Eva's entire body ached. She couldn't help the hiss that escaped her throat as she stretched her sore muscles underneath the warm blanket. A hand on her shoulder urged her eyes to flutter open and see none other than Hodge at her side. He was wearing a clean tweed suit and looked as worried as he always did when she was in any kind of pain.
"Let me help." Hodge pulled her into a seated position against the headboard and fluffed the pillows behind her back. As another pained wince left her lips, Hodge had a mug of steaming tisane in front of her. She took it with shaky hands.
Eva knew she was in the Starkweather house in Alicante. She didn't go past the sitting room and the kitchen the last time she was here, but she could feel the energy in the room. She could feel the reminiscent air around Hodge as he sat there at the edge of her bed in a wooden chair. She could feel the memories of distant Starkweather relatives when they used to live here and raise their children here.
"Your father was born in this room," Eva said. Her ears rang with the shrieking cries of a newborn and the breathless laugh of an exhausted mother. "In 1917 during the signing of the Fourth Accords."
Hodge's eyes widened at the information. Hodge mentioned his parents once to her, but never went into detail. Eva almost thought he didn't know that fact himself, but he let out a soft chuckle. "I did tell you my parents were old."
Eva sipped the tisane, letting the silence fall on them like a quilt. She knew he didn't know what to say or what question to ask first or how he should ask.
"I spoke to Ithuriel and he told me I had the choice to awaken the blood of Heaven in me," Eva said, choosing to make it easier on him. Their eyes met, and Hodge's shone with appreciation. "And I did."
"You rose to Heaven?"
Eva nodded. "It's difficult to explain, but I took my vows and..." She ran a hand over her forearm subconsciously. She was wearing one of Izzy's long sleeve tops and a pair of her pajama shorts. She tried not to let her voice waver at the thought of her. "My blood felt like it was on fire. I can see and hear and feel things that are overwhelming—I can hear your heart beating and I can see into your soul."
"I hope you see good things in there?"
"You're terrified of me," she said with a smile. "You don't know what you're looking at."
"I'm not scared of you." He looked offended and it made her laugh. She knew he'd get that way. "It's just too much to process. You had wings, Eva, and you were glowing like a halo. You were flying in the skies of Alicante and killing demons with the swing of a golden spear."
"It's Ithuriel's spear," Eva said. "He gifted it to me when I took my vows."
"What kind of vows?"
"I shalt honor the realm of His messengers as I shalt honor the realm of His creations. I shalt standeth in the crossroads of both realms, never standing in one over the other. I shalt protecteth and serve His creations as I shalt protecteth and serve alongside His messengers…" Eva trailed off, eyeing her reflection in the tisane. "It's much longer, but I think you get the point."
"You've become immortal, then?" Hodge was straightforward, and when she nodded, he sighed. "Well, I'm sure Raphael will be happy to hear that."
She smiled at the thought of him. "Where is he? Does he know?"
"The vampires are aware an angel was sighted in the skies of Alicante, and since he hasn't projected in front of me, I can only assume he thinks you released Ithuriel. I haven't told him anything—I figured that's something you'd want to talk to him about." Hodge's tone soured as he said, "Currently, all the Clave wants is to figure out what you are."
Eva expected as much. "What have you told them?"
"I said I'd tell them nothing until you were awake, and Aldertree wants to interrogate us but he's respectfully keeping his distance—"
"Because of Max," Eva nodded slowly. "I know. I felt him go the moment it happened."
Hodge let out a shaky breath. He was still unaccepting of Max's meaningless death. He raised him ever since he was born and was delighted when the youngest Lightwood began showing interest in literature, even if it was picture books. He was always a joy to teach, and Hodge felt like it was yet another knife digging deeper in his looming grief.
"His funeral was this morning," Hodge said. "I forced Isabelle away from your side so she could attend. I chose to stay; I figured I'd be a spectre at the feast anyway."
Eva didn't reply. To the Clave, Hodge was a traitor and the Lightwoods were grieving too much to listen to reason right now. Eva didn't blame any of them, but she thought the armed Shadowhunters standing outside the Starkweather townhouse were a bit much. She could feel the guards' exasperation from here—no one really seemed to like Inquisitor Aldertree.
"Are those guards posted to keep us in, or keep others out?" Eva joked, finishing her tisane and placing it on the nightstand nearby. "They do realize I can transform into an angel and pulverize them, right?"
"You will do no such thing," Hodge warned her with a smile.
"I should probably get dressed," Eva began, kicking off the covers and biting back a pained hiss. "We need to talk to the Inquisitor and—"
"You haven't asked about Isabelle," Hodge pointed out, arms crossed over his chest. When Eva subconsciously avoided his glance, he added, "That's unlike you."
"I don't want to talk about it." Eva pushed herself off the bed, thankfully feeling the effects of the tisane coursing through her body. "I'd rather not think about how she's feeling right now."
"You're not answering me, Evangeline."
Eva tensed at his use of her full name. "You didn't ask a question."
"I don't have to."
Her throat clamped and burned with tears as she fought them back. All she had to do was face Hodge and pull down the collar of her shirt. It didn't take Hodge a second to realize what was going on.
"Whither thou goest, I will go." Eva's voice wavered as tears streamed her face. "But she can't follow me where I've gone."
Hodge immediately took her in his arms and consoled her as best he could, rubbing her back as it trembled with grief. She hugged his midsection tightly, managing to speak through sniffles, "I had to, Hodge. I had to—"
"It was the sacrifice you had to make, Eva. It's not your fault."
"She just lost Max—if I tell her this now, it'll break her. I know Izzy's not made of glass, but this is too much for her."
