She hung her coat up on the rack, deftly raking her hands through her windblown hair. She put the bag of takeout on the kitchen table. She peered into the den. Jace was lying on the hot pink couch haphazardly, eyes glued to the television. The velvet drapes were tightly drawn, letting no light into the dark room.
"I brought food from Taki's. Got your favorite." She called to him. He didn't stir. "I went to the hospital to see our mother. Still no change." Nothing. "Alec is coming over. So are Clary and Simon. I've just gotten off the phone with her. They should be here soon."
"Why?" He asked, voice unbothered.
She rolled her eyes, but managed not to say anything too snarky. "To check on you. Try to be civil while they're here, especially to Simon. I think he and Clary are starting to become a thing." He made some sort of grunting noise.
She dumped his food onto a plate and tossed a fork on it. She walked over to the couch, offering him the plate. He took it begrudgingly. "Thanks." He mumbled. "Why isn't everyone dawdling all over you? You were down there too."
She went back to the kitchen, putting her own food on a plate. "Maybe because I didn't faint after we got out." She replied smoothly. She went to the couch, nudging his legs with her knee. He sat up and she took the space that his legs had occupied. "Seriously, Jace, what happened to you down there?"
He shrugged. "I don't know, Liz." He said. "Can I ask you a question?" She nodded, tucking her legs under her. "Why aren't you afraid of him? Back at Renwick's, you were so brave. And in the cells, I know you were scared, but when he came down there, you acted like nothing was wrong."
She leaned forward, putting her plate on the coffee table. "I spent seventeen years being afraid of him. Then, he sent me here. I met you." She said, glancing over at him. He was already looking at her, golden eyes soft. "And Alec and Izzy and Clary. You guys showed me that there was more out in the world. Being here with you guys, the people I care about most in the world, gave me things I didn't know I could ever have. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, I have a lot of reasons to be brave now."
The door to the apartment opened. Eliza looked back. Alec walked in with Clary and Simon in tow.
"Alec, I didn't know you had a key." Eliza observed.
His face tinged pink, but he shrugged it off. "Yeah. Magnus gave me once since both of you are staying here now."
She hid her smirk, turning back to get her plate. "Nice of him. There's food on the counter. I got stuff for everyone."
"Sweet. Thanks.' Simon said cheerily.
Magnus came into the room, his tall body covered by a green silk dressing gown. He had paired the gown with black jeans and a silver shirt. "Hello everyone. Little dove, you got what I asked for?"
She got up and went into the kitchen. She opened the second brown bag and took out a heavy package. "Seabass. Lots of it." She handed him the package. She pulled a second out of the bag. "And two pounds of faerie plums. On the house. Kaelie was feeling generous."
Magnus beamed, placing the seabass on the counter. He opened the package of faerie plums and popped two in his mouth. "Shame Declan isn't on call during the daylight hours. I do love when he pays for dinner."
"Stop using my boyfriend to pay for your meals."
"Boyfriend?" Jace sounded like he was choking on his food. After a few coughs, he tossed his plate on the table. "So, you guys are official now?"
She felt her face go warm. "Uh, yeah. Guess we are. He's coming over later." She told him. She looked at his plate, still half-filled with food. "Finish your food." She scolded.
He snatched his plate back up, a scornful look on his face. He turned his attention back to the television. Some fashion advice show was playing, something he had been watching nonstop.
Magnus glided into the den, throwing open the drapes. The room flooded with light and she swore she heard Jace hiss.
"We have to talk." Clary told them. Eliza made three plates of food, handing one each to Clary, Alec, and Simon. "We need to make a plan for what to do next. We have to be prepared." It seemed like every day, Clary was becoming more and more like a true Shadowhunter.
"I planned on watching Project Runway." Jace replied coolly. "It's actually interesting."
