"We've lost seven of our own, but- we can't allow a single, radical Seelie to define the entire Downworld, any more than we can allow Valentine to define all Shadowhunters." Alec said, as he stood in front of the whole Institute making his announcement, "So, to restore unity with our allies, I will be hosting regular Cabinet meetings here with the Downworld leaders of New York- please, let's make the Downworlders feel welcome."
When Alec dismissed them, he walked toward us, Jace softly smiling at him proudly, "Look at you- in charge for a week, you're already shaking things up."
I kept my distance, standing next to Isabelle and I smiled at Alec as well, "I think this Cabinet thing is a good idea-"
Alec exhales, "Yeah, I'm not sure everyone agrees."
"All the more reason to do it- right? Makes a statement." I place my hands on my hips, "How can I help?"
"Actually, I need you, Jace, and Clary for a mission." Alec admits, looking between us, "You're going to the Seelie Court."
I blink lightly, avoiding eye contact with Jace, "Uhm- you sure I can't help around here? I could be of use during the Cabinet meeting-"
Clary looks at me, "Wait- why don't you-"
"Please." I cut her off, my eyes glued to Alec.
"No- no, I trust you to go there-" Alec knew that something was up between Jace and I, so he decided to push it, "You and Jace work good together-"
I scrunch my nose, as Clary looks between us all, "So- where's the Seelie Court?"
"The nearest entrance is in Central Park- but, it's in another realm." Isabelle told us, "It's- where the Seelie Queen lives-"
"I requested an audience with her to discuss Kaelie's crimes." Alec said, "But- she said she'll only meet with Valentine's experiments."
I huff lightly, accepting that there was no way I could get out of this, "So, you think the Seelie Queen is responsible for Kaelie's attacks?"
"That's what I want you to find out." Alec replied.
"It would make sense." Jace ran a hand through his hair, "Those murders weren't exactly Kaelie's style."
I don't look at him, "How did you know Kaelie?"
"Book Club." Jace shortly replied.
This made me look up at him, "You don't read."
"Yeah I do-" Jace's eyes locked with mine, and I could see the pain in his eyes, but he kept a face on, "Why does everyone find that so hard to believe?"
"Look- focus." Alec interjected, "We need to find out if she's complicit- an entire faction could be turning against us."
"That shouldn't be too hard, right?" Clary looked between us, "Seelies can't lie."
"If you want to get technical, yeah- that would be the case." I looked at her, "But- after hundreds of years of practice, they can expertly manipulate the truth, and the Queen is the master."
"She's very dangerous." Isabelle adds in, her voice quiet, "The entire realm is- more than one Shadowhunter hasn't made it back."
"What could go wrong?" Clary looked between Jace and I, "But we're, uh- Valentine's experiments, right? Don't mess with us."
"Please don't ever say that again." I said, before I walked away from them.
-
"Look, you don't have to come if you don't want to." Jace said to me as he and I stood alone by the water, waiting on Clary, breaking them silence, "I could just- tell Alec that you came-"
"Not like I have anything better to do." I messed with my hands, not looking at him, "It's fine- don't worry about it."
"Look, I'm sorry I kept pushing it-" Jace's words made my heart break because he wasn't the one who needed to apologize, "I- can't stand this tension- I don't care- where we are- or what we're doing- I just care that we're something to each other- that isn't this."
Before I could reply, my eyes glued to him, Clary's voice filled my ears, "Just be prepared, 'cause they are going to be happy you're here."
"What?" Simon's voice followed as they walked over to the two of us, "Zee likes me-"
Jace questions, "What is he doing here?"
"Well hello to you." Simon smiles lightly at him, "I'm joining the mission-"
"No, you're not-" I softly shook my head, "Simon- sorry, but- you weren't invited- the Queen-"
Clary cuts me off, "I already told him that."
"But- then I pointed out that you can never have too much backup." Simon points out, "You've seen my fighting skills firsthand."
"There will be no fighting." I immediately say, "If you hurt anyone in the Queen's realm, she has every right to hurt you."
"This is a sensitive political mission." Jace crosses his arms, "It takes a certain charm."
"Well, I'll have you know, I was voted vice president in eighth grade." Simon said, "And you do not win an election without charm."
"Simon, this isn't middle school- come on, this isn't a joke." I cross my arms as well, "This is life or death."
Simon looks at me, "Have you been to middle school?"
"Look, Seelies have the beauty of angels, and the viciousness of demons, and those opposing qualities makes them unpredictable." Jace told him, "A vampire or a werewolf, they prefer to attack you head on, but- Seelies, they want to trick you into your own self-destruction."
"I mean, that's a little dramatic, don't you think?" Simon replies, "I mean, aren't Seelies like- woodland hippies who eat berries and ants?"
Jace sighs, "I thought the same about Kaelie."
"And who saved Zee from her?" Simon recalls.
"Fine." I pointed right at him, "But- if something happens, I'm not saving your ass-"
"Where is the entrance?" Clary asks, as I pointed, "The Seelie Court is in a creek?"
