5
Father’s Child
Jordan shut the door behind him as he and Maia, the last of the group to arrive, entered Magnus's apartment. "Sorry we're late," Jordan said. "I was in the middle of something when I got your call."
"Just be glad we didn't start without you," replied Magnus coolly.
"Yes, well they're here now, Magnus," said Alec. "So can you please tell me why you dragged us all here on such short notice? Is it Clary? Have you found her?"
"Do you think if I'd have found Clary, Alexander, that I would just be sitting around waiting for you all to show up?" Magnus snapped. “That I wouldn’t have contacted the Clave to bring a full army of Shadowhunters here?”
“Look, you two,” Jace said irritably. “I do not have time for your fighting. So either kiss and make up already, or at least be civil to each other. Magnus, you wanted to tell us about your family. What do you mean? Is it something that can help Clary?”
“Maybe.” Magnus sighed and sat down on the couch, gesturing for the others to sit on the various recliners and love seats scattered around the room. “Look, Jace, there are things that I was never willing to do when you were gone. I mean, yeah, it would have been a terrible loss if you’d died, but, in Sebastian’s hands, you were just another Shadowhunter.”
“And here I thought we were such great friends, Magnus,” Jace answered, feigning hurt.
Magnus rolled his eyes and continued. “But, what you said about Clary was right. She’s a weapon in Sebastian’s hand. She’ll do anything he wants her to do if she drinks from the Infernal Cup, and she’ll do it willingly, just like you when you still had Lilith’s Mark. Only, Clary has the power to create new runes. If Sebastian was suddenly in control of that power, all Hell would break loose.”
“Yes, we’ve established this already, Magnus,” said Simon, leaning forward with his hands on his knees. “Sebastian having Clary is definitely a disaster. We know that. The question is how do we get her back?”
“And what’s it got to do with your family?” Alec added, his eyes curious as everyone’s were. Only his also held traces of concern and fear.
Magnus rubbed his hands over his eyes. “I think this might be easier to explain if I show you all something first.” He held out his hand expectantly. “Which one of you has a witchlight with you?”
“A witchlight?” Isabelle questioned. “What on Earth do you need a witchlight for?”
“I can’t explain it,” Magnus growled irritably. “Do you have one with you or not?”
“Of course I do, but—”
“Give it to him, Isabelle,” Alec interjected unexpectedly. “You’re going to want to see this. Trust me.”
Alec and Magnus both shared a knowing glance, and Isabelle reluctantly gave up the small witchlight rune stone from her pocket. Magnus took it gently, and then held it up so everyone in the room could see. The others, with the exception of Alec, watched in amazement as the witchlight lit up, though not in the normal bright white glow of a witchlight. Instead, the stone glowed blood red. Isabelle’s mouth fell open, as did Simon’s. Maia and Jordan just looked around at the Shadowhunters to see if they had any idea as to what was happening. Jace looked confused, his eyebrows knit together in deep thought. Alec, unlike the others, was unfazed, having already seen the trick before a month ago, the night Magnus had broken up with him.
After a few minutes of the other gawking at Magnus, the light finally began to dim, and he handed it back to a shock-faced Isabelle.
“What in the name of the Angel,” Jace finally said after a moment of eerie silence, “was that?”
