Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Stay with me, okay?” Magnus whispered against his lips.  “Stay with me.”  

The line echoed as Magnus held him close.  His hands were shaking, like he might shatter apart, unable to hold himself together any longer.  

“You aren’t this selfish.”  

He wasn’t.  But he had to pretend to be.  Just this once. For Magnus, he had to pretend to be.  

“Magnus, I…” Alec forced the words out, feeling Magnus stiffen, preparing himself for the blow he never thought he’d have to weather.  To prepare himself to be left, again, just like he always was, like he always had been.  

“Fuck,” Alec swore, breaking.  He choked on a sob, wrapping Magnus into his arms, pulling him as close as he could get.  “Fuck, Magnus, I’m sorry,” he whispered. He wasn’t strong enough to do this, he couldn’t do it.  Magnus was still stiff in his arms, but Alec wasn’t about to let him go. Not anymore.  

“I’m sorry,” Alec repeated, the words falling from his lips over and over again.  “I didn’t mean it, fuck, I’ll stay with you forever, it’s all I want, I’m sorry, shit, I’m, I’m…” he tried to breathe through another sob that escaped him and held Magnus tighter.  

“Alexander?” Magnus asked, his voice soft.  

Alec sucked in a desperate breath, tears streaming down his cheeks as he refused to let go.  “I lied, I lied, I’m sorry, I just, I wanted to try to, to…” he dug his fingertips into Magnus’ jacket, clinging to him, terrified to let go for even a second.  “I didn’t know what else to do, and I was scared, and I didn’t want you to hurt forever and-” 

“Alexander,” Magnus repeated, more firmly.  “Look at me.”  

Alec shuddered, loosening his hold just enough to pull back, swallowing hard before he ordered himself to meet Magnus’ eyes.  The hurt and fear there was enough to have him tightening his hold on the jacket Magnus was wearing, unwilling to have his fingers untangle from it.  “Magnus, I-” 

Magnus pressed a finger to Alec’s lips, forcing himself to take a deep breath.  “Tell me what is going on.”  

Alec nodded.  “I will, I will, I promise,” he said, looking Magnus in the eye again.  “But I’m not leaving. I love you.   I can’t, I won’t, I’m not going anywhere.”  

Magnus nodded, a small bit of the tension easing out of his shoulders.  “Tell me,” he ordered.  

“I summoned Asmodeus,” Alec whispered, the name leaving him on an exhale.  He felt Magnus tense all over again. “I went to get your magic back. After last night…” he swallowed and bit down on his lower lip before continuing.  “When you said you were mundane like I’d always wanted, and that you were never going to be okay…” 

Swallowing hard, Magnus nodded, reaching out to cup Alec’s jaw.  “You made a deal?” 

Alec nodded.  “He, he offered me the deal.  Your magic, given back to you, if I broke up with you, if I broke your heart,” he whispered, clenching his eyes shut.  His heart was pounding and he couldn’t help tangling his fingers in Magnus’ shirt, holding onto him tightly. “I just want you to be okay again, whole again.”  

Magnus sucked in a hard breath. “ Alexander .”  

“I’m sorry,” Alec continued.  “I don’t want to go, I don’t want to leave, not ever, in fact…” he looked up at the ceiling and closed his eyes.  “The truth is the exact opposite.”  

“Which means what, precisely?” Magnus asked, his voice hard.  

Alec dug into his pocket and pulled out the ring box that held the Lightwood family ring and opened it, showing it to Magnus.  “This isn’t me asking, because I’m still going to ask you properly, but…”  

Magnus stared at the ring in wide-eyed surprise, his eyes flying up to Alec.  “That’s what dinner was,” he breathed. 

Because he was looking for it, Alec could see the regret swamping over Magnus in a wave, making him swallow awkwardly, his eyes darting away as he no doubt replayed last night in his head. 

“Fuck,” Magnus whispered, staring at Alec.  

Alec pressed their foreheads together and sighed, tugging Magnus into his arms again.  “I’m going to find a way to get your magic back, Magnus. I will,” he promised. “Not because, not because I don’t love you without it, but because…” he shifted and pressed a kiss to Magnus’ forehead, realizing that he was the one shaking now.  

“You gave it up to make sure I stayed whole, that I still had my Parabatai,” Alec continued.  “I want you to be whole. Just like I am.”  

Magnus exhaled hard, leaning into Alec’s arms, letting himself be held close, savoring the warmth of Alec’s arms. “We have a lot to talk about,” he whispered.  

Alec nodded, rubbing his hand up and down Magnus’ back.  “We do.” He took another deep breath and pressed a kiss to the top of Magnus’ hair.  “I haven’t changed my mind about proposing,” he added, smiling faintly as he returned the ring to his pocket.  “Just so you know.”  

“That’s...that’s good,” Magnus said, sagging into Alec’s arms.  

“Come on,” Alec said quietly after they stood together for several minutes.  “I think we both need a quiet evening in.”  

Magnus nodded.  “That sounds perfect, Alexander.”  

~!~

The walk back to the Institute was quiet, and Alec texted both Izzy and Jace, putting them in charge with Underhill and ordering them to somehow make sure the path to his room was clear.  The last thing either of them needed was someone asking questions.  

Alec had never been more relieved at how terrifying his sister could be when he didn’t see anyone, and the closest thing he heard was the retreating click of Izzy’s heels as he opened the door and gestured Magnus in.  He put a silencing rune on the door and took a deep breath, tensing immediately when there was a knock.  

“Alec,” Izzy called, looking at the door.  “It’s me. I have food, then I’ll leave you alone.”  

Alec breathed out a sigh of relief, opening the door long enough for Izzy to spot Magnus sitting on the bed behind him as he took the bag of chinese food from her.  “Thanks, Iz.”  

Izzy smiled in relief and reached out to hug her brother.  “Take care of him,” she whispered.  

Alec gave her another nod and shut the door, adding a locking rune to it and turned to Magnus.  “Come on. We’ve both had a long day, and we need to eat something.”  

Alec had rarely eaten in what was almost complete silence with Magnus, but as they both worked through the food, despite their legs pressed together on his couch, he knew the weight of the words unsaid between them.  

“So,” Magnus started, mixing his fried rice slowly, staring down at it.  “You want to marry me?”  

Alec huffed out a laugh and leaned back against the couch.  “Is that where we’re starting in this whole mess?”  

Magnus shrugged, scooping up some of the rice up and chewing it thoughtfully.  “Might as well.”  

“Okay,” Alec said, finishing the last of his beef lo mein before he put the carton down on the coffee table.  “Yes, I want to marry you. Marry you, move in with you, spend the rest of my life loving you.”  

Magnus exhaled shakily, forcing himself to take another bite of the food as it turned to ash in his mouth as he forced himself to ask the follow up question he, he needed to know.  “Why?”  

Alec pulled the ring out of his pocket again and flipped the box open, looking down at it, rubbing his thumb along the side of the box.  “I could talk for hours about how happy I am with you, Magnus,” he started, glancing over him. “But mostly? I want to marry you because every minute of every day I am not with you, I want to be, and every minute I am with you, I want it to go on forever.”  

Magnus felt those words like a punch to his chest, a reminder that they didn’t have forever, and that every minute of every day was something that they needed to make count.  He put his food down and reached out, taking Alec’s hand in his, squeezing it and pulling it into his lap.  

Alec closed his eyes and relaxed, shifting so he could lean his head on Magnus’ shoulder, turning his face just enough to press a kiss to it.  “I love you, Magnus Bane. I would rather…” he swallowed, taking a deep breath. “I would rather you come to resent me, someday, for the loss of your magic, than, than push you away for even one minute.”  

Magnus was silent for a long series of moments.  “Is that what he told you?”  

Alec nodded, closing his eyes with a sigh, squeezing Magnus’ hand.  “Yeah.”  

“I can’t lie and say there wouldn’t be days where I wouldn’t feel some resentment,” Magnus said, turning to press his cheek to Alec’s hair, leaning into him.  “But to resent you to that point? When I did it for you?”  he shook his head.  “No.”  

“Okay,” Alec whispered, closing his eyes, dropping the ring box in his lap before wrapping his other hand around Magnus’.  “You, you know I don’t actually want you to be a mundane...right?”  

Magnus sighed, looking down at their clasped hands.  “An over-exaggerative statement of what I actually meant by that.”  

“Which was?” Alec asked, nuzzling into Magnus’ shoulder.  

“That you are glad we wouldn’t have my immortality hanging over our heads.  The proverbial elephant in the room, as it were,” Magnus said with a sigh.  

Alec took a deep breath and sighed.  “I’m not... glad , Magnus.  I...do I enjoy the idea of us growing into old crotchety men together?” he felt Magnus chuckle and smiled faintly.  “Yeah, I’m not gonna lie, I do.” Alec paused. “But I don’t want that at the expense of you losing something that is intrinsic to who you are.”  

Magnus hummed, conceding the point.  

“Do you,” Alec swallowed, shifting so he could look at Magnus, waiting for their eyes to meet.  “Do you think you could ever be happy, again? I mean, I’m going to move heaven and earth to get you your magic back, angel’s above, I am, but if I can’t, if we can’t…” he dropped his eyes to their hands and lifted them again.  “Do you think you could...you could be happy?”  

Magnus smiled, leaning into Alec, pressing their foreheads together.  “I think,” he said softly. “That our wedding day, whenever it is, will be the happiest day of my life.”  He took a deep breath. “I’ve had more than four hundred years of being who I was, Alexander, and it’s going to take me time to reconcile that with who and what I am now .”  

Alec nodded, not looking away from Magnus.  

“But,” he continued.  “With you at my side? Holding my hand?” he squeezed Alec’s hand briefly.  “Yes, Alexander. I have no doubt I can, and will be, very happy with my life.”  

Alec relaxed, tension falling from his shoulders as he wrapped his arms around Magnus, holding him tight, his hands starting to shake as he realized how close he’d come to losing this tonight.  

“You know…” he swallowed, forcing himself to start again.  “I told myself. I told myself that it was okay, that, that you’d be able to move on.  Find someone else to love, to offer the precious gift of your heart to. It didn’t matter that I’d…” Alec shook his head.  “It was worth it. To, to give you your magic back.”  

“Alexander,” Magnus sighed, leaning into the circle of Alec’s arms.  “We need to have a completely separate talk about your self-sacrificing tendencies.  I intend to spend a very long life with you, and these instances are not helping.”  

Alec laughed, the sound wet and choked, pressing his face in closer to Magnus.  “Okay,” he whispered. “Whatever you want. I promise.”  

“What I want,” Magnus said, giving Alec’s arm a tug.  “Is for you to take me to bed, Alexander.”  

Alec huffed out a surprised laugh, pulling back enough to grin at Magnus.  “To sleep, right?”  

Magnus smiled for the first time in what felt like hours as he stood up, holding his hand out to Alec.  “Sleep for now, we can decide otherwise in the morning.”  

Alec took Magnus’ hand and stood up as well, grateful when Magnus led him to the bathroom.  Watching Magnus slowly wipe the makeup off his face while Alec showered quickly felt normal in a way that he hadn’t even realized he missed. Especially when they were both crawling into bed together and into each other’s arms.  

Alec got settled into the blankets and reached out, tucking some of Magnus’ hair behind his ear, smiling.  “Magnus?” he called softly.  

Magnus opened both his eyes, squinting up at Alec.  “Mmm?”  

Alec shifted and took Magnus’ hand, pressing a kiss to it.  “Will you marry me?”  

Magnus’ eyes flew wide and he looked down at the ring, and back up to Alec.  He felt a blush growing on his cheeks and scowled. “What happened to asking me properly, hm?”  

“I will,” Alec promised.  “Wine you and dine you as you deserve.  But when we walk out that door tomorrow…” he glanced towards it and then back to Magnus.  “I want everyone to know that I love you, and I’m not going anywhere. Ever .”  

Magnus smiled and reached up, touching Alec’s ring finger.  “We’ll have to go shopping for you, so you can wear one too,” he mused before he looked up at his shadowhunter.  “So my answer is yes, Alexander. But only if you’ll marry me, too.”  

Alec laughed and slipped the ring onto Magnus’ finger, pulling him in for a kiss, exhaling shakily against his lips.  “Yes, of course I’ll marry you.” He tugged Magnus into his arms again, happiness settling into his stomach when he felt Magnus clinging to him just as tightly, just as hard.  

