Chapter 8

Fin heard as Ayne quietly rushed up the stairs behind him, heard the slight jolting of her breath for every step she took. He had stood there in the cemetery impatiently as he waited for her to catch up. Eaden had already began to walk ahead with Max when finally Ayne stopped beside Fin and caught her breath.

"For a half faerie you sure don't move like them." Fin said almost rudely.

Ayne sucked in a breath, almost hurt, and started walking, "Do we have to ride in the carriage again?" She asked, obviously trying to ignore Fin's harsh words.

"No, I say we stop at Taki's and eat, and we can discuss with our little princess what we should do next." Fin said, and walked closer to Ayne, closer then had expected.

He thought of the Brother's words, don't forget that she is half a faerie, and so she is only half as cunning. For that, beware, and instantly backed off slightly.

He had rushed from the room worried that he might show some hurt from the Shadowhunter's words. He didn't like the thought of Ayne being cunning. Ayne stopped abruptly and looked at him accusingly, the was the first time since they had reached the bright summer light, that he had looked at her.

"Don't start calling me princess, I would prefer mundane." Ayne snapped, and began walking again.

Fin chuckled, "But you are and princess, and you aren't a mundane."

"So? Two days ago, I was a normal human being, other then a little new knowledge about myself nothing has change about me, except maybe a new scar!" Ayne nearly shouted, and jabbed her thin finger into Fin's chest roughly.

"Well, don't forget the knowledge that your father lied to you and your family." Fin added lightly.

Ayne gasped, and her face went red. "Oh and like you didn't lie? Like your father wouldn't have told you he knew about me? About who I was?"

Fin ground his teeth together and grabbed her hand, the urge to reassure her there again like it had been the night before. "Ayne, I had no idea who you were until I saw you in that alleyway. And I doubt my father would have told me, he runs the Institute, and if your father asked to keep what happened a secret, he would have done exactly that."

Fin watched as his words calmed her anger in her eyes. She really wasn't lying when she had anger problems, her thought.

"I'm sorry, this is just a shit load to take in. I…I am a Shadowhunter, faerie princess, and my father knows, but not my mom… And my dad is gone.. I am a freaking heir to a throne. Wow.." He watched as Ayne looked at her hands begin to shake. "I need a cigarette."

Fin frowned, "They aren't good for your lungs."

"I don't need a lecture right now Fin, I need nicotine. Is there a corner store near where we are going?" She asked desperately, he big lavender eyes near frantic.

"Yeah, come on let's catch up with Eaden and Max." Fin said, worried and grabbed her hand. He pulled her along side him, hurrying through the graveyard, around tombstones, until they came to the edge of the grounds, and the city sat in front of them.

"Brooklyn? I presume?" Ayne asked, she was clutching her side—where is must have stung from the bite—and when Fin nodded, she smiled.

Eaden stood beside Max, her long fair limbs crossed around the other, and her hair now pulled up into a high pun on top her oval face. She looked bored, and tired, like she had barely slept the night before. Which was highly unlikely… though she had been over to Fin's house till 3, she had slept in until Ayne had woken up.

Max was leaning against the light post, with his brown wind swept hair tangle around his eyes. At the sound of their approach he stood up straight, and watched as Ayne walked over with him, particularly eyeing Ayne's hand in Fin's. He raised his eyebrow at him curiously, and at that, Fin slid his had away.

Ayne didn't seem bothered.

Right, she is a faerie, she couldn't hardly be interested in a Shadowhunter. Fin thought sadly. But he shouldn't even care whether she was interested. He didn't care about girls, he just like them for being something moderately nice to look at. He had never truly cared for a girl outside his family. Not ever.

"Well, that was interesting." Max said, and crossed his long arms around his chest.

"Interesting? You make it sound like it was nice. It was hardly nice, Max. That was a nightmare. Did you see Brother Yui's face? It was barely even a face!" Eaden blabbered, her big blue eyes wide with amazement.

