Clary huffs deeply as she walks down the hall, as we had just entered the Institute, "How can Shadowhunters be better than than what you people call mundanes?"
Isabelle crosses her arms, "Because we protect humans."
"You're right- humans, you protect humans." Clary repeats, shaking her head, "You left Simon all alone in the van. Great job, guys. You rock."
Alec stood tall, holding back an eye roll, "There is some truth to the idea that human beings should have a modicum of common sense."
"Alec, not now." I sigh deeply, "Look, they won't do anything to Simon."
"Zee's right, they just wanted to draw you out." Jace nods in agreement, "They want the Cup, and they think you have it."
"But- why do they think that- why does anyone think that?" Clary blurts out, "What, my mom lies to me my entire life except, "Oh, by the way, there's this magic cup, I hid on, like, the planet Bongo, but don't tell anyone." What am I supposed to do now?"
Alec walks past us, "We have to report to the Clave. They have to know we've learned about Valentine."
"Alec!" I chased after him, the others following us.
"What, that he's my father?" Clary joined in before I could protest, "Great, fine, tell them. What good does that do Simon?"
"Have you not realized it's all connected? The Cup is at the center of it." I crossed my arms, "The vampires want the Cup."
"Why?" Clary questions, "It makes new Shadowhunters."
Alec leans against the wall, "Nobody wants Valentine forming an army loyal to himself."
Isabelle additionally speaks, "Plus, it controls demons."
"They'll propose a trade." Jace looks at me, "Simon for the Cup."
"So, vampires will trade Simon for the Cup and Valentine will trade my mother for the Cup." Clary huffs deeply once more, "Either way, I lose someone I love. What if I just toss it up in the air and let them fight it out among themselves?"
Alec seemed annoyed by her, "So this doesn't matter to you?"
"Yes, of course, it matters!" Clary bursts, then looks at me, "Listen- when you saved my life I put my trust in you. Now, I need you to put your trust in me- I can't turn into what you are overnight."
"It's true." Isabelle slowly nods, "She was raised as a mundane."
Alec rolls his eyes, "What are you, her spokesman now?"
"I don't need a spokesman, I need a plan." Clary walks away from us and through the Ops Center, "Uh, look at all this stuff, these screens- I mean, can any of this help me find Simon?"
Alec, Isabelle, Jace and I don't reply as we followed her, surrounding the nearest table.
"Where is he, anyway?" Clary looked at us, "Some kind of crypt in Transylvania?"
"Actually, no- that was Camille's outfit, right?" Jace's lips turned up in amusement and I just knew he was getting a kick out of this, "They're locals."
Isabelle sat on the table by the chair I stood behind, "They're at the Hotel DuMort, down in Gansevoort Street."
"And we came back here- why?" Clary rushed us and became demanding, "We have to go there, let's go, now- come on."
"First order of business, you don't call the shots." I lean elbows against the chair I stood in front of, "And, we need a Clave resolution for that."
Isabelle speaks up, "The four of us can't declare war on the vamps all by ourselves."
"And we can't react without considering our options." Alec joins, "Downworlders are slaves to their impulses, we're not."
Isabelle was now smiling at the thought, "Alec, you can't just jump on all the Downworlders."
"Oh, that's right." A small smile formed on Alec's lips, "Seelies have their charms, apparently- right?"
Clary repeats; confused, "Seelies?"
"Like faeries- the Fair Folk." Jace spoke up to explain, Add pixies, nixies, elves anybody half-angel, half-demon. It's pretty much a catch-all term."
"Izzy, can tell you all about them." Alec was looking at Isabelle, his eyebrow raising, "She's got a thing."
Isabelle pursed her lips to hold back a wider smile at the slight teasing, "We've all got our things, don't we?"
"Okay, I can't listen to this- simon's been kidnapped by vampires." Clary turned around and walked away, "I guess I'll just take care of it myself."
"Clary, you're gonna get yourself killed." I called out after her, "You'll get the mundie killed too!"
"Then help me." Clary walks back over, "While we consider other options, my best friend is suffering. Is that something Shadowhunters understand or am I just being a mundane?"
