Not By Blood - THE REWRITE

Chapter Two

When Magnus Bane opened the door to his penthouse, the last thing that he was expecting to see was a Shadowhunter carrying something wrapped in a blanket. The woman was fair-skinned with long, red hair. Her hazel eyes were filled with desperation. He recognized her within an instant: Jocelyn Morgenstern, the wife of the leader of the circle. The man that was responsible for the deaths of so many Downworlders. So many of Magnus's friends.

"You are either entirely too arrogant or incredibly stupid," Magnus told her bluntly. He'd always suspected that Jocelyn wasn't as dead as the Clave believed.

Jocelyn had the decency to look abashed. "I deserve that," she admitted quietly. "I have done horrible things, I stood by my husband as he did horrible things. I made mistakes, but please, I'm trying to protect my daughter."

She shifted the blanket so Magnus could see a little face looking out at him. The child had her mother's red hair and hazel eyes. She had her thumb in her mouth as she peered at Magnus, eyes full of innocent curiosity.

"Her father, I know they say that he's dead, but I don't believe that," Jocelyn admitted in a whisper. "He'll come after me and Clary. I can only hide for so long, but I can't have Clary in danger if something were to happen to me. I need you to take away her ability to see the Shadow World."

Magnus's eyes flicked back down at the little girl who was now smiling at him from behind her thumb.

"She'd only be in more danger. Taking away her sight won't stop the demons and Downworlders from sensing what she is and coming after her. Not only that, but it could also potentially kill her." Magnus told her flatly.

Jocelyn looked at him with wide, fearful eyes. "Is there nothing you can do?"

He pursed his lips as the little Nephilim sat up in her mother's arms and reached out to Magnus in a silent command to be held by the Warlock. Magnus looked to her mother before plucking her out of the Shadowhunter's arms.

Clary relaxed against him at once, head falling to his shoulder, one hand fisting the collar of his shirt.

"She likes you," Jocelyn told him.

Magnus hummed, placing a hand on the girl's back. "How old is she?"

Jocelyn's hands fiddled with the blanket that she was still holding. "Two. She just turned two last month."

"Has she seen anything of the Shadow World yet?" His mind ran through all the possible solutions that he could think of.

"Not yet, but it's only a matter of time," Jocelyn sighed.

"Well, when it happens, give me a call," he conjured up a card with his phone number on it and handed it to the Shadowhunter with a flourish. "I'll erase the memories of whatever it is that she saw. That's the best I can offer you."

Magnus passed the child back to her mother. Jocelyn considered the offer for a moment, looking down at her daughter, worrying her bottom lip. She looked back at Magnus, determination making her hazel eyes appear steely.

"Deal."

***

"Who's the kid?" Raphael had entered the loft before stopping short of coming into the sitting room. He stared down at Clary Fray, sitting on the rug and playing with a handful of Barbies. Magnus was sitting in an armchair, reading over one of his potions journals.

"Ah, Hijo," Magnus glanced up at his adoptive son. "meet Clary. Clary, dear, this is Raphael."

Clary looked up from her dolls to smile at the vampire. "Hi!" she said brightly. "play?"

She offered him one of her Barbies. Raphael looked to his father for help, but Magnus simply turned back to his journal. Raphael looked back at the girl who was patiently waiting for him to accept the toy. He hesitated for a moment before he knelt beside her and took the toy stiffly.