4. Live Like Legends
4. Fighting Together
“You know, this isn’t exactly how I thought we would be spending the day after your birthday.” Said Sebastian, conversional.
His sister looked up to him, her face pale and her skin a little sweaty. Her smile was tremulous. “Well, I can’t believe this! How else would have you wanted to spend it?” She asked.
Sebastian seemed to ponder the question. “Well, for one, neither of us would have been in chains.” He said, looking at the handcuffs on both his hands chained to the wall. “Second, we would be spending time with my friends, and Simon and Maia and Lily. Lucas said that he wanted to show you something once you were finally 16.” He added.
Clary let out a strangled laugh. “Think about what kind of person Lucas is. Then replay that statement in your head. Unless you are a brother who supports the idea of his sister doing stuff with his best friend, you might reconsider your choices.”
Sebastian’s eyes were wide and horrified. “You… him… Lucas is dead to me.” He said in the end, his face a comical portrait of horror.
Clary laughed, but her laugh quickly turned in an attack of cough, and Sebastian winced. He couldn’t help but think that this was all his fault.
He had attacked Hodge Starkweather immediately, Clary at his side, too angry to think or ponder his decisions. He had shouted at the old man, demanding information as to what happened to his mother and Luke after they left, Clary holding back her tears with blazing hot rage.
They had ignored Magnus, who tried to get them away from the man, and they had just kept shouting. They had forgotten where they were, in an Institute full of Shadowhunters. Enemies.
They had been quickly overpowered by older and more numerous Shadowhunters, and then sent into this windowless rancid room. Which wasn’t ideal at all.
Especially the part where both him and his sister were claustrophobic. Sebastian forced himself to inhale through his nose, and then forced himself to smile at her. He needed to be strong, to calm her down before a panic attack stuck.
“Let’s play the boring game?” he asked, his eyes trained on her face.
Clary’s lip quivered, but her eyes were dry. She took a deep breath, and nodded. “I start. A for Alicante is the richest and most amazing place I have ever visited.”
Sebastian felt a pang in his chest, at the mention of Alicante. Alicante, with its green grass and almost always sunny weather, with its gentle breeze and gentle memories. His father, his mother and Clary, the only people Sebastian had ever loved. The only people whom he would give up everything, even his life for.
He loved Magnus, and Raphael and every other Downworlder he knew. He cared deeply about them, but if the choice was within them and him, he would hesitate. He would stop to think about it, try and find another way.
If the choice was between his own life and his sister’s, he wouldn’t stop. He wouldn’t think. He would gladly give himself up.
Already Clary had to grow up quickly, since nothing can replace the love of your parents. He had tried to let her enjoy her childhood, let her play, let her be a kid, but she hadn’t wanted that. His childhood had been arms and love, fights on the street and trying to stay awake and watch movies with his Shadowhunter friends. Her childhood had been arms and blood, trying to take care of him and loneliness. For years she had only had him and Simon as people who she considered friends. And as much as Sebastian tried, he couldn’t always be there.
Yes, as she had grown up she had known more people, opened up to love and friendships, but there was a coldness in her heart that hadn’t been there before. She had always been the kind of girl who smiled at strangers and hugged dogs; now she looked at everything with sceptic eyes and analysed everything with critical and judgemental air.
If it wasn’t for the fact that her love for him and for art hadn’t changed, he would had never been sure that she was the same Clarissa he had watched his mother give birth to. The same Clarissa his mother had encouraged him to give a middle name to. Adele. He had spent months with his mother and Lucian Graymark, head bent over books, looking for names, and ‘Adele’ had always stuck to him. Pleasant. Of the nobility. It fit perfectly.
“B for blond hair is the bane of my existence and I hate my hair.” This produced the desired effect. Clary grinned, momentarily forgetting where they were. If they didn’t think about it too much, maybe it wouldn’t hurt?
“C for Clary Morgenstern is the most amazing and beautiful human to walk in the Shadow World.” She said, and Sebastian snorted.
“D for disagreeing with the previous statement, I voice that Lily Chen is girl crush Monday, Tuesday and also Wednesday.”
Magnus Bane sat at the edge of the couch distracted and anxious. Not even the presence of the blue eyed boy could appease him. He hated fidgeting, and yet he couldn’t help it. Not only he was going to have to call Catarina for this, but also the whole ‘Sebastian and Clary are Shadowhunters but not really’ was not going to work with real Shadowhunters.
