"I hope your father has informed you of the fact that on the weekend we will be coming for dinner- with my family. Unfortunately this will possibly be cancelled due to the state of my sister... And the fact that your brother Matthew- he broke off the engagement." Aiden started speaking, he was speaking for quite sometime, my gaze was on the ground as he was speaking.
"What do you mean, he broke off the engagement?" Matthew asked and tensed lightly he was unaware of the decision. "While Ari is in this state?" he asked, his disbelief was apparent. At least I could tell. And I agreed, Charles was an arsehole but not that much, he wouldn't do such thing.
"Positive, Matthew, my father was dissatisfied." Aiden spoke and I felt as if he cornered Math for his brother's doing.
"Yes, but there is no reason to mention it to Matthew." I tried to change the subject from this but Matthew seemed skeptical.
"Why?" Matthew asked he was referring to Aiden.
"Grace Blackthorn is the new lucky bride of our Consul." Aiden spoke with disgust. "I promise you though, that nothing like this happens to us. As soon as Ari gets out of there I will come for you." He spoke, his voice giving me apromise that sounded like a threat as he held my hand. I jumped at the gesture and Matthew realized the fact that I was uncomfortable...
"Enough." Matthew intervened almost immediately. "Aiden, you should be departing now. I will be here along with Anna to keep an eye to your sister but Vespasia as well... Linette should rest." He spoke up and escorted Aiden out.
"I shall be leaving too. If you need anything I am certain you'll find your way around." Matthew spoke up. His voice abrupt as he left me alone in the room.
I looked outside and pondered for some moments trying to recall details from the vision, ignoring the fact that I just basically fought with Matthew and Aiden practically proposed to me right before his eyes. I didn't know what was more surreal and stupid at that point.
I stood up, decided to go at the infirmary despite the promise I made to Lucie to sit still in my arse and not get involved at all, I opened the door, the corridors were quiet, almost suspiciously quiet. There was a buzz of voices and I decided to follow that- It was Matthew's voice, he was tense angry and he was speaking to someone.
By the time I walked to the staircase I saw him with Grace- He was leaning above her his hand griping her waist as their lips were kissing, touching one another. I felt my temperature rising within seconds, my ears ringing from the added pressure on my head. My eyes stung with tears- I didn't want to cry, I didn't want to admit I had feelings for him. He had no feelings at all didn't even counted my brother. His bloody Parabatai! I sobbed and their gaze met mine.
"Lina!" he exclaimed but I turned and run. He didn't find me.
Lucie Herondale
I was almost too sure that once I was back at the room I would find my sister sitting there. Linette had a thing for getting herself in trouble, or assisting as she would call it. She was too altruistic sometimes and I liked being the selfish one around. For my surprise she was there...
Curled on the couch hugging a pillow, she had tears in her eyes as I stared at Cordelia who seemed as shocked as me. "Lina? What happened?" I asked her approaching kneeling down next to her.
"Nothing, just the tension- the vision- everything!" She exclaimed and held the pillow closer to her without allowing me to come on a physical contact with her.
Cordelia sat next to her. "You were fine before... where is Matthew?" My parabatai to be asked, her voice smoothing and sweet trying to find intelligence on what happened.
"He is escorting Aiden out..." Lina sobbed and wiped her eyes. But they flooded immediately once again. "He proposed- papa has accepted for dinner..." she sobbed and I couldn't believe my ears. Papa would never arrange something like that without asking or at least notifying Linette.
"I am certain her lied!" I exclaimed loudly. "Papa would never give you away like that." I tried to reason with her but she didn't seem willing to hear.
"He just wants to get rid of me. I know I am big trouble... But I'd never think he would do that!" she shouted and I couldn't believe that those words concerned our father...
"Linette, I want you to breath." Cordelia tried to ease her. "You will talk it out with uncle Will, I agree with Luce, your father would never do that-." She tried to reason with me once James walked in. He froze looking at us. His gaze towards his twin.
"Do not comment!" Lina barked and his attention turned to Cordelia and offered her a letter "Matthew gave it to me for you- you should read it is your letter." James said softly, I loved his behavior towards my parabatai to be.
"I want to read it with you three." She added and read it out loud. It was a sad one as her father didn't rememver anything therefore he would be held in the Silent city for longer than expected as the Mortal Sword had nothing to detect- before we could speak about it Christopher burst into the room with Thomas.
"Here you are!" he exclaimed, I looked at Lina, her eyes almost dried off completely I was glad she was focusing on something different other than the proposal and our father. I was certain there had to be an explanation. "I have news" Kit announced, "Those wooden shards you gave me, Thomas and I analyzed them using the laboratory in the tavern." He explained briefly.
"The ones we thought for a weapon?" Cordelia asked, changing the subject off of her as well. There was a positive sign from the small scientist.
"The peculiar thing is that there was demonic blood upon them, but only on one side." Christopher explained briefly.
"Come again?" James asked
"There is only on the one side of each shard." Christpher explained briefly and looked at us all. No one paid attention to my sister's distressed and I was more happy than I would let on.
