When she walked into Magnus' apartment, it was a wreck. Magnus and Alec were standing by the window. Simon and Jordan lazily on the couch. Surprisingly, Isabelle was in the connected kitchen. Even more so, Maia was with her.
"God, what happened here?" Eliza hung her cloak on the rack. "Did you fight demons while I was gone? So not fair, Magnus."
Chairman Meow came running towards her. She scooped him up, nuzzling him to her chest.
"Not exactly. We had a little chat with Azazel." Magnus let the gauzy curtain fall back.
The smell coming from the kitchen was dismal. "Iz, why don't we order in?" She suggested carefully. The odor lit the idea that the food would taste much worse than it smelled. "I feel like everyone really needs Chinese right now anyway."
"Some Tso's would be good." Jordan agreed.
Isabelle flicked off the stove. Magnus instructed that the takeout menus were above the refrigerator. Eliza sat down on the ottoman, the little kitten still resting against her chest.
"So," she looked at Magnus, "Azazel? What could you all have been discussing with a Prince of Hell? Tea times? Fabrics?"
"Weapons." Alec mumbled.
"Specifically," Maia chimed in as she sat on the arm of the sofa beside Jordan, "something that can sever the bond between Jace and Sebastian."
Now that was something interesting. She let the cat go and he darted off to her room. "And? Can he help?"
Bitterly, Magnus said no. He explained that the first time, Azazel had taken from each of them a happy memory and then relayed his plan. While he had no weapon, nor could forge, that would separate the two boys, he would happily hold Jace in Hell until the connection broke. But then, the kicker was, Azazel was to roam freely.
"I hope you said no." Eliza told him. "That's too risky."
Jordan snorted. "He declined us." She asked what could make that happen.
The others turned pointed gazes to Simon. He pushed back his hair to show her the Mark of Cain her sister had so generously bestowed upon him.
"Ah, yes, that would do it." She said woefully. "Good thing, though, since the answer is so simple."
"What's that?" Maia asked. Surely if it was so simple, they would've already done so.
Alec muttered something under his breath. Simon leaned back, clearly not happy about the direction the conversation had gone. Magnus turned back to the window.
"You've got to kill them." Eliza said, the answer so simple to her. "The Clave and I agree that the best option is to end this before it really starts. My brother has to die and if the price is Jace Herondale's life, then it needs to be paid."
Maia stared back at her, brown eyes glittering with confusion. Even Jordan looked shocked. "How can you say that?" Maia whispered.
Eliza stood up. "I know that he must mean a lot to all of you. I'm sorry to suggest it, I am, but this is the only path that's clear. My sister's life is in danger. And the fate of the world rests on this decision." The last part, she knew, was a little too melodramatic. Anything to get the point across. These were people who existed in a world solely to protect it. Alec and Isabelle were Shadowhunters like herself. Made to protect both the Shadow World and the mundane world. Magnus was a warlock, sworn to their side because of his love for Alec and his affection for her. Maia and Jordan, werewolves loyal to Luke, who had once been a Shadowhunter. And Simon. Loyal to Isabelle. Loyal to Clary, his lifelong friend. Surely, he would put this boy's life on the line for hers. "I let my feelings get in the way when it came to my father. I won't let that happen with Jonathan."
Isabelle flitted back in the room. "Food's on its way." Her dark eyes scanned the room. "What'd I miss?"
"Don't ask." Alec sighed. "Just don't."
Simon jumped up from his spot on the couch. Eliza stared at him. "I have an idea. It's not the best, but it doesn't involve anyone getting murdered by Eliza."
"That's a good idea." Isabelle told him.
Magnus asked him to elaborate on his idea. "The Mark of Cain is my protection, right? Nothing can hurt me or kill me?"
"Right." Magnus said slowly. "I mean, you can do yourself in. Accidents happen. But nothing malicious will harm you."
Simon agreed with all of that. "So, what if I summoned an angel?"
They all stared back at him.
Simon laid his plan out in semi-detailed form. Magnus would help him to summon an angel. The Mark of Cain would, hopefully, provide him protection from being smote by a heavenly body. He'd ask for a weapon. Only a weapon made from Heaven or Hell could separate Jace from Jonathan. They'd struck out with Hell. Maybe Heaven was the answer.
"Or," Eliza said once Simon had finished, a knife twisted between her fingers, "you could get me a location and I can make good on my several promises to murder my brother. My plan is a lot easier and doesn't involve you getting smote by an angel."
The group looked around at each other. Their collective gazes settled on Magnus. It was, after all, his fault that all she wanted to do was murder her brother at the expense of the boy she had once loved. And now knew nothing about.
"We'll go with Simon's plan for now." Magnus decided. He watched Eliza's eyes darken. "And, if our vampire gets stricken down by Heaven's finest, you have free reign."
Six of the seven people all shared the same thought. Simon's plan needed to work.
Everyone was gone. The apartment quiet. Okay, maybe not everyone was gone. Alec practically lived there. Which was why, he was lounging on the couch with her and Magnus as they watched some gaudy romantic comedy.
Alec and Magnus were curled up together. Magnus' legs draped over Alec's, Alec's arm slung over Magnus' shoulder. And she had a cat. Chairman Meow, naturally, was settled on Eliza's lap, sleepy purrs escaping him every so often.
"How was your trial?" Alec asked quietly, glancing over at her. "My mom told me she was taking you."
