West of Words (Alec Lightwood)

🗝 Chapter Thirty-Two 🗝

Varian wasn't use to letting people be near him, usually a room of more then three people was overwhelming, and he wouldn't be able to even come close to entering the room without a throbbing headache.

But Alec Lightwood made everything different.

As Varian and the rest of the others gathered in the ops room, Varian didn't feel overwhelmed, nowhere close to that, and he fully blamed it all on Alec. He constantly radiated this calm sort of emotion, and if it were anything else it would be overbearing, but on Alec it was just what Varian needed to not loose his head in a room of panicked Shadowhunters.

"We are at war." Maryse Lightwood was the one to speak, the red bright and angry surrounding her. Her eyes scanned the crowd as she continued, as if judging every single person where they stood.

Varian felt as though her eyes bore into his soul and could see the lies that he was telling.

"Valentine now has the Mortal Cup, with which he is, no doubt, raising a new army." She paused, and with no sign of remorse she said; "One of our own has joined him."

Varian leaned towards Alec, smiling softly when the tower of a man bent down to be able to hear him. "The Queen is taking back her kingdom." It was said in a light joking tone, but there was almost a hint of regret in his words. Alec nodded, standing to his full height, their hands brushed against each other, and in a moment of uncharacteristic softness, Alec grabbed Varian's hand and held it in his own.

"As a result-" Varian couldn't concentrate on the fact that he was holding Alec's hand as Maryse continued. "The Clave has declared a state of emergency at the Institute. Their first priority is to replace the current leadership, who they have deemed wholly ineffectual."

Varian noticed the way that Lydia Branwell squared her shoulders in the front row, the violet tendrils of pride decorating her hair.

"It is an honor to introduce the newly appointed head of the New York Institute, Clave representative," She paused, as if almost for affect, before motioning to the man standing just behind her. "Victor Aldertree."

Varian's eyes narrowed in on the man, instantly distrusting him and finding that he could not like the man, as his first impression of Aldertree was the ginger-orange and grey-black of a dishonest and untrustworthy man. This would not bode well for the Institute and any Downworlder involved.

"My fellow Shadowhunters." Varian looked at the man in obvious surprise at hearing an accent so similar to his own. "It is an honor to be here with all of you."

Aldertree stepped forward, and without meaning to Varian tensed up, his hand wrapping around Alec's just a little tighter.

"We have to find Jace Wayland. He is a Shadowhunter, and we don't leave our people behind." It was the only part of the Shadowhunter way that Varian agreed with. "The answer to his location may very well lie in this room. I will be holding interviews with everyone who went on a mission with Jace before he disappeared."

Varian turned to face Alec, "I think I have an idea-"

"One more thing." Aldertree spoke again, and when Varian turned Aldertree seemed to be looking directly at the Vampire and Werewolf standing just to Varian's side. "Effective immediately, the Institute is on lockdown. But it's only temporary. Let's turn this Institute around."

Alec looked down at Varian with an almost panicked expression, a silver grey twirling around him, a far cry from his usual calm. Varian could feel the emotions of the others in the room because of Alec's slip into panic. Izzy made her way over, Clarissa just behind her, and Simon just behind her.

"If we're on lockdown, who's out there looking for Jace?" Izzy rung her hands in front of her, her emotions nearly the same as Alec's.

"We'll think of something Iz." Varian smiled in a reassuring way, stepping ever so slightly closer to Alec as he scoured his mind for any kind of idea. "I need to go back to my flat, I'll be back in a few hours."

The second half of Varian's words was directed to Alec, who just nodded in a distracted way.

Varian pulled him along towards the front door of the Institute, unconsciously leading him to the same crook in the wall that they had shared a moment in a few days before. Varian laid his hand on Alec's chest, just above his heart, and attempted to share just a little calmness through the contact.

"Alec," Varian's voice was just above a mumble. "I promise we'll find Jace. I promise."

He shook his head, taking Varian's hand in his and lowering it from his chest. "You don't know that."

"I don't, you're right." Varian smiled up at him, tightening his hands around Alec's as he continued to speak. "But I don't like breaking promises darling."

He stood on his toes, pressing a soft kiss to Alec's cheek before dropping his hands and stepping out of his circle of comfort.

"I'll be back soon." Varian dipped his head, smiling to himself as he turned away, with a wave of his hand the door leaving the Institute warped into a portal and Varian stepped through.

In truth Varian wasn't sure what he would find at his flat, beside the usual (and he hated the fact that it was) energy replenish potion and a few of Ragnor's books.

For the first time since his change, Varian let go of the mirage that he held over his hair, and when he caught sight of himself in the darkened window in his kitchen he frowned. Mirrors has always been something that Varian avoided, no matter the situation, but for the first time he wished he could have taken a better look at his hair and the little horns that had grown in size (if only slightly) since the change.

"Merde." Varian muttered once again, shaking his head in a way of wiping the image from his mind. The fridge opened on its own, Varian reached inside, pulling the tall pitcher of slightly glowing orange liquid out and pouring himself a glass.

His baba  always poked fun at the fact that he kept the pitcher constantly full, but there were enough times that he needed the potion that slowly, whether it was helping with a Werewolf's first transformation or needing to stay awake threw the night when his mind was too loud, there became a need for it.

Varian crossed the flat with easy steps and his glass in hand, sipping as he went, and opening the door of his work room with a wave of his hand.

The interior had changed drastically in the last forty-eight hours, a side effect of Varian now owning all of Ragnor Fell's books, ingredients, and pretty much any possession that wasn't already promised to someone else.

With a deep sigh, Varian got to work.