"She'll understand," Hodge said as he wiped her tears with his palms. "Maybe not now, but she will. I promise she will."
Eva was glad he didn't question her further. By the time she washed up and changed into light Shadowhunter gear, she'd calmed down. The existence of the Nephilim and Downworlders were at stake, and she was what stood between them and Valentine. She has to stay strong in the same way Isabelle and the Lightwoods have to stay strong in this grieving moment.
When they walked out of the townhouse, the guards offered to escort them to the Accords Hall where the Inquisitor was. The stroll was quiet, the streets just as quiet and uncharacteristically empty. The demon towers were glowing but no sound came from anywhere in the city. Only the sound of gushing water from the canals filled the deathly silence of mourning and shock.
They crossed Angel Square, and Eva couldn't help but look up at the marble statue of Raziel overlooking the courtyard. Hodge, trying to distract her, asked jokingly, "Did we get his looks right?"
Eva smiled when she felt the curiosity of the guards pique at his words. She couldn't help but feel like a unicorn of sorts; like everyone was both amazed and terrified of her.
"Not at all," she said. "Raziel would be very offended if he saw it."
Hodge let out a laugh and touched her hair, attempting to comfort her. She appreciated it. He knew she was dreading what was coming—the Inquisitor's interrogation, confronting the Shadowhunter population, telling Isabelle that they were no longer parabatai, telling the Lightwoods and Raphael what she's become.
It all went down a spiraling drain the moment Hodge and Eva entered the Accords Hall. The Shadowhunters were gathered, all pale with horror and eerily silent. In the center of the Hall was a silhouette apparition of Valentine Morgenstern in a sharp pin-striped suit and tie. The limp body of Inquisitor Aldertree lay at his expensive dress shoes and his hand was covered in fresh blood.
Valentine turned and locked eyes with them across the Hall, his cold glance bouncing between Eva and Hodge. The more they shifted, the more they widened. Eva could practically see the gears turning in his head, the equations being solved, the puzzle pieces fitting together perfectly. Brother Zachariah was right; Valentine would unravel the entire conspiracy if he so much as caught a glance of her.
Maniacally, Valentine let out a howling laugh. Out of reflex, Hodge held out his arm and pushed Eva behind him. A dumb thing to do, and Eva knew he acknowledged it, but it was instinct. The instinct ingrained into him the moment Hodge carried her in his arms for the first time.
"Hodge Starkweather," Valentine began, his deep voice drawing out the name in an almost mocking way. "For all these years, you fooled me."
"I'm glad I impressed you for once," Hodge spat. He was trembling at the sight of this evil man before him. Valentine was just a projection, but it still invoked terror in Hodge. "You deserve far worse than the Angel's wrath for what you've done."
"I thought it was rather strange that Isabelle Lightwood's parabatai was an angel in the skies of Alicante, but now that I'm looking at her, I understand everything." How he knew all that, Eva didn't know, but he was oozing with an odd blend of satisfaction and resentment. His eyes met Hodge's and he pushed the knife into the wound he knew was open. "But she did die, didn't she? Marigold? She burned alive in that fire."
Hodge's head dipped down and his knees nearly buckled.
"You wanted to use me as your personal weapon," Eva said, stepping out from behind Hodge. "I regret to inform you that I am now a weapon against you."
"Do you believe they deserve to be protected?" Valentine held out his arms. His left arm was dripping blood and staining the floor. "Do you think the corruption of the Clave deserves protection? Or the filth in the Downworld? Surely the Angels and God showed you what perfection really is."
"The Angels aren't perfect—some are now Princes of Hell, after all," Eva said. "And no being in this realm would ever understand what God is."
"But you do?" Valentine turned to the Nephilim around him. "You think you're better than the Nephilim now? Having met God, you think you're above us?"
It was sick how quickly he grasped at the opportunity to turn the Clave against her. If he couldn't have her on his side, then he'd manipulate her allies to mistrust her.
Eva began walking in Valentine's direction. She kept her head high and her posture confident, even as the suffocating arrogance around him hit her, even as the looming doubt and cynicism floated around the crowd watching them.
"Raziel is aware of what you're attempting to do, and he's not pleased," Eva warned him as evenly as she could. "You will pay for the harm you've caused, and you will lose."
"I was told you cannot even control your powers," Valentine taunted. "Perhaps my experiment was a failure."
A blinding light exploded in the Accords Hall, the startled screams of the crowd bouncing off the arched ceilings and marble walls. When the light receded, it gathered as a steady golden halo around Eva as she floated a good distance above the ground, just enough to look down on Valentine's already impressive height. She looked as she did when she appeared in Alicante's skies: golden armor, featureless eyes of pure energy and heavenly fire, and impressive white-feathered tucked into the small of her back.
Do not think you are the first to attempt the creation of a bridge between the realms, Valentine Morgenstern, Eva said in the Language of Heaven. It resonated in everyone's minds, but her mouth didn't move. But your heinous scheme to do so has earned you the contempt of Heaven. You will find that Heaven does not share your beliefs, nor do they hold you in high regard. You are a blight against this world.
Ever the proud creature, Valentine held his chin high, but he said nothing. His apparition simply disappeared, but the Shadowhunters still didn't breathe easily. They stood frozen as they stared up at Eva, glowing with the raw power of heavenly fire. Despite their apprehension and Valentine's baiting, the blood of the Angel within them drew them to her.
Hodge was at her side suddenly and boldly reached up to take her hand in his. He gently pulled her down, letting her boots touch the ground while her glow diminished and her features returned to normal. She doubled over and winced in pain, but he caught her.
"We owe everyone explanations," Eva said. "But I'll tell you this: the only way to win this war is to fight together. No ifs, ands, or buts."