The Red Scrolls of Magic (The Eldest Curses, #1)

by Cassandra Clare

“No,” he said. He turned away, then looked over his shoulder. “I want to be clear,” he added. “No, I have plans for tonight that don’t include you. No, I’m not interested in fun on the quiet. And no. I can’t do better than Magnus. There isn’t better than Magnus.”

“Leon, are you making a pass?” demanded Helen Blackthorn. “Why do you always do this? Stop hitting on people, Leon!” “But life is short, and I am handsome and French,” Leon muttered.

We’re going to this Crimson Hand meeting place. You’re out, Aline’s in,” said Helen. “Don’t seduce anyone until we get back.”

“You don’t have to like her, but don’t treat her differently from any other Shadowhunter.” Aline blinked. “I wasn’t planning on it. Of course she’s… a colleague. I will treat her in a professional fashion. That was my plan for how to treat her. With a calm professionalism.”

His heartbeat rang in his own ears, signaling danger far too late. “I see that my beautiful trusting nature has been imposed on,” he said. “Again.”

“I had to make you feel sorry enough for me. I had to tell you the truth. That’s one more thing I can never forgive you for.”

He was enclosed by a curved windowless wall with an iron gate leading out to more darkness, and a hole on the far side that was either an old escape route or a latrine. Judging by the smell in the air, Magnus thought maybe it had been both. “It’s official,” he declared to no one in particular. “This is the worst vacation ever.”

You do not deserve glory. You started this cult as a joke. You had people pull pranks and heal the sick. You made a mockery of the name of Asmodeus.” “Mockery is the best use I’ve found for his name,” Magnus murmured.

“We should both have been loyal to Asmodeus. He favored you so greatly. You are not worthy of him.” “He’s not worthy of me,” Magnus remarked.

“My priority is Magnus,” said Alec. He knew Helen was only trying to do the right thing. Alec remembered his own deep frustration when his parabatai had started to chase a girl around on all kinds of lunatic death-defying missions. It felt very different now that he was the one in Jace’s shoes.

Helen’s eyes were shut. “ ‘Go to Europe, Helen,’ they said. ‘Can’t be a homebody forever, Helen. Get out of L.A., soak up some culture. Maybe date somebody.’ Nobody said, ‘A cult and its demons will chase you around Europe, and then a lunatic Lightwood will lead you to your doom.’ This is the worst travel year anybody has ever had.”

The rows upon rows of benches were filled with cultists. Every seat was taken, and there were more people crowding behind them. Magnus supposed if he had to be a show, at least it was standing room only.

Magnus crossed his arms and raised his voice and his eyebrows. “You can poison me and throw me in a dungeon. You can beat me and even sacrifice me to a Greater Demon. But I draw the line at wearing a white suit for an evening event.”

Dread died away. Shaking, hardly able to move, with darkness bearing down upon him, Magnus felt only gratitude for his life. He wasn’t ready for death, but if it came today, he would face it with his head held high and Alexander Lightwood’s name on his lips.

“Now, this I don’t understand,” Magnus said. “You’ve had your fun. You performed your signature move, made your offer, caused as much pain and fury as you possibly could. Why stop her? Why not let this play out? Not that I’m keen to be turned into a shish kebab by an enraged cultist, but I don’t get your angle.” “I want to talk to my son,” said Asmodeus. “It has been almost two centuries since we last spoke, Magnus. You don’t write, you don’t call, you don’t make sacrifices on my altar. It wounds your fond parent.”

“You see…,” Magnus said, “the thing is… I don’t want the world. The world’s a mess. I can’t even keep my apartment organized. I’m still cleaning glitter out of the lampshades after my cat’s birthday party, and that was months ago.”

“Can I ask you something? You loved a Shadowhunter.” “Do you think I stopped?” “When you loved a Shadowhunter, were you ever afraid?” “I was always afraid,” said Tessa. “It’s natural to be afraid of losing the most precious thing in the world. But don’t be too afraid, Magnus. I know warlocks and Shadowhunters are very different, and there is a divide between your worlds that can be hard to cross. But as someone once said to me, the right man will not care. You can build a bridge over the divide and find each other. You can build something much greater than either of you could ever have built on your own.”

“Love changes you. Love changes the world. You cannot lose that love, no matter how long you live, I think. Trust love. Trust him.”

“It is so good to be back in New York. Home. I need a vacation from that vacation.”

elaborate dinner dates requiring flying machines, and definitely no cults and murderous warlocks,” he whispered in Alec’s ear. “Just home.”

“I did have fun,” he said. “But I didn’t need any of that. They were just places. You don’t have to set any scene to convince me. I don’t need Paris, or Venice, or Rome. I just want you.”

“You started a demonic cult centuries ago, and I didn’t ask any questions. I followed you all around Europe. I slaughtered a whole pack of demons on the Orient Express for you. I went to a palazzo full of murderers and people who wanted to make small talk and dance, for you. I lied to the Rome Institute for you, and I would have lied to the Clave.”