Eliza shared an exasperated look with Magnus. He snapped his fingers and the television flipped off. "You're going to deal with this." Magnus told him. "I'm not going to let you sleep on my couch and binge watch on my television forever. Plus, you cleaning all the time confuses me. I don't know where any of my stuff is."
Jace rolled his eyes. He got up from the couch and put his plate in the kitchen sink. As he walked past her, Eliza stiffened at the dark bags under his eyes. She didn't know the last time he had actually slept. She heard him tossing and turning on the couch at night, resorting to pacing around the den once sleep became impossible.
"We need a round table if we're going to have a round table meeting." He muttered darkly.
Magnus said that was a lovely idea. He travelled to the living room and snapped his fingers again. A large round table appeared, accompanied with six black high-backed chairs.
Clary slid into a chair, running her hands along the surface of the table. "Jace, I told you that magic was real." She goaded. "Magnus just created something out of nothing."
Magnus chuckled, saying no, he didn't. "That's impossible, Clarissa. The table and chairs came from a cute little place on Fifth Avenue." Another snap of his fingers and six coffee cups appeared on the table. "Those are from a delicious café on Broadway."
Everyone took their seats at the table. Simon sat down next to Clary, Eliza on her other side. Magnus took the seat next to Eliza and Alec sat next to him. Leaving the only empty seat between Alec and Simon. Jace took it, a sour look on his face.
"You guys said that what happened down in the Silent City was because of Valentine?" Clary asked Eliza. "What does that mean?"
Alec asked Jace what happened. He lifted his eyes from his coffee, looking at Eliza. He blinked slowly, biting on his upper lip.
"We were in the cell." Eliza spoke. Jace averted his gaze back to his coffee. "There were these noises. They were awful and I could feel it in my bones, something was wrong. When Brother Jeremiah came down to the cell, I knew it was the Silent Brothers who were making all those agonizing wails. It wasn't long before our father came. He had Maellartach, the Mortal Sword. He had something else, a demon." Goosebumps covered her skin. She gripped her coffee cup tightly, rolling her shoulders.
Magnus reached, putting a hand on her shoulder. He gave her a soft nod. She responded with a small smile.
"Anyways, back to the more important things." She cleared her throat. "He had come for the sword, he told us that. He killed the Silent Brothers to get it. I don't know what he wanted, he wouldn't say, not with me there."
Magnus removed his hand. He went to the counter, picking up the container of faerie plums. He popped the top and sat back down. He plucked out a plum, popping it into his mouth. "Hold on. Alexander, when the Silent Brothers called for help, where was the Conclave? Why was it you who had to respond?"
Eliza looked at Alec. His cheeks were a cool pink color. His eyes flitted around the table before settling on Magnus. "There was another Downworlder murder, in Central Park. It was a fey child, drained of blood."
Just like the werewolf cub, she thought.
What is your brain churning around, little dove? Magnus was staring at her, eyes bright with curiosity.
They're connected. She responded. I don't know how, but they are. Something big is happening, Magnus, and my father has something to do with it.
"Can you two tell us what's going on or are you just going to keep staring at each other?" Jace's voice snapped her out of her head.
She blinked rapidly, licking her lips. "Sorry." She said quietly. "We were just…There's a connection between the murder of the fey child and the werewolf cub. They were both exsanguinated and they're both Downworlder children."
Magnus got up suddenly. His green robe floated behind him as he walked over to the window. He pulled the drape back just enough to look down on the street below. "You're right, little dove. There is something very big happening." He said. "Two nights ago, I had a dream about a city of death. Rivers of blood ran through the streets and the builders were constructed of bone."
Simon coughed quietly, scratching his neck. "Magnus?" Alec's voice was soft, caring even.
"This isn't random." Magnus spoke quietly. The glow of the sunset fell across his face, painting it a soft orange. "Just before the werewolf cub, there was another murder at the beginning of the week. A warlock down by South Street Seaport. Like the others, drained of blood."
"Vampires?" Simon asked. His face had paled.
