City of Heavenly Fire Fanfiction

ch.17-Honest?

Jordan wanted nothing more than to turn around and just go home, after having seen the massacred village.

Maia navigated her way to the other side of the pile of bodies, without having to go through them. The rotting smell made his stomach lurch, and he felt dizzy at the sight of them. Somehow she seemed un-fazed, simply focused on the task.

Then he heard something. At first he thought someone was screaming, but realised they were crying. Maia ran in the direction, having heard the same thing. An old woman-perhaps in her seventies- sat, hunched over a body. Her apron was drenched in blood, and she practically howled as she rocked back and forth, gripping onto the deceased person.

"Excuse me?" Maia asked as she approached cautiously. He stayed protectively by her side, but didn't attempt to get any closer than a few feet away from the woman. Her head snapped in their direction and she glanced at them suspiciously- as though they were the cause of this.

"What?" she hissed.

"We were just wondering if you knew anything about what happened?" she asked. The woman retreated into herself for a moment, as her eyes glazed over. But not moments later she coughed and said;

"One minute I was making dinner, and next minute my son ran into the kitchen screaming and bleeding before he collapsed to the ground."

A man, dressed in tattered dungarees and work boots, appeared behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders.

"There was a girl..." he began, shaking his head, as though he didn't believe it himself.

"What did she look like?" Jordan prompted.

"She was small, perhaps fourteen, she'd been visiting here regularly for the past few days." He continued, "but she couldn't be the cause of this, she is only a child." He said, with a ghost of a smile across his face.

Magnus hated himself for what he had done. He handed over one of his lifelong friends to their sworn enemy, and then attempted to trade Clary for her, and now he had lost everything. Alec would hate him, not that he was particularly fond of Clary, but because of the fact that he had betrayed them.

He had been standing at the gate of the institute since he had made his deal with Maureen, contemplating over whether or not to confess. That should be the first step to gaining their forgiveness, right? But of course that wouldn't be enough....

It was almost midnight now. He imagined Alec would already be in his room sleeping, if he hadn't already realised that his family had disappeared. He finally flung the gate open, without pausing to think. After latching it securely behind him he strode up to the door. Surely he wouldn't answer, but at least Magnus would have tried to do something. Ok that's exactly what will happen, he promised himself as he wrapped his knuckles against the old door.

Alec appeared; his hair was dishevelled and swooped over his eyes, as he stood there shirtless. For a moment Magnus had forgotten why he was there in the first place.

"What do you want?" he sighed.

"I....I need to tell you something." His voice had become suddenly raw, while his hands were clammy.

I can't even apologise enough for how bad at updating I am. But since it's the summer holidays I have waaay more time so I will update waaay more.