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As Raphael and Simon left Magnus’ place, Simon turned to Raphael.
“Hurry up, this address is across the town and I have to make it back for dinner or my mum is going to be mad at me!” said Simon.
“Then go now,” Raphael said.
“No, Magnus needs this to summon Camille and until she’s not sent to Idris I will help with whatever he needs.” Simon said, almost outraged at the idea that Raphael thinks he should just leave already.
“If you want to go to that address, be my guest but I am headed back to the Hotel Dumort. I have had a long day and thanks to you I was tortured. I need to rest and feed.” Raphael said.
Simon was shocked. He blinked a couple of times and shook his head. There was no way Raphael would just abandon Magnus right? The only person who wanted Camille gone more than him was Raphael and yet he stood in front of him looking completely calm.
Raphael looked collected and had he not see the scars the clan leader was sporting earlier, Simon would have thought Raphael was just walking around town for the fun of it.
“What do you mean?” asked Simon.
“Dios! Are you that stupid?” seethed Raphael.
The change in his manner was shocking. Raphael would normally threaten Simon by speaking calmly. That was why Simon was so terrified of the older vampire. He was not prone to outbursts of emotion and yet here he stood outside of Magnus’ building looking ready to kill.
Seeing as the younger vampire was lost for words, Raphael took a couple of steps closer to Simon.
“Magnus does not need anything from Catarina. He just wanted us out of his place’” Raphael said slowly.
“Why would he lie?” asked Simon, while wearing a confused expression on his face.
“Because he wants to send Camille to Idris, alone and in his own time.” said the older vampire.
“Well he could have just said that then!” exclaimed Simon.
“No, he could not,” said Raphael as he started to walk away from Simon.
Simon’s curiosity was not sated. He followed Raphael. The older vampire sighed as he realized Simon had questions and would not leave him alone. He briefly considered speeding off but he was too tired and drained from when Aldertree had ‘motivated’ him earlier in the evening.
“Why would he hide that from us? Why lie? After all, we all want the same thing, right?” Simon asked.
“Yes we do, but we should respect Magnus wanting some privacy for this. Camille is many things but to Magnus she is important.” Raphael said.
“Okay, but this does not really make any sense. He could have just asked for privacy that way we would have no choice but leave,” reasoned Simon.
“He did. In a way.” Raphael said.
When he saw how unsatisfied Simon was with his answer, he added, “Magnus is the High Warlock of Brooklyn and he’s the most powerful warlock I’ve ever met. He does not need help. I know this is new to you, but a warlock does not simply gain that title. I have to assume he thought you would understand that as well.”
Simon did not like how condescending Raphael had sounded but chose to ignore it for now.
“Okay, but why did he ask us to go to Catarina? I assume she’s a real person?” Simon asked.
“Catarina is real; she’s a warlock as well as a healer. She would not have been able to do much to help us even if we did go to her, and as for why he would send us to her, that’s easy. He knew that I would understand.” said Raphael.
“Catarina is a warlock healer? Do you know her?” asked Simon.
“Yes.” Raphael replied curtly. He was getting annoyed by these incessant questions.
Once again, ignoring Raphael’s displeasure of having to answer his questions, Simon asked, “So why did you not go to her then? With the scars and all, I mean Magnus did do a really good job, you can’t even tell that less than an hour ago you had deep scars all over but why go to Magnus when Catarina is a healer?”
“Simon, if you want to keep breathing you will go for that dinner with your mother now!” threatened Raphael.
Unaffected by his threat, Simon went on.
“Is Magnus like your downworld sponsor as well? I mean you don’t seem to need one, but I guess it’s always good to have one?”
Raphael stopped walking. Simon who was two paces behind him walked right into him as he stopped abruptly.
Looking directly at Simon, Raphael said, “Magnus is more than my ‘downworld sponsor’ and I suggest if you love your family you will leave me alone right now.”
“I only asked because I think Magnus is kind of mine as well. But okay, you clearly need some alone time so I’m going to go away, “said Simon as he walked away from the older vampire. Simon was certain whatever Raphael was to Magnus, meant a lot to the both of them. He thought to himself that it was weird he had never seen the two men interact before but somehow they had seemed close.
Also it was strange how at home Raphael had looked at Magnus’. Simon simply shrugged and kept walking. He checked his phone and saw a message from Clary, with that he rushed over to the Institute.
As Raphael made his way back to the hotel he thought of Magnus and how he had saved his life decades ago. He also thought of how it never occurred to him to go see Catarina. He went to Magnus when he desperately needed help because the warlock was like a father to him, not a ‘downworld sponsor’. He did not even understand what that really meant, but he made plans to visit him again and soon because he of all people knew how much Camille meant to Magnus.