I stare at her for a few moments.
I never turn down fun.
"They made the first move." I lean against my palms, looking between my friends, "We're gonna take care of this ourselves, right now."
Alex sighs deeply, "This is a bad idea."
"Oh, come on- I'll convince you guys." I spoke in a persuasive tone, "Look, the vampires broke the Accords and kidnapped a mundie. We all know that's a big no-no. The Clave will give us a lecture and then they'll be glad we did it."
Jace was first to side with me, as he always was, "I'm in."
I looked at him, "Of course you are, I wouldn't have given you any other choice."
Isabelle inhales sharply and gives in also, "Hard to argue with that."
"Even if we went ahead, I don't see how we get out of here without having to explain where we're going." Alec stares at me as he spoke, wanting to figure everything out before we pulled this risk, "We need weapons, and we can't let anyone see us get them."
Jace looks between us all, "I know where to get what we need."
-
"Whose grave is it?" Alec asked when he stepped out of the van, shutting the door behind him, walking behind us.
"Mary Milligan, born January 10th, 1802." Isabelle read off her phone, "Died, January 10th, 1878."
Clary speaks up, "Wait, what are we looking for?"
Isabelle puts her phone away, "Cache of weapons."
Jace adds in, "Stashed here with Mrs. Milligan."
"Why are there Shadowhunter weapons in a churchyard?" Clary questioned, her eyes shifting between us all.
"Because all of the ancient religions recognized demons." Isabelle answered her, "Or at least they used to."
"They forgot about the threat because we've been here to protect them." Alec adds, sighing, "Typical mundane failure of imagination."
"Are you saying we did too good a job?" Isabelle stopped and looked at her older brother, "You just can't let up, can you?"
"You know what?" I cut in before this could escalate, "Alec, why don't you and I go check out by the angel?"
Alec sighs deeply, walking ahead.
"Excellent, he's home." Isabelle looks at her phone when it buzzes before I could follow Alec, "I'm outta here."
Clary's eyebrows furrow, "Wait, aren't you coming with us?"
"Oh, I wouldn't miss it for the world, but I gotta find out how to get into the vampires' lair." Isabelle playfully smiled, winking.
I took this as an opportunity to tease her, "Make sure you're not covered in faerie dust when you get back!"
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Jace calls out at her after me, as she walked away from us.
"Zee- Jace, over here." Alec calls out for us, Jace walking over to him.
"Hey, Clary- stay here, okay?" I told her, her nodding towards me, as I walked over to Alec and Jace, "What's going on?"
Alec sighed, "We're crossing a line into vamp territory."
"That's the point." I cross my arms, shrugging as if it was nothing.
"Come on, Alec, cheer up." Jace pats his back, "It's going to be fun."
"Damn it- just think this through." Alec was irritated, "This isn't about the mundane, this is about Clary."
"Yeah- It is?" I stare at him as if he had just stared the obvious, "She's my sister- of course I'm going to help her get her mundane back."
"You're not listening." Alec shot back, "Not to this or anything else I've said tonight."
"Alright, Alec." I put my hands up in surrender, "I'm all ears now, what's up?"
Alec looks between Jace and I, "You don't even know this girl. Why do you trust her?"
"I didn't say I did." Jace shot back, "I know that I trust Zee- and if Zee needs our help, helping her I'm gonna do it."
There was a warm feeling in my chest at his words.
"Alec, Is this about her being Valentine's daughter?" I asked, "Haven't we been through this already?"
Alec sighs deeply, as I stepped closer, "You can trust her, or not- I don't care. But- after everything we've been through- if you don't trust me on this-"
"Zee, Jace, Alec!" Clary calls for us, cutting out conversation short, "I think I found it! Mary Milligan!"
I paused, and spun around, walking towards Clary.
"Beloved servant?" Clary read the headstone, "Who wants that on a headstone?"
Alec sighed, walking over by us, "Someone who is in service to a cause greater than themselves."
"At least she is now." Jace shrugs, drawing the rune on top of the headstone, "Abracadabra."
