After Darkness, Light (Post Tenebras Lux)

by AyaMae91

3 years after QoAaD; Kit navigates Shadowhunter life at the London Institute with Jaime and an Academy graduate named Dalton. Soon joined by Dru and her friend Thais, they begin investigating a heist, and things escalate when a Shadowhunter turns up dead on the institute steps. Complicating matters are a mysterious amulet, Tiberius Blackthorn, and the consequences of that night.

12. Let This Haunt You

Since I'm so terrible at updating regularly, the next two chapters are quite long! It took me so long because there are quite a few elements that I needed to research. There's going to be a lot happening! I hope you enjoy, and as always thank you for sticking with me and this story!

….

Chapter 12: Let This Haunt You

A light knock on his door woke Kit from his sleep, and he tumbled out of bed, groaning and squinting at the early morning sunlight streaming through the window. He pulled open the door to find Ty, standing in the lightweight gear used for training, looking marvelously awake. His headphones were hooked around his neck, emitting the faint sound of the classical music he preferred. Kit rubbed at his eyes, noticing the faint stubble peppering Ty's jaw. Ty was typically clean shaven, but Kit found that it suited him.

Ty's gaze drifted down and away quickly, and Kit was suddenly excruciatingly aware that he was only standing in his boxers. He shut the door with a distinct click and hurriedly slipped on a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt before reopening the door. The puzzled expression on Ty's face amused him, however, he found himself unable to speak proper words in his own embarrassment.

"I, uhhh…tired—sorry—good morning?" he mumbled, barely coherently.

"It's not like I've never seen you without a shirt on," Ty replied in that simple, matter-of-fact way of his. "Now come on, it's time."

Kit gaped at him, then glanced at the clock on his bedside table, which read seven in the morning. "Time for what?"

"Your first day of training."

Kit breathed a long, heavy sigh. "I need coffee first."

"It's already brewing."

Kit stared again. Had Ty seriously made sure coffee was ready for him before waking him up?

"That's...Thanks, Ty. I'll meet you in the training room in ten."

Ty nodded and set off down the hall, with Kit gazing after him curiously. An inexplicable feeling came over Kit, and he thought back to the way Ty had hugged him the night before. Hugs from Ty were rare, no matter who you were to him. Kit had known then, without a doubt, that Ty had forgiven him for leaving, and for once, Kit actually felt okay. Like maybe, just maybe, everything that had happened was just as it was supposed to be.

Jem and Tessa would have been proud of him for the thought. Johnny would have laughed in his face and told him to get his head on straight. It never ceased to amaze him how much different—better even—his life had been, all things considered, since he chose to live a Shadowhunter life. He couldn't seem to escape the feeling of resentment towards his father for denying him the right to choose, nor could he escape his hatred of the Riders of Mannan for killing his mother, denying him the chance at a normal, happy childhood.

He pushed those thoughts deep into the dark, untouchable recesses of his mind; thinking about the things he couldn't change did absolutely no good for anyone. Besides, Ty was right, living with Jem and Tessa had been good for him, even though it meant they had been apart. Funny how life worked that way sometimes. The things that hurt were sometimes the best things for you. At least, they were in hindsight.

He dug out his training gear and slipped it on, feeling alive and ready for whatever Ty had in store for him.

…..

He quickly changed his mind when it became apparent that Ty was damn near ruthless in his training. Kit had peeled off his shirt after only fifteen minutes of grueling exercises meant to push him to his limits, all embarrassment at having been caught in his boxers earlier gone.

Sweat beaded on Ty's forehead, making his dark hair stick to his skin. He kept having to brush it out of his eyes, and Kit had the momentary thought to tell him he needed a haircut, but decided against it.

They dueled now; Kit with his niuweidao and Herondale dagger and Ty with his stunning karambits. Despite the fact that the curved daggers were meant for defense, it didn't stop Ty from going on the offensive with them, ducking and slashing relentlessly, testing Kit's speed and adaptability. Ty was not afraid to hurt Kit, that much was clear, having already nicked him across the arm twice.

"Are you trying to kill me?" Kit said raggedly, just barely dodging a well-aimed stab towards his chest.

Ty smirked, and Kit knew that part of him was enjoying this. "We can't know what your limits are unless we push past them, right?"

"And that involves physical harm?"

