Hello my faithful readers! It is I, KiaraBaneTMI. Look, I am so sorry to do this to you. I know you guys were probably hoping for a new chapter. It's been forever since I've updated huh? I am SO SORRY about hat, but I want to let you know that I am NOT ABANDONING THIS STORY! I know I use this excuse a lot, but I've been having a rough few months. I have had absolutely no time nor no drive to write. But don't worry, this isn't writers block. I have everything outlined out and ready to type up in a story concept, I just have no desire to do it. If I had to blame something for this, I think I would blame my crippling senioritis.

Anyways, rest assured, I WILL finish this story. I just don't know when I will have the time. I will finish the chapters and post as fast as I can, but I want to give good quality as well. Even though I want to get it to you as fast as I can, I can't just phone in a half-assed chapter. That's just not who I am. If I want to give something for others to see and enjoy, I want to put everything i have into it. All of you deserve that much.

So, until I update, here is a snippet of the upcoming Chapter 19: Silence Before Battle.

Chapter 19: Silence Before Battle

"My queen, with all due respect, what were you thinking?!"

It was the next day, the last day of the two days Helena gave them to prepare. While the others had met with Kiara the previous day, Hannah had the declaration of war announced to the people. The people were given orders to recover their strength and send those who could not fight to safety that night, so preparations would commence efficiently the next morning. Technically, it was the next morning now, but the sun had not risen and the order had been to gather at dawn, but not before. The only ones in the land who were awake were the people in the grand meeting room, along with a few guards posted along the sides. Everyone was exhausted with more than just sleep deprivation, and that made rational discussion nearly impossible to achieve. Case in point…

"Less than a week ago we analyzed and confirmed that if we went to war as we are, we shall be slaughtered. Now, you declare war on her and her massive army with even more crippled odds and less hope of defeating her! Have you gone mad?"

"Watch your tone, Bridget," Sheela said, her voice laced with venom. "Or I shall watch it for you."

"My queen, I did warn you that if you tried to bolster defenses, Helena would most likely take drastic measures. However, that does not mean we must take drastic measures in return." Trinity looked the queen in the eye as she spoke, leaning on her clasped hands that rested on the table before her.

"We all knew this would be a possible outcome no matter what course of action we took," a muscular Indian woman, whose name was Padma, said calmly, trying to pacify the situation. "If there is anyone to blame it is Helena."

"But war?! Did you forget all of the evidence and data compiled to determine the outcome? We shall be slaughtered! You have doomed us all!"

"Now, that's a bit overdramatic, don't you think?" Jace asked from his chair, staring the hysterical woman down. "The five of us traveled to Edom alone to fight Sebastian's army and rescue our friends, and we made it out alive. People thought we would be slaughtered but we weren't."

"He has a point," Trinity said begrudgingly, pointedly avoiding looking at Jace. However, it didn't seem to be out of malice this time, but more like her pride would not allow her to admit that a Shadowhunter said something she agreed with.

"


This bottom half is not finalized, but is still what I have written down, so you can read it if you want or not. Just know that when the full chapter is published this will probably not be the same.

It was once again a silent night in Krymmeno Florr, but not peaceful.

An eerie silence embraced the land as it slept. All the houses were shut up, lights on, as families and loved ones huddled together, spending every precious moment they had together. Not even the trees or animals made a noise, as if they could feel the tension in the air and knew what impending doom was about to befall them. Because tomorrow was it. When dawn broke, the fighting would start. Tomorrow some of them, many of them, would not see the sun set or feel the cool breeze in the grassy fields when the fighting ceased. Tomorrow, more hundreds of statues would join the eternal resting gardens with their fellow sisters and warriors. Tomorrow, the true queen of the werecats would be victorious, and the world would shift from one ideal to another.

In the castle, the servants had left to spend time with their loved ones at home. Those who did not have anyone to go home too remained at the castle, secluded in their quarters together. There was no great dinner in the banquet hall that night, no music or laughter coming from the many game rooms, no sounds of grunts or the clang of blades from the training room; there was only silence.

A group of Shadowhunters and Downworlders sat quietly in the grand library, all of them pensive as the fire cracked in the hearth so loud it nearly felt deafening. Kiara and Alyssa were absent; they desired some time alone together before the fighting began. All of them planned to do the same with their loved ones, but they first wanted to spend time with each other.

None of them spoke a word; they were not necessary. Everything they wanted to say, everything they felt, everything they feared, was expressed in the silence. Magnus and Alec were sitting on the couch, holding their sons close to them as they clutched them back. Even so often the two boys would switch parents' laps, but there was no kicking or bickering about who sat with whom. Even Max, a nonstop chatterbox, was utterly silent. The two boys knew they were leaving soon, and knew that their daddies were going somewhere dangerous, and they were afraid to leave them. They were going to leave to go back to Brooklyn without them soon, with their Aunt Catrina and Grandma, but they didn't want to go.

All of them had agreed that they couldn't keep this a secret from Maryse and Catrina, because the two of them would start to get suspicious and they deserved to know what their family and friends were getting into. Earlier that day all the adults had Portaled back to the Institute, sat down with both women and told them what was going on and what they were going to do. Maryse's initial reaction was to tell the Clave, but that idea was quickly diminished when Kiara entered the picture. As she informed Maryse of the stakes and risks involved, her resolve lessened little by little. It took a bit of convincing, along with many promises and explanations, but Maryse inevitably agreed to look after Rafael and Max with Catrina while they were gone and not alert the Clave of their activities. Catrina was terrified when she heard the news, begging Magnus and the others to reconsider. Nonetheless, when Magnus introduced her to Kiara and the two women spoke in private, Catrina came around, though she was still terrified for them. All of them had parted with long, tight hugs for everyone, and promises of doing their best to stay alive. None of them said goodbye, as they all knew that would bring bad luck to their chances.

The rest of the day crawled by at a snail's pace and flashed by like lightning. All of them spent time together and alone; as a family, and as couples; but none of them were alone for more than a few minutes.

Looking back, all of them reminisced on how in the previous wars they fought in there was usually some sort of commotion or surprise attack that left no time for silent preparation. Yet Helena was making good on her word, as the remaining scouts and spies had not reported any approaching army or magic activity entering the city. However, Kiara told them to be prepared for battle before sunrise, as Helena would waste no time once she and her army arrived.

There you go, that's all I've got for you. I'm sorry it's not more.

Please leave comments, questions, and suggestions for this story if you like it or something like that. Every comment helps. I hope to publish soon!

With love-

KiaraBaneTMI