"Eaden, I think he meant it was interesting as in, we found out what we wanted." Fin sighed, Eaden was a fierce warrior like their Aunt, but unlike Isabelle, Eaden's head was always in scatters, or in a mirror, looking at herself.

"Whatever. Interesting is the wrong word." Eaden snapped, and flipped her hair behind her shoulder like the diva she was.

That attitude definitely came from Magnus.

Ayne laughed quietly, and Fin saw Max smile at her. He walked closer, going straight up to Ayne, as if her laugh pulled him over. "So princess huh?" he asked, his smooth voice catching her attention.

Fin felt his face flush with anger. "She would rather you didn't call her that Max." Fin's voice whipped out harshly. Ayne looked over at him in confusion, probably thinking, he was just the one calling her that.

"What am I supposed to do?" Ayne asked, still watching Fin, but Max ignored him. He was used to Fin's rude attitude.

"That's something I feel like we should talk to our parents about…or in the mean time we should discuss—" Max began.

"At Taki's. I'm starving." Fin interrupted, and began walking toward the subway. After a moment he heard them follow him, aware of his suddenly fowl mood.

Why was Max talking to her making him angry?

The Brother's words rang in his head again, almost like an excuse. Fin looked back at Ayne and saw her frowning. Even when she frowned she was pretty. He fair peachy skin barely crinkled, and her thin ash-brown eyebrows furrowed into an artful line. Her mouth only pursed enough for her to look upset, her full lips still shaped.

"Jeeze Fin, stare much?" whispered a voice in his ear, and he jumped in shock. Eaden was walking quietly beside him, he hadn't even heard her clicking heels.

"I'm not staring." He quickly muttered, taking her eyes off Ayne. "I don't stare...everyone else does though—at me." Fin smiled, and turned away from Ayne, as if to make a point.

Eaden rolled her eyes, "She is so beautiful, I don't blame you for wanting to look at her. I mean, I'm a girl, and I want to look at her. She is a babe." Eaden smiled, and nudged Fin playfully.

"Just like a faerie her looks allure you, but not much else."

Eaden's eyebrows shot up, and she looked shocked. "She doesn't seem like a faerie at all. She is beautiful like her mother, who wasn't a faerie, she was a Shadowhunter. And I think Ayne is wonderful, full of spunk. Usually I don't like girls, because all they do is hate me…but I like her. She doesn't gawk at anything but your golden face."

She winked, and started hammering down the stairs to station 12, toward the subway. It was almost unconscious the way they walked toward a station, looked at the switch board at the approaching subways, and waited for their ride back to Brooklyn. It was usually 5 or 10 minutes around this time of day—which was now late afternoon—but Fin was shocked that it was just approaching as they rounded the corner onto the platform to wait.

"I don't have my purse." Ayne said, and frowned around herself sadly.

"Here." Fin and Max said unanimously. Fin glared at Max furiously, as he handed a ticket to Ayne happily.

He doesn't even know her! Fin thought, angry about Max's apparent interest in the girl. Then again, he had taken an interest in her and he never took an interest in anything.

"Thanks." Ayne smiled, which made Fin's heart thump erratically, and slid the ticket into her pocket as they walked towards the subway car.

She expertly slid the ticket into the box and snatched her transfer up quickly, and glided onto the train sitting down before anyone else could take the seats. Fast, Fin thought..

He sat down next to her, and felt his anger toward Max recede. "For an Upper East Sider, you sure know how subways work?"

"I may be from upper Manhattan, but I honestly am not one of the spoiled brats. I have to taxi and subway everywhere. I don't have a personal driver like some people I know. They are a waste of money, and I'm not a millionare, I mean my dad is the CEO of Morgan Stanely, but still. Besides, subways are easy, and I'm not stupid." She laughed, and then looked at a girl pointedly who had just hopped on the subway wearing platform heels and a fashionable white suite, her blonde hair sweeping around herself like a curtain of gold.

