******
JACE LED ASHER into the main room of Magnus' lair once the others finished off the last Circle member. He gave her a small smile before making his way over to Alec.
Her heart sank at the warlock bodies scattered throughout the area. Guilt filled her at the thought of how she could've saved more if she didn't give in to Valentine's taunting.
The aftermath of Asher's panic attack left her feeling more vulnerable than ever. She stood awkwardly, avoiding eye contact with the others and pulling Jace's leather jacket closer in hopes it would swallow her whole.
Suddenly, a soft voice interrupted her inner turmoil. The little girl she had seen earlier, the one Clary had rescued, approached her with a tentative smile. "Hi," the girl greeted, her innocent eyes studying Asher. "Are you okay?"
Asher blinked, momentarily taken aback by the unexpected concern from such a young girl. She managed a small, reassuring smile. "Yeah, I'm okay." The girl nodded, seemingly satisfied with the response, and then asked. "May I give you a hug?"
Asher stilled at the request. Her Shadowhunter training cautioned her with letting her guard down around someone she didn't know. However, the innocence the girl exuded had Asher's instincts reaching towards accepting.
"Okay." Asher finally replied. She bent down slightly to allow the little girl to wrap her small arms around her. Instantaneously, her anxiety and fear washed away, replaced with a soft glow of ease.
"Zoe!"
The child pulled away at the mention of her name. Giving Asher one last smile, she bounded off to Magnus. Asher felt the side of her mouth curve upwards at the girl's light-hearted presence. It was a refreshing adjustment to the grim situation they found themselves in.
The thought of a child experiencing what went down had Asher slowly falling back into her hole of despair. The horrors of watching friends and family being murdered by Circle members: she knew it all too well.
Magnus whispered something to Zoe before making his way over. His cocky demeanor from the club was replaced with a tender smile. "You look like you could use a drink." Asher watched as he flicked his wrist, the act in and of itself an extravagant display. A martini glass appeared in his grasp with a deep iridescent purple liquid swirling within its basin.
Asher eyed the glass, making no move to reach for it. The girl earlier was young and naive; this man was centuries old with knowledge that could contest even the oldest book within the Institute.
Magnus rolled his eyes at her not-so-subtle hesitation. "It's not poison." He promised and held the glass closer to her. "It's a gift for saving my life earlier."
Asher's face remained apprehensive. "I was told to never take drinks from men I don't know."
Magnus smirked lightly at her sharp tongue. "It's for your nightmares." He swirled the potion within the glass. "Made to help you sleep."
"What makes you think I need this?"
"Zoe told me." Magnus replied casually. "Young warlocks are naturally empaths before they master magic. That's why you probably felt better after she hugged you."
The mention of the girl had Asher looking away. Her cheeks heated up in embarrassment with how she unknowingly allowed the girl an open door to retrieve information.
The warlock noticed her discomfort and came to Zoe's defense. "Please don't fault her." He pleaded softly. "She just wanted to help. As do I."
Magnus shook the glass softly in Asher's line of vision, like he was trying to convince a stray dog to take a small scrap of food.
Asher remained wary, but slowly reached for the martini glass in Magnus's hand. He attempted to hide his smile as she copied his early actions and swirled the glass lightly. "You're a Shadowhunter." He voiced. "That doesn't come without its own kind of demons."
Asher lowered her head and sniffed the potion. A whiff of spiced vanilla and leather filled her nose. She had to stop herself from humming at the pleasant smell. Magnus noticed her shoulders relax and quickly added, "The aroma is supposed to imitate comfort for the person smelling it."
Asher hesitated for a moment before taking a cautious sip. As soon as the potion hit her lips,a subtle warmth spread through her body, starting from her chest and radiating outward. It was as if a soothing wave flowed through her veins.
Asher closed her eyes as serenity overcame her. It felt like summer sunlight was warming her body after spending an eternity in the dark. The comforting scent, now intertwined with the very essence of her being, became a tether to tranquility.
She opened her eyes back up to a satisfied Magnus. "Sometimes a little magic can take the edge off." He waved his hand and the glass disappeared from her grasp. "If it wears off let me know." He winked and moved to stand in the center of the room.
Asher followed him quietly and took a seat on the velvet chair near the balcony. Her anxiety may have left, but the guilt of succumbing to her anger still lingered.
A hand was place on her shoulder and she looked up to see Isabelle staring down at her. No words were exchanged, but Isabelle's soft gaze was enough for Asher to know what she meant. It was the same thing she told her a few nights ago.
You're not alone, not anymore.
The young Shadowhunter placed her own hand on top of Isabelle's, giving it a soft squeeze. She leaned back and crossed her leg, arm outstretched casually along the headrest. Her cool and collected demeanor returned as she neutralized her expression.
Jace watched her from the other side of the room, surprised with how well she was able to push down her feelings for the sake of a mission. He smirked in her direction. "You look good in my jacket."
"I know." Asher responded simply, eyes glittering with amusement.
"Hold tight, everyone!" Magnus announced, capturing everyone's attention as he raised his hands. "We're about to move." Asher was about to asked what he meant when neon blue flames erupted in his palms.
Magnus waved his fingers around before compressing his hands together to form a tight ball of magic. The ground began to rumble and a glittering mist arose, engulfing Asher's vision until it was all she could see around her.
Within seconds, the mist dissipated.
Asher found herself within the exact same room as before, except all of the debris that littered the floor from the invasion disappeared. The bodies of the deceased Circle members also vanished.
"Much better."Magnus sighed contently, staring out his window at the new backdrop. Replacing the old brick building was an extravagant view of the Manhattan Bridge. Lights of the building behind flickered like fireflies in the distance.
