in the end ~ d. malfoy

Chapter Fifty-Three

August 2016

LYDIA BRANWELL IS MORE INTIMIDATING THAN MAYA WOULD'VE GIVEN HER CREDIT FOR.

The Shadowhunter stares her down, blonde and prim, as Maya slowly shuts the office door behind her. Her soft footfalls are the only sound in the room, making her way over to the envoy's desk before crossing her arms in front of her chest, fingernails nervously tapping against her arm.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Maya mutters, fidgeting with the edge of her top. It's been a day since the whole altercation with Simon but the nervous energy still runs through her veins, making her jumpy and antsy at the very moment she's supposed to appear calm.

"Sit down, " Lydia gestures, her eyes flitting to the chair in front of her. Maya gingerly drags out the plush armchair, doing as the Shadowhunter says. Her fingers run over the rough denim of her jeans, trying to find something, anything to keep her grounded so she doesn't spiral again, "So, " The Shadowhunter sighs, taking a seat at her own desk, "Tell me. How have you found your time at the Institute so far?"

"Um . . . fine, I guess?" Maya answers, her brows furrowing in confusion.

" 'Fine' " Lydia muses, looking down at a file on her desk, "Interesting choice of words."

"What exactly were you expecting me to say?" Maya questions, raising an eyebrow.

"I wanted an answer as to why a warlock with zero defence training and no demon-slaying experience suddenly became involved in a mission that discovered Valentine's daughter hiding in New York, " Lydia's eyes bore into hers, not accusing or analytical, but compelling, as though she's holding the soul-sword to Maya's brain and carving the truth from her mind.

"Same as what everyone else's probably told you, " Maya shrugs, trying her best not to appear nervous. Any sign of fidgeting or stumbling over her words is another reason for Lydia Branwell to doubt her loyalty - and heaven knows she'll have to work twice as hard to earn the trust that Isabelle and Alec have had since birth, "Izzy, Alec and Jace asked me for help on a case. I was able to liaise with Magnus to gain entrance into Pandemonium. Then we found Clarissa Fairchild and as I'm sure you've read in the reports thus far, things spiralled from there, "

"They could've just spoken with Magnus directly, " Lydia interjects, "Why did you have to be the intermediary?"

"Magnus doesn't trust Shadowhunters — " Maya starts, but the Shadowhunter interrupts her.

"Yet he has a close friendship with your mother, Nandini, who has been conveniently absent from the picture during this entire debacle, " Lydia clicks her tongue, which sets off something in Maya's chest.

"Because unlike most of you, " Maya snaps, her patience thinning, "My mother doesn't use arcane laws to further alienate an already-marginalized group of people, "

Lydia's eyes flash and Maya instantly regrets her words; She takes the admission as an opening, "So you harbor resentment against the Nephilim because we're doing our duty by protecting humans?"

"I never said that, "

"You implied it, "

"The Clave uses the Accords as an excuse to remain detached from Downworld issues, " Maya sighs, frustrated, "If it somehow came about that the blood trade was happening mainly at Pandemonium, Magnus would've been held solely accountable for not using his ownership of the club to stop it. He would have been thrown into the Gard instead of the ringleaders. I didn't want to let that happen, so I agreed to let my friends into the club to bust the ring, "

"Two birds with one stone, " Lydia quips, "Interesting. But that still doesn't explain why you've stuck with them thus far. You could've just left after the business at the club had ended. Why didn't you?"