"Not in it- through it." Jace moved back, then jumped over the fence and into the water, disappearing.
I shot them a look, before jumping right after him.
"Whoa-" Clary looked around when her and Simon jumped through and landed behind us.
I look at Simon, "After you, Mr. Vice President."
-
"You told Jace what?" Clary quietly said to me as we walked, a few feet away from Jace and Simon, "Why on earth would you do that?"
"Because it's the best for the both of us-" I quietly snipped at her, "It was never going to happen anyway- we're both convinced neither of us is capable of love- it's better to have put an end to it rather than let it strong on like a beacon of hope and destroy us both slowly-"
"Zee- love is strength." Clary replies to me, staring at me, "It's the strongest thing of all- if you would've just given into your feelings for Jace, you could've felt that-"
"I don't know what kind of mundane morals you have-" I looked at her, "But- that's not what I was taught-"
"Is that blood?" Simon's voice made us stop talking and look up, as he inched closer to a tree and touched it.
"Simon, get away from the tree!" Jace threw him to the ground and away from it, "Get away from the tree!"
"What the hell are you doing?" Simon got up.
"Saving you." Jace dusts his hands off, "As usual."
"From a tree?" Simon recalled.
"That is called a kill tree." Jace points, "It would have wrapped its vines around you and torn you limb from limb-"
Clary stops behind them with me, confused, "Jace, what the hell are you talking about?"
Jace looked from Simon, to her, "That tree almost tore Simon's pretty face off."
"You think I'm pretty?" Simon smirked lightly.
"Alright enough- Jace is right." I interjected, looking between Simon and Clary, "In the Seelie realm, it's not just the creatures that are deadly- it's everything. If you want to make it out of here, don't touch, eat, or smell anything- no matter how small."
-
"Zee, my stele-" Clary whispered when the Seelies took our steels and swords when we arrived, as I simply nodded at her, "Our weapons-"
The Seelie Queen stood up straight, "You'll get them back when you leave the Court."
"Your majesty-" I bowed with Jace, signaling for Simon and Clary to do the same, as they obliged, "What a rare honour-"
Simon whispers, "Wait, that's the Queen?-"
"Why is the vampire here?" She asked us, looking between us all, "He was not invited."
Clary steps up, "He's with me."
"My lady, Simon has proven himself a worthy warrior and a loyal friend." Jace said something we never thought he'd ever say, "We insisted he be here with us- anything you have to say to us, you can say to him."
"Very well." She nods, "The vampire can stay."
"You are as generous as you are lovely." Jace replied.
"Set an extra place at the table for our fourth guest." She instructs to her people, "This is going to be fun."
-
"I thought you said she was ancient." Clary said to me when we all sat around the small table on the ground after they had set sweets in front of us, "She hasn't even hit puberty-"
"She is ancient." I looked at her, "She uses Seelie magic to manipulate her age- keeps herself young- really young, apparently-"
"Genius!" Simon whisper shouts, "She tries to seem all innocent and cute, but, really she's-"
"Hungry?" She cuts the conversation short and sits down with us, looking between us all.
Jace denied, "That's very kind, but we really should discuss business."
"Business is boring." She replied, "That's why I sent a proxy to your Downworlder Cabinet Meeting- I'd like to know more about Valentine's children."
"Well, there's just- two of us now." Clary mentioned, "It's just Zee and I."
She stares, "Are you sure?"
"I'm not Valentine's son." Jace exhales slow.
"Yet, the same blood runs through your veins- the blood of the angel." She looked between us, "Please, show me what it can do- don't be shy."
"As much as we'd love to demonstrate-" I clear my throat, "We're still learning how it works-"
"Are you?" She then looked at Simon, "And you, vampire- are you still learning to walk in the sun?"
Simon was caught off guard right away, "Wow, word travels fast down here."
"It does." She nodded, "I hear whispers from the birds, the bees and the bugs- they're all in my service."
"So was Kaelie." Jace mentioned, "Were you surprised to hear one of your knights was killing Shadowhunters?"
"Were you?" She asked, "Kaelie was your lover."
I clear my throat and looked down, "Book club, hm?"
"I was surprised." Jace huffed lightly at my reaction, "Kaelie didn't seem capable of such brutality."
"Precisely why she made an effective killer." She replied, "The sweeter the honey, the deadlier the trap."
I question, "Did Kaelie kill on her own, or was she working with someone else?"
"Another knight helped." She got up and grabbed an apple, "But- I took care of him."
"By took care of, you mean-" Simon trails off.
"Dead, dead, dead." She bit into the apple viciously, before throwing it to the side, "I'd like a moment alone with the Daylighter-"
Simon repeats, "Alone?"
"With Simon?" Clary asked.
I sat up quick, "Why?"
"My lady, perhaps you could discuss here." Jace quickly said, "We prefer not to be separated."
"Don't worry-" She looked down at Simon, "I'll bring him back with all his limbs attached."
Simon exhales, "Okay-"
My head snapped toward him, "Simon-"
"It's okay, Zee-" Simon got up, "I'll be fine."
