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"Running"
" 'Have you met the thief? Do you know the killer?
Have you seen my teeth? Yeah' "
"Girls, come on. We gotta go". Simon pleaded. Kiara snapped out her reverie, her decision was made.
"Simon...Si, I think Jace can help us." Kiara held her best friend's arm and looked at him apologetically. Simon looked at her hurt and exasperated.
"What? Come on. How do we know this Mick Jagger-looking guy is even gonna try..."
"Simon, do you really think I'm stupid enough to choose him over you unless I had a good reason?" He blanched at this, guiltily.
"Mundane, we do not have the time for this." Jace growled impatiently.
"Come on, Simon. Let's go." Clary sighed. Moving towards the Institute.
"Woah, Simon's not going in there." Kiara protested.
"But-"
"No Clary, he shouldn't have to know, it's too dangerous. Simon go home", Kiara urged. She had no idea what could happen, if he was brought into this world. Bad enough she's an irresponsible elder sister, but dragging in her best friend into unknown danger? What kind of friend was she?
" No, Simon is coming and that's final", Clary finished. Simon and Jace, unsurprisingly agreed with Clary. They recoiled a little at Kiara's glare.
"Fine but I'm not backing you up if something happens to Simon." Kiara said to Clary, giving up. Leaving the dead Circle member, we walked into the Institute. For a moment Kiara could see the Institute for what it looked to mundanes, empty, old and decayed. Slowly, Kiara peeled away the glamour until she could see the ops center.
The Shadowhunters in the room did not spare the new comers a glance but were indulged in screens, holographic maps of the city or watching demonic activity. Simon saw none of this. Jace began drawing a rune on his arm, making Simon flinch at Jace's self harm. "I know. Trust me." Kiara muttered.
"He's, like, burning himself." Jace took Simon's hand in his, that was it for Simon. "Buddy, what's going on, man? I'm not your type, man. I don't even..."
"Simon hit the pause button on the panic attack. He's into a certain red-head." Kiara deadpanned.
Simon stuttered as he saw the building for what it really was, flushing out any jealously he might have acquired. Kiara held back her laughter and they walked on. Simon continued to stutter "Where are we? What the hell? Is there a war going on that I don't know about?"
"There is now." Jace stated.
"We think my mother's at the center of it." Clary filled in.
"What is this place? There's a lot of gear in here. What'd they do, rob a tech shop?" Simon surveyed the entire room. "So this cold-blooded killer is gonna help us?" Jace smiled humorlessly at Simon's remark.
"Si, could you pause after every question or you'll never get them answered. For your information though, he's not a killer, at least not in cold blood. He's protecting us. Make sense?" Kiara waited for Simon's response.
"No"
"Amazing", Kiara responded sarcastically. "Could you guy's fill him in... also where could I find Izzy?"
"Sure, you can try her room", Jace answered.
"And that is where? Also is she single?" Kiara turned to speak to Jace but instead she found herself alone. Swearing under her breath she went towards a raised platform where she could see the entire room. A hand gripped Kiara's shoulder. Kiara spun around to face Alec, he pulled her into a empty corridor, flanked with doors.
Kiara opened her mouth to speak but she was instantly slammed into the cold stone wall. The back of her head throbbed a little. Kiara glared furiously at Alec, who pinned down her legs so she couldn't kick him. His face remained stoic and his blue eyes were cold.
"What the hell?" Kiara spat, she struggled but his hands pushed her shoulders roughly against the wall. A spasm of pain quaked along the region of her concealed scar.
"Who are you?" Alec questioned.
"Seriously, all this just to-"
"Your name isn't Kiara Chase"
"It isn't- of course it's Kiara Chase! What is your problem with that?"
"Your lying, I've looked up your name and all I found was a few scholarships, chess awards, a place of employment and a few bad ends with the police, that were well covered, when you were 17."
"And the cosmic catastrophe, that's got your boxers in twist. Is my winning streak in chess tournaments? Or how much of a friendly, part time receptionist, I was?"