Magnus said no. "Raphael has been insistent that the Night Children are in no way involved with this." Jace told Simon. Simon snorted, saying he didn't trust Raphael as far as he could throw him, which definitely wasn't far at all.
"I believe he is telling the truth." Magnus sighed. He let the drape slip to a close. When he came back to sit at the table, he had a large green book in his hands. He put it on the table, opening it up. "Little dove, I believe you. I think that Valentine is behind these murders."
She forced back a proud smile. "Why?" Surely, it wasn't just because her father hated Downworlders so much he had once tried to eradicate their entire existence.
"You say he had a demon with him in the Silent City?" He asked. Both she and Jace said yes. "When I went to examine the scenes of the murders, both locations were heavy with demonic presence."
Clary spoke of her agreement. "The Inquisitor did think that the faerie murder was a diversion from what happened in the Silent City."
Jace shook his head. "He had a bigger reason than that, if he did it. He wouldn't anger the Fair Folk if he didn't have a good reason for it. They aren't the best people to make mean with."
Magnus said he knew, Valentine had a reason. "He needed his blood. Specifically, blood from Downworlders." He continued flipping through the book. The words lit up his face. He let out a sigh as he found the page he wanted. Alec leaned over, glancing at the page. He had a confused look on his face. "It's in Purgatic." Magnus told him.
Eliza looked at the pages in front of Magnus. On the left page was an illustration of a silver sword. "Maellartach." She murmured. Not many Shadowhunters got to see the Soul Sword in person, only in drawings or words. She had, though, not in the most wonderful of circumstances. "Magnus," she said, looking over at him, "what is he doing? Why does Valentine need Downworlder blood?"
He gave her a disgusted, yet sympathetic look. She drew back from him, seeing his thoughts. Her lip curled in a snarl. "The Ritual of Infernal Conversion." He spoke aloud, for everyone else to hear.
Clary asked what that meant. Magnus snapped the book shut. Eliza scratched behind her ear. "Our seraph blades are pledged to Angel's, they're seraphic, why we call them seraph blades. Like them, the Mortal Sword is seraphic, but it's pledged to our Angel Raziel, which makes it a thousand-fold more powerful than any seraph blade. Our fa-, Valentine wants to change that." She explained to Clary. "He wants to convert it, make it demonic instead of seraphic."
Clary frowned, glancing to Magnus. "Can he even do that? Like, for real?"
Magnus nodded solemnly. "Unfortunately." He said. "If Valentine is successful and converts the Angel's Sword, it will be just as powerful, but it could provide him with much more. He would have power over demons, all of them. He could force them to do his bidding. With that and the Mortal Cup…He would be more dangerous and more powerful than any other Shadowhunter."
Eliza swallowed. She didn't like the feeling she had in the pit of her stomach. The thoughts in Magnus' head were making it much worse. She felt like throwing up. "Valentine could create a demonic army and possibly even march them on Idris."
Simon laughed, gaining the attention of everyone else. Alec was staring at him with a bewildered look on his face. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh." His laughter faded away as he spoke. "Wouldn't he be stupid to bring a bunch of demons to the city where all the demon hunters live?"
Jace frowned at him, saying no. "Because demons come from other dimensions, we don't know how many there are. If they all came through at one time, Idris could be overwhelmed. They could kill us all."
"Great."
Eliza stood up. She took a deep breath, glancing over at the clock and then out the window. The sun had set. Declan would be there soon.
"What's the connection between the ritual and the Downworlders?" Alec asked Magnus.
Magnus leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "If Valentine is going to convert the Soul Sword's allegiance, he has to seethe the sword until it becomes red hot, then he must cool the sword four separate times. One time for the blood of four different Downworlders. A child of Lilith, a child of the moon, a child of the night, and the child of the fey."
She was sure she was going to throw up. There had only been three murders. Which meant a fourth was sure to come. "Excuse me." She muttered. She darted to the bathroom, slamming the door shut. She fell to her knees, lurching over the toilet, and throwing up her dinner.