I roll my eyes at him as Clary stood straight, "Wait, you people actually say that?"
"No, Clary, we don't." I shot her a look.
Alec and Jace pull off the top stone, revealing the blades in in headstone.
"Whoa-" Clary grabbed the seraph blade, "Where's Mrs. Milligan?"
"Don't touch that." Alec was already even more annoyed with her, "You don't know how to use it."
"What, like at Pandemonium when I killed that demon?" Clary twirled the sword in her hand.
I looked through the weapons, "Honey, you didn't kill that demon, I did."
Alec gestures toward me, huffing dramatically, "Thank you."
"Zee and I are gonna show her the right way to use it." Jace told him, "Do you see what you need in here?"
Alec looks over my shoulder, "No- there's no bow here. I need one. I have to rune some arrows. That's back at the Institute- I gotta go."
Jace looks at him, "Well, how are you gonna get back in the Institute?"
"Go in the back." Alec shrugged lightly, "Won't bother me if I'm alone."
"Well in that case, can you bring my kindjals back for me- please?" My lips formed in a kid like shape, showing my bottom row of teeth with a straight smile, "Jace and I can finish up here."
Alec slowly nods, "Yeah- yeah, I will."
"Cool-" I nod and began to turn towards Jace, stood on the higher platform on the headstone still.
Alec grabs my wrist and turns me to face him, "Hey- I understand what we need to do. And I trust you, but- don't ever doubt me. No matter what I said."
I softly smiled down at him, holding my arms out, wrapping my arms around him, engulfing him into a small hug.
Alec's arms wrap around me for a moment, before we pull apart, "I'll see you at dawn."
"At dawn." Alec nods, then turns, walking away.
"Oh-" I jog over to Clary who held the seraph blade in her hand, "Okay, let me show you how to use this thing."
"Watch Jace, okay?" I gesture towards Jace who held a seraph blade to demonstrate.
"Hold the grip tightly-" I instruct, stood between them, "Now, it knows you're a Shadowhunter, so it wants to respond."
"You make it a part of yourself and it a part of you." I continued as she slowly copied the movements Jace made, "Now, the blade never dims."
"It's not something you understand in your mind." I continued, "It's something you know because it's pulsing through your body. It's in your blood."
When she perfectly mimics Jace, I clap my hands together, "There you go- that's it-"
After a few more times, she looks at Jace and I, "How do you know they'll come back?"
"Who?" I looked at her.
"Alec and Izzy?" Jace said in unison with me.
Clary nods, "Yeah."
"We were raised together." Jace told her, "They're basically my brother and sister- Zee's the best friend that's always been with us."
"You guys know Alec doesn't like me, right?" Clary speaks out the obvious.
"Alec doesn't like anybody- you'll be fine." I wave her off, slipping my hands in my pockets.
"Speaking of Alec-" Clary began, "Are you and him a thing?"
I almost choke on air, "What?"
Jace answered for me and sounded like he wanted to assure himself was well, "No, they're not."
"I don't know." Clary shrugged lightly, "You and him seemed pretty close when you guys were hugging a second ago."
"It was a hug." I stared at her in disbelief, "What- so the next time I catch you hugging your mundie, I can assume you're a thing?"
Clary shot me a look, "I'm just saying-"
I cross my arms, "Alec's my best friend in every way possible."
Clary questions again, "Why would he help me?"
"Remember the whole parabatai thing I explained to you?" I mentioned, "I trust Izzy and I's bond just as much as Jace trusts his with Alec's."
Jace nods in agreement, "They'll be here, Clary."
-
"This will help the encanto the vampires could try and use against you when we head inside." I drew the rune on her shoulder, as we stood on the roof of the Hotel DuMort.
Clary hissed at the pain, "Encanto?"
Jace remarks, "The vampire's undeniable charm."
"Really, Jace?" I shot him a look, earning a small laugh from him as I look back at Clary, focusing on the rune, "Have you ever watched those vampire TV shows? The ones where they make it seem like vampires are full of sex and love- and they have that thing called compelling? Compelling is really called encanto."
"That makes sense." Clary softly nods, as I finished up the rune.