Alec, as Magnus found out with enormous mystification, wasn’t much of a talker. Normally he would have talked enough for both of them, but right now he couldn’t bring himself to care. “My sister will be back in a moment.” Said Alec a few moments later, staring at Magnus with his profound blue eyes. “Would you like something to drink?” He asked.
Magnus pondered how to refuse without sounding rude. His mind went back to another Shadowhunter, older than Alec and definitely not as pretty, who had offered him food. He wouldn’t accept food from a Shadowhunter again for as long as he lived. He gave him a pained little smile. “I’m on diet.”
At that point, the door opened and Isabelle walked in, her high heeled boots making a metallic noise as she walked. She stopped and sat down in between Magnus and Alec, and the Warlock looked at her with suspicious. There was something about the way she spoke and move that reminded him of another Shadowhunter. A bad one. Then the door opened again.
Magnus knew that the Lightwoods were the two that ran the New York institute, but he would have never guessed that they also were Alec and Izzy’s parent. He stiffened when he saw them, pose that was quickly emulated by the other two.
“Magnus Bane.” Said Robert Lightwood, and Magnus was sure that the loathing on his own face was well apparent.
He nevertheless spoke. “Lightwood.” Normally he would have stood up to present himself to them, but he didn’t deem any Lightwood worth of his respect. Certainly not them two. Maybe Alec, since he was cute.
“I have to say, I really wasn’t expecting to see you. If I had known, I would not have showed up.” He said stretching his legs and crossing his arms on his chest.
Alec and Izzy both looked at him in surprise, but Robert Lightwood looked like he was about to pop a vein open. “At what do we owe the pleasure, warlock?” Maryse, for once didn’t speak. She had a look on her face like she had just seen a ghost.
Magnus addressed her. “What, Maryse? You thought I was dead?” he asked, enjoying the way the woman flinched at that. She retook her composure almost immediately and looked down at him, her expression cold. But Magnus could see the regret and despair under the façade.
“What are you here for, Magnus?” she asked her voice not wavering. “I take it you are here because of the two Downworlders that attacked Hodge Starkweather?” she asked, and Magnus stared at her with loathing.
“They are not downworlders.” He answered simply, hands curling into fists.
Robert looked back at him with suspicion. “Mundanes, then? You know what the law says about-”
“Maybe we should ask you, if you know what the law says, shouldn’t we?” asked Magnus, sweetly and Robert Lightwood recoiled. “And they are Shadowhunters, if you must know.”
He enjoyed for a moment the way both looked at him in horror at that. “You kidnapped Shadowhunters?” he asked him Robert.
Magnus counted up to five. “Hardly so. They came to me-” he started, but Robert interrupted him with a laugh.
“A shadowhunter would never willingly attack another Shadowhunter or rely on a Downworlder.”
Magnus gave him the hint of a smile. “You would know.”
This stopped both Robert and Maryse. The woman looked at her Magnus with eyes filled with deep regret, while Robert bleached. Robert scowled at him. “How do we know that you are telling the truth? That you didn’t kidnap them?” he asked.
Magnus laughed. “I don’t know. I mean, why would the man that saved Michael Wayland and never reported to the Clave the names of the Shadowhunters that were in the Uprising-”
Maryse cleared her throat. “What do you want Magnus.” Her voice was so flat it sounded more like a statement than a question.
“I have no quarrel with the Clave and I do not wish to put myself between you and your precious law. What I want is to go and see them. Before anything happens. I need to make sure they are not being mistreated.” He said simply.
Robert started hotly. “We would never mistreat our fellow Shadowhunters-”
“You are one to talk!” exploded Magnus. He hadn’t meant to lose his temper, but he couldn’t bear it anymore. Years upon years of hurt and anger were finally emerging. “The Downworld sat back as we watched the Shadowhunters, those who are meant to protect our world, slaughtering each other in the name of some stupid law. We were carelessly killed and hunted, slaughtered and tortured for no reason and never got a trial or any sort of justice!” he took a deep breath. “The uprising did not hurt only Shadowhunters. The uprising was started by Shadowhunters. But who paid? Who got the blame? Downworlders, the ones who lost the highest number of people, they were the one who were blamed! I will not sit back and allow you to hurt Clary and Bastian!” he shouted, punching the table.
