The sunlight hit Alec's face and he blinked before opening his eyes only to have his breathed knocked out by the person sleeping next to him.
Pale blond strands of hair covered her sleeping face and Alec gently moved them away from Katherine's face, he again for the millionth time wondered how he could have been so lucky so as to have her in his life. Katherine frowned and mumbled something before snuggling further in his side.
Alec found that adorable, he always found everything about her adorable and beautiful. And as he continued to gaze lovingly at Katherine, his heart broke for her as he remembered the amount of pain and suffering she had been through her whole life. He pressed his lips to her forehead, a promise that he'll love her as long as he'd live and even after that.
Katherine snored in a cute way something he noticed a long time ago, she'd inhale sharply through her nose before letting out that air through her mouth softly and the noise that followed made him smile softly.
She sighed and narrowed her eyes before opening them and the blue eyes latched on to warm hazel ones. Alec kissed the top of her nose as Katherine smiled at him ''How long have you been up?'' ''Hmm.'' he pulled her closer into him ''Not long enough...been thinking about something.''
She frowned softly ''It's about Luke, isn't ?'' he nodded his head and sighed. Katherine placed her head on his chest as he played with her hair ''Have you decided what you're gonna tell the Clave?''
Alec sighed and wrapped a blond strand of hair gently around his finger, making a ring out of it ''I am torn, if I don't tell the Clave about Luke's attempt on Valentine's life... I am in violation if they find out, I could be de-runed.'' he told her his dilemma.
''Well.'' Katherine raised herself up on her elbow ''Whatever decision you make, I'll stand by you.''
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
''I've requested that we move Valentine to the Guard in Idris.The Clave has approved the transfer.'' Alec said as Izzy and Jace approached the table where he, Katherine and Sebastian were standing.
''You told them about the assassination attempt?'' Jace crossed his arms and Katherine bit on her lip, already knowing the answer ''No, I explained to them that moving Valentine out of the city is the best way to restore relations with the downworld. I left Luke out of it.''
''It is the right decision.''
Katherine nodded her head at the comment from Sebastian as Alec continued to talk ''But we have not given up on finding who orchestrated the hit on Valentine.'' ''I actually have a few leads on that, I'll get a report in by the end of day.'' the second blonde male looked around at the group before walking off.
''Great. Izzy you'll be leading the transfer mission. Jace and Kate , you two will assist.'' Izzy looked between the twins who both nodded their heads ''We need to remove Valentine's circle rune. The new wards in Idris won't let him with it on. Do you two want the honors?''
Katherine shared a smirk with Jace ''Thought you'd never ask, Iz.'' Izzy chuckled at her and held out her hand for the older girl who after Alec kissed her quickly took it and the two walked off, leaving the parabatais alone.
Alec's eyes stayed on Katherine's retreating figure until he could no longer see her before looking back at Jace who smirked at him ''Can't keep your eyes off of my sister, can you?'' he rolled his eyes at the younger boy but smiled cheekily ''You know I can't.''
The twins stood in the cells that held Valentine with a group of guards standing in the cell with them
''Is this tight enough?'' Katherine hissed through her teeth as she tightened the shackles that were binding Valentine to his chair ''That's better.'' Jace clenched his jaw, his eyes narrowed in the same fury that his twin was feeling and he pulled out the instrument that would remove Valentine's circle rune.
The man simply sighed ''Go ahead, Jace. It's not gonna stop me, it's not some rune that makes us who we are, it's our blood.'' he looked between Katherine and him ''And the blood the two of you have, my children is exceptional.''
''Of course it is.'' she snapped at him and clenched her fists ''You experimented on us. On our mother.''
''Why?'' Jace asked ''Why her?''
A distant look entered Valentine's eyes as he looked at Katherine ''Sweet Celine, you look so much like her.'' blood roared in her ears and she glared at him ''She wanted a child so desperately. When she and Stephen learned that she was pregnant with the two of you..she was terrified that she was gonna lose her babies, so she came to me ..asking for help.''
