CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
THREATENING FINGER SNAPS
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Adrian pulled his jacket tighter around himself as another gust of wind ruffled his hair and clothes. Scowling into the sleeves of his jacket, he braced a foot on the step below and leaned forward, peering down the sidewalk leading to Magnus's home. There was no sign of Clary, and he let out an impatient sigh, easing back into his sitting position. Alec didn't seem nearly as restless. He just sat on the step beside Adrian in comfortable silence, only glancing up when Adrian shifted, thinking he was moving because Clary had arrived. The longer she took, the more anxious Adrian became. He kept glancing up at the rain clouds darkening the sky. While he was grateful to be away from Jace's complaining for a few minutes, he didn't like the thought of being rained on. It was while he was staring at the sky that Alec finally decided to break the comfortable silence.
"You and Oliver have been hanging out a lot," was all he said. Adrian blinked and turned to look at him. They had been sitting in silence for five minutes. Adrian wondered if he had spent the entirety of that five minutes deciding whether or not to actually say that sentence. Adrian wanted to laugh, but he bit the inside of his cheek to keep it in.
"We're friends," he said, trying to keep his amusement out of his voice. He failed, and Alec's mouth started to pull downward. Grinning, Adrian shifted closer until their legs touched and poked Alec's cheek. "You jealous he's going to replace you as best friend, Alexander?" Alec rolled his eyes, reaching up to grab Adrian's hand and pull it away from his cheek.
"That's not what I—" Alec started, only to press his lips tightly together and look away. Adrian tilted his head to look at his face. He gently nudged Alec's side.
"Alec?" he pressed when Alec remained silent. Alec just ducked his head even more. Adrian could see him chewing on his bottom lip.
"Nothing," he dismissed at last, raising his head. He didn't look at Adrian, but at least he didn't shift away from him. Adrian saw that as progress. "Are Oliver and Magnus dating?"
"You suck at changing the subject," Adrian said bluntly, leaning back on his hands. He didn't believe for a second Alec actually cared enough to ask that question. Still, he answered regardless. "And kind of. They've only been on one date, but I guess that went extremely well." He shot Alec a grin. "Oliver hasn't really been home." He expected Alec to have an amusing reaction: blushing, sputtering, anything. Instead, all he got was a ducked head and complete silence. Frowning, Adrian pushed himself back up and didn't let himself think about it when he reached for Alec's hand, grasping it and running his thumb across the voyance rune drawn on the back of it. At the touch, Alec raised his head and stared at Adrian's hand over his. For a second, Adrian thought he was going to pull his hand away, and prepared himself for the pain that would cause.
Except Alec didn't pull his hand away, and Adrian wasn't prepared for the confusion that came with that.
"Alec?" Adrian whispered. He was still staring at their hands, and Adrian wondered if the reason he didn't pull away was because he was too deep in his own thoughts. "You alright?" Blinking, Alec shook his head and looked at him. He still didn't move his hand. Adrian thought about pulling his hand away, but he found it hard to do. There was always a deep urge inside of him to touch Alec whenever he was close. Just touching his hand was a small thing to some, but to Adrian, it was more than enough.
"I'm fine," Alec reassured. Adrian jumped when Alec twisted his hand up and squeezed Adrian's hand. It was exactly like in the graveyard, when Adrian had squeezed his hand to say that he was okay. Only this time, neither let go. It was Adrian's turn to stare. He could hear his heart beating in his ears and wondered if Alec could hear it. He was certainly close enough. "I just...Oliver being here reminded me of..." It took Adrian a moment to understand, but when he did, a sharp pang of anxiety went through his stomach. His dark eyes flew up to meet Alec's blue ones.
"Oh," Adrian whispered. Alec's jaw worked like he was biting the inside of his cheek. In all the commotion, Adrian had completely forgotten about his love confession, had forgotten that they needed to address it before something happened and it came up again. Adrian didn't particularly want to discuss it; he didn't want to actually hear Alec reject him. But he couldn't run forever, and it would be better to deal with it now, and not later when he would probably start feeling a bunch of negative emotions other than heartbreak.
"We haven't really talked about it," Alec started. Adrian stared at the wet pavement. It had started to sprinkle while they had been wrapped up in their own little world. The roof hanging over Magnus's front door was just long enough to keep their heads dry, though their legs weren't so lucky. "I mean, we started to, but Izzy kept interrupting and then our job got in the way." Adrian let out a small sigh. He didn't look at Alec, but he didn't take his hand back, either. He didn't want to stop touching him, even if he was about to get hurt by the very person he wanted to touch.
