Chapter Text
“I’ll arrange a trip to the Court.”
Luke sighed as Magnus stormed off. But when the summons from the Queen came within minutes, he wasn’t going to leave a vulnerable and broken-hearted Magnus to endure the Queen’s games on his own.
It was time to go.
Magnus Portaled them to the entrance of the Seelie Court, where they were granted entry into the Queen’s presence immediately.
“Have you come to a decision then?” The Queen asked, smiling her malicious little-girl smile.
“We can’t trust the Clave.” Magnus said tightly. “I’m willing to listen to what you have in mind.”
“And what brings this change of heart?”
“They don’t have the Soul Sword. Valentine has it. They lied to us. Alexander lied tome.”
She smiled again. “The Angel’s children protect their own. I told you they would. I wish it hadn’t come to you being broken-hearted like this. I quite like you, Magnus.”
“I just want to protect our people.” Magnus said quietly.
“Of course. I understand what you’re saying.” The Queen placed a rose in his jacket pocket and turned to Luke. “And you, Lucian Graymark?”
“My pack and I want no part in this. We will fight Valentine on our own terms.”
“If that’s your wish. You may depart my Court, thank you for your time. Guards, please escort Mr Graymark from our realm.”
Luke went, casting a long look at Magnus as he left, wishing he could stay, but defying the Seelie Queen in her own realm would be an instant death sentence. He knew better than that. But his hand was already on his phone before he was back in Central Park, ready to call the Institute.
* * *
“Now, Magnus, let’s talk.” The Seelie Queen said.
“The Clave lied to us. We can’t rely on them to protect us from Valentine.”
“I agree. For far too long, the Downworld has depended on the Clave. But they’re not really interested in protecting us. They only tolerate us and use us as needed. You know that better than anyone.”
“I do.”
“I want to give them one last chance. One last chance to redeem themselves. Will you help me?”
“I will.”
“Good. I need you to grant my escort and I access to the New York Institute. I will speak to them there.”
“The Shadowhunters might not appreciate a host of the Fair Folk appearing in their Institute. They might see it as an act of war.”
“That’s where you come in, warlock. No harm needs befall the common Shadowhunters who would come against us. You can protect the innocent. Shall we go?”
Magnus nodded stiffly. “Assemble your escort. I’ll Portal us there from Central Park.”
* * *
Alec’s phone rang as he paced his office, frustrated and angry at himself, worried about Magnus, worried about the Accords, worried about everything he held dear. Everything he thought was doing the right thing ended up being wrong. He slammed his fist down on the desk. Why did peace have to be so hard?
His phone rang, jolting him out of his anger.
“Luke.” Alec answered, seeing his name flash up on the screen.
“Alec, listen to me. I just came out of the Seelie Court. I went there with Magnus. He’s furious.”
Alec closed his eyes. “He has every right to be. But why were you at the Seelie Court?”
“She wanted an answer from us, after our previous meeting. As to whether we’d unite with her to fight against Valentine. And after him, quite possibly the Clave. I just turned her down. Magnus didn’t. He’s willing to listen to what she’s got in mind.”
“This is all my fault. If I’d just told him when I found out-”
“You can’t blame yourself. I get why you did what you did. But I wanted to warn you. I don’t know what they have in mind. After I said my pack wasn’t getting involved, they removed me from the Court.”
“Do you think they’re likely to come for the Clave before we deal with Valentine?”
“I don’t know. But if I know the Queen, I know she’ll be playing one of her games. And not with the Clave, I doubt she even really cares about them, but with Magnus, and he’s choosing not to see it. She’ll be targeting his insecurities. And out of anyone, you’ve got the best chance of knowing what those are.”
Alec sighed. “I do. Thanks, Luke. I’ll try and talk to him. Apologize. Grovel. Whatever you do in these situations.”
“Might I suggest you don’t do it directly? He’s hurting, Alec. And a hurt warlock… there’s no saying what they’re capable of. Bring Clary. Your sister. Even Jace. If each of you tries a different approach, he might be willing to listen.”
“Thanks. We’ll try.”
* * *
Alec hated pulling people off of official duties to deal with a personal problem, but he reasoned that soon enough it could become more than personal, if he let it get that far. So it didn’t take any convincing to pull Isabelle, Jace and Clary off their other duties to accompany him to Magnus’.
They’d only gotten a block away from the Institute when Alec’s phone lit up with a red alert “Wards down. Wards down.”
“What the hell?” He asked, looking at it. “How can the wards be down? Usually it says ‘wards breached’ if someone is trying to take them down.”