They were going to be okay.  They were.

Chapter Text

It took time for Alexander to drift off into a deep sleep, but Magnus was patient.  He’d learned how to be patient a long time ago, when time didn’t matter to him, even though he could feel it, now, ticking away like a clock in his ears.  Unfortunately, without his magic, he didn’t have a way to make sure Alexander stayed asleep, but he’d have to manage.  

Slipping out of the comfortable hold of his fiancé, and that word sent his heart racing in the best possible ways. But he had work to do. Magnus stood up and got dressed quietly.  His fingers ached for magic, to be able to be ready in an instant, because every minute he was gone was another that Alec could wake up to discover him, and he had limited time to do what must be done. 

By the time he was ready and had pocketed his phone, slipping out the door was easy.  He shut it behind him and took a deep breath, glad that the hallway was still empty. Avoiding the shadowhunters in the Institute was an exercise in stealth that he wasn’t sure he pulled off, but when he made it to the side door they’d used earlier, it was worth it.  

He didn’t see the pair of eyes tracking him as he carefully shut the door behind him.  Magnus took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. Years of learning to suppress his emotions because they controlled his power had left him able to push them to the side until he was ready to deal with them.  

As he stepped away from the Institute, he let the anger fall over him like a blanket, his veins on fire with it.  There was no accompanying snap of magic, no roiling inside him, eager to burst free, but the fury curling in his gut was more than enough to drive him forward.  

He might be mundane now, but he was far from weak.  It was time that everyone, his father included, remembered that.  Magnus pulled out his phone and hit a number. A familiar voice had him relaxing into his stride as he moved away from the Institute.  

“Catarina, I need a favor.”  

It took two hours, three stops, and more mundane transportation than Magnus was entirely comfortable with, but he had what he needed.  Now all he had to do was wait. He walked the streets of New York slowly, carefully, turning off his phone. It was very possible that Alec was awake and looking for him now, but he hoped that his shadowhunter was still asleep and waiting for him to return.  

He stepped into a park, his skin starting to crawl as the air filled with Presence.  He was here.  

“I didn’t know you were the type for midnight walks, Magnus.”  

As always, his father’s smooth voice sent an unpleasant shiver up his spine.  Magnus turned to look at him, both of his eyebrows raised. He knew it wouldn’t take his father long to spot that Alec had forgone the deal.  

“I dabble,” he replied, a smirk on his lips as he faced Asmodeus.  

Asmodeus raised an eyebrow.  “Do you now? Fascinating. What brings you out on this particular evening?”  

“Enjoying the fresh air,” Magnus said, looking up at the stars.  

“Mmmm.  Alone? Where’s that shadowhunter of yours?” Asmodeus asked.  “Normally you’re attached at the hip.”  

If Asmodeus had expected him to break down sobbing at the mention of Alexander, he was going to be sorely disappointed.  “Where all good boyfriends belong at this time of night - curled up safely in bed under the covers.”  

Magnus stood his ground as Asmodeus’ eyes shot to his, yellow-slitted and filled with rage.  He smiled, crossing his arms over his chest. “Your little deal didn’t quite work out as intended, did it?”  

“ Shadowhunters ,” Asmodeus snarled.  He narrowed his eyes at Magnus.  “It doesn’t matter. It’ll be a matter of time until he does, and then I’ll get you to come home .”  

Magnus tilted his head, staring down his father, glad that there were no mundanes in the park to witness their encounter.  “Playing the long game only works when there is a game to be played,” he said, looking down at his painted nails. They were smudged in the corners, but he had no doubt he’d learn and get better the more he did them.  

“Meaning what, Magnus,” Asmodeus growled.  “Threatening me now, as a mundane?” 

“Not threatening,” Magnus said with a shrug.  “ Promising .”  

Asmodeus crossed his arms over his chest.  “Promising what, precisely?”  

“How long do you think you will last against Lilith?” Magnus asked.  “I know that’s why you are desperate to have me home. You need me.”  

“ Need ,” Asmodeus scoffed.  “Hardly. Together, we could rule the entire demonic plane.  Think about how much stronger you could be in Edom.”  

Magnus hummed, watching his father.  His skin prickled, but he held his ground.  Someone was not far behind him. “And yet, you need me to do it.”  He turned to look at his father. “In fact, I’d wager that while you can wield it, it doesn’t fit as it once did.”  He didn’t bother waiting for Asmodeus to confirm or deny it.  

“I recently had the experience myself.  I can relate. It is an unpleasant one,” Magnus continued.  “However I must turn your very kind offer down.” 

Asmodeus glared at Magnus.  “You will return home with me, Magnus.  Even if I have to take you there.”  

“And now we get to the threat part of my promise,” Magnus continued, looking up at Asmodeus.  “You do anything to me, or Alexander, and every warlock in this city will rally to bind you to Edom, and bind the realm itself.  These little jaunts topside? Gone,” Magnus said, his voice hard.  

Asmodeus scoffed.  “They don’t have the power.”  

“Not on their own,” Magnus said, grinning.  “But while I might not have my magic, I do have my knowledge.  I have my spellbooks. If they were to tap into the ley lines, they would have no problem sealing you both.”  

“Magnus-” 

“And,” Magnus continued, stepping closer to his father.  “If they were to know your true name as only I would know?” he tilted his head, his eyes dark.  “Well, you know for a fact that sealing you would be something almost any group of High Warlocks could do without issue.  How long do you think you’d last against Lilith once we do?”  

“Magnus!” Asmodeus snarled.

“So I’m offering you a deal, father,” Magnus said, dropping his voice to be low and velvety, just like Asmodeus’.  “And I suggest you take it.”  

Asmodeus straightened his spine and glared at his son.  “What deal?” he growled.  

“You return my powers to me.  Their full extent, every last inch of it,” Magnus said calmly, watching Asmodeus’ eyes flare.  “In exchange, I’ll come to Edom, temporarily , and destroy Lilith with you.  Afterwards, you let me leave and return here and never speak to me, Alexander, or anyone I hold dear ever again.”  

“What makes you think I would agree to such a deal?” Asmodeus spat.  

Magnus watched his father calmly, approaching him.  “I learned from the best,” he said simply, staring Asmodeus down when the Prince of Hell glowered at him, yellow eyes flashing and snapping magic.  “You can’t afford to turn me down. And you know it.”  

Asmodeus snarled, his magic flaring around him.  “You dare-” 

Magnus moved, throwing the bag he had palmed in his hand onto Asmodeus, watching as the contents, ground to a fine powder, exploded all over him, paralyzing him.  He met furious yellow eyes with a smirk. “Now,” Magnus said, crossing his arms over his chest. “Do we have a deal?”  

“If I say no?” Asmodeus said.  “You, what? Live your life as a mundane?” he sneered.  “You, one of the most powerful warlocks in the world, hundreds of years old, you’d give that all up?”  

Magnus smiled.  “Better a mundane, with the shadowhunter I love, than a warlock, alone and at your side,” he said, offering a shrug.  He waved a hand and gestured the High Warlocks who had surrounded the park, closer. An additional presence joined the group and stood beside him, and Magnus didn’t need to look to know that it was Alexander.  “Time’s up, Asmodeus. Make the deal, and I join you temporarily, or don’t make the deal and they banish you straight back to Edom.”  

“Fine,” Asmodeus snapped.  “I agree to the deal.”  

“Specifics,” Magnus shot back.  “Agree to the deal I stated, in detail.” 

Asmodeus smirked.  “I have taught you well,” he praised.  “I return your full powers to you, completely restored.  In exchange, you, and your shadowhunter , come to Edom, temporarily, and destroy Lilith with me.  Afterwards, I let you both leave, to have your sickeningly happily ever after, and I never speak with either of you or your family again.”  

“That wasn’t the deal,” Magnus said, his voice hard.  A hand on his arm stopped him from ordering the banishment of Asmodeus and he looked to Alexander.  He frowned, but Alec met his eyes and smirked before raising his eyebrows. He tilted his head and considered.  Together. They could, and would, do this together. Magnus nodded to Alec before turning back to Asmodeus.  

“Agreed, on the condition that we have 72 hours to join you,” Magnus said, looking to his father.  

“Very well,” Asmodeus said, his eyes flashing, his voice echoing.  “Release me,” he ordered.  

Magnus’ eyes snapped to Oberon, standing to his right.  “Release only his left hand.”  

Asmodeus’ chuckle grew in volume.  “I never taught you to be so cynical, dear boy.”  

Magnus said nothing, but watched as the powder was removed from Asmodeus’ hand and the power began to gather around his father.  All at once, the empty, yawning gap in his chest was filled, and he could taste the scent of sulfur and the red brick dust of Edom on his tongue.  Alexander’s hand was on his arm before he could warn the shadowhunter away, but the angry heat of the magic on his skin didn’t seem to phase him.  

“There,” Asmodeus said, lowering his hand.  “Returned in full.”  

Magnus took a deep breath, taking stock of himself, even as his magic rushed to every corner of his being, eager to be a part of him again.  He narrowed his eyes at his father and held his hands up, completing the banishing circle with the other five high warlocks. “Now!” he ordered.  

Asmodeus laughed, even as fire consumed him.  “I’ll be seeing you both soon.”  

Alec caught Magnus as he started to stumble and pulled the warlock close, uncaring of the flames still licking up and down his arms.  “Next time,” he said, cradling Magnus carefully. “You don’t leave me in bed.”  

"Noted," Magnus said, panting quietly.  His entire body was singing, his magic back where it belonged and he couldn't keep it entirely under control, magic sparking off his skin and jumping around Alexander as well.  

"Magnus," Lorenzo said, stepping forward, a frown on his face.  "Are you all right?"  

Magnus looked up at Lorenzo with some trepidation, especially after their last encounter and forced himself to nod.  "Thank you for helping me to banish him."  

"Well, my boy, things are certainly never dull with you around!  Are you sure you're going to be in fighting shape to take on the mother of demons?"  Oberon asked, stuffing his hands into his pockets.  

"Yeah, it'll be easy," Magnus said with a wave of his hands.  "Hardest part will be figuring out how to get you there," he added, looking to Alexander.  "Nice little wrinkle you gave me."  

Alec shrugged.  "I wasn't about to let you go alone, not again."  

Magnus gave him a pat on the arm in thanks.  Even though it was a horrible idea, Edom would not be quite so horrible with Alexander at his side.  "Now we just need to make sure to take care of him for good while we're down there."  

"Right," Alec said, rubbing Magnus' back.  "But first, perhaps, a good night's sleep?"  

"Sounds..." Magnus yawned and leaned into Alec.  "Sounds amazing."  

Alec was about to add something when the sound of Catarina and Lorenzo arguing caught his attention.  He looked up at the two of them and saw Lorenzo taking a step back from her, looking chastised and ashamed of himself.  

"Catarina is scarier than you would ever think," Magnus said, yawning again with a smile.  "He must have said something she didn't approve of."  

Alec didn't add anything, especially when his runes let him catch sight of a pair of keys trading hands, along with several potion bottles.  He frowned at Catarina, but she only winked at him when he continued to watch. What was she up to?

"Well," Catarina said, putting her hands on her hips before offering her hand to Magnus. "That might rank the highest in terms of stupid shit I have seen you do."  

"Why Cat," Magnus said, giving her a tired smile.  "I have no idea what you're talking about."  

Catarina scoffed and rolled her eyes.  "I'm talking about bluffing your father.  How the hell are you going to get out of that deal, Magnus?"  

Magnus blinked and tilted his head, staring at her for a long moment.  "You don't think I'm going to keep my end of the deal?"  

Catarina stilled and stared at him, her eyes widening in horror.  "No, Magnus, you can't. You can't go back there, he'll never let you leave."  

"He has to," Magnus said.  "His word is binding in a way that none of ours are."  

"That doesn't mean he will, he'll find some way around it, or he'll trap Alec, or-" 

Magnus held up a hand, silencing Catarina.  "Cat, I appreciate your worry and reassurances.  But I have to go to Edom as promised. It won't be for another two days at the least, so I have time to recover and prepare, but I will be going."  

