Isabelle finally joins Alec, Isabelle, Clary, Sebastian and I in the Ops Center, "Sorry I'm late, I've been looking everywhere for Max- has anyone seen him?"
"Have you tried the armory?" Jace suggested, "He's probably sharpening his blades for his first assignment."
Isabelle sighs, "I checked."
"We have more pressing matters." Alec interjects, "Thanks to Dot's help, we now have the Mortal Mirror."
Sebastian slowly nods, "And you have it at the Institute, and it's well-guarded, I presume?"
"The Elite Guards are the only ones who know its location." Alec doesn't even glance at him, "It's safest that way."
"Jonathan went after Elliot and Dot to get the mirror." Clary reminded us, "Now that he knows we have it, he's going to come back for it."
"Agreed." Alec nods, "Report back with any possible scenarios by which Jonathan and Valentine could attempt a breach."
Jace, Sebastian and Clary walk away, but I stood still, not having said anything.
Isabelle places a hand on my back, "Is everything okay?"
I could feel Alec's stare on me, already know what was wrong and what had happened.
Isabelle's eyes were glued to me and I knew she figured out part of why I was upset, "You told Magnus about the Soul Sword, didn't you?"
My eyes linger with hers, as I slipped from her embrace immediately, walking away from Alec and Isabelle.
Isabelle chases after me, "Zee!-"
I kept walking, as she catches up to me, "I'm sure he'll understand-"
"What is there to understand, Iz?" I walked towards my room, "I betrayed him and now he's hurt, he won't even speak to me."
"I know it seems bad now, but- Magnus loves you." Isabelle continued, "You two will make up soon- he just needs some time, that's all."
"And so do I, okay?" I snipped rudely, stopping to look at her and when I see the look on her face, I sigh in guilt, "I'm sorry- I just-"
"I get it." Isabelle grabbed my hands and squeezed them, "You don't have to apologize."
I sigh and hugged my parabatai tightly, "I love you."
"I love you more." Isabelle rubs my back, holding me, "I'm here for you, okay? If you keep bottling things up, and you're gonna explode- and it won't be the fun kind."
"Noted." I slowly pulled away from her, giving up a small smile as she returned the gesture and turned, beginning to walk away.
I turned, walking towards my room when I notice the trail of blood leading into the closed room.
"Isabelle-" I called out of her, my eyes glued to the blood as she stopped when she heard me.
She walks back over and notices the blood as well, as we exchanged looks.
Slowly, we both inched toward my room and opened the door wide, our gaze falling on the first thing we saw.
Max, on the ground, unconscious and bleeding.
"Oh, God!" Isabelle immediately gasped at the sight of her brother, as we both rushed to him, falling onto our knees.
"Max!" I shook him lightly, worry building within me intensely, "Max, can you hear me?"
Isabelle lets out a small scream, "Someone get a medic!"
-
"Zee and I tried using an Iratze rune to wake him, but nothing's working." Isabelle told the medic who was working on Max, her arms crossed, the same worry striking in her eyes as they did in mine.
Alec ran in and to my side, "What happened?"
Clary ran in after him, standing next to Isabelle, "Oh, my God- Max-"
"I don't know-" I ran a hand through my hair stressfully, swallowing hard, "I found him like this in my room-"
There was too much going on right now.
So much that it was overwhelming me, except I hid it with the sheet of worry on my face for Max's health.
I found out about Jonathan being my full brother, and what Valentine did to my mother, Magnus found out that I hid information that threatened his life from him, and now Max was hurt.
Too much had happened in such little time.
"We should send him to Idris-" Alec suggests, his breathing gradually becoming heavy with worry and anger, "See what they can do."
I shook my head lightly and looked at him, small tears in my eyes, matching Isabelle's expression, "The medics said that in his condition, he won't be able to survive the transfer."
"Max-" Jace ran in with Sebastian, as we were all surrounding the young boy now in worry, "We checked the Institute's security camera footage- whoever attacked him is somehow covering their tracks."
Sebastian's eyes were glued to Max, except worry wasn't sparking in his eyes, but, caution, "Has he been able to talk?"
"Not yet." Isabelle sniffled quietly, "He's unconscious."
"I don't understand." Clary sighs deeply, just as shocked as we all were, "Who would want to hurt him?"
