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“You can fight me and watch your friends die,” Valentine said.
Alec tasted blood.
He watched Jace’s eyes flit from him to Clary to Isabelle, all around the room the Circle members had dragged them to. The seraph blade’s medal pressed a dangerous chill to his neck and Alec saw Jace stare at it.
Magnus shifted beside him. “Ah, just as dramatic as I remember,” he said.
All eyes turned to the warlock. Alec’s burned as he tried to get a good look at him, trying to warn him to stop even as he bit back the words on his tongue.
Valentine’s cold eyes swept over Magnus’s face before he shifted his stance, resting his blade in front of him with his hands folded over the hilt. He smiled.
“Magnus Bane,” Valentine said. “It has been a while.”
Magnus tilted his head to the side just so, racking his eyes over Valentine’s body. “It doesn’t feel that long ago to me,” he said, “but it must to you. You did always look quite like a potato, but I must say you haven’t aged well.”
Isabelle made a choked sound, and Simon’s jaw all but hit the ground. Jace’s mismatched eyes grew three times their size and Clary ducked her chin towards the Circle member's arm, hiding a smile.
The Circle member that held his blade to Magnus’ throat jerked him roughly, pressing the sword even closer.
“ Mag --” Alec hissed, but Magnus twisted slightly, sending him a warning look.
Valentine let out a little laugh, taking a step forward. “And you look ever the same,” he sneered. “How’s the wound I gave you last time we met? Healing well? I know even you foul warlocks have a hard time fixing the damage done by seraph blades.”
Magnus sighed, rolling his eyes back slightly. “Unfortunately, yes, that one did scar.” A smirk twisted his lips. “But scars are sexy. Burns, less so, and I can’t imagine the one I left on your back has had quite as much TLC as the little scratch you gave me.”
Alec couldn’t help his jaw popping open at that, and he saw everyone’s eyes dart quickly over to Valentine. Magnus had… hurt him? When?
Valentine’s face had twisted into a cruel scowl. “I do believe I still won that fight, burn or no.”
“ Only because you took hostages,” Magnus said with a sunny smile. “Perhaps you should try to face me yourself, o’ Great Demon Hunter.”
“Ah yes,” Valentine said, his eyes lighting up. “The hostage. Ragnor Fell, was it? Now how’s he doing?”
A shadow passed over Magnus’s face, his smile sliding off his face like water. His eyes flickered from brown to gold and back again.
Valentine smiled. “Right,” he said, “I had heard about some sort of Shax demon. Shame how delicate you warlocks can be.”
“You should be careful, Valentine,” Magnus said, staring at him intently. “Killing those close to me leaves you with ever fewer shields.”
“Oh, I think you have some weaknesses to exploit yet,” Valentine said. “Tessa Gray. Raphael Santiago. I even remember Catarina Loss there last time we met.”
Alec watched Magnus now, carefully. There was no other way to describe his expression but dark. He was completely tense, a frown tugging at his lips, but still, he had not lowered his eyes. They bore holes into Valentine’s, unwavering and dangerous. Valentine didn’t seem to care.
“I’ve even heard,” he continued, “that Magnus Bane’s unholy fixations have settled on another. Ale --”
“Right,” Magnus said. “That’s quite enough of that.”
He pushed forward, shoving the seraph blade away from his neck in a smooth move. It clattered to the ground, the Circle member’s body falling with it. Magnus’s other hand came up and cupped in it was a small, pure black flame.
Valentine’s face contorted in the ugliest expression Alec had ever seen. Magnus stared him down, his eyes no longer a deep brown, but a dangerous and beautiful orange. The slit pupils contracted as he glanced down at the fire, a cool smile twisting his lips. Alec was sure this wasn’t the time, but he felt something in his chest contract harshly. It was like a swift punch in the solar plexus, something he had gotten the edge of years ago when he looked into Jace’s eyes, but this did not compare.
“I’m glad you like talking as much as I remembered you do,” he said.
“ How did you --”
“It’s not easy to kill a Shadowhunter without them making a sound,” Magnus said. “And it’s not easy to summon this, either,” he raised the black flame just a little higher.
Valentine took a threatening step forward, raising his blade. “I bound your hands ,” he shouted. “You shouldn’t be able to do magic.”
Magnus just tilted his head back and laughed. “That old trick?” he asked. “Why, I trained past that little roadblock centuries ago. Can’t have such an obvious weakness being exploited, now can we?”