-
"See? I told you he shouldn't have come- from the beginning, I knew that this was a bad idea-" I was pacing, "And who listens to me? No one!"
I didn't need go further, when Simon came out quickly, walking towards us, Clary questioning, "Is everything okay?-"
"Great!" Simon grabbed her and nodded towards Jace and I, "We need to go right now-"
"Hey- wait!" Jace stopped him, looking at the Queen, "Your majesty, with your permission, we should get going-"
"But- you've only just arrived." She began, as vines bursted up from the ground and wrapped around Jace, Simon and Clary's legs, "It's futile to struggle."
"Vitis veritas." She said when they tried to pry them off, "Enchanted vines that only obey me."
"What are you doing?" I noticed how she didn't trap me, taking a step closer to her, "Let them go, right now-"
"But- they killed several of my kind." She said.
Clary's eyes widen, "Huh?-"
"What?" Simon bursts, "We didn't kill anyone!"
"She can't lie-" Jace quickly said, "Your majesty, you must be mistaken-"
She stood still, "I told you, the birds, bees, bugs, they're all in my service."
Clary looks at me, "The gnats at the kill tree-"
"What, that- that bug I killed?" Simon stammers.
"Wait-" I stutter, "That can't seriously mean-"
"Their deaths require justice." She folded her hands, "Unless, of course, you'd rather play a game."
Jace asked, "What kind of game?"
"A game sounds better." Simon said in unison.
"It's simple, really." She lightly shrugged, looking between us, "All I ask is a kiss."
"You want one of us to kiss you?" I scoff lightly, "Jace- go get her-"
"The game isn't for me." She cut me off, her eyes on me, "It's for you, Zee."
I took a step, "What the hell are you talking about?"
"The kiss that will set them free is the kiss you most desire." She lightly tilted her head while looking at me, "It's one to ignore your feelings- but those vines? They won't release them until you're true with yourself, Zee."
I swallow hard, "You're joking-"
"I suggest you move quickly." She said, "Once the vines reach their necks, they'll will be dead, dead, dead."
"Look, you don't know me- you don't know my life- you don't know how I feel- I don't care if you've heard whispers from your little bugs and bees- but I don't have feelings for anyone." I was desperate, my voice filled with panic and anger, "Let them go!"
"Well, so be it- prove yourself to all of us, shall you?" She gestured behind me, "If you truly don't have feelings- then the vines won't release-"
My voice shook, "No-"
Jace choked out weakly from behind me, "Zee-"
My head snapped back, noticing the vines at their necks, starting to suffocate them all right in front of me, my heart dropping at the sight.
She stares at me, exhaling slowly, "You can fool yourself, but- not the vitis veritas-"
I stammered, before slowly walking towards Jace.
Jace's eyes slightly widened when I did, as I slowly grabbed his face, pushing myself onto my tippy toes, pressing my lips into his gently.
Right as I did, the vines started retreating, Jace pulling me into him with his hands, one arm around my waist and the other on my back, holding onto me as if I was something delicate.
He'll know I lied.
But, the feeling I felt during that kiss was a feeling that I was unfamiliar with, and it scared me.
Except, I felt whole.
-
"So- the Seelie Queen didn't help Kaelie, it was actually a Seelie Knight, who is now dead." Alec gathered from what Jace and I had told him, as I stood next to him, Jace across from us.
"Yeah-" I stared at my hands, my voice low, "The Queen's hands are technically clean-"
I couldn't get my mind off what happened.
I wanted to cry.
The overwhelming fear in my heart hadn't left.
"I think there's more to it." Jace said.
Alec asks, "Well, what makes you say that?"
"I don't know." Jace shrugs, "Call it a gut feeling."
"Okay- well, I'll have the Clave keep a closer eye on the Seelies." Alec nodded, then looked between us both, "Are you guys alright?"
"Huh?" I looked up at him.
"You guys seem- distracted." Alec mentioned, trading looks, "It's weird-"
"I'm fine-" I shortly said, before taking a step back, "Shout if you need me? I'll- be in my room-"
Before either of them could say anything, I quickly walked away, tears starting to burn in my eyes.
"Zee!" Jace's voice called out behind me, making me stop and let out a shaky breath, slowly turning to face him, "Hey- uhm, look, we should talk- about what just happened."
My voice was quiet, "Jace-"
He stared at me, not saying anything.
"I'm sorry, I can't right now-" My voice fell into a whisper, tears present in my eyes as I walked past him and rushed to my room.
I covered my mouth the moment I walked in, tears falling from my eyes and streaming down my cheeks, slowly sitting onto the ground.
"Zee, I just had the worst-" My door swung open, my head snapping back to see Isabelle, her expression dropping, before we walked over and sat next to me, pulling me into her embrace.
authors note:
valentine having such a bad influence on her that she's scared of love more than she is of anything
but, she got exposed at the seelie court- so oop
that's why she lied to jace if you guys didn't catch that sksksksks
but, thank you for 22k !!
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