𝔸ℕ𝔻𝕆ℝ ~𝘼𝙡𝙚𝙘 𝙇𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙬𝙤𝙤𝙙 ~

~"𝖜𝖍𝖆𝖙?"~

"Don't squirm." Robert said as he helped Alec heal the wound that was caused by the Forsaken. Izzy sat beside him, rubbing his arm. While, I just stood at the entrance of the infirmary. My eyes were fixed on his wound. It cut deep. Very deep.
"I'm not." He replied. "It doesn't even hurt." He said and his phone rang. He took it out, ready to answer it until Izzy took it away.
"No talking...just healing." She said and took it away and stood at the entrance.
I sat on the place Izzy was before. "You okay?"
"Yeah." He said. "I'm fine." I took the band-aid.
"You don't look okay." I said as I wrapped it around his arm. "I could help heal it a bit, with my magic."
"I'm fine." He said again. His tone was deeper this time.
"Okay." I replied, giving up.
***
"All the ward's solid now?" I heard Alec say as I saw a blue smoke coming out of the hallway. "Nothing will get through?" Robert stood right beside.
"Mags?" I called him out, a smile growing on my face.
"Little bird." He smiled back and hugged me.
"What are you doing here?"
"Needed to put extra wards on." He said as if he was bored.
"I could've done that."
"No." Alec replied. "An half warlock's magic is not as strong as a warlock."
"Even my magic has limits." Magnus shot a glare at Alec.
I furrowed my eyebrows at Alec, not knowing what I have done to receive this attitude.
"The wards won't hold off that Forsaken attack." He said and went to the other ward, placing his magic on it. We followed him. "But my protections will slow them down."
"Extra time is priceless." Robert said.
"No...say that after you get my bill." Magnus smiled.
"Lydia will take care of that." Robert said and walked off.
"Well." Magnus said. "I'm going to be putting more wards over this place. I'll meet you soon?" He asked and placed a kiss on my head.
"Soon." I smiled.
"Okay." He muttered and smiled at me, but stopped to give a glare at Alec and walked away.
Alec's eyes were fixed on the wards. "You know, a Forsaken wound often needs a little warlock TLC." I said. "So, may I?" I asked pointing at his wound.
"It's okay." He said and covered his wound up a little. "I'm fine."
"Look, if anything happens to you—"
"Valkyrie." He stopped me from saying anything. "I'm fine. All right? I gotta—"
"Go?" I finished for him. "Of course. You're a busy man." I pressed my lips into a thin line, as I started to walk away. "Oh and...send Lydia to Magnus if you see her. He likes his payment up front." I passed him and walked down the stairs to go find Magnus, but stopped when I saw a Seelie enter.
"Meliorn?" Izzy stepped up from her chair and walked to him. "What are you doing here?"
Ahhh, so that's the famous Meliorn. I smirked.
"The Clave called me in for some kind of conference." He said.
Izzy did not stop herself from hugging him. "I'm so happy to see you."
"Spare me." He said. "Your fire message clearly stated you never wanted to see me again."
So, she also broke up with him?
"My family—" She started.
"Despises Downworlders?" He said. "That's common knowledge."
"That's not true. And even if it were, I'm not like that."
"I'm not here to talk about us." He said. "I believe that's your Clave envoy."
Lydia entered the room. "Isabelle, please step aside." She sighed. "Meliorn, The Clave has ordered that you be placed under arrest."
My eyes grew wide. "What?" Me and Meliorn said in unison.
"What for?" Izzy asked.
"Soliciting state secrets from a Shadowhunter on behalf of Valentine Morgenstern." She said. "Guards." The guards immediately cuffed Meliorn's hands and took him away.
"Have you lost your mind?" Izzy asked as I stepped beside her.
"Me? Your lucky you weren't arrested along with him." She decided to walk away, we both followed.
"What are you talking about?" Izzy asked.
"It's our understanding that your long-standing relationship with the Seelie, Meliorn may have led to the disclosure of state secrets."
"What? No!" Izzy said. "Meliorn told me how to get into the Hotel DuMort so that we could save a mundane."
"And you told him nothing in return?" She asked. "Nobody is blaming you for the attack. Meliorn and the Seelies were likely working with Valentine all along."