In a flash, Valentine’s scowl shifted to a twisted smile that made Alec’s stomach turn even more. “Well,” he said, “if we’re talking about weaknesses, I still believe I have some of yours in this very room.”
The Circle member holding him dragged Alec closer, digging his blade under his throat. Alec couldn’t help his lip curling upward as his eyes darted to Magnus and then Jace, who both stood, armed but still against Valentine.
“Okay,” Magnus said, his yellow eyes flashing. Alec felt his stomach flip, but for a different reason. “Kill them.”
Clary gasped at that, and Alec rolled his eyes.
“Kill them, and fight me and your son,” Magnus said, glancing at Jace. Valentine followed his gaze to see Jace heft his sword again, pointing it at his father with all the anger he had when he had first stormed in and none of the fear.
“And don’t forget about this,” Magnus said, spreading his hand. The black fire spread on his palm without a sound. “I know you remember what this does. Believe me when I say it will only be more devastating thing this time around.”
Valentine grit his teeth so loudly Alec could have sworn it echoed around the giant room. Magnus took one, two, three steps forward, long strides with his head held high and his warlock mark flashing with power. He stopped less than a foot away from Valentine and looked right into his eyes, the black flame held at chest level as it danced across his palm.
“Let. Them. Go.”
Valentine huffed out a breath and took a step back. He pointed at his followers holding Clary, Simon, and Izzy. “Do it,” he said. They were shoved free, Clary and Simon falling to their knees. Isabelle stayed on her feet and tightened her grip on her whip.
“You,” Valentine said, looking directly at Alec. “Bring that boy over here.”
“Do you really want to test me, Valentine?” Magnus asked and his voice could almost, almost be called soft.
“You’ll have him, warlock,” Valentine spat as Alec was dragged across the room, seraph blade still at his throat. “As soon as we go through the portal.”
The other Circle members slipped through the portal as Valentine stood and faced the entire room again. “My children, under a warlock’s protection,” he said, shaking his head. “He won’t be around to protect you forever. You both will join me.”
“Eat shit,” Simon growled and Alec raised an eyebrow, despite the sword still held to his neck. He hadn’t known the vampire had it in him.
Valentine sneered. “Charming,” he said as he turned on his heel. “Let’s go Clayton.”
Clayton turned slightly, too, ready to follow his leader through the portal. His blade fell away from Alec’s throat, and Alec tensed, ready to make his own move.
He was too slow.
Magnus jerked Alec out of the way. Alec stumbled to the side, free from the Circle member’s clutches. He looked up just in time to see Magnus thrust his hand forward.
Black fire spewed silently from his fingertips. As soon as it made contact with Clayton’s skin, it hissed and popped like normal fire did, except louder by tenfold. Clayton screamed in pain as it danced across his body and his scream was echoed by thousands more until it was enveloped in the most horrifying crescendo Alec had ever heard.
Before Clayton’s body even hit the ground, Magnus was already moving. More flames of pure black shot from his hands towards Valentine, but he was too slow. The portrayal glowed as it ferried the madman away, black flames washing over it not a heartbeat later.
With a click of his fingers and an accompanying frown, Magnus had cast away the flames. Then, his chest heaved, and he slowly sank to the ground.
“Magnus!” Alec cried, pushing to his feet to steady the warlock. This close, he could see beads of sweat on his brown forehead and he took a deep breath. “Are you alright?”
Magnus’s eyes were closed but he nodded slowly. “I’ll be fine, Alexander,” he said, lifting his head and opening his eyes -- brown again -- with a small smile.
“What -- what was that?” Isabelle asked. Alec glanced over his shoulder at them.
Clary had covered her mouth, staring into nothingness with tears in her eyes. Simon’s gaze was fixed on the place where the portal had been, but it too was hazy. Isabelle was staring at the Circle member's body, which, when Alec glanced curiously at it, was nothing more than a pile of ashes.
Alec turned to look at Jace and saw his eyes fixed firmly on Magnus. His shoulders were tense and his eyes were wide and glittering with something Alec did not like. Unwilling to ask, Alec returned his gaze to Magnus, whose hands had curled into fists.
“A story for another time, my dear,” he said and began to rise. He wobbled just slightly and Alec automatically grabbed his bicep to steady him.
Magnus looked slowly down at Alec’s hand with a frown on his face. Alec’s mouth dried just a bit, and he was about to offer to let go when Magnus glanced up at him with the faintest smile on his face.
“Let’s go, Alexander.”