Hello fuckin' nerds, here is a new chapter of my story that I hope yall will at least semi-enjoy. To see outfits and character pictures then head on over to my polyvore Noellamonster. Also, I don't own anything except new characters and ideas, I make no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. So yeah, yall should like review or something.
I gave up on sleeping around three in the morning, I left the room and walked through the halls of this foreign place. It was gorgeous, this building must be so old how could it possibly still be in such good shape?
Soon enough I stumbled upon the library, rows of books filled shelfs that reached the ceiling. It was heaven on earth, on impulse I snatched one from the shelf and flipped to the first page as I plopped onto the floor.
By 7 in the morning I was finished with three books and was about to start a fourth when the old man, Hodge, walked in. A startled look crossed his face when he saw me.
"A restless night?" he regained his composure quickly.
"Yeah" I breathed out a sigh, "Not uncommon but it was worse last night, more nightmares." A sympathetic look crossed his face.
"Tonight I can make you something that will let you sleep easily through the night" he walked to the desk at the far end of the library.
"Thank you, can I visit my brother?" he expression changed yet again, now it was filled with worry.
"Of course, Church can take you to the infirmary." As if on cue a blue cat with a squished face and piercing yellow eyes pranced up to me and rubbed against my leg.
"Hi there, Church, care to show me the way?" with a meow he walked out from the library, I followed him closely. It wasn't long before he sat and nudged the familiar door, "Thank you" I crouched down and pet him for probably way too long before walking into the room.
Macs skin was tinted grey and black spider-webbed veins popped out more than they should. Fear coursed through me and tears stung my eyes. "Hey" it was the boy from last night, Alec.
"I didn't get either of your names last night"
"Aurelia" I pointed to myself, voice devoid of emotion, "Mac" I pointed to my brother.
"Well, Aurelia, we don't know if Mac is going to make it another night. My sister and I are doing all we can but nothing is working. A Ravener demon poisoned him, one poisoned Clary too but she looks to be taking better to the treatment." His voice was bitter when he spoke about her.
"…why?"
"I don't know" was all he could say, he left not long after that.
"Ah, you're the other girl from the mundie club" it was the boy with golden blonde hair, Jace I think.
"And you're the arrogant lion man." Confusion flickered in his eyes but his expression was unchanging.
"Mundanes make no sense" he muttered as he walked past me, his eyes flickered to Mac. "That your boyfriend?" he questioned, "He a shadow hunter?"
"He's my brother and I don't know…our mother and father were. Both were exiled as far as I know."
"Stripped of their marks?"
"She never said that, just that neither of them were welcome." I shrugged. "I don't know anything though, don't understand it, don't care for it unless it can somehow magically save my brother" my voice was hoarse and tears spilled freely down my cheeks.
"Magic" he laughed somewhat bitterly.
"It's real, my mom used it to an extent. Self-taught witch, Hodge knows her…knew her." I cleared my throat, "Yesterday we were attacked, at home, she…this thing killed her. He confirmed that last night. I think she knew it was going to happen, she enchanted duffel bags so they would fill with our belongings when they were needed."
"I understand your grief, I share it." I was surprised he was listening, "My father was killed when I was young while I was hiding in a closet" did the bitterness ever leave his voice? Although sadness crept in this time. "If what your mother says is true I can mark him with a healing rune, I can't guarantee it will help him." He stood and in his hand was something that I had seen in my duffel, "This is a stele"
He walked back towards my brother, the stele glowing brightly as he drew a mark onto Macs chest. "This is called an iratze, a healing rune." Golden light shimmered from the rune as it faded into his skin. "Now you wait." With that he walked out.
"That was uncharacteristically kind of him." Was everyone bitter here? I turn to see Alec walking in with a tray of fresh gauze, salve, and other medical things.
"Seems like he understands loss"
"He does." He slammed the tray down, the headache that was already forming now caused my head to throb. Then it hit me, with the few bitter words he had spoken it was easy to tell jealousy was strung through them.
"No reason to be jealous, really." I shook my throbbing head, "I'm not attracted to him" his face went blank and his shoulders slumped.
"What?"
"You know what I said, you don't have to worry. Besides he doesn't seem interested in me, open your eyes."
*Two days later
Clary had woken up, still aching but very much alive. Mac hadn't woken up; Alec had lost hope that he would pull through. At first it seemed like the rune was working, his skin lost the grey hue but he remained unconscious with dropping vitals.
"Aurelia" Alecs voice was soft, too soft. "Mac…" he couldn't finish before I rushed past him. Hodge stood with Isabelle, Jace, and Clary.
"I'm sorry" Clary was stiff as she looked down at my brother most likely thinking about how this could have been her if Jace hadn't marked her when he did. He was too late when it came to my brother.
Words refused to form and thoughts drifted away, everything was blank and everything hurt. I felt the floor underneath me before I knew I was falling, blackness gushed in and flooded my cloudy vision.
*Author or whatever p.o.v
Tears flooded her vision, clouding it to the point she no longer could make out the shapes in front of her. Her breathing was strained as her world began spinning, the pain she felt bore down on her like torrents of rain in a storm. Alec raced forward as her world tilted and she fell to the wooden floor, he snaked his arms around her and pulled her up just before her head thumped against it.
"Take her to her room, I need to brew some tea. Jace, Isabelle ready Macs body." Hodge watched with sad eyes as Alec walked away with an unconscious Aurelia in his arms, he knew just how to numb her pain.
He strode to the greenhouse where he plucked the leaves of a special plant, the petals of another, and harvested the dew of yet another very special plant. These mixed with spices, a drop from a forbidden potion, and hot water would create a tea to take the pain away, it would feel as though she had coped and gotten over the death of the only people she ever had.
The tea was a sickly shade of yellow but smelled like honey. Carefully Hodge carried the cup of tea to Aurelia's room where she lay asleep.
"Aurelia, wake" he shook her gently, she looked at him with tear filled eyes. "Hush child, drink this" he spoke before she could make a sound, he added several drops of a sleeping potion to aid in her sleep. Jace and Alec had prepared Macs body, tomorrow the silent brothers would come. Although that is not something they knew, a secret Hodge kept to himself. As he took his last breath a collective "Ave Atque Vale." Was whispered in voices that carried the pain of this loss.
"Is she okay?" Hodge nearly dropped the cup in his hand, he whirled around and came face to face with Alec. Alec had grown fond of her very quickly, unlike how he felt with Clary.
"I gave her something that will help her cope, she will be much better by tomorrow but for now she must sleep. Worry not Alec, she will be fine."
With a nod Alec walked away, Isabelle was waiting for him in his room. "How is she?"
"Hodge made her something" he shrugged, "Somehow it's going to make her cope with both her brother and mother dying within three days of each other" he was bitter and doubtful.
"Trust Hodge, if he said he gave her something to help then believe it. I do" she walked past her brother, stopping at his door. "It looks like she'll be staying with us. I imagine Hodge alerted the clave, an underage girl with the blood of shadowhunter can't go uncared for."
"You think mom and dad will take her in?"
She smiled, "Of course, you already act like she's your new sister." With that she walked away to her own room, leaving Alec to fret over the possible outcome.