Unfinished Business • Alec Lightwood

Chapter 36 {Edited}

Leona sighed as she looked at her reflection in her bedroom mirror. The Shadowhunter was now dressed in a white button-down, some of the buttons undone, and the shirt was neatly tucked into her black slacks paired with a set of black heels. She fixed the collar of her shirt before glancing at her wrapped arm in the mirror.

As Leona got ready to pull the sleeves of her shirt down to hide her arm, a knock was heard on her door. Leona glanced up to see Alec walk into her room. "They're ready."

Leona let out a breath as she looked at the Lightwood through the mirror. "Think this is gonna work?"

"Magnus is nothing if not persuasive," Alec said in a neutral tone. "I have to trust that."

"Yeah," Leona said with a nod.

She watched as Alec looked down at her arm, causing her to slowly begin to pull down the sleeves of her shirt to cover it up.

"Is that what's been going on?" Alec finally asked, addressing the topic.

"Look, I told you, I didn't mean to keep it from you. The timing of this just wasn't right and I–"

"Does it hurt?" Leona turned around to see Alec look at her with worry.

Of course, it was a subtle type of worry. The man's body language looked as if he couldn't care less but his voice and his eyes – Leona could sense his concern no matter how small or concealed.

"It does, from time to time," Leona told him honestly. "But once Magnus gets those results back from the blood I gave him, I guess we'll finally find out what's going on."

"I'm...sorry," Alec started before hesitatingly continuing, "You thought you couldn't come to me about it," Alec said. "I know we've been back and forth with this whole friendship thing." He let out a dry chuckle. "But I want you to know...I would've helped."

Leona let out a small chuckle at the Lightwood's words. "I know. I should've trusted you. I guess you and I, we've gotta work a little more on communication."

"Yeah." Alec gave her a small smile. "We should."

The two stood in silence facing each other for a moment before Leona quickly snapped out of it. The brunette cleared her throat causing Alec to let out a cough, turning his head away from her.

"Um, we should..." Alec started.

"Yeah, yeah let's." Leona quickly stated as the two finally left her room, Leona's face full of confusion as she closed the door behind her.

~

Leona watched with Alec next to her as they sat behind Isabelle. The trial for Isabelle's freedom had begun with Magnus at the front of the room.

The warlock stood in front of the mortal sword, a Silent Brother across from him with Madam Inquisitor sitting on a throne-like chair – tacky, not that Leona would ever voice her opinion out loud – in the middle of it.

"Will I survive if I touch it?" Magnus asked, glancing warily at the sword.

"If you tell the truth." Was all that the Inquisitor had replied.

After Magnus, with the chant of the Silent Brother, had sworn to tell the truth and nothing but throughout the trial, the spotlight was finally on him.

"My case is simple." Magnus started, looking at the Inquisitor. "It is true that Isabelle Lightwood had acted against the orders of the Clave by trying to free the Seelie, Meliorn. But she did not act against the interests of the Clave."

Leona felt herself nodding along to Magnus' words. "Preventing the forced questioning and possible death of a Seelie may have saved the Accords."

"We're not here to speculate what might have happened if the defendant hadn't interfered." The Inquisitor stated coldly.