Angels and Warriors // A.L

Chapter 23

Magnus looked startled. Then, without argument, he started running around collecting ingredients. I wanted to laugh at the deja vu, until I realised that that had been the night that Alec had kissed me for the first time and I felt my gut wrench at the thought.

Magnus poured his concoction into a small cup and muttered, "This better work," Before downing it.

"What does that do?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

Magnus grimaced, "Hopefully kick-start my magic." I looked at him expectantly but he held up a hand and shrugged, "Give it a minute?" I picked up an ancient looking, encyclopedia worthy book, and flicked through the pages. It had a beautiful red and gold bookmark that looked like it, and the ornate book, had no place in a twenty-first century apartment. I could physically feel the magic radiating from the object and frowned as the electric feeling shot up my arms. Magnus looked at the book I was flicking through and set down his cup. "That book is very precious. Warlock spells preserved in all their grandeur." He looked down at his hand for a moment then sighed, "This isn't working." I put the book down and took a step closer to him.

"Why don't you just try something simple?" I suggested. Pointing to a small object on his table I tried, "Move that." He squinted hard at the ornament but nothing happened. "Uh, usually, you have a little bit more of a-" I waved my hands about dramatically, "-flourish to it."

"I do not look like that," Magnus replied incredulously.

I pulled a face that said you kind of do and he scowled at me. "Maybe we try something different," I suggested, taking the crystal out of my necklace, "I don't know how this came into this dimension with me-"

Magnus' eyes grew wide at the gem in my hand, "Because it's of this dimension. It belongs here." He reached out to touch it and as soon as his fingers made contact, a jolt of electricity shot through us both. "Oh now that's what I'm talking about. We have lift off." Magnus closed his eyes and inhaled, "The energy is very faint. It's been dormant for a long time - like me." He chuckled, "Let's see if we can wake it up." He curled his fingers around the whole stone and took another deep breath.

"Can you see it?" I asked.

A grin split his face, "Yes," His happiness faltered slightly, "It's in a subbasement of Fort Knox."

My jaw dropped, "Like, literally Fort-"

"No," Magnus shook his head, "but it might as well be." He looked at me, breaking his faraway spell, "The Institute."

"Why is that a problem?" I asked, frowning.

"High tech, high security," He waved his hand, "Impossible to get into."

A light bulb went off in my head, "And hosting an anniversary party tonight that I have the hookup to." My phone chimed with a message from Isabelle asking for help and I sighed, "Damn." I looked back up at the warlock, "Meet me tonight at 7:00 pm at the Institute - dress to impress." I winked before hurriedly making my way to Isabelle's house - which I had no idea I even knew how to get to.

I burst through her door, "What's the emergency?"

She turned around and I gasped. She had a black eye. The area of skin under her thick-rimmed glasses was a ghastly shade of bluish purple. "Oh, my God Izzy, what happened?"

"Kickboxing class," She looked close to tears. "I thought, why not? Quick class after work and, boom! Home in time to see you."

"Well, you got the boom part right," I muttered.

Isabelle was hysterical, "Andrea's foot - right into my face. She has to pick today to finally land her roundhouse?"

"It's okay. I can fix it-"