Distractions - Chapter 64: Chapter 64

Silky sheets and soft blankets enveloped her very being as the remnants of her dream faded away. She rolled over, eyes still closed against the faint light that managed to get past the curtains, in an attempt to find Magnus. All she found was an empty bed and chilled sheets.
She propped herself up on her elbows with a frown. Magnus was gone—again. This was the fourth morning in a row Magnus hadn't been there when she or Alec had woken up. She knew Alec would have left well before the sun was awake, maybe even after she and Magnus had fallen asleep, to handle the paperwork and drama surrounding Valentine. Had Magnus left the bed before Alec or after?
Everest carefully slipped out of the bed, shivering slightly from the difference in temperature. She checked the bathroom for Magnus, even though she knew he wouldn't be there. He wasn't. She sighed. She just wanted to understand what was going on with him so she could help him.
She grabbed her phone and a scrunchie before heading to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. She paused in the doorway.
Magnus was sitting statue still at the dining table-vanity hybrid, a blue and white teacup held tightly in his hands. His gaze, visible through the mirror in front of Magnus, was vacant and full of a deep rooted grief.
"There you are," she said lightly as she continued walking to the kitchen. Magnus jolted slightly before she watched him smile through the mirror, though it was somewhat tense.
"Good morning," Magnus said, turning to face her.
"I'd say the same, but it looks like you haven't slept."
"Should I be insulted by that?" Magnus teased, adjusting his blue suit jacket as he stood.
"No, I love your face." Magnus smiled and stepped closer. He paused when Everest continued. "But this is like the fourth morning I've woken up to an empty bed, or a bed without you at least. Is there something bothering you?"
Magnus shook his head almost minutely and he smiled, but his eyebrows rose ever so slightly like they did whenever he was pretending to be okay. "Nothing's bothering me. I've even gotten used to your adorable little sleep rants."
She rolled her eyes fondly, one hand raising to cover the hand Magnus had on her chest. "I don't sleep rant. I just sleep talk every once in a while."
"Cupcake, you ranted about the best brand of hairspray to make a flamethrower in your sleep last week."
"No I didn't," she protested, letting herself be pulled into the kitchen towards the coffee maker. "Look, I know you well enough to know that something's going on in your head."
Magnus smiled and leaned against the counter. "Everest, I'm fine. Really."
She paused briefly in starting a pot of coffee to raise her eyebrows at him. He was fully aware of how disheveled and out of it he looked, right? He was aware that he looked like he had just gone a dozen rounds with a semi and lost, didn't he? He had to, right?
Everest sighed quietly and stepped between Magnus's legs. He set his teacup on the counter and wrapped his arms around her waist, just barely brushing her bare legs. She cupped his face in her hands, his skin warm against her cold hands. "Do you remember that morning after Iris put that spell on all of us? Do you remember what we promised each other?"
He leaned into her hands and sighed. He closed his eyes briefly and Everest wanted so desperately to kiss away the faint tear tracks she could see, but it wasn't the time for that. "I remember," he said softly.
"We promised that we would tell each other if things got bad, in our heads or otherwise," she said anyway.
"I know," he whispered.
She ran her thumb over his cheek and he opened his eyes slowly, gaze full of sorrow and grief and hope and love all at once. As much as it hurt to see Magnus so clearly distraught, it gave her some level of comfort to know that he still held hope and love in his eyes, that he wasn't ready to give up yet.
"Keep to that promise, please?"
"I will."
The kiss they shared was slow and sweet, full of promises and declarations of love and life. It was reassuring and hopeful for their future, everything they needed just then. His chest was warm as her hands trailed down his chest, tracing every line and scar alike. He tugged her closer, hands slipping beneath her shirt to settle on her waist, each touch gentle and burning at once.
"Promise?" she asked, peppering kisses across his face.
"Promise," he said on an exhale, smiling once again when she worked her way back to his lips.
...
Trigger Warnings: Panic, mentions of past self harm, mentions of past near death experience
Everest drummed her fingers against her coffee cup as she and Alec wandered through the Institute, killing time until they had to be in the Ops Center.
"I'm worried about Magnus," she said quietly, anxiety coiling in her chest like a loaded gun.
