"Izzy! By the Angel don't disappear on me like that again!" Serena said to her parabatai as she hugged her, Izzy having walked into the Institute along with a blonde stranger.
"Promise," she smiled as she pulled away. Then she pointed to the stranger. "This is Sebastian Verlac from the London Institute. I was looking for Azazel and when he came after me, Sebastian saved my life."
"Oh, well I simply leant a hand," he said bashfully, and Serena turned to him.
"Well, whoever you are, thank you for saving my parabatai."
Sebastian looked at her strangely. "I'm sorry, but have we met before."
She shook her head. "I'm Serena," she explained as she held her hand out from him to shake and his eyes widened.
"Serena Wayland, the Envoy to Downworlders?"
"One and the same," she grinned, and Sebastian took her hand but instead of shaking it, he brought it to his lips.
"It's an honour to meet you," he smiled, and Serena wasn't quite sure how to react, something she hid well but her family could see. She was fine with the Downworlders doing this because she knew them, but she didn't know this Shadowhunter.
"Buddy, I know you saved Izzy and all," Jace piped up with his arms crossed over his chest. "But that was not a smart move with her brother and her husband standing right here," he said gesturing to him and Alec and then Jace jerked his head, indicating that Serena move around to their side of the table and she rolled her eyes but obliged.
"Of course. My apologies," Sebastian said mainly to Alec.
As Serena walked, she sent a grateful smile to her brother as she settled under Alec's arm, the older Shadowhunter feeling much more comfortable now, and so did Serena.
All three of them could sense it, something off with Sebastian, but he saved Izzy and she wouldn't trust him without good reason, so for now, they'd give him the benefit of the doubt.
"Anyways," Izzy intervened after she'd hugged and had a small conversation with Clary. "Sebastian's an expert on all things Azazel."
"When I studied abroad at the Paris Institute, I specialized in Greater Demons," he explained.
Alec then stuck out his hand. "Thanks for saving my sister. I'm Alec," he introduced, and Sebastian shook his hand firmly.
"Yeah, thank you," Jace said as he followed suit. "I'm Jace."
"Ah, the great warrior in the flesh, and Serena's twin. Your reputation precedes you," Sebastian said.
"As does yours. You must be Clary, Valentine's daughter," he said reaching his hand out for the girl who stood next to Izzy.
"Yeah, don't hold it against me," she chuckled.
"Well, we don't choose our parents," Sebastian replied.
"So, tell us about Azazel. How do we take him down?" Jace asked.
"The only way to banish him is to puncture his demonic core. In corporeal form, it's between the T8 and T9 vertebrae. But it's not that simple. The core is about the size of a pea," Sebastian explained.
"So, the entry point is right below his sternum?" the twins asked simultaneously, everyone looking at them strangely before Sebastian nodded.
"That should be cake for you then," Serena smiled as she tapped her husbands' chest. She then turned to Sebastian and said, almost in warning, "You'll never find anyone better with a bow."
"If I could also get close enough, I could kill him," Jace offered.
"You wouldn't have enough velocity and even if you did, defeat's only temporary. The nasty buggers always find a way to break out of their realm and come back," Sebastian countered and Serena turned to her brother.
"I would also like to explore the option that doesn't get you within killing distance of a Prince of Hell," she said pointedly.
"Thank you for the intel. We'll take it from here," Alec then said.
"If I can, I'd like to help," Sebastian said.
"We appreciate that, but you don't have clearance to go on a mission. Not at this Institute," Alec replied.
"Alec you can't be serious," Izzy said as she leaned on the table.
"Hey, Alec, look, he clearly knows more than us about Azazel," Jace whispered as he moved closer to the couple. "We could use all the help we can get."
"Now as far as tracking is concerned, we should really think-"
"And we have the most powerful Warlock in Brooklyn to help us," Serena interjected, cutting off Sebastian. "Thank you for the offer Sebastian but we're already in enough trouble with the Inquisitor as it is, and taking an uncleared Shadowhunter on a Greater Demon hunt is a step in the wrong direction."
"You do what you want, we'll work with Magnus," Alec said as he and his wife went to leave but Izzy chased after them.
"Alec. Serena. Stop," she called. "What's your problem?" she asked as she stood in front of them.
"Sebastian Verlac shows up out of the blue and saves you?" Alec questioned.
"What are you trying to say?" Izzy replied and Alec only gave her a look. "You both did everything you could to help me, and I love you both for that. But don't treat Sebastian like the enemy just because he was able to help me."
"Izzy, you may know him, but we don't. And he may have saved your life but that doesn't mean that we can automatically trust him with ours. I mean look how long it took for us to finally trust Clary. Just, give us time," Serena asked and Izzy only stormed off.
"Are you ok?" Alec asked her as he rubbed her arm, seeing how much the altercation got to her.
"Our bond, it's just not what it used to be."
"You'll make up. You always do," Alec promised as he pressed his lips to her temple.
"I hope so."