I Am Ruined (TDA Lord of Shadows Sequel)

[ VII ] Tempting Fate

"Clary called." Emma was whispering, standing in the doorway of Livia's room. It was still dark outside, Julian was surprised that she was even awake. He sat up grudgingly at looked to Ty who was still fast asleep. He didn't want him to wake up alone in his twin's bed, it physically hurt him to get up from the bed. He walked across the hall to Ty's room and grabbed his stuffed bee – the one Ty refused to give up when he was little. He no longer held the same intense attachment to the plush toy, but he still kept it in his room. Julian placed the bee next to Ty before he closed the door slowly and followed Emma out.

"What did she say?" He asked.

"Well more specifically, I sent a fire message because her phone isn't working wherever she and Jace are. But I got a fire message back almost immediately. She said she was with a warlock. Maybe Magnus? But he is still sick, so I don't think it was him. She didn't tell me where she was, but she said her and Jace would be by sometime this week. Very vague."

"Did you ask them about the heirloom?" They were walking down the hallway and he couldn't help but wonder what time it was; he had no idea if it was late at night or early morning. The sun had just set when he found Ty in Livvy's room. Kit had told him that was where he had been sleeping at night and it broke his heart to think about. Julian had avoided her room all together, just like when Mark had left. The thought of moving anything from where she last had it left him feeling sick, as if moving it would be acknowledging that she wouldn't be coming back.

"No, they just kept it simple and so I told them we needed to talk." Emma stopped and turned to face him now, "Look, what happened with Kit – you don't think he'll tell anyone, do you?"

"Honestly? No. I don't think he will." Emma nodded solemnly, his hand clasped gently on the back of her neck, his mouth leaning towards hers but she turned away.

"Julian, we can't. Too many people already know." Light was starting to glint through the window at the end of the hall, lighting up the gold in Emma's hair like a torch. So it was morning.

He leaned against the doorframe of his room, "What about what Kit said. About telling the rest of them?"

Emma hesitated, "I don't know. It's just – I feel like the more people we tell, the more dangerous our situation gets. The wrong people could find out."

Julian sighed and reached to touch her face, to soothe and comfort. All he ever wanted was to look at the people he loved and see happiness. He hated when their features were laced with concern or anything remotely sad. Now, Emma's brown eyes were a mixture of all of them, the golden flecks of her irises brighter under the veil of unshed tears. Emma didn't cry, not often, but you could tell she was making an effort not to. His hand never reached her face though, hovering just above her skin as a loud crash sounded outside. His hand dropped to his hip, resting lightly on the hilt of a knife.

"What was that?" He asked, striding towards the window.

"I'm going to guess 6 very angry and very old people..." Emma was walking more slowly, but still deliberately to stand beside Julian at the window. Just as she thought, in the courtyard the Riders of Mannan were gathered. Their steeds were vanishing in gold and bronze dust as the tall riders dismounted. "They're just mad they can't call themselves the Seven Riders anymore, sounds like a cool band name."

"I'll call Simon and let him know it's up for grabs." His words were playful, but his face was anything but. His tone had already indicated that the cold of battle was descending on Julian, and Emma could feel its cold hands gripping her as well. She reached for Cortana, but the touch of it burned. Still she grabbed it, despite the dull ache in her arm at the contact. It must still be affected from shattering the Mortal Sword. Julian took off down the hall, she didn't even need to ask where he was going; the weapons room. She sprinted down the hall to catch up, jogging beside him with a whisper.

"Should we wake up the others?" Emma questioned as they rounded a turn, soundless tunes keeping their footfalls silent. Mark didn't take it well when they forced Helen to go back to Wrangel Island immediately after the funeral and he had been sleeping in much later than usual, which was still early for the average person. He didn't sleep much, Emma wondered if it had to do with the Wild Hunt. Kieran never seemed to sleep, but they also never knew where he was – he was like a cat that tried to avoid people and hide. Come to think of it, Kieran reminded her of Church. The rest of them she assumed were asleep purely because it was still in the ungodly hours of morning, before 6am.

He didn't even look at her to speak, "No."

"No? Julian, we can't take on the Riders by ourselves, they almost killed all of us last time!" They had reached the weapons room now and he was frantically grabbing swords and crossbow bolts – but no seraph blades, they had no effect on them.

This time he whirled on her, rage rippling from his features. His blue-green eyes burned like the hottest part of a fire, almost shining silver. "I will not lose anyone else. I can't lose anyone else."

She stood frozen, his sharp anger immobilizing her.

Julian, you scared me a little.

At the look that she was sure was plastered on her face, his eyes softened, "We're parabatai. Remember the night at Well's house? The poisoned crossbow bolt? I lived, Emma, because you saved me. We can do extraordinary things."

"Yeah, the parabatai curse makes us stronger, before it destroys us, Julian! We can't keep tempting fate like this." She wasn't angry, just worried. He asked if she remembered that night as if she could ever forget it. It was one of the scariest moments of her life – it was even worse than the fear that consumed her when she was drowning in the ocean. All she could see in her mind now was Julian's blood drenching the car and her clothes, her hands coated in the red liquid.

"Well if we don't try we're all going to be destroyed anyway. We have to at least try." He had stopped rushing now, his gaze boring into hers as if waiting for an answer. They were parabatai and they were bound, but he'd never force her to do anything. He was right though. If they didn't at least try to defeat them, the riders would kill them all. The Unseelie King had the Black Volume already, so the riders weren't here for his benefit. They were here for revenge. Maybe they'd settle for killing Emma and leave the rest of the Blackthorns alive.

"Alright, let's go." He nodded but as he turned to go, she grabbed his hand and pulled him into a quick but steady kiss. "This is the last time we take advantage of the curse. We can't keep doing this." She whispered against his lips and felt him nod in response. Pulling back slightly she brushed his collarbone gently, where his parabatai rune lay beneath his gear jacket. And then they left - silently, being sure not to wake up the others. They reached the door and stepped out into the yard, facing six of the oldest beings in the universe, as old as time itself. Julian etched a lock rune on the door and drew his weapon.

"So, to what do we owe this pleasure?"