was some sort of shock wave from Valentine's invasion.
"Don't go yet," Catarina implored him as Magnus went to create a portal. "Please. Let's find out what that was." Magnus really didn't care. All he cared about was escaping the pain in his heart and though rationally he knew leaving couldn't do that he wanted to run and never look back.
"It felt like a magical loss," Caterina added. "Like something that is meant to be forever has shattered into a thousand pieces." Magnus couldn't help, but think that he and Alec had been meant to be forever.
"I agree with Catarina," Tessa confirmed.
"Would you mind watching Max?" Catarina asked Tessa. The other woman smiled with a slight nod to indicate her agreement. Then Caterina took Magnus hand and dragged him through a portal she'd just created with her free hand.
When they emerged Magnus could see the Palace up ahead. As hey got closer he knew something was wrong. Once in full view of the ancient landmark Magnus could do nothing but stare. The dark, lifeless structure before them could be nothing, but the Palace and yet it was wrong. That building was a constant. For Magnus's entire life it had been a hum with magic and now it was lifeless, dead as void of magic as the rocks at his feet. He could hardly believe his eyes.
Slowly Magnus approached the once permanent barrier between him and Alexander's home. Where that wall had been there was now nothing. Magnus walked past the invisible line and onto ground that no warlock had tred on for longer than he'd been alive.
"What happened?" Catarina whispered at his side. Magnus didn't have an answer for her. Together they walked slowly into the forbidden building, past dark depressing hallways; they followed the sound of voices. None of them were loud, but it was enough to lead the two warlocks into what had once been the portal room. Now the great room was centered around nothing. All the architecture that had been built around the magic portal seemed foolish and out of place.
The voices had come from a small group. Magnus recognized Maryse, Alec's mother but he had not met any of the others. There were two red-haired women both being comforted by the man at their side, one of which was holding an infant. There was another woman with a baby and her features reminded Magnus of Alexander's face. Magnus suspected this was Alec's sister and nephew. Some of them were whispering, but all of them looked up at Magnus and Catarina's arrival.
"Where is Alexander?" Magnus asked.
"No idea," Maryse laughed, joyfully. She looked so happy Magnus was quite taken aback. "He left with the warlock that did this." She gestured to the Palace smiling.
"Are you Magnus?" Alec's sister asked him. Magnus nodded, trying to remember her name. "It's nice to finally meet you. Alec has told me a lot about you."
"And I you," Magnus replied. "But what do you mean did this? Ragnor couldn't have done this."
"A green skinned warlock showed up, took back all the magic he'd given to this place and Alec followed him through a portal," explained the man comforting the redhead without an infant. She looked older and Magnus suspected she was the mother of the younger one. "That is all we know."
"Ragnor's a friend of mine," Magnus stated. "Surely, I would have known if he could do a thing like this."
"It could have been some other crazy powerful green skinned warlock," the brown haired man beside Alec's sister said. Izzy! That was her name. And from what Alexander had told him of his best friend Magnus was pretty sure the blond guy with the younger redhaired woman was Jace.
"I only know one warlock with green skin," Magnus explained.
"I don't even care!" Maryse exclaimed, getting up to move closer to Magnus, with the biggest smile on her face. "Because my son is alive!" She was dancing like a crazy person and Magnus had to admit he knew exactly how she felt. Giving into the relief and forgetting about the mystery Magnus danced with her.
"That boy has warped your mind," Catarina laughed at him. Rather than reply Magnus flicked his wrist and lit up the room with disco lights. Magically produced music played, to match the lights. "Yep, definitely lost your marbles…" A few people got up and danced with the crazy duo, but most everyone else was just laughing at them. Magnus didn't even mind. He thought they probably looked rather silly and laughter was the correct response.
At some point a noise alerted them. Magnus instantly killed the lights and music. They could hear footsteps slowly approaching. Everyone was frozen, everything was silent, but for the soft murmurs of the mother's soothing their infants.
When the two figured came into view, Magnus instantly relaxed, running forward as fast as his legs would carry him.
"Oomf," Alec said as Magnus's banged into him and hugged him fiercely. Ragnor stood at Alec's side neither of them looking at all hurt. At this moment Magnus didn't care that he had no idea what the hell had happened or was questioning why his friend hadn't told him. All Magnus cared about was that his lover was alive and in his arms.
"Really, Magnus?" Ragnor sighed. "Must you always be so dramatic. The boy is fine."