Alec sighed, the weight of the world in that one breath. "Me too."
"I just don't know what we can do unless he tells us. And he won't tell us what's going on with him because he's stubborn and thinks that we'll leave or be upset or some shit like that if he tells us!" Everest's chest heaved with her frustration and Alec quickly but carefully tugged her into a small deadend hall.
He gently set her coffee on an entry table and grasped her hands in his. "What's going on, Darling?" he asked, close enough for her to feel his concern but not so close that he was cornering her.
She closed her eyes and huffed out a near desperate breath, worry overwhelming every sensation she might have otherwise felt. "I just—Magnus isn't okay but he's pretending he is and I know how that ends up. I know it better than anyone. I've lived it so many times, almost died because of it too! And he won't tell us what's going on so we can't help him and—and if we can't help him—" She let out a small, desperate cry and slid to the floor with her knees to her chest. Alec sank to the floor far more gracefully. "I'm just scared that—"
"Scared of what?"
She took a shuddering breath, shoving the memories of hospitals and bandages and all her pain into her box of negativities and forced the lid down with all her might. "I'm scared that he won't let us help him and he'll end up like me!"
"Oh, Darling..."
Alec's warmth surrounded her in an instant, arms wrapping around her and pulling her into his chest. Her shoulders shook and her chest heaved as she cried into his shoulder. He didn't say anything, just rubbed her back in repetitive patterns.
"I don't want Magnus to end up like me, with scars he's ashamed of, that he's scared of. I don't want him to feel like I did when I did what I did, or what I felt when I woke up in the hospital. I don't want to lose him!" She held onto him like a lifeline, desperate for any kind of comfort as panic clawed at her throat and thoughts of Magnus in the state she was once in fought to stay at the forefront of her mind. "I don't want to lose either of you. I can't lose you two. Please, don't make me say goodbye."
"You won't lose either of us, I promise," Alec said firmly, despite his voice breaking from emotion. "We will help Magnus. He won't end up in the hospital or self destruct, we'll make sure of it. We're with you until the end and well after, Darling. You won't ever have to say goodbye to us."
She could only hold onto him tighter as she continued to sob. When Alec's tears fell into her hair, she only sobbed harder.
Trigger Warnings over
Trigger Warnings for worry and anxiety continued
By the time the two of them were collected and calm enough to go to the Ops Center for their debrief with Jace, Izzy, and Sebastian, Everest's coffee had gone cold. She sighed but took another sip anyway as the two of them left the hallway. She and Alec finally made it to the Ops Center, leaning heavily against each other as they approached the waiting Sebastian. Everest saw Jace and Izzy approaching out of the corner of her eye. She tilted her head in consideration. How was Jace handling what had happened in the Seelie Court? Probably not that well, considering the almost pitying look Izzy was giving him and the tenseness in Jace's hands.
"You ready Darling?" Alec whispered just before they reached the table Sebastian was leaning against.
She shrugged but smiled wryly. "No but I have to be. There's shit to do and paperwork to be done and people to piss off."
Alec smiled more genuinely than he had been and in turn Everest breathed a little easier. She loved Alec's smile. It always made her feel more at peace and like things might have a chance at being okay.
Izzy and Jace reached Sebastian just as Everest and Alec did.
"I've requested that we move Valentine to the Gard in Idris," Alec said without missing a beat. "The Clave has approved the transfer."
"What, you told them about the assassination attempt?" Jace asked, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow.
Everest snorted. "Like that would go over well."
It hadn't even gone over well when she had been told about it. She had protested and yelled into pillows and went on a four hour walk and drank at least three pots of coffee before sleeping at the Karter's and leaving before they knew she was there. She didn't want to know how it would go over if the Clave found out.
Alec took a deep breath. "No. I explained to them that moving Valentine out of the city is the best way to restore relations with the DownWorld. I left Luke out of it."
Everest smiled gratefully at her boyfriend. She knew how difficult it had been for him to decide to leave Luke out of his request.
"It is the right decision," Sebastian assured Alec in his absurdly comforting voice. Everest couldn't quite place why his voice was so nice to listen to. Maybe it was his accent, or the way he said words. Or maybe it was just that he spoke with a very rhythmic cadence.
