"Que te pasa?" Raphael asked. The credits of his telenovela were rolling over the screen; Eva hadn't even realized it was over. They were in an empty suite in the Four Seasons Hotel, but Hodge believed they were on a date in the city. Raphael reveled in having tricked him while Eva could only laugh at how childish he was being.
"What? Did my pulse spike?"
"No, it slowed down, actually." Raphael ran his knuckles over her cheekbone. "What are you thinking about?"
"About going to Alicante tomorrow," Eva sighed heavily. "Hodge says this will probably lead to a war."
Raphael brooded silently before he replied, "I'm starting to think so too."
"I don't want people to die, Rapha."
"Nothing is certain, mi angelito."
Eva cringed at the nickname she loved to hear from him. He noticed her sudden distaste and silently begged her with his eyes to speak her mind. "If the angels are so all-powerful, why don't they come here and end this? Valentine literally wants to destroy the Nephilim!"
"I don't know what to tell you," Raphael gave her a crooked smile. "I grew up thinking Jesus was the son of God and it was all a lie."
Eva frowned in thought. In an attempt to distract her, Raphael pulled her into a deep kiss. Eva rolled over to pull him on top of her, humming into his mouth and playing with his hair between her fingers. He parted from her with a light chuckle, "Do you think I'm going to Hell for this?"
"For what? Kissing an angel?"
"Among other, unspeakable things," he said with a shrug. It made her laugh. "What do you think happened to Mary of Nazareth?"
"I don't know." Eva sighed when Raphael kissed her neck, taking in her scent. "She was mortal, so she probably died a mortal death and that was that."
"The angels are merciless," he mumbled against her skin. "I hope you won't forget about me when you Ascend and become one of them."
"You're a bit unforgettable, Rapha."
"Just a bit?" he scoffed. "How rude. You'll pay for that."
The following morning, everyone gathered outside the Institute with Magnus, who was hired to open a temporary Portal into Alicante. Simon arrived and, oddly enough, he wasn't with Clary. They'd agreed to go to the capital together so she could ask Ragnor for the spell to wake Jocelyn. Raphael had texted Eva to tell her Ragnor was already expecting their very unwelcome company. He may or may not be out when you arrive, he warned playfully.
However, the moment Jace dragged Simon away to speak with him in private, Eva was immediately suspicious.
"Jace is planning something," Eva told Izzy, who was looking over her manicure.
"Isn't he always?" Izzy replied. "You think he lied to Clary? She's not here."
"Probably—"
A white mist suddenly engulfed the garden and Forsaken emerged from within. Everyone drew their weapons, Eva and Izzy fighting back to back as the scarred and inhuman Forsaken warriors lunged for them. The mist was thick and smelled unpleasantly sweet. Through it, Eva could see the bright blue sparks of Magnus' magic and the warping outline of the open Portal.
"The Portal!" Magnus called out. "Go through the Portal!"
Eva was drawing back her chakram from the chest of a Forsaken when she saw Maryse run through the Portal carrying Max. Alec grabbed Izzy's arm and ran right after them. Izzy's head was turned toward Eva, calling out her name frantically at the thought of being separated from her. As Eva sliced her way through another Forsaken that got in her way, she heard Jace's gruff voice and when she looked up, saw him dragging a wounded Simon through the Portal.
The moment they disappeared, the mist began to lift and the Forsaken dispersed like cowardly soldiers retreating from battle. Eva's head whipped around towards the Portal only to see it shrinking and shrinking until it swallowed itself and vanished. Her chakrams slid out of her hands, clanking against the stone floor of the courtyard. She was already starting to feel the tug in the middle of her chest common in parabatai that had countries and oceans between them.
"Are you alright?" Magnus approached her, taking her shoulder in his hand to check her for injuries. The blood on her gear was not her own and he seemed to notice that. "Valentine probably sent those Forsaken to attack the Lightwoods. How he knows when things happen is beyond me."
Magnus let out a sharp breath, looking across the courtyard at the body of Madeleine sprawled out like a ragdoll with her throat cut open. "Madeleine's dead."