"There's not much I can say, Alec," he said after a long moment of contemplative silence. He should never have run away from Alec after telling him, should have never waited until Alec was dying or was injured enough that he couldn't run after him. "I've said everything. You know how I feel." There was a beat of silence.
"I don't like the thought of you hurting," Alec admitted. "Especially if it's because of me." With a start, Adrian realized that he could feel Alec's heart beating from where their fingers were now linked together. It was beating just as hard as Adrian's was. Adrian glanced back up at Alec's face.
"I'm not hurting, Alec," he said gently, giving his hand a squeeze again. It wasn't the truth, but it wasn't exactly a lie either. In that moment, he wasn't hurting. He wondered if that would change when Alec was no longer close to him. "Telling you actually helped, in a way. I was...hurting a lot before." Alec's face twisted. Adrian could practically see the words I didn't notice forming in his brain, so he rushed on before Alec could voice them. "I don't want you feeling guilty. I meant what I said. You didn't owe me anything then, and you don't owe me anything now." Alec's face twisted again. This time, it was because of irritation. Alec let out an impatient breath.
"I know that, but—" Once again, he interrupted himself. It was like he wanted to say something, but the words kept choking him. Adrian cocked his head to the side.
"But what?" he pressed. Alec let out a frustrated breath, his shoulders slumping. His gaze lowered again.
"I'm...confused." The words were barely more than a whisper, but Adrian heard them all the same. He didn't know what it was that started rising in his chest, but he tried desperately to swallow it down.
"About what?"
"About Jace." Alec hesitated, his hand tightening briefly around Adrian's. It was only then that Adrian realized Alec was probably using him as an anchor, something to draw strength from. Alec sucked in a deep breath and said, "About you."
Adrian went very still.
"What are you confused about?" Adrian said once the silence grew so long that Alec started shrinking in on himself, looking like he wanted a hole to appear beneath him and swallow him down. Adrian didn't want to make him feel like he needed to disappear. "Your feelings for Jace?" He wasn't going to touch the last two words Alec said. That was something he needed to figure out on his own, without Adrian's influence. It wasn't something Adrian could figure out for him. But Jace—Adrian could help with Jace.
"I always thought I was in love with him," Alec said. It was probably the first time he had ever said those words out loud. Adrian wasn't hurt by it; all he felt was pride. He didn't know when Alec had accepted himself, but the when didn't matter. "I don't even know why, now that I think back on it. I just know that I'm not so sure anymore. I don't know if I am, I don't know if I just want to be, I don't know if I'm confusing the type of love I have for him or if I just want something because I know I can't have it." Alec let out a bitter laugh that concerned Adrian. "I probably wasn't even attracted to him."
"Don't do that," Adrian said sternly, surprising Alec enough to make him raise his head and look at him again. "Don't invalidate the attraction you felt towards him. I've been down that road, tried to brush off my attraction toward boys as platonic. Trust me, it doesn't work. I can tell you right now that, yes, you were attracted to Jace. So was I." Alec's eyebrows shot up at that, but Adrian ignored it. "He's Jace. He's the literal definition of pretty boy. But the feelings themselves? Those are a little more complicated." He paused for a moment, long enough that Alec frowned at him.
"Dri?"
"Hush," Adrian shushed, waving his free hand. "I'm thinking." Alec lapsed into silence and waited. Adrian smiled when he finally got his jumbled thoughts together. "Having a crush on someone and actually having feelings for that person are two very different things. They feel completely different. Crushes are...shallow. Not in a bad way, but it's not that deep. You're not heartbroken if your crush starts dating somebody else, you're just a little disappointed. Maybe even a little jealous, but it's not something you can't get over. But loving someone is..." He couldn't find words to describe it. It was the adrenaline rush when they hunted demons. It was laughing so hard that you couldn't breathe and tears formed in your eyes. It was holding that person's hand and realizing that you never wanted to let go.
"How'd you figure it out?" Alec asked, not waiting for an explanation for being in love. He seemed to understand just by the look on Adrian's face.
"It's so cliché," Adrian laughed, "but with Jace, for example, I didn't have butterflies, you know?" He had to pause and laugh again. He could feel blood rushing to his face at the childish description of the nervous, giddy feeling one got in their stomach. "I didn't get nervous around him. I didn't want to touch him. I didn't want to kiss him all the time. I love Jace, but I was never in love with him. Being in love..." He paused, took a deep breath. "There's an...ache in your chest. Sometimes it hurts, and sometimes it doesn't."