"I don't know." Alec stepped back slowly, beginning to turn, his eyes clouded with anger, determination and concern, "But- I'm going to find out."
"Hey-" My voice came out more quiet, soothing and soft than I intended, my hand gently grabbing his arm, turning him towards me and looking into his eyes, seeing all of those emotions.
Alec bends lightly and wraps his arms around me tightly, as I pushed myself on my tippy toes, wrapping my arms around his shoulders, rubbing his back, comforting him.
From the corner of my eye, I could see Sebastian's hard stare on Alec and I.
"Look, get Robert and Maryse here." Jace spoke up, "The rest of us we'll find who did this."
"Yeah, I'll stay with Max." Sebastian said, "If he regains consciousness, perhaps he can ID his attacker."
-
"What did you find?" Sebastian questions when Clary and Jace set the box on the table in the Ops Center.
Clary crosses her arms, "The box my mom used to keep Jonathan's things in."
Jace's palms pressed at the table, "It was right where Zee found Max."
"I remember Max had his eyes on it." Alec stares at the wooden box, recalling the memory from next to me, "He was so determined to prove himself."
"It's possible he found a way to use the box to track Jonathan." Jace sighs deeply and looks down.
"Which means he found him." I stare at my palms, anger building within me, "Jonathan did this to Max."
I was so angry.
My mother taught me to always see the good in people, despite their flaws and that's what I did with Jonathan.
I wanted to believe that he could be good.
That we went through the same thing, and he could be better.
But, after what he had done to Max, hurting someone so close to me made me want to kill him with my bare hands.
This showed me that he was never under the influence, but was working with Valentine.
He never intended on being good.
Alec's hand landing on mine snaps me out of slipping deeper into my infuriated thoughts, as he had noticed how my expression had twisted in frustration and regret.
Sebastian's voice brings me back to the conversation, "Wait, all of this would mean that Jonathan found a way to get inside the Institute- without us even knowing."
"Are you kidding me?" I looked up at him, snapping at him as if what he said was the most stupidest thing I had ever heard, "He was raised by Valentine Morgenstern- we were all trained to do the impossible."
Clary trials off, "If Jonathan attacked Max and he came for the mirror-"
"He wouldn't have left here without it." Jace realized, his voice quieting down as we kept the conversation between us, "Alec, he could still be in the building."
Alec leans in lightly, "Listen, we have to confirm he's still inside."
Jace reminds us, "We saw what the real Jonathan looks like."
"Jace is right, we could spot him anywhere." I looked at Alec, "He will be glamoured as one of our own."
Clary looks around due to this, "Hiding in plain sight."
"Okay- okay, Sebastian." Alec points at him in demand, "I want you and any other personnel on supplemental guard duty."
Alec presses his fingers against the table, "Effective immediately, the Institute's on lockdown."
Clary and Jace walk away, as Sebastian stops Alec when he began walking with me, making me stop and look back at the both of them, "Wait- wait, we'll need to fortify security outside as well."
Alec shook his head and began walking away again, "I have that covered."
Sebastian followed him, pressing, his arms crossed, "But, I can spearhead that team-"
"I still have yet to kick your ass for kissing my girlfriend." Alec spun around to face him, his tone raising in anger towards him, pointing at him, "Don't give me another reason to."
I grabbed Alec's hand quickly, stopping him from going any further, "Hey."
"You're on supplemental guard duty, and that's final." Alec made it clear, turning away and began walking away with me, "If Jonathan's still in the building, he's not getting out alive."
-
"Anything?" Isabelle questions when she walked over to us after talking a small break from being at Max's side the entire time.
I was seated in the hall outside of the infirmary room with Alec, Maryse and Robert.
Despite Maryse's hidden dismay, Alec kept his arm around me, his cheek leaning against my head, needing each other's comfort and support.
I had joined them a little later, after I had told Clary to extract Electrum from Isabelle's whip, since I had read in Valentine's journals that it hurt Jonathan.
If anyone was going to leave this Institute, it was going to be after they touched and held the Electrum.
Magnus and Brother Enoch came out of the room and entered the hall, as we all got up and walked over to him.
Isabelle has asked for Magnus, and I felt a pang in my heart when he wouldn't even glance at me.