Three times to be exact.
She stood up and wiped her mouth with the hand towel. She rinsed her mouth out with mouthwash. After splashing water on her face, she went back to the kitchen.
Sitting in her chair was Declan. His hands were clasped together on the table. He was listening intently as Magnus caught him up on what was going on.
"Oh, you're here." She tried to sound happy about it. He turned, gracing her with one of his beautiful smiles.
"Are you all right? You were throwing up." His eyes searched her face.
She nodded, resting her hands on the table. "Just a little overwhelmed. It's fine." She said quietly.
"I was telling them that Valentine has two more killings." Magnus told her. "He didn't get all the blood he needed from the werewolf cub. I have no doubt that Valentine already has the ability to call demons from the sword." Jace said there would be reports about it if that were true. Even the Inquisitor had said it was quiet, maybe too quiet. "That's correct." Magnus said. Even Eliza was surprised to hear him agree with Jace. "But, I don't believe he is calling all the demons to him he can. He's smart."
Just before anyone could question it, a high-pitched noise split through the air. Clary flinched, knocking her coffee over. Alec pulled a phone out of his pocket. "Give me a minute. It's my mom." He got up from the table, walking to the window.
Simon took Clary's hand, inspecting it for any serious burn injuries. Eliza looked at Declan. "I don't think we should go out tonight." She whispered to him. "Not with everything that's going on."
He nodded thoughtfully. "We can stay here. I think a night in will do you some good. You spend too many nights out being a kick-ass demon slayer."
Kick-ass demon slayer? Her lips spread into a smile. "You've been watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, haven't you?" She laughed. He chuckled out a yes.
Jace slid his stele across the table to Clary. "You know how to fix it." He told her. She said no, shaking her head. Jace insisted.
"Stop trying to force her. She doesn't want to do it." Simon mocked him. "Ha-ha-ha."
Jace stared back at him, mouth agape. "That's the comeback you're going with? Okay then…"
Alec came back to the table, sitting down. He pushed a stray piece of hair out of his face. "I told my mom about the ritual and Valentine's plan. She said that she would talk to the Conclave about it." Again, his phone rang. He heaved a groan, standing up. "It's Izzy. Hold on." Alec wandered back over to the window, answering the call.
"The guy who found the cub's body said he saw someone in the alley with him and then he ran off. It was probably Valentine." Jace told Magnus.
Magnus agreed. "He'll try again with another werewolf child soon. Within the next couple days." He looked at Clary. "You should warn Luke."
Clary was beginning to get up when Alec came back, ushering her to sit back down. He wore an unusual expression. "Isabelle wanted to let us know that the Seelie Queen has requested an audience with us."
Magnus snickered. "I'm sure Madonna is going to call me any moment to dance with her on her next tour."
Alec cocked his head to the side and asked who Madonna was. Clary asked who the Seelie Queen was.
"The local Queen of the Fey." Eliza deadpanned.
"Tell Isabelle to tell the Queen we say no." Jace ordered Alec. Alec said that Isabelle thought it was a good idea. "Tell her to say no three times." Jace rephrased.
Alec looked to Eliza for help. If anyone could sway Jace, it would be her. She gave Alec a tired look. "Alec, Izzy doesn't always have the best ideas. Sometimes, when she thinks something is a good idea, it turns out to be the worst idea."
Jace said yes immediately. "Remember when she said that it was a good idea to use those abandoned subway tunnels?" Alec mumbled a yes. "Alec, the rats were big enough to eat us alive."
Simon asked if they could avoid any talk about rats of any size.
"Jace, this is different than the subway tunnels. Izzy wants us to go to the Seelie Court." Jace said it was different, it was probably her worst idea ever. "Jace." Alec groaned. "Isabelle knows a knight in the Court who told her that the Queen wants to meet with us. She thinks if we explain our theory to the Queen, that the Fair Folk might side with us. Maybe even be an ally against Valentine…"
Clary asked if it was safe to meet with the Seelie Queen. Jace looked at her like no one had ever said something so stupid before. Before he could snap at her, Eliza interjected. "Probably not." She said. "The Fair Folk aren't prone to helping humans. It may not end well."