"Clary's going to be devastated." Eva bent down to the woman's bloodied corpse on the courtyard, bowing her head in silent respect. "Ave Atque Vale, Madeleine Bellefleur."
"Speaking of the red-haired devil," Magnus nodded in the direction of the Institute's entrance. It was hard to miss Clary despite her short stature and when Eva called out to her, the girl jogged over. She went deathly pale at the sight of Eva's bloodied gear, the blood splattered all over the courtyard, and the lifeless corpse of Madeleine Bellefleur.
Needless to say, Clary was not pleased by this turn of events. Eva wasn't particularly pleased either and she could feel Izzy's distress through their bond. The only thing keeping Izzy sane, it seemed, was the fact that she knew Eva was alive through said bond.
To their shock, Clary drew her stele and began carving a rune on the wall. Eva watched each line traced in slow motion, the rune flashing behind her eyes even before Clary completed it. When she finally finished it and the Portal yawned open, Eva's ears filled with the sound of a distant heavenly voice, singing a hymn of sorts.
Even after both Clary and Luke stepped through the Portal, it took Magnus shaking her shoulder to snap out of it. She looked up at him in disbelief; she felt as if years had gone by. She looked back at the wall, still seeing the outline of the rune with each blink.
"What do we do?" Eva touched the wall, her fingers tingling. She felt closer than ever to the angels they called their patrons. The pure blood of the angels she carried within her. It was electrifying. "Is there any way to know where the Portal will spit them out?"
"We can only hope they made it out on the other side," Magnus said. "Getting stuck in between is nasty business."
"I guess getting me through is not an option either?"
"Unless the Clave sends word and asks for you to be brought through, then no."
"I saw Jace drag Simon through the Portal," Eva said. "With the prisoner that escaped recently and now a Downworlder entering without a permit, I doubt the Clave would want anyone coming in until they say so."
"Right, the prisoner," Magnus said with a devious smirk. "Don't think I didn't hear about your jailbreak—Ragnor called me just to complain."
As Magnus summoned the Silent Brothers for her, Eva sent a hasty fire message to Izzy:
I'm fine but Madeleine didn't make it. Keep an eye out for Clary and Luke. Don't tell Jace.
When the Brothers Enoch and Zachariah arrived in their ominous carriage, Magnus took his leave and Portaled away to Idris. Enoch carried Madeleine's limp body away while Zachariah listened to Eva's retelling of events.
I will send an official letter to the Clave with your testimony, Zachariah said. With the growing security issues in Alicante, it will most likely take some time to approve your entry into the city. I will contact you if I receive any messages from the Consul.
Eva was inside the Institute library kindling the fire when Hodge and Raphael entered the room. She'd called them earlier and after she told them what happened, they decided to come over and keep her company in the empty Institute. Raphael was carrying a bag of what Eva recognized as takeout from Taki's. Hodge raced across the library, checking her for injuries.
"You're not hurt, are you?"
"Just a few scratches I healed up with an iratze," she laughed. "Are you okay being in the Institute?"
Hodge let out a sigh. "It's a different feeling knowing I can walk out whenever I please. Besides, the library was always my comfort zone."
"How incredibly boring." Raphael decided to chime in aloofly, setting the takeout bag on the large table in the room. "Do you want to stay here or head back to the Dumort with us?"
"I need to guard the Institute," Eva said. "I'll stay here and send out a distress signal if Valentine is stupid enough to come here again."
"I doubt he will," Hodge said thoughtfully. "He's in the final phase of his plan. He's most likely somewhere near Alicante getting ready to threaten the Clave."
"Do you think he'll summon Raziel first? Use him against them?"
"Using the Mortal Instruments grants you a wish, not servitude," Hodge scoffed. "I'd like to see Valentine try to make an archangel serve him."
"He captured my father-in-law," Raphael joked dryly, taking a quick sip from his silver-plated flask. "I think he's more than capable of cornering an archangel—nothing would surprise me."