Ayne gasped and turned her head away. "Shit! That's my friend Quinn!"

Fin's eyes widened, and he looked back at the girl. At first glance she had looked around 20, but now are he looked closer, he could see how youthful her face was. She had a round pretty face with dimples indenting her cheeks and a small pouting mouth. Her nose was tiny like a button, and her eyes were huge and brown and covered in mascara. She was pretty in a peculiar way, though far from beautiful. She was tall, especially in her heels, and her bare legs were a golden brown. It was strange seeing someone with skin darker then their hair like him and his father. She probably dyed her hair though….

"Is it bad that you are with us?" Fin asked, eyeing the girl who had yet to see them.

"I don't know, you tell me! Do I look half dead? What about the fact that I am a Shadowhunter, and a faerie princess! Oh, and I forgot to call her the other day…shit. If she sees me I am dead. She doesn't know I know people outside our school… how would I explain you!" She was frantic, her lavender eyes darting back every few moments to her friend. The girl still seemed completely oblivious to them. She was typing away at and iPhone like no tomorrow.

Fin just looked at Ayne in shock, "You definitely do not look half dead. And you don't have tot tell her unless necessary if that's what you are scared about. Well she also doesn't have to know about us, not unless you want her too. Just lay low, she probably wont notice us."

Ayne nodded, and dropped her head, only to look up a moment later to see her friend. "What in gods name is she even doing going to Brooklyn? Quinn hates Brooklyn. She is the one that made me afraid of Brooklyn!"

Fin laughed, "Maybe she is meeting a boy." Eaden said, clearly eaves dropping on their conversation.

"No, she wouldn't date a boy in Brooklyn, she is too snobby." Ayne shook her head vigorously.

The subway lurched to a stop and Fin rose, "Let's go this is our stop."

Ayne nodded and rose to her feet trying to squeeze through the crowd without being seen. When she stubbed her toe on a seat she gasped, "Jesus, mother Mary!" she nearly yelled as she stumbled. Fin caught her arm and laughed at Ayne's clumsiness. His hand slid down to hers quickly.

That moment Quinn looked up curiously, only to see Ayne, and Fin's hand around hers, and her mouth flew open. "AYNE?"

Ayne turned, eyes wide to see Quinn staring straight at her. "Ayne! What are you—"

"Quinn!" She shouted, as she stepped off the subway, and then the doors closed. "Oh no, she is going to kill me." She whispered and slid her hand of Fin's.

By the look on Quinn's face, Fin agreed.

Ayne guessed that after almost 20 minutes of walking, and her siding cramping in pain, that they were lost. She was about to ask just to go back to the Insitute and gather her things when she heard Fin sigh and say, "Finally." They walked up to a non descript looking building, with gray walls and no windows and a very very sketchy looking man in a black cloak leaning against the door.

"Hey Jeff, how are ya?" Eaden asked, and smiled hugely. When Ayne blinked in surprise she was shocked to see a wrinkly old man with hair growing out of his ears and old medival clothes covering his large stout body. A glamour…

The man simply grumbled while Ayne gaped at how old the man looked. Eaden just giggled and walked past him into the building.

"What is that man?" Ayne whispered to Fin as they entered the room. Ayne was shocked to see it beautifully decorated, with plush seats and booths, and velvet wallpaper and a huge chandelier. If it weren't for the people sitting in casual clothes sipping beer at the granite bar table she would have felt underdressed. Max waved toward a group of dark haired girls with pale green skin.

"That was an ogre, and those are sirens." He said quietly, noticing Ayne's gaze. "They can kiss you and steal your songs from you, and if they kiss long enough they will kill you."

"Why would Max be associating with them then?" Ayne asked, baffled that he would risk even waving at someone so dangerous. But then again she was walking around spending her day with people that killed demons as a living.

"Max is a gentleman, but he has a terrible weakness for beautiful girls," Fin said, and looked very obviously at her, up and down, as if to make a point.