"As if it was the on purpose." Lina suggested and James said no, he took out a small piece of sketch that Matthew had found on Gast's apartment, apparently the name of the demon was Mandikhor, Manticore for mundanes.
"How could I have not seen it before!" James whined, I smiled lightly as Lina was sat up, her confidence looked a bit rebuild.
"Pyxis box." She stated and James nodded in approval.
"Pyxis- Pyxis box? What is it?" Cordelia asked, in general but her gaze was locked at me.
"It's a pocket trap for demons." Lina remarked with simplicity
"That would explain the shard marks on the one side, if there was a demon in it." James added and looked at it, it still laid on Kit's hands. "And it would also explain the markings."
"We can discuss it at the devil tavern, Thomas is there and I don't like leaving him alone for too long." Kit pointed out and we all agreed.
"No need to. I have seen one of those- ." I spoke up as they were preparing to leave the institute once again.
"At Hell Ruelle." Matthew completed my sentence and I felt his need to interact with me, speak to me. Even though I felt utter disgust at his attempt... Betrayal to me and double one to my brother. I couldn't process still that sight, their lips touching and his hand caressing her face, with such gentleness it pained my stomach.
Cordelia was close to me, closer than Lucie, it was an unspoken gesture of support, silent one that really gave me a feeling of relief, her fingers gasped my wrist that was on my back, my nails subcounsiously dug into my palm creating tiny wounds, but she stopped it. It took me a few seconds to reply- I felt guts twist at the obligation to speak to him.
"Yes... And I also know the person who could lead us into snatching one." I added, and swallowed hard, I could feel Matthew's gaze upon me and I avoided to look at him at any cost... Thankfully neither James realized that there was something wrong-
"Wait a minute- when did you go to hell ruelle?" James asked me, his gaze was shocked and I didn't think of his reaction, I was only thinking of a plan.
"When did you go at Chiswick?" I asked him in response. I wasn't going to let go of this incident soon enough it hurt me. It hurt me too much.
Anna Lightwood
"It is so bad mannered to appear unannounced during tea time-." I spoke as I saw everyone at my doorstep all at once. My heart bloomed at their sight and I couldn't explain how happy I was to see them all there even though I knew there was something wrong. "There simply won't be enough cake for everybody. The girls will have cake and the boys- nothing." I spoke and stepped aside as one by one walked in my living room and helped themselves at home. There were many sentiments flying around in the atmosphere and I couldn't take it all in at once it was as if they lived in different situations...
James and Christopher seemed delighted almost enthusiastic I'd say as they immediately sat on the couch next to Matthew and Thomas who seemed to have other things in their mind. Thomas I could understand, his grieve being fresh- Barbara's loss still lingering in his life with the bitter melancholy that we all who were close to her somewhat still feel. However Matthew- there was something else about him- his gaze was on my carpet and I was aware it wasn't because he admired its design- there was thought- melancholy... perhaps guilt.
Luce was excited- shared the feelings of her brother and Cordelia seemed like that too but still held back... Lina on the other hand looked lost, she didn't speak- she only sat on the floor, on her usual spot in my house- by the fireplace and simply stared right into it.
"That is unjust..." James said and with fake annoyance.
"Life is unjust my love." I responded and sat upon the arm of the high chair my brother was sitting, I rubbed his shoulder and ruffled Thomas' hair who was right beside him. "Of course I would offer you cake dear cousin to ease your heart." I offered him a smile and a piece of cake.
"I think in that case, assistance would be better than cake." He gave me a fond look but I could read his exhaustion.
"By all means, tell me what is going on." I offered to hear them out. James briefly explained to me that they required a Pyxis- they didn't precisely name a reason of such urgency- I wanted to know. I could see everyone's gaze stare at me and James as we spoke.
"... And so we though, perhaps going to hell Ruelle..." James finished his last sentence.
"Ah yes! About that. Let me be perfectly clear about what you are asking: You want me to seduce a warlock in order to precure you a tragically outmoded box in which, no doubt, house a dangerous demon..." I looked at them all one by one "Whose idea was this brilliance? And why in Raziel's name haven't you told anyone else about it?"
"Because... we were only guessing?" Matthew tried to rescue the situation
"Because we cannot!" Lucie exclaimed afterwards, her tone stiff. "We have sworn a vow to protect the source who gave us the information our guesses are based on... We can not tell you even, dear Anna. You must simply trust us that this is for a good reason"
I only looked at them without responding, James and Christpher had put on their very best puppy gaze, while Thomas stared at me in all seriousness along with Matth and Luce. I only raised my hands. "You are off your heads! Every single one of u"
"Don't you think you could help us?" James asked me, his face tugged in a small smile.
"Humph." I played with my watch. "I could do it- but it goes against my strict policy. To seduce anybody twice." I revealed and I felt Matthews eyes at me.
"You've been with Vex?" Matthew exclaimed. He seemed betrayed, I expected Lina and James to have a say in this but they looked lost in their very own thoughts...