𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃 - 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀𝒊.𝒊𝒗. 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐭

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫
━━ 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒕

Hodge's talk lasted for the entirety of dinner. No one else dared to utter a single word until the man was finished, so the only other audible sounds were their chewing and their breathing sharply when the situation requried. By the time he had finished, Isabelle and Aria were already sharing their favourite bobba tea, a pink and a purple straw in the same cup.

"Well, I think it's kind of romantic," Isabelle spoke, as she swallowed.

"What is?"

"That whole business about Clary's mother and Valentine being married. He's back from the dead and he's come looking for her. Maybe he wants to get back together," she explained herself under everyone's attentive looks.

"I kind of doubt he sent a Ravener demon to her house because he wants to 'get back together'." Alec had always been the voice of reason among them, so it did not surprise Aria when he tried to find a rational explanation for everything that was happening around them. He had not looked at Clary or Simon a single time since they had sat down to eat.

"It wouldn't be my move," Jace agreed. "First the candy and flowers, then the apology letters, then the ravenous demon hordes."

Aria could not help but let out a sarcastic chuckle, knowing full well that that was not Jace's style either. In fact, he would send the ravenous demons first, if he even took the time to apologise at all. The boy's eyes travelled to her own again, and she forced herself to maintain eye contact. She refused to let him know that he intimidated her. A chill travelled down her spine just from thinking how they had got to that place when it had not been two days since they had last kissed.

"Considering that this is the man who rained down the destruction of Idris, who set Shadowhunter against Downworlder and who made the streets of the Glass City run with blood, I highly doubt it."

"That's sort of hot, that evil thing," Isabelle argued, earning a nod from Aria by her side.

"So why does Valentine want this Cup so bad, and why does he think Clary's mom has it?" Simon said, speaking for the first time since they started eating. Aria could see that he was trying to look as intimidating as Jace and Alec were, imitating their postures from time to time, but it was clear that he melted every time Clary looked at him.

Clary suddenly turned to Hodge, "you said he wanted to make an army. You mean because you can use the Cup to make Shadowhunters?"

"So Valentine could just walk up to anyone on the street and make him a Shadowhunter? Would it work on me?"

"Possibly," Hodge conceded. "But most likely, you're too old already. The Cup works on children but an adult would either be entirely unaffected or outright killed."

"A child army," Isabelle said softly, more to herself than anyone else.

"Well, that would be only for a few years," Aria tried to reason. "Kids grow fast. Then, they could be a force to contend with."

The conversation continued for some more minutes but, then, Jace said the only thing they were all pleading he did not say: he wanted to come up with a plan. Hodge, of course, dismissed the idea as soon as he heard the words, prompting Aria to let out a relieved sigh.

"I am skilled," he protested. "I am experienced."

"I know that you are, but you're still a child. All of you are."

Jace looked at Hodge as if he could stand up and cut his throat right there and then. If there was something more than being unable to fight was being treated as a child and dismissed because of his age. He knew he was good, one of the best perhaps.