Adopted by Magnus Bane

Chapter 37

I wake up as they renter the Institute. I feel extremely cold, which is weird because I have a really thick blanket draped over me. My Dad races into the room, I sit up to greet him. 

"How are you feeling?" He asks me.

"Cold."

"That's weird." He comments.

"Why?" I ask him, "Do warlocks not get cold? I thought it was just vampires who couldn't feel anything due to, well you know, being dead."

"Well your face is extremely red." He informs me, he places the back of his hand against my forehead for only a couple seconds before removing it. "And you are burning up." He goes around the side of the couch so he is now in front of me, and removes the blanket.

"Hey!" I exclaim, now very cold. I grab back my blanket, and pull it back over me. "It happens to be very cold here. Do you think you could ask Alec to turn on the heater? Or do Institutes not have heaters? I've always wondered-"

"Ceci now isn't the time for jokes." My Dad scolds me, "Come on lets go home, hopefully this is just a normal fever."

"Shadowhunters get sick?" I sarcastically ask, adding a gasp at the end for effect. "Heaven forbid!"

"Alright Ceci, save that for when we get home." He picks me up off the couch, and carries me in his arms. "We can make jokes about the Nephilim when we get home."

"But then they can't hear us." I whine as we head over to the portal, which apparently he just made. "Ugh your no fun Dad." I cross my arms.

"I am loads of fun." He gasps, "you would like my friend Ragnor. He and Raphael love to complain about me. Okay imagine the apartment, I would prefer it if you didn't end up somewhere else. Driving around for hours can be such a bore." I reluctantly imagine the apartment as we step through the portal. 

"What do you think would happen," I begin when we arrive at the apartment. "if someone were to imagine the location they were already at, then stepping through a portal?"

"I'm not sure." He sets me down carefully onto the couch. "Why don't you get some rest?"

"Or nah." I mutter under my breath.

"What was that Cecily?" He asks me, hesitating-he had been heading to leave the room before I said that.

"I was just sleeping before you guys got back to the Institute." I complain, crossing my arms. "So therefor, I am not tired."

"It'll help you get better soon." He retorts.

"So would an iratze." I scoff, "But that clearly isn't going to work out for me, is it?"

"Fine you don't have to sleep." He gives in, "Just stay there okay? I don't want you to make yourself feel any worse then you already do."

"And what are you going to do?" I angrily huff.

"I am going to go do research to figure out why the runes aren't working for you." He responds before leaving the apartment. 

"I don't see why I can't go." I mutter, despite him being incapable of hearing me. I pick up the tv remote and turn it on. I channel surf until I find something interesting to watch. Eventually I choose to watch this show called Scandal. Its good, for mundane television. "Do Nephilim watch tv at all?" I wonder aloud. I hear Chairman meow meow, then I see him walk into the room. He jumps up onto my lap and curls up. He purrs. "I don't think they do." I absentmindedly pet the cat. "Clary might, but she's different. Maybe she could create an anti-fever rune for me. But it'd have to be permanent. Getting sick is such a bother, don't you agree?" I ask the cat, even though it can't respond.

 I grab my stele, remembering I have it in my pocket. I trace an iratze.  When it doesn't stay, I mutter a string of the most creative curse words I can come up with. Chairman meow angrily meows, so I apologize. In response, it lifts its head up slightly. I keep petting between its ears, until I realize that is it's favorite spot to be pet. Eventually he wanders off, bored of my company. I'm not shocked by this, you have to get bored of people at some point right? I curl up in my blanket, now sitting completely alone. I stare absentmindedly at the tv screen for a few minutes before pulling out my phone. I go straight to my contacts and delete Cassia's number from my phone. I don't need it anymore. We were never friends. I blink, and realize how tired I am. Suddenly I feel extremely hot, but the minute I throw off the blanket I am cold. I scoff. 

"What have I done to deserve this?!" I ask angrily aloud, not really talking to anyone. Eventually I decide to leave the blanket half on half off. When my eyelids close-to blink- they stubbornly refuse to open again. I open them, then realize how heavy my eyelids are. I curl back up comfortably, and feel myself drifting back off into sleep.

A/N: HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone! Here we go again I guess. Posting may start to happen less frequently due to school starting up on Tuesday, but I'll try my best. See you guys tomorrow!