Kit spun out and away into a backflip, readying himself once again. Ty didn't answer right away, but charged at him, feigning at the last moment into a low crouch. Kit leapt over him, swinging out his blade as he hit the floor. Ty caught the blade between the curved edges of his daggers and shoved Kit backwards.

"Among other things. What if someone captures you and attempts to torture you for information? Do you want to be able to control your powers or not?" he said, swiping out with his foot and tripping Kit.

Kit glared up at him from the floor. "What the hell did they teach you at the Scholomance?"

Ty ignored the question. "It is important to first test your physical limits, Kit."

"Yeah, yeah."

Kit jumped up with as much force and speed as he could put into his feet, knocking one of the daggers from Ty's hand and pinning him to the floor, his Herondale blade pressed tightly against his throat. Ty's Adam's apple bobbed and Kit was transported back in time to his basement, only it was he who held Ty at knife point now.

Kit found himself in awe of the way his eyes changed color in different lighting, from slate gray to polished silver, and how his inky black hair curled around his face when damp, defining the angle of his jaw. Ty was still the most alarmingly beautiful person he had ever met.

Ty's lips quirked up. "This seems familiar."

Indeed. Focus, Kit.

"You'd be dead if this were a real fight," Kit boasted.

Ty lifted a dark eyebrow in response. "Is that so?"

Kit felt it then; the dagger pressed up against his rib cage. The cold, curved tip pierced his skin just slightly, enough to hurt and draw blood. Kit leapt off Ty in a flash.

"You know, for someone who really doesn't enjoy fighting, you sure are good at it."

"Just because I don't like to, doesn't mean I can't."

Kit looked around the room briefly, realizing that they had an audience. To his relief, Dalton had not joined the others yet. Though it had remained unspoken, Kit was aware Dalton had misgivings about training with Ty. Even though he had denied worrying that Kit still felt something for Ty, he suspected the insecurity was still there, festering.

Kit picked up Ty's discarded karambit and tested the dagger in the palm of his hand before passing it back to Ty. "I like the way this dagger feels. It's weighted nicely."

"Why do you think I like them?"

"It helps that they're pretty." Kit attempted to ignore the way the light silver swirls of Damascus steel matched the color of Ty's unfairly lovely eyes.

The corner of Ty's mouth lifted, and he dashed a brilliant smile—the type of smile that made Kit's world stop, distracting him from literally everything else.

Kit needed to get a grip on his intrusive thoughts, regardless of how pleasant they were. Ty was his friend, and they were still only starting to rebuild the relationship they once had, nothing more.

"Break?"

Ty shook his head, and Kit groaned. "I think we are done for today. Besides, you have some wounds to heal up now," he said, offering his stele.

Kit took it and etched a quick iratze on his arm and stomach, handing it back to Ty when he was done.

"How come—never mind," Ty began.

"Why do I always do my own Marks?"

Ty nodded, and Kit found himself unable to lie.

"Force of habit, I suppose. Jem did all my permanent ones, other than the one you gave me," he said, holding up the hand with the voyance rune. It was the truth, mostly. He couldn't bring himself to admit that he hadn't wanted anyone else putting runes on him other than Ty. Now that Ty was back in his life, that idea seemed a bit ludicrous, but how could Kit start letting Ty Mark him again? How would he ever explain that to Dalton?

No—the real reason didn't matter. And he didn't mind drawing his own now that he was better at it. For the longest time, Jem had to draw most of them when they trained, as Kit couldn't quite get a feel for it. Now it was like second nature.

"Learn anything useful today?"

"Much," Ty said, but didn't elaborate, before walking away and leaving Kit to mull over exactly what Ty meant by that.

Dru joined him then. "You held your own pretty well, but in the end, I knew Ty would kick your ass."

"Geez, thanks Dru. Once again, your confidence in me knows no bounds."

"That's what I'm here for," she grinned.

Kit rolled his eyes, pulling his shirt back on and making a face as the material stuck to his still damp skin. "Have you and Thais decided when your parabatai ceremony will be?"

"In a few weeks."

"Is the whole family coming?" Kit had seen the rest of the Blackthorns at Jace and Clary's wedding and had spoken with Julian and Emma on occasion, but hadn't spoken to everyone in so long that the familiar pang of anxiety shot through him at the prospect of them all being in London together.