Ayne realized what he meant and flushed tomato red. Trying to find somewhere to look she caught the eye of a olive skinned boy watching her from a booth across from where they had taken their seats. He was very attractive, and his jaw was chiseled and his black hair fell around his face in glossy curls.

"Who's that?" Ayne whispered to Fin, trying not to make it obvious to the boy that she was watching him.

"That's a werewolf. Basically everyone in Taki's is a Downworlder or a Shawdowhunter. Jeff, the ogre from outside doesn't allow any mundies in."

"Oh," Ayne nodded, and picked up a menu, forgetting the pretty boy. It probably wasn't a good idea to check out werewolves….

She appraised the menu quickly and realized that a lot of it must have been for the Downworlders.. She flipped it over, happy to find normal food, and smiled when she saw that they even had fish and chips.

"So what's the plan now then?" Max's voice came from across from her.

"Well, we figure out who the hell is trying to kill Ayne firstly." Fin sighed, putting his menu down and crossing his thick wirey arms.

"Yeah but where do we start?" Max asked, looking curiously at Fin, like he really wanted to know the answer.

Ayne liked Max, he was a very generous person in a sense. He was the only one who made an effort to tolerate Ayne's mundane ways so far, and her slow thinking. He was not as striking as Fin, but still very handsome. And so much like Ben, that Ayne found herself almost calling him that.

Fin on the other hand was such a presence, and erratic as hell. Ayne found him keeping her on her toes, always making her senses more aware. In other circumstances she would have hated the way one moment he would be gazing at her gently, then another he cant even stand the sight of her. But with him, all she did was want to fix whatever made him look at her with such frustration.

Then there was Eaden, beautiful, confident, and amusing. Ayne could tell instantly that they would get along just from the shoes she wore.

"I don't believe that the Silent Brothers said…I mean why else would a girl who up until two days ago thought she was mundie be attacked by demons. I don't believe in coincidences, like my father taught me, and so there has to be some sort of reason for the attack." Fin said fiercely, like he was thinking intensely about the situation. " I suspect a faerie."

"It does make a lot more sense then anyone else, I don't see how the Brothers didn't see that. Like Ayne's dad knew where she was, I don't really doubt that no one else knew where she was, or who she was. I mean there are a lot of faeries in New York." Eaden said matter of factly.

"But my father wouldn't kill me, would he? I mean he was fighting to get me back.." Ayne said, trying not to sound to upset that she was no referring to Rohen, but instead a faerie King.

"From what I have heard, King Theus is a very cold and embodies the very essence of a faerie, but I don't believe he would ever send an attack on his own child." Eaden said, shaking her head back and forth.

Ayne nodded, accepting that. "Then is must be someone from within the Unseelie Court right? If my father is missing, and you think he has nothing to do with this, then who else would it be right?"

Fin nodded, "I think it would be the Unseelie Court as well, maybe because they don't want a half breed as their heir." Max only nodded, and Eaden started to smile.

"What do this mean then?" Ayne asked, looking to Fin and Max who were both staring at Eaden.

"I means we are going to have to talk to someone from the Seelie Court, an insider for the Gossip." Eaden grinned.

"And where would we find someone from the Seelie Court Eaden? Since you are the one that likes to bang Downworlders." Fin's smile was crooked then, and very dark.

Eaden just laughed, "We are going to have to go to a big, big, party."

After the waitress—who had bright unnaturally red hair and bubblegum pink skin—took their orders, Ayne asking for a caesar salad, Fin and the others entered into the most tedious and repetitive argument Ayne had ever heard. For a solid twenty minutes they argued about going to the Deity Nightclub on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn would actually be safe for Ayne, considering her newly elite status. The reason they would be going there in the first place was to meet an ex boyfriend of Eaden's father who was by chance a part of the Unseelie Court, and one of the biggest gossips in the city. The place was usually crawling with demons and Downworlders, said Fin, which made it more dangerous. But then Eaden would argue that she had been there so many times not a thing would go wrong. Apparently Eaden had never been allowed to meet her father's ex, but was 'close' with one of the man's guards and good friends with a faerie by the name of Alixi, who ran the bar. After those 20 minutes passed, it was decided they would go, but their parents could only know they were going to meet with a Downworlder who would possibly knew more about Ayne's past. Which was a lie. Fin explained that their parents would only refuse to let them go and send out Shadowhunters to interrogate every Unseelie Faerie in New York. And so they would lie and go to Deity instead.