Katherine scoffed in loathing as Jace nodded his head, his own face filled with anger ''And I am sure you were so happy to oblige.''
''The injections I gave your mother laced with Ithuriel's pure angel blood..made the two of you strong.After her tragic death, after I pulled first you, Kate and then your brother from her womb, barely alive...I knew that I had to let one of you go, so I let you go.''
She rolled her eyes at him ''If you're waiting for a thank you, don't...you aren't gonna get it.'' she spoke through clenched teeth.
Valentine simply chuckled as if she'd said a joke before looking at Jace whose face was fifty shades of fury ''I raised you to use that blood. I taught you-'' ''You taught me not to feel.'' the younger twin got in his face.
''You took me away from my twin...you taught me that 'to love is to destroy and to be loved is to be the one destroyed.''
''And you've proven how right I've been all along.'' Valentine's eyes flickered between the fury filled twins ''The both of you have. Look at you two....your love for Clary ...it will be your downfall, as will yours for that Lightwood boy.''
Katherine leaned towards him, her expression ferocious ''Don't drag them in this!''
''Alec might not be at the center of all this..but Clary is.She's as much a part of this as you and your brother are.'' ''Shut up!'' Katherine roared in anger and raised her fist towards Valentine, Jace didn't stop her from throwing a well aimed and well practiced punch at the man's face.
Feel better?
Much better.
She saw a small smile on Jace's face before it disappeared and the anger returned as he indicated for the guard to hold Valentine down. Katherine crossed her arms across her chest while Jace used the instrument to remove the circle rune from Valentine's neck.
~*~*~*~*~
Katherine had gotten off the phone with Magnus and she could tell by his voice that he'd spoken with her with fake enthusiasm....that there was more than he was letting on.
And after that, she was sitting on top of Alec's table and moving her legs up and down, lost in her own thought as he looked at her ''Okay, what's wrong?'' she shrugged her shoulders ''Nothing.What makes you say that?''
Alec gave her a look and got up from his chair before standing in front of her, taking her hands in his own ''Because something is wrong...so what is it?'' she sighed ''Just something Valentine said to Jace while he was pretending to be Michael Wayland all those years ago. To love is to destroy and to be loved is to be the one destroyed. It's....''
''A lie.'' he caressed her cheek and smiled softly at her ''Love doesn't destroy us...it strengthens us. Like my love for you strengthens me.'' Katherine chuckled as Alec pressed his lips to her's, his hands went to her waist pulling her closer to himself as her's went to his hair.
''Valentine's circle rune-oh!''
Alec groaned against her lips before pulling away to see Izzy standing in the doorway with an amused look ''You two really should lock the door..you know when you plan on doing something like this.''
Katherine chuckled while the older Lightwood sibling nodded his head sarcastically ''Will keep that in mind.''
Izzy winked at them before her face became serious ''Like I was saying, Valentine's circle rune has been removed and I've assembled my team.'' ''Good, I'll feel a lot better when he's out of the Institute.'' Alec held out his hand to Katherine who took it as she got off of the table.
''Have you secured Magnus for the transfer?'' Izzy looked between them as the two hand in hand walked out of the office with her besides them.
''Uh...we should consider using a different warlock.'' the older girl said as they continued to walk, she hadn't talked to Magnus face to face but she knew something was going on with him and she didn't want to add Valentine's pressure on her father figure.
Alec looked at her and nodded his head ''Catarina Loss lives in-'' ''-We are talking about portalling the Clave's most wanted into Idris.There's not many warlocks with that clearance, besides I want the best and that's Magnus.'' Izzy spared the couple a glance as the three approached the glass staircase.
Katherine sighed ''Magnus isn't exactly in a great place right now.''
Izzy looked at her in concern ''What's wrong?'' she shrugged her shoulders and again sighed ''Something clearly is...he's just not telling me, I'll go later and check up on him.'' Alec ran his thumb on Katherine's fingers in comfort.