"And I'll be going with you," Alec added, making sure that Magnus remembered that little tidbit.  He wouldn't about to let Magnus get away with thinking that he wasn't going to tag along. That was going to be happening, whether he liked it or not!  

"Yes," Magnus agreed, albeit grudgingly.  "We still need to figure out how to make sure you can survive in Edom, since normally Nephilim can't, but we'll figure something out."  

Alec nodded, looking up at Catarina.  "I'll keep him safe," he promised, meeting her eyes.  "And I'll make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."  

"Darling, we're going to fight the mother of demons in a demonic realm.  I'm pretty sure that we have stupid covered between the both of us," Magnus teased, pushing himself upright with a little help from Alexander.  

"Catarina, could you summon us a portal to the Institute?" Alec asked, looking at her.  "I think we're both eager to crash for the night."  

"I," Catarina said.  "Have a better idea."  

Magnus frowned down his nose at her.  He recognized that look. That look meant mischief and teasing and jokes that wouldn't be forgotten no matter what century it was.  "Cat...what did you do?"  

Catarina stepped a bit closer to make sure that the others didn't overhear and held out the keys to Magnus.  "I got your loft back. It cost the both of us some of our more rare potion ingredients, but I thought you wouldn't object too strenuously."  

Magnus sucked in a hard breath, looking down at the key held in his hand.  His magic sparked around him again at the thought of home, his home, he'd get to sleep in his home tonight.  He turned to Alexander, his eyes hopeful.  

"As if I could ever turn down that look," Alec murmured, stealing a quick kiss from Magnus.  "Of course we can sleep at the loft. I know you'll be excited to have a proper breakfast to yourself."  

Magnus made a gagging noise at Catarina.  "Let's just say that the food at the Institute leaves much to be desired."  

"I'm sure that it does," Catarina said, amused and rolling her eyes.  "Do you need me to come back and help you set it to rights?"  

Magnus shook his head.  "I think I can manage the bedroom and bathroom before passing out for the night."  He took Alec's hand and gave it a squeeze. "And I'll have to find a way to thank you for this, potion ingredients or no."  

Catarina smiled, her eyes twinkling as she winked at him.  "Consider it partially an early wedding present then."  

Magnus blinked in awe and stared at Catarina before his eyes jerked back down to the Lightwood family ring on his finger.  He was engaged. He was going to be married. His mind spun and he squeezed Alec's hand again. "I, oh. Thank you, thank you Catarina, that means the world to me."  

Catarina nodded and looked to Alec.  "You keep him safe down there, you understand me?  Or they'll never find your body, Nephilim or not."  

"Of course," Alec promised her, nodding firmly.  He wasn't about to do anything that would jeopardize Magnus, or put him into any danger.  He looked back to Magnus and pressed a kiss to his forehead.  

"Time to head home?" Magnus asked, flourishing his fingers, because now he could without the violent reminder of what he had lost.  His magic was right there, ready and waiting to answer any call that he gave it, and he was trembling with excitement over the feel.  

"Home," Alec breathed, leaning down to kiss Magnus' cheek.  "Home sounds perfect, Magnus."  

Magnus summoned a portal and couldn't help grinning at it widely for a few seconds.  He'd thought that he would never be able to do that again, and here he was, opening a portal to his loft, to their bedroom, with Alexander at his side.  

"Come see me before you leave," Catarina called, watching as Magnus and Alec nodded as they  walked through the portal, their hands held. She blew out a hard breath and summoned a portal of her own.  She had research that she needed to sort through, especially if she was going to hope to be of any use to them.  

Chapter Text

Magnus took a deep breath and settled into the room, looking around at it.  It didn't quite feel right. He waved his hands and tore down the wards that Lorenzo had put up, putting his own back up and up and into place. 

The magic leapt to his command and Magnus couldn't help grinning at it.  Once his own wards were back in place, it was easy to turn to Alexander and, with a sweep of his arm, put the loft back as it had always been, moving his things from the Institute into the loft, including the dresser full of Alexander's clothing.  

He took a deep breath an exhaled, hard, snapping his fingers again so the scent of sandalwood filled the loft, making the both of them relax.  

"Home," he whispered, looking up at Alexander.  

Alec looked down at him with a raised eyebrow.  "So much for doing just the bedroom, huh?"  

Magnus looked down at his hands sheepishly and frowned for a moment, because Alec was right, he should be feeling the effects of pulling that much power as quickly as he had, but there was nothing.  He tilted his head and pushed at the well of magic inside him. It was like nothing had been used at all.  

"That's odd," Magnus muttered, pressing a hand to his chest.  

"What's wrong?" Alec asked, all of his attention snapping to Magnus.  

Magnus waved a hand.  "Nothing. That's the weird thing," he said.  He looked up at Alec and tilted his head. "I didn't feel any pull on my magic when I did all of that."  He summoned a flame to his hand and stared at it, but once again, he felt no pull on his magic. Where was this coming from if not his internal pool of magic?  

"Magnus?  Are you okay?" Alec asked, reaching out to take his arm.  "You're probably just tired. Why don't we get some sleep and sort through it in the morning?" 

"That sounds like a fantastic idea," Magnus agreed, yawning as he led the way to the bedroom.  The sight of golden sheets and pillows was enough to have him sighing in relief, as was the ability to take his makeup off with a wave of his hands.  "Oh, I missed that," he whispered, touching his cheeks with a smile.  

"Come here," Alec said, wrapping his arms around Magnus, pulling him in close.  "You scared me, you know."  

Magnus sighed and gave Alec a gentle push towards the bed.  "If you're going to do the lovingly disappointed thing in me, we're going to do it when we're curled up and in bed."  

Alec obediently stripped down to his boxers and climbed back into bed, immediately curling closer to Magnus, pressing his face against Magnus' hair, exhaling with a smile.  "I’m not going to be disappointed in you. I'm proud of you."  

Magnus blinked in surprise.  "What?"  

"You were magnificent tonight," Alec said, smiling down at him.  "I told you, remember? I didn't fall in love with you because you're the High Warlock of Brooklyn.  I fell in love with the man I saw tonight, who had nothing and bargained like he had everything."  

Magnus sucked in a hard breath and tried not to blush, glaring at Alec.  "Flatterer."  

"It's the truth," Alec said.  "I've never seen anything like it.  You had Asmodeus cornered, Magnus, and I know that we're going to have to go to Edom and deal with Lilith, I know, but the way you talked around him..."  

Magnus laughed and nuzzled into Alec's chest, closing his eyes with a smile.  "I was furious with him. The anger helped. Anger always helps if you know how to channel it."  

Alec nodded and pressed a kiss to the top of his head.  "Because he'd taken your magic?"  

"No," Magnus whispered, shaking his head.  "Because he almost got to you. That's what had me so angry, that's what made me approach him tonight.  I knew as soon as he found out you didn't take the deal he wouldn't leave either of us alone."  

"So you decided to..." 

"Bluff him?  Kinda?" Magnus said with a shrug.  "Yes. I'm not wrong about being able to help him kill Lilith.  It won't be an easy fight, but between the both of us, it can be done."  

Alec hummed and kissed Magnus' hair.  "We can leave the planning for the morning.  For now, sleep, and know that you won this round."  

"I want to win the war," Magnus said, leaning into Alec with a smile.  "I want him to never bother us again."  

"We'll figure it out," Alec promised, his voice soft.  "Together, got it?"  

Magnus nodded and closed his eyes, letting his mind drift as he relaxed against Alexander.  It was a matter of time before he heard Alec start to snore and the sound comforted more than he had ever thought possible, reminding him that he was safe, they were home, and that they had a plan for what they were about to do.

~!~

"Magnus!" Izzy said, her eyes snapping wide as both Magnus and Alec stepped through a portal.  She watched magic flare around Magnus' hands and her eyes widened, staring at him in shock. "Your, your magic-"  

Alec looked to Magnus and raised his eyebrows, holding out his hand.  "You want to give her a recounting of your amazing adventures last night?"  

"Well, I saw him sneak out and came to get you, but I had no idea what the hell you were going to do," Izzy muttered, glaring at Alec before turning to Magnus.  "Are you feeling all right?"  

"Yes, quite," Magnus said, smiling at her.  "I actually need your help. I made a deal for my magic," he watched her face grow grave, but held up his hands.  "Not like you might think, but this is something that I expect your Weapons Master expertise can assist with..."  

Alec left Magnus and Izzy talking heatedly over a table in Operations, heading for his Office, reminding himself that there would be plenty of paperwork to deal with the mess from last night.  A Greater Demon being summoned, and then subsequently banished without any shadowhunter involvement was going to have a lot of feathers ruffled.  

Thankfully, he'd be able to say that there was some shadowhunter involvement, even if he'd been there more in a fiancé capacity than a shadowhunter one.  He'd been standing there and that would be enough for some of the complainers. He settled into his desk to read and sent off a few notes to the archives, looking for literature on Edom and Nephilim traveling to demon realms.  

~!~

A knock on the door a few hours later had him smiling, hoping that it would be Magnus.  When Clary opened the door, Alec smiled regardless, gesturing her into the room. "Is everything all right?"  

Clary took a deep breath and sat down in the chair in front of Alec.  "Alec, I need to talk to you about something. But I don't...know how to bring it up."  

Alec raised both of his eyebrows.  "All right, go ahead."  

Clary flushed and looked to the side. "Not about that.  About, me, about my blood."  

Alec straightened up, looking at her seriously.  "What's wrong? Has something happened?" 

"Yes, and no?" Clary said, running her fingers through her hair in frustration.  "It feels different. Everything feels different and I don't quite know why. Something is...here that wasn't here before."  

"What do you mean?" Alec asked, studying her, and the frustration evident on her face.  

"I wish I could explain better," Clary said with a sigh.  "All I know is, there's something powerful on this plane now, and it's been here ever since you summoned that Greater Demon and banished it last night.  I felt it."  

Alec studied her more closely, at the clear lack of sleep obvious on her face.  "When is the last time you slept, Clary?"  

Clary waved it away.  "I'm not actually sure, but it doesn't matter.  What matters is that whatever is here, whatever is causing this, this disturbance..."  

Alec swallowed, looking towards the rest of the Institute.  "Do you think it's dangerous?"  

"No," Clary said with a whisper, shaking her head.  "That's just it .  I think it's...protective?  Does that make sense? It's like there's something protecting us that wasn't there before, and now it is."  

"That's...interesting," Alec said, jotting down a few notes.  "Have you looked into it?"  

"No, but I will.  But that's not all," Clary said, offering Alec a small book that she was holding in her hands.  "I'm pretty sure that these are for you."  

Alec took the book and looked down at the slim leatherbound book.  "What is this?"  

"Runes," Clary said, gesturing for him to open the book.  "But, they're not runes I'd trust giving to anyone else, and I do mean anyone Alec.  Not even Jace."  

Alec looked up at her in surprise and then back down to the book.  "How many are there?"  

"Twelve," Clary said, taking a deep breath.  "They're yours, they're for you, I know it.  I don't know how, but I do."  

Alec flipped open the book and studied the first intricate rune and tilted his head to the side, studying it.  "Tell me what each of them do."  

Clary gave a firm nod.  "I think," she bit down on her lip.  "I think they're supposed to help."  

Alec raised his eyebrows.  "Help? With what?"  

"Whatever it is that you need to do," she said, giving a slightly unsure shrug.  "I don't know. All I know is that I needed to give these to you, and you'll know when you're supposed to use them."  

Alec exhaled hard and nodded, looking at the first rune.  "Alliance. What's this?"  

"Well," Clary said, clearing her throat with a blush.  "That's a rune that both you and Magnus will wear..."  

~!~ 

Alec flipped through the six pages of the leather bound volume that Clary had handed him, studying the runes again and again.  He repeated them in his mind, tracing over them with his fingertips, doing his best to memorize them as well as he could.  

Clary was right, even if she didn't know why.  He was going to need these, and he was going to need them in Edom.  How in the angel's name had Clary known when he hadn't even had a chance to tell Isabelle what had happened though?  That didn't make any sense and he couldn't wrap his head around it.  

"Alexander?" Magnus asked, poking his head into the office.  "Are you almost done, darling?" 

"I'm finished," Alec said, tracing his fingertips over the Sunfire rune again.  Stronger than her daylight rune, from what Clary had explained. "I'm just..." he gestured down to the book again.  "Looking at these."  