Dru must have sensed his trepidation. "It will be fine, Kit. I know they don't know everything that happened, and they don't need to, but they will be happy to know that you and Ty have patched things up."

"You're sure they aren't angry with me?" He had purposely tried to avoid thinking about it, but now that he was, he realized he had only been fooling himself.

Dru was thoughtful for a while, contemplating how best to explain. "I was angry with you. Because I thought you were my friend, and I knew about the necromancy. Little Tavvy was too young to understand it and Emma and Julian seemed to get that you had 'stuff' you needed to figure out. Helen and Aline barely knew you. And Mark, though unhappy that you had hurt Ty, was honestly busy with Kieran and Cristina. So, no, I would say they aren't—and never really were—angry with you."

Kit found himself more relieved than he cared to admit out loud. "Speaking of Kieran," Kit said instead, "I think I need to talk to him…about this faerie business. You know him better; can I trust him?"

Dru considered her answer carefully. "I think...and I'm sure everyone else would agree, that you should tread lightly where Kieran is concerned. He may be as much a part of this family as you are, but he never wanted the Kingship. If he knew there was a way for him to set aside his crown and be with Mark and Cristina freely, then I have no doubt he would try. Kieran is honorable, but however loyal he may be to his people; he is a hundred times more loyal to Mark and Cristina and would die for them. I've never seen anything quite like their relationship. It's not something to be taken lightly."

"So, I shouldn't tell him," Kit said, dismayed. He had really hoped he could trust Kieran.

"Whether you choose to tell him or not, it's completely up to you. But he will likely see it as an opportunity to pass off the Kingship to you as the rightful heir."

"I don't want it though."

"Neither did he. Besides, you're the only person who could also unseat the Seelie Queen, who has Kieran's Brother, Adaon. I'm just saying that you need to really think this through before you decide to do anything. Who knows, maybe you could make some sort of deal, but deals with the fey, even Kieran, can be dangerous."

Kit sighed, realizing that as things were now, telling Kieran anything would be high on the list of bad ideas.

"Besides, I don't think Ty would be comfortable with your secret leaving these walls."

Kit glanced over at Ty, cleaning his daggers intently. Dru was definitely right in her assumption; Ty probably wouldn't have even let him finish proposing his idea of confiding in Kieran before flat out telling him no.

"Well, regardless, we have other issues to deal with. Like a magical scrying glass. Can't rule out the possibility that the Cohort is already well aware of my abilities."

"Then you need to be extra careful. Ty is right about one thing for sure; anyone could capture you and try to torture you for information or try and use your abilities for their own gain."

"I'd rather not think about that."

"I know. How about we do something fun on Sunday, since none of us have to patrol," Dru suggested, instead.

"That depends on whether or not Ty kills me with his training before then. But yes, I'd be down for some fun."

"Did someone say fun?" Dalton came up behind Kit and put his arms around his waist. Kit instinctively glanced at Ty, which earned him a raised brow from Dru. Ignoring it, Kit swiveled in Dalton's arms, giving him a light kiss on the cheek.

Dru made a face. "I was just suggesting that we take a break on Sunday to do something fun. All of us. Kit, you should invite Jem, Tessa and Charlotte."

"Sure. Right now, I need a shower." And a distraction, he thought to himself, gazing one more time at Ty. He pulled Dalton along by the hand, pausing only momentarily in the hall to whisper, "I hope you haven't showered yet."

Dalton's answering grin was enough for Kit to tug him along the rest of the way to his bedroom.

…..

Dru was in the library with Thais, sitting at the computer. Thais mumbled the parabatai vows to herself, which pleased Dru immensely. She wished they could do the ceremony right away, but she understood Thais wanted her family to be able to come. So far—and it seemed odd to Dru—Thais' mom had acted wishy-washy about whether or not she was coming. As far as Dru had been aware, Thais' relationship with her mom had always been a good one, but there had been a lack of support from Morena recently.

"Thais," Dru interrupted. "What is going on with your mom?"

"I don't really want to talk about it," she said, her tone indicating that she may or may not bite Dru's head off if she kept asking. Dru took a moment to observe her friend. Her usually bright brown eyes seemed dull, unusually so, like she hadn't been sleeping or feeling well. She had thrown her wavy brown hair up into a messy bun instead of keeping it long and loose as she often preferred it.