"But, we have not given up on finding who orchestrated the hit on Valentine," Alec added.
"I really wish we could just let them complete their goal sometimes," Everest muttered around her mug.
Izzy snorted.
"I actually have a few leads on that," Sebastian said, smiling lightly. "Finding who ordered it, not letting them complete their goal. I'll, uhm, I'll get a report in by the end of the day."
"Great."
Sebastian left, already tapping away on a tablet Everest hadn't seen him holding.
"Izzy, you'll be leading the transfer mission. Jace, Everest, you will assist."
Jace nodded approvingly, though he sighed in unison with Alec when Izzy and Everest fistbumped with devious smirks.
"We need to remove Valentine's circle rune. The new wards in Idris won't let him pass with it on," Izzy said in her 'I'm a motherfucking professional' voice. "Jace, would you like to do the honors?"
Jace smirked. "Thought you'd never ask."
Izzy grinned. "Okay. You're with me Sunny."
Everest barely had time to smile in goodbye to Alec and Jace before Izzy looped her arm around Everest's, pulling her towards the residential area.
"Okay, spill," Izzy said once they were in a more secluded part of the Institute.
Everest sighed, knowing exactly what her Parabatai-To-Be was talking about. "I'm worried about Magnus. He's not really sleeping and there's clearly something bothering him but he won't tell me or Alec what it is and I really just don't want him to end up like me and I'm really stressed out about it. And add on what happened in the Seelie Court and Clary and Simon having issues and Nettie of all people being the fucking Seelie Queen? I'm just fucking done. I just want to curl up under all my blankets and sleep for a week."
Izzy draped her arm around Everest's shoulders and leaned her head against hers. "I get that. I'd love to take a week-long nap. Especially after these last few days. It's really fucking annoying when two of your ex boyfriends are at a meeting you're also at and both try to talk to you."
Everest exhaled sharply. "Ew, I'm sorry. They usually know better."
"I know they do. The only reason I didn't hit them right then and there besides the fact it was a diplomatic meeting was that a lot of the conversation was them asking how you are."
"By the Angel, they're ridiculous."
"Tell me about it," Izzy grumbled, only sounding half annoyed. "It was kinda sweet tho. Speaking of kinda sweet, Let's go tell our favorite feisty redhead about Valentine's transfer."
"This is gonna go great."
"Don't be a pessimist."
Everest just stuck her tongue out.
"Come in," Clary called in a very stressed out voice when Everest knocked on her bedroom door.
Clary was both far more put together and far less put together than Everest was. Where Everest was in jeans that were mostly holes and an oversized mustard yellow sweater paired with Doc Martens and as much jewelry as she could stand, Clary was in a dusty pink shirt and cuffed jeans and the lowest rise socks possible. However, there was something in Clary's expression that was so incredibly familiar to Everest that it hurt her: a desperate need for answers where there were none. She sighed but forced away any pity that might have worked its way onto her face. Clary thinking she was pitying her wouldn't go well for anyone.
"We're transferring Valentine to Idris tonight. I assume you want to be part of the mission?" Izzy offered.
Clary sighed. "Yeah, actually, I don't. I—I have to go sort all this out with Simon. In person."
Izzy and Everest shared a look. They knew very well how this would go, how it would end. While Izzy took Clary's hands, Everest wrapped an arm around her sister and they both guided the redhead to sit on her bed. Clary looked between them, a crease forming between her eyebrows.
"I know it's none of my business, but after what you guys just went through, maybe you should give Simon some time," Izzy suggested. Everest could clearly hear the unsaid "Give yourself some time too," but she wasn't sure Clary did.
"No." Izzy blinked back in surprise. Everest's arm around Clary tightened. "I can't let him think that what happened in the Seelie Court is how I really feel."
"Clary, Seelie magic may trick you, but it's always true," Izzy said gently, but with enough firmness that Clary wouldn't ignore what she was saying.
"I know it's confusing, Ritz, but you can have feelings for multiple people at once," Everest said, tracing the scar on Clary's shoulder from when they were ten and decided to climb onto the roof of their building. "It doesn't make you a bad person or your feelings any less valid."
