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Alec straightened the shirt he was wearing for the fourth time and took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders. Magnus had picked this shirt out for him. He knew he looked good. He was ready, and he was not going to fail. Not today.
“Alexander, I have seen you less worried about facing down a hoard of demons. What on earth are you doing today?”
Alec smiled and glanced over at Magnus, who was leaning in the doorway of their bedroom, wearing his favorite robe and nothing more. “I have a meeting in Idris this morning. It’s an important one.”
Magnus raised both of his eyebrows. “Oh? What’s it about?”
“I’ll tell you after,” Alec promised, striding across the room to his husband. He stole a soft kiss and snuck both of his hands under Magnus’ robe. “Though you’re tempting me to be late for that meeting.”
Magnus chuckled against his lips. “Go, I want you to win whatever battle you’re fighting.”
“I will,” Alec promised, pressing their foreheads together, looking at Magnus. His heart turned over and he took a deep breath. This was too important to fail, and he would not. This was about more than just him. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Magnus whispered, stealing another kiss before he opened a portal to the Institute for Alec. “Now get going,” he ordered.
Alec winked at Magnus and headed into the portal. He stopped by his office briefly to grab the additional details he needed for his presentation before he headed to the portal to Idris.
“Hey Alec!” Izzy shouted. “Good luck! Go bring them into modern day, will you?”
“You got it,” Alec promised her, heading into the portal. Being met, and then immediately escorted to the Clave Assembly floor. Lydia was waiting for him outside the doors and he relaxed at the sight of her, smiling.
She studied him. “You look ready.”
Alec nodded. “I am. This isn’t a fight I plan on losing. Who is going to go up against me the hardest?”
“The Consul and Inquisitor. However, there are rumors that we are looking for Inquisitor Herondale’s replacement,” Lydia said, studying Alec. “Your name has come up repeatedly for consideration.”
Alec jolted, his eyes widening as he looked at her. “I wouldn’t leave Magnus in New York.”
Lydia hummed, grinning. “Then I suggest you find a way to give him a reason to follow you here.”
Alec frowned, taking a second to parse her meaning before his eyes widened and he looked towards the doors. “They’ll never go for that.”
“The world is changing, Alec. Because of you. You have your supporters in that room, me included. Go in and fight for the future we all deserve, not just the one you want.”
Alec took another deep breath and nodded, facing the doors. “See you in there,” he told her, pushing them open, striding towards the center of the room. Jia Penhallow was waiting for him on the opposite end.
“Alec Lightwood, welcome.”
Alec inclined his head, falling into parade rest in the center of the room, resisting the urge to correct her on his name, even though she was well aware of it. “Thank you for the honor, Consul. It is a pleasure to be here today.”
“For those who are not aware,” Consul Penhallow continued. “Alec Lightwood has put forth the suggestion that we amend the law of this sacred city and allow Downworlders entrance and the ability to travel through it.”
A murmur swept the room and Alec shifted, spinning slowly to meet the eyes of every member sitting in the room. “Yes, I have,” he said, keeping his voice firm and confident. “It is long past time that the Clave stepped into the modern day reality of our world.”
“And what reality might that be?” Inquisitor Herondale asked. “What reason could we possibly have for allowing downworlders into Idris?”
In an abrupt instant, Alec felt fury cascade through him. Had they already forgotten? It had been mere months and they had forgotten what had happened?
“May I remind the Inquisitor, the Consul, and the entire Assembly of the Clave that the only reason Alicante and Idris still stand to this day is because of a Downworlder,” Alec said, his voice carrying loudly through the room. “A downworlder, who, at great personal risk, I might add, saved every single man, woman and child, here.”
Inquisitor Herondale scoffed, rolling her eyes. “We’re well-aware of your bias towards the warlock Magnus Bane, Mr. Lightwood. There’s no need to extol his virtues.”
Alec’s eyes flashed dangerously and he approached the front of the assembly where the Consul and Inquisitor were sitting. “My bias? Do care to explain, Inquisitor.” He paused, his voice icy as he added. “And it is Lightwood-Bane, if it pleases the Assembly.”
She looked pointedly towards the ring on his finger. “I am speaking of your…marriage to that downworlder.”
“His name, Inquisitor,” Alec said, his voice reaching a level of dangerous calm. “Is Magnus Lightwood-Bane. And you would do well to remember it.” He stood upright and looked around the room, his shoulders square.
“I encourage you to ask every warlock in your acquaintance, every, single, one, if they could have done what Magnus did that night. If they would have had the power, and the willingness to trap themselves permanently in a demonic plane of existence, to protect us.” Alec put the emphasis on the word and felt it ripple through the crowd.
“We have done nothing for them, for years,” Alec continued and met the gazes of multiple Clave members until they looked down in shame, and Lydia gave him an approving nod. “The very least we can do is welcome them into our home that one of their own was responsible for saving.”
The Consul leaned forward and frowned. “You are making a very bold claim, in saying that no other warlock could have done what he did.”
Alec turned and met Jia Penhallow’s eyes and raised his chin, refusing to back down. “Find another that not only has the power to do so, but the inclination to save a nation of Shadowhunters. Because I can assure you, based on my work in New York alone, there are some of his kind who do not approve of he did, based on their experiences with us.”
“That is in the past,” The Inquisitor waved off. “Warlocks. Always living in the past.”
“They are immortal,” Alec said, his voice one step below a snarl. “What we are treating as ancient history for us is a matter of a fraction of their lifespan. It does great insult to them to pretend as though the world has changed, when Valentine is recent evidence that it has not!”
The room fell dead silent and Alec spun again, taking his time until he met the eyes of every member of the Clave’s assembly.
“We owe our lives, and our very way of life, to a downworlder. To Magnus Lightwood-Bane,” Alec spoke, his voice passionate and angry. “I want to ensure this assembly never forgets that, and I want to see Idris set an example for every other Institute in the world.”
Lydia spoke up this time, bringing all attention to her. “By doing what?”
Alec turned to her and grinned. “I want to see a High Warlock of Alicante position created, in addition to the proposed changes I have put forward.”
Lydia raised both of her eyebrows. “And I assume you have a suggested candidate?”
“You know,” Alec said, a grin starting. “I think I just might.”