Dru chose to ignore the tone. Thais was her best friend, and Dru wanted to know what was going on. "I know...but you haven't been your usual bubbly self lately. I'm just worried about you."

Thais gave her a small smile in return, face softening apologetically. "Me desculpa. Forgive me." She slid to Dru's side and rested her head on her shoulder. "Mother's been stressed lately. And she's not happy with my decision to come to London with you. She had hoped I would return to Rio."

"Thais...why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I wanted to come here. With you."

Dru's heart swelled with adoration for her. "And what about becoming parabatai? How does she feel about that?"

"I don't know. She hasn't actually said anything about it."

Dru reached out to touch her arm supportively. "I'm sorry. We can postpone it, if you need to."

Thais sat up straight. "No, absolutely not. I don't want to wait, Drusilla." Dru wasn't overly fond of her full name, but she always loved how it sounded when Thais said it—light and airy, with a softness to the consonants that contrasted with the harsh English pronunciation. She had once told Thais that she was the only person allowed to call her Drusilla.

"Okay. Good." There was a part of her that was worried Thais would want to hold off. It was a relief to know that she was just as committed to going through with the ceremony as she was. "I'm sure your mom will come around."

"Yeah, hopefully. I would like her to be here."

Thais flopped onto her back on the floor, and Dru went back to work scrolling through some custom t-shirt websites, until she found what she was looking for. She selected a shirt style, browsed through the different font colors and styles until she was satisfied with her choices and finalized the order.

"What do you think?" she asked Thais, whacking her on the shin to get her attention.

She righted herself again, took one look at the screen and burst into an uncontrollable fit of giggles. When she finally took a breath to speak, Dru noticed there were tears running down her face. "That is the most ridiculously perfect thing I have ever seen. It's going to be amazing."

Dru laughed along with her, and Dru entered the payment information she had gotten from Kit—the institute had a credit card, apparently—and submitted the order.

"And now we wait."

….

Ty and Kit entered the library where Magnus worked diligently on the spell to reverse the nullifying effects on the Ring of Dispel. The warlock stood in front of a long table with the Book of the White splayed open in front of him. Various vials and small glass containers littered the table, the ring held up in a small vice-like contraption in the center of a small pentagram.

Ty watched curiously as Magnus handled the ingredients with care. Magnus was busy grinding some mystery ingredient into a fine powder with his mortar and pestle and looked up only momentarily to acknowledge Kit and Ty's presence. The sinking sensation of guilt settled in his stomach as he watched, reminding Ty of the resurrection spell he and Kit did. He knew it wasn't the same; that Magnus knew exactly what he was doing with the tome.

Still, the familiar pull towards the magic existing within those pages tugged at him, and he wasn't certain if it was some innate flaw within him or if it was a residual effect from dabbling in dark magic. Either way, it unsettled him and he found himself shifting ever-so-slightly closer to Kit, acknowledging that Kit's presence kept him grounded in a way that nothing else did.

"How is the reversal spell coming along?" Kit finally asked when Magnus finished up the powder and poured it carefully into a small glass.

"This spell is far more complex than I had anticipated," he admitted. Ty noticed the shift on Kit's face—of disappointment and concern. "But have no fear, Magnus Lightwood-Bane is here! A little challenge never deterred me. Ask Alexander," he winked.

"So, you will be able to undo it?"

"Oh yes. But I'm afraid I don't have everything I need. There are…" he did an exaggerated flourish with his hands, his many glittering rings catching the light, "How to put it—numerous layers to this spell."

Ty's curiosity piqued further and he leaned against the table, taking a closer look at the vials and labels, some of which he recognized, others he had never heard of before. It bothered him a bit; he took great pride in his extensive knowledge of magical herbs and natural substances.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Kit inquired.

"Do you remember the shop I sent you to for the ingredients to undo the binding spell on Mark and Cristina?"

Kit and Ty nodded, but it was Ty who raised the objection first. "It's run by Hypatia. There's no way we can go back there."

"No, we cannot. But we could send Jaime, Dalton, or Thais. Or all three."

Ty knew immediately that Kit would not like sitting this one out, and knew before Kit even opened his mouth to speak that he was about to argue with Magnus. He reached out and gripped Kit's arm gently but firmly.