"I know that, Ev, but I have to talk to Simon," Clary insisted, eyes glistening. "I need to make sure he's okay."
"None of you are okay, Ritz," Everest said with a note of finality. "I think Simon needs to process what happened before you guys talk about it. You do too."
That was the last straw for Clary, the thing that pushed her over the edge. The oldest of the three young women let out a single, broken sob, curling into her younger twin with her face in her hands. Everest just hugged her sister as tight as she could, Izzy moving to do the same. For the fourth time in as many days, the three curled up together on a bed as they processed all that had happened recently in the comfort of each other's arms and away from the rest of their world.
...
Everest sat on the floor of Alec's office scrolling through Pinterest trying to find a blanket that fit her criteria while Alec worked. She was finally making good on the silent promise she had made after what happened at Ragnor's house to get Magnus a massive, soft, green blanket.
She looked up when Izzy knocked on the open door.
"Valentine's circle rune has been removed, and I've assembled my team," Izzy said, passing Everest a large coffee, a pack of Skittles, and a protein bar. "Protein first, then Skittles."
Everest stuck her tongue out but her friend just rolled her eyes.
"Good. I'll feel a lot better when he's out of the Institute," Alec said.
"Have you secured Magnus for the transfer?" Izzy asked, though she cast a worried look at Everest, who shook her head.
Everest stood up when Alec's chair rolled out from under his desk. She tucked the Skittles into her pocket and fell into step with the other two.
"I think we should consider using a different warlock," Alec said, somewhat cautiously. "Caterina Loss lives in uhm—"
"I understand where you're coming from, but we're talking about Portaling the Clave's most wanted into Idris.There's not many warlocks with that clearance. Besides, I want the best. And that's Magnus."
"Look, Magnus isn't exactly in the best place right now," Alec said. "He hasn't been sleeping."
"What's wrong?" Izzy asked, even though Everest had already told her not even an hour ago. They both knew Alec needed to talk about what was going on with someone besides Everest and Jace wasn't exactly emotionally available just then.
"I don't know. He says it's nothing, but I can tell he's not alright. We both can."
Everest nudged Alec's arm and offered him a sip of her coffee. He took it with a grateful smile.
"Some people find it hard to ask for help," Izzy said as they stopped at the top of the stairs that led directly into the Ops Center. "If Magnus is hurting, don't let him push you away."
"We're trying," Everest muttered, taking another sip of her coffee.
"We can still use a different warlock, though," Alec said.
"There you are!"
Everest turned to see Sebastian bounding up the stairs towards the three of them, tablet in hand.
"Any update on the mole?" Alec asked, slipping back into work mode in an instant.
"Yeah. Whoever it was is a clever one. Left absolutely no trace."
"Great. Just great," Everest muttered bitterly. There were far too many Shadowhunters who were involved in situations like this who knew their way around a computer.
Sebastian chuckled. "Exactly. But, uhm, I've been auditing personnel files. I've found a few Shadowhunters who have a personal stake in wanting Valentine dead. Family members killed, relatives lost to the Circle. All with enough access and clearance to pull it off."
"Well, send me the list when you're done with it—"
"By the Angel!" Izzy interrupted, a bright grin breaking out across her face. She all but ran down the stairs, leaving the other three baffled.
"Aline!" Alec called out happily upon seeing who Izzy was going towards. He hurried over to the woman, leaving Everest and Sebastian in the dust.
It was a tall Asian woman with her dark hair pulled back into a high ponytail, revealing runes curling around her neck and shoulders. She wore all black like many Shadowhunters, but she had put her own spin on the usual attire. Instead of jeans and a t-shirt with a high neckline, she wore a black button up and black slacks under a black trench coat that had several straps decorating it. She was absolutely stunning, and when she broke out into a brilliant smile, Everest had to take several deep breaths.
"In the flesh," the woman said as she hugged Izzy.
"It's been years," Alec marveled.
"What are you doing here?" Izzy asked as Sebastian and Everest reached the three.
"I would have given you both a heads up, but I didn't want to spook my dear cousin who disappeared for half a year only to show up here." Aline stepped towards Sebastian and Everest watched in fascination as Sebastian was rendered speechless for the first time since she had met him. "Come here, you gorgeous Engishman."
