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"DROP YOUR WEAPON."
Asher attempted to remain calm and steady her nerves as she released her seraph blade. A hand grabbed her upper arm tightly. "Well, well, well." A sinister male voice resounded from beside her ear. "What do we have here?"
Asher turned her head to see if anyone else was near to help when the man tensed and pressed the blade further against her. "Don't move." He hissed menacingly. "Unless you want to end up like the other warlocks we killed." She stilled her movements as she thought meticulously on what to do.
"My friends will be here any second." Asher muttered. She could feel the assailant smirk. "I'm quite disappointed that you would need saving, Asher Montgomery. Not quite the threat that Valentine said you were."
Asher's blood froze in her veins and a great unease settled within her. She kept her face neutral. "It seems I must be since he sent you here instead of doing the work himself." Out of the corner of her eye, she faintly saw a smirk.
"Oh trust me," The malevolent voice continued. "Valentine wants more than anything to finish you off himself." She felt a warm breath tickle her ear as he whispered, "He needs to make sure you stay dead." The air inside Asher's lungs turned thick and she found herself unable to breathe.
Valentine remembered.
The Circle member smirked at Asher's silence. "Oh, he remembers you well." He sneered, grip tightening on her arm as he turned them around. "The daughter of a Penrose and a Montgomery. Downworlder-aiding scum." A flame of anger sparked within the young Shadowhunter; her blood began to boil.
"It was almost noble of your parents to sacrifice themselves for you." The man stated, disgust evident in his tone. "Maybe it's better for them to not see who you are."
The walls seemed to close in around Asher as the voice continued taunting her. Her heartbeat began to quicken and she felt the growing fire set her face aflame. Every mention of her parents, every detail of that fateful night slowly drove her down into madness.
The voice soon faded into a soft hum as the room began to spin. Asher felt her rage slowly build within her like a darkening storm. The man laughed at the scars Valentine left her. He mocked her for not being strong enough to save her parents.
It was only until he whispered those six words in her ear did Asher finally succumb to her demons.
"Tell your parents Valentine sends his regards."
Asher swung her head back against the man's face, hitting him so hard that a satisfying crack rang in her ears. She broke free as he staggered back with one hand clutching his nose. Her head slowly inclined to the side in an unnerving silence.
The young Shadowhunter stalked forward, eyeing the Circle member like he was a mouse. His eyes widened in fear at the wild look within her eyes and swung his blade at her in a feeble attempt to protect himself, but she caught his wrist. "You want to see threatening?" She sunk her nails into his skin, squeezing so tight that he dropped his weapon. "I'll show you threatening."
Asher wrapped her free hand around his neck and hit him against the wall, causing a few artworks to fall onto the ground. "Is this scary enough for you?" She narrowed her eyes before leaning in so close that their noses brushed. "Where is Valentine?"
The man gasped for air and clawed at the hand at his throat, prompting Asher to throw him onto the floor. "Wrong answer." The force had his body sliding back and colliding with a small wooden desk propped against the wall.
Asher's lips curled back into a snarl. "Where. Is. He." As the Circle member attempted to get up, she sent her fist flying forward, colliding with the side of his face. The strong blow sent him airborne and landing face up against the carpet.
The Circle member let out a choked laugh, blood staining his teeth. "The real Asher Montgomery." He gasped out and pushed himself to a seated position. "The slayer of Shadowhunters." His attempt at defiance only increased the rage within her.
The young Shadowhunter felt the lights in the hallway grow brighter as she grabbed his collar and slammed him against the ground. "Where is he?" She whispered softly, eyes ablaze. He responded with a demented grin. She raised her fist and swung. "Where is he?"
The man in front of Asher morphed into Valentine's sinister face. A ferocious growl rumbled in her throat as the world became a distorted backdrop to her overwhelming anger. A loud ringing grew within her ears as the rage pressed deeply against her skull, screaming to be let out.
Someone called her name in the distance, but it was so faint amongst the ringing that Asher paid it no mind. It slowly grew louder and louder until she felt her body shake violently.
"Asher stop!"
All of a sudden, the white hot rage that blurred her senses vanished and she found herself back in the same hallway as before. Jace was right in front of her, hands on her shoulders. The words that came out of his mouth slowly registered in her mind as the ringing faded.
"Look at me." He shook her again to get her attention. "Breathe." Asher stared back, dazed and confused. She pulled away and pressed a hand to the fading pressure in her head. "What-" Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of her bloodied knuckles.
The young Shadowhunter look back at Jace before her eyes fell to the body laying beside him. She gasped and scrambled to a standing position, eyes trained on the aftermath of her rage.
The Circle member she fought laid lifeless on the floor, face caved and barely recognizable. His blood soaked the carpet underneath.
"Asher." Jace tried to grab her attention, but all she did was stare in horror at what she had done. Her heartbeat increase significantly as remnants of what happened before popped up in her mind.
"By the angel."
Jace's head turned back to see Isabelle at the entrance. Clary stood right behind with a little girl in her arms, her eyes fixed in horror at the body. The younger Lightwood glanced at Asher's frozen state before meeting Jace's gaze.
The panic within Asher intensified as her eyes looked up at the sound of Isabelle's voice. She spotted the girl tucked protectively under Clary's arm. "I-I didn't..." She stumbled over her words as her breaths turned into quick gasps for air.
"Go." Jace instructed and nodded to the opening closest to them. "I'll take it from here." Isabelle opened her mouth to argue, but the blond was firm. "Now!" The younger Lightwood clenched her jaw, but nonetheless headed out with Clary close behind.
He needs to make sure you stay dead.
"Valentine remembers who I am." Asher's voice trembled as her eyes returned to the body. She started to back away slowly. "He's going to kill me."
Asher's instincts were shouting at her to run as her eyes darted around the hallway for an escape. "Oh god." Her chest began to tighten in fear. She looked down at her hands and stomach. A flashback of her younger self invaded her vision, hands covered in blood from the large gash in her abdomen. "Oh god, he's going to kill me-"
"Hey," Jace stepped in front of her and grabbed her trembling hands. "Look at me." Asher tried to register his words, but the panic in her chest was too much to bear. She began to hyperventilate.
"Shit." Jace let go of one of her hands to fish out his stele. Gingerly, he pushed back the sleeve of her top and began to draw the Calm rune. Once finished, he gently moved her further away from the scene and turned her around so that she wouldn't accidentally see it.
"Asher." Jace's voice was soft as his head ducked down to meet her gaze. "Hey, Ash. Look at me." Her brown eyes flicked up to meet his stare as his hand cupped her cheek. The rune he drew quickly subdued Asher's panic attack, leaving her now with a deep dread.
"Jace." Asher's eyes filled with tears. "He's coming for me." She shook her head vigorously. "He's gonna finish what-"
"No, Asher. Listen to me." Jace cut her off, eyes boring into her own. "He won't. I won't let that happen." His heart clenched at the vulnerability in her eyes as he fully understood how deep her fear ran.
As soon as the first tear fell, Jace pulled Asher into his chest. Her arms gripped his leather jacket tightly as his hand moved to cradle her head. "You're not alone, Asher. We'll face this together," he whispered, his voice steady.
As she clung to him, he swore to himself that no matter what, he was going to protect her.