"It wouldn't be wise to ignore the Seelie Queen, though." Alec countered. "If they were on our side, the Clave would have to listen to our theory about Valentine and the Mortal Sword."
Declan put a hand on Eliza's elbow. "What do you think?" He whispered to her.
Simon said that the fey couldn't be worse than the vampires. They had handled the vampires pretty well.
Jace scoffed at him. "Pretty well?" He barked out a laugh. "We survived, even though Eliza almost got her throat ripped out by that vampire piece of shit." He shot Declan a glaring look.
Eliza put a hand to the scar on her throat. It was cool to the touch, bumpy and jagged where Raphael's teeth had ripped the skin. "Faeries aren't like vampires, Simon." Eliza let her hand fall back at her side. "Vampires are made from disease, faeries are bred from demons and angels. They have the cruelty of demons, but the beauty of angels. Vampires and werewolves, they used to be human once. Faeries, they aren't like any of us sitting here. They live for centuries and they're vile and cunning." Her fingers tapped against the table. Her brain kept shooting back to Kaelie, wondering if the waitress really had fey blood in her. "The fey may not be able to lie, but they aren't going to tell the whole truth. They know how to get what they want. They're more harmful than helpful."
Simon swallowed, face a sickly green color. She felt bad for him, roped into all of the business of the Shadow World because he was in love with a girl.
Love, she thought, what a dangerous thing. Her father had told Jace once that to love something was to destroy it. Her father was wrong about a lot of things, but she was scared that he was right about that.
"It doesn't matter how helpful they are." Jace sighed. "We aren't going."
Simon rolled his eyes. "I don't think it matters what you think. You can't go with us. You can't even leave this apartment."
Jace jolted to his feet. He had moved so fast that he knocked over his chair in the action. "There is no way in hell that you're taking Eliza to-." He stopped himself, seeming to choke on the words. His face was dark with anger, the veins in his neck thick. He was staring down Alec, his eyes molten gold. "You aren't taking my sisters to the Seelie Court without me. Not happening."
She felt Declan's eyes on her. She looked at the wall and then down at the table. Anywhere but at Jace or Declan. Finally, she settled her eyes on Alec, practically begging him to say something.
Alec stood up. He put a hesitant hand on Jace's shoulder. After a few moments, Jace seemed to calm down. "I've got it, Jace. I promise." His voice sounded slightly strained. Jace gave him a look. "We're going. You know that Isabelle has probably already said we're coming."
"Don't make me tackle you." Jace warned.
She had had enough. Jace was acting like an impertinent child. Eliza slammed her hands down on the table. They both looked at her. "Enough." She hissed. "We're going to the Seelie Court and the Queen will have her audience with us."
Magnus cleared his throat, warranting her attention. "I may have a solution so that Jace can accompany you."
Eliza felt a lump form in her throat. Jace couldn't. He had a direct order from the Clave not to leave Magnus' apartment. She didn't want to imagine what would happen if that order was disobeyed.
"There is a little loophole in the contract I made with the Inquisitor. So long as another Shadowhunter takes your place, you may leave for a short while." Magnus shot Alec an amused look.
Alec blanched, fixing the collar of his shirt. "Me?"
Magnus nodded. Jace's eyes travelled between the two of them. Eliza wondered just how thick in the head he was. Eliza couldn't believe what the hell was happening. "Jace." She tested. "I think Alec's trying to do us a favor. I'm sure the Seelie Queen wants to see you there more than Alec. She isn't asking for just random Shadowhunters. She's asking for Valentine's children. One of which you happen to be."
You're welcome, she shot Magnus a glowering glare.
I'll tell Alexander, he mused.