"Ithuriel never budged," Hodge said. "He never revealed any of the information Valentine wanted."
"Where do you think he is?" Eva asked.
"I can't even begin to fathom where Valentine is keeping Ithuriel," Hodge said. "In some pit somewhere, surely. Angels can't die, after all."
"Isn't there a way I can talk to them?" Eva asked, pointing at all the books in the library. "There has to be some way."
"Every account I've read ends with the summoner engulfed in heavenly fire." Hodge widened his eyes and pointed a finger scoldingly, like a parent would. "And you are not going to attempt summoning an angel. I forbid it."
Eva took a seat at the table, digging her hand into the takeout bag for a mouthful of french fries. Chewing thoughtfully, she no doubt looked like a pouting child. Hodge sat down across from her while Raphael took a seat at her side. He placed a hand on her knee, silently comforting her as her mind went in all directions.
She doubted praying like Jonathan Shadowhunter would get her anywhere. Summoning was off the table, as per Hodge's intense glare. They had no idea where Ithuriel might be, or if Valentine released him at some point.
"What would happen if Valentine released Ithuriel?" Raphael asked. "You said angels grow weaker in our world—that's part of the reason the angels wanted to create someone like Jesus."
"Even in a weakened state, I doubt Valentine would be stupid enough to release Ithuriel and not expect retaliation," Hodge said thoughtfully. "And if he did, he would probably do so a good distance away; otherwise that angel would bestow a wrath so great, Valentine would be answering to the height of Heaven itself."
"The height of Heaven," Eva muttered under her breath. Both Hodge and Raphael eyed her quizzically as her jaw slacked open. "I can summon Raziel."
It took a brief second for utter terror to flash through Hodge's eyes. Even Raphael looked mortified.
"You will not!" Hodge quickly stood from his chair, but Eva had already bolted to the door. She was down the hall leading to the weapons room when Raphael appeared before her, hands in his pockets casually. His vampire speed could still beat her ten times over.
"He told you not to say his name in vain," Raphael reminded her firmly. "I interpret that as: don't bother me again, you little—"
"This isn't in vain!" Eva cried. "Valentine is planning on summoning Raziel; I'll be warning him, so he'll appreciate it."
"What makes you think he doesn't already know?" Hodge finally caught up to them. He was out of breath and clutching his injured shoulder. "Angels are all-powerful."
Eva whimpered. "I have to try."
There was a moment of silence between them as they contemplated the idea of naming a seraph blade after the Angel, the most taboo rule for the Nephilim. Eva knew Raphael was most likely remembering that day, when she almost bled out and died in his arms. Hodge was probably remembering it too, the day he thought he almost lost his daughter.
"I hate that it has to be you, Eva," Hodge grunted in annoyance. He looked her straight in the eyes, holding her glance firmly as he nodded. "Do it."
So there she was in the weapons room, plucking a seraph blade from the hooks on the wall. She could feel Hodge's eyes burning into the back of her head, the uneasiness flooding from Raphael despite his aloof expression. She balanced the blade comfortably in her palm, twirling it habitually.
"I remember there was a bright light," Raphael said. "I remember it burned me like the sun would've. Granted, I became a Daylighter after that, so it was the last time I ever felt that sort of blistering."
"I think you both should step outside," Eva said, twirling the blade again nervously. Her heart was beating rapidly against her chest. She knew her boyfriend was sensing it because his eyebrows furrowed. "Just in case."
"Let's hope the Angel doesn't destroy the Institute," Hodge joked dryly.
Eva didn't say a word as she watched them walk outside and close the doors behind them. She looked down at the seraph blade, studying each angelic rune carved into the adamas. It felt so familiar to hold it, to swing it around and to twirl it between her fingers like a mundane would twirl a pen when they're bored.
Taking a deep breath, she held out the blade before her. She saw the reflection of her golden eyes on the face of the blade. Eyes that were not her mother's, she realized, but actually her father's. The sacred name left her lips in a whisper.
"Raziel."
