Sed Lex Dura Lex

Chapter Three

Sitting alone without Magnus next to him wouldn't be so bad on any normal occasion.

Right now though, Alec knew that if his Father hadn't fucked up years ago, he could just walk over to where Magnus was rocking back and forth in his chair and collapse next to him.

Another reason to hate his Father, apparently.

"Let the council come into session."

Jia Penhallow was standing at the center of the room, her robes pooling at her feet in waves of white. "Is the representative for the Night Children in our company?"

Alec turned his head to find Lily, seated a few rows away from him. She was leaning back in her seat, draping her legs over the chair in front of her. What the hell was she doing here?

"I get that I'm only here because you all feel guilty about Raphael." She spoke up, her voice echoing in the silence. "But I could care less."

"The death of Raphael Santiago has nothing to do with this." Jia responded. "Although the nephilim do extend our deepest apologies."

Lily shrugged. "So why am I here then?"

"This is in regards to the daylighter."

Alec sat forward in his seat, looking at Magnus in alarm and then quickly looking away, praying no one saw it.

He heard Magnus stand, beginning to speak. "What does Simon have to do with anything?" Magnus demanded. "This was a meeting about the fate of the New York Institute."

"There are other matters, Magnus Bane, please be seated."

"The daylighter isn't a daylighter anymore." Lily said flatly. "So why is he any of my concern?"

"It has come to the Clave's attention that there needs to be a discussion about our newest ascending Shadowhunters." Jia said, inclining her head and looking at Lily. "After the Dark War we've been recruiting new Nephilim left and right. We have forgotten our own values. We cannot let the sanctity of the nephilim be dishonored."

"Are you saying...you don't think Simon has the right values to be a Shadowhunter?" Magnus echoed in disbelief, his cat eyes wide and upset.

"He was a downworlder a short time ago." Jia continued, the look on her face contradicting her words. Alec knew that Jia was a good person, never one to be judgmental against any shadowhunter. She had to have been put up to this against her will.

"I thought we were past the judgment against downworlders." Magnus said coldly. "We signed the Accords. What does it matter if he was a vampire?"

"A shadowhunter has purely angel blood in them. We can't make exceptions for anyone, especially a former downworlder."

Even from across the room, Alec could tell from the look on Magnus's face meant his anger was lingering on the border of danger.

"He's saved our lives. He saved Isabelle Lightwood, he saved me, he saved Jace--"

"He did those with his vampiric blood." Jia interrupted, apology clear on her face.

"This is unbelievable." Magnus sighed, banging his fist against the table. "So you won't let Simon ascend?"

"We have conditions." Jia said. "Aside from training normally, all new ascending Shadowhunters will have to destroy a demon's nest in one origin of the city." She looked over at Alec. "And they must do so alone."

"That's ridiculous and stupid." Magnus deadpanned. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? No other nephilim has ever had to do this, why are you making Simon do it?"

"It isn't only Simon." She responded, sounding impatient with the topic. "And many would say that you and the rest of the New York Shadowhunters would be bias towards the notion to protect your friend, wouldn't you agree?"

Magnus opened and closed his mouth, rendered speechless. Of course they would all be bias, and of course that's the method the Clave would use to shut them up.

"Now then," Jia moved on. "To the topic of Robert and Mayrse Lightwood."

"Can I go?" Lily asked loudly, standing up. "I don't see a point to this."

"No, you'll need to remain here so you can be questioned after the meeting."

Alec felt spikes of alarm in his chest, looking back at Lily and watching her shrug and sit back down, pulling out her bright blue phone to play games on. Why would the Clave need to question Lily? It had to be about Simon. He was suddenly aware of Jia talking, remembering with a jolt that he was supposed to be paying attention and turned back around.

"...the details, which we do not need to repeat, for the removal of Robert Lightwood as head of the New York Institute." She looked over at Alec. "The vote has already been concluded, and Mayrse Lightwood is no longer viable to run the institute."

"Wait, what?" Alec stood up, his hands gripping the seat in front of him. "You already took the vote?"

"It was taken at Idris--"

"Why?" Alec demanded, forcing himself not to look at Magnus. "Why wasn't I there?"

"The Clave--"

"Yeah," He sank back down into his seat, slumping down and staring at the table in front of him. "The Clave. Right."

"Alexander." Jia was trying to be gentle. "Come to the front."

He heaved a dramatic sigh and stood up, striding down the long number of steps to the center of the room, facing the handful of people that made up the Council.

"You don't have to make the decision now, but as the oldest member of the New York Institute, we request that you be the head. If you choose not to, all Shadowhunters at the Institute will be relocated."

"To Boston." He said, glancing back at her. "Right?"

"You and Jace will go to Boston." She confirmed, flipping a paper and scanning it. "Clary Fairchild will be moved to the Philadelphia Institute, and Isabelle will be located Connecticut."

"What?" His ears rang, his mouth dry and stopping any new words from being spoken.

"Why are they all being separated?" Magnus demanded. "What good will that serve?"

"Soldiers are needed in every area." She said simply. "The parabatais will be kept together by Covenant law."

"They aren't soldiers, they're children." Magnus said, his voice clear and precise. "They already fought their war, you can't tear them apart."

"Magnus Bane if you cannot keep your opinion out of this meeting you will be asked to leave." Jia said, clearly done with arguments. Normally Alec would sympathize with her. Obviously she didn't want to make these decisions and these appositions were killing her with guilt. But he didn't care right now and he hated her.

"I'll do it." Alec finally blurted. "I'll run the Institute, I'll do anything."

"You're aware of the conditions and limits you have to running an Institute, correct?"

He nodded. "I am."

"Thank you, Alexander, the Clave extends its deepest gratitude." Jia sighed, looking exhausted as if the meeting has worn her down. "The meeting is dismissed. Lily, if you'll follow me."

Alec stayed glued to his spot, watching Lily cross in front of him and smirk, her fangs flashing white. There was a sinking feeling in his stomach that wouldn't go away, a sense of dread that had anchored itself deep inside of him. He helplessly looked over at Magnus, who was standing near the door.

His cat eyes caught Alec's, an apologetic look on his face. Alec wanted to run to him, to bury his face in his shirt and feel him push his fingers through Alec's dark hair, hear him say that everything would be alright.

Instead, Magnus turned and walked out the door.