"Send Jaime and Dalton," Ty suggested, earning a sideways glance and a raised eyebrow from Kit. "Jaime can talk his way out of anything, and Dalton has a trustworthiness about him. He's easy to like." He felt Kit's blue gaze on him, but refused to acknowledge it. To his surprise, Kit did not argue.

Magnus nodded his assent, before continuing. "I also need someone to go to the Shadow Market. There is only one place to get the primary ingredient for this spell. But I should warn you, it could be dangerous."

"What's the ingredient?" Ty asked skeptically.

"Toadstones, believe it or not." It made sense that Magnus would need that ingredient. Ty knew toadstones were generally sought after for their healing benefits, especially from poison, but they could also be used in spells for protection.

Kit's eyes practically glowed with excitement at the prospect. Ty knew how much he loved the Shadow Market; how Kit was in his element whenever they had gone. But Ty could not let Kit go anywhere near the market. It simply wasn't safe.

Ty looked to Magnus for support.

"Christopher."

"Kit," he said. "Please don't call me Christopher. And please don't tell me it's too dangerous for me to go to the Shadow Market. My entire existence has been dangerous. The only difference is now I know why."

Ty hadn't removed his hand from Kit's arm, and squeezed tightly. "I know you don't want to be left out of this—"

"You're right, I don't," he replied, tugging his arm out of Ty's grasp. "I can't just sit here and let everyone else put themselves in danger."

"That's not what we are asking you to do," Magnus said. "Besides, I could use your help here anyway."

Kit's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You're not just saying that because you don't want me involved, are you?"

"I'm not going to lie Kit, of course that's part of the reason. But this is also a good opportunity to see if we can utilize your magic. Safely," he added with a cat-eyed glance at Ty.

"Fine," Kit agreed, and Ty released a long breath, relieved that Kit wasn't fighting them on the matter. "Who's going then?"

"Me."

"No!" Kit protested. "You hate the Shadow Market. And you remember what happened last time?"

"Of course I remember," Ty snapped. How could he forget that if he had been Livvy's parabatai she would not have suffered the injuries she had that night.

"At least take Dru with you."

"I won't put her in danger, either. I will go alone."

"Ty," Kit pleaded.

"Will you two take your lovers quarrel elsewhere? I am trying to concentrate."

Ty's jaw dropped and he refused to look at Kit standing next to him. "I don't—he's not—Kit's dating Dalton, Magnus." He tried and failed to keep a flush from creeping across his cheeks.

Kit said quietly beside him, "It's just an expression, Ty." But Ty wasn't entirely convinced upon seeing the smirk on the warlock's face.

"I'll make a list of what I need from Hypatia's. Tiberius, meet me here in an hour. I will need to discuss other things with you." Magnus said as Ty began walking out of the library.

Kit was close at his heels. "We are not done with this conversation, Ty."

"Yes. We are." He didn't care at the moment if he was being harsh. The only thing on his mind was keeping the people he cared about safe.

"You can't just keep making decisions for other people because you're afraid."

Ty stopped in his tracks, Kit's words felt like a slap in the face. It reminded him far too much of what was said at Lake Lyn: You raised Livvy for yourself, not for her or anyone else.

They were in the middle of the entryway, but Ty didn't turn around to face Kit. His fingers began gently tapping and fluttering against his legs. How could Kit think he was only doing this for himself?

"Ty, just hear me out. I know how badly you want to protect Dru, but you will only push her away—alienate her—if you don't let her be part of this. I understand why I shouldn't go. I don't like it, but I understand. But I'm telling you, your sister will not understand. She will think that you don't trust her."

Suddenly Kit's hand was on his shoulder and Ty relaxed, just a little, at the contact. He swiveled around, eyes settling on a point just over Kit's shoulder, thoughts jumbled and racing around in his head.

He was filled with some inexplicable emotion—the fierce need to protect others combined with a feeling of shame for not being able to see past his own needs sometimes, just like he had confessed to Kit the night before. His clothes suddenly felt constricting and itchy, and with Kit standing there, reminding him of what happened the last time he didn't listen, the feeling kept building and building until he thought he might burst from the pressure.

A sort of strangled cry left his lips and he leaned into Kit. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

He felt Kit's surprise, and then Kit collected himself, wrapping his arms around him tightly, tracing gentle patterns over his back.

