Smokescreen 》Alec Lightwood

21

'What?' Meliorn glanced at Isabelle.

'What for?' Isabelle asked angrily.

'Soliciting state secrets from a shadowhunter on behalf of Valentine Morgenstern. Guards.' Two guards grabbed Meliorn from either side of him, dragging him away.

'Have you lost your mind-' Isabelle began angrily.

'Me? You're lucky that you weren't arrested along with him.'

'What are you talking about?'

'It's our understanding that your long-standing relationship with the seelie Meliorn may have led to the disclosure of state secrets.'

'What? No! Meliorn told me how to get into the Hotel DuMort so that we could save a mundane!' Isabelle defended.

'And you told him nothing in return?' Lydia shot back.

Isabelle stayed silent.

'Look, nobody is blaming you for the attack.' Lydia's tone had softened. 'Meliorn and the Seelies were likely working with Valentine all along.'

'Valentine has been murdering downworlders and draining their bodies for months! He probably killed those seelie scouts and used their blood-'

'Do you have proof?'

'Do you?' Isabelle's eyes narrowed.

'I have orders, that's all. I never wanted any of this.' Lydia admitted, hoping Isabelle understood the position she was in.

She didn't.

'I don't believe you for a second.' Isabelle hissed, walking away from the other girl.

Isabelle quickly found her brother, in the training room, punching one of the punching bags again.

'-She calls Meliorn in and arrests him, and then acts like it's all out of her hands.' Isabelle watched as Alec hit the bag harder. 'You're gonna hurt yourself.' Her tone softened in concern.

Sure enough, seconds later Alec misplaced a hit and he winced, shaking out his hand. 'I'm fine, Izzy. Look, it was the clave that gave the order, not Lydia.'

'Are you sure about that?' Isabelle asked sceptically.

'Hey.' Jace strolled into the room. 'You alright?' He asked Alec in concern.

'I'm fine.' Alec snapped.

'I just spoke to Robert and Maryse, they're being sent back to Idris.'

'What?' Isabelle frowned.

'Yeah.'

'Another order from Lydia?' Isabelle sniffed in distaste, looking at her brother angrily. Alec looked away from his sister.

'Who's Lydia?' Jace looked between the two siblings, seeing the tension.

'She's in charge of the institute.'

'She's what?' Jace asked in disbelief.

'Temporarily.' Alec rolled his eyes at Isabelle's dramatics.

'And now she's convinced the Clave that Mum and Dad aren't doing their job?'

'Well maybe they aren't.' Alec had had enough. 'The institute was under their control when the Forsaken got in.

'What are you talking about?' Jace frowned.

'Mum and Dad were members of the circle.' Alec admitted.

'What?' Both Jace and Isabelle's faces of shock threatened to break Alec.

'They don't have circle runes!' Isabelle defended her parents.