I had hurt him that much.
"His injuries are too severe." Magnus looked at Maryse and Robert, "Max's only hope for recovery now lies with Brother Enoch."
Alec's voice varied in fear for his little brother's sake, "There's gotta be something- anything."
Maryse nods for Brother Enoch to proceed with what had to be done, "Brother Enoch."
When he turns to go back into the room, Alec stopped him, raising his voice, "No!"
"Alec." I stepped in, grabbing his hands, squeezing them to calm him down, "Listen to me."
Alec stares down at me, looking into my eyes with the glossy sheet over his, shaking his head and squeezing my hands back, "Zee, no-"
"I know you're scared." I held his hands, wanting nothing more than to hold him and tell him that everything will be alright, "But, this is the only option we have left- for Max to even make it back."
Alec's eyes held a red tint as a small tear fell from his eye, as I moved my hands and grabbed his face, wiping it away, "Max is strong and he will power through this, and come back to all of us, okay?"
Alec barley nods, his voice quiet as he held my wrists, "Okay."
Maryse nods for Brother Enoch to proceed, but I could see her staring at Alec and I when he clings to me for comfort.
-
"Where is he?" Jace ran over to us in the hall from guarding the Mortal Mirror, "What happened?"
Alec looked up from my shoulder where I was playing with his hair to calm him down, "What are you talking about?"
"Max." Jace was breathing heavily, "I got your text."
Alec sat up slowly and looked from him to me, "What text?"
"Jonathan." I already knew, standing up immediately, taking lead and running down the hall, "Sound the alarm, make sure all available personnel is notified, we can't let him out of the Institute!"
Alec's leadership skills were rubbing off on me after all.
I ran as fast as I could to the entrance, skidding to a stop a foot or two away from Clary and Sebastian.
"Well, I'm very impressed." Sebastian exhales deeply when Clary had finished explaining what the process was, his eyes slowly trailing to me as she had told him it was my idea, "It seems Jonathan's finally met his match."
For some reason, I knew something was off about him, and I wasn't going to let him slip away.
"Yeah," I grabbed the Electrum from a guard and held it up towards him for him to take accusingly, staring Sebastian dead in the eye, "He has."
I had a strong feeling it was him.
Everything was running through my mind at the moment as I stared at him, waiting for him to take the Electrum and prove me wrong or right.
Clary steps away, handing another Shadowhunter a piece of Electrum, leaving Sebastian and I alone.
Sebastian reaches for it then stops, clearing his throat, "I was just, um- wondering, actually, um- if you caught Jonathan you wouldn't kill him, would you?"
"Jonathan destroyed any hope I had for him when he hurt Max." My expression remained straight and hard, "It doesn't matter when, where, or how- I will be the one that kills him."
"Well then." Something flashes in his eyes, as he clears his throat, "Shall we?"
Sebastian took it from my hand and formed his hand into a fist immediately, holding it for a few seconds as I watched him.
Sebastian places it on back in my palm, but doesn't turn his palm to show me he was cleared like everyone else was, "There you are. I guess I passed your test."
"See you later." Sebastian backed up and walked away, inching closer to the door.
I ran after him, "Sebastian!"
Sebastian stopped right before he could reach the door and turned to look at me, "Yes?"
"Listen, I just want to apologize if it seemed like I was accusing you back there." I lied, gesturing with my hands as I stood in front of him, "I've just been on edge and-"
Right when I notice he was invested into my lie, I grabbed his wrist and turned to see his palm that held his scorched, bleeding skin.
I looked up at him in anger and triumph, "Jonathan."
Sebastian hits the red button, as it sparks and jams the two doors shutting, leaving me trapped with him.
"Zee?" I heard Clary's call, along with many bangs on the glass doors, "Are you okay?"
"Open up! Are you okay?" Many guards were shouting and banging on the doors, the alarms starting to blare loudly along with a red flashing light flickering, "Let's go around to the front! The door's jammed!"
I pulled out one of my kindjals, piercing it into his side, as he grabbed me by my neck, pulling out my kindjals and throwing it to the side, "After ten years of torture in Edom, I learnt to endure pain."
His breathing laboured as he tightened his grip on my neck, "In fact, I rather enjoy it."
