A Malec Story

Chapter 72: Thence We Came Forth

Alec

"Fine," Alec said. "There isn't any one of us who would give up your life to save ours."

Magnus stared at him and then at the faces of the others, each of them affirming what Alec had said. Alec saw Magnus's face soften in surprise as he realized Alec was right. He took a deep breath and Alec knew he was going to try to persuade them.

"I've lived a long time," Magnus said. "So many years, and no, it doesn't feel like enough. I won't lie and say it does. I want to live on—partly because of you, Alec. I have never wanted to live so much as I have these past few months, with you."

The words felt like slaps in Alec's face. The idea of living with Magnus and the cruel reality of the impossibility of it was too much. "We'll die together," he said. "Let me stay at least, with you."

"You have to go back," Magnus's eyes were pleading with him, "You have to go back to the world."

"I don't want the world. I want you," Alec said, his voice tight with pain as the truth of it hit him. To go back to Idris without Magnus, what would be the point of that? Magnus closed his eyes, and breathed deep again. Alec could see how much this was hurting him.

"You can't stay with me," Magnus said finally, opening his eyes again, they were shining too bright. "There will be no me; the demon will take my life force, and my body will crumble away. Four hundred years, remember."

" 'The demon,' " Asmodeus said. "You could say my name, at least, while you're boring me."

Alec hardly heard him, all he heard was Magnus. There will be no me.

"Get on with it, my boy," Asmodeus added. "I haven't got all eternity to wait—and neither have you, anymore."

"I have to save you, Alec," Magnus said. "You and everyone you love; it's a small price to pay, isn't it, in the end, for all of that?"

"Not everyone I love," Alec whispered, his eyes were burning and he felt his heart breaking. Sharp, almost unbearable pain cut through his chest. "No," he shook his head as he reached for Magnus, pulling him close.

Magnus clenched his hand on Alec's shoulder and leaned in to kiss him, the kiss tasted bitter and desperate and yet it was the only thing he wanted. Magnus was digging his fingers painfully in his arm but he hardly felt it. All he felt was Magnus and he didn't want to let go. For all the world he didn't want to let go.

But Magnus let go nonetheless. He stepped away from him and turned to his father. Alec felt an emptiness where Magnus's warmth had been and the precipice was opening up. Darkness awaiting him, a fall without end.

"All right," Magnus said. Alec closed his eyes, knowing what was coming. The precipice came closer and the vortex closed in on him. He knew with a painful certainty that with Magnus's next words his life would end and Alec would fall like Lucifer fell from heaven. All hope abandon, ye who enter here.

"All right, take me." Magnus said, "I give you my life. I am—"

But before Magnus could finish the sentence someone else said the words. "I am willing."

Alec opened his eyes and saw it was Simon, who had stepped forward in front of Magnus.

Asmodeus's eyebrows shot up. "What was that?"

Alec didn't quite catch on yet, but Isabelle reacted to this sudden turn of events. "No, Simon, no!"

"I also have an immortal life," Simon said, waving Isabelle's comment away. "Magnus isn't the only one. Take mine; take my immortality."