Chase

Chapter 9

"What is it?" Magnus asked gravely. Sylvia felt the weight of dread in the pit of her stomach, waiting for Isabelle to answer.

"The Shadowhunters are falling asleep. All of the adults, everyone gathered at the Institute. Jace and Clary are OK but everyone else is... just asleep. They're all breathing. Jace thinks it's only the adults who are being affected, so everyone 18 and older, but..." She stopped, thinking about the consequences of what she had said. "Alec!"

Alec was slumped over in his seat, face down on the table. An odd, steady rumbling noise was echoing around the room... he was snoring.

"Oh, Alec!" Magnus ran to his side, followed by Isabelle. She checked his pulse.

"He's OK," She muttered, clearly relieved. "He's OK."

"This is bad." Magnus stepped away from Alec, and began pacing the room. "The faeries have somehow managed to cast a spell over the Shadowhunters. A spell that will cause all adult Shadowhunters to fall asleep, leaving the Institutes virtually undefended. And they've all been summoned to New York... there's going to be an attack on the Institute."

The doorbell rang.

Sylvia sprung out of her seat. "I'll get it!" No one seemed to hear her. They were all staring worriedly at the ground, probably pondering the attack to come and the end of all Shadowhunters. She shivered. Sylvia couldn't believe it. Just 48 hours after she'd discovered the Shadow World and everything in it, it was all about to be destroyed, taken over. Was it always so complicated, so messy? Sylvia hoped not. She answered the door. The girl with the red hair, Clary, was standing there. Behind her stood Jace and Simon, their faces grave.

She sighed. "You'd better come in."

Five minutes later, the six of them (Alec was still snoring on the table) were huddled around Magnus's coffee table, studying it as if it were a war map. Clary had just finished telling the story of how everyone had gathered to discuss the issue in the dining hall when it all went quiet. They entered the hall, only to find all of the Shadowhunters slumped in their seats, or lying prostrate on the floor, fast asleep. They'd made calls to other Institutes to see if the spell had affected everyone. In most places, no one answered the calls; in a few, children responded, saying all of the adults were asleep in their Institute as well. Finally, they'd called Isabelle.

"Do you know how they're doing it?" Jace asked Magnus.

"The faeries are weaving some sort of spell... somehow, they're using the Mortal Cup to cast a spell over all Shadowhunters... only adults are recognized as full Shadowhunters, so only they're affected. I told you the Cup has power over all Shadowhunters... if they cursed it..."

The doorbell rang again.

"Who is it now? Did I schedule a party for today? Why is everyone ringing the damn doorbell?!" Magnus cried, exasperated. Sylvia quickly ran to get it.

She opened the door. Standing in the hall was a girl. At first glance, she looked ordinary enough. At a second glance, it was clear she was not human. Her skin was milk white, so translucent that her veins were visible beneath her skin. They were green. Her hair was blond, although it appeared to have a faint green tint to it. Her teeth pointed and sharp, and her eyes were entirely blue, with no whites or pupils. Somehow, she knew this girl was a faerie.

Sylvia stumbled backwards, and the girl followed her into the apartment.

"Who is-" Magnus turned, saw the faerie girl, and lept up. The others followed suit, Isabelle and Jace drawing their weapons.

"Kaelie," Jace said, stunned. He knew her?

"Don't worry," Kaelie said, grinning and showing her pointed teeth. "I haven't come to hurt you. I come to warn you. There is going to be an attack on the New York Institute. The Seelie Court has allied itself with the New York vampire clan. They will..."

"We know." Said Jace briskly.

She looked surprised. "There is more. The Seelie queen has stolen the Mortal Cup. She has bound a cursed object to it, so that the two may be one, effectively cursing the Cup and all Shadowhunters connected to it. She intends to attack the Institute and kill as many of them as she can, in revenge for the humiliation we suffered at the revision of the Accords. She will kill all adults, and make slaves of the children. Anyone who resists will be killed. There is only one way to stop her," She paused, seemingly enjoying the fact that all eyes were desperately following her every move. "it is a little-known fact that, much like your Mortal Cup, the queen's throne is the centre of every faerie loyal to her's powers. It is the source of her own power over her court and subjects. If you cast a spell upon this throne, all faeries loyal to her will be affected. It is the only way."

"And why should we trust you?" Magnus said, holding out his hand as if readying himself to cast a spell. "You can lie; you are only part fey. Why would you betray your queen?"

"I am no longer loyal to the Seelie queen. I severed my allegiance to her when she asked me to kill my own brother, in order to show that I was loyal to her above all else. If I had done it, I would have become her second-in-command. But I refused. She killed my brother herself, and cast me out. I want revenge."

"But do you really hate the queen so much that you would ally with Shadowhunters, who humiliated you and all of your kind, over her?"

Kaelie bared her teeth. "The queen is my immediate enemy. One day, my kind will bring destruction to all Shadowhunters, and rule this world ourselves. But the Seelie queen cannot live to see that day, for she must be punished for the death of my brother. I cannot prove that this information is good. You can either trust me, as I am your only hope, or ignore my warning, and watch as the queen destroys everything you hold dear. Your choice." With this, she turned, and exited the apartment. The occupants of the room were left staring at the spot she'd been standing in, silently weighing their options.

"Well," Magnus said gravely. "I think we should put it to a vote."