Sugar and Spice

Eleven

Eleven

*~*~*~*

"Ever since I found out Valentine was my father, I wondered how my mother could be married to someone like that, and why she stayed." Clary said as I sat back in my chair, still processing everything Magnus had told me about my mother. How she had died to save Clary's mother and Luke. "She had to stop him."

"And safeguard the Cup." Magnus added. "Everything Jocelyn did, she did to save the people she'd sworn to protect. She took her oath as a Shadowhunter seriously."

"I understand, but how does that help me find the Cup?" Clary asked.

"Maybe Luke thinks if you know your mother better, you'll know where she hit it." He suggested.

"Then, tell me why she gave up being a Shadowhunter." Clary told him.

"Because the one thing in world she loved more is you." Magnus knelt down next to her. "She had to protect you."

"From my father, the lunatic." She sighed. I jumped slightly in my seat at the sound of Luke grunting. "Luke."

"The magic's wearing off." Magnus sighed, following Clary over to the couch.

"It was out fault. It was our fault!" Luke started to yell.

"Luke!" Clary gasped as he started to seize. I got up and watched as Magnus lifted Luke's bandage to take a look at the bite. "It's worse."

Magnus snapped his fingers as blue mist appeared at his fingers, using all of his concentration on helping Luke. I watched him nervously, worried about how much power he was using. The room began to shake the longer Magnus used his magic, Luke's groaning continuing.

"I'm running out of magic." Magnus warned us as he started to sweat, his face starting to pale.

"What do I do?" Clary asked.

"I can't leave him, but the potion stock still needs Komodo scale." Magnus told her. "Find it, add the rest when they get here. You'll have to feed it to Luke."

"What about you?" I frowned.

"I'll hold on as long as I can." He promised. I saw Clary rush into the next room as Magnus started to sway. I rushed to his side, wrapping an arm around his shoulders while I took one of his hands in my own. "Eliza-"

"No." I cut him off, refusing to take no for an answer. "Take all you need. You're not doing this alone."

He only nodded, tightening his grip on my hand as I helped him get back up, his magic strengthening as he worked on Luke. I could hear Clary rushing around behind us, but that was all. The longer I held Magnus' hand the more tired I grew, able to feel him using my energy on Luke. Luke's groans only seemed to grow louder by the second. I felt a hand on my back and glanced up, seeing Alec knelt on the floor beside me.

"Clary, we're here!" Jace yelled somewhere behind me. I could hear them rushing around to finish the potion before Clary made her way over, forcing Luke's mouth open so he could take it. Finally, the shaking stopped as Luke opened his eyes to look up at Clary. I hardly paid attention to them though as I felt Magnus fall back and I did my best to catch him before he hit the floor, Alec helping me.

"Are you okay?" I asked, worried.

"Yeah," he nodded, breathing heavily as he rested his head on my shoulder.

*~*~*~*

"Zia?" I looked up at the sound of Alec's voice, finding him walking back into the living room, having helped the others move Luke back into the spare bedroom.