Jace looked at me, "How do you even know that?"
"Give me your arm." I reached for it, as Clary pulled up her sleeve, "I watch The Vampire Diaries."
Jace looked like he could die of laughter right there, "You watch those vampire shows?"
"They're better than the real thing." I shot back, and when he began laughing, I roll my eyes, "Bite me!"
His laughter only lightly died down, "Gladly- I heard that's a huge turn on for some girls-"
"Well, aren't I lucky that I'm no where near attracted to you?" I remark, beginning to draw a rune on Clary.
"Ow!" Clary hissed, "What is that?"
"This is for silence." I told her, "The vamps won't hear us coming, but we can't disguise the scent of our blood from them."
"Once we enter the building through there, they'll know something's up." I put my stele away when I'm done, "But if our plan works, we'll have time to find Simon."
"The mundane world is all into vampires." Jace walks ahead, "I don't get it. They see everyone else as an animated sack of meat."
Clary nods slowly as her and I followed him, "Yeah, I certainly don't see the romance."
"That's 'cause now you know it's all real." Jace continues walking, "Still, you gotta hand it to them, though- they know how to frame a narrative."
Clary looks at us, "How will we find Simon?"
"He'll be in the most secure room in the building." Jace told her, "Trust me, we'll know it when we see it."
"What if they do an encanto on him?" Clary questions, "Will he turn into a vampire?"
"No, you have to drink vampire blood for that." I walked down the steps, "Even then, there's more to it. It's an overly involved process, if you ask me."
"But- I don't get it." Clary continues, following Jace and I, "What if a vampire bites him?"
"They won't drain him right away- they like to take their time." Jace said, "Vampires are real gourmets."
Clary sighs in worry, "He'll be terrified."
"Actually, he'll feel kind of high, kind of like he's in love." I shrug, looking back at her.
"With the one who bit him?" Clary asks and I simply nod when we come to a stop, "That's awful."
"It's awful?" I blink, "Guess I wouldn't know."
"Neither would I." Jace adds in, his back turned towards us.
"You've never been bitten?" Clary questions, and looks between us, "You've never been in love."
"Sun's gonna come up soon." Jace changes the subject, and looks back at Clary, "Remember how to use the blade?"
Clary slowly nods, as I gave her a few tips, "Keep your arms steady and don't overestimate what you know."
"They can be tricky." I inhale sharply, "We'll try and keep them off you as much as we can."
"Where are Alec and Isabelle?" Clary questions again.
Jace looks away from her, "You ask a lot of questions."
"Jace." I had a warning tone threaded in my voice, then looked back at my younger sister, "They're being distracting."
-
I looked around, following Jace through the halls of the DuMort, Clary right behind us.
All the vampires were running in one direction, and Jace and I knew it was towards Isabelle and Alec.
When we walked into a room, I was tackled onto the ground by two vampires, Jace being tackled as well, his seraph blade landing across the room, as one vampire grabbed Clary.
I grunt, trying my best to fight the vampires off, but when I had no weapons, it was really difficult to kill them.
Clary was gasping and shrieking every time the vampire got close to her neck, "You smell like angel blood."
"Clary, get the blade!" I called out, grunting as I was knocked to the ground.
Clary kneeled the vampire, but he grabbed her by her neck, "Bitch, you're finished!"
Footsteps came closer to the room, as Alec and Isabelle joined us, Alec having his bow and arrow pointed at Clary and the vampire.
The vampire used her as leverage, Alec almost laughing, "Okay."
He shot the arrow at the wall, the sunlight burning the vampire away.
"Zee!" Isabelle tossed me my kindjals, as I was quick, grabbing them and getting the upper hand, finshing off the two vampires at the same time.
In unison, Clary used the moves I taught her and killed one, Jace killing the other.
Clary slowly looked up, "I killed him."
"He was already dead." Jace shrugged lightly.
"Plus, he wanted to kill you." Isabelle adds in, "Remember that- she did great, right?"
I nodded slowly, "Yeah, you did."
"Thanks-" Clary thanked, "Let's go find Simon."