Eliza bit down on her bottom lip. "It went fine. Consul Penhallow said she'd alert the Clave that my allegiance was sure. I'm sure I'll suffer some sort of consequence when this is all over. If I don't, it's seriously screwed up."
There'd never been time before for her to serve penance for everything. It seemed like when one problem was solved, another popped up in its place. All thanks to her family.
"Nothing else?" Magnus asked.
He knew better. He could see into her head, when she allowed and when her emotions got the best of her. He knew exactly what had happened. What she'd seen.
"No." She lied. There really was no need to delve into that. "Are you sure about this whole Simon thing?" She asked. "If Raziel ends up smiting him, we're going to have some serious explaining to do to Clary when she comes back."
Magnus grimaced. That they would. And not just to Clary. He was going to hate telling Jace what he'd done to his girlfriend. They'd never gotten along before and this was going to push past the point of return.
"He'll be fine." Alec assured her. "I think that once Simon explains what's going on, the Angel will be happy to help."
She arched an eyebrow. That was awfully optimistic of him. Maybe too much so. He sounded so hopeful, so inclined to believe his words. She let him have that. Everyone needed a little hope.
Maybe she'd relish in it too. After all, if the plan did work and they saved the Herondale boy's life, she could get him alone. Alec did say he was her type.
After, of course, she carved her brother like a Christmas roast.
"You've seen him." Isabelle was staring pointedly at Eliza. "How tall is Raziel? Sixty feet?" Isabelle pressured. She really believed Raziel had to be sixty-feet tall. He was their angel, the best of the best. He had to appear that way, for her.
Eliza took a stab at her orange chicken. It was left over from the previous night. Not as good, but it staved off the hunger. "I was pretty busy dying so I didn't really get to measure him." She noted dryly. Isabelle's face twisted. "He's beautiful, though. His wings looked like they could span across the world. He's pure light. Shining brighter than the sun."
"But where will we do it?" Alec asked. "We need a big space, somewhere secluded."
On that, she fell silent. Deftly, she touched her hand to the middle of her chest. Even through her shirt, she could feel the heat of the scar.
"Luke has a farm upstate." Simon informed them. "There's a lake too, not very big, but it might work." Isabelle asked how far it was. He said only a couple hours.
Her face brightened. "If we leave right now, we can make it before sundown for sure." She told Magnus.
Firmly, he shook his head and said no. "I'm in no position to perform that amount of magic. I need rest. All of us do. We've been working at this nearly non-stop since yesterday." Izzy asked how long he wanted them to wait. "A few hours. I'm going to bed." With that, he stood up and disappeared down the hall.
"I'll call and see if Jordan will let us borrow his truck." Simon told them. He got up and left the living room. "I'll be back around noon." He called and they heard the door slam shut.
Eliza silently finished her food. She had picked through the container until all the orange chicken was gone and only bits of overdone fried rice remained.
"I hope this works." Isabelle said to them quietly. Alec agreed with her. Their gazes slid over to Eliza, who was consumed with her rice. "You want this to work, right?" Izzy asked her.
She looked up, eyes blank. "Yeah. Of course, I do." She mumbled. "I want to get Clary back." She wanted her sister safe. Away from Jonathan.
"And Jace too, right?" Izzy tested. Alec shot her a look.
Eliza frowned. "Uh huh." She shrugged after. He didn't make that much of a difference to her. He was an option, a means to an end if need be. A little pawn in the game Jonathan had started with her. "I'm sure you guys will be happy to have him back."
"You will be too."
She smiled. "Look, when I said he was cute, I didn't mean anything by it. I'm way too damaged to enter a relationship. My last boyfriend was just murdered by my brother, so I'm steering clear of romance for a while."
It wasn't easy for Isabelle or Alec to hear her so blatantly disregard Jace. Granted, they knew that she didn't remember him at all. He had never existed to her before a few days ago. He meant nothing to her, and she meant everything to him.
"I'm gonna go take a nap. Rest up before I have to see the Angel again, since last time he denied me life and my demon blood-donor got to bring me back and start all this shit." Eliza pushed up from the couch and went to her own room, the kitten trailing behind her.
Isabelle turned to her brother. "We have to make her remember before we bring Jace home."
Alec sighed. "It could kill her. It's best if we leave it alone. Maybe she'll remember on her own."
"But what if she doesn't, Alec? Jace is going to come home and be so excited to see her. And she- she's just going to look at him and see a boy. He's going to be crushed." Her voice dropped into a flippant whisper. "It'll kill him."
Alec softened. Jace was their brother. Not only that, he was Alec's best friend. His parabatai. They were bonded in a similar, less sinister way than Jace and Jonathan. Alec would feel the hurt Jace did when he came home, and Eliza looked at him like a stranger.
And while this hurt him, he didn't want to risk her life at the expense of Jace's feelings. Jace didn't deserve it, but Eliza didn't deserve to have her life put at risk.
"Iz, we shouldn't mess with it. Magnus said the block was really strong. It needs to be left alone." She began to protest. "I know," he told her, "I want to fix it. I want her to remember him. And maybe one day she will. Or maybe he'll come back and she'll fall in love with him all over again."
Both of those were strong possibilities. Jace and Eliza were powerful apart, but together…they were almost unstoppable. Their love, tried and true, was stronger than death. If death couldn't keep them apart, Alec doubted a memory block would.
Jordan's truck was not at all like Luke's. And she knew, for the record, all cars were not the same. They were like people. You got out what you put it. Unfortunately, it seemed Jordan Kyle had not put a lot into his truck.
