“Um,” Alec said. “We probably need to talk.”

Magnus laughed. “Oh, do you think so? Excuse us for a minute, Rafe.” He moved toward Alec, then stopped short. Rafe’s hands were clenched hard on the edge of Magnus’s robe. Magnus looked startled.

Rafe burst out crying. Magnus cast Alec a wild glance, then ran his hands distractedly through his own hair. Between torrential sobs, Rafael began to eke out words.

Alec couldn’t speak Rafael’s language, but he understood nonetheless. Don’t let me see you, and then have to go away into the loneliness that is the world without you. Please, please, keep me. I’ll be good, if you would just keep me.

Alec started forward, but before he was even in the room, Magnus dropped to his knees and touched the child’s face with tender hands. All trace of tears disappeared with a shimmer of magic.

“Hush,” said Magnus. “Don’t cry. Yes, of course we will, my darling.”

Rafe put his face down onto Magnus’s shoulder and sobbed his heart out. Magnus patted his shaking back until he was quiet.

“I’m sorry,” Magnus said at last, and rocked Rafe in the curve of one red-silk arm. “I really do need to talk to Alec. I’ll be right back. I promise you.”

He stood and tried to move forward, then cast a rueful glance downward. Rafe was still holding on to his robe.

“He’s very determined,” Alec explained.

“So, completely unlike any other Shadowhunters of my acquaintance, then,” said Magnus, and swept off his robe.

Underneath he was wearing a tunic shirt shimmering with gold thread, and loose ratty gray sweatpants.

“Are those sweatpants mine?”

“Yes,” said Magnus. “I missed you.”

“Oh,” said Alec.

Magnus settled the robe around Rafe’s shoulders, wrapping him up so he was a red silk cocoon with a startled face on top. Then he knelt down by Rafe again and lifted Rafael’s hands in his, holding them together. Inside Rafe’s cupped palms, a tiny fountain of glitter leaped in a shining loop. Rafe gave a hiccuping laugh, full of surprised delight.

“There, you like magic, don’t you? Keep your hands together and it will keep going,” Magnus murmured, then made his escape while Rafe was watching the fountain.

Alec took Magnus’s hand, pulling him out of the new room into the main loft and through into their bedroom. He shut the door and said, “I can explain.”

“I think I might understand already, Alexander,” said Magnus. “You were away a day and half and you adopted us another kid. What happens if you go away for a week?”

“I didn’t mean to,” said Alec. “I wasn’t going to do anything without asking you. Only he was there, and he’s a Shadowhunter, and nobody was looking after him, so I thought I could take him to the Institute here. Or to Alicante.”