“Unless they were taken down by the person who put them there.” Jace said carefully. “Alec…”
Realization dawned. “It’s Magnus.” Alec hissed. “Back to the Institute. Run!”
The four ran back to the Institute, which looked peaceful from the outside, but appearances could be deceiving.
“No kill shots. No matter what. I mean it.” Alec said. “Let me talk to him.”
“We’ve got your back.” Jace assured him. “Don’t worry.”
Jace pulled the door open and Alec moved in first, followed by Clary, Isabelle and then Jace.
What they didn’t expect to see was the hall lined with Seelie guards. Their weapons vanished in the blink of an eye, but the guards didn’t say anything further, and they were met with no resistance as they moved further into the Institute.
Once they entered the Ops Centre, the Seelie Queen was standing at the top of the stairs, Magnus at her right hand. All of the Shadowhunters were frozen in position, the spell a familiar one. Max was among them, and Isabelle moved to his side immediately, protectively.
“Magnus…” Alec said carefully, but Magnus wouldn’t meet his eyes.
“Hello, Alexander Lightwood.” The Seelie Queen said. “I’ve been waiting to speak to you.”
“About what?”
“Why, the Clave of course. And what the Clave owes us.”
“I’ll talk to you. Just release my people. No harm will come to you or your people, I promise that.”
“Can we really trust your promises, Shadowhunter? The last time my people were promised something, they became dead, dead, dead. Right here, in this Institute.”
“That was Valentine. He is our common enemy. Just like we don’t blame your Court for Kaelie’s actions, you can’t blame us for Valentine.”
“But aren’t Valentine’s actions just the Clave’s mission, taken to its logical extreme? Is he really all that different from the Clave?”
Alec was silent. The Seelie Queen always knew when someone was lying. And Alec could not disagree with her on that statement. But agreeing with her in a room full of Shadowhunters - most of whom disapproved of his appointment to Head of the Institute in the first place - would mean an end to his career, if not his life.
“Answer me, Shadowhunter.”
Alec felt vines snaking up his legs, holding him in place. “What are you doing?”
“I’m looking for the truth. Vites veritas. If you won’t give me the truth willingly, you will give it to me this way. Answer me - is Valentine’s mission just an extreme version of the Clave’s?”
A vine started wrapping itself around Alec’s neck, choking off his air. “Yes.” He said hoarsely. “Yes, it is.”
The vines retreated, and while the roomful of Shadowhunters was still silent and unmoving, he could feel all eyes on him, angry, accusing.
“So we’ve reached one agreement. That’s excellent. Now, since your Shadowhunters have seen what I can do, they will be released. And know that if they make any wrong moves… dead, dead, dead.” She motioned to Magnus, and he released the Shadowhunters from the spell. Hands went to rest on weapons, but no one drew them. Alec breathed a little easier.
“Moving on.” The Seelie Queen said. “Since we have agreed that while Valentine may not have been working under the orders of the Clave, his ideology does not, in fact, differ from theirs, we will hold the Clave responsible for the deaths of our own here in this Institute. Their deaths require justice.”
“What can we do?” Alec asked carefully.
“We believe in an eye for an eye. We lost nineteen of our Court here.” She said, walking down the stairs towards Alec. Some of the Shadowhunters began to draw their weapons, but Alec motioned to them to stand down, keeping his eyes on the Queen as she circled him and continued speaking. “But since every dead Shadowhunter would mean the possibility of another dead Downworlder in the battle against Valentine, I think I’ll take our justice in a… slightly different manner.”
The Queen ran her finger down Alec’s arm before moving away quickly to walk among the other Shadowhunters, looking them up and down, before coming to a stop in front of Isabelle and Max. Isabelle tightened her grip on Max’s shoulders. The Queen and Max were of an equal height. She smiled and tapped Max on the nose.
“This one.”
“No.” Isabelle said, stepping in front of Max, pushing him behind her. “He hasn’t even been on his first mission yet. He wasn’t here when the Soul Sword was activated. Please my Queen, he has no part in this.”
“I suppose I could take you for this instead, Isabelle Lightwood.” The Queen said.
“Just leave my little brother out of this.”
“Very well.” The Queen motioned with her hand and two Seelie guards appeared behind Isabelle, and holding her hands behind her back, brought her to the front. As the Queen walked back up the steps to stand next to Magnus, she took a long look at Alec, who looked away, and the guards forced Isabelle to her knees in front of the steps.