"Seriously?" I asked. "Valentine has been murdering Downworlders and draining their body for months. He probably killed those Seelies that the Clave sent and used their blood—"
"Do you have proof?" She stopped me.
"Do you?" I glared at her, my warlock mark already visible.
"I have orders." She said stepping back. "That's all. I never wanted any of this."
"You and your dumb orders." I said.
"I don't believe you for a second." Izzy said and walked away.
"If you dare do anything to hurt anyone, I swear by the Angel that your death will be the most crucial thing in existence." I glared at her again and followed Izzy.
I walked up to her. "Isa! You okay?"
"Yeah, I just need to talk to Alec."
I nodded, "Go." I said. "I'm gonna catch up to you later on." I smiled.
I turned around and went to my room. I didn't know what inside my head told me to train. So I decided to do it. Hoping that it would make me feel better from all of this, mess. So I got dressed and made my way to the training room.
"Does Hazel know?" I heard Izzy ask.
" 'Does Hazel know' what?" I chuckled and stood beside Izzy and Jace.
"We're—" Lydia started but was stopped.
"Nothing." Alec replied grabbing a hold of Lydia's hand and digging his nail's deep. My eyes instantly went there.
"Okay..." I furrowed my eyebrows.
"You were supposed to tell them no." Izzy said. "It's your life to ruin." She seemed angry and she stormed away.
"Okay...what is going on?" I asked, but it remained unanswered.
"Not sure what to say." Jace said.
"How about 'None of this matters' ?'" Alec said. "We have to stop Valentine."
"Finally." Jace sighed. "Something we agree on." Jace stormed away as well. Both of them having a look of disapproval.
"Will somebody tell me what's going on?" I asked. "Or is this some kind of a secret mission?"
"It's nothing." Alec said and walked off and so did Lydia.
I didn't know what they were hiding from me and I wanted to know. But I put that aside and decided to train. I wrapped a piece of cloth on the palm and started punching the punching bag. I hit it a couple of times before I saw Robert and Alec talking. Father-son talk. I started the punching the bag again, letting all the stress out.
***
"This is insane." Izzy said as we checked the cctv camera. "We have to put a stop to this." We saw Meliorn being dragged into a room.
"Yeah, well, enjoy portalling back to Idris with Mom and Dad." Alec sighed.
"Meliorn is here because of me."
"Alec's right."
"There's nothing we can do to stop this interrogation." Jace agreed.
"Oh so you're on Alec's side now?" I asked.
"We swore to protect each other, of course he's on my side."
"I'm not picking sides, Jace Wayland is Switzerland." He said. "We have got to find Valentine. Let's let this play out, Izzy. Meliorn might have some important information."
"Forensics don't lie." We heard Lydia say over the screen. "Tell me what you know about the blood in the Forsaken."
"Have you considered that the blood in the Forsaken came from our dead scouts?" He asked. "Scouts send to help you hunt for Valentine. Why do you think we would side with a murderer?"
"Seelies always play both sides."
"You should talk to your own people about playing sides."
"Excuse me?"
"You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?" He said. "If only Shadowhunters had a better relationship with us...Downworlders, you'd know that Valentine's daughter has the Cup."
"Shit." I sighed.
"Still think we should let this play out?"
***
I walked into Clary's room to see a whole mess caused by the guards.
"I'm pretty sure that's not the Cup you're looking for." Jace said taking the bra away from one of the guards.
"Give me a break, Wayland. I'm just trying to do my job."
"Alec. Please call this off." I said, he sighed.
"Alec, call this off, now." Jace demanded.
"I guess Clary's bedroom is in part of Switzerland?" He replied. What was wrong with him?
"We can't call it off, We have to find the Mortal Cup." Lydia said and I glared at her.
"It's all clear." One of the guards said.
"Of course it is." Jace said.
"It's not here. Let's keep looking." Lydia walked out.
"I have nothing to say." Jace said.
I stepped in front of Alec. "What's going on with you?"
"Look..." he sighed. "We have to turn over the Cup."
"Alec, Clary risked everything to find it."
"And we've risked everything for her." He said. "Either she gives the Cup to Lydia, or I'll do it myself."
"Oh, so your siding with Lydia now?"
"I'll bring her back." Jace sighed and placed a hand on my shoulder. "But please, let Clary be the one to give the Cup to the Clave. We owe her that much."