"Nothing is wrong with you, Ty," he whispered. "Nothing."

He wanted to argue, but found the words wouldn't form. Instead he sank further into Kit's arms, as if Kit's steady presence could save him from himself. Not for the first time, he found himself thinking of Kit like an anchor, keeping him moored in place, preventing him from drifting away. Preventing him from getting lost in the vastness and unpredictability of the world around him.

….

Dalton needed to stop accidentally walking in on Kit and Ty sharing a moment, or whatever it was he kept witnessing between them. He told himself over and over again that there was nothing wrong with Kit hugging Ty, but when he saw them from the top of the stairs, embracing each other like they would crumble to pieces if they let go, he felt he was fully justified in his jealousy.

It didn't matter how much he told himself that he was stupid for being jealous; that Kit was with him, not Ty, he could not shake the feeling that Kit still held on to the feelings he used to have for the raven-haired boy.

He had no idea how no one else noticed the way Ty gravitated to Kit like a magnet; like wherever Kit was, Ty had to be also. If they did notice, they didn't think anything of it. To Dalton though, it was blatantly obvious that Ty felt something for Kit, whether he was aware of it or not.

He crept away from the stairs and returned to his own room, where he had been for the last hour or so, trying futilely to pull himself out of his spiraling thoughts.

He had been clear with Kit about what his limits were; that he needed to figure out what he wanted from their relationship or end it. He had given Kit the power—the choice. Maybe he shouldn't have, but he wasn't ready to give up on what they had yet.

A knock sounded at his door. "Come in," he called.

The door swung open, revealing Ty, to his immense surprise.

"Hi?" Dalton said curiously, with an edge to his voice that he couldn't erase.

"You and Jaime have a mission. From Magnus."

Dalton couldn't help himself. "So why are you telling me this?" He was momentarily pleased by the confused look on Ty's face.

"Because I already needed to come up here. I figured I would let you know."

"Okay, well now I know."

Ty hesitated in the doorway for a moment. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Would it matter one way or another?" Dalton found himself asking. He knew he was being a royal jerk. Kit would be upset with him for the way he was acting towards Ty, but he had very little capacity to care at the moment.

"Yes. If I did something to make you upset...or to make you dislike me, I want to know. I—" It appeared he was struggling to communicate. "I'm not great at reading people...or emotions." He wasn't looking at Dalton, but something in his admission made Dalton crack.

"Alright, fine." Dalton rose from the bed, approaching Ty. He was shorter than the other man, but found immense satisfaction in the way Ty took a small step backwards. "I don't like that you hurt Kit. I realize that he's forgiven you since you showed up here, but I haven't."

Ty's eyes widened and then darted back and forth from Dalton's face to a spot on the wall behind him. "What, exactly, are you referring to, Dalton?"

"Don't act like you don't know."

"There are many things I did wrong. I just don't know which one you are talking about."

Dalton sighed. This wasn't going as he had planned. "You ignored his feelings. He loved you, and you ignored him."

"Why does that even matter right now? We have much bigger issues to deal with."

"That's always the case with you isn't it? There's always something bigger, something more important."

Ty's gray eyes narrowed. "You have no idea what you are talking about."

"I think I know exactly what I'm talking about."

Ty turned on his heel to leave, saying over his shoulder, "Magnus is in the library. Dress more mundane," and then stalked away.

Dalton was certain he would regret it later, but for the moment he was pleased to have gotten under Ty's skin.

….

Dru waited in the grand entry, dressed in jeans and a black zip up hoodie, various daggers hidden in her gear underneath and tucked along the inside of her boots. She buzzed with the energy that always accompanied going on a mission; especially since she was going to the London Shadow Market with her brother.

She knew he had wanted her to stay behind, and that Kit had convinced him to reconsider, just like back in Los Angeles when they needed her to meet up with Barnabas Hale while pretending to be Vanessa Ashdown. She understood Ty's concern, but she was grateful Kit could rationalize with him. She wasn't a little girl anymore, but she still felt the need to constantly prove herself to Ty. She knew she could never replace Livvy, but she wished desperately to be closer with him; for him to be able to rely on and confide in her. She hoped going on a mission with him would help bridge that gap.

