𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘 - 𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 | 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐋
𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐃𝐄 𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍 | 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃
❀𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐕❀
"All I know is, we gotta get you guys out of here." Alec says walking back and forth. "All right, who do we know in idris?" Alec asks Isabelle. I pretend I'm listening to music by doing a little dance.
"The only people who care are Mom and Dad. But they're under suspicion themselves." Izzy says sad. She looks down to her fingers. I would ask Liv but what would she do?
"Uh, what about Lydia?" Alec asks. I grab a stress ball from the table.
"Lydia?" Izzy asks unsure.
"Yeah." Alec says like it's obvious. I look down and see the stress ball is getting burnt. I sigh and put it down.
"Why do you keep going there? She is prosecuting me. You said she had no choice." Izzy says making me mentally dance. Wait, I actually am. Hehe.
"She doesn't." Alec answers. I sigh and grab another stress ball. Izzy gets up from next to me.
"Everyone has a choice, Alec. I made mine. Let me just get through this without losing my self-respect. " Izzy says, making me nod.
"Look, I know you don't want to believe this, but Lydia said she would help if we can give her a way to do it. Maybe I can get her to delay the trial." He says making me and Izzy scoff.
"Why?" Izzy asks him. "So I can sit here, playing computer solitaire, while they find something else to blame us for? I'm just a scapegoat to the Clave. They want the Cup." She tells him.
"So let me buy some time to find it. Hey, Jace and Clary—"
"Disappeared through a door to God knows where. You said they're lost forever. And so is the Cup." She says looking down. I pat her back.
"What if I was wrong? I can't find Jace because I weakened our bond, but that doesn't mean he can't be found, or that he can't find us. We need more time." Alec tells her.
"You're grasping at straws now?" Izzy asks him. God, I feel like a third wheel. Alec bends down next to Izzy.
"Izzy, listen. I'm your big brother. Please, let me help you for once." He tells her. I text Liv. She texts me what she found out about Elementals.
"You know what. I'd rather be stripped of my runes and sent into exile...than be part of this world." Izzy tells Alec mad. Yeah...we're dying. Just kidding...maybe. "What kind of people sacrifice justice for law?"
"That's very noble, Izzy. But the high roads are not gonna look so great when you're running for your life from a pack of demons with no Shadowhunter powers to protect you." Alec tells Izzy. I really want to slap that pretty face of his.
"I'll burn them all for you, Izzy." I told her. They both look at me. "Just ignore me." I say crossing my arms. I swear, I feel a huge third wheel.
"Jocelyn lived as a mundane." Izzy tells him. Yes she did.
"You know Jocelyn had her runes and her weapons. You think the demons won't find you?" Alec tells her. Izzy goes in-front of the window. "You haven't exactly kept a low profile. You can't just let them convict you. You need an advocate." Alec says, making me smirk.
"Well, isn't that just interesting." I say interrupting them. "Magnus Bane." I say sighing. I grab a cherry from the bowl. "This is going to be fun."
"Great, we have our advocate." Izzy tells Alec. I chuckle as I put my arms on the back of the couch.
"Wait, before you go get Magnus, could you get the outfit Liv will have for me when you get to my room. I gotta look amazing." I tell Alec.
"Will I survive if I touch it?" Magnus asks the Silent Brother.
"If you tell the truth." The inquisitor tells Magnus. I gulp as Magnus sighs and grabs the sword's handle.
"By the power of this sword, do you swear to defend your client with integrity and honesty?" The silent brother asks Magnus.
"No argument from me on that." Magnus says leaning back. I would chuckle but I'm not gonna lie, I'm scared. Not like I don't trust Magnus but I'm still scared. The silent brother walks next to the throne and stands next to it.
"Make your case, warlock." The inquisitor asks Magnus. I sit up straight.
"My case is simple. It is true that Isabelle Lightwood and Arielle Drozdov acted against the orders of the Clave by trying to free the Seelie, Meliorn. But they did not act against the interests of the Clave. Preventing the forced questioning and possible death if a Seelie may have saved the Accords." Magnus says.
"We're not here to speculate what might have happened if the defendants hadn't interfered." The inquisitor from the Clave says making me want to glare at her so bad.
"You mean what might have happened if they hadn't stopped the Silent Brothers from torturing a Seelie?" Magnus says. I look at Izzy who is looking at the table frowning. I hold her hand.
"I await a valid argument. Do you have one?"
The inquisitor from the Clave asks. I give Izzy a small smile.
"What you really want is the Mortal Cup." Magnus tells the inquisitor. "My clients don't have it. Since this whole proceeding isn't about what it's really about, I move to have this case dismissed."
"You're out of order." The inquisitor tells Magnus. Magnus chuckles.
"No. This whole thing is out of order. It's not their fault. It's the Cups! Put the Cup on trial." Magnus exclaims. I want to clap so hard. When Magnus walks towards us I smile at him.
"You were amazing." I whisper to him. He smiles and nods. Me and Izzy walk up to the front and sit on a bench. Lydia stands up and walks forward.
"You have led us to believe that you two alone carried out this operation. But Clary Fairchild was seen near the City of Bones that night. Maybe she was out for a walk." Lydia says, crossing her arms. "And you expect us to believe that you distracted the guards, and escaped with the prisoner on your own? With an inexperienced Shadowhunter."
