Bloodloss: An Alec and Magnus (Malec) Fanfiction

Chapter 6

I stand in a large room; sucking in air I don’t need in a futile attempt to calm myself. The walls rise up, wooden with ornate wallpaper in dark, depressing hues. The room is sparsely furnished, but what little there is is dark, black-brown oak. It’s a Sanctuary, so I can live long enough to leave once I’m no longer Nephilim.

All the Shadowhunters who were gathered for the initial meeting –minus Izzy, of course – are here now, stood at one end of the room whilst I’m at the opposite side, about as far as I can get from them. My head reels.

“Mr Lightwood.” Jia says impatiently, as if she may have already addressed me and I didn’t respond. “Please step forward.”

In the centre of the stone floor is a strange pattern, like a star entwined with various runes. The names of the runes come easily; Fearless, Insight, Quietude, Mourning and Endurance. I stare at them momentarily, then step forward and walk towards it, pausing in the centre. A shiver prickles through me as I reach the middle of the symbol, but I stand my ground nevertheless.

“Mr Lightwood,” my father says, stepping forward. “Please hold out your hands.”

I do so, holding my palms up, which glimmer ever so slightly with warlock power. I stand, mystified, as my father calls upon someone.

“Miss Loss, if you please.”

A strangely beautiful lady with snow-white hair and blue skin steps out from behind the shadowhunters. I’ve seen her in photos in Magnus’s apartment, usually sandwiched Magnus himself and the green-skinned Ragnor Fell.

“Catarina?” I ask, and she looks around the shoulder of the man before her. Her blue eyes widen.

“Are you Alexander?” she asks and I nod numbly. She turns, accusingly, to my father. “What is he doing here? What’s going on?” she asks, suspiciously.

“Mr Lightwood is having his shadowhunter blood drained and his runes stripped. And you,” Jia says, pointing to Catarina. “Will perform the magic necessary to carry the ceremony out.”

Catarina draws herself up, straightening her spine.

“No.”

“No? You agreed and that’s a vow you cannot go back on, Miss Loss.” My father says.

“I will not betray Magnus in this way, he’s my best friend. He loves this boy,” she gestures elegantly to me. “And as a friend of Magnus’s, I shall not hurt him.”

This warms my heart and I feel less alone suddenly, in this vast room, less threatened.

“Very honourable, Miss Loss. However, it makes no difference. You made a promise, vowed to help us, and you must honour that.”