It was not a smooth ride. So, either Jordan neglected his vehicle, or Magnus was a dismal driver. With luck, it was probably both.
The poor quality of the ride was also attributed to the fact that there were five people crammed into the cab of the truck. Eliza was crammed in between Magnus and Alec. Simon was on Alec's other side, Isabelle on his lap.
If they got pulled over, they were screwed.
Conditions were crowded. Isabelle and Magnus were arguing over the latter's poor taste in road trip music. Cautiously, she put her head on Alec's shoulder.
He glanced down at her. "Tired?"
He had no idea.
She hadn't really slept during their proclaimed 'nap time'. She'd lain in bed, mind blank, but buzzing. It was the idea that very soon, all of it would come to an end. Jonathan would no longer be a threat. He would be dealt with, one way or another. Her father was dead. She had no more crazy family members to worry about. Dealing with her family was exhausting. Always worrying about what Jonathan was going to do, if he was going to hurt Clary, what he was planning.
Very soon, Eliza Morgenstern would be faced with the life of a normal Shadowhunter.
It was a peaceful thought for her to fall asleep to.
She dreamt of a boy who felt like the sun. He was Apollo, golden hair and brilliant eyes. A faint star scarred onto his left shoulder. A wickedly sinful smile that made her knees weak and her heart hammer. There could be no sun because he was the sun. Her earth, she in herself, orbited him.
That she knew was wrong. People were not meant to revolve themselves around other people. But how could she not when a god himself stood before her?
She, it took too long for her to realize, was Icarus. Icarus in love. Icarus who fell for the boy made of sunlight. He who gave it all just to feel his fingertips graze the skin of a divine being. How could she not?
She jolted awake as her wax wings melted into her flesh. The burn was not so bad when weighed against the feeling of Heaven on her flesh.
"We're here." Alec said quietly as she rose up.
Indeed, they were. Magnus was already out of the truck. He asked if she slept well and she mumbled a yes.
"You were dreaming." He noted as Isabelle and Simon clambered from the truck. "Weren't you?"
She couldn't recall the last time she had dreamt. Possibly her last dream was the last one Lilith ever sent. Her darker side never dreamt.
"Only a little."
He raised an eyebrow. "What about?" She shrugged and moved to get out of the cab. Alec followed her lead. "You can tell me, Liz. You and I don't keep things from each other."
He was right. Alec had always been the one she was closest to. There was something she recognized in him upon their first meeting. Only now did she see that it was identity. Alec had hidden himself and his feelings from everyone. And so had she.
"I dreamt about the sun." She adjusted her weapons belt. "Not really. There was a boy. Apollo. The sun. That was the vibe. He was pure gold and sunlight and heaven. And I became Icarus. Dying just to feel the heat of his skin on my fingertips."
Alec's blue eyes were unreadable as he stared back at her. The corner of his mouth was quirked up a small bit.
She scratched the back of her neck. "I don't know. Do you ever feel like you're missing something? Like some part of your heart and soul has been carved out? But you don't remember. That's what I feel like. Like I'm missing something, some integral part of me. It feels like I've forgotten it, misplaced it, but I don't remember having it at all."
Alec put his arm around her shoulder. He pulled her in for a hug. "It's how I feel when I'm away from Magnus. Because I miss him."
Eliza snorted. "That's not helpful, Alexander. You have a boyfriend to long for. I do not." She stepped away from him. Her eyes narrowed as she looked forward, searching for the rest of their party. "Let's get this over with. Come on."
By the time they reached the farmhouse, everyone was ready to move again. Simon led them from the house to the orchard. Behind the apple trees was a glistening blue lake. Eliza closed her eyes, silencing the white noise of conversation.
The smooth slice of metal into, and out of, flesh.
The compact thud of a body hitting ground.
Dirt and blood mixed in her mouth.
Her heart beating slower and slower and slower until…
"Liz." Alec's hand was on her shoulder.
Her eyes flew open. "I'm okay." She said, not realizing he hadn't inquired on it.
"Good." He said slowly. "Are you worried about Simon?" She nodded. How could she not be? He was summoning the Angel. That was not allowed. "What else?" He asked.
Her eyes landed on Magnus. He was using a long rod to copy something from his spell book into the sand. "I don't think I should be here."
"Why not?"
She worried her bottom lip between her teeth. "What if the Angel sees me? Alec, he didn't think I was worthy of a second life. Who's to say I won't be the one he smites with heavenly fire?"
Alec's mouth downturned in a frown. "Liz, he couldn't bring you back. I'm sure he would have if he'd been able to. He couldn't have refused Clary's wish."
Like he was a genie and not the Angel of Nephilim.
That didn't mean he wouldn't see her, recognize her for what she was (pure demon-blooded filth) and smite her to Edom. Or Hell. She wasn't sure where someone like her would end up. Definitely not Heaven, that was for sure.
"Simon, chop chop." Magnus cut through her silence.
He was talking quietly with Isabelle. Magnus was standing in the middle of his drawing. Two circles, a larger one that encompassed a smaller one. In the ring separating the two circles were several symbols she didn't recognize. The outlines of the circles glowed a faint light white, while the symbols were a bright and hazy blue.
Simon took his leave from Isabelle to join Magnus in the summoning circle. They were talking, Magnus handing Simon a slip of paper, but she couldn't hear them. Magnus walked away from him, joining at Alec's other side. He reached over and dropped something in Eliza's hand.
It was a thin golden ring. She slipped it on her finger and looked back to Simon.