Magnus moved his gaze to look at the rest of the room. "Ugh, it's inevitable." He scrunched his nose. "After each move, I get the itch to redecorate." The warlock looked in Alec's direction, a glint of mischief in his eye. "Normally, I love a dirty lair, but this one is just sloppy." He pressed his foot against the coffee table to move it forward. The legs screeched against the floor.
The older Lightwood raised his eyebrow at him before walking across the room to stand next to Jace. Asher watched in amusement from her spot as Magnus' eyes followed his moving figure with a feline-like precision. She should have expected for a warlock as extravagant as Magnus to not hide away from things he desired.
Said warlock immediately turned to the other Lightwood standing next to him. "I believe in payment for services rendered." He held up his arm to reveal the ruby necklace. "Thank you for defending the warlocks."
Isabelle looked shocked. "I couldn't-" "Oh, but you could." Magnus countered. "And you should." He unclasped the necklace and wrapped it gently around her neck. "The Lightwoods have been wearing this for years. Besides, this would look silly on your brother."
The warlock glanced at Alec again and leaned in closer to Isabelle. "About Alec, is he more of a flower or cologne man?" The younger Lightwood giggled at his question.
Clary stood up from her spot on the couch. "Okay, so how do we summon the memory demon?"
Asher's head perked up at the redhead's question. Magnus' playful tone shifted to something more serious. "Are you certain?" He questioned her. "Summoning such a powerful demon could be lethal."
"I'll do anything to save my mother." Clary stated, determination settling on her features. "Where is the demon?" Asher's gaze shifted towards her, not at all surprised.
Magnus paused as he stared at Clary in admiration. "Okay." He said and snapped his fingers in Jace's direction. "Pretty boy, get your team ready."
Jace, assuming the comment was for himself, uncrossed his arms and glanced at his comrades. "You know what to do." He made it less than a foot when Magnus's outstretched arm stopped him. "I'm not talking to you." The warlock pushed him aside. His finger slowly uncurled to point at the Shadowhunter beside him. "I'm talking to you."
Jace's jaw dropped as he looked at Alec, quizzically. The older Lightwood remained silent, but sported a smug smile at the insinuation. He glanced over at his Parabati and shrugged.
Asher snickered as Magnus led Clary to another room within the lair. She pushed herself up from the velvet seat and folded her arms. "So, pretty boy," She raised her eyebrow at Alec, a teasing grin on her face. "Should I tell Magnus that you prefer stargazing or long walks on the beach?"
Alec's smile didn't falter as he adjusted the bow on his shoulder. Jace grumbled in annoyance and attempted to regain his posture after the low blow to his ego. "It's okay, Jace." Isabelle walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's good to get humbled every once in a while."
Asher chuckled and turned to look at the scenic view while the Lightwood siblings explored the lair. Jace remained beside her as they stared at the glittering lights. He cleared his throat. "You should wrap those hands."
The young Shadowhunter glanced down at her chapped and bruised knuckles. "Nothing a good night's sleep won't fix." She paused for a moment before turning to look at Jace. "Hey, I'm sorry about earlier-" "Don't apologize." Jace shook his head. "Valentine threatened your life. It's understandable why you were worried."
"But I shouldn't have been." Asher sighed in defeat, pinching the bridge of her nose. "We were in the middle of a mission and I choked." She shook her head in disappointment. "I could've saved more people if I just-"
"Hey, don't do that." Jace turned his body to full look at her. His expression softened, concern etched across his features. "We all face challenges, and sometimes things don't go as planned. It doesn't make you any less of a Shadowhunter."
Asher met his gaze, a mix of frustration and self-blame in her eyes. "I know, but I let my emotions get the best of me. It could've cost us."
"You're not the only one who's let emotions cloud their judgment." Jace's voice was gentle but firm. "And you're not alone in this. We're a team, remember?"
"Right." Asher mustered a small smile before turning her head back to the balcony window. Silence enveloped the both of them.
"So, stargazing or long walks on the beach?"
"Hm?" Asher glanced back at Jace as he continued to stare out into the night. "The question from earlier." He stated, lips upturning slightly. "Do you prefer stargazing or long walks on the beach?"
Asher's eyes sparkled with a subtle amusement at the unexpected question. "Well, neither, actually. I prefer watching sunrises."
Jace turned to face her, a curious expression on his face. "Sunrises?"
"There's just something about the simplicity of it." Asher smiled, her gaze distant as if she could already picture the scene. "It's a quieter kind of beauty, watching the colors light up the sky." She hummed blissfully. "Reminds you of how there will always be a new day after a period in the darkness."
Jace's eyes scanned her face, a small smile adoring his lips. "I've never thought about it like that." He observed the quiet serenity on Asher's face as she looked out the window and imagined streaks of pink and orange filling the horizon.
"I used to watch them with my parents."
Jace's chest tightened at the small truth that left her lips. A sad smile graced her beautiful face. "I'm sorry." He whispered, sensing the weight behind her words.
Asher shook her head, the smile lingering. "Don't be." She looked back over at him. "It's a memory I hold on to. Sunrises were our quiet moments, a time when everything felt perfect, if only for a little while." Jace continued to stare as he took in the vulnerability she shared. "I can see why they mean so much to you."
"Yeah," Asher agreed, her eyes returning to the cityscape. "They're a reminder that even in the darkest times, there's a promise of light."
Jace opened his mouth to propose something when Magnus called out to them. "Shadowhunters!" He beckoned them forward. "Prepare Clary as best you can."
Asher turned to offer her services when Jace stopped her. "I got this." He murmured softly. "You stay here and imagine those pretty sunsets." His fingers dropped down her arm and brushed her hand delicately before making his way over to Clary.
Magnus sauntered over with a subtle sway in his hips. "Get comfy." He gestured to the couch behind him. "This may take a minute."
Clary screamed out in agony.