The Prince of Hell

Taken part 3

Chapter 22

Everyone was pretty much running on fumes.

Since discovering Alec's disappearance, they've all been in go mode with barely even a moment to think about anything else.

"Magnus," Clary called out from behind the warlock. Turning around, he saw that she was offering him a cup of coffee.

Infact, now that he thought about it, he hadn't eaten or had anything to drink since this morning....or rather since Yesterday's morning, as it was already well after midnight and into the next day. Not even a cup of water had graced his lips. However, as Magnus looked at the steaming mug held carefully in Clary's hand, he doubted if he would be able to keep anything down, even if it was only a cup of coffee. The warlock shook his head in response.

Clary smiled at him faintly before she went back over to the coffee pot, returning to offer the others a cup as well.

Jace, accepting one of the steaming mugs, smiled his thanks before turning his attention back to Robert, asking the head of the New York Institute, "What exactly do you mean some of the guards left their post?"

Apparently the two shadowhunters who had been guarding the front entrance, had abandoned their post. And the time of this just so happened to have coincided with when all of the security cameras had been turned off.

"It seemed they went to Taki's for some late night takeout," said Robert, his tone sarcastic, as though this statement was said in jest.

Clary frowned, "What? Why didn't they say anything earlier?"

Everyone was flabbergasted.

Robert explained, "Because of Alec's dissapearance, they were afraid of being blamed."

Jace's brows knitted close together. Considering their work schedule, it wasn't uncommon for them, shadowhunters, to go on late night food runs. However, what Jace found strange was that both guards would leave their post at the same time. Why not one go while the other stay behind?

Everyone seemed to be thinking along similar lines; why not leave someone behind?

Answering their unspoken questions, Robert continued, explaining that Dane Larkspear, who'd just come back from patrolling, had offered to stand in for the two until they returned; that according to Van Ashdown, one of the two guards, Larkspear had been very pushy with his suggestion, listing off a whole slew of dishes he wanted them to purchase for him as well. In the end, he'd convinced them that it would be better for the two of them to go together.

The room was silent for a long while, everyone seeming to contemplate everything Robert had just explained.

"So...so he's involved then?" It was Simon who broke the silence, causing the others to give him a look, as if to say; of course he's involved!

Magnus had remained silent this entire time, his expression complicated. The others kept on giving him nervous looks, as if they were expecting him to explode in rage at any moment. The truth was that even he himself didn't know exactly what he was feeling. He had a million different thoughts running through his mind all at once. And with all of the different emotions bombarding him... it was like he was somehow becoming numbed to everything. Piece by piece, everything was coming together. What he'd already suspected, was indeed proving to be true.

It was Jace who asked the next question, "And where is Larkspear now?"

"He's in one of the holding rooms waiting for further questioning," said Robert. Along with Maryse, he'd been questioning Larkspear earlier when they'd been alerted to Luke's presence in the Institute.