"It's good to see you, Aline," Sebastian said, still looking stunned as Aline hugged him, the newcomer's pinky ring glinting.
A Shadowhunter Everest didn't recognize showed Alec something on a tablet and he nodded. "Uh, I'm sorry. Excuse me." He pressed a kiss to Everest's cheek and then he was gone, melding into the sea of Shadowhunters.
The action drew Aline's attention to Everest. "You must be Everest," she said with a smile and tilt of her head as she stepped closer to her. "I've heard a lot about you."
Everest shot a wide eyed look at Izzy that was mostly a silent scream of "Help me, I'm too queer for this!" but her friend just laughed. As much as Everest adored seeing Izzy full of such a genuine, bright happiness, she wasn't as pleased that it was at her expense.
"Like what?" she managed to get out in a voice that wasn't entirely a squeak. Why was it that nearly every Shadowhunter she met was either extremely hot or extremely intimidating? And why was it that every extremely hot Shadowhunter she met had a tendency to stare into her soul while smirking and being too far away for the lack of distance to be obvious, but too close for it to be all that casual. It really wasn't fair. It really wasn't good for Everest's ability to function either.
"Oh, the usual," Aline said in a voice that made it clear she knew what she was doing. Izzy snickered in the background. Sebastian looked severely distressed. "How you've shot Valentine, that you're one of the reasons the Inquisitor stayed as long as she did, how you've managed to piss off but impress every Clave member you've met, and how you've managed to get some level of respect from nearly every DownWorld group you've had prolonged contact with."
"Oh," Everest said in a small voice. "Interesting."
She shot Izzy another look that was more than a little desperate and definitely panicked. Her brain couldn't take this. Her heart couldn't take this. Her ability to function couldn't take this. Her ability to do her job couldn't take this.
Izzy laughed, but finally took pity on her. She looped her arm with Everest and, still grinning, leaned close to her ear, though both Aline and Sebastian were close enough to hear her anyway. "Isn't there a phone call you need to make about a certain gift for a certain someone?"
Everest took the out, as obvious as it was. "Right, yeah. I'm gonna go do that so just, uh, text me when it's time to do productive stuff. Nice to meet you Aline. Bye!"
She all but ran away, Izzy's laughter echoing through the Ops Center. Even as flustered and out of it as Everest was, she still smiled slightly upon hearing Izzy's laughter so loud and genuine. It had been a long time since Izzy had laughed like that. It was good to hear it again.
Alec fell into step with her as she passed him, chuckling under his breath. "You lasted longer than I thought you would once you saw Aline," he mused as Everest continued to speed walk to her room.
She shot him a betrayed look and gasped loudly, her hand flying to her chest even as she dodged a flying tupperware.
"Sorry!" someone shouted from the kitchen. She just threw up a thumbs up in the voice's general direction.
"How long did you think I'd last?" she demanded, though there was little heat to her words. She was surprised she lasted that long too, honestly.
"I thought you'd just walk away once you saw her for the first time."
Everest scoffed. "Why?"
"Honestly? I was pretty sure your brain would explode the first time you saw her and you would just walk away to process it all."
She opened her mouth, paused, considered it, then hummed. "I almost did," she admitted, grabbing her bag from her room before walking right back into the hall.
Alec, who had only taken a step or two inside the room, didn't even bother to turn around. He just walked out backwards until he got into the hall. "What made you stay?" he asked, smiling and eyes shining in amusement.
"She made you and Izzy smile as soon as you saw her. And anyone who can do that is worth meeting, even if they break my brain a little."
Alec grabbed Everest's arm and spun her towards him, capturing her lips in a kiss that left her breathless almost immediately. He broke it only moments later, but she was still breathing noticeably harder than before. "You're adorable," he said with a smile.
"I know," she quipped, smiling too. She grabbed his hand and started walking towards the doors again. "Let's go. I wanna get there before it closes."
"Where are we going?" he asked, even as he allowed her to essentially drag him along.
"You'll see."
...
