"Dude, I officially hate running mundane style," I commented as our feet pounded the ground across the courtyard.
"You were the one who wanted to be in a mundane school, thus not my problem." Jace answered as we raced down the hall, stopping before the library doors.
"Wonder what Hodge wants?" I asked as we (more like I, Jace was fine) tried to catch our breaths.
"Probably giving us a mission." Jace answered, grinning. I rolled my eyes. The allusion Isabelle had made about killing to Jace is equal to lovemaking to humans is correct in more ways than one. My brother had to only either hear or speak about killing something and he got excited.
A blue Persian slipped through the doors to the library and meowed loudly at us.
"We're coming, Church." I said as we pushed open the doors. Hodge was sitting in his normal chair and reading a book I didn't recognize.
"Jace, Kimberly, welcome." Hodge said, standing up as we entered. He closed the book, but still hung on to it as he met us halfway across the library. He then handed the book he was reading to me. "This is a copy of The Gray Book, the book that contains all of the runes a Shadowhunter uses. Each Shadowhunter gets it when they are younger, but since you are a special case, we needed to get you one as soon as possible."
"Thanks." I said, taking the book and thumbing through it. Jace shifted impatiently next to me.
"Why did you want both of us?" he asked Hodge.
Hodge turned to him, a trace of a smile on his lips. "The Queen of the Seelie Court requests an audience with Kim. Since she doesn't know the way to the Court, plus the customs of the Court, I decided that you, Isabelle, and Alec should go with her. Alec and Isabelle are ready and waiting now in the foyer."
"Does this mean we leave immediately?" I asked, sticking the book in my backpack.
"Yes. You can leave your backpacks here. You can get them once you return." We tossed our backpacks under the table Hodge motioned to and left the library.
"So what do I need to know about the Seelie Court?" I asked as we caught up with Alec and Isabelle and left the Institute.
"One, they're faeries, angels fallen from heaven because of pride. Two, they only like the truth. Three, don't eat anything there unless you want to stay there." Jace said as we neared a lake.
Suddenly, a male figure rose from the lake.
"Meliorn!" Isabelle greeted him.
"Are they...?" I trailed off, figuring Jace and Alec were smart enough to figure out the rest.
"Who knows." Alec answered as we followed the two to the middle of the lake where the moon had reflected.
"Never realized it was this dark." I commented.
"That's because you're slow." Jace teased as we sunk beneath the moon's reflection.
"The Queen's chambers are this way. Follow me." Meliorn said.
We passed through a room of dancing people. It was easy to see why the faeries are sometimes called the Fair Folk. Faces that could have rivaled Isabelle danced in a ring.
Jace grabbed my arm. "Whatever you do, don't join in." he said, tightening his grip on my arm. I blocked out the scene in front of me and concentrated on Jace's back as he pulled me through the room.
As we passed through a curtain of blue silk into the second corridor, Jace's grip on my arm loosened. "Thanks" I muttered, knowing that my brother would get the message through the one word.
"Here are the Queen's chambers. She has come from her court in the North for this audience especially." Meliorn said, stopping at a leafy screen woven with vines and amber droplets. Isabelle and Jace ducked under, entering the chamber. With Alec behind me, I followed them.
"Ah, four Nephilim, which includes the one that I wanted to speak to," a woman with scarlet hair and blue eyes. She was reclining on a sofa surrounded by what I assumed were her servants. She rose as she spoke.
"Greetings, Kimberly, daughter of Raziel and Zeus," the Queen said as she walked toward me.
Jace stepped in front of me, his hand on one of the hidden seraph blades. "What do you want with her?"
"I just want to have a little chat with the daughter of the Thunder God." the Queen answered coolly, stepping around Jace and turning me toward her. "Let us talk. How are you mundane and Nephilim at the same time?" she asked me as she pulled me toward a table filled with food that I guessed came from the faerie land.
"That I'm still trying to figure out. I don't know how I have multiple families." I answered, knowing that it was the truth and that my siblings were trying to figure it out with me. I silently noticed that the others were following us. Other faeries joined us at the table as pixie servants brought around drinks. I looked at Jace, who slightly moved his head. This is what he meant earlier by not eating faerie food.
"I have spoken with your father Zeus. I understand that you are at least a full goddess?" the Queen asked as we sat down.
"Yes, I am the goddess of war, in coordination with my brother Ares, who is the god of war." I answered, praying that all the Queen wanted was her questions answered.
"And is it true that you were only recently reunited with your twin?" the Queen asked, glancing past me at Jace, who was listening to Alec tell of some new way to kill demons.
"Yes. He is the last sibling to be found and reunited with. My family is now complete." I said as the faeries wrapped up their meal. We stood to leave.
"One more thing, I would like to examine you further, Kimberly. You must stay with me here in the Seelie Court." the Queen said, reaching out toward me. I felt Jace stiffen.
"She did not eat of your food. No faerie drink passed through her lips. She is free to go." Alec argued. He was stopped by Meliorn.
"The Queen's word is final." Meliorn said. Internally groaning, I turned to face Jace.
"I'll be fine. I said, looking at my brother.
"We'll break you loose." he muttered, grabbing me into a hug.
"There will be no need for that. I will send for you when I am done." the Queen said. I watched from Jace's arms as she rose and reached for me. "Come, Kimberly. The sooner we start, the sooner you can be once again reunited with your family."
"One minute." Jace said, pulling away from me and grabbing my arm and his stele at the same time.
"Jace..." Alec warned.
"I know what I'm doing." Jace said as he drew a Mark on my arm. He then looked at me. "It'll protect you while you are here."
I nodded, reaching out to him for the final time. "I'll be home soon."
"You better." he answered, squeezing me before finally relinquishing me to the Queen.
"Wise choice, Nephilim. Now leave my Court." the Queen said as her servants came to stand beside me. I watched silently as Jace, Alec, and Isabelle headed through the leafy screen led by Meliorn. I wondered how long until I saw the familiar forms again.