I pulled out my other kindjal, stabbing it through him, as he loosens his grip.
I kicked him back and stepped back, staring at him, "It was you all along."
Sebastian stood up and pulled out the kindjal, unaffected, "I did what I had to do."
"I confided in you- I trusted you- I opened up to you- I cared about you." I stare at him in pure anger.
Before I could continue, he shouts, "You care about Sebastian Verlac!"
"I believed in Jonathan, too!" I raised my voice as he walked closer to me, "I truly thought you could be good- be a part of us, if we just got through to you- but it wouldn't have mattered because this entire time you've been working with Valentine."
Sebastian stepped closer to me and grabbed my wrist, "Everything I've done, was for you."
"Everything you've done?" The words seethed through my teeth in hatred, "You hurt Max!"
"The little runt discovered who I really was." Sebastian stepped closer to me, "I couldn't let him walk free and expose me."
My teeth clench, as my fist came in contact with his jaw, him grabbing me and throwing me to the ground.
I knock him off his feet and get on top of him, repeatedly landing solid hits on his face, as he throws me off, my back hitting the wall.
I forced myself up despite the aching in my body, spin kicking as we both fought, grunts leaving both our lips as we hit each other with as much as we had.
Sebastian grabs my wrists and twists my arms behind my back, his hot breath fanning on my neck, "It seems father taught you well."
"He wasn't the only one that taught me." I turn and push myself off the glass wall and leaping up, landing on his shoulders and throwing myself onto the ground, bringing him with me.
Within seconds after I tried to restrain him, he gets back up as we blocked and landed a few more hits, my entire body aching with pain.
But, soon enough despite fighting with all the strength I had, he had me against the wall, his seraph blade to my neck, my kindjal in my hand.
Blood was dripping from the wound on my forehead, a bruise on my cheek, and now his sharp cool metal against my neck.
"Do it." I breathe heavily, my grip on my kindjal tight, staring at him dead in the eye, "Kill me."
I could see the Mortal Mirror in his pocket.
"I wanted you and the mirror." Sebastian's face was incredibly close to mine that I could see his pupils dilated and the details of the bruises on his face, "But- if I can't have both-"
Blood began oozing out of the wide cut he was creating by pressing into the flesh on the side of my neck, large amounts staining down my chest.
I used my kindjal to rip his pocket, catching the Mortal Mirror, piercing the kindjal into his side, where a wound was already seeping out blood.
I kick him back, my eyes glowing gold as I pushed a rune to the glass that appeared in front of me to break the doors, waiting for it to take affect, holding the mirror tightly.
Sebastian throws my kindjal to the side, and grabs my necklace, ripping it off my neck and throwing me against the glass, as it shatters brutally, my body hitting the ground with a thud in the hall.
I coughed wildly, gasping for air as Jace, Clary and Alec ran over to me, Sebastian giving me one last look, making sure I was the gold necklace dangling and shining in his hand before running out of the Institute.
"Zee, oh my god-" Alec's attention was fixed on me, as he helped me up, "Are you okay?"
"Go after him!" I shouted at the guards that obeyed, pulling away from Alec, my only focus on Sebastian, beginning to run after him myself.
"No!-" Alec grabs my arm and stops me.
Jace looks at me with wide eyes, "What the hell are you doing?"
"Let go of me!" I tried to pull my arm away from Alec, "I'm going after Jonathan-"
"Look at yourself!" Clary argued, "You haven't even healed yourself- you're bleeding like crazy-"
"I don't care." I place the Mirror into her palm, pulling to try and get out of Alec's hold, "I'm going after him."
Alec's grip tightens as he pulls me away from Clary and Jace and to the side, "What the hell is wrong with you?"
"He took my necklace, Alec." I stare up at him, clenching my jaw, "The one you gave me, okay? I have to get it back-"
Alec looks between my eyes, looking as if he wanted to be angry with me but after I had said that he couldn't, his expression softening, "Okay, and we will, but-"
"Alec, he just- he just took it." I gestured toward the door, genuinely upset, staring to slightly tear up, "That necklace is one of the most important things to me, I need it back-"
"And you're the most important person to me." Alec pulled out his stele, pulling up my shirt lightly, exposing my side and running it out my Iratze, healing me, "Look at yourself, he almost just killed you- after what he's done to you and Max- I might kill him before you do."