"What are those?" Magnus asked, immediately curious, leaning over Alec's shoulder.  Featured on the page was a rune he didn't recognize and he tilted his head. He could have sworn that he'd memorized all the primary runes in the Gray Book years ago.  

Alec traced over it again.  "Clary," he explained quietly.  "She dropped them off. Said they're for me, and apparently only me.  One of them is going to come in handy, but I'm not sure about the rest."  

Magnus looked down at the runes as Alec flipped through the pages and wondered what was exactly supposed to come in handy with symbols that had powers they didn't understand.  "Which one?"  

"Alliance," Alec pointed to it.  "We both wear it. It'll let us share powers and blood.  If it works the way Clary thinks it will, it'll allow me to go to Edom with you."  

Magnus stilled, looking down at the symbol on the page, innocent as you please.  "That'll allow us to share blood?"  

Alec nodded and traced his fingertips over it.  "I love the idea, but it's terrifying. The possible implications?  I don't..." he frowned and looked at the book. "I don’t know that I am the best person for this."  

"Alexander," Magnus corrected, rolling his eyes.  "If there is one thing that I am certain of in all of this, it is that you are the correct person."  

Alec took a deep breath and closed the book.  "I'll have to practice them at home. I want to make sure I can use them when and if I need to."  

"Of course," Magnus agreed, holding out his hand to Alec.  "Ready to head home?"  

"Yeah," Alec agreed.  "Two nights until we head to Edom, and this one I plan to do nothing more than spent curled up on the couch with you."  

"That, Alexander, sounds divine," Magnus praised, his eyes already half-shut in bliss.  "Let's get there sooner rather than later, shall we?"  

~!~ 

The runes in Clary's book were more powerful than she had let on, and Alec took his time practicing with them, ensuring that he knew how (and where) to draw them in order to make them as effective as possible.  It took a few mess ups, but after that, he could draw them as fast as any of his others.  

Now if only Magnus would tell him what he was working on with Izzy.  Alec blew out a hard breath and leaned against the training room wall, looking down the hall at the Armory.  Izzy and Magnus had been locked in there all afternoon, sounds of fire and spellcasting emanating from the room.  He knew better than to push, especially when they were working on a project, but hopefully he'd get to find out what they were up to soon.

Alec headed down the hallway towards Ops and found Jace directing a patrol about to head out after some Raveners that had been found near the Central Park tunnels.  "Got it?" he asked Jace, giving him a clap on the back. Jace elbowed him in the ribs in retaliation and Alec had to laugh. Some things never changed.  

"Of course I do," Jace grumbled, turning his eyes to Alec.  "You just make sure you come back in one piece tonight, got it?"  

"It might take us a few days," Alec warned, looking at his brother.  "But we're going to come back, I promise. I'm not sure how bad this fight with Lilith is going to be."  

Jace laughed and shook his head.  "Only you, Alec, would talk about it like it's no big deal.  Oh yes, going to fight the mother of all demons, don't mind me, I'll be back for dinner on Friday."  

Alec gave Jace a shove and grinned at him.  "I mean, you're not there with me, so I have to try to bring some of your stupid along."  

"Hey!" Jace protested, glowering at Alec.  "Don't make me come in there after you!" he said, pointing.  

Alec shook his head.  "We won't, don't worry.  We have plans to get out if we need to."  They had a lot of plans, plans upon plans.  They were as ready as they were going to get, and even still, Alec knew they were both nervous.  

"All right," Jace said, wrapping him up in a hug.  "We'll be waiting for you to get back. Hurry the hell up though, we're impatient around here."  

"Don't let the place burn down while I'm gone," Alec said, nodding to the patrol about to leave.  "Now get going," he ordered, jutting his chin after the newbies. "Gotta go show them how amazing you are, after all."  

"You bet!" Jace shouted, waving as he hurried after the patrol.  

Alec watched his brother go and reminded himself that this would not be the last time that he saw Jace, he was going to come back.  He took a deep breath and turned to head towards the armory. Whatever Magnus and Izzy had been working on for days was finally finished, Magnus had told him last night, but hadn't told him what it was for.  What they were for.  

"There you are!" Izzy said, wiping her forehead as she put the last of the arrows down on the table in front of her.  "We were just about to call you."  

Alec looked down at the arrows and frowned, looking at her.  "Iz, I didn't need more arrows."  

Magnus cleared his throat and cast a quick spell around the three of them, then gestured to Isabelle for her to begin speaking.  

"These aren't just your normal arrows, and nor is this a normal Seraph blade," Isabelle said, sliding it across the table to Alec.  "But if you're going up against Lilith and potentially Asmodeus, you needed every advantage that I could give you."  

Alec picked up the blade and jolted.  He could practically feel the power humming through it.  "What is this?" he asked.  

Isabelle exhaled hard, looking down at the blade.  "It's a Seraph blade with twice the usual amount of adamas.  It's also forged in a contained blaze of holy fire."  

Alec turned wide eyes to her.  "What?" 

Izzy gave him a tired grin.  "What do you think we've been doing in here?  Slacking off?" she teased. She gestured to his arrows.  "Your arrows have been given the same treatment. All of the tips are twice-dipped adamas, and forged in holy fire.  No matter what you're fighting, this will rip right through their armor."  

"What about Magnus?" Alec asked, looking over at his fiancé, his heart jumping into his mouth as the word crossed his mind again.  They hadn't bothered to tell anyone just yet, but once they got back from this mission, they were going to make sure that everyone knew.  Everyone who deserved to know, and maybe a few more that didn't.  

"Don't worry about me," Magnus said, wiggling his fingers.  "I have a few surprises in store, and plans I've been working with Catarina on, but this was for you.  I don't want to have to worry about you while we're there."  

Alec rolled his eyes.  "You're always going to worry about me while we're there."  

Magnus snorted.  "Fair enough, you're not wrong.  But I decided that I was going to do my best to make sure I needed to worry about you as little as possible."  

"Okay," Alec nodded, sheathing the blade, and the spare stele that Izzy offered him.  Once the arrows were tucked away in his quiver, he turned to Magnus. "Anything else we need to do to get ready?"  

Magnus nodded.  "You need to do your runing with Clary while I get the portal prepped.  You can't go through a normal demon sigil, it's too risky and I don't want you hurt before you've even arrived."  

"All right," Alec said, taking a deep breath before he turned to Izzy, offering her a smile, wrapping his arms around her tightly when she ran to him for a hug.  "I'm coming back," he promised.  

"You'd better," Izzy growled, staring at him.  "You are not allowed to leave us, leave me. I am far too young to be running this Institute and I do not want to spend my entire day keeping people in line."  

Alec laughed and gave her hair a ruffle, just like he used to when she was younger before he nodded.  "All right, I won't leave you to that fate. We'll be back. It might take a few days, but we'll be back." 

"All right," Izzy said firmly, looking to Magnus.  "You two take care of each other, understood?"  

"We will," Magnus promised her.  "Now, let's go find Clary. She's in one of the-" 

"Yeah," Izzy said, pointing down the hall.  "Six rooms down on the right. Alec knows the one.  We've used it for summonings before."  

Alec wrinkled his nose.  "You would make me go in there."  

"You'll survive," Izzy said, watching as he and Magnus headed out and for the room.  She looked down at the table in front of her, clenching her hands down on the hardwood.  

"If there are any angels listening to this prayer, please, please let them both return safe and sound.  Don't make me lose them, either of them, no matter what mess they decide to get themselves into," she whispered, casting her eyes skyward.  " Please ."  

~!~ 

Clary stood up as soon as Alec and Magnus walked into the room.  She held out her stele and gestured for Alec to strip off his shirt.  "I'm going to put on the six that you'll want the instant you are there.  You know the others?"  

Alec nodded.  "I do. We've been practicing with them."  

Clary took a deep breath and started to draw the runes into Alec's skin, watching as they shimmered gold and stayed that way.  The few times they'd applied the runes to Alec, the same thing had happened. She still wasn't entirely sure why, but as the runes had the intended effect, she wasn't going to question it.  

Magnus finished setting up the portal that he would need to summon and double checked that he had everything that he needed on his person, including the several weapons that he had made for himself with Isabelle's help.  The four gemstones at his neck pulsed with power and he took another deep breath. It would be enough. All of it would be enough.  

"I don't know if I've ever heard the two of you be this quiet," Clary said, looking between them.  "You gonna be okay?"  

"Of course we are, biscuit.  We're going to be perfectly fine, we just need to get a move on.  Let me know whenever you're ready," Magnus told her with a smile.  

Clary finished drawing the Alliance rune onto Alec and reached for Magnus' arm.  "Here, almost done," she promised, reaching to press her stele to Magnus' skin. The lights started to flicker and the ground began to shake, but she ignored it, finishing it with a flourish, before stepping back.  

They'd tested the rune several times over the past day and a half, so she knew the reaction they both had to the powers of the other, but it never got old seeing the awe in their respective eyes.  She cleared her throat when they started to gravitate towards each other.  

"Alec," Clary called, waiting for his attention to snap to her.  She smiled at him. "Travel safe, travel fast, and happy hunting."  

Alec straightened his spine and nodded to her.  "Shut the door behind you on your way out?"  

"I will," Clary promised, heading towards the door, shutting it behind herself, the lock clicking into place.  She exhaled hard and looked up at the ceiling. Hopefully she had not just signed their respective death warrants. 

Chapter Text

“Ready?” 

Alec took a deep breath and stared at Magnus.  He could feel the runes that Clary had given him singing on his skin and he nodded.  "We're coming back," he said, firmly, meeting Magnus' eyes.  

Magnus nodded.  "We are going to do our damndest to come back, Alexander, and between the both of us, we're going to make it happen."  

"I just want you to know, before we walk through that portal," Alec said, tightening his hand around his stele and taking another deep breath.  "That I am not coming back without you. That's not a question. I don't care if I have to stay there forever with you. I'm not coming back without you ."  

Magnus' breath caught and he stared at Alexander, a shiver running up his spine at the quiet conviction from his shadowhunter. "Alec..." 

Alec shook his head and walked towards the portal, holding out his hand to Magnus.  "Let's go."  

Magnus took Alec's hand in his and felt his Alliance rune glow gold under his jacket.  He took a deep breath and stepped through.  

~!~ 

Heat.  

That was all he could feel for precious few seconds until he managed to inhale a breath of what felt like insufficient air.  It didn't feel like enough and he sucked in another hard breath, afraid for a minute that the Alliance rune hadn't worked, that this was going to kill him-

"Alec, breathe," Magnus ordered, kneeling next to him.  Alec's eyes were wide in what looked like an almost panic attack.  "Your blood is rejecting being on a demonic plane. But you're okay.  You're safe. Breathe."  

Alec forced himself to nod and took another breath, this one slower and more deliberate before nodding.  The panic was starting to recede and now he could stand without his head spinning. He looked around at the desolate red landscape and then back to Magnus with a raised eyebrow.  

"Welcome," Magnus said with a bow, his eyes glowing golden.  "To Edom."  

Alec rolled his shoulders and looked around, but it looked like there was nothing for miles, no matter which direction they headed.  "Do you know where we are?"  

"In a matter of speaking?" Magnus gave a wave of his hand.  "Yes. I have no doubt we'll be found by demons shortly. They'll report back to my father and then we'll know which direction to head!"  

"There's no other way to know?"  

Magnus shook his head, heading towards a rock outcropping not far away.  "The realm, for the most part, is endless. There is a point where it starts to fall away, but there is nothing beyond it.  No demons venture there." 

Alec looked at Magnus, hearing the unspoken statement in those words.  There were no demons, but Magnus had been there, more than once. "All right.  You still feeling okay?"  

Magnus rolled his shoulders, mimicking what he had seen Alec do not too long prior.  "I feel different. I'm not sure if it's the Alliance rune, or you, or something else.  But I feel..." he looked around and took another deep breath. "I feel Edom more than usual."  

Alec eyed him warily.  "You're going to be okay?"  

"Yes," Magnus said with a firm nod, leading the way as he started to walk.  

It didn't take them long to run across a handful of demons and Magnus held his hand up to keep Alec from attacking.  He faced the demon and growled, long and low, flashing his eyes at it. He watched the demon scrabble back and away from him before he turned a satisfied grin to Alec.  "There, now father will know we are here."  

