𝑶𝑭 𝑩𝑳𝑶𝑶𝑫 𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑩𝑬𝑻𝑹𝑨𝒀𝑨𝑳

ᏘᏊᏘKᏋ, ᏘRIᎦᏋ ᎧR ᏰᏋ FᎧRᏋᏤᏋR FᏘLLᏋᏁ

Same Day
The Institute - Greenhouse

Alyssa was sitting in the greenhouse, alone. She was going over the events of the day. She knew she couldn't hold Alec and Izzy's actions against them.

She understood them, especially Alec. She understood that he'd been put in a bad position and had made what he thought was the best decision.

But still, that knowledge didn't make it hurt less that he thought she couldn't be trusted to understand why he didn't want to tell anyone.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard footsteps entering the greenhouse. She looked up to see her French-raised friend walking towards her. He sat next to her on the bench with a small smile.

"Hey. Are you okay?" He asked. He brought up his hand and wiped the tear that had fallen. "You're crying."

"Not exactly. It's just one tear. I didn't even notice."

"You're also playing with your knife. You usually do that when you're upset, cherie." True to his word, Alyssa was twirling one of her throwing knives between her fingers. "Jace told me you found out about Alec wanting us to keep the business about the Soul-Sword from you." Alyssa nodded then slipped the knife back in her thigh holster. "Are you...mad at me? At Alec, Clary?"

"No, I'm not mad." She said, shaking her head and looking at her friend with a small, brief smile. "I'm just hurt that Alec didn't think I could be trusted with that information."

"I don't think it's that he didn't trust you, Allie. I think it's more like he didn't want to burden you with keeping such a secret from your dad and Magnus."

"We're supposed to be a team, Tony. We're supposed to share these kinds of burdens. We're co-heads of the institute. He's the one who pushed me to take the job and asked me to be his partner. Then he turns around and..." Alyssa stopped to force her tears back, looking upward. "I get why he might have done what he did, Tony, I do, but it doesn't make it hurt any less." Tony couldn't say anything. He understood what she was saying and how she was feeling.

"I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to apologize for. Besides, what's done is done. It's pointless now since the Downworld leaders already know what's going on, courtesy of the Seelie Queen."

"Yeah, Izzy told me about that."

"Mm." Just then, both their phones pinged with messages. They took them out to read them. "It's Alec. He wants us to meet him in Ops."

"Are you good?" Antonio asked as they both stood up from the bench.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I just need to think and vent out a little. Let's go." Antonio was not so sure she was as fine as she said she was, but he nodded and they both left the greenhouse.

Ops Center

Antonio and Alyssa joined the group at the table at the same time as Izzy. The ravenette had a worried expression on her face.

"Sorry, I'm late." She said. "I've been looking everywhere for Max. Has anyone seen him?"

"Have you tried the armory?" Jace asked. "He's probably sharpening his blades for his first assignment."

"I checked." She said with a sigh as she shook her head.

"We have more pressing matters." Alec said, bringing all of them into focus, though Alyssa was mostly watching Sebastian. She couldn't explain it but she felt more on edge around him than ever. "Thanks to Dot's help, we now have the Mortal Mirror."

"And you have it here at the Institute. And it's well guarded, I presume?" Sebastian asked.

"The Elite Guards..." Alec began to say, but Alyssa cut him off.