It was useless to pretend that none of the events of the past two hours had occurred. It was even more hopeless to pretend that Magnus's true love hadn't been stabbed. It was pathetic that Magnus couldn't even properly heal his boyfriend courtesy of giving up his magic to save Jace.
Magnus was scared of very few things but losing the man he loved was at the top of that list. The only thing that was at the forefront of his mind as he rushed into the Institute, carrying an unconscious Alexander was making sure he got the proper care he needed.
And fast.
A blonde shadowhunter met him at the front doors, ready to help. Magnus ignored them and ran right past them down to the infirmary. Placing Alec down on the bed, Magnus did his best to stay calm.
"I've called the Silent Brothers. They are portaling here." The blonde man told Magnus. The former warlock vaguely remembered Alec talking to him about a blonde shadowhunter named Underhill. In Alec's book the man was a decent guy so Magnus decided to try and be as civil as possible.
"If you don't mind me asking, what happened?" Underhill questioned.
Magnus didn't answer right away. His focus was mainly on Alec's pale, blank face. The shadowhunter looked so peaceful that if not for the rasping of his breathing and jerky rise and fall of his chest, Magnus would have thought that he was dead. There was no flickering of the eyelids nor any sign that Alec was even remotely responsive to anything happening around him.
The sound of a portal opening drew his attention from the unconscious form of his beloved to the three Silent Brothers who walked through, followed by Brother Zachariah.
Their presence alone as they came closer to inspect the injured boy just screamed of high authority. Magnus stepped aside, grasping Alec's hand tightly in his own. Underhill stood off to the side, concern etched across his face for his boss/friend.
Alexander Lightwood is badly injured. Brother Ezekiel observed. How did this happen?
Magnus swallowed. "Alec was facing the Owl alone and . . . I wasn't fast enough."
Why didn't you just heal him?
Magnus shook his head, tears threatening to fall. "I couldn't. I . . . lost my magic."
The three Silent Brothers were silent for two moments before they said, We will do what we can.
Then they went to work on Alec.
•
Hours later, Magnus had left the waiting room to get something to rehydrate himself only at the behest of Isabelle, who had somehow gotten back to the Institute with Luke before Jace did. When they had arrived, they asked how Alec was doing and he'd told them the truth. He didn't know. Magnus was just as in the dark as they were.
As he was returning, he saw Brothers Zachariah, Enoch and Ezekiel exiting the room. The three of them walk silently toward them and Magnus had a feeling that they came bearing bad news.
"Well how is he?! How's my brother?" Isabelle demanded to know.
Magnus looked at Zachariah expectantly, waiting for an answer but dreading it all the same. "How is Alexander? Is he okay?"
Alexander Lightwood is in a coma.
Those six words were the beginning of Magnus's complete breakdown.
The next eight words completely and utterly shattered his world.
We are not sure he will wake up.
__ __
They say that when you die, your life flashes before your eyes. All the good things you've done and the bad, what you were to afraid to do and wish you would have done. You have regrets and wish that you could have done something differently. You either die happy and content with how you lived your life or you die regretting and wishing for different outcomes.