"No. It's the fact that you don't exist until seven years ago."
"Oh please. I'm what a child in pig tails? What could you possibly find on me?"
"A birth certificate for a start." Alec snapped. Kiara gave a hollowed laugh, that had very little humor involved.
"Stalker much?"
"Humor to deflect a question. Why am I not surprised." Alec scoffed, "Now tell me where was 'Kiara Chase'—if your still persistent on using that name, the other 11 years of your life." Kiara stopped struggling and shook her head in disgust, but she failed to hide a faint flicker of emotion that crossed her face. But Alec couldn't make out what it was.
"What's it to you, if my life isn't held out in display for you?"
"Because unlike my brother and sister, I refuse to believe that you and your sister are the clueless and heartbroken little girl act, you're pulling off." Alec drawled. "Shadowhunters don't just appear out of no where. Skill like what you had back in the Pandemonium, aren't normal. In fact it was a very specific set of skills that only a trained Shadowhunter would have."
"And your point is?" Kiara droned, icily.
"You're a member of the Circle." Alec fumbled with something in his pocket and for a brief moment she was free. Only to be pushed back into the wall again. He held up something small in his hand, and Kiara recognized it as the stele. The last thing apart from a farewell, she received from Jocelyn.
"Give it back, that is all I have of her." Kiara struggled, fruitlessly. But it already disappeared into Alec's pocket.
"Care to explain that?"
"I don't owe you an explanation, and this little show of power doesn't do you any favors." Kiara gestured at their locked position. He hesitated but let her go. Kiara 's hand ghosted over her aching shoulder but she forced herself not to show weakness.
"This isn't just about your duty as a Shadowhunter is it?" Kiara took a step closer to him and he backed away uneasily. "You don't seem like the type to screw protocol and interrogate me like a some petty thief." Kiara cocked her head to the side, satisfied when he broke eye contact, nervously.
"Unless... this is personal?"
"My parabatai and sister, are making rash decisions and breaking the rules. For the two of you." Alec said in a quiet but crisp tone, that unsettled her, despite Kiara's poker face. "Complete. Strangers. Claiming a far fetched story. And if I'm right about you..." Alec pointed his finger at her. "You're going to drag the Lightwood name in the mud— or worse, get them killed."
Kiara shook her head and placed her hands on her hips.
"You're a good person. You care about your family, I respect that. So try to understand, I'm just looking out for mine." Kiara stepped away from him. Clary is all I have and I don't need you to believe our story. Or mine, specifically. But I'm not seeking to exploit your trust and hurt anymore than me and Clary already have."
"You know the only people who act like you. Are people who are running from something. Or towards it." Alec surveyed her for the umpteenth time tonight. "Which one are you?"
Kiara didn't answer immediately. It was a interesting question.
"The kind whose trapped in the race.. And she's running out of breath."
"Are you always this cryptic?"
"I prefer coy. And... to answer your question." Kiara turned her back to him, walking away.
"Only, when I'm trying to seduce you."
➳
"What is going on? Why is there a mundane in the Institute?", Alec questioned, whilst Kiara by his side.
"A Circle member followed him to get to Clary." Jace informed.
"A Circle rune, just like the guys that took my mother." Clary added, as if it weren't obvious enough.
"What exactly is a Circle member and why are they trying to kill us?" Kiara pipes up. Alec shot her a look and Kiara pouted, innocently.
"All we know is... a long time ago the Circle led a revolt. A lot of Shadowhunters got killed...including my father." Jace explains, Kiara spares him a look of sympathy.
"And since the revolt we've been forbidden to even hear about the Circle." Alec finishes.
"Are you still here?" Kiara hissed.
"Yes, now deal with it." Alec retorts monotonously.
" What's up with you two?" Jace raises his eyebrows.
" Alec here, just loves throwing people against walls and getting handsy." Kiara retorted, making Jace, Clary and Simon whip their heads at Alec, who reddens.
