Unexpected Events
( @thehuntersmoondiscord 500 word prompt: Party) (Read on AO3)
When every warlock in the room begins to lose control of their magic, Lorenzo fears the worst. His immediate assumption is that it’s a set-up. Something so monumental happening during the time of his transition must be more than a coincidence. This is nothing short of sabotage, pure and simple, and the list of enemies he has who may be behind it is a mile long. After all, one does not reach the stature Lorenzo Rey has without stepping on a few toes along the way.
The party grinds to a halt and, without control of his own abilities, Lorenzo is forced to stand helpless on the sidelines. People call out in mixtures of concern, rising anxiety, and fear as warlock marks are exposed unwillingly and magic crackles in the air, uncontrolled. Lorenzo watches with horror as the wayward portal forms and moves toward one of the younger warlocks at the party, a little girl named Madzie.
And then Alexander Lightwood steps in.
Lorenzo will spend the rest of the night (and many days to follow) blaming Magnus Bane and his father for the tainted leylines. He’ll claim that the only way a Shadowhunter of all people would step in to protect a warlock child is because he knew he wouldn’t be harmed in the process, because obviously, Alexander was part of Bane’s set-up. Lorenzo will spread that rumor to everyone within earshot to secure his position of favor, but he doesn’t believe a word of it.
Not when Lorenzo sees the pure fear in Lightwood’s eyes.
Lorenzo watches every muscle in Lightwood’s body tense as the portal comes towards him with angry, buzzing magic. To his credit, Lightwood never flinches away from his protective stance in front of Madzie. The thought likely never crosses his mind, not while Lorenzo watches the panic in Lightwood's eyes and clocks the moment the Shadowhunter accepts that he is about to die. This isn't planned, not so far as Lightwood is concerned at least. It's just a man protecting someone in danger, someone he cares about.
For that man to be a Shadowhunter, and that someone a warlock he hasn't known longer than a few weeks? That, in Lorenzo's mind, is even more dangerous than if the entire scene had been planned.
Lorenzo can't risk any renewed sympathy for Magnus Bane and Alexander Lightwood, not when he worked so hard for this nomination in Magnus’ place. He can't chance anyone wanting to put their trust back in the warlock who has Shadowhunters on his side.
Lorenzo warily eyes Alexander and Magnus once the magical threat is over, critiquing this new threat in front of him and wondering what he's going to do about him before it's too late.