"And yours doesn't hurt anymore?" Alec asked, almost sounding hopeful. Adrian shot him a small smile.
"Well," he drawled, hyper-aware of their hands still linked together, "not today." Alec let out a small sigh. His shoulders slumped again.
"How can you be so understanding about this?" he whispered. "I know you're nice—you're literally the sweetest person I've ever met, Dri—but how can you be so nice to me right now?"
"I'd just rather see you happy, Alec, even if it's not with me." Alec straightened at that, eyes going wide. "Your happiness is more important than mine. That's what love is." It probably wasn't the healthiest mindset to have, Adrian knew that, but seeing his loved ones happy made him happy. He'd never be able to be truly happy if his loved ones weren't.
"No, it isn't," Alec said, sounding almost angry. Adrian cast him a curious glance. Alec frowned. "My happiness isn't more important than yours, Adrian." Adrian stared at Alec for a long time, wondering if Alec even knew the implication behind what he had just said. Adrian was about to ask when he heard footsteps on the wet pavement. At once, both Alec and Adrian straightened and reached for the seraph blades at their hips, hands slipping out of each other's. It was only Clary, hood over her head as she hurried through the rain. Simon was at her heels. They both stopped at the foot of the steps, and Adrian was immediately on his feet.
"Little red," he greeted warmly, bending to press a quick kiss to Clary's cheek. She returned it, then hurried to get under the small roof, shaking her damp hair out. Simon went to follow her, but stopped beside Adrian, giving him a curious look.
"Do I get a kiss on the cheek?" he asked, sounding amused. Adrian flashed him a grin.
"Do you want a kiss on the cheek, Simon?" he asked, intentionally making his voice sound flirty. Simon blushed and sputtered out something unintelligible, and Adrian let out a laugh. He stepped forward to kiss Simon on the cheek—only to make his blushing worse—but Simon hurried up the steps toward Clary before he could. Still laughing, Adrian offered Alec a hand, helping him stand from the steps. Alec just shook his head at Adrian's antics before he gave Simon a dark look.
"I didn't know you were bringing the mundane," he said to Clary as he went to lead them all into Magnus's apartment. Adrian rolled his eyes at the tone of voice.
"That's what I like about you people," Simon said cheerfully as he followed. "You always make me feel so welcome."
"I offered you a kiss," Adrian pointed out as they climbed the stairs. "You rejected me." He grinned. "That's probably why Alec is being mean to you. You rejected my kiss, and now he's upset on my behalf."
"Or he's upset because he's the only one you didn't offer a cheek kiss to," Clary pointed out, sounding amused. Adrian let out a delighted laugh and threw an arm over her shoulders. He had missed her dearly, though it hadn't been long since they had last seen each other. He always became lighthearted around her; it was easy to smile and joke around with someone who had a habit of being just as silly.
"He got to hold my hand," Adrian drawled, eyeing Alec as he reached the top of the stairs. "He'll live." When they finally reached the top of the stairs and entered Magnus's loft, the warlock was already waiting. The decor had changed since the previous day. Now there was a hall with multiple doors. The living room was no longer a living room; instead, it was empty save for a few chairs and a rug. Adrian saw Chairman Meow curled up in one of the chairs and went to pet him. He purred when Adrian scratched his head, eyes drooping. Alec bent to scratch his chin.
"Clary and the mundane Alec says is named Simon," Magnus greeted, cocking his head to the side and spreading his fingers out in front of him. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" Adrian snorted. Magnus knew why they were there; Alec had told them why Clary was coming as soon as she had sent him a text.
"Dramatic," he whispered to Alec, loud enough for Magnus to hear. Magnus didn't turn to look at him, but he did flick his fingers over his shoulder to send neon blue sparks at Adrian's head. They did nothing when they landed on him save for tickle his cheek.
"Just here to see Jace," Clary said with a smile. "Is he alright?"
"I don't know," Magnus drawled. "Does he normally just lie on the floor like that without moving?" Clary's face paled.
"Wait, what—Magnus, that isn't funny."
"It's a little funny." Just then, a door shut. Adrian turned to see Oliver coming out from the hall, looking unimpressed. Adrian's lips twitched when he noticed the shirt he was wearing. Either it was new, or Oliver was wearing Magnus's clothes. Oliver's face brightened when he noticed Adrian, and he gave him a short smile.
