"I know where the cup is." Clary said to Avalon, Magnus and Jace who were all in Magnus's living room as a smile appeared on Clary's face.
"Come again?" Jace asked, as if he didn't hear what Clary just said to all of them. Avalon groaned at his comment and walked over to him.
"Did you not what she said blondie, Clary know's where your magic cup is. Or do you need the statement to be dumbed down." Jace just glared at Avalon as she said with a huge smirk on her face and a meddling look in her eyes.
"Anyway, it's the tarot cards. My mom, she must have painted them years ago, but the Mortal Cup has to be hidden inside the Ace of Cups. The card looks exactly like it." Clary explained looking like she was very proud of herself. While everyone else shared a worried look around the room. "Wait, why aren't you guys happy about this? All we have to do is find... Dot." Realizing what she said, Clary became as worried as everyone else.
" If Dot had the cards when she was taken, we don't have much time. If Valentine gets his hands on the Cup—" Jace was cut off by Magnus putting his painted nail in his as a signal to shut up as he stood up.
"We know. If Valentine started creating Shadowhunters or gained control of demons, it'd be like Beyoncé riding on a dinosaur through Times Square. People would notice." Magnus made the hold sound very dramatic by explaining it in the most Magnus way possible, with hand gestures and everything.
"But he can control demons I've seen it." Clary said.
" Mmm, paying off a few demons is easy, especially since they rarely survive long enough to collect."
"Still waiting on Valentine's thank-you card." A cocky grin appeared on Jace's faces he smiled at the Red head. Avalon looked between the two noticing the way they were looking at each other.
" Opening the gates of hell, that's a little more tricky." Magnus said to Clary as Avalon heard Luke enter the room.
"Valentine doesn't have the cards. I do. They're in my desk back at the precinct. When Clary went missing, I went to the loft and I cleared everything out, 'cause I didn't want the Circle to track her." Everyone, mainly Clary and Avalon breathed a sign of relief as Luke said this, know that the card's weren't in the hands of anyone else.
"That's great. This should be easy." Smile worked it's way onto Clary's face But Avalon knew it would be that simple, nothing ever was.
"Mmm, that's what General Custer said." Magnus said as he sat down on one of his arm chairs.
"Magnus is right." Luke spoke up, taking control of the on going conversation, "Valentine has spies everywhere, even in the NYPD. We have to be discreet."
"Discreet." Avalon raised an eyebrow at her werewolf father figure. "Luke you look like something out of the Mummy movie." They all heard Magnus chuckle slightly as Avalon made her remark.
"We'll go in the morning. Werewolf healing, remember? This is nothing a couple of hours of beauty sleep can't fix. And by we Ava, I mean me, Jace and Clary."
"But-" Avalon tried to protest, but it didn't work.
"No but's. You and Alec are going to stay here, with Magnus so I know your safe. And don't even think about trying to sneak out, because if you two do, I'll ground you and lock you up tighter than Fort Knox's. Do you understand me?" The tension was building in the room as Luke waiting for Avalon to respond, hoping she understood.
"Completely understood." Avalon said with a dead straight face. "Magnus can I crash in one of your spare rooms?" The warlock nodded as she made her way down the hallway. Jace turned to Clary. 'Wow' he mouthed as she went after her friend.
"Ava, Ava." Avalon turned around as Clary called her name." Why won't Luke let you and Alec come with us?"
"You know he's just very, very over protective of me and Alec, but it's better then over bearing."
"Speaking of which where is Alec?"
"Sleeping, when he shared his strength with Magnus it took a lot out of him so." The sound of silence grew between the two. "What else did you what to ask?" Avalon questioned. "Because knowing you you didn't just chase me to ask me why Luke won't let me and Alec go with you to get the card's. Because I know, you already knew the answer to that question. So ask away." Clary was trying to think of a way to words this question running circles in her brain. "Spit it out." Avalon said growing impatient.
"What did Alec mean." Clary blurted. Avalon motioned for her to elaborate. "What did Alec mean by my fathers experiments led to you." Now Avalon was the one trying to find the right words. She'd know Alec said what he said on purpose so Clary wouldn't really suspect anything. she rubbed her temples after finally finding an answer to her friends question.
"Uhh, can I have your stele for a second?" Clary slowly passed the stele her mother had given her on birthday to her raven haired friend. As Avalon took the stele she rolled up her left selves so her bear pale skin was showing. Slowly she drew a simple block and defect rune on her forearm. Biting back the pain as the stele burnt her flesh. When she was done drawing the rune, it glowed a bright golden color, then faded into her skin. Leaving not scar, not mark to even indicate it was even there in the first place. Clary looked at Avalon with sadness and shock in her eyes.
"He experimented on you and Alec?"
"In a way yes." Avalon replied. She wasn't really lying to Clary, it was more of twisting the truth in her favor. It was true that Valentines experiments did contribute to the angles making her and Alec the Mortal Guardians. Along with all the other Crazy things Valentine did on his quest for the cup. "I'm tired so i;m going to bed now. Night."
"Night." Clary said slight;y confused Avalon continued to walked down the hallway to find a spare room. What she just saw from her friend left her wonder. Did her lunatic father experiment on anyone else?
___________________________
Sunlight broke through the golden, silk curtains, letting there rays rest on one Alexander Gideon Lightwood, who until now was sleeping peacefully. Alec started to stair as he rubbed his eyes and sat up in the bed that he and Magnus shared. Looking over to the other side of the bed he saw Magnus wasn't with him, sleeping soundly, instead there was a breakfast tray with a glass of orange juice and a plate of waffles with maple syrup and whipped cream. His favorite. Smiling he dug into his breakfast left on the bed from him. "Enjoying breakfast in bed I see."
Alec looked up to see Magnus leaning in the door frame with a grin on his face. "Yes thank you." Alec smiled softly as Magnus came to sit by him. "May I ask what it is for?"
"For just being you, and sharing your strength with me last night may have contributed to what you see before you."
"Really?" Magnus nodded as Alec chuckled a little and gave him a soft and gentle kiss. As they pulled away from each other Magnus rested his hand on Alec's as they intertwined their fingers, knowing they were with the one they loved. "So what happened last night when I was asleep?" Alec asked taking a sip if his orange juice.
"Well Clary figured out where the cup is."
"Finally!"
"Yeah Luke, and Jace went to go get it with her.
"Let me guess Luke said for me and Avalon to stay out of it."
"Yep." Magnus said popping the 'p'. "He also said if you and Avalon were to sneak out that he would ground up and lock you two up harder than Fort Knox's." Alec's head perked up. hearing the word.
"Are you sure he said Fort Knox's ?" Alec asked sounding a bit confused. Magnus nodded. "Is Ava awake yet?" Magnus nodded again as the both of them grin and rushed out of the bedroom to find Avalon sitting, on the couch arm's crossed smirking as usual.
"Took you all enough. Ryan will be here in 10 minutes. " Avalon said sounding serious. both Magnus and Alec nodded as Alec snapped his fingers, golden sparks flowed into the middle of the living room, creating a golden image of the New York institute appear in front of them. Avalon got up from the couch as her brother and Magnus joined her. She waved her hand over the image, making it bigger so they could see the layout inside.
"So we have until Clary gets the cup back to the institute?" Magnus asked and the twins nodded.
"Which means we have about 10 to 12 hours to figure out how to break in to the institute and steal the cup." Alec said his eyes fixed on the image he created. "What could go wrong?"
A/N
What could go wrong indeed!! What did you all think of the chapter? How about Avalon's explanation to why Valentine's experiment led to her and Alec? When do you think She will figure out the truth about them? Until next time!!!