He had to be nervous. It wasn't every day that someone summoned the Angel Raziel, especially a vampire. Or any Downworlder.
"Alec," Simon said thickly, "I think you're way better than Jace."
Jace.
It came back. He was her dream. Apollo, the sun. That had been Jace. But why-?
"Magnus, your sense of style goes unmatched." Simon's voice cut through her thought. He was looking at her. "Eliza, you were always nice to me, even in the beginning. You risked your neck, literally, to save my life. Clary's lucky to have a sister like you. And…" he trailed, "everything's going to be okay. It will all work out." He turned his attention to Isabelle. All he said was her name before turning away.
Eliza moved behind Alec and Magnus to get to her. Wordlessly, she grabbed Isabelle's hand and held it in her own. "Come on." She whispered, hoping she wouldn't have to drag her back towards the house. Izzy went with her willingly, sparing a look back towards Simon as they re-entered the orchard. "He'll be okay." Eliza promised.
"You don't know that."
"Yes, I do." Isabelle asked how she could possibly know something like that. "It's Simon, Izzy. He's not some silly mundane anymore. He's a vampire, the Daylighter. He's got the Mark of Cain. And he's killed two Greater Demons. That's more than us."
Just like she'd hoped, Isabelle smiled.
She absently twisted the ring around her finger over and over again. Simon, miraculously, had succeeded. His plan had worked. Raziel had given him Glorious, the sword of Michael himself. In return, Raziel had taken the Mark of Cain from Simon.
That didn't matter to her. What mattered was that they had a weapon to use against Jonathan. And they could save Jace Herondale.
The sun.
She wished he would get out of her head, with his crooked, knowing smile, and bright eyes.
"Here." She dropped the ring into Simon's hand. "Magnus had me hold on to it. In case you died. But, you're not dead."
Simon put his ring back on. "Thanks?" Almost immediately after having the ring back on, Simon spoke, "You're kidding."
Eliza leaned closer to him. "Is that Clary?" He said yes. "What is it? Is something wrong?"
Simon took off the ring. He handed it to her. She put it on.
Clary…?
Liz?
Oh, thank God! Are you all right? I'm so sorry I left you with-.
I'm fine. Jace has been keeping an eye on me. Some part of him still knows you care.
What was that supposed to mean? She didn't get the chance to ask.
I don't have a lot of time, Liz. Sebastian's plan is happening tonight. It's ten p.m. here.
Five hours ahead of New York. Still in Europe.
What is it? Do you know?
He has a second Mortal Cup. He's going to raise Lilith and make an army. We're going to some place called the Seventh Sacred Site? It's some kind of doorway in a tomb where demons can be summoned.
She'd never heard of it. She'd have to ask Magnus.
Clary, you need to get out of there. As soon as possible.
I don't think I can.
Eliza groaned in frustration. Fine, that's fine. Everything will be fine. I won't go into detail, but the Angel gave us a weapon. We can use it so sever Jonathan and Jace Herondale. It may kill Jonathan, though.
Not that she minded.
The Angel—
Clary's thought didn't finish. Eliza felt something like panic rise up in her. But it wasn't hers to feel.
Clary? Clary?
"Damn it!" She cursed aloud.
The other four were staring at her. Simon's dark eyes were curious, hastily so.
"We're low on time." She said quickly. Her eyes flitted to Magnus, mouth forming a word.
"I know, little dove." He said. "I heard it all."
The other three looked between them. Alec asked what the hell was going on. Eliza stared down at the ring for a long moment before meeting his blue steel gaze. "Jonathan's ready. It's happening tonight."
It was a ritual simple and sacred to her. The part before the battle. She wanted to be alone. Needed to be alone. The others were recruiting. They needed more than five people to take on whatever army Jonathan was planning. Seven, really, because she counted for two Shadowhunters.
Her hair was ceremoniously braided into two braids. White-blond hair roped and knotted in itself. Her gear fit a little tighter than normal.
Every part of her felt like it was burning. She wasn't nervous. No, she was ready. More than ever. This was the end. Maybe the end of the world. The end of her. The end of Jonathan Morgenstern.
That had to be the way it ended, with his death. Glorious being shoved through his heart the way Maellartach had been shoved through hers.
There were two knives secured in each brace on her wrists. Her short-sword, Eosphoros, was on her back. She had four seraph blades on her weapons belt. Several smaller made chakrams, for Hodge. Even if he had betrayed her. He hadn't deserved the death Jonathan bestowed upon him.
She had one goal. Kill Jonathan.
For that to occur, Simon had to use Glorious against him. Unless something went wrong and then she had free reign. Jonathan would die. Whether or not Jace Herondale's life was tied to his. After that, her next goal was to get Clary out of there.
Chairman Meow, poor little kitten, was curled up on her desk. His beady eyes watched her. "I have to go." She told him. "We'll come back." He rose, stretching out. Under him, she saw, was a piece of sketch paper. "What's that?" She asked him. She reached out and picked it up.
It was the paper she'd stolen from Jace Herodale's room at the Institute. She'd never gotten around to looking at it.
A phrase was scrawled onto the back-most fold, written in familiar writing.
L'amor che move il sole e l'altre stelle.
"The love that moves the sun and the other stars." She murmured. That struck, a feeling bubbled up in her stomach.
Her cell phone rang.
Let's go.
With a frown, she put the piece of paper into her back pocket.
There was a feeling in the pit of her stomach. She was unable to ascertain whether it was good or bad. All she knew was that it was the same ruinous feeling she'd gotten back in August. The night Clary got thrown into their world.
