Chapter 21

Savages

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Lucie had been to Alicante many times before. Lucie had even been to the Council Hall before. But never had she entered the city from the underground vaults of the Gard*. And never had she walked into said Hall surrounded by five highly trained Shadowhunters that all towered over her. Never had she felt more like a little girl. A little girl that had killed a Downworlder.

She was led to the front of the Hall where she took her place on the bench facing the row of Council members on the elevated platform. The lighting was bright and Lucie thought it harsh as it accentuated the stern looks on their faces, each one carrying more worry lines than the other. Lucie knew her family was sitting behind her. Aunt Jodie, Uncle Matthew, Grandmother Redcliff, Kayden as her parabatai, even Abigail had come as soon as she had heard. Joshua was staying at the Redcliff manor, this was no place for him. As everyone settled down, the Hall was filled with whispers and murmurs.

Until the woman in grey robes rose to her feet. The Hall fell silent immediately. Before the hall, stodd Bahiyya Abdelnour, the Inquisitor for over ten years now. She was a small woman, her robes brushing the floor as she stepped down from the platform. Her caramel skin showed signs of her age as well as her curly black hair that had more than a few grey streaks. But her eyes commanded respect. She was the woman who would decide Lucie's fate.

"Facilis descensus Averno." Her clear voice rang above the crowd. Many Clave deputies from all over the world were assembled to bear witness to Lucie's trial.

"Facilis descensus Averno," the mass of Shadowhunters repeated.

"The descent into Hell is easy." Inquisitor Abdelnour found her spot right in front of Lucie. "We all know as Shadowhunters how difficult it is to distinguish between good and evil. Our world is far more complex than we often wish it were. We don't simply have to deal with Demons that we can easily categorise as evil and that we can easily justify killing. Nephilim interact with Mundanes and Downworlders of all shades of grey. It is our daily task to learn how to judge what is a threat and what is harmless. It is then that we show ourselves as more good or more evil." Her gaze stopped wandering over the many faces in the Hall and settled on Lucie. "One week ago, the Clave bore witness to the killing of Fabrizio Agnellini, an ancient Warlock who has worked with the Clave for many centuries in preventing Wizarding-related crime. The accused in question of this killing is Lucie Redcliff, a Shadowhunter-in-training from the London Institute who has shown herself to be a Witch as well and is currently attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." A sudden rush of heat ran across Lucie's cheeks and further down, the length of her neck equally ablaze. She didn't have to look behind her to know that the entire room was staring holes into her back. "The Council has been called to a trial to bring the truth to light on why this young Nephilim came to do such an act and how it shall be punished."

Out of the corner of her eye, Lucie noticed Ms. Ashburn beside her tense up. As Council deputy for all Wizarding Affairs, she was supporting Lucie in her trial. Lucie was sure Ms. Ashburn didn't in the least want to do so, but it was her job. To her own surprise, Lucie remained calm. The days in the vaults of the Gard had drained out all the panic and fear of what was going to come. She just wanted to stand before a complete verdict. It was the endless waiting that was driving her crazy.

"As of the 29th of May, twelve Shadowhunters of age were alerted to the scene of the crime. When they arrived, Lucie was bent over Mr. Agnellini, her hands full with his blood. A dagger was impaled deep in Mr. Agnellini's abdomen and Mr. Bridgestock, our deputy for forensics, has confirmed that the wound caused by said dagger was the cause of death." Lucie felt strangely numb as she heard the Inquisitor recite fact after fact. It was as if she was entirely removed from the scene and was watching from afar. "From what we have been told from the Head of the London Institute, Jodie Evelyn Redcliff, aunt and guardian to Lucie, the dagger had been in Lucie's possession for the past five months. She had been allowed to carry it with her during her time at Hogwarts due to the imminent threat by a dangerous magical creature in the school. This threat has been removed from the school the same night Mr. Agnellini was killed."

Lucie didn't know if she should feel guilty. She had killed someone. But that someone was trying to kill her. It had been the only way out of the situation. If only Kayden had come earlier.

"Now we would first like to investigate further how the Nephilim of the London Institute were alerted to the scene of the crime. Kayden Jela Redcliff-" Lucie, despite the seriousness of the situation, couldn't hold back a faint snort. He hated his middle name. "- Come forward to tell us your view of the events."

There was shuffling behind Lucie and she risked a glance behind her to see her parabatai get up and walk towards the front of the Hall. As he passed her, she mouthed an apology to him. Kayden shook his head, gave her a faint smile and then fixed his gaze on Inquisitor Abdelnour.

"Are you willing to testify under the influence of the Mortal Sword so that your testimony can be trusted?"