We all oblige, walking through the DuMort and closing in on the room they held Simon in.
"Simon!" Clary ran for him when we entered the room, our eyes landing on Raphael Santiago holding a knife to Simon's neck.
"Clary!" I grabbed her arm and stopped her, "That's not gonna do any good."
"Listen to her, Clary Fairchild." Raphael warns, "Put it away."
"I've had more than enough of your friend for one day." Raphael taunts when we don't listen, "I'd love to cut his throat- don't give me a reason. Put it away!"
Slowly, Alec lowers his arrow and we all put our weapons away.
"Simon." Clary calls out, "Simon, are you all right?"
Simon stutters, "I wouldn't say all right-"
"Stop talking!" Raphael raises his voice, "Now if you would all just follow me."
"Let's go!" Raphael pushes, as he lead up into a narrow hall, "Come on, let's go! Up here now!"
"That's right, get down there now!" Raphael kept shouting, forcing us all to back into the hall, "Get down there or I'll kill him right now!"
"Look, we're not gonna hurt you." Clary said as we backed up further and further, "We just want Simon."
"I'm glad you do- we don't!" Raphael said, walking closer, making us back up further, "We wanted you."
"Well, here I am." Clary began walking towards him but I grabbed her arm quickly:
"I said wanted." He repeats, "Not my idea."
"Now, get out!" He shouts when we reached the end where the door was, leading up to the roof, "Go!"
"Not without Simon." Clary began to say.
"Shut up!" Raphael yells, holding the knife closer to Simon's neck, "Open that door right now or I'll kill him right here."
I look back at them, "Listen to him!"
Isabelle swings open the door, her and Alec walking onto the roof but Clary was protesting, "But- Simon will die if-"
"Clary, go!" I push her towards the door, as she stumbled out, Jace and I exchanging looks.
"Take him, go!" Raphael hissed and his from the sun, pushing Simon towards us.
Simon stammers, "I don't know how to thank you-"
"Don't thank me." Raphael stares at us, "You mean nothing. This is about Valentine and the chaos he can bring."
"Simon, get out before I'm the one that kills you!-" I pushed him out, following him out.
"Shouldn't we get the hell out of here?" Simon asked when Jace joined us on the roof.
I sigh, "Why, Simon?"
"They're right downstairs." Simon points out the obvious.
"Let them come after us- they'll just turn into a bunch of fried eggs out here." Jace said, walking onto the higher platform, as the rest of us follow, leaving Simon and Clary in the lower platform, "I thought you said you watch movies."
"Oh, my God, it's over." Clary threw her arms around Simon, "It's actually over. I was so afraid I would lose you. But it's true, you're actually here."
Simon wrapped his arms around Clary, "You know I'd do anything for you."
"You don't have to die!" Clary cried out.
Simon chuckles, "I'd rather not do that."
"I couldn't live without you." Clary admits, her hands on his shoulders.
Something flashes in his eyes, "Say that again."
"I couldn't live without you, Simon." Clary repeats, "You're all I have left- my whole life just disappeared. I'm supposed to be this other thing, live this other way. You're my best friend- don't you ever, ever let yourself get in that kind of trouble again."
They share another long hug, as Alec walks over to me, "Look, can I just say one thing?"
I sigh deeply, "Alec-"
"Please." Alec's tone was firm and stern.
I sigh again, "Fine."
"You think you know Clary, right?" Alec began, "But- you may not. Think about who her father is."
"You've seemed to ignore the fact that he's my father too." I place my hands on my hips, staring up at him, "Why do you keep doing that?"
"Because I trust you, Zee." Alec stares down at me, "I've known you my entire life- she just dropped out of no where."
"Her mother was kidnapped." I looked between his eyes, "She has no one."
"Zee, you don't know that." Alec huffs deeply, staying suspicious of Clary.
"Alec, If you really feel that way about her why did you help us tonight?" I cross my arms, keeping my gaze on him.
Alec stares at me for a moment, before turning and walking away, leaving me speechless.
authors note:
this chapter was kinda bad omg I'm sorry
the next chapter will be better I think
vote and comment loadsss