Light Shadows • Alec Lightwood

Twenty-Three

"How did he even get away without Hodge making a sound?" Talia questioned as Alec began dialling Jace's number.

Luke shook his head, "I have absolutely no idea, but now that he isn't here, he could be where Valentine wants him."

Alec returned from his call, running his hand through his hair nervously, already telling Talia that it wasn't good news.

When he told her that they needed to help Clary find the Book of the White instead of trying to find Jace, she knew that arguing against it would have made it worse for the already defeated man.

And so when Talia called Izzy who told her to go to Magnus', they said goodbye to Luke, who had promised Talia he would keep looking, before the pair walked to the warlocks apartment in silence.

~~~•~~~

Isabelle opened the door for them and when they walked into the living room, the first thing that she wasn't expecting to see there was Camille Belcourt.

Especially with her lips locked with Magnus'. The three of them stopped in the doorway as Talia's eyes widened when Magnus looked over to them once he had broken apart from Camille.

"Well this is awkward."

Talia shrugged absentmindedly as Alec walked forward towards the vampire, "Where's the book?"

Magnus waved his hands about, "It's complicated."

Talia was cut off from saying anything by Camille who eyed her before turning to look at Magnus, "Seriously Magnus? Another Herondale."

The dark blonde's eyes widened as she stared at them and Camille continued, "And the Ardea Herodias? The Blue Heron, too?"

"So that's what that means," Talia said, finally understanding her nickname, "And what do you mean, 'another Herondale'?"

Magnus coughed awkwardly before resuming the original conversation, "She has the book and she's graciously offered it in exchange for her freedom."

"And her freedom requires a lip-lock?" Izzy questioned with her eyes narrowed in distain at the vampire.

Magnus raised a finger with his face scrunched up as if to express 'really?' and 'for god's sake' together in a single action.

"We don't negotiate with prisoners," Alec glared at the woman.

"Prisoner?" Camille smirked, "I beg to disagree, you see, I'm your only chance at saving the world, you need me."

As she spoke, Magnus waved a heavily ringed finger around his ear and pointed at Camille.

"Where's Clary?" Talia sighed. Magnus pointed a finger behind him which she instantly went towards, finding Clary sat beside Simon.

"Talia, did you find Hodge?"

"Yeah, but Valentine has the Cup," She replied, playing with the dagger she had retrieved from when it had hit Jace's blade from his hands.

"What?" Clary's face was a mask of horror as Alec came into the room behind her, "We're too late. Where's Jace? Is he okay?"

"He went after Valentine by himself, it's like he's totally lost it," Alec said, "I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen."

"We need to find Jace," Clary stated, looking behind her at Simon as she moved towards the door, "He's in a dark place, we don't know what he's gonna do."

Talia put her arm out to stop her and turned Clary around, "Luke is out looking for him, Jace wants us to stay on mission, that means we have to find the book."