Kayden raised his eyebrows ever so slightly but still nodded. The doors to Lucie's left opened and a Silent Brother came into the Hall. She couldn't make out his face under his grey hood. Like so many of them, one could only make out a bony figure underneath his long robes. In his hands, he carried the Mortal Sword. It was a magnificent sword, long gleaming silver with a winged hilt of pure adamas. But Lucie knew from the many tales from older Nephilim how the sword bore itself through every part of your soul by merely touching it. The Mortal Sword compelled you to tell the truth no matter what. Now her parabatai had to hold it in hands. And it was all her fault.

Kayden knelt down in front of the platform, his back turned against Lucie. She had no chance of reading his facial expression. As the Silent Brother gave the sword to Inquisitor Abdelnour, enough light reached his face for Lucie to see the stitches across his lips. They prevented him from speaking, ever again. But he had other means of communicating.

The Inquisitor placed the Mortal Sword in Kayden's hands and a visible shiver ran over his back.

"You are parabatai to your cousin, Lucie Redcliff. Is that correct?" The Inquisitor asked as she gazed down on him.

"Yes."

"And you were the one who alerted the Shadowhunters of the London Institute on May, the 29th."

"Yes."

"Why?"

Kayden hesitated. "Lucie and I, ever since becoming parabatai, we have a sort of mental connection where we can share feelings and impulses. It happened once before that night that I thought Lucie was in grave danger. She wasn't in danger at that time. But on that last night, it was different." Lucie could make out a tremble in his voice.

"What do you mean by different?"

"Her, er, feelings were stronger. They came all at once, fear, helplessness. I could feel her heart racing as if it were my own and all I could think about was running... I tried reaching out for her but she didn't respond. So I went straight to my parents, the, er, Heads of the Institute, and asked them for help. A Warlock was just visiting and so we asked her if she could trace Lucie and tell us where she was. As soon as she had her location, we used a portal to get to her as quickly as possible. We landed a few feet away from Lucie and ... the Warlock... I mean, we were too late to do anything. I-" His voice broke off. He took a big breath in before continuing: "I can't imagine what would have been if Lucie hadn't - hadn't been strong enough." Kayden sobbed and his back quivered more than ever.

Inquisitor Abdelnour narrowed her eyes at him. "You mean to say that the reason Lucie possibly killed Mr. Agnellini was because she was threatened by him? That Lucie was involved in a fight and that if she hadn't overpowered Mr. Agnellini, she would have herself been killed?"

"Well ... yes. How else should I explain the feelings that washed over me? Lucie was in mortal danger, I have no doubt in that!"

"So you would say that Lucie acted in defence?"

"Yes!" he nearly shouted. There was strain in his shoulders and upper arms, he was gripping the sword with all his force. "Why else would Lucie attack a Warlock? She was never one of those Nephilim who hated Downworlders. I mean, she's half-Downworlder herself! Why would she deliberately kill one, then?"

"That's enough, thank you, Kayden." Inquisitor Abdelnour took the sword out of his hands.

Many more were beckoned forward. Ms. Penhallow, her trainer at the Institute. Uncle Matthew. Aunt Jodie. They all said the same thing.

No, Lucie didn't have any resentments against Downworlders.

No, Lucie never mentioned any interaction with Mr. Agnellini.

No, Lucie wasn't the type to just kill somebody. If she did something, it was out of defence.

Then it was her turn.

Her legs felt like rubber as she clambered her way up and knelt down to receive the Mortal Sword. The moment her hands touched the cold metal, there was a rush of blood through her veins. Her heartbeat accelerated as the adamas clawed its way into her system. She knew she couldn't let go. Her knuckles turned white as her grip on the sword hardened, the black of the Voyance rune on the back of her hand a stark contrast.

"Lucie, can you tell us the exact events of the night on May the 29th?" Inquisitor Abdelnour stood above her, her gaze as piercing as the tug of the Mortal Sword.

In front of the Council and the entire Hall filled with Shadowhunters, Lucie retold everything that had happened that night. They weren't pleasant memories and she had to concentrate immensely in order to recall each and every detail. Especially moments of the fight had blurred together in her head. The Mortal Sword, however, was enough reminder to go on. Whenever she paused, it felt like ice crystals were spreading out in her head and pricking through the top of her skull.

"When I was kneeling on the ground in front of him, I - I didn't know what to do. I knew he was going to kill me. My body was growing weaker by the second. I had to act quickly... Just then, I remembered the dagger in my boot... So I tried to distract him with a magic attack and at the same time, throw my dagger at him-" Her voice broke off. What had been going on in her head at that moment? Her body lurched forward. The sword was forcing her to keep talking. "I don't know what I was thinking at that moment. Somehow, I knew Kayden - if he was on his way - would be too late... I just wanted it to stop. I threw the dagger - I was aiming at his arm or leg or I don't know - somewhere where it would weaken him, making him stop his attacks. I couldn't go on... I-" Lucie forced her head up and looked the Inquisitor straight into the eye. "I didn't want to ... kill him. I just wanted it to stop!" she screeched. Her voice nearly reached Fabrizio's high-pitched tone. No, she couldn't think about that now.