The Seventh Sacred Site was in Ireland. A desolate place. A tomb, like Clary had said. It stood on a hill. Two large stones that towered vertically, connected by one flat capstone. From where they were standing, she could see a large group of Shadowhunters congregated before the tomb. They wore the ceremonial red robes. There was a line formed. At the head of it, naturally, was her brother.
Jonathan shone like the moon. Pale silver-blond hair, pale skin. He too wore the ceremonial gear. In his hands, he held a black chalice.
His cup.
Their group wasn't as big as Jonathan's. Luke's pack, Maia and Jordan, Jocelyn, Maryse Lightwood and her two children, Simon, and Magnus. Two other Shadowhunters had accompanied them. Aline Penhallow and Helen Blackthorn.
Eliza felt acidic distaste when faced with Aline but had no idea why.
She pulled her sword from its sheath. Adrenaline buzzed in her veins.
And then, battle broke.
All around her, Shadowhunters fought against other Shadwhunters. Red clashed with black (at least it was easy to distinct enemy from friend).
One came towards her. Someone she'd never met. Someone she'd have no trouble killing at all. Except, this now was no normal Shadowhunter. He moved faster than her normal sparring opponents. He moved…like her.
He easily sidestepped the blow of her blade. "Won't be so easy to kill me, traitor." He seethed.
"Aw, you know me." She glowered. "Good." In his distracting trash talk, he'd forgotten who he was dealing with. In a quick motion, she slashed the sword. His head flew off, rolling somewhere in the mess of battle. The body collapsed.
Blood flecked her face.
Deep inside, she felt it take hold. The cold grasp of the darkness. The demon blood. Instead of pushing it away, she welcomed it. She'd need all the help she could get.
She looked around. Magnus and Isabelle were flanking Simon. He held Glorious tight in his hands as they cut a path through Jonathan's army.
Jonathan.
She had to find him. The army would be protecting him. And with him, would be Clary.
She wasted no time slicing her way through Jonathan's army. Sword in one hand, seraph blade in the other. Around her, red-clad Shadowhunters fell. Blood spattered her clothes and skin.
From behind, someone grabbed her. She jerked her sword backwards and felt it stick. She spun, faced with a female she didn't recognize.
"Morgenstern." The woman rasped.
"You bet your ass." Eliza snarled before jerking her sword out of the woman's chest. The woman fell to the ground. Eliza's hand shot out and she grabbed onto another in red. She couldn't place his name, but she recognized him from the Circle. One of her father's zealots determined to follow her brother. What a mistake. "You know me?" She asked.
"Your brother wants you dead." He had a knife.
She grabbed his wrist and held it out stiffly. And then she kicked up. The bone broke, a sickening crack ringing in her ears. The knife flew up in the air. "Tell him I'm coming." She caught the knife as it came back down. She slashed the blade against his forehead. "Go." She shoved him away.
She powered on. Like her father had taught her, Eosphoros became an extension of her arm. It moved as fluidly as she did. The seraph blade was lighter, easier to wield. It entered and exited a body at a faster rate.
Her hands were slick with blood. She saw it, a blur of bright red in the crowd. Not Jocelyn. Clary.
Eliza stuck the seraph blade back on her weapons belt. And she ran. "Clary!" She shouted. One of the dark Shadowhunters was headed right for her. Eliza took a chakhram from her belt and let it fly. It stuck in the man's throat. He fell, his hand grazing Clary's shoulder. "Clary!"
She turned. Her face lit up. "Liz!"
They ran towards each other. Eliza engulfed her in a hug. "Thank God. I was worried sick." She pulled away. Clary had a dark liquid tinged on her bottom lip. "What is that?" Eliza wiped it away.
"Blood. Lilith's." She spit on the ground. "Sebastian is making them drink it. It turns them evil."
That's why they were so fast. The blood of a Greater Demon was running through their veins. Just like her.
Her sense heightened. Her skin went hot. Her head jerked up and Eliza saw someone running towards them. Golden curls of hair.
The sun.
Jace.
Eliza pushed Clary behind her. She saw behind Jace was Jonathan.
Someone jostled into Clary. Simon. He held Glorious in his hand. "Give it." Clary outstretched her hand. And he did.
Clary looked at Eliza. "Get Jonathan. I'll take care of Herondale." Clary frowned at her. Eliza balanced her sword as they drew nearer. "If you can't separate them, I won't hesitate to drive my sword through Jace Herondale's heart."
"Liz, you can-."
"I can. And I will."
Jace Herondale drew upon the two sisters, a beacon of sunlight amidst a battle of blood. The ceremonial red of his gear complemented his skin. And she hated to admit that, when she was so ready to end his life.
"Lizzie?" Her name, a pet name that no one seemed to call her, but that brought about unknown feelings of happiness, sounded so perfect coming from him.
She held the sword at level with his chest. "Don't come any closer. I don't want to hurt you."
But she would. Oh, she knew she would.
He stared back at her with eyes that encompassed her entire self. He seemed to know her and not recognize her all at the same time. His face was streaked with blood, some of it appearing to be his. "You won't." He said carefully. "Jonathan said-."
"My brother doesn't know me like he believes." She snapped.
Clary grabbed her wrist. "It's not really him, Liz." She said quietly. "It's not Jace. Not your Jace."
Hers?
"You can't do it." Jace Herondale seemed to taunt her.
She stepped forward, her sword not wavering. "You don't know what I can do."