"Your friend is fine," Oliver told Clary, motioning for her to follow him. "Come on, he's in here." He disappeared into the second door on the right. They all followed him, and Adrian watched as Magnus went to Oliver as soon as they entered the room. Adrian forced himself to look away before he witnessed something meant for the two of them. His eyes went to Alec instead, and he was struck with the urge to bring him close like Magnus had with Oliver. He ignored it.
"What's on?" he asked instead, walking toward Jace where he was sprawled on the couch. This room seemed to be the new living room. The only light came from the TV.
"Nothing I haven't seen before." Jace sat up, and Adrian placed his hands on Jace's shoulders, squeezing once before he sighed and leaned down to wrap his arms around Jace's neck. Jace acknowledged the hug by squeezing Adrian's arms, though he couldn't quite return it considering their position. Once Adrian pulled away, Jace twisted and set his chin on the back of the couch, using the remote to point at Magnus. "Nearly unlimited supernatural power and all you do is use it to watch reruns. What a waste." Magnus clicked his tongue and moved away from Oliver, his arms falling from where they had been wrapped around his waist.
"Also," Simon put in before Magnus could say anything, "there are other ways to watch reruns without wasting magic." Magnus shot him a glare.
"My magic is cheaper." To Adrian's amusement, he clapped his hands, and the lights overhead switched on. Jace grunted and pressed his face into the cushions of the couch. Adrian patted his head. "Can you do that without magic?"
"Yes," they all said at once, Jace's voice muffled. Simon continued with, "If you watched infomercials, you'd know that." Magnus glare went from playful to deadly within seconds. Adrian cleared his throat.
"Simon, do you really think mouthing off to the High Warlock of Brooklyn in his own home is a wise decision?" Adrian said sweetly. Simon looked at him, then decided that he was right and ducked his head.
"Not that this isn't entertaining," Clary said, "but shouldn't we talk about what we're going to do now?" Jace grunted again and twisted back around on the couch, raising the remote.
"I was going to watch Project Runway. It's on next." Magnus snapped his fingers, switching the TV off. Jace pressed a button on the remote, but nothing happened. Scowling, he kept pressing the same button over and over until Adrian took it from him and set it down on the coffee table.
"No, you're not," Magnus said. "You need to deal with this."
"Suddenly you're interested in solving my problems?"
"I'm interested in getting my apartment back. I'm tired of you cleaning all the time." He snapped his fingers again. This time, no magic accompanied the action, though the threat was clear. Adrian shook his head. "Get up."
"Or else you'll be the next one to go up in smoke," Simon clarified. Adrian and Alec shared a look. Alec looked like he wanted to laugh.
"There was no need to clarify my finger snap," Magnus said, annoyed. "The implication was clear in the snap itself." Still looking at Alec, Adrian widened his eyes and mouthed the word dramatic. Alec laughed, hand flying to his mouth to muffle the sound. Adrian was going to pull his mouth away so that he could hear his laugh, but paused when Magnus snapped his fingers again and pointed at Adrian. "And I saw that." Adrian just shrugged. "We're having a round table meeting. Everyone follow me." They did. As Adrian walked into the room, the rug and chairs disappeared, replaced with a large, round antique table with high-backed chairs. Adrian was the first to sit down. Jace sat down on his left, and Alec sat on his right. Magnus, Clary, and Oliver sat down next. Simon was the last to sit. Adrian couldn't help but notice Isabelle's absence. She had decided to stay at the Institute to spend time with Max.
"This is amazing," Clary breathed, hands sliding across the tabletop. "How can you create something out of nothing like that?" Magnus frowned.
"I can't. Everything comes from somewhere, biscuit. This came from an antique store on Fifth Avenue." He waved his hand, and steaming cups of coffee appeared in front of them. Adrian made a sound of delight and reached for it, bringing it to his lips and blowing at the top. "And these came from a coffee shop on Broadway."
"That seems like stealing, doesn't it?" Simon asked, slower to reach for the coffee than anyone else. Alec was already sipping at his. "Did you pay for these?" Magnus blinked.
"Sure." Jace, Adrian, and Alec all laughed into their cups. "I make dollar bills magically appear in their cash registers."
"Really?"