Alec gave Magnus a bemused smile.  "Nice growl."  

Magnus shrugged.  "Most of them don't understand spoken words and phrases, this is the easiest way to communicate with them.  They know what my eyes mean."  

Alec raised an eyebrow as Magnus seemed to sense something before changing direction and striding away again.  "What do your eyes mean? Just that you're Asmodeus' son?"  

"Yes," Magnus said, cracking his knuckles and wriggling his fingers.  "I'm a Royal, in this realm. They wouldn't dare touch me, they know I'd destroy them in a heartbeat."  

"A Royal?  Like a prince?" 

Magnus glanced towards Alec and smiled.  "It's a little bit more complicated than that, but essentially, yes.  I am Asmodeus' son, and all of the demons that answer to him, also answer to me."  

Alec blinked in surprise.  "They do?"  

"They did once," Magnus supplied instead.  "Of course they will not now, not with the power struggle going on between my father and Lilith."  

"Ah," Alec said, keeping an eye on demons that he could see trailing behind him.  "You know where you're going, right?"  

"I can see the magic signature from Asmodeus' castle here.  We should be there in a couple of hours," Magnus explained, keeping his eyes peeled.  "It's likely we will be followed by more demons as we get closer to the castle."  

"Are they going to attack us?" Alec asked, eyeing the demon behind him warily.  

Magnus chuckled.  "I just told you that they wouldn't risk it.  They're spying on us for my father, trying to curry favor with him."  

Alec turned his attention back to the demon and scoffed.  "He's not doing a very good job of being subtle."  

"They're demons, Alexander.  Unlike shadowhunters, they don't get training classes in that sort of thing," Magnus shot back, lengthening his stride.  

Alec fought down a laugh at the comment.  "Okay, okay, fair enough. I see what you mean."  

They fell into a comfortable silence as they continued to make their way through Edom, heading for the tall spire of a tower located some distance away.  Getting closer made his skin crawl, but Alec ordered himself to focus, because Magnus' safety depended on it.  

"We'll be there soon," Magnus murmured quietly, trying to keep his voice low enough so the demons wouldn't hear him.  "Remember, let me take point."  

"I'm just here to attempt to look intimidating and to make sure someone has your back," Alec said, reaching out to take Magnus' hand, giving it a small squeeze.  Magnus separated their hands a moment later and Alec refocused on the tower that now suddenly seemed much closer than it had been a few minutes ago.  

"Ready?" Magnus asked, glancing around at the dozen or so demons that had followed him to the front door.  He knew what was waiting for him on the other side. He pushed it open and took a deep breath, heading for the stairs he could see.  

Alec didn't bother responding, only kept himself close behind Magnus as they walked through the tower. Multiple demons stopped to start at them in shock, but they didn't stop, they kept walking, determined to get to the top where Asmodeus was waiting.  His skin was crawling, and the rune Clary had put on his shoulder, the advanced warning that gave him a sixth sense of his surroundings - was screaming at him that he was in danger. He needed to keep a close eye on everything.  

"Here we go," Magnus said, pausing at the final landing.  He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, straightening his spine.  He was Asmodeus' son and he could play the part better than even the man himself knew.  And he would. Especially here, and even more to protect Alexander.  

Alec nodded to Magnus and squared his shoulders.  His runes were active, he had his weapons. They were as ready as they were going to get and they had plans for what they thought was almost every eventuality of how this was going to pan out.  They would make it. They would.  

And worst case scenario, he had the last resort rune.  The one Clary had told him to only use if no other option presented itself.  

Magnus pushed the door open and led the way into the throne room, his back straight.  "Father," he called, inclining his head, watching Alec do the same, standing a step behind him.  He grinned faintly and turned to look at his father, wearing the crown of thorns he'd made for himself, his eyes gold, tinged in red.  

"Magnus, Alec, I'd been afraid you wouldn't join me," Asmodeus said, rising to his feet.  "You certainly left things to the last possible minute."  

"Well, figuring out how to bring a Nephilim to Edom wasn't the easiest of challenges," Alec quipped, smiling when Asmodeus' attention swung to him, his eyes darkening in anger.  "But we did manage it, as you can see, fulfilling our end of the promise."  

Asmodeus straightened his jacket.  "That was only the first half of the deal as I seem to recall.  The second half was defeating Lilith with me."  

Magnus glanced at Alec and faced his father.  "Yes, it is. And we don't plan on delaying that any longer than need be.  Do you know where she is?"  

"No," Asmodeus said with a shrug.  "She's taken to visiting me when she wants things.  I thought we could perhaps wait her out and-" 

"No," Alec said, shaking his head.  The rune on the back of his shoulder was screaming at the danger inherent in that statement.  The longer they delayed, the easier it would be for Asmodeus to find a way around his end of the deal.  "We attack. Waiting allows her to grow stronger. We attack her as soon as possible."  

"And how, little Nephilim," Asmodeus sneered.  "Do you propose to find the mother of demons? Are you well-versed in tracking her?"  

Magnus looked down at his nails and then back up to his father.  "We passed the tower she has created. It's fifteen miles east. As I'm sure you well knew, father."  

Asmodeus raised both of his eyebrows and turned to look at his son, sinking down on the throne once again.  "Show me some respect, Magnus. You wouldn't want to break your end of the deal."  

Magnus' eyes flashed and he stared at Asmodeus.  "I am not anywhere close to violation of mine. Lead the way to the battle required of us.  Unless of course, you're backing out of your own half of it."  

"No," Asmodeus said, shaking his head and standing.  "You will give me time to get ready, Magnus."  

"You've had three days," Alec said, narrowing his eyes at him.  "You have twelve hours."  

"You dare to negotiate with me, child?" Asmodeus roared, striding towards Alec, leaning into his space.  The Nephilim didn't flinch back, only narrowed his eyes and Asmodeus growled under his breath.  

Magnus reached out and pressed a hand to his father's chest, putting distance between Asmodeus and Alexander.  "He negotiates on our behalf as the party sworn into the contract, well within his rights, father," Magnus snapped, meeting Asmodeus' eyes with his own.  "You have twelve hours to finish whatever preparations you require."  

Asmodeus scowled and waved his hand.  "Accommodations are-" 

"I know where my room is," Magnus snapped, interrupting his father.  For a moment the room grew heavy with magic and Magnus straightened his spine, daring his father to lash out at him.  "I'll return here when the time is up."  

Alec followed Magnus out of the throne room and let him lead the way across the castle to a simple wooden door that opened to a bedroom that could have been identical to the one in the loft.  

Magnus closed the door behind him and took a deep breath, staring at Alec until he was immediately wrapped up in his shadowhunter's arms.  He'd imparted the necessity of avoiding talking whenever possible, since the castle was filled with demons that would report every word back to his father.  But this? This there was no harm in.  

Alec breathed out slowly, pressing his face to Magnus' neck, tightening his arms around Magnus, holding him close.  Twelve hours and they would be facing the mother of demons. They needed to be ready. And more than ready, they needed to be able to win.  Thankfully he wouldn't need to re-rune himself beyond any of the basics that Asmodeus was already aware he carried.  

"You okay?" Magnus breathed, holding onto Alec tightly, trying to relax what little he could.  

"Yeah," Alec whispered back, hiding his face in the side of Magnus' neck.  "Don't let go."  

Magnus nodded, tightening his arms around Alec, pressing in as tight and as close as he possibly could.  He forced himself to take a deep breath and to focus on what was in front of him. One thing at a time. They had to fight one battle at a time, then move on to the next.  

"We're going to be okay," Alec promised, closing his eyes as he held onto Magnus.  "We're going to be okay, Magnus." 

It was easy to want to believe Alec, and they'd planned for everything.  But here, in Edom, the demon realm and the power it teased him with was crawling into his veins, reminding him just who and what he was.  

"I love you," Magnus managed, glad when Alec held onto him tighter and that he would feel these bruises in the morning.  

Alec smiled and kissed Magnus' neck.  "I love you too." It was easy to close his eyes and forget where they were standing and why they were standing here.  Now he had to just make sure he got them both out of here alive.  

~!~ 

Twelve hours in Edom went by in what seemed like minutes, and despite them moving to the bed in an attempt at 'rest' while they waited for Asmodeus, Magnus knew neither of them had done more than try to relax in the face of what was coming.  

"Something's wrong," Magnus said, rubbing the back of his head.  Something was niggling at the back of his mind, a fact or plan he'd forgotten, something that he needed to remember before they left.  But it wasn't coming to him, no matter how hard he poked at it and tried to remember what it had been for and why.  

Alec gave Magnus a concerned look as they headed for the throne room and instead elected to give his arm a small squeeze.  There wasn't anything he could say that Asmodeus would not also overhear and that was the last thing he wanted the demon to be able to do.  

Magnus pushed open the door again and spied his father standing at the window, looking out across the horizon towards the tower Lilith had built.  "Ready?"  

Asmodeus turned to him with a raised eyebrow, offering an exaggerated bow. "After you."  

Magnus created the portal for all three of them, gesturing Asmodeus through first, before following Alexander through, closing it behind him.  Lilith's tower reared up in front of them, wraiths surrounding it and diving into the tallest tower. He pointed to it. "That's where she is."  

"Indeed," Asmodeus said, narrowing his eyes.  "She appears to be consolidating what little power she has in this realm."  

Alec resisted the urge to snort.  It was far from a little amount of power, but better to not antagonize the man that they would be fighting with shortly.  "How do we get in there?"  

"I don't think we'll need to," Magnus said, watching a beam of power shoot out of the top of the tower.  "I think she knows that we are here and she is going to be coming to us."  

"Convenient," Asmodeus drawled, stepping away from the two half-humans.  "I would advise you to stay away from the thick of battle, Nephilim, but I know you wouldn't want to stand second fiddle to a demon, let alone a greater demon." 

Alec stepped up beside Asmodeus, tightening his hand on his Seraph blade that was shining in the darkness surrounding Edom.  "You seem to have a fundamental misunderstanding of archery as a hunting method," he muttered.  

Asmodeus chuckled and glanced back at Magnus.  "This Nephilim of yours is amusing, Magnus. Pity we could not have him around for dinner more often."  

Magnus rolled his eyes, well-aware that his father could see and focused on the tower, on the way more and more wraiths were diving for it, until suddenly all of it stopped.  He tilted his head as the skies went abruptly silent and a large, loud cry broke the air. "There she is," he pointed, a wraith, three, four times the size of the others, burst from the tower.  

"Absorbing wraiths," Asmodeus scoffed.  "A paltry attempt to increase her power with that of Edom's."  

Alec settled onto his feet, his runes singing under his skin, and the magic he shared with Magnus helping to keep his heart rate calm.  He had this, he did. He just needed to make sure that he didn't get killed.  

"Here she comes," Magnus called, gathering magic into his palms.  Once again, it didn't seem to be pulled from his inner pool of magic, and Magnus was going to avoid using any of the stones just yet if he could.  "Everyone ready?"  

Alec didn't bother answering, only kept his eyes on Lilith when she suddenly dove for them.  He switched to his bow and drew five arrows, calculating briefly for the extra weight before he fired, the twice-dipped adamas sparkling as it flew through the air.  Lilith screamed, beating her wings frantically as all of his arrows hit, extending her claws.  

"Well, well, look at that," Asmodeus drawled, watching as the shadowhunter fired five more that left gaping holes in Lilith's hide.  "Perhaps this will be easier than I thought."  

Magnus nearly sighed in relief when he saw the extra damage that Alec's arrows were doing.  That meant that his blades would do the same, no matter who he was fighting. Sending a mental prayer to Izzy, thanking her for the idea they'd used to create the weapons, he tightened the ball of magic that he was holding onto, doing his best to focus it.  

"Magnus," Asmodeus growled, sending out a blast of magic at her, scowling when she easily bat it away with a flex of a wing.  

Magnus did the same, and barely had a moment to realize that his magic blast had been much more powerful than his father's before Lilith was diving for them, inches from them, screeching as she did.  He dove to the side, sending another blast at her, watching as Alec landed another arrow deep in her belly.

"Magnus, you all right?" Alec shouted, drawing another adamas tipped arrow.  He pulled his bow back and narrowed his eyes, focusing on her eyes. If he could blind her that would give them a true advantage, she'd have to fight them on the ground.  