A motion of the Seelie Queen’s hand and a different type of vine wound its way out of the floor, immobilizing Isabelle’s legs and arms as the guards moved away.
Once the vines stopped moving, the Queen raised her hand again -
“Stop.” Alec said, moving to stand between Isabelle and the Queen.
The Queen tilted her head and looked at Alec. “I don’t think you’re giving the orders right now.”
“Let my sister go.”
“You are a very loyal group of siblings, aren’t you? You know the only way that happens is if you take her place. And you don’t even know what I have planned.”
“Doesn’t matter. Let her go. Whatever you want, you can take from me.”
The Seelie Queen smiled her cruel smile and the vines holding Isabelle disappeared in an instant, the guards appearing and taking her back to her spot next to Max quickly. Too quickly.
Alec’s eyes moved from Isabelle back to the Seelie Queen. “You never meant to hurt her. Or Max.”
“You are a bright one, aren’t you, Shadowhunter? You are the Head of this Institute after all. It only makes sense that you bear the responsibility.”
Alec shifted his gaze to Magnus, who still wouldn’t look at him, but he could see the warlock’s hand trembling. Most wouldn’t have caught the movement, but Alec did, and he knew Magnus. He knew Magnus was having second thoughts. But Alec’s heart ached at knowing how it was because of him, because he hadn’t been honest with Magnus, that had led them here in the first place.
Even if Magnus was having second thoughts, he couldn’t go back now, not with the Seelie Queen surrounded by her loyal subjects. And Alec wouldn’t let Magnus suffer for Alec’s choices again, not after he’d failed him over and over in the past weeks.
The course was set. Alec wouldn’t let anyone interfere with whatever the Seelie Queen had in store for him. The punishment would be his alone to bear.
Alec nodded. “Whatever you have to do, you do to me and me alone.”
The Seelie Queen smiled. “And once we’ve taken our justice, then we can discuss your policy of transparency again.” She sneered.
“Very well. No one is to interfere.” Alec looked around the room, gaze finally resting on Magnus, who did finally look up to meet his eyes. Alec could see the hint of tears glimmering in the warlock’s eyes, and his heart ached again, but he kept his gaze level and spoke again. “No one.”
The Seelie Queen clapped her hands, and in an instant Alec had vines lashing his legs to the floor, more vines pulling his arms above his head. His shirt had vanished.
“All right then. For the nineteen of my people who are dead, dead, dead - nineteen lashes.” The Queen paused, looking at Magnus, though Magnus’ eyes were still firmly locked to Alec’s. “Actually, make that twenty-two.”
“Twenty-two?” Magnus asked under his breath, though the Seelie Queen must have done something to amplify his voice to the whole room. “You lost nineteen members of your Court.”
“The other three are for you, warlock. For the three times he has betrayed you.” The Queen smiled her cruel smile.
“I never asked for this.” Magnus said, willing it to be true, to communicate that to Alec through his now-desperate gaze. “I didn’t ask you to seek justice on my behalf.”
“Didn’t you?” The Seelie Queen asked. “You came to my Court and told me that Alexander lied to you. That we couldn’t trust them. You agreed to help me give them one last chance. This is what you wanted. One. Last. Chance.”
“It’s okay Magnus.” Alec said steadily. “I don’t blame you. I love you. Nothing she does to me will change that.”
The Queen smiled again. “Time to begin.” She brought her hand to her mouth and blew a powder from it that settled over Alec, glimmering where it touched his runes.
Alec’s and Magnus’ eyes stayed glued to each other for one moment more, and then Alec’s face contorted in pain and he tried to bite back a howl - unsuccessfully - as his runes flared up in an angry red colour. A Seelie appeared behind Alec with a whip, and started delivering the lashes, pausing after each for effect and, Magnus thought, dramatics.
After the initial shock of pain from whatever the powder was, Alec regained his stoic gaze, eyes meeting Magnus’ again. Magnus was vaguely aware of Clary helping to support Jace, who was clutching his parabatai rune, face an expression of agony, and knew that Alec was in much more pain than he was letting show.
The Seelie paused longer after the eleventh lash, and Magnus could tell that Alec’s stoicism was starting to slip. Magnus started to whisper a healing spell that could take away some of Alec’s pain, but he was abruptly stopped by the Seelie Queen’s finger on his lips.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” She said.
“You didn’t have to do this.”
“Yes I did. I knew you were never going to truly join me, Magnus. You love the boy too much even when he hurts you over and over again. Your love for him will be your undoing.”