"What?"
"It's the right call." Alec said. "You'll see." He walked out of the room.
"What?" I asked Jace again.
"Don't worry." He said. "We aren't giving the Cup to the Clave." He smirked.
"What?" I asked again. I was completely lost.
He rolled his eyes and took out his phone. He took a picture of his Blocking rune and sent it to Clary. He called her after that. "Draw it. Now." He said. "It's a Blocking rune. It prevents anyone from finding you using Shadowhunter tracking." He paused. "Clary, the Clave heard you have the Cup. They think you're working with Valentine." He paused again. "It will be. You need to get to someplace safe. Someplace the Clave will never look. I'll find you."
"What do you want me to do?" I asked.
"Stay here with Izzy."
***
"Where are you taking him?" Izzy asked as she saw Lydia and Alec take Meliorn away with the guards.
"To a holding cell." Lydia said as they made down the stairs. "And the guard unit will transport him to the Silent Brothers."
"You can't do that." I followed them and so did Izzy.
"It's not our decision Isabelle." Alec said. "The Clave made the order."
"That could be a death sentence to a Downworlder." Jace said from behind.
"Are you trying to start a war with us?" I asked which made them stop on their tracks. "I'm pretty sure, Meliorn told you everything he knows."
"You don't know that." Lydia said. "Maybe we haven't asked the right questions. Seelies often skirt the truth. If he has information on another terrorist attack, it is our responsibility to get it."
"You know what, Enough!" My eyes glowed yellow. "I am so done with your shit! Always blaming it on us, downworlders!"
"Hazel, it's alright." Izzy placed a hand on my shoulder. "Let me talk to him." She said to Lydia.
"That wasn't exactly helpful in the past."
"But he may not know anything." Jace said.
"Alec, please this is going too far." I said.
"We don't have a choice."
***
"And, neither do we." Jace said as Izzy and I stood there, hearing what he has to say.
"So let me get this straight." I said. "You need Alec's stele to open up the safe, and you want me to steal it from him?"
"We prefer the word 'borrow'." He said.
"Without his knowledge." Izzy smirked.
"Ah-huh." I paused. "No. No can do. Not happening."
"Hazel, ever since Alec found out our parents were in the Circle, he's been messed up." Jace said. "He can't see the big picture."
"If the Clave is willing to subject Meliorn to the Silent Brothers, if they're willing to go this far... what do you think will happen if they get the Cup?" She sighed."This affects everyone."
"Help us get into the safe." Jace said. "Help us stop this."
I sighed. "You both owe me, big time." I said. "And Alec can never know."
"That's a given."
"If we're going to do this." I said. "There's no turning back." Both of them nodded.
***

I knocked on the office door of the institute and entered without waiting for an answer. I entered and saw him shirtless, only a shirt laid on his right arm. He was changing his band-aid because of all the blood.
"Hey." He said.
"Hi." I walked to him. "Need help?"
"Nah, I'm fine."
"Stop saying that when you are clearly not." I chuckled and took over the piece of cloth that he was removing. He winced in pain. "That's deep." I hissed. "Do you want me to..." I wiggled my fingers.
"No. No don't."
"Okay." I said and took a new piece of cloth and placed it on his wound. As I did, I stepped closer as I saw his stele. I snapped my finger as quickly as possible, hoping he didn't hear. Luckily, he didn't. His eyes were fixed on me, his hot breath fanning my face. I decided not to look. Instead, I focused on the wound. I took the band-aid and wrapped it around his bicep. I took the scissor and cut it, securing it. "There." I smiled.
He removed a strand of hair from my face which made me fix my gaze on him. His eyes locked with mine. Soon, it travelled down to my lips and back to my eyes. He leaned in closer and closer, until our lips brushed against each other. But he did not get any closer, that was it. He sighed and closed his eyes and looked away.
"I'm sorry, did I do something wrong or...?"
"No it's..." he sighed. "It's not you." He said. "I can't do this." He looked down.
"What's wrong?"
He gave off a shaky breath. "I'm...engaged."
"What?" I chuckled. "You're bluffing, right?"
He looked into my eyes. "Valkyrie, I'm getting married to Lydia."

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Uh-oh....
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