Distractions

Fourteen: A Lawyer is Unnecessary

This chapter is longer than usual (6,592 words) and the next one is even longer (reaching over 8 thousand words right now). Hope you're ready!

Everest laid on the training room floor with her right arm behind her head, her left tapping along with the beat Alec created as he trained. Izzy was pacing angrily, though Everest couldn't blame her.

"She calls Meliorn in and arrests him, then acts like it's all out of her hands," the girl ranted.

"You're going to hurt yourself," said Everest softly, pointing at Alec.

"I'm fine, Everest. It was the Clave that gave the order, not Lydia," Alec told his sister, knocking his arm against the punching bag. He hissed in pain and Everest winced. That looked like it hurt.

"Are you sure about that?" Izzy snarked. Alec rolled his eyes.

Footsteps thundered towards the three and Everest rolled onto her side to see Jace running towards them, more concerned than Everest had ever seen him.

"Hey, you all right?" the blonde asked.

"I'm fine," Alec huffed. Everest smiled a little. He was probably annoyed that people kept asking him that; Everest knew the feeling.

"I just spoke to Robert and Maryse," Jace continued. "They're being sent back to Idris."

Everest shot to her feet. "What?" she and Izzy exclaimed at the same time.

"Yeah." Jace looked dejected.

"Another "order" from Lydia?" Izzy asked mockingly. Alec averted his gaze.

Jace looked between the girls, wanting answers. "Who's Lydia?"

"She's in charge of the Institute," Everest answered vaguely. She leaned on Izzy's shoulder, her fingers tracing the empty spot on the other girl's wrist. She smiled faintly at the memory that surfaced.

"She's what?" Jace snapped, his eyebrows raised in disbelief.

"Temporarily," Alec corrected.

"And now she's convinced the Clave that Mom and Dad aren't doing their job?" Izzy demanded. Everest applied more pressure to where she was tracing in an offer of comfort. Izzy's lips quirked the slightest bit; her attempt at comforting the other girl was working—at least a little.

"Maybe they aren't. The Institute was under their control when the Forsaken got in." Everest's brows furrowed at Alec's words. What was he saying?

"What are you talking about?"

"Mom and Dad were members of the Circle," Alec snapped. The three gasped.

"What? They don't have Circle runes," Izzy protested. Everest felt as if she shouldn't be there—she shouldn't be involved in the Lightwood's family matters.

"That's because they made a deal with the Clave prior to the Uprising." Everest didn't know what that was, but it sounded bad. "In exchange for their cooperation they were pardoned."

"You're questioning their loyalty?" Izzy demanded.

"Valentine is back. The Circle is rising. They're under suspicion." Alec looked slightly pained as he spoke.

"No way," Jace said. "Robert and Maryse took me in. They raised me as one of their own. I know what kind of people they are."

Everest ignored Alec's words, focusing more on his hurt tone. He wasn't angry with what his parents had done, she realized. He was angry with the way they lied and acted because of their actions.