"No." Adrian bit his bottom lip to keep from laughing again, turning his face away. He ended up looking at Alec, who was still sipping at the coffee. His eyes flickered up to meet Adrian's, and then he was setting his cup back on the table. A moment later, Alec was reaching for Adrian's cup, straightening it. In Adrian's amusement at Simon and the situation, it had tilted dangerously, the scalding coffee seconds away from spilling all over Adrian's lap. Unfortunately, when Adrian realized this, his hands automatically jerked in his haste to straighten it. Coffee burned his fingers, and Alec quickly placed the cup back on the table for him as he hissed. Magnus was still speaking, but Adrian didn't hear a word of it.
"Klutz" Alec whispered, clicking his tongue as he took Adrian's hands to inspect the burns. He reached into the pocket of his hoodie and pulled out his stele, quickly drawing iratze runes on each of his wrists. Adrian didn't think they warranted runes, but he didn't bother pointing that out to Alec. He just smiled and whispered his thanks.
"First thing first," Clary started, "figuring out what the hell is going on. Jace, you said what happened in the Silent City was Valentine's fault?" Jace nodded.
"I was in the cell and I heard the Silent Brothers screaming," Jace explained. He was staring at the tabletop, frowning. "Then Valentine came downstairs with—with something." A shiver went through him, and Adrian reached out a hand to touch Jace's arm. Jace shrugged at him, trying to brush it off as nothing. "I don't know what it was. A demon, but not like any I've ever seen before. He came up to the bars and told me Maellartach." The Mortal Sword. Adrian pulled his hand away. He suddenly felt sick. "He wanted the Sword and he killed the Silent Brothers to get it." Magnus leaned forward to look at Alec.
"When the Silent Brothers called for your help, where was the Conclave?" he demanded. "Why was no one in the Institute?"
"There was a Downworlder murder in Central Park last night," Alec explained. "A faerie child was killed. The body was drained of blood."
"I bet the Inquisitor thinks I did that, too," Jace said. Adrian nodded in agreement, and Jace gave him a bitter smile. "My reign of terror continues." Magnus stood abruptly from the table and went to the windows. All of them twisted to watch him.
"Blood..." Adrian and Jace shared a startled look. "I had a dream two nights ago. I saw a city of blood, with towers made of bone, and blood running down the streets like water." Adrian eased back into his seat and pushed the coffee further away from him.
"Magnus?" Oliver asked when he remained silent for a few more minutes.
"The blood," Magnus said, turning away from the windows. Adrian had never seen him look so serious. "It can't be a coincidence. There have been several murders of Downworlders this week. A warlock was killed in an apartment tower down by the South Street Seaport. His throat was cut and he was drained of blood. The werewolf that was killed a few days ago, his throat was slit as well."
"It sounds like vampires," Simon pointed out.
"Raphael said it wasn't them," Adrian said. Simon rolled his eyes.
"Because he's trustworthy." Adrian raised an eyebrow.
"In this case, he is."
"Adrian's right," Magnus said, dismissing all talk of vampires. A second later, a large book was being slammed down on the table, jostling all of the still-steaming cups of coffee. Everyone scowled at him as he flipped through the pages. "There was a strong demonic presence at both locations. I think someone else was responsible for all three deaths. Not Raphael and his clan, but Valentine."
"The Inquisitor thought the faerie murder was a diversion so he could plunder the Silent City without worrying about the Conclave," Jace mentioned. Adrian shook his head as Magnus leaned over the book. Oliver peered over his shoulder, his face twisting at what he saw. Adrian leaned forward to take a look. Whatever language the book was in, Adrian couldn't read it.
"There are easier ways to create a diversion," Adrian said, giving up on reading it, "and it's unwise to antagonize the Fair Folk. He wouldn't have murdered one of them, especially not a child, if he didn't have a reason."
"Again, Adrian's right." Adrian smiled. "Valentine had a reason." Magnus tapped the book. "He wanted the faerie child's blood. It's the Ritual of Infernal Conversion. That's what Valentine's trying to do."
"The what of what?" Clary asked, sounding bewildered. Adrian was just as confused.
"Every magical object has an alliance," Magnus explained. Adrian automatically turned toward Alec to see if he knew what that even meant, but he seemed just as puzzled. Adrian sighed. He wished Isabelle was there. She would have known exactly what Magnus was referring to. "The alliance of the Sword is seraphic—like those angel knives you Shadowhunters use, but a thousand times more so, because its power was drawn from the Angel himself, not from the invocation of an angelic name. What Valentine wants to do is reverse that alliance—make it an object of demonic power rather than angelic." Adrian sank lower in his chair.
