𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋 ━━ ISABELLE LIGHTWOOD

37

"SHE CALLS MELIORN in and arrests him, then acts like it’s all out of her hands." Isabelle complained while watching Alec who was continuously punching the dummy, "you’re gonna hurt yourself."

"I’m fine, Izzy. It was the Clave that gave the order, not Lydia."

"Are you sure about that?" Isabelle asked just as Jace walked up to them, "Hey. You all right?"

"I’m fine." Alec repeated making Jace glance at him, Isabelle and then Kade, "I just spoke to Robert and Maryse. They’re being sent back to Idris."

"What?" Kade raised his brows, "shit, I need to check my messages more often."

Isabelle shot Alec a look, "another “order” from Lydia?"

"Who’s Lydia?" Jace questioned, frowning at the unfamiliar name.

"She’s in charge of the Institute." Isabelle replied making Jace frown deepened, "she’s what? Oh the envoy?"

"Temporarily." Alec added to what Isabelle said as she clenched her jaw, "and now she’s convinced the Clave that Mom and Dad aren’t doing their job?"

"Maybe they aren’t," Alec spoke, "the Institute was under their control when the Forsaken got in."

"It was Lydia who was in control when the forsaken got in." Kade corrected, "the Clave has already taken full control of the institute."

"What are you talking about?" Jace asked, confused.

Alec sighed, "Mom and Dad were members of the Circle."

"What?" Isabelle furrowed her brows, "They don’t have Circle runes."

"That’s because they made a deal with the Clave prior to the Uprising. In exchange for their cooperation, they were pardoned." Alec explained earning a scoff from his sister, "you’re questioning their loyalty?"

"Valentine is back." Alec pursed his lips in a thin line, "the Circle is rising. They’re under suspicion."

"Robert and Maryse took me in, hell they even helped with Kade." Jace butted in, "they raised us as one of their own. I know what kind of people they are."

"Are you sure?" Alec questioned, "they lied to us. For years, they’ve been telling us how to act. That we have to uphold the Lightwood name. Well, they’re the ones who tarnished it. They’re hypocrites."

"Kade, can't you do anything about this?"

"About what? Maryse and Robert?" He raised his brows as Isabelle's question, "hardly. Them being ex-circle members make the whole thing look bad. You've got to admit that."

Isabelle sighed, knowing he was right. Just then, Lydia walked up to them, holding out her hand to Jace, "you must be Jace Wayland. Lydia Branwell. You’re quite the legend back in Idris."

Jace ignored her hand and crossed his arms, "don’t believe everything you hear."

Lydia looked up at Alec, "did you tell them?"

"Tell us what?" Kade raised his brows earning a loud sigh from the older Lightwood.

"Lydia and I are engaged." Alec responded, his eyes looking at anywhere but them.

"We’re getting married." Lydia stated making Kade scoff, "yeah, we pretty much figured it out when he said the word ‘engaged’, but thanks."

Lydia bit her lip and rolled her eyes at his words while Jace shot Alec a look, "Alec, you’re not serious."

"You were supposed to tell them “no”. It’s not only your life to ruin." Isabelle spoke as she turned to walk away, dragging Kade with her one more time.

He allowed him to drag her to her room and closed the door as soon as they were inside.

"Oh my god, this is so stupid!" Isabelle exclaimed, pissed at Alec's decision, "everything is being ruined. This is so bad, I—"

"— Hey," he interrupted, bringing his hands up to cup her face, "calm down. Everything's going to be fine, all right?"

"How?" She breathed out, "Alec's going to get married and ruin his life, Meliorn is getting arrested, my parents were sent to Idris and they— they were circle members. All of this looks so bad—"

He cut her off by placing his lips on hers. She instantly relaxed into the kiss, her lips moving against his own as her hands went to his hair, pulling him closer. She slid her tongue inside his mouth and he allowed her control for once, knowing that she needed to calm down. After a while, he regained control of the kiss and began sucking on her tongue as he pushed her against the door, kissing her harder than before.

She moaned softly into his mouth and wrapped her legs around his waist while he held her there and began trailing kisses down her neck. He then stopped, remembering that they were going to interrogate Meliorn in a few minutes.

"Why'd you stop?" She questioned, breathing heavily while staring at him with lust clouded eyes. He sighed, "Lydia's going to interrogate Meliorn. I'm pretty sure we don't wanna miss that."

"Shit," she swore under her breath, untangling herself from him before fixing her hair and his as well making him smile at her, "we're gonna continue this later on though."

"Definitely."