Dru felt a little bad for Thais, who ended up getting the short end of the stick. It was her job, partially, to keep an eye on Kit and make sure he stayed at the institute. Not that Kit knew or would have ever agreed to that.

Dalton and Jaime had left a short time ago. They had all been gathered in the library with Magnus briefly, going over the plan. Jaime and Dalton would get what they needed from Hypatia's shop, also keeping her distracted while her and Ty entered the Shadow Market to find the faerie who owed Magnus a favor. Ideally, they would all be in and out as quickly as possible, drawing minimal attention to themselves—well, as minimal attention as Shadowhunters generally drew to themselves. It wasn't always easy to be inconspicuous when you were covered in runes; especially among the Downworld.

Ty entered the hall with Kit—he was nearly always at Kit's side now, almost as if the last three years had never happened. As if they had never separated in the first place. They just...clicked, like two polarized magnets, connected by some invisible force of nature.

Kit looked agitated, with his hands shoved in his jeans pockets and Ty looked anxious, headphones already resting around his neck. Dru took a deep breath. She wished she had the same ability to calm Ty down as Livvy and Kit did. As it was, if everything went to hell, Magnus could portal them out at a moment's notice. She just worried that something would happen to prevent him from doing that.

Kit pulled her aside for a moment. "Make sure he wears his headphones if he needs them. And don't leave his side."

"I won't, Kit. Everything will be fine. We'll get what we need from the faerie and be back as soon as possible."

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do," Kit said to both of them, visibly trying to ease his own anxiety and frustration as they headed out into the night.

….

Dalton and Jaime had taken the boat to the district where Hypatia's shop was located. They walked along the river, glamoured from mundanes. Most of the shops were closed at this time of the evening, but pedestrians still ambled along the Thames, enjoying the clear spring air.

Hypatia's shop also looked closed, but when Dalton squinted, letting the glamour fall away, he noticed that a faint glow illuminated the windows.

Jaime had talked mindlessly about various topics on the boat ride over, but Dalton had paid little attention, still stuck in his own ruminating thoughts.

"Amigo," Jaime finally snapped, pulling Dalton into a narrow alley. "What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing," Dalton said, far more irritable than intended. "Sorry, just...stuff."

"Well, you can either get it off your chest or get over it, because I need you to be focused."

Dalton knew it wasn't meant to be mean. Jaime was just blunt that way. He also happened to be right. He had let his insecurities rule him again and had acted impulsively.

"Sorry, Jaime. I'm fine, I promise."

"Okay. Just try to be your more charming self? Right now, you look like you might murder Hypatia the moment you walk into the shop, which, I don't need to tell you, would be catastrophic. Satisfying, but catastrophic."

"She's a threat to Kit, Jaime."

"Kit will be fine," he scowled, clearly still angry with Kit for his secrets. Dalton didn't bother addressing that issue. It still bothered him as well. "You, on the other hand, will not be if you don't turn that frown upside down."

Dalton plastered on a fake smile.

Jaime laughed. "You are not fooling anyone with that atrocity."

Dalton found himself laughing, and allowed himself to relax just a little.

"Much better."

Dalton watched Jaime pull out his phone to send Dru a quick text, just as planned. They needed to keep Hypatia busy until Ty and Dru had what they needed from the Shadow Market. The only advantage they had was that Hypatia didn't know them, but it wasn't much of an advantage considering her hatred for Nephilim. Dalton knew that she had always hated the Shadowhunters, but he wondered what had happened to make her choose sides against them.

They stepped out of the alley and entered the small shop, a little bell jingling above the door. A woman with dark ebony skin and a pile of bronze hair descended a set of stairs. Upon seeing them, she scrunched her face and said, "Nephilim. Why is it always Nephilim?" She sighed. "What do you want?"

Dalton glanced around curiously. Bottles and vials of mysterious ingredients lined the shelves around the room, among other strange artifacts. Bones of various shapes and sizes resided in and among the glass counters, and potions lined the walls behind the warlock. He wondered how many of them were real potions, remembering that Kit said vendors often tried to sell fake wares to unsuspecting buyers.

Dalton's gaze returned to Hypatia. "This is a nice shop you have." Indeed, it was, as far as potions and apothecary went. A little morbid, though, which he thought would have been right up Dru's alley.

"Spare