By the time they had formulated a plan, it was nearing 6:30, and Ayne had eaten her Caesar salad and wiped the plate clean. They had sat there for almost an hour and a half arguing, while Ayne sat and absently observed the crowd that came and went from Taki's.

Everyone, after she stripped away the glamour, was exotic and looked like something out of a fantasy novel. A set of boys and girls came in with light blue skin, and white hair that hung down their backs. They were tall and elegant and had silver wings fluttering behind themselves. Apparently they intended not to eat but get hammered at the bar. Another group had come in that had extremely fair skin and dark hair. Their eyes were restless and they seemed to almost float across the room like ghosts. Ayne wondered what they were, and while she stared one of the men turned to look at her, only to smile maliciously and flash two long fangs at her. Vampires…

Others came in stag, a tall women with grey hair and wrinkled skin who had eyes that were pupiless and red. A man sitting at the bar was nearly screaming with excitement over the new werewolf pack leader who had just been appointed after a massive fight between him and the previous leader. Ayne shuddered as the werewolf described the details from the fight.

"Ayne?" a voice snapped her out of her reverie, and saw Fin looking at her from across the table, eyebrows raised in expectation. Ayne noticed instantly that Eaden and Max had stopped talking and were looking at her.

"Yeah, sorry, I was just…" She hesitated, would they take offence to her curiosity in the Downworlders?

"Its okay to look at them, you are new to this world." Fin nodded in approval.

Ayne smiled slightly, happy they weren't offended or annoyed. "So what's the plan? I'm really sorry but I haven't been listening…"

Max laughed, and smiled at her. Fin shot him a glare but he didn't seem to notice. "Well, you are going to go home, and rest, and we will go talk to Zeus and find out what he knows."

Ayne gaped at him. They ha cancelled her out of their plans and she hadn't even noticed! "Sure, right, just leave the mundane out." She snapped.

"Ayne, you don't have training, and you aren't even fully recovered from last night. It would be best for you to stay home, to keep you safe." Fin spoke up, looking at her with concern.

"Bullshit. I am so totally coming." She said fiercely.

Eaden smiled, "I say she comes."

"What?" Max and Fin asked bluntly.

"Yes! I mean I know we just talked about this, but seriously? What's the worst that could happen? No one knows she will be there. She is going to have to dress up super nice if she is going to go anyways, no one that has ever seen her before will probably recognize her, and she has us to take care of her. We are only talking to Zeus, don't forget. So yeah….I say she comes. Ayne have you been to Deity before?" Eaden said every word naturally, as if she had thought everything through.

Before either of the boys could say a word, Ayne spoke up. "Thanks. And yes I have…its my friend Quinn's favourite club." Ayne almost laughed at the memory of the last time she had gone there. Quinn throwing up at her big birthday bash, and Ayne necking with the bartender in the girls bathroom.

"Good. So its settled. And boys, don't even bother arguing. I can tell she wants to come." Eaden snapped.

Ayne grinned. "I mean this is all because of me, so I think its only right if I'm there."

"Alright, so, Ayne you go home, tell your parents you have a lot to figure out at the Institute, and then get ready, grab some clothes, since you won't be going home, and come here."

"Sounds like a wonderful plan." Ayne said. She wasn't sure she was ready to talk to her parents, let alone address the fact that her father had been lying to her mother and her for their whole lives.


Here is another chapter!

I hope you love it, review review review!

THERE IS A CRAZY INTENSE THREE CHAPTERS COMING UP NEXT!

-mw