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Alexander’s promises were magical. Magnus had learned this a long time ago. There was a certain gravity, a weight to his eyes and words when Alec said the words “I promise.” no matter what they were following, or in regards to. He didn’t say them often, saved for when they were needed, but Magnus was unaware of a single promise that Alec had not kept to the absolute best of his ability.
Except now, now he’s watching Alec listen to the plight of a warlock mother, her eyes filled with tears as she described the way that her daughter was kidnapped by Circle members and Magnus goes cold. He already knows they are not going to find the little girl alive, no matter what they do.
But then, Alec was kneeling in front of the poor mother, taking the scarf from her to track the little girl and offering her a smile. He handed the scarf to Magnus, but didn’t look away from her as he took her hands in his.
“Listen to me,” Alec said, his voice firm and certain, until she had met his eyes. “I will bring your daughter back."
"You, you can’t-"
Alec shook his head, interrupting her and gave her hands a squeeze. "Listen. I will bring your daughter back. Alive.” He emphasized the word and watched her eyes widen before he smirked. “I promise."
The words rocked Magnus and he stared in shock. Alec couldn’t promise that, there wasn’t any way that he could know, that they would find her in time. But Alec was standing up and turning to face him and Magnus didn’t have time to say anything before he was tracking the little girl’s location and they were off.
~!~
Alexander, when hunting, was all predator and grace. Every movement was calculated, from the draw of his bow to the way he took down demon after demon.
Magnus had never seen him like this. Alec had activated rune after rune, more than he normally did, and had gone so far as to put more on himself until his eyes were nearly glowing with angelic power. When Magnus had asked why they were necessary, Alec had shrugged and pocketed his stele.
Even now, with only the vaguest of directions, Alec seemed to know where they were going as they moved through the graveyard silently, their footsteps making no noise. Alec was lethal and in his element, his body poised for action at any moment. Magnus looked skyward and sent a prayer to the stars that they would find the young girl alive. He didn’t know what Alec would do if he didn’t.
"Here,” Alec said, bending to look at something in the grass. He dipped his fingers in it and stared at the tackiness of the blood. “They’re injured, and we’re not far behind now,” he added, standing again. “Be ready for a fight. They know we’re coming."
Magnus blinked and stared at him. "They know we’re coming?"
"Yes,” Alec said, rolling his shoulders, glancing at Magnus.
“Do we need to let Jace and Isabelle know?” Magnus asked. He stepped up next to Alexander and started to follow him through the graveyard. They were more than capable of handling themselves and the quirk of Alec’s lips told him he recognized that, but they did likely need to check in.
“Already did,” Alec said, tapping his phone in his thigh holster, next to the seraph blade. “They’re monitoring for any demon activity and have sent a patrol to the parents in case they are attacked again."
Magnus nodded and watched the sky around them start to darken. His skin prickled uncomfortably and he moved just a fraction closer to Alec. "You know we might not-"
Alec shook his head. "She’s alive, Magnus. We’re going to bring her back alive."
Magnus didn’t try to correct Alexander, even as magic started to snap around them. It wasn’t magic he recognized, but it was easy enough to dispel, and he recognized the touch of a young warlock, likely not far from the age of the little girl who had been kidnapped. Fury gathered in him as he realized that they were making her protect them.
Suddenly Alec stopped and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly.
"Alexander?” Magnus asked.
Alec grinned and nocked two arrows, standing tall, facing a mausoleum in front of them. “You ready for that fight?"
Magnus heard it then, footsteps and hissed whispers approaching and he gathered magic around his fingertips, his warlock mark shining bright.
"I’ll get the girl,” Alec said, stepping up, drawing the arrows. “You cover our exit."
Magnus nodded. "You got it, Alexander."
"And Magnus?” Alec said, turning to face him, even as he kept his arrows pointed at the door. He smirked. "Burn them to ash,“ he ordered, releasing the arrows as the first two Circle members rounded the corner. They went down with shouts of pain and Alec advanced.
The instruction was an unnecessary one, because Alec tore such a large swath through the gathered members and the demons that Magnus stuck to protecting his back and throwing out waves of magic to keep the corridors lit. The deeper they went, the more urgent Alec seemed to grow.
"Alec, we’re making our exit more difficult,” Magnus panted, blowing away another demon trying to creep up behind them. “How much further?"
Alec shook his head, unable to answer as he shot down another demon, then slashed his way through a few Shax demons skittering along the walls. He nearly moved past the door, and when he saw it, he sagged in relief. "Here, just here!"
Magnus went to blast the door open, but Alec lifted one leg and kicked it open in a quick slam and dashed into the room. Cursing, Magnus looked into the room to make sure it was clear before he settled in the doorway.
He heard Alec’s voice, soft and gentle only a moment later.
"Hey there. My name is Alec. I’m here to take you home."
"I can’t go. They’ll hurt Mommy and Daddy."
Magnus’ heart broke and he wanted to look at her, to reassure her that her parents were safe, but more demons were coming down the corridor. "Alexander we don’t have long!” he called.
“Your Mommy and Daddy are safe. You see him? That’s Magnus Bane, High Warlock of Brooklyn. It’s his job to keep them safe. We’re here to rescue you."
"You are?"
