Chapter 8

After days of watching the Institute, Midnight began to memorize the young Shadowhunters' patterns. The one named Ty, full name Tiberius Blackthorn usually spent all his time in his room, researching or reading. His twin, Livia Blackthorn practiced swordfighting in the afternoons, along with Cristina Rosales and Emma Carstairs. Julian Blackthorn came to practice as well, but much later, when his clothes and hair was splattered with paint. The one that took care of them, their uncle Arthur Blackthorn, was usually in the library.

That was a usual day.

But lately, the Carstairs girl had been practicing later and later, until she dropped from exhaustion. If Tiberius and Julian Blackthorn were staying up late, it was in their rooms. Everyone else was asleep.

Midnight knew she had to go at night. The case where the Crown and Necklaces of Mab were, luckily pretty distant from the training room and bedrooms. As long as no one was awake, it would be a quick, clean steal. And if someone was awake, well, unfortunate for them.

When night finally fell on the Los Angeles Institute, all of the Shadowhunters safely tucked in, Midnight finally approached, jogging up the steps. Her fingers touched the door, the Institute opening for her. Just to be careful, she took out the arrowhead flaked with Julian Blackthorn's blood. Wetting it with some water, she smeared it on the doorknob.

Her quiet footsteps sounded in the foyer, the moonlight filtering in from the windows, covering everything with a blue-white-silver sheen. She took out a dagger, the blade singing as it was unsheathed.

Taking slow quiet steps, she made her way to the showcases. With a quick flick of her fingers, the lock binding the glass case and the podium clicked open. Carefully sliding it out, she lifted the glass casing with gloved hands, she plucked the crown and necklaces from their mounts, then sliding the lock back into place.

Tucking the Dark Artifices into her jacket, she slid away. Midnight began to grin. Too easy.

A big yawn sounded behind her, with just enough warning to pull on a last minute change.

Ty Blackthorn ran a hand through his messy black hair, wearing full out fancy pajamas, black drawstring pants and a button down top. Midnight almost expected his initials to be sewn into the breast pocket. He was fairly skinny, but still had a layer of muscle to him like all Shadowhunters. Ty paused, seeing his twin at the staircase, watching him.

"I didn't know you were up," he said, yawning again.

Midnight as Livia yawned as well. "Couldn't sleep. I thought I heard something."

"That's why you have a dagger? Wouldn't you grab your sword?"

Midnight cursed in her head. Why did it have to be this too-inquisitive, too-attentive boy?

"I just grabbed the first thing I could," she said, shrugging.

She started going down the stairs. Ty started to follow. What was she supposed to do now? She had to ditch him.

Midnight grasped at Livia's emotions and thoughts. They were sluggish and faraway, lost in dreams. It seemed she was on her own for a bit.

With Livia's swirling thoughts, Midnight managed to find her way to the kitchen. She opened the fridge, taking a casual look inside. A hand closed the door.

"Hey! I was going to get something!" she exclaimed. Ty's level gray eyes sparkled in the moonlight, like the bright sheen of a sword.

"You're not Livia," he said in a level voice.

Midnight tried to hide her unease. Nobody has ever called her out before.

"What are you taking about Ty?" she said, tilting her head at him.

He pushed her into the counter, her back bending backwards against it as he glared down at her.

"Your clothes, was the first indicator. Then it was the dagger. Very familiar to one I had found at the killings by the assassin."

He pulled out one of her daggers. She knew she was missing one. She studied it, seeing the rune on the hilt blotted out by a Mark. Well shit.

"Well, Tiberius Blackthorn," she said, "You certainly caught me. Now what are you going to do with me?"

She Changed, wrapping herself in this time his body. He stumbled back a few steps as he saw Livia melt into himself. His own gray eyes twinkled at him as the assassin took out a dagger.

Ty gulped. He was good at the facts, the observations. Not the fighting. That was Livia's area.

Midnight's smile turned into a snarl, as she lashed out. Her foot connected with his chest, Ty flying backwards. She ran for the door.

Her breath was nearly knocked out of her as she collided with someone else. Great. Emma Carstairs.

"Ty? What's wrong?" she asked as they separated.

"The assassin's here," Midnight said in Ty's unshakable voice. "It's a shape-changer. They decided to disguise themselves as Livia, but I saw through it. They attacked me."

"Well, where is he?"

"Emma!"

Emma almost choked as she saw another Ty race out of the kitchen. "I'm the real Tiberius! Not him!"

She watched the two of them. One Ty was in fancy pajamas, while the other was wearing sweatpants, a t-shirt and a hoodie. Ty wore both of those to bed sometimes. They both clutched identical daggers.

The rest of the household began to wake up. All of them rubbing tired watery eyes, they all stopped when they saw Emma between the two Tys.

Emma unsheathed Cortana, weighting it in her hand. "Only one way to find out."

Then she swung at Midnight. She couldn't help herself. Years of training battle instincts into her made her react, her dagger blocking the blade.

"Gotcha," Emma smiled darkly. Midnight Changed, this time into Julian Blackthorn.

Her smile faded quickly. She backed up. She couldn't hurt Julian, even though she knew it wasn't him.

The new Julian swung out with the dagger, the blade slicing Emma's cheek. Emma jerked, hand rising to quell the blood. The sleepy Shadowhunters charged the second Julian, their eyes brightening when seeing the blood.

Midnight ran, the door getting closer and closer. She just had to get out of the Institute. Once she did that-

A body tackled her to the ground, knocking the wind out of her. She squirmed, trying to get out the person's grip.

Something cold suddenly encased her wrist. The magic that she fostered in her core froze over, now unreachable. No.. no..

The sudden surprise provided Ty the window to raise the dagger. The hilt of it hit Midnight in the temple. And then there was only darkness.