Trigger Warnings: Panic/fear, grief, mentions of past death, burning alive (off page)
Just over thirty minutes later, Everest and Alec were entering Magnus's apartment with a large black bag on Alec's arm—he had insisted, much to Everest's amusement. Everest paused just inside the entryway, her bag already halfway off her arm. It was too quiet. Magnus almost always had some sort of music playing when he was home, and if he didn't, he was working on something that filled the apartment with noise. She glanced at Alec, worry pushing her excitement and anticipation to the side. He frowned and set the bag down on the table near the living room.
The two of them walked slowly, silently, through the apartment, weapons in hand but not drawn yet. Alec saw him first.
"Everest."
She turned to see Magnus sitting in one of the armchairs, staring at nothing with a vacant gaze, mindlessly sipping on an empty martini glass. Her tense posture evaporated and her hands fell to her side, concern stinging behind her eyes. She pushed it away. Magnus needed her, needed them. She couldn't cry right now.
"Magnus?" she called.
There was no response.
"Magnus?" Alec called.
Magnus startled, blinking harsh enough that his nose twitched, as he plastered on a fake smile and stood, seemingly in reflex. "Well, hello." He stood, gesturing to the bar cart beside them. "I was just about to make myself a drink. Want one?"
Everest's gaze didn't leave Magnus, even as she took off her jacket and tossed it onto the couch. Not even as Alec said, "No. We're transporting Valentine to Idris."
Magnus turned towards them, shaker in shaky hands. "Even more reason. We can toast to Valentine's highly anticipated departure."
If Everest hadn't already known something was really wrong with Magnus, she would have then. His hands never shook, not like that. The cadence and rhythm he spoke with never changed mid-sentence. It did just then.
"I love you, Everest loves you, and it's clear something's wrong." Magnus froze mid pour. "Whatever it is, we're here for you."
"I appreciate it, but I'm fine."
"No you're not," Everest spoke up. "I'm sorry, but we're not gonna leave until you talk to us. Do you remember what you promised a few weeks ago? What you promised this morning?"
Magnus slowly set the shaker down, took a deep breath that rattled his entire body like it was made of tissue paper, and turned towards Everest and Alec wringing his hands.
"When I was tortured in Valentine's body, that agony rune, it...it made me relive my worst memory," Magnus's voice wavered and he took another deep breath that rattled his entire body before continuing. "And now...I can't get it out of my head. It...every time I close my eyes, it..."
Magnus sat down on a chair in a fluid, harsh motion, hands folded in his lap as he stared at the ground. Without missing a beat to process or overthink, Alec and Everest kneeled on the ground in front of him.
"Hey. What is it?"
"Remember I told you I found my mother dead by her own hand? My stepfather found me shortly after. He screamed at me. Called me an abomination."
"What?" Alec asked in a soft, horrified voice.
Magnus scoffed, eyes glistening. "He was right. He blamed me for her suicide. He said that she hated herself for giving birth to a monster. So I lashed out. With all the magic I had."
Everest almost cried then and there. As it was, her eyes burned and her hands shook. What Magnus was describing, the emotions and feelings he was remembering, it was so incredibly familiar to Everest. She knew what it felt like to be called horrible things, to be yelled at, to be blamed for things outside of her control. She knew what it felt like to live with those memories, those feelings, that guilt and self hatred for years afterwards.
"I burned him. Right where he stood. I murdered my stepfather." Magnus all but spat the title, tears streaming down his face.
"You were just a boy. You weren't in control of your powers," Alec said in a gentle voice.
"Yes, actually. I was." Magnus looked up at the two of them, as if searching for a sign that they were going to leave him. Everest held steadfast and she could only hope that Alec was too. Magnus looked down again. "I never wanted you to see this...terrible, ugly side of me...of my past."
"Hey." Magnus looked up, shaking, at Everest's gentle but firm voice. "There is absolutely nothing ugly about you, Magnus Bane. You are gorgeous, inside and out. You are kind, and brilliant, and so thoughtful and caring, and absolutely stunning. You have the best taste in food and clothes. You can out snark anyone. You are so strong and resilient and brave. I love you. I love you so much that I can't put it into words. We love you. More than words or art or anything in the world can describe."