Magnus watched as Alec’s control slipped and he let out a whimper of pain. Magnus couldn’t see his back, but since he hadn’t been struck in a few minutes, Magnus surmised it was because the sweat and the blood had carried some of the powder into the lash marks. He itched to do something to relieve the pain, but knew the Seelie Queen had him powerless.
If there was something Magnus Bane hated, it was being powerless. He might not be able to go after the Seelie Queen today, while she was in a position of power, but they were both immortal beings. He was patient. He could play the long game with her, while cursing himself for falling into her trap. She’d probably known about the Soul Sword all along, and dangled the meeting and promises of unity before them to draw them into her confidence. But the Seelies had no measure of humanity, not like the other Downworlders. And so Magnus felt no shame in wanting to bring down all of the forces of Heaven and Hell on the Seelie Queen.
All in good time. He could be patient.
The Seelie started the lashes again, and Alec finally squeezed his eyes shut, as if that could shut out the pain. Magnus could see that his lip was bloody where he’d been biting it, to prevent himself from screaming out in pain.
The Seelie Queen started counting the lashes as they reached the end, taking particular glee in counting off “twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two” while smiling cruelly at Magnus.
After the last lash fell, the vines binding Alec vanished, and before anyone else could react Magnus was there to catch Alec as he fell to the floor, easing him down gently.
The Seelie Queen glided up beside him, still smiling. “Remember what I said, warlock. Take care who you entrust with your heart. They rarely deserve it.”
“I love Alexander.” Magnus said firmly. “I thought an immortal such as yourself would know better than to play with immortal hearts. That’s how you make enemies. Enemies who remember a very long time.”
“Enjoy your time with him. But don’t come crying to me next time he breaks your heart.” The Seelie Queen turned away from Magnus and observed the crowd of Shadowhunters, seeking out Jace in particular, who, Magnus guessed, she saw as Alec’s second-in-command and the ranking leader, with Alec incapacitated. “We have claimed our blood. The Seelie Court will not interfere in the Clave’s mission to find Valentine. But I do ask you to remember this evening, and ask yourselves - is the Clave really all so different from Valentine?”
The Seelies disappeared out the door with barely a whisper, and as soon as they were gone, the Shadowhunters stirred back to action. Magnus felt some Shadowhunters try to pull him away from Alec, but he let out a burst of magic that did double duty to sweep those Shadowhunters away while enveloping him and Alec in a protective shield.
Alec was face-down in Magnus’ lap, and now the warlock could see the full extent of the damage on Alec’s back. The bloody lash marks had an unnatural shimmer to them, and Magnus could see the shimmer on Alec’s runes as well.
Jace, Clary and Isabelle appeared next to Magnus, though only Isabelle was able to move through Magnus’ barrier, since as Alec’s sister, she carried the same blood.
“What can I do?” Isabelle asked.
“Bring me some holy water. I need to wash these wounds, and if that powder is what I think it is, that is the only thing that will work. My magic won’t work until it is gone.”
Isabelle nodded and moved to get up, but rested a hand on Magnus’ arm for a moment first. “It’s not your fault.”
“It is. But thank you anyway.”
Isabelle didn’t say anything more, but ran off to the infirmary to get what Magnus had asked for. Clary and Jace were standing outside the bubble, arguing with any of the Shadowhunters that approached them, and in one case, Magnus saw Jace physically remove one of the other Shadowhunters from the room.
Alec groaned softly, and Magnus ran his hands over Alec’s hair, one of the only spots he could reach that wasn’t injured or inflamed with demonic powders.
“I’m sorry.” Magnus whispered over and over again. “I’m so sorry.”
“‘s not your fault.” Alec mumbled. “I shouldn’t have lied to you.”
“I didn’t expect this.”
“Don’t blame yourself.” Alec attempted to support himself on his elbows, but the inflamed runes on his forearms prevented it and he collapsed back into Magnus’ lap. “She was right. I have wronged you. And nothing I could say could make that better.”
“So you thought this would?” Magnus asked, voice breaking as tears finally began to fall.
“If… if I could show that I was ready to atone for what Shadowhunters have done to the Downworld… maybe, yeah.” Alec craned his neck to look up at Magnus. “I want to do better. Please, believe me.”
“I do believe you, you silly Nephilim.” Magnus said between tears. “I just wish it hadn’t come to this. I should have seen her tricks. I shouldn’t have gone along with her.”
“We’ll both do better.” Alec said, reaching out a hand that Magnus took. “Together.”
“Together.” Magnus whispered.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”