Inquisitor Abdelnour didn't take the Mortal Sword out of her hands. She didn't tell Lucie that that was enough. It hadn't been compassion that had got her so far in Nephilim society.

"You said that you went into the forest specifically in search of Mr. Agnellini. Why?"

"Because I needed to talk to him," Lucie pressed out between sobs.

"That implies that you knew him prior to that night?"

"Yes."

"How did you meet?" The Inquisitor began pacing back and forth in front of Lucie.

"He - he showed himself to me while I was training in the forest after classes. He said he wanted to get to know me."

"Why?"

"Because-" Lucie couldn't tell the whole truth, she couldn't. So she had to tell just a part of it. If she just kept on talking. "He was interested in me. He said that being half Shadowhunter, half Witch was special and that he wanted to know what I could do."

That was good enough for Inquisitor Abdelnour. She stopped her pacing and stepped even closer. "How often did you meet after that?"

"Often. I don't know how many times. Since last autumn, I think."

There was a gasp behind her. Aunt Jodie, most probably.

"What did you do during these meetings?"

Lucie took deep breaths in. The weight of the sword was getting more bearable. "We trained... he showed me advanced magic and those sorts of things."

"In these training sessions, did Mr. Agnellini show any sign of aggression or hatred against you?"

She shook her head. "No. I - I thought he was my friend. I thought he was helping me."

"Why didn't you tell any Nephilim about your friend?"

Lucie snorted. "How could I have told my Shadowhunter family that I had this Warlock friend who was training me in magic?" Aunt Jodie had already been freaked out enough about her wand of adamas. Another tug of the sword. "That I enjoyed these training sessions. That I was happy doing such powerful magic."

This time around, the whole Hall gasped.

Inquisitor Abdelnour was grinding her teeth. "The night of the 29th of May, why did you go to Mr. Agnellini that late?"

"I wanted to know if he...if he knew something more about this threat in the castle."

"What threat? The magical creature that was defeated that same night?"

Lucie shook her head. "No, there - there was another threat." She hesitated. Another tug. "Over the past months, I received several threatening letters and messages all over the school. I tried to find out who it was but-" She shook her head again. "I couldn't."

Four more gasps. Aunt Jodie, Uncle Matthew, Kayden and Abigail.

"Did you ever think about telling your aunt and uncle about those threats? Maybe they could have initiated a proper investigation?" For the first time during the trial, the Inquisitor showed emotion in her voice. More frustration than anything else.

"I - I didn't want to trouble them. It was Wizarding business."

"How can you be sure of that? Maybe somebody who knew something about the Shadow World was sending those messages?"

Lucie swallowed. Her throat was uncomfortably dry. "It was somebody like that. But that person isn't out there anymore." She looked at her hands gripping the sword. "It was Fabrizio. He had sent all those messages."

Inquisitor Abdelnour narrowed her eyes at her. "So that was what happened? You found out and wanted to go after him?"

"No, no!" Lucie shook her head, more violently this time. "I didn't know that it was him when I was looking for him in the forest. He told me the truth that night! And then he started attacking me!"

"Why?" The Inquisitor bent down, her face mere inches away from Lucie. "Why would he send those threatening messages and then try to kill you?"

"Because - because he was testing me all along. Because he wanted to see exactly what I could do - magic-wise. And when he had seen enough, he decided that I was a threat to him. 'Bad for business', he kept saying."

Murmurs broke out among the Council members as well as the Shadowhunters behind Lucie. She heard a Council member whisper: "How can we trust what she is saying? She's a Witch, the Mortal Sword can't have the same effect on her as it has on us!" while her seat neighbour argued vehemently that she was still part Shadowhunter which meant she still had to respond to the sword. Lucie wanted to scream that yes, she was a bloody Nephilim just like them and yes, the Mortal Sword had the same effect on her; it was slowly but surely tearing her insides apart.

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*the Gard = official meeting place of the Clave and Consul in Alicante

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A/N:

Hope you liked this one! Just one more chapter to go and then The Chosen Ones - Part I is officially done... whew, I'm just excited for Part II :)

Thank you again to my incredible beta reader Storms and Stars! And thank you to all the new followers and favourites, I hope you're enjoying it so far!

See you on the next one...

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"Is it running in our blood
Is it running in our veins
Is it running in our genes
Is it in our DNA
Humans aren't gonna behave
As we think we always should
Yeah, we can be bad as we can be good"

Savages by Marina and the Diamonds