"Liz, it's not him." Clary said from behind her. "Jace, the real Jace, would rather die than be tied to Sebastian."
She didn't care about the real Jace. She only cared about the one standing in front of her.
"They said you were made of angels. I wonder if you bleed like them."
He put his hands up. "Lizzie, put the sword down. You and I both know you won't kill me."
She raised an eyebrow. He sounded so sure of her. Like he knew her. Every little bit of her. "What makes you say that?"
He smiled. It was nothing like the smile she had seen in photographs or even conjured up in her mind. This was a smile void of any real feeling. It was as fake as any smile Jonathan ever used.
Whoever this Jace boy had been before was gone. That boy had been replaced by someone Jonathan had molded into his foot soldier.
"Because you love me. You still love me, don't you?" He took a tentative step towards her.
Slowly, she twisted the sword in her hand. "I don't even know you." She spat. "It's not hard to kill someone you don't know. Wanna see?" The green of her eyes had faded. The only thing separating the iris from the pupil was a thin silver line. She didn't take her eyes off him but motioned for Clary to go on. "Find Jonathan. Separate them before I shove this thing through Herondale's heart."
"Liz-."
"I said go, Clary!"
"No!" Jace moved towards Clary.
She shoved Clary backwards, Glorious falling from her hand. Eliza reached and grabbed him by the shoulder. She shoved him backwards. "Stay away from my sister!" She slashed recklessly with the sword, the blade slicing into his shoulder.
He stared at her, there was a flatness to the shock in his eyes. He had truly believed she wouldn't hurt him.
She looked around. Jonathan was nowhere to be seen. There was a strong possibility he had fled. They'd never get the chance again, not to separate them. Not to stop him.
The decision was made.
Jace Herondale was going to die.
He barreled into her, knocking her to the ground. The sword flew from her hand. Her head banged against rough earth. His hand wrapped around her wrist, knees pinned against her torso. "Don't make me fight you, Lizzie."
"Please." She grunted. "I'd hardly call this a fight." She reared her head up and slammed her forehead into his. He fell back and she pushed herself up.
Her head was spinning. Her vision blurred. Dizzily, she reached and picked up her sword. Jace was picking himself up from the ground.
Her sword seemed to glow in her dizziness, a bright golden light that stung, making her eyes water.
"Eliza, what are you doing?" He took a slow step away from her. "Stop. Please, Liz, don't." But each word, each plea sounded flat. "Give me the sword. I know you won't do it, so just stop being foolish and hand it over."
She blinked, drawing to a stop just inches away from him. He really was handsome. "Fine." She said coolly. "Here."
Never offer a sword blade first. Unless you're going for the kill. Lesson twenty-two.
Jace began to reach. In his hesitant movement, she moved faster than any normal Shadowhunter could. Too fast for him to process.
The sword went in, plunging deep into his chest. They were nose to nose, her knuckles pressed against his chest. His blood was pumping over her hand.
Somewhere, someone screamed.
Jonathan, she realized blissfully before something seized in her chest.
The parabatai rune on her neck burned. Her chest was ripping apart. She bit down to keep from screaming.
Jace Herondale was still looking down at her. His face, bloodied and beaten, was a picture of peace. His eyes were a bright gold. The same light in his eyes seemed to play under his skin.
Through tears, she looked down. The hilt of the sword had no glittering rubies. It was bare.
"Glorious." She murmured just as his skin engulfed in flames.
The pain in her chest became too much. Just as she resigned to it, something like lightning shot through her arm, forcing her back. Her head smacked against something hard and the world went black.
When she came to, her mother was standing over her. "Eliza, thank God."
She groaned as Jocelyn helped her to her feet. The back of her head was sore. Beneath her, the rock on which she had hit her head was stained with blood. She felt the back of her head. No blood. But it was in her hair.
"A few iratze." Her mother whispered.
Everyone else was silent. Clary was staring up at her from the ground. Simon was holding Isabelle, who seemed still as a statue. Magnus held Alec in a similar manner.
"What's wrong?" She asked her mother. "Who die-?"
The word fell flat. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw it. She saw him.
Slowly, she turned to face the body on the ground. Ash covered him, mixed in with blood. The sword was gone, leaving an empty place in his chest. Blood, so much blood. He looked the same, but so different.
"Honey?" Jocelyn's voice was barely a whisper.
Eliza couldn't take her eyes off him. Just laying there.
"Oh, God." She felt her knees start to give. "Oh, my God."
Her heart felt as if it was being squeezed by a python. Her steps were sluggish as she walked closer to him.
"Jace?" She whispered. "Jace?" She waited for a reply that she knew wouldn't come. Her knees gave. She fell next to him, finding it all too hard to breathe. "What did I do?" Her hands grabbed at him, pulling him into her lap. "No, no, no. Please, God, no."
"It wasn't supposed to be this way." Magnus whispered. "It was to wear off the moment they were separated." He told them. Isabelle bit back angrily that his spell had worked. "She wasn't supposed to hurt him. I never planned on her getting close enough for it. It wasn't…This wasn't what I intended."
Her head hurt. Everything hurt.
"Liz, honey." Jocelyn spoke tentatively. "He's dea-."
"NO!" She screamed at her. Harder, she held him to her. He couldn't be. It was Jace. Her Jace. That wasn't how the sword worked. It was meant to sever him from Jonathan, burn the evil from him. Jace wasn't evil. He was good. He was so good. "He's not dead." She said resolutely. "He can't be." She pushed his hair from his face. "Come back to me, baby. Please come back." She begged quietly. "L'amor che move il sole e l'altre stelle. Remember? Stronger than death."