Magnus closed his eyes at the shock in her voice and told himself that he was going to do better, be better. If she hadn’t expected to be rescued, that meant she’d known how dire her situation was, and she was still helping the Circle members to keep her family safe.
"Yeah, we are. Now, will you come with me? We’re going to get you out of here. I’ll keep you safe. I promise."
Once again, Magnus felt the echoing weight of those words, the power behind them, and marveled at whatever it was that let Alexander make such pronouncements with certainty.
"Okay,” she said quietly. “I can help light the way."
Alec grinned and picked her up, settling her into his arms. "That’s great, that’ll help Magnus and I a lot. Now, I want you to keep your head down and hold on, okay? We’re going to move fast."
Magnus took a deep breath and started to gather what was left of his reserves, but Alec had to know that the chances of them getting out, as deep as they were in the crypt-
"Magnus,” Alec said, holding out his hand. “Take it,” he ordered. "Take what you need. I’m going to run in front of you. Clear a path and I’ll lead us out.“
Magnus wanted to protest, but as he sent another wave of magic into the demons approaching, he knew that he didn’t have a choice. Not if they were going to make it out of here. He grabbed Alec’s hand and gave him a grateful smile before he pulled.
Unlike normal, the amount of power Alec was exhibiting was so much more, and Magnus realized with a start that it was the extra runes Alec had somehow known to activate. There was more power for him to draw on, and he did, keeping a careful eye on his shadowhunter, until he was sure that he had enough to get them out.
"If only they hadn’t warded against portalling,” Magnus said in annoyance, red flames starting to curl up and over his fingers. He gave Alec a bow and stepped out into the hallway in front of him.
Alec snorted and tucked the little girl tighter against him. He looked down at her and whispered into her ear. "You ready?“ he asked. "We need you to light the way."
Light burst into the hallway and Alec started to run. Magnus kept up with him, sending out wave after wave of magic. There had to be something about this little girl that was making them go after her, and he told himself that as soon as they were free, he was going to ward her house himself.
"Hurry,” Alec said, looking behind Magnus, a frown on his face. “Magnus we have to hurry."
Magnus didn’t ask how Alec knew, or what he saw, but as soon as Alec graduated from a run into a flat-out sprint, light bouncing along the walls, Magnus gave himself a magical boost to simply keep up with him. They ran past stone walls and the sound of a roar echoed behind him, sending shivers up his spine. He knew that sound. He knew it down to his very bones.
"Magnus!” Alec shouted. His legs were burning and he could feel the creeping pain coming up on him from when Magnus had taken his energy, but they were still too far from the surface.
“I hear it!” Magnus shouted back, pumping his arms as he kept the path clear in front of Alexander, ducking under the swipe of a stinger of a demon on the ceiling.
“Alec! Get down!"
Alec didn’t have time to question the order he heard shouted from Izzy, but he hit the deck, grabbing Magnus with him, yanking him down to the floor, the little girl cradled in his arms. The demons around him were gone in a flash of sunshine bright light and Alec stumbled upright again, grabbing Magnus by the shirt, pulling him up and sprinting for the entrance.
"Hurry, I don’t think I can knock him back again!” Clary shouted, holding her palm out, her sunlight rune on her hand.
Magnus scrambled for his feet, glad for Alec’s hand. His head was swimming and his body was tingling with the overexertion of magic, but they were almost there, almost there.
The instant they crossed the threshold of the grave, diving for it, Clary was there, large sweeping motions of her arm as she grunted, drawing a rune that Magnus didn’t recognize, which meant she was creating one.
Clary held her stele in front of it and waited until the roar of the demon prince was near and smirked, fighting down a laugh. “Go,” she panted, slamming her stele into the rune, activating the banishing she’d drawn. "Back to Hell!“
Magnus shielded his eyes from the light that burst out of the rune and covered his eyes. There was a scream, and he was distantly aware of Alec behind him, covering him and the little girl, keeping them both protected before he sank to the ground, panting hard.
Magnus leaned back against Alec, trying to catch his breath, his head swimming as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. ”Fuck,“ he whispered.
"Yeah,” Alec huffed, coughing as he let Izzy give him a hand up. He looked down at the little girl and smiled at her. "You okay?“
She stared up at him. "You saved me,” she whispered.
“We saved you,” Alec corrected, waving to Magnus and the rest of his team. “Now we’re gonna get you home to your parents."
Magnus levered himself upright with a grunt and shook his head, cracking his neck. He could feel the magical exhaustion waiting to hit him, but for now, his body was singing with enough adrenaline that it would keep him going.
"Alec always keeps his promises,” Magnus added, smiling at her, even as he tried to catch his breath. “He’s a bit magical like that.” He grinned when Alec rolled his eyes and situated the girl better in his arms so she could rest her head on his shoulder.
“That’s cause they are magic,” she said with a smile, nestling into his shoulder. “I felt it when he promised me."
Magnus blinked in surprise and watched her fall asleep almost immediately, curled up against Alec.
Alec held out his free hand to Magnus. "Ready to go home?"
Magnus pressed in closer. "As long as you promise me we get to sleep in tomorrow."
Alec laughed and nodded, kissing Magnus’ temple. "That, I am happy to promise you."
Magnus felt the small pulse of magic this time, now that he was looking for it, and grinned, closing his eyes. Magical promises might be the best kind.