Tears streamed down Everest's face the longer she talked, as they did on Magnus's face and even Alec's. As she talked, she and Alec wound their arms around Magnus and together they coaxed him onto the floor so that he was essentially in their laps. Magnus held onto them for dear life, and they held him just as tightly. Everest ran one hand through his hair while the other rested on the small of his back to provide a constant pressure. Alec rubbed circles into Magnus's back with one hand while his other hand laced with Everest's hand on the small of his back.
Trigger Warnings over
Eventually their tears dried and though the grief and pain was still there, it was lessened. By that point, Everest's foot had fallen asleep. She glanced up from where she had been staring at Magnus's back for the last she didn't even know how long. She nearly facepalmed. She had forgotten about Magnus's gift. She gently untangled herself from her boyfriends, and resisted the urge to return to her previous position when both of them looked at her with vaguely wounded, confused looks.
"I need to grab something. I'll be back in ten seconds," she said gently.
Alec's expression cleared and he whispered something in Magnus's ear as Everest all but sprinted to grab Magnus's gift. She returned to her previous spot in moments and handed Magnus his gift.
"Open it," she urged.
Magnus only untangled himself enough to open the bag and pull out the gift. He glanced between her and the soft, green blanket for long enough that she began to second guess herself. What if he didn't like it? Did he not like the color? Would he even be happy with the reminder of his friend? Would he get upset with her for the reminder of Ragnor? Was it the wrong time to give it to him?
"Thank you, Cupcake, I love it," Magnus said earnestly, eyes glossy once more, though this time it was due to happy tears. He wrapped his arms around Everest tightly. She let out a long sigh of relief. "It's Ragnor green."
"It was on purpose," she said softly, running her hands through his hair again. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Alec unwrapping the blanket.
"It's perfect," Magnus said, smiling genuinely without any hidden grief for the first time in a while.
"I'm glad," she said, pressing a kiss to his cheek as Alec wrapped the three of them—but mostly Magnus—in the blanket. "I'm really glad."
...
They walked into the cell silently, expressions carefully blank and footsteps loud and powerful in their boots. They filed in one by one, surrounding Valentine as they stood in their assigned spots. Valentine, the man who dared call himself Everest's father, looked at them all, wariness clear despite his attempt at nonchalance. In precise motions, chains were attached to Valentine's ankles and wrists. Jace hauled him to his feet, the chains rattling.
Valentine made eye contact with Everest and raised an eyebrow, but she just raised her own in turn before following Izzy out of the cell. The rest of their team surrounded Valentine as he was escorted out to where Alec and Magnus were waiting. Izzy stood beside her brother and Everest moved to be on the other side of Valentine.
"Valentine Morgenstern, by order of the Clave, you are hereby remanded to the Gard in Idris," Alec announced in a carefully measured, authoritative voice.
Izzy nodded to Magnus, who, without taking his eyes off Valentine, opened a Portal.
"I may be in a cell, but at least I'll be in Alicante, where the air doesn't reek of Downworlders," Valentine spat, the unbothered attitude he usually tried so hard to cultivate gone.
Everest's grip on her gun tightened when she saw Magnus glance away. The urge to punch Valentine had never been stronger. Izzy shot her a warning look and Everest took a deep breath. She couldn't hit Valentine, not then. If she hit him, then everyone would get in trouble.
"Get him out of here," Alec commanded.
The team nodded to one another and then Everest, Jace, Izzy, and three guards stepped through the Portal, Everest holding onto Jace so that she didn't get stuck in limbo as she'd never been to Idris.
When Everest and the others stepped out of the Portal, they were in what looked like an average pavilion, if it weren't for the runes and guards everywhere. Moments after Everest, Jace, Izzy, and their three guards stepped through, the last team of guards stepped through. Valentine and the third guard in the second group never stepped through. A long stream of curse words ran through Everest's mind like a waterfall as the Portal closed. Of fucking course something had gone wrong. Why would it have gone right? That would be too easy. Nothing was easy when it came to Valentine.
"Where is the prisoner?" the Consul, a middle aged man with light blue eyes that were far too bright to be anything but contacts, demanded.
"I don't know, Consul Dieudonné," Izzy said in a measured voice.
"What happened to Duncan?" Jace asked in a low voice, looking at Izzy and Everest with well concealed panic.
"Where the Angel is Valentine?" the Consul demanded, nearly shouting.
No one had an answer.