Assassin, until the first moment (🇬🇧)

Poison in the Shadows

Magnus gazed from the limousine window, watching as the houses pass by; they were getting bigger and more expensive looking the further they got into the neighbourhood. He wasn’t really paying much attention to his surroundings, too lost in his own thoughts. If someone were to later ask him which direction they had taken, he wouldn’t be able to provide an accurate answer.

The constant drowning of Jace and Sebastian’s conversation from the front of the car filled the silence in the limousine’s rear, it was almost soothing, but the assassin couldn’t make out what they were talking about and if he were being honest, he didn’t really care.

Magnus turned his head slightly so he could glance at Jace from the corner of his eye. Wondering if it had been the right decision to tell the bodyguard about his secret? Magnus quietly sighed. He didn’t trust him, but Alec did. That should be enough reason for him not to doubt his decision, right?

For over fifteen years he has been an official member of the Order and he had never once slipped up, always following the rules, but now he had broken the most important rule, not only once, but twice within the space of four days. Great. A true masterstroke, he thought ironically.

Magnus swivelled his head further to look at Alec, he sat next to him in the back seat of the limousine. The Duke gazed out of the window, apparently also lost in his own thoughts. A single strand of his dark wavy hair had fallen onto his face and the assassin had to stop himself from gently sweeping it back from Alec’s forehead.

Magnus didn’t know how this could have happened, but Alec has inadvertently diverted him from his path and catapulted him into the unknown over the last few days, which Magnus wasn’t entirely comfortable with; on the contrary. The assassin felt as if he were losing control, and it made him feel unsettled. The knot that had gripped him tight in his stomach last night, twisted and intensified as he overthought his situation. His father would undoubtedly call him pathetic if he were to see him like this, so unsure and full of doubt.

From an early age, Magnus had learned that feelings and emotions would only cloud his judgment and hinder him from making the right decisions. Consequently, Magnus had always followed his father’s advice, trying to keep on his path. Until now.

Magnus narrowed his brows, looking out of the window again. He couldn’t understand why he felt this fear, he was absolutely sure it wasn’t due to the probability of dying. Looking death in the eye did not bother him at all. He had accepted that his life could end at any given moment a long time ago. But what was it then? He just didn’t know.

Magnus suppressed a yawn, pressing his lips firmly together. Last night’s rest had been too short. The assassin had lain wide awake long after he realized that Alec wasn't going to follow him to bed. He had tossed and turned from side to side hoping to find sleep, but his raging thoughts had kept him from doing so. It had been well after midnight before a restless sleep had finally overcome him.

During the night Alec had crawled into bed, too. Magnus had woken up for a moment, but he had immediately plunged back into the world of dreams. Disappointment had curled in his chest when the assassin had found the bed deserted in the morning. A slight warmth on the sheet had been the only evidence that Alec had allowed himself to get a few hours of sleep.

Magnus had barely seen the Duke since. Alec had spent most of the morning and afternoon in his study, fulfilling his duty as a Duke. Instead of spending time with Alec, Magnus had used his time to go through the list Jace had given him. It contained many names of servants, but also all names of his friends and family members, just as Magnus had requested. He had questioned Jace about the few people he wasn’t familiar with, wanting to know about their duties and connection to Alec etc.