Clary asked about Jonathan, to which Jocelyn replied they were searching for him.
"Eliza…" Magnus' voice seemed far away. Her eyes lifted and met his gaze. "Little dove-."
"Can you fix him?" She asked in a small, childlike voice. "Wake him up?"
His eyes saddened. "No, little dove. There's no waking up from the eternal sleep."
He wasn't dead. He couldn't be dead.
She hadn't- she had wanted to kill him. And she did it. But this, this was wrong. She'd been wrong. That version of her, the version that had never known him, was wrong.
Jocelyn had been right. Eliza had loved Jace far too much. And it had hurt them both. It had hurt everyone around them. It had killed him.
"I'm sorry." She rapidly blinked away the tears. "I'm so sorry." He remained still. She knew he wasn't coming back, not this time. There were no third chances at life. "I love you." She leaned down, her lips brushing against his cold ones. She drew away. "More than an angel loves the heavens."
His eyelashes fluttered against his cheek.
She jerked back, so sure she was seeing things. Her grief was driving her mad. But that didn't stop her hand from ripping open the gear and pressing down on his chest. Faintly, barely there, but it was there.
The beat of his heart.
Jace was awake. That much she knew. He was awake and she wasn't allowed to see him. The Silent Brothers were examining him. Izzy had said something about him glowing, whatever that meant. So, mostly, he was being examined. She thought part of it had to do with the whole fact that she nearly killed him. She hadn't been the first Morgenstern to shove a sword through Jace's heart.
She hoped she was the last.
Staying at Magnus' had been a given. No one in the Clave wanted her near the Institute. Which made her think another, more serious trial, laid in her path.
That was all fine and dandy as long as she got to see Jace. She'd spent too long not knowing him, not loving him. And then tried to kill him.
Maybe he didn't want to see her. That was a possibility. She'd gone full Morgenstern on him. She didn't blame him if that was the case.
Her phone was ringing somewhere amidst the blankets on her bed. She dug around for a bit before finding it. Her mom?
"Hello?"
"Eliza, it's your mother."
"Yeah, Caller ID is a real treasure." She said dryly. "Something wrong?"
Jocelyn laughed quietly. "It's not good that we always ask if something is wrong when answering the phone." She didn't reply. "But, yes. Something is wrong."
"What? Is it Jace?"
Her heart hammered in her chest.
"Yes. Kind of. Do you remember that long talk we had? About how much you loved him?" How could she not? It had driven her to make the worst mistake of her life. "I was wrong, Eliza. It's not bad that you love him so much. It's good, it means you're human. Even when you took it away, that love came back to you. You were right, it's a love stronger than death."
She wasn't exactly sure where the conversation was headed. Was this Jocelyn's mild attempt at taking responsibility for Eliza's actions? Eliza wasn't yet eighteen, therefore still a child by Covenant.
"It's also a love that's a hell of a lot stronger than some Clave members and Silent Brothers." Jocelyn added.
"What?"
"Don't let anything keep you from him anymore. If you want to see him, do it."
"Aren't you supposed to deter me from sneaking off to see my boyfriend?"
"I'll let it slide this once."
Eliza grinned, hanging up the phone. God, now she had to find something to wear.
The infirmary loomed before her. Before she could get in, though, she had to get through the Silent Brother guarding the door.
She looked down at the piece of sketch paper in her hand. It was dotted with dried blood. She slipped it into the pocket of her jacket.
Miss Morgenstern. The Silent Brother turned toward her. Upon a look, she realized she knew this one. Brother Zachariah. He wasn't as disfigured as the others. Or as stoically creepy. I know why you are here.
"Not to kill him." She joked icily. "I'd like to talk to him." She paused. "Alone."
When we met last, you did not seem to recall Jonathan Herondale. Your memory of him was blank. But now, it is full once again.
She grimaced at him. "I made a mistake. I was trying to protect my sister. And save the world." Only one of which she actually accomplished.
No one knew where Jonathan was. He was gone. Not dead but gone. She knew, deep down, he'd be back.
You made a difficult decision. Perhaps you chose wrong. Perhaps you didn't. It shows great promise that you were willing to sacrifice your love for our world.
"It's what any other Shadowhunter would do." That was part of the job. Making the hard choice. Cutting the rope and losing two people to save five others.
No, it is not.
She eyed him. Slowly, he stepped aside, leaving the door accessible to her.
We all make drastic decisions for the ones we love most.
At that, she stepped inside.
The infirmary was empty, save for the boy occupying the most stocked bed in the room. He had swiped pillows from the other beds, using them to prop himself up. He looked up at the sound of the door closing.
Their eyes met.
"Hi." She half-smiled.
He sat up. "They let you in?" Surprise edged his words.
"I think they know better than to cross me." She laughed in a hollow manner. It was meant to lighten the mood, but it seemed to stiffen in even more. "Jace-."
"Liz-."
They looked at one another, ghosts of smiles on their faces. He nodded, telling her to go first. "I'm sorry." It was all she could think of. "For everything. All of it. Everything that's happened since the day we met. Every lie, every single thing I've done wrong. I'm sorry. And I'm sorry that I hurt you. For erasing you completely. For- well, for almost killing you."
"You're sorry."
"Yes." She nodded sharply. "And- and I came to tell you that this is it. For us. I think it's best that-."
He cut her off. "You're breaking up with me?" Quietly, she said yes. "You nearly killed me and now you're breaking up with me?"