"Pretty slick, right?" Izzy says. She looks at the inquisitor who leans in to get closer to her.
"I suggest you think about how slick it would be when Valentine uses the Mortal Cup to raise an army of rogue Shadowhunters." The inquisitor says. I glare at her. I couldn't help myself.
"I don't want Valentine to succeed. So does Arielle." Izzy tells the lady.
"Well, that's the first sane thing I've heard from you." The inquisitor says making my hand feel hot. I swear ima-
"You know what's insane? Thinking we have the right to treat a Downworlder's life as worthless." I say mad. This lady.
"Arielle, I should warn you that everything you say here will be considered in the verdict." Lydia tells me. I roll my eyes.
"Good." I say loudly. Izzy stands up so I follow along.
"Consider this. Valentine didn't come out of nowhere. We use our angel blood to justify everything we do just like him. Like him, we forget that we are not only angels." Izzy says.
"We are part mundane. We can be afraid. And fear makes us cruel. And we turn our fear to Downworlders just as Valentine did." I say continuing.
"And just as he did... we will end up turning on each other." Izzy says finishing.
"You think we're doing that to you?" The inquisitor asks. Me and Izzy look towards her.
"You have to answer that for yourself... Madam Inquisitor." Izzy tells her. We look ahead.
Me and Izzy went back to our original seats and sat down. It was now Magnus's turn to speak. He stands up.
"I'd like to call Lydia Branwell to the Stand." Magnus says putting his hands together. Everyone looks surprised.
"I don't see the relevance." The Inquisitor says leaning on the left arm rest.
"That makes two of us." Magnus tells her. "I don't see the relevance of this whole trial." Magnus says putting his together. "Ms. Brainwell? If you would take that stand?"
"I volunteer to take her up the stand by her hair." I mumble. Lydia walks to the bench.
"I just have one question. Why are you prosecuting this case?" Magnus asks, making Lydia stay silent. She looks at the inquisitor who looks at her.
"Answer the question, Counselor." The inquisitor tells Lydia.
"Because the law is hard, but...it is the law." Lydia says, making me roll my eyes. Magnus rolls his eyes too.
"But that doesn't make it right. We're trying someone for being compassionate, for thinking for herself. She saved a life that was being sacrificed for nothing." Lydia says, looking at Izzy.
"She's definitely not talking about me." I whisper.
"That will be enough, Brainwell." The inquisitor says sternly. She glares at Lydia.
"No...it isn't. I'm looking out at the faces here. A brother and sister who disagree on everything except for how much they love one another..." Lydia says. Izzy looks at Alec. I see Liv in the crowd so I wave to her. She points at Lydia and rolls her eyes. I nod.
"And how loyal they are to each other. A man who took this case pretending to want payment in rare objects, but who really believes that injustice toward his friends is intolerable. Loyalty, decency, compassion, love. These are the concepts that we should consider to decide guilt or innocence in a cast like this." Lydia continues.
"Those are not the concepts of the Law. Now, enough of this nonsense." The inquisitor says with an angry expression.
"I agree." Lydia says, looking at the inquisitor. She then looks at the crowd. "The case is nonsense." Lydia stands up. "I withdraw the charges." She says making the crowd applauded. I don't think so. Still don't like her. Magnus hugs Izzy while I walk up to Liv. Papers are flown out of Magnus' suitcase. Liv gives me a small smile.
"Silence!" The inquisitor says. "Order." She says but nobody listens. "Silence." She says making everyone quiet. "If you think refusing to prosecute exculpates the defendants you are wrong. They are guilty." The inquisitor stands up. "The defense was correct. The Clave wants the Mortal Cup. If it is returned within 24 hours, this ruling will be vacated. If not, Isabelle Lightwood and Arielle will be stripped of their runes." The inquisitor says.
"I don't even have any." I say crossing my arms. I did have one but boho.
"And exiled from the society of the Shadowhunters forever." The inquisitor says, making my eyes widen.
"I'm sorry we lost the case." Magnus tells me and Izzy. I give him a sad smile.
"Yeah..." Izzy says, looking in the distance. She looks down. "But at least we lit it with style." She says, making me chuckle.
"Yeah we did." I say right as Alec comes into the room. He approaches us.
"Jace and Clary are back." He tells us. "They gave the Cup to Lydia." He says smiling. "You guys are free to go." Izzy and Magnus squeeze me into a hug. They pull apart.
"You were right, they came back. You knew!" Izzy tells Alec as she walks over to him. She then hugs him.
"Oh, I actually didn't." Alec says, looking at me and Magnus all smiley. I give him a blank look while Magnus gives him a big smile.
"Well, my work is done here." Magnus says, grabbing his coat. "Walk me out, will you? We have some business to settle." Magnus tells Alec.
"Go. I'll be fine." Izzy tells Alec. He hugs her. We make eye contact for a second before I look away. He walks away. Izzy looks at me. "So, when are you and Alec going to talk?" She asks me. I glare at her.
"There will be no talking." I say. "About his actions." I clarified. I put my head high up. She looks at me sad. "He replaced me in a snap of a finger Isabelle. How do you think that makes me feel." I say as a tear rolls down my cheek. She opens her mouth. "No, I can't. He's going to Marry her and I hope the best for him in his loveless marriage." I say then walk out the room.
❀