"Plus," Alec began, "you're the most charming person I know, and the Fair Folk are prone to charm." Jace picked his chair back up begrudgingly. He sat down in it. "Izzy said she'd be waiting by Turtle Pond. She knows how to get into the Court."
Magnus stood up. He told Jace not to get himself killed. He didn't want to have to explain that to the Clave, especially not to the Inquisitor.
Jace muttered a comment to himself, Eliza heard something about Magnus having to explain something either way.
Declan stood up and Eliza led him to the kitchen. She grabbed his hands. "I'm sorry. We were supposed to stay in and have a relaxing evening." She apologized. Nothing sounded better than staying in and spending the night on the couch with him, watching reruns of useless shows.
He gave her a kind smile, letting go of her hands and putting his hands on her cheeks. "Sweet one, don't apologize for doing what you're supposed to." He chastised her. "You are a Shadowhunter, this is part of bearing that weight. Even more so, you must get the allegiance of the Seelie Queen if you want any hope of defeating your father, should what you say be true." He pressed a chaste kiss to her temple. "Be safe, my love."
His what?
She clamped her mouth shut before she could say anything ruinous. "I will." She promised. "Even though I hate him, warn Raphael about the killings. Make sure the vampires know to be careful. Valentine can't finish this." She kissed his cheek. "We probably won't be back before sunrise. You should go back to the Dumont just to be safe."
With another kiss to the temple, he left the apartment. Jace was standing just a few feet away, a cold look on his face. It morphed, an amused expression taking its place. "My love?" He laughed. "He treats you like a doll."
"He's a gentleman, Jace. Not that you'd know anything about that." She sneered. "Let me change and we'll go." She muttered, shoving past him.
When had he gotten so insufferable?
Turtle Pond looked like a scene from a movie. Plants sprouted around the edge of the pond, brightly colored flowers and weeds entangled together. Moss fell into the water in fingerlike tendrils.
Ducks sat in the pond, some swimming, some flapping around, others asleep. The moon reflected in the water, a silvery half circle.
The only person occupying the gazebo out on the water was Isabelle. Her head was turning every few seconds, taking in the scenery. When her eyes finally landed on the group, she sprang to her feet.
Eliza swore that her feet barely touched the ground as Izzy made her way to them. She engulfed Jace in a bone-crushing hug. "You're out! How are you out?" She asked, a puzzled expression on her face as she pulled away from him.
A breeze blew past, billowing out Izzy's long black dress. The skirt of her dress had blown, but her stiff dark green velvet coat remained still. Eliza wondered why she always dressed so…impractically? Dresses and tight skirts weren't exactly the best attire to fight demons in. But, for Izzy, it got the job done.
It wasn't that Eliza hated Izzy's choice in clothing. For most things, it worked. It increased her allure when hunting demons that preyed on attractive young women and everything she wore was just so…Isabelle.
Eliza had tried it a few times. The long flowing dresses definitely weren't her style, but sometimes, the skirts proved to be useful.
For an audience with the Seelie Queen, she figured that typical Shadowhunter gear wasn't exactly appropriate. The Fair Folk were big about appearances. Instead of jeans and a shirt, she had opted for a soft pink dress that fell to her mid-thigh. For practical purposes, she had paired the dress with combat boots.
Of course, she still had her braces on her wrist that secured her throwing knives. And there was a holster on her thigh, hidden by the dress, that had her seraph blades. Not forgetting the sword strap across her back that held her short-sword.
"Not for good." Eliza told her. "We traded Alec for the time being."
Izzy's mouth twitched. "For how long?"
Jace told her it was only for a few hours. "Though, not quite sure what'll happen if I don't come back."
Eliza smacked his arm. "Don't talk like that." She hissed at him.
Izzy said that their parents wouldn't be happy if they found out. Simon said they definitely wouldn't be happy that they traded Jace for Alec to a wizard who reminded him of a homosexual version of Sonic the Hedgehog.