''And we'll have to use a different warlock.'' she looked at the younger girl as the three stopped at the top of the glass staircase.
''There you are.'' Sebastian walked towards them with a tablet in his hand ''Any update on the mole?'' Alec asked him ''Yeah.Whoever it was is a clever one.Left absolutely no trace, but I've been auditing personnel files and I've found a few shadowhunters who have a personal stake in wanting Valentine dead.''
Katherine frowned as he continued '' Family members killed, relatives lost to the Circle...all with enough clearance to pull it off.'
''Send me a list when you are done.''
Her eyes went to a familiar asian shadowhunter who was standing in the center of the Institute and a smile worked up on her face ''Oh my god!'' Katherine chuckled as Izzy followed her gaze ''By the angel.'' the two walked towards the asian shadowhunter . ''Aline!''
She turned around and smiled at them, opening her arms wide as Katherine and Izzy embraced her ''In the flesh.'' ''It's been years.'' Alec joined Katherine's side with a wide smile on his face.
''It has, and you're a Herondale now....with a twin'' Aline winked at the older girl who rolled her eyes playfully ''Don't I know.'' Katherine chuckled as Izzy smiled at the asian shadowhunter ''What are you doing here?'' ''I would have given the three of you a heads up.'' she looked between the three before looking at Sebastian who stood besides Izzy.
''But I didn't want to spook my dear cousin.'' Katherine raised her eyebrows at the information as Aline stepped near Sebastian ''Who disappears for half a year only to show up here..'' the blonde male blinked at his cousin and looked away before Aline smiled at him ''Come here, you gorgeous Englishman.''
She pulled her cousin in for a hug and the older Herondale smiled softly at the reunion ''It's good to see you, Aline.''
A personnel walked up to Alec with a tablet in his hand ''Uh, sorry excuse me.'' he pressed a kiss to Katherine's temple and she smiled softly at him before he walked off with the personnel. ''We were all so worried about you.We thought you were dead.'' Sebastian shifted his weight from one foot to the another ''Yeah, I'm really sorry.''
Katherine suddenly remembered that she had to go and check on Magnus ''Well...there's someone I have to check on...'' Izzy nodded at her knowingly as Aline smiled at her ''Sure thing, Kate.'' she again gave Katherine a hug that she returned ''See you around?''
The asian shadowhunter chuckled ''You bet.'' Katherine smiled warmly at her and patted Sebastian arm before she walked towards the entrance of the Institute, worry had increased it's hold on her.
Aline saw the way her cousin's eyes followed the Herondale with a soft and tender look...and instead of it making her happy, it made Aline worry for Katherine. Because there was something really off about her cousin, she just couldn't tell what.
~*~*~*~*~*
''Kate, did you check up on Magnus yet?''
Izzy's voice came from the other end of the phone as Katherine walked towards the said warlock's loft ''No, just reached.'' ''Ok, well after you do...hurry back here.We need you.'' ''Yeah, I'll be there as soon as I talk to Magnus.'' she stood in front of the loft's door and sighed ''See you soon.'' ''Bye.'' Izzy's reply came before she ended the call and placed her phone back in her pocket.
Katherine pushed the door opened and entered the loft, the first thing she saw was Magnus sitting on his couch and drinking out of a wine glass with a distant and lost expression on his face.
She gently took the wine glass out of his hand before taking a sip of it and smacked her lips as the drink went down her throat, which pulled Magnus's attention to her.
He narrowed his eyes playfully at Katherine and snapped his fingers.She didn't even blink as the drink went back in his hands and he smiled, though that smile never reached his eyes ''I was just about to make myself a drink, want one?''
Katherine narrowed her eyes while Magnus got up from the couch and started to make a drink ''I am not much of a drinker and we're going to transport Valentine to Idris.'' ''Even more reason-we can toast to Valentine's highly anticipated departure.'' he spared a look as he continued to do what he was.