I went silent, staring up at my boyfriend.
"Look- with everything going on with Max- I'm not going to lose you too, okay?" Alec places his hands on my arms, "We will get your necklace back, just- right now, stay with me, please."
I exhale deeply, my expression softening, "We're not going to lose Max."
Alec hugs me tightly despite me being drenched in my own blood, as I held onto him.
I looked at Clary, keeping a hold on Alec, "What are you doing?"
"Nullifying its powers." Clary drew a rune on the Mirror, "Like I did with the Soul Sword."
Then, it turned to dust, catching all our attention, Clary looking between us in question, "What just happened?"
-
"Magnus, wait-" I followed him into the hall, leaving Alec, Isabelle, Robert And Maryse with Max after he had woken up, "I'm sorry."
I had changed out of my drenched out, my hair damp from the short shower I had taken to get the blood off, dressed in black jeans and one of Alec's button ups, as it was emerald green, loose, and huge on me, ending mid thigh.
"I should've told you about the Soul Sword." I stepped closer to him, my black combat boots sounding against the ground as I walked closer to him when he turned to face me, "I made a mistake- and I know I can never come back from it, but- I never meant to hurt you. And this isn't about not trusting you, because I trust you with my life- I just, I don't even know why I hid it from you anymore- I'm just, so sorry."
"I love you, biscuit." Magnus places a strand of my hair behind my ear, "But as a leader, there are difficult decisions I have to make to ensure the survival of my people- and the only thing holding me back from doing that is you."
I stare at him, my eyes slightly widening, "What?"
"No, no- please, I know I messed up but you can't- no," I shook my head lightly, feeling myself tear up, "I can't lose you, Magnus- please."
"I'm sorry, biscuit." Magnus stepped back and turned away from me, heading towards the elevator and giving me one last look before the doors closed.
I stare at the grey doors, tears streaming down my cheeks, as I covered my face, trying my best not to sob.
-
"Saving me from Azazel it must have all been part of Jonathan's plan." Isabelle stared at the ground as we all were gathered in Alec's office, "I was the one to bring him to the Institute."
"Don't." Alec stops her, stood next to me where his hand was on my back as I sat in his seat at his desk, "We're all responsible for this."
Clary shrugs lightly, "At least now we know Valentine can never get the mirror and raise the Angel."
"I'm not so sure." Jace admits as we all looked at him, "Look, even with our pure angel blood, doesn't it seem strange that Clary's runes would be powerful enough to destroy a Mortal Instrument? And why didn't it destroy the sword?"
"You're not wrong." I shrug lightly and slouch in my seat, "What if the mirror Clary supposedly destroyed isn't the Mortal Mirror?"
Isabelle questions, "Then why would Jocelyn give it to the warlocks to protect?"
"Maybe she thought it was." Clary slightly shrugs once more, "We all did- maybe whoever made it wanted it that way."
Isabelle pieces it together, "To distract people from finding the real one."
That's when my eyes were glued to the painting of Lake Lyn that was hung on the wall.
"Uh, well, the legend says that the mirror's meant to not be easily found." Jace sighs deeply and shrugs, "That the the angels hold the key-"
I sat up quickly in realization, my eyes not leaving the painting, "The Lake."
Alec looks down at me, confused, "What?"
"The water's a reflection." My nightmares began flashing in my mind, over and over.
"What water?" Jace questions, "What are you talking about?"
"Alec, the dreams I've been having- the nightmares, of me being back at Lake Lyn and seeing my own reflection after seeing everyone vanish, I-" I stood up, putting my hair behind my ears, "They aren't just dreams- they're visions."
Isabelle stares at me, "Wait, what're you saying?"
"Clary didn't destroy the Mirror because it was a decoy." My palms were flat on Alec's desk as I looked between all my friends that were tuning in as I pieced it all together, "The real Mortal Mirror is Lake Lyn."
authors note:
literally, my heart is broken for zee
but, yo this lowkey a sucky chapter but it's cool cause the next chapter is gonna have y'all cryin
lemme leave it on that note to have y'all guessin
thank you for 15k !!!
go read metanoia !!!!
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