She sat down on the edge of his bed. "It's for the best. I thought about it the whole way here and I'm the reason all this stuff happened to you. If I'd never let you love me, you never would have been pulled into the mess with my father, so you never would have died, or been tied to Jonathan. We wouldn't be here. You're better off without me."
He leaned forward. He seemed good as new. The same old Jace. "Let me love you? Did you ever think that was what I wanted? Besides, I don't think either of us had much choice in the matter. We're meant to be."
It was the cheesiest thing she'd ever heard him say. Mostly, he sounded so romantic and lyrical when he rambled on about their love. This sounded like something ripped straight off a coffee mug.
"You're not allowed to break up with me." He said finitely.
"Is that so?"
He drew closer. His breath was hot on her face. His hand fell over hers, his other rising to cup her cheek. "You've saved me in more ways than one, Eliza Morgenstern." Electricity buzzed over her skin. "Hell and high water, right?"
She laughed breathily. "Hell and high water." She hadn't noticed the glow of his skin until then. A light shimmer of gold beneath the surface. "Apollo." She murmured.
"Huh?"
She shook her head, saying it was a dream she'd had. Then, he was kissing her. It was unsure, an improper calculation of his lips on hers. She grabbed onto his neck, the skin hot under her hands. Not warm. Hot.
She drew back, shaking her hands out. "Are you running a fever?"
Grinning, he said no. "I'm just so hot for you, Liz." He could be so crude at times. "Not that I wasn't telling the truth, but there is a problem." She asked what that was. His fingers danced with the hem of her dress. The lightness of his fingertips tickled her thigh and she shuddered. "Glorious, Michael's sword that Raziel gave you, was made of Heavenly fire. When you stabbed me, the sword returned to Michael. But the fire, it's still inside me."
He lifted his hands, palms up, for her to see. At first, they were normal. And then they turned transparent. She could see the bones in his hand, the connection of tendons and muscles. The faint glow burned brighter, the color of fire. Just like Glorious had.
"I always said you were hot." Eliza smirked at him.
Jace rolled his eyes. She asked what the Silent Brothers had said about his situation. "They don't. really know anything. They've never seen something like this before." His fingers went back to her dress. "You know how I feel about dresses."
She smiled again. "I know. I was kind of hoping you'd see me in it and convince me not to break up with you."
"Consider me thoroughly convinced." His words were thick. "Can you put on some sweats or something? You in a dress…"
She closed the gap between them, kissing him urgently. His hand grasped her thigh, squeezing the soft skin. "I missed you."
His hand was hot. He jerked away. "We can't. I could hurt you." She said she was pretty sure he owed her some pain, considering the stabbing thing. "Seriously, Liz, I don't want to hurt you."
She pulled away. "Jace, do you…" she needed the right words, "do you remember when it was the three of us at first? Me, you, and Jonathan. Do you remember anything…?"
"Everything. It's like a bad dream, but I remember all of it."
She nodded slowly. She had hoped he wouldn't remember anything. She'd wanted their first time to be something special, something real. But the influence of darkness had fucked that over.
He grabbed onto her hand. "I know what you're thinking." He told her. "I wish it had been different. I wish it had really been me instead of that version of myself. I'm jealous of that."
He was jealous of himself for having sex with her? It was something she could understand because the darker version of her had gotten to experience that. But did that mean it didn't count? It had been darker versions of both of them. Now, that version of Jace was gone and hers would never see the light of day again.
Until it came time to kill Jonathan once and for all.
"I say we call a re-do." She decided. "Cancel all that out. It never happened."
"Really?"
"Mhmm. We'll start fresh once you can control your…burning desire for me."
Jace grinned and pulled her close, holding her to his chest. He kissed her temple and entwined their hands. "Babe, I will always be burning with desire for you. Even when we're old and gray."
"That's what I like to hear."
He pulled something from his pocket and dropped it in her hand. It was the Morgenstern ring. It had once been his, but he'd given it to her. "Figured that you'd want it back."
She slipped it on her finger. "It'll do. Until you give me a new one." She sighed, leaning against him again.
"A new one, huh?"
She said yes. "A Herondale one. Or a Lightwood, whatever you're going by. Temporary, of course."
He knew exactly what she meant. He kissed her again, on the cheek. And the nose. And her other cheek. And her forehead. "I love you."
She turned so she could look in his eyes. The gold seemed to move, having a life of its own. She stroked his cheek. Remembering the piece of paper in her pocket, she took it out. Jace stiffened at the sight of the blood on the paper.
She unfolded it, revealing the picture of them Clary had sketched in the park only a few weeks ago. Jace was asleep in her lap, his arms around her legs. Clary had captured perfectly the adoration with which Eliza looked down at him. In fact, there was so much that a picture couldn't tell (the way in which they were so comfortable with one another, how they molded together) that Clary had managed to portray.
"Where'd you get that?" Jace breathed.
She leaned against him, looking down at the sketch. "I took it from your room at the Institute, when I was…"
"When you forgot me?" He supplied.
Ashamed, she said that was right. "I never opened it. But I kept it with me, something told me I needed it. It was in my back pocket, during the battle at the Burren in Ireland." She explained to him. She wanted to know if, had she opened it then, before knowing him again, would everything have come back? Or would she have been just as confused? "Even then, when I didn't know you in my head, I knew you in my heart. In my soul." She said very softly, looking at him through her eyelashes. "You're a part of me, Jace. Always and forever."