"Perfectly fine!" Magnus shouted back, clambering to his feet.  He watched his father advance and took a deep breath, closing his eyes to focus.  He could feel that deep well of power within him, the one that had been there for days now and pulled from it, hard, condensing the power around his hands, the light shining black in his hands.  

"Magnus!" Asmodeus growled.  "Careful!"  

Magnus didn't bother to dignify him with a response, lifting his eyes, looking up to Lilith.  The power was growing dense and heavy in his hands, but he stepped up close to Alec and took a deep breath.  "Drive her down," he ordered, sweat pouring down his neck as he fought to hold the power roiling in his hands still.  

"Magnus!" Asmodeus snapped.  "You need help with that, give it to me."  

Magnus opened his eyes and glared at his father, pinning him in place.  "Get your own ready, you control all of Edom!" he snarled, watching Asmodeus start to create the same ball that he was.  Beside him, he could feel Alec firing his arrows just above Lilith, forcing her down, forcing her to dive lower and towards them.  

Alec fired arrow after arrow, not wasting the adamas tipped ones to drive Lilith towards them until she was barely skimming the ground.  He drew his last five and stabbed them into the ground, grabbing his stele, drawing a rune quickly on the bow, drawing again, all five of the arrows lit in holy fire.  

"Ready?" he shouted, stepping up between the two men.  He wasn't about to let Asmodeus take a shot at Magnus and he kept the flaming arrows pointed at Lilith.  

"Hold on," Magnus ordered, the ground beginning to quake beneath their feet as Lilith screamed, her wraith form approaching the three of them.  He felt his father fire the blast of magic and scowled when he felt how weak it was. Typical of his father, not wanting to waste his energy until what he thought would be the real fight.  

Magnus threw his hands forward, sending the cascading wave of black magic towards Lilith, watching her screech and scream under the assault of black flames, and then, cutting through all of them, five white arrows, straight into her chest.  

Lilith crashed to the ground in front of them, and Magnus could see her eyes wide with fear.  

Alec pulled out the seraph blade from his holster and advanced towards Lilith, his eyes shining.  He drew the same rune on his seraph blade and watched it flame, stepping closer to her. He drove it straight into her heart, pinning the sword to the ground with a grunt, extinguishing the flame as she exploded into blood, Ichor and shadow.  

Magnus sagged in relief and watched as Alexander stood.  His eyes were shining gold and his whole body was shimmering.  Whatever runes Clary had put on him had clearly helped, he looked perfectly fine.  

"That's an interesting little trick there," Asmodeus drawled, staring at the blade held in Alexander's hands.  "A blade forged in holy fire, is it? Risky."  

Magnus pressed a hand to the blade that was strapped to his thigh and eyed his father, walking towards Alexander, standing between the two of them.  "We've kept up our end of the deal. Lilith is dead. Consider the deal fulfilled and we'll be on our way."  

Asmodeus looked down at his hands and hummed, tilting his head.  "Was it really fulfilled though?" he asked, twisting magic around his fingers.  

Chapter Text

Magnus tensed, narrowing his eyes.  "To the letter. Now let us leave."  

"You see," Asmodeus drawled, lifting his eyes to Magnus'.  "That's not quite right. And I'd wager, you're aware of it.  Perhaps not the how, but you do know that there is something wrong, don't you?"  

"What are you talking about?"  Magnus snapped, narrowing his eyes.  "We're not going to fall for any of your tricks or your bribes, father.  Consider the contract fulfilled and let us leave already."  

Asmodeus hummed and shook his head.  "You see, you took more than just your power from me."  

Magnus took a deep breath, fear settling into his chest.  "I didn't take anything from you. You gave it back."  

"Yes, however," Asmodeus said, tossing his hair back.  "The realm doesn't work like that. It's tied to something more intrinsic, and as a Royal, you have the power to wield the realm as I do.  And when you used that power against me, well. Let's just say it picked a favorite."  

Magnus glared at his father, taking a deep breath, trying to parse exactly what that meant.  "So I took something from you that you didn't mean to give me and now you want it back? Is that it?"  

Asmodeus laughed.  "My dear boy. In three days, have you once drawn on your own power?  Have you not felt the power coming from somewhere else and have you not wondered what that might be?"  

"No," Magnus said, lifting his chin.  

"So you didn't purposefully drain it?  I find that hard to believe, considering the efforts you went to to test the very limits," Asmodeus drawled, putting his hands into his pockets.  

Magnus realized that he meant the stones.  The power he'd drawn and pulled into the stones around his neck.  That power had come from... 

"I see, perhaps you are more foolish than I thought," Asmodeus said, turning to look at the sky around him.  "You see, Edom, in her glory, recognizes strength in a Royal and chooses a fit ruler to throw her power behind.  For centuries, millennia, I have been that Royal."  

Magnus stared at his father and felt Alec step up, standing beside him, his hand still on the seraph blade, his stele in his other hand.  "But you aren't any longer."  

Asmodeus scoffed.  "Apparently, your negotiation with me revealed a weakness I had not thought myself possible of, and the realm chose the new Royal to lead it.  A pity then, that he doesn't want it, nor was he here to claim it."  

Magnus swallowed, realization rocking him.  Edom was his, and the power of the realm would respond to him more than Asmodeus, and he'd pulled so much of that power into another plane, so of course Asmodeus would be able to claim what was left of it.  

"So you see, Magnus," Asmodeus drawled.  "I cannot let you leave until you return what was stolen from me."  

"You're breaking your deal," Alec said, narrowing his eyes at the greater demon.  "Doing this, demanding that he gives back something freely given. You're breaking your deal with us."  

Asmodeus turned to the Nephilim and snarled.  "You think a paltry deal falling through worries me?  I want the power of my realm back, and if my son has taken it from me, I will teach you a lesson in true power and take it back."  

"Alec," Magnus said, not looking at the shadowhunter next to him.  "Are you ready?"  

Alec straightened his spine and took a deep breath, pointing the blade towards Asmodeus.  "This is your last chance. Either let us leave per your agreement, or we'll fight our way out."  

Asmodeus laughed at the two beings in front of him and took a deep breath, gathering power around him.  "You think you are any match for me?  A prince of hell?"  

Alec shared a quick look with Magnus and nodded, tightening his hand on the blade.  Magnus advanced, firing magic at his father and Alec drew three runes on his arm in quick succession, then a fourth one on his palm.  He clenched his hand around the sword and felt the burn of their power run through him.  

They'd practiced, more than once, learning to move together, almost as parabatai, and as soon as Alec saw an opening, he held up his hand and fired, a blast of sunlight roiling with fire hitting Asmodeus, knocking him back several feet and to his knees.  Alec smirked and advanced, standing beside Magnus, watching dark magic start to curl around Magnus' shoulders, his eyes shining gold tinged in red.  

"What are you?" Asmodeus snarled.  "Nephilim scum."  

Alec snarled and spun forward, swinging the blade wreathed in holy fire at Asmodeus, blocking the magic attack with it, letting it dissipate against the flames.  He fired another shot of sunlight at the him. It didn't do much damage, but it did distract and allow him some distance. He didn't let Asmodeus take advantage of it though, well-aware that Magnus would need time to do whatever the hell he was going to do.  

Magnus ripped the four gems off his necklace and held them in his hand, the ruby, sapphire, emerald and diamond glowing in his hand.  He took a deep breath and felt the very realm shudder under him, tearing itself apart by being pulled between the two of them. His father was pulling on it just as hard as he was now demanding.  It was possible that Edom wouldn't survive their battle. 

A shout from Alec had Magnus casting the stones to the ground, watching them shake under the dirt, and he waved a hand, drawing the remaining power that Asmodeus hadn't been able to touch into them.  He clenched his hand and an instant later, they were back in his palm. Turning his attention to where Alec was continuing to distract Asmodeus, Magnus took a deep breath and advanced on his father. It was time to end things, once and for all.  

"You think you can do anything more than distract me, pitiful Nephilim?" Asmodeus growled, narrowing his eyes at Alexander Lightwood.  "Your runes and your abilities let you keep up with me, but I am far more than just this." He lifted his hands and threw a wave of power at the boy, knocking him off his back and rolling across the dirt.  He cracked his neck and turned to his son, who was advancing on him, every inch the Royal he had once wanted the boy to be.  

"It's fitting," he called with a laugh, even as Magnus' eyes glinted and the power around him tightened.  "That you are becoming the Royal I wanted you to be be in battle with me. Let us see which of us is fit to rule this realm, shall we?"  

Magnus blocked the first blast of magic from his father and twisted under another, striding closer.  He could see Alec struggling to get up in the distance and focused everything he had in front of him, at the way Asmodeus' eyes were glinting at him in delight and fury.  "I will not let you win."  

"Love has made you weak," Asmodeus spat, snarling at his son.  "It's made you incapable of doing what is necessary to defeat me.  You think I wouldn't let you rule if I thought you were truly capable of it?" 

Magnus let himself be thrown to the ground by another blast, pretending to miss it, just enough so he had to hit the ground.  The stones rolled out of his palm to surrounded Asmodeus, unnoticed by him due to the sand swirling around them both. He forced himself upright and looked at the power his father was gathering in his palms and the inky blackness reminded him of Lilith and Magnus lifted his eyes.  

"Time to say goodbye to your precious Alexander," Asmodeus snarled, pressing his hands forward, but the magic abruptly disappeared.  

Magnus held his hand up and in a quick motion of his wrist, threw his hand upward, four lights forming chains around Asmodeus' arms and legs, hauling him to the ground, completely immobile.  He knelt and stared at Asmodeus, then to each of the stones. "You're being held by the power of Edom herself. She's draining herself down to the dregs to hold you, to let me mete out the justice I see fit." 

Asmodeus screamed, thrashing against the bonds, leathery wings bursting from his back, fighting against the power holding him in place.  

"It's not enough," Magnus growled, his eyes shining.  He felt Alexander stand beside him and in the distance he could hear demons screaming as Edom started to collapse, the weight of what was happening too much for the realm to hold together.  "I'm going to let you watch the realm you created, the realm that you built, Asmodeus, I am going to let you watch it fall apart."  

Magnus stood up and turned to Alexander, pulling the dagger out of the small holster he had kept it in, looking at the runes Isabelle had cast into it for him.  He summoned a portal that would take them home and turned to look at Asmodeus. "Goodbye father," Magnus whispered, throwing the dagger viciously, watching as it sank into Asmodeus' heart, the greater demon screaming again.  

Alec reached out and took Magnus' hand, following him into the portal.  He kept an eye on Edom until he was sure that Asmodeus was no more and followed Magnus through, the both of them stepping back into the very room that they'd left.  He exhaled hard and dropped the sword, his hands starting to shake.  

"Are you all right?" Magnus forced himself to ask.  Even if Alec said no, he wasn't in a much better state himself.  

Alec wrapped his arms around Magnus and held him close, breathing out hard.  His hand went to Magnus' and he lifted it, pressing a kiss to the Lightwood ring on Magnus' finger and held him as tightly as he could.  "Fine, now," he breathed, even as the runes on his back continued to burn. "You?"  

Magnus shook his head, pressing his face to Alec's heart.  "I'm far from fine," he muttered. "And we still have a problem to deal with."  

"Jonathan," Alec agreed, his face grim.  "That's a mess in and of itself. But one at a time, right?  This one is over and done with, now?"  

Magnus breathed out slowly, rolling his shoulders.  "Edom is destroyed," he whispered. "I can feel it, now."  

Alec let out the breath he hadn't even known he was holding and tightened his arms around Magnus again.  "What happens now?"  

"I don't know," Magnus whispered.  "I can still feel the power. It hasn't gone anywhere.  If anything, it's...it's closer to me than it was before.  Like I have all of it now, where before I didn't."  

"But the realm is gone?" Alec pressed.  "Your father is gone, and can't ever get to you, us, again?"  

Magnus smiled softly and nodded.  "Yeah. He's gone. Edom is gone. I'm sure there will be repercussions for destroying a demonic realm, but we can deal with those another day."  

"You're right," Alec said, relaxing.  "Now we need to go tell the others that we succeeded."  

"On to the next problem," Magnus agreed, closing his eyes.  "But I'm going to stay here for a minute first. Deal?" 