Jace shot Simon a withering look, asking why Simon was even there. Especially considering that the Fair Folk hated mundanes. "You know, for someone who you think is useless, I did save all your lives last week." Simon snapped at him.
Jace began to say something but Izzy cut him off. "Simon, it's only that the Seelie Court is really dangerous, especially for mundanes." She warned him. "It's not a kind of danger you can fight your way out of."
Clary put a hand on his upper arm, whispering that he didn't have to go with them. She didn't want him to get hurt. Simon puffed out his chest a little bit and told her that he was going.
Eliza sighed heavily. "Okay, great. Simon's going with us. Can we go now?" The wind blew. Leaves fell down from the trees and across their feet. She tucked a piece of her hair back behind her ear, but it didn't stay. The fallback of cutting her hair off was that it wouldn't stay out of her face.
"Guys. The door is about to open." Izzy called out. The breeze whistled through the trees as Clary asked where the door was. "Just follow me." Izzy grinned. She walked to the edge of the pond, her shoes making squishing noises in the mud. She hoisted her dress, so it didn't get dirty from the mud. Marks shined against her pale skin.
Simon put himself in front of Clary, following directly behind Isabelle. He slipped, falling backwards a little. "Damn it." He mumbled. Jace reached out, grabbing Simon's arm and steadying him.
"I'm going to need everyone to like each other in the Seelie Court. Or they'll kill us all." Izzy said sharply. She lightly tapped her foot against the surface of the water. "Clary, I'm really going to need you to start using your feminine superiority to reign those two in." She waved her hand between Jace and Simon. Izzy cast a glance to Eliza. "Just look at Liz. She knows how to make men do what she wants."
Everyone turned to look at her. She shrugged, not bothering to disagree with Isabelle. "Have you seen her?" Clary flailed her hand towards Eliza. "She's scary, of course men do what she wants! If they don't, she kills them."
Eliza shrugged again. Clary wasn't technically wrong. But, she wasn't completely right. Eliza knew how to use her femininity to get what she wanted. Izzy gave her a pleased look.
"Okay, since we're finished discussing my many ways of manipulating the simple folk that are the male population," Eliza said, "let's lay down some ground rules for when we're underground." Simon squeaked out, asking when it was said they were going underground. Eliza didn't bother answering his question. "We all have to get along, like Izzy said. Also, do not eat or drink anything they offer you." She gave Simon a pointed look. His cheeks turned pink.
"Great." Izzy clapped her hands together. "Let's go." She treaded into the pond. Her coat floated on top of the water. Simon was behind her, Clary beside him. Behind them, Jace and Eliza stood next to each other.
"Simple folk, huh?" Jace mumbled to her.
She repressed a smile. "Not my fault that men don't possess the ability to withstand my charm."
"Declan too, then?"
She stopped, the water swishing against the hem of her dress. It was cold against the bare skin of her legs and she gritted her teeth. She looked over at him, green eyes narrowed. "What the hell is your problem, Jace?" She snarled. "Declan hasn't done anything to you. Actually, he has been nothing but extremely nice to you."
He said nothing in response, continuing further into the pond. She huffed, following after him. He was really starting to work her nerves.
Izzy had reached the center of the pond, stopping abruptly. The water was up to her rib cage. "This is the spot." She announced. "Jace, you first, then Eliza."
Jace moved to stand beside Izzy. He turned around, looking directly at Eliza. A small smirk graced his mouth as he took a step backwards. And then he was gone.
Izzy called out Eliza's name. Clary gave her an uneasy look. Eliza put a comforting hand on her sister's shoulder. "Don't worry." She murmured, walking past her. She went to stand directly in the moon's reflection. The water there was colder than the rest of the pond. Whether it was the water itself or the gateway to the Seelie Court, she didn't know.
It was like she lost her footing. She tumbled, her hands outstretched to grab something, to regain balance. And then she fell back.