"Shut up." Alec muttered.
" Deal with it." Kiara repeated.
"Right... back to the topic, that doesn't make me want to puke. How is that even possible? It's your history." Clary spoke up, continuing where we left off.
"Says the girl who didn't know she was a Shadowhunter?" Jace points out.
"Yeah. Yeah, you're right. And now the only person who knows the truth is missing" Clary paused to let that sink in. "So I don't care about your rules or what's forbidden, there's got to be someone out there who can tell us why they've taken my mother!"
"There is." Jace says abruptly, Alec shoots the other boy a warning look but Jace ignored it and turned to Clary and Kiara.
"You two coming?"
"Yeah", the two girls say in unison, the two of them and Simon made to follow Jace. Jace sticks his arm out and blocks Simon's way.
"No, no, no. Not you."
"Hey, we're a package deal." Clary protests to Jace.
"Yeah." Simon pipes up.
"Clary, you two can survive without the other for a few minutes, now come on you're not in charge here." Behind her, Kiara hears Alec grunt in approval at her statement. When he catches her watching him, Alec rolls his eyes and looks away.
"Plus, there are runes all over the training room floor that would kill your mundie boyfriend." Jace pressed.
"He's not my—" Clary protests.
"I'm not, like..." Simon stutters. "We're, uh, just friends."
"Best friends." Clary adds, Simon smiles approvingly but Kiara could tell he didn't like being friend zoned.
"Yeah, and I'm tough." Simon chimes, "I can handle runes. So, uh, bring on the runes." he nervously slaps Jace's arm before waving it in pain. Jace deemed unimpressed and Alec and Kiara did their best not to laugh, for the sake of her best friend.
"What exactly are runes?" Simon squeaks. Isabelle walks over and beams at Simon.
"They give Shadowhunters our demon-fighting powers." Isabelle explains, while tracing one on her arm with a stele.
"So hot." Simon says abruptly, gazing at Isabelle. Everyone looks at him, Isabelle eyed Simon, smirking a little.
"Keep it in you pants, Si" Kiara leans in.
Simon paled at the hostile glares he receives from Alec and Jace when he realized what he just said.
"The rune." Simon corrected. Isabelle giggled.
"Don't worry, Clary. I'll watch over the.... best friend. In fact, I was about to make breakfast." Isabelle states, Simon's worries for Clary vanished on the spot.
"On second thought, the runes might be less lethal." Jace chuckled, making Isabelle roll her eyes at him.
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that. Please excuse my brother's lack of manners." The dark haired girl says silkily to Simon. "This is Alec..." she gestures at Alec.
"The guy who threw Kiara against a wall— and God knows, what else? Heard of him." Simon states. Isabelle snapped her eyes between Kiara and Alec, surprised. Alec scowls at Simon, who shrinks.
"And I'm Isabelle." She finished, giving her hand to Simon so he could kiss it but Simon mistaking the gesture shook it instead and spoke nervously.
"Lewis. Simon, Simon Lewis." "Two first names. Am I still talking?"
"Not at all." Kiara smirks. Isabelle grins at her and turns to Clary.
"See? Best friend's safe and sound here."
"Jace, if anything happens to him-" Clary starts.
"Go on, I'll be fine...I think." Simon shrugs. Kiara laughs lightly,
"Hey, uh...don't eat the food. Dangerous." Jace warned, Isabelle scoffed. Jace and Clary turn away from the scene.
"Try not to wet yourself, Si. Might be the one time you get the girl." Kiara snickers.
"Shut up, Ki." Kiara smiles, poking Simon's glasses askew. He shoves her playfully, before he retreats to follow Isabelle.
"I repeat; Is that too perfect to be human— woman: single?" Kiara sighs.
"Not exactly, " Jace answers.
"Hmm..." Kiara hums.
Well at least now she wasn't conflicted with which Lightwood.