"No problem," Alec breathed, pressing his face to Magnus' hair.  "I need the burn to wear off from these runes, anyways."  

Magnus blinked, looking down at the golden runes on Alec's forearms, reaching out to trace them idly.  "Did they do what they are supposed to?"  

"Those three are enhanced versions of standard runes," Alec said, his voice quiet.  "Strength, speed, and awareness. It's what allowed me to fight him hand to hand."  

Magnus nodded and exhaled hard. "Then the holy fire rune on your weapons..." 

"Right," Alec said with a nod.  "And then the rune for sunfire to blast him with."  

"You didn't need to use the emergency rune?" Magnus asked, narrowing his eyes at him.  

Alec shook his head.  "No, thankfully. Didn't need to use the emergency rune."  

Magnus exhaled.  Clary hadn't been sure exactly what the rune would do to Alec.  He had hoped they wouldn't need to use it. "The rest are all right?"  

"They itch," Alec mumbled, rolling his shoulders uncomfortably.  "I mean, they're handy in Edom, but I don't think these are ever runes I would want to use normally."  

Magnus nodded and stretched slowly, shaking his head.  "We need to go talk to the others."  

"Yeah," Alec agreed, closing his eyes as he leaned into Magnus.  "I really wish we didn't have to, though."  

Magnus chuckled.  "I understand, believe me I do.  But your sister will want to know you are all right, as will your parabatai."  

Alec nodded and turned towards the door, glancing back towards Magnus.  "Ready to face the outside world?"  

Magnus squared his shoulders and nodded.  "Let's do it." 

Alec reached out and took Magnus' hand, giving it another squeeze.  "Together, yeah?"  

"Together," Magnus agreed.  

~!~ 

Thankfully, after reassuring Izzy, Jace and Clary that they were all right, only exhausted, Alec had managed to sneak away from the Institute with Magnus, going to curl up in bed with him.  He tightened his hold around the warlock, lifting his ring to press another kiss to it, the only piece of jewelry Magnus was still wearing.  

"You know, I was thinking," Magnus said, looking at the ring.  "I think it's missing something."  

Alec hummed, turning his attention to Magnus more fully.  "Hmm?"  

Magnus opened his palm, a ring forming there in a wisp of blue smoke.  "I think it's missing its counterpart," he whispered, holding up the ring to Alec. "What do you think?"  

Alec's eyes went wide and he stared at the ring Magnus was holding out to him in the palm of his hand.  He shifted, lifting up his hand for Magnus, swallowing hard. "I, yes, yes, please," he managed, looking up at Magnus.  

Magnus smiled and took the ring, carefully sliding it down Alec's finger before pressing a kiss to it.  Once it was there, he shifted to curl closer to Alec, pressing a hand to his chest. The alliance rune was still active, and Magnus found it even more comforting to press close to Alec's chest, to feel the heartbeat he could hear next to his own.  

"You know," Alec said, looking at his fingertips, hints of blue magic swirling around it, making him smile faintly.  "After everything that's happened. Planning a wedding is going to be easy."  

Magnus hummed and considered it.  "I mean, when your wedding planner is a warlock, all you need is a little magic," he winked at Alec.  "And exquisite taste."  

"Both of which you have," he murmured, leaning in to nuzzle Magnus' neck.  He smiled faintly. "I want to plan our wedding, though. Truly plan it. Can we do that?"  

Magnus looked to Alec in surprise and tilted his head.  "Of course we can. I will make sure we get started right away.  Do you have ideas and things that you want to do and make sure happen?"  

Alec yawned, nodding his way into Magnus' neck.  "Yeah. I'll tell you about them tomorrow."  

"Been imagining our wedding, have you?" Magnus teased, even though he couldn't stop the pleasured curl, deep in his stomach.  Alec had been imagining marrying him.  

"Mmmhmm," Alec whispered.  "Want the chance to walk down the aisle properly to you.  Or you walk to me. Not picky."  

Magnus chuckled, his eyes fluttering shut as Alec pressed in closer to him.  "I would love that chance as well, Alexander."  

"Good," Alec said with a yawn.  "Because it's going to happen."  

"It is," Magnus promised him, leaning into him again.  "Now we just need to figure out all of the rest of the details.  There's just a few."  

Alec smiled and let his eyes fall shut.  "Warlock wedding planners. Now that's a business opportunity..." 

Magnus found himself laughing before he could prevent it and grinned in delight down at Alec, only to be immediately met with one of his favorite sounds in the universe, Alec's cute little snores.  He sighed and let his head fall back to the pillow, already imagining their invitations and writing them out himself.  

Chapter Text

Alec was reviewing Jonathan's trail of murders as the alarms at the Institute suddenly blared, signaling a code red.  He looked up and felt his stomach drop in horror. At the edge of their wards, Jonathan was standing, staring at the Institute.  

"Evacuate the Institute now!" He shouted, sending the command blaring through the Institute.  "Get everyone out!" Alec grabbed his phone and called Magnus, cursing when the warlock didn't pick up, texting him 911, followed by Jonathan's name.  

"Fray!" Alec bellowed, glad when he caught sight of a redhead bounding through the crowd racing for the portals to Idris.  "Get the hell out of here, he's coming for you." He looked to Jace and Izzy. "Both of you protect her and keep her safe, you understand me?"  

"Alec," Jace started, stepping towards him.  "He'll kill you."  

Alec pulled out his stele and lifted his shirt, starting to draw over the runes Clary had etched into his chest, feeling them burn.  "I can at least hold him off long enough for you all to get out. Magnus can probably kill him. He's on his way."  

"Alec!" Clary snapped, staring at him.  

Alec shook his head, staring at her.  "No, you need to go, I'm not going to let you play bait.  Not here, not with this."  

Clary bit down on her lip, reaching out to touch Alec's arm, meeting his eyes.  "Use the last resort," she ordered. "It might be the only thing that can stop him."  

Alec stared after her as Izzy started to pull her away and towards the portal room.  Jace had yet to move and Alec glanced towards him. "Don't make me see you die, Jace."  

"Alec-" 

"No," Alec snapped, looking at him.  "Jace, you are my brother, you are my parabatai and you are the other half of my soul.  But I understand your heart choosing something above all of those," he growled, meeting Jace's eyes.  "Now go !" 

It took Jace another heartbreaking few seconds, but Alec relaxed when he too, turned and ran.  Turning to face the front door, Alec summoned the seraph blade to his hand that Izzy had made for him and used his stele to light it.  Last but not least, he drew the last resort rune onto the back of his hand.  

Power flooded through him and he gasped, tightening his hand on the blade as the doors flew open.  

"Well, hello every..." Jonathan paused and turned to look at the one man standing in the center of the Institute, the rest of it empty.  He froze. “Where is she?!”  

Alec was burning, every inch of his body on fire as the last resort rune continued to pulse against his skin, glowing gold.  Whatever it was supposed to do had better work, because he wasn't going to last long against Jonathan without it.  

"They're gone," Alec growled out.  He held out his sword and forced himself to smirk.  "They're gone and she's never going to come near you again."  

Jonathan's eyes flashed black.  "You should know better than to stand in my way, Shadowhunter.  You think that you can stop me? I've decimated dozens of Institutes."  

Alec tightened his hand on his blade, sending up a prayer to the angels that he would be enough to stop this monster of their own making.  "I know I can," he promised.  

"Die," Jonathan murmured, holding out his hand, pointing at the Nephilim who had dared to step up to stand in his way.  

Alec didn't know what would come for him, but he felt a part of him move, reaching to protect him from what he couldn't see.  He blinked in shock as wings shielded him and he grunted when they absorbed whatever it was that Jonathan had fired at him.  

He pulled his wings back and took in the rage growing on the monster's face.  Alec forced himself to smirk. "Looks like your party trick isn't going to work on me."  Before he could reply, Alec dashed forward, throwing his shoulder into Jonathan, sending him tumbling back out the Institute doors. 

"You dare try to challenge me?" Jonathan shouted.  "You try to keep Clary from me? I'll kill you, and I'll kill everyone hiding her!"  

"I've helped to kill worse than you," Alec spat, licking his lips as he held his sword out.  "You're one more in a line of monsters I'll be happy to have rid this world of."  

Jonathan shrieked and flew forward, swiping down with the seraph blade, scowling when it was blocked, easily and he was thrown back several paces.  "What the hell are you?"  

Alec smirked, shifting to circle Jonathan before dashing in, his wings flaring out around him to help keep his balance and to aid his movements.  "I'm the Nephilim who helped to kill a Prince of Hell and Lilith herself."  

A shriek of rage left Jonathan and Alec felt the ground rock around them.  Power rippled out of the other shadowhunter and he stepped forward, ready to finish this once and for all when the familiar sound of a portal startled him.  

"Alexander!"  Magnus had barely a second to take in the power gathering around Jonathan before he threw his hands forward, a cage forming around the shadowhunter.  

"No!" Jonathan screamed, thrashing against the bars.  "You cannot contain me!"  

Magnus grunted and waved his hands quickly, placing more wards and more containment spells on the metal bars, until the cage had ceased shaking and he appeared to be contained for the moment.  Once he was confident that Jonathan was not about to burst out of the cage, he turned back to Alexander, blinking in shock.  

"Alec?"  

Alec blinked and turned his attention to Magnus, offering him a wry grin.  "Hey Magnus. Thanks for the assist."  

 Magnus blinked and his eyes darted between the white-gold wings on Alec's back, to the way his eyes had lost their usual color and were nothing more than an incandescent gold.  "Is this...the last resort rune?"  

"Yeah," Alec said, waving his hand at Magnus.  "Clary thinks it's the only way to stop him." He looked back at the cage and the way it was starting to rattle under the fury of Jonathan's thrashing.  "I'm not sure how I'm supposed to do it, though."  

Magnus swallowed.  "You're, you're carrying a great deal of pure angelic power right now, Alexander.  I imagine you'd simply need to push it into him to purge what is inside of him."  

Alec glanced to Magnus and then back to Jonathan, giving a firm nod.  "I can do that. We've already evacuated the Institute. You should do the same."  

"I'm not leaving you," Magnus growled, glaring at him.  "You think I'd leave after everything?"  

"He has something he can do, it'll kill you.  I've seen the videos, hundreds of shadowhunters and mundanes dropping dead in an instant," Alec argued, watching the bars on the cage start to crack.  

"And what about you?"  

"It doesn't work on me," Alec said, keeping his eyes on Jonathan, watching his wings flex.  "He already tried. The, the wings protected me."  

"Enough!" Jonathan screamed, power erupting out of him, shattering the cage, diving for the warlock that had dared to contain him.  "I'll kill you!"  

Alec had never moved so fast in his life, throwing himself between the blade Jonathan had swung and Magnus.  The blade hit his arm and fire erupted, making him shout before he managed to slash back, forcing Jonathan back.  His left arm hung limply, bleeding heavily against him and Alec kept his wings spread and in front of Magnus.  

"You will not hurt him," he growled, his eyes shining gold-bright.  "I'll kill you before I allow you to hurt him," he promised, striding forward.  

"You think you are any match for me?" Jonathan screamed again, charging at the other angel, swinging his blade desperately, scowling as each hit was blocked, his wings knocked back as he tried to use them.  "I'll destroy you and then I'll kill all of your family so I can take my sister back!"  

Alec held his sword out in front of him, panting, glaring at Jonathan. “You will never, ever, hurt my family again,” he promised. He looked over his shoulder at Magnus and smiled at the concern in those eyes. 

“Alec-“ 

Alec took a deep breath and looked down at his Iratze rune and watched as it activated all on its own, the wound on his arm healing quickly.  He settled the Seraph blade in his hand again.  

Jonathan’s eyes narrowed.  “What are you?”  

Alec didn’t bother answering.  When Magnus fired another blast of magic at the distracted Jonathan, Alec leapt forward, swinging for him.  He pushed his advantage, glad when Magnus used magic over and over again to help him flank Jonathan. His wings fluttered against his back and suddenly Alec knew what he had to do.  

When Jonathan screamed again and dove forward, Alec blocked the attack, but didn’t try to push him back.  Instead, Alec twisted, grunting in pain at the strain on his wrist, and disarmed them both. He reached out and wrapped his arms around Jonathan, pinning him and used his wings to pin Jonathan to the ground.  