The Herondale looked at Magnus in worry and concern ''What's going on, Magnus?'' he turned around to look at her ''Nothing's wrong, sunlight.What makes you say that?'' Katherine simply looked at him, the way he tried to hide the pain that was flashing in his eyes. ''Because there's something that's been bothering you...and whatever it is, I'm here for you.''
Magnus sighed as he looked at her, and she finally saw the vulnerability he had been hiding ''When I was tortured in Valentine's body....that agony rune made me relive my worst memory.And now...'' Katherine saw him making a frustrated face ''I can't get it out of my head..''
''Every time I close my eyes...'' he sat back down on the couch as she knelt in front of him ''C'mon, talk to me, Mag.'' she placed her hand on top of Magnus's in comfort ''Remember I told you how I found my mother dead by her own hand?'' Katherine softly nodded her head as he looked at her, the vulnerability still fresh on his face.
''My stepfather found me shortly after.He screamed at me.He called me an abomination.'' a disgusted look flashed across Magnus's face and Katherine blinked in shock, she couldn't grapple with the fact that he'd been called that while he was a young boy ''He what?''
Her father figure scoffed without humor at the memory ''He was right, he blamed me for her suicide.He said that she hated herself for giving birth to a monster.'' Katherine's heart filled with pain as she saw Magnus's eyes brim with unshed tears ''So, I lashed out...with all the magic I had.'' Magnus's voice broke as his tears fell down his cheeks.
''I burned him, Katherine.Right where he stood...I murdered my stepfather.''
She looked at him softly and gently wiped away his tears ''You were just a boy, Magnus.You weren't in control of your powers.'' ''Yes.Actually I was.'' he looked up at her, his face showed guilt at the girl he called his daughter ''I never wanted for you to see this...terrible, ugly side of me..of my past.'' Magnus sniffed.
Katherine squeezed his hand in comfort ''There's not a part in you that's ugly, Magnus.'' she smiled at him and Magnus smiled back at her ''You up for something?''
A gleam entered his eyes ''What is it?''
~*~*~*~*~*~
Katherine along with Izzy, Jace and a bunch of other shadowhunters entered Valentine's cell and kept her gaze on him as she grabbed his one arm while the younger twin grabbed the other and Valentine spared the two a glance before he walked out of the cell, with Izzy at the front, the twins on his either side and the group of other shadowhunters walking behind them.
Her eyes fell on Alec first and then on Magnus who was nodded at her, Katherine had convienced him to portal Valentine to Idris and he had eagerly agreed.
''Valentine Morgestern by the order of the Clave you are hereby remanded to the Guard in Idris.''
Izzy nodded her head at Magnus who opened up a portal that would take her, Jace and Katherine to Idris in order to overlook the secure transfer of Valentine. ''I may be in a cell, but at least I'll be in Alicante... where the air doesn't reek of Downworlders.'' he hinted at Magnus.
The older girl rolled her eyes at his ideology and restrained herself from again punching him. Alec's eyes locked with her's ''Get him out of here.''
Izzy, Jace and Katherine shared a look and a nod before the three walked towards the portal, she gave Alec an assuring smile which he returned as she along with her brother and the younger girl went through the portal with Valentine pass through it after them...or so they thought.
Katherine welcomed the gut feeling she always got whenever she passed through a portal and steadied herself as Jace and Izzy appeared on her either side before they looked up to see Consul Malachi Dieudonne and a group of guards behind him.
He nodded at the three as they stood to a side and Katherine turned her head to see the rest of their security group pass through the portal and frowned when the last of the security came through.
Without Duncan or Valentine.
Katherine paled in dread and shared a look with Jace who's face showed the same emotions ''Where's the prisoner?'' Malachi asked, a hint of panic that they all were feeling was laced in his voice.
''I don't know.Consul Dieudonne.'' Izzy's face looked ashen as she said those words.
''What happened to Duncan?'' Jace looked between his twin and the younger girl, and neither of them had the answer to it.
''Where the Angel is Valentine?'' the Consul boomed.
''Wherever he is...'' Katherine gulped in both fear and panic ''The real chaos...is about to begin.''