"You should have told me what you were planning on doing before you ran off!" Magnus yelled at his friend, pulling out of the hug, but keeping one of Alec's hands in his. "So I didn't have to spend all that time thinking Alexander was dead."
"Did I not say?" Ragnor asked perplexed. "I thought I explained before I left."
"You definitely did not!" Magnus yelled. "You just said something about silly mayflies and vanished."
"They are ridiculous mayflies," Ragnor confirmed. "These mortals of yours."
"Urg!" Magnus exclaimed in frustration.
"Oh, alright," Ragnor sighed. "My bad, okay? I promise that next time I run off I will tell you why."
"How the hell did you take down the shield anyway?" Magnus asked.
Ragnor shrugged. "I put it up." And something clicked in Magnus's head. Purple. Ragnor's shield's and portals were always purple, just like the Palace's. A warlock's regular magic was the opposite colour as their portal and shield magic. This was just the way the curse worked. Hence why when Magnus had performed magic a moment ago it had been with blue light, yet his portals were orange. How had he not seen it before? It just seemed so impossible that someone Magnus knew personally was responsible for creating something that always been there.
"You are so young," Ragnor laughed at him, messing up Magnus's hair as if he were a child.
"Why did you put up the shield though?" Magnus asked. "It keeps warlocks out."
"And demons," Ragnor reminded him. "At the time demons were the thing that mattered. They were must more prevalent in those days. And easily angered by lack of tribute at their temples."
"Say what?" Magnus just started in shock.
"As I said young," Ragnor sighed. He put a hand to his temple as if his head hurt. "Call me in a few decades, yeah. I really must rest for a while."
"You can rest here," Alec said firmly. He called to one of the few remaining shadowhunters present and asked them to show Ragnor to one of their best rooms.
"That would be nice," Ragnor smiled and followed Jace out of the room.
"And we have people to fetch," Alec stated with a grin. "Though no portal. Would you two mind helping us out?"
"Max!" Magnus exclaimed quickly. "Sorry, Alec, I left him with Tessa."
"Bring them both here," Alec beamed. "This new unshielded Palace is going to welcome everyone, from warlock's to mundanes." Then Alec started issuing orders. He instructed Lucian, who it turned out was the man with the older redhaired woman, to keep watch on the dungeons were Ragnor had put Valentine. Alec asked the rest to split into group and find their missing people. The older red-haired woman volunteered to search for the main group, talking about how much she wanted to tell her son the good news.
Magnus left Alec to work while he quickly went home to get Max. Catarina stayed behind to open portals for them. She'd spent her life helping mundanes in secret and being punished for trying to help nephilim. Magnus knew she'd fit in perfectly to Alec's new world.
When Tessa, Max and Magnus stepped out of the portal and saw the Palace, blueberry jumped for joy. When the young warlock saw Alec, he charged, grabbing hold of the king's leg and not letting go.
"Hey, Max," Alec laughed. He couldn't lean down with Max attached to his leg, but Alec didn't seem to mind. "Looks like I am stuck here." He laughed and continued leading with the toddler sitting on his foot.
The Palace was once again bright with magic, though this was of a more temporary nature. Tessa, Catarina and Magnus had light magical torches as they all worked to return those who had fled from their homes. Magnus watched as slowly those who had left were found. Waves of people were returning through temporary portals and being told what had happened.
The Palace might be technically dead at the moment, but Magnus had never before seen it so alive. For the first time in who knew how long, warlocks, humans, and nephilim were all working together within the Palace walls.
Awws I love it when you guys complain for more chapters. It's so sweet. thanks. Only two chapters left guys!
Sneak Peek Chapter 19
Politely removing himself from the situation Alec moved down the hall. He'd caught a glimpse of the one person he wanted to talk to. In all the chaos of getting people back today Alec hadn't really had a moment alone with Magnus.
The day had been quite a productive one though. The mundane servants had all been offered their jobs back, though some still hadn't physically returned to the Palace. Many teams had already returned with those who had escape the barely averted disaster. Jonathan and Rose were back along with Amatis and the rest of her recruits. Elizabeth and Josey were yet to be found though Alec wasn't worried. They'd likely gone into hiding faster and didn't know that it was safe to return. He had faith they'd be back soon. The Palace was once again alive with people, it's lights flicked with a temporary energy, its portal room used for nothing but storage.
"Magnus!" Alec called when he caught sight of the warlock. Max was holding tight to one of his papa's hands, still looking wide eyed around at everything.