"That can't be good," he murmured. Magnus nodded in agreement.
"It's not. As the Angel's Sword, Maellartach's use to Valentine would be limited, but as a sword whose demonic power is equal to the angelic power it once possessed...well, there's much it could offer him. Power over demons, for one. Not just limited protection the Cup might offer, but power to force demons to do his bidding."
"A demon army," Clary whispered, horrified.
"Enough power to bring them into Idris, perhaps," Magnus mused. Adrian's head snapped up.
"That would be a bloodbath," he gasped. Again, Magnus nodded. Simon frowned.
"Why?" he asked. "Aren't you all demon hunters?" Adrian gave him an exasperated look.
"There are an infinite number of demons, Simon, and the wards around Idris aren't strong enough to keep them all out," he explained.
"What does the ritual have to do with dead Downworlders?" Oliver demanded, turning the subject matter back to what was currently happening in their city.
"To perform the ritual, you need to heat the Sword until it's red-hot, then cool it four times, each time in the blood of a Downworld child," Magnus read off the page. Everyone at the table shivered. Alec's hand clutched at Adrian's wrist beneath the table. "Once in the blood of a Child of Lilith, once in the blood of a Child of the Moon, once in the blood of a Child of the Night, and once in the blood of a Child of the Fair Folk." Warlock, werewolf, vampire, and fae. Another shiver went through Adrian.
"That means he's not done killing," Clary whispered. "There's one more child to go."
"Two more," Oliver corrected. His face was drained of color. "He didn't succeed with the werewolf child, which means he's going to try again." Oliver started rising from his seat, the anxiety in his voice clear. "Magnus—"
"Go. Call me when you get there," Magnus ordered. Oliver was leaving the loft a moment later, off to warn his pack about the danger the children were in. They'd all be locked safely away inside, surrounded by the rest of their pack members, before the hour was up. "Whatever Valentine's endgame is, he's already halfway to reversing the Sword. He's probably able to garner some power from it already. He could already be calling on demons."
"Wouldn't there be more reports of demon activity then?" Clary asked. "The Inquisitor said that everything's been quiet."
"If Valentine is keeping them under control, it would be." Right after Magnus stopped talking, a phone started ringing. Everyone in the room jumped at the sound. Coffee splashed across Clary's wrist, burning her just like Adrian had done earlier. Alec's hand left Adrian's wrist as he pulled his phone from his pocket.
"It's my mother," he explained as he pushed away from the table. "I'll be right back." Everyone fell silent as they waited for him to return. Adrian watched as Simon inspected Clary's wrist.
"Let me see."
"It's okay," Clary said, looking uncomfortable. Adrian frowned and looked over at Magnus. Magnus was just watching them with a bored expression. "No big deal." Simon bent and kissed her wrist. Adrian didn't think Clary could look more uncomfortable, but there she was, proving him wrong. She tugged her wrist away and pulled the sleeve of her sweater over it. Adrian blinked a few times, then straightened and looked over at Magnus again.
"Do all straight people look that uncomfortable when giving public displays of affection?" he asked. Magnus hummed and cocked his head to the side.
"Don't ask me," Magnus said. "I'm not straight. Although..." He raised a finger. "...my last girlfriend never pulled her hand away when I kissed it." Adrian's eyebrows went up.
"Interesting."
"Interesting, indeed."
"What's going on?" Alec asked as he came back to the table.
"We seem to be stuck in an episode of a very melodramatic soap opera," Magnus explained with a long sigh and a dismissive flick of his fingers. "It's all incredibly dull."
"Good thing Izzy is calling. It means I can avoid this conversation." Alec walked away again, phone pressed to his ear. Adrian was about to keep picking on Clary and Simon's somewhat forced romance, but Jace spoke up before he could.
"I think you're right about the werewolf at the Hunter's Moon," he said, putting everyone's focus back on the task at hand. "The guy who found the body said someone else was in the alley with him before they ran off."
"It sounds like he was interrupted," Magnus said. "He'll probably try again with another lycanthrope child."
"I should warn Luke—" Clary started.
"Oliver is in Luke's pack," Adrian reassured. "He's got it covered."
"Besides, there's something else," Alec said as he returned. Adrian straightened in his chair.
"What did Izzy want?" Jace asked.
"It's not Izzy who wants something," Alec said, frowning, looking troubled. "The Queen of the Seelie Court has requested an audience with us."
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
edited: 10.26.19