“Alexander!” 

Magnus’ cry behind him was the only warning he had as Jonathan’s eyes went black and Alec felt something tearing at him, trying to attack, to destroy him.  He grunted under the pain and snarled, focusing on the power he could feel emanating from the last resort rune, pushing it towards Jonathan.  The man screamed under him and the pain was abruptly gone, replaced by fire, but Alec pressed more of it forward, into Jonathan.  

Magnus covered his eyes with an arm, trying to stare through the maelstrom of wind and power around both Alec and Jonathan.  The black and gold magic was at war, but Alec was steadily winning, the gold overpowering the black until it was retreating, and Jonathan was sobbing and begging for Alec to stop.  

Alec pushed the power at Jonathan until the last of the black of his eyes flickered and he went limp at last.  A quick press of fingers to his neck told him that there was no more pulse and he sagged, his head spinning as he tried to focus on what was around him.  He was still burning, why was he burning?  

“Alexander?” Magnus asked, approaching slowly.  He ducked under Alec’s wing and moved closer, but Alec’s eyes were still gold, unblinking and still.  “Alec? Can you hear me?”  

Alec forced himself to blink and turn to Magnus, but even that small movement was enough to have him crying out in pain, his body starting to shake.  “Magnus…” he whispered. “Hurts…” 

Magnus reached out and cupped Alec’s cheek, moving in close.  “I know, I know it does, don’t worry, I’ve got you, I’m going to take care of you, I promise.”  He took a deep breath and pushed his magic towards Alexander, only to find it firmly blocked. His eyes went wide and he cursed, trying again, pushing his magic to Alec.  “No, no, hold on, Alec, hold on.”  

Alec swallowed and shuddered again under the waves of pain swamping him.  “S’ok. Safe, you’re safe…” 

“No, no, we need to be safe together,” Magnus growled, reaching out to grab at Alec’s hand where the last resort rune was burning gold and bright.  “I’m not letting you leave now, not after everything.”  

A hoarse chuckle escaped Alec.  “Stubborn…” he rasped.  

“You are not allowed to call me stubborn,” Magnus growled, glancing around frantically.  He could tell Alec’s breathing was getting more and more shallow and his wings were starting to tremble now too.  “I need you to hold on for me, Alexander. I’ll figure something out.”  

Alec managed a nod and let his eyes fall shut.  

As the minutes ticked by and Alec’s trembling got worse and worse, Magnus was running out of options and things to try.  He looked down at Alexander and his eyes caught on the stele laying on the ground next to him, an idea starting to form. He grabbed it and watched the tip turn red before scrambling with Alec’s shirt, banishing it with a thought.  

“I hope you forgive me for this Alexander,” Magnus muttered, reaching down to place a rune on his own arm quickly.  The sting of the stele was not something he wanted to ever get used to, but for now, he was glad of it.  “For better or worse, you’re stuck with me.” He took a deep breath and pressed the stele to the skin above Alec’s heart, beginning to draw.  

Once the alliance rune was in place and Magnus could feel the power singing between them, the next thing he felt was fire and he gasped, shuddering under the weight and heat of it, threatening to burn through them both.  Now that he was sharing Alec's powers, he pushed his magic towards Alec, reaching out to figure out what was wrong, what was pulling him further away.  He slumped over Alec's body and then everything went abruptly black.  

When Magnus blinked his eyes open, he was standing in a barren landscape and there was a tornado in front of him.  Drawn to it, a flash of wings had him realizing just who was at the center of that tornado.  "Alexander!"  Flames erupted from the maelstrom and Magnus ducked under them, diving closer to the edges of the tornado.  Now, like this, he could see Alec in the center, dropped to his knees, flames licking his body as he shouted and quaked under the weight of the power he had taken on. 

"Alec!" Magnus shouted.  "Alexander!  Look at me!"  He knew that there was little hope that Alec could hear him over the rushing winds, but he shouted again and again, trying to catch his attention. 

It was clear that wasn't going to work, so Magnus focused on the power he could feel bleeding off of Alec and drew it into himself.  It was pure angelic energy and it burned, but he could at least take some pressure off of Alec, maybe let him surface, pull them both out of wherever they were stuck together. 

Magnus closed his eyes and grunted, feeling the fire start to slowly race its way up his spine, catching at his clothes now.  He took a deep breath, exhaling hard.  He could do this, he could pull more, he could keep Alexander safe, this is what he needed to do.  

"Magnus!" 

Magnus wanted to look up at the sound of his name, but everything in him was focused on Alec, on keeping him safe, on keeping the power away from him.  He could do it.  He could.

"Magnus stop!"   

~!~

Jace frowned and rubbed at his parabatai rune for what felt like the tenth time in the last ten minutes.  It had been bothering him almost since he had stepped through the portal. He looked at Clary and Izzy and sighed.  “Something’s wrong.”  

Izzy sat up in alarm.  “Your rune-” 

Jace held up his hands and lifted his shirt briefly.  “Is still in tact. He’s alive. But there’s... noise .  I can’t feel him clearly through the bond and I don’t know why.”  

Clary bit down on her lip.  “I might know the reason for that.  Before he went to Edom with Magnus, I gave Alec-” she froze, going stock-still.  A sense of wrong wrong wrong crept over her and she shared a look with Jace, knowing that he felt it too.  “We need to go. Now .”  

Jace nodded, pulling out his blade.  He looked to Underhill. “Alec needs us.  You’re in charge.”  

Clary finished drawing her portal rune and grabbed Izzy’s hand, pulling her through.  Her eyes immediately went to the sight of Jonathan on the ground, and then to Magnus and Alec, Magnus slumped on top of a prone Alec, a stele clenched in his hand.  

“Alec!” Izzy raced towards them, crashing to her knees beside him, her eyes taking in the wings spread on the ground.  

“I’ll check Jonathan,” Jace said, touching Clary’s elbow briefly, before moving over to confirm that the other shadowhunter was dead.  He sagged briefly in relief and nodded to Clary before looking back to the other two.  

“Magnus,” Izzy said, reaching out to touch the warlock.  Sparks had her yanking her hand back in a second. “What the hell is that?”  

“Don’t touch them,” Clary ordered, kneeling next to Alec and taking in Magnus’ pose, her eyes widening at the Alliance rune now on Alec’s chest, matching the one on Magnus’ arm.  “Oh no,” she whispered. “Magnus, you didn’t…” 

Izzy glanced between her brother and Clary.  “What’s going on, Clary? How do we help them?”  

Jace knelt down next to Alec and studied them, reaching out to press his hand to Alec’s parabatai rune.  The bond surged under the touch and Jace focused on it, tugging hard, urging Alec to the surface through the static.  “They’re both breathing, and they don’t look like they’re injured. What’s wrong with them, then?”  

Clary frowned and pulled out her stele.  “I’m not entirely sure, but-” she jumped back when Alec suddenly jack-knifed upright, his wings flapping frantically.  “Woah!”  

“Alec!” Jace shouted, ducking under a wing.  “It’s us, it’s okay!”  

Izzy shivered when Alec turned to look at her, his eyes bright gold and lacking any pupil.  “Alec?”  

Alec turned his attention back to Magnus and he reached out to touch the stele, trailing his fingers to the rune on Magnus’ arm before pressing his fingers to it with a flash, his wings disappearing as he reached for where Magnus was still waiting, still hovering, trying to help him.  In an instant, Magnus was blinking awake, pushing himself upright. “What…” 

Magnus’ eyes snapped to Alec and he sagged in relief when tired hazel eyes met his.  “ Alexander .”  

“That was not your best idea,” Alec muttered.  “I almost didn’t pull you out in time.”  

“Yeah, well,” Magnus panted, shaking himself, looking up at the other three shadowhunters.  “Yell at me for it later.”  

“Someone want to tell us what the hell is going on?” Izzy snapped.  

Alec pushed himself the rest of the way upright and rolled his shoulders, looking back and over them, glad when he saw his wings were gone.  He glanced at Clary and gave her a rueful smile. “That rune is a doozy.”  

Magnus huffed.  “That rune nearly killed you.” 

“Yeah,” Alec agreed, smiling at Magnus.  “But you stopped it.”  

Magnus held up the rune on his forearm, now bright gold instead of black.  “Yeah, by sharing it with you and making it permanent.”

Clary blinked in surprise.  “You...shared it?”  

Magnus nodded tiredly and pushed himself to his feet, holding out his hand to Alexander, pulling him up as well.  “Once I figured out what your rune was doing, and I was out of options? Yes.”  

“You shouldn’t have been able to do that,” Clary whispered.  

“What can we say,” Alec muttered, pushing his fingers through his hair.  “We’re stubborn.” He could feel Magnus’ amusement, even as he pressed closer.  

Magnus started to laugh, sagging into Alexander, wrapping an arm around him.  “That, my darling, is an understatement, considering everything. I think we’ve earned our vacation.”  

“Or honeymoon?” Alec offered.  

Magnus smiled.  “Or honeymoon,” he agreed.  

Izzy looked between Alec and Magnus and shook her head.  “You two are ridiculous,” she muttered.  

“Magnus,” Clary started.  “I don’t know what that rune is going to do to Alec, let alone you, and-” 

“It’s permanent,” Alec said, looking down at the back of his hand and where the rune shone bright and golden.  “I know what it does, now. Not sure what it did to us both, though.”  

Magnus gave Alec a pat on the arm.  “I’ll tell you later. We’re going to need to talk about it.”  

Jace looked between Alec and Magnus, frowning.  “Are you two sure you’re all right? What I felt…” 

“Jace,” Alec interrupted.  “It’s okay. Promise. Things are gonna be a bit different now, but we’re okay.”  

“Different how?” Izzy asked.  “Will the two of you explain what is going on?” 

Alec sighed and pressed his face to Magnus’ hair, inhaling slowly.  “It’s one of Clary’s runes. It was...let’s say it prompts the angelic equivalent of what Jonathan did to himself.” 

Izzy’s eyes widened.  “Which means what for you, Alec?”  

“Well,” Alec said wryly, looking to Clary and Jace.  “I’m going to guess that this rune wasn’t meant to be used by me.  It would have needed to be either of you two. It was too much for me.  When I used it, it nearly killed me.”  

“Which is where I came in,” Magnus said.  “Used your other rune, biscuit. It let me take on enough of it, and I was able to pull Alec back.  Unfortunately, I think it also made your alliance rune permanent.”  

Alec blinked and turned to Magnus, pressing a hand to his heart.  “Oh, so is that why-” 

Magnus nodded.  “Yes.”  

“Huh,” Alec hummed, pressing a kiss to Magnus’ temple.  “I think we need a nap.”  

“Yeah,” Magnus said with a laugh.  “Worry about immortality and any additional angelic powers tomorrow.”  

Izzy looked between the two of them, her heart skipping a beat at the casual mention of immortality.  “Well, if anyone has earned a break, it’s you two. I’ll hold the fort down and get the paperwork started.”  

Alec nodded and gave Magnus a hug.  “Can you manage a portal?”  

Magnus scoffed and summoned one, glaring at Alec before turning to Izzy and the others.  “See you both tomorrow.”  

Alec led the way into the portal and sagged in relief the second they stepped into the loft, holding his hand out the Magnus, glad when his husband immediately took it.  

“Alexander?” 

Alec tightened his hand on Magnus and turned to look at him.  “It’s over?”  

Magnus nodded, stepping in close to Alec, feeling the bond between them pulse with uncertainty.  “It’s over, Alexander. We’re all right.”  

Alec sagged and nodded, pulling Magnus into his arms, nuzzling into his neck.  “I thought the last thing I was ever going to say to you was that stupid 911 message.  And when you put the rune on and the fire reached you too-” 

“Hey,” Magnus interrupted, holding Alec close.  “I’m no stranger to fire, Alexander. I wasn’t about to let you walk somewhere I wasn’t going to follow.”  

“I love you,” Alec breathed, snuggling in closer to Magnus.  “Can we go to bed and sleep for a week?” 

“I think we can manage ten hours before someone comes looking for us,” Magnus said with a yawn, leading them towards the bedroom.  “How’s that sound?”  

“I’ll take it,” Alec said, grinning dopily at Magnus as they stumbled towards their bed.  They could face everything tomorrow. Together.