Maryse looked up at him in horror. “Clary and Bastian? Clarissa and Sebastian?” she shook her head, bringing her hand to her mouth. Her husband frowned at her. “Oh, Magnus, what have you done!”
Magnus held his head high. “I saved lives, that’s what I did.” He answered.
“The Clave… Magnus, you don’t understand…” started Maryse, but Magnus stood up to his full height looking down at her.
Alec and Isabelle were looking between their parents and him with confusion, and Maryse shut up. Magnus turned to look at Alec. “If you please could take me where you are keeping Clary and Sebastian.” He said, imperiously.
The blue eyed boy looked at his parents, who simply nodded, before standing up and guiding him to the cellar. Magnus didn’t bother thanking him. The Lightwoods hadn’t changed at all, and they must have taught their children their own corrupted morals and values.
Alec opened the door, and it took Magnus a moment for his eyes to adjust. He was inside in a second, kneeling next to Clary, who was looking at him with a frown on her pale face. “Magnus?” she asked, her breath laboured and the man curled his hands in fists.
She was handcuffed like nothing, and the handcuffs were chained on a wall above her head. They were treating her like a criminal. With a click of his fingers he materialized a cup of water and held it to her mouth. “Drink.” He encouraged, softly, touching her sweaty forehead. Her skin was hot under his touch and yet she looked so pale and cold.
He motioned to Alec to help him give her something to drink, and then moved to Sebastian. The boy was pale, paler than his sister, but his gaze was focused and intent. His wrists were bleeding and Magnus looked at him with sadness. “Oh, Sebastian. What have you done?” he asked, cleaning his wounds with some water.
Sebastian’s voice shook slightly. “She was about to have a panic attack… I had to get to her.” he whispered, and Magnus cradled his face in his hand.
He sounded just like the child he had been when Magnus had taken him in. He kissed his forehead gently, then materialised another cup of water. “It will be all right. I’ll get Catarina, and she will get you both out of this.” He promised, and Sebastian nodded as Magnus ran a cool hand on his forehead. “It will be okay.”
“Clarissa? Are you awake?” asked Sebastian, a few minutes after Magnus and Alec left, closing the door behind them. The fresh water and the wet cloth that Magnus had insisted on leaving on his shoulders had helped him calmed down a bit. His sister seemed to be also better than a few minutes prior.
“Of course. I can’t really sleep with my hands tied on top of me, you know.” She answered, her voice sounding lighter. “Sebby?” she called, and Sebastian’s heart hurt at the nickname that she hadn’t used in years. “Do you think Magnus is really going to come back for us?” she asked.
Sebastian was struck by the sincerity of the question. He could remember himself, telling her that his mother was going to come back, a vain promise, and looked down at his hands. She had been lied to once, and now she couldn’t believe anything without proof. “I don’t know. But I think he will try.” He answered, truthfully.
“I think he-” she stopped abruptly and Sebastian looked up at her. She wasn’t looking at him. She was staring at the air vents. Her brother followed her gaze and his heart sank to his chest.
The air vent was almost the only source of air in the room, and there was smoke coming out of them. Someone was trying to have them suffocated.
Clary started to cough and Sebastian snapped back to attention. “Clarissa, Clarissa.” He said, trying to push down the raising panic as he tried to get the handcuffs off his hands. The metal of the handcuffs cut in his skin, making droplets of blood tickle down his forearms.
The smoke was spreading quickly, and now even he couldn’t help but cough a little. He pushed his hands again, using his feet as leverage. He stood up and planted his feet to the wall, pushing. “Sebby… you are going to get hurt.” Said Clary, her voice barely a whisper. Sebastian didn’t dare look back at her. If he did, he was going to lose focus and end up doing something stupid.
He devoted all his strength to the chain on the wall, pushing as hard as he could, and not whimpering in pain. Another wave of cough shook his body, but he forced himself to blink away the sting in his eyes. He didn’t feel like crying. He didn’t cry.
He pulled again, and something burned inside of him. He closed his eyes, and could almost visualise it. Something golden, like molten fire. He grabbed the chains and pulled, ignoring the blistering forming on his palms.
It was like an explosion. The chain was pulled out of the wall, and Sebastian fell backwards, still handcuffed. “Ithuriel.” Said Clary with reverence, and Sebastian struggled to his feet.
Clary was good with runes, better than she was with fighting. Even Tessa and Ragnor were regularly impressed by her ability to conjure a rune without much thinking. Sebastian knew that in his current state he was not going to be able to pull her chains, but he was not going to leave her alone here. She was shaking, her breath laboured and tears down her face.
“Clarissa, do you think” he offered his back pocket, another wave of coughing taking him. Clary sniffed, as he jumped on her bench, reaching for her chains. He could try while she tried her best. The black smoke was so thick he could barely see anything.
He felt Clary’s hands curling around the stele with some difficulty, and then for a moment, nothing. “Clarissa? Clarissa? Clary!” he called, his heart thumping and unable to breath.
The entire room shook as if some kind of explosion had happened. Sebastian felt his handcuffs sliding off his wrists, and the chains disintegrated in his hands. Clary fell, the stele in her hands, and the door bursted open. Sebastian reached out for her, holding her in his arms as everything went dark.
Sebastian woke up with a start, a soft light coming from a small desk next to him. It took his eyes a moment to adjust to the light, before he really took in his surroundings. He wasn’t at Magnus’ house, which meant they were still at the Institute.
He moved to sit up and recognised the jacket sitting at the end of the bed. He groaned. “Fuck.” He cursed.
“That’s not what people say when they see me first thing in the morning.” Said a mild voice from next to him. Sebastian stiffened, and turned around to find Jace sitting on a chair next to his bed. He had a blade in his hand that he was polishing, without looking at Sebastian.
The boy rolled his eyes. “Where is Clarissa?” he asked. He only then noticed that his clothes had been changed and he looked at Jace with suspicion.
The blond grinned. “Your sister? She inhaled hell of a lot of smoke, they are checking out on her. And before you ask, I didn’t change your clothes. Not that I would have minded.” There was a knock on the door, and Sebastian pushed himself under the covers.
“I heard your voice, Bastian.” Said a feminine voice, and Sebastian refused to move. Maybe he prayed hard enough she would leave.
“Sebastian.” He didn’t move. “Sebastian Jonathan Fray!” her voice sounded like an order.
“You mean Morgenstern.” Said Jace, and Sebastian peeked out of the duvet with a frown. A pretty woman with blue skin was staring at Jace with disdain, and when she turned to Sebastian, she was hiding concern with a look of deep disapproval.
He smiled sheepishly at her. “Hey, Cat.” He called, and she glared. He held up his hands. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to cause anything, but things just happen and I-”
“Spare your excuses for Theresa and Ragnor.” She said, taking her jacket with one arm and grabbing his hands to check on any sort of damage. His hands and wrists were perfectly fine, no sign of scars or blood.
Sebastian winced when she wrapped the sphygmomanometer around his arm. “I thought they were in Idris?” he asked, hoping his evident panic didn’t transmit to his voice.
Catarina smiled sweetly at him. “Well, they would not have had to leave, but someone-who we won’t name- made some poor decisions and, as you mentioned, things happen.” Her smile wasn’t as bright as it should have been, noted Sebastiaan.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, concerned, momentarily forgetting that Tessa and Ragnor were coming back to Brooklyn.
She seemed to deflate. “Apart from the fact that the Clave knows about you? Well, maybe the fact that suddenly, even though I helped raising you, I am not deemed worthy enough to look after a Shadowhunter? They sent me out of the room, Bastian. I quote them ‘Don’t worry, the Silent Brothers are going to look after her’ and yoou should have seen the contempt. The pity on their faces!” she took a deep breath.
“You know how Clary is. She needs a bit to rest after she uses her runes, which I assume is what happened. Plus the smoke, of course she would need to sleep for a bit! But they wouldn’t believe me. They don’t think Clary opened the handcuffs and the door with a rune. ‘The handcuffs are anti-rune, Warlock’.”
“Shadowhunters.” Said Sebastian, shaking his head in almost disgust. No one understood him or Clary, it was worthless keep trying.
Catarina laughed. “You are a Shadowhunter, Bastian.” She said, but she was smiling.
He sniffed. “But you love me, which means I’m not so bad, am I?”
Jace stared confused as she kissed his forehead. “You are still in trouble, young man.”
Sebastian groaned, and Jace took this opportunity to ask a question. “Why do you guys hate Shadowhunters so bad? It’s not like we don’t save Downworlders life as well as Mundanes…” he trailed off at the look Catarina Loss gave him.
Sebastian sighed. “Boy, you shouldn’t have done that. You really shouldn’t have.”