Crowns ~ Alec Lightwood

Edom

"This is...cozy."

Magnus rolled his eyes at the girls sarcasm. He gently laid a tray of food next to her. Her eyebrows rose in suspicion, "Edom has waffles?"

"Not precisely. But as a new prince of hell, in place of my father, it has its perks," he said optimistically, "Just because we live with monsters, doesn't mean we have to start acting, or eating, like them."

He flourished his hand and moved the stacks of books that surrounded Rory. She started to complain but they were interrupted by a smooth voice behind them.

"Looks like you've been busy."

They snapped their heads to see Lilith standing in the doorway of the room. Rory immediately stood up and flung her magic as the woman.

She grunted as her back hit the wall roughly. She huffed and brushed off the brick dust on her shoulders.

"That wasn't very nice."

"Neither is taking over someone's body against their will," Rory snapped, smiling innocently, "I guess we all need to work on our manners."

"While I do enjoy the chitchat," Magnus interjected, "Are you hear to finish what you started in my apartment?"

"Oh no!" she exclaimed, "Let bygones be bygones, Mr. Bane."

"And why would we believe a word you say after all you've done?" Rory asked.

"I admit," Lilith shrugged, "The lengths a mother will go for her sick child can be...extreme."

Rory scoffed, "I think that maniacal is the better word for it."

She sighed and stepped closer to the pair, "That's in the past. I'm here to talk about the future. A future in which things between you and me are less...complicated...than they were between me and Asmodeus. After all, I'd still be your father's prisoner had you not trapped him in limbo."

Rory's face lifted in surprise and she laughed, "Magnus, I think she's scared of you!"

The warlock smiled at the comment and turned to Lilith, "So, a cup of sugar then and you'll be on your way?"

She shook her head, "I had something a little bit sweeter in mind. Just a tiny opening in the rift that you're holding closed...just large enough for me to fly through."

"You must really be crazy if you think we'd let you do that," Rory spat.

"So I can murder that matricidal nightmare I call a son."

Rory scoffed and slumped back down on her chair. Magnus laughed, "And what's to stop your thirst for vengeance from extending past Johnathon and to our friends?"

"Not to mention the rest of humanity!" Rory chimed in. Magnus gestured to her in agreement.

Lilith clenched her fists, "My word."

At that, Rory's boisterous laughter echoed in the cavernous room. Magnus joined in her disbelief, "Your word? Right...that's enough to jeopardize everyone I love and cherish."

"This politely means you can go now," Rory commented.

Lilith huffed and turned to them in anger, "If your friends really cared about you, then they wouldn't have let you leave. Are you sure they're really worth all that trouble?"

Magnus put a hand out to stop Rory from attacking Lilith again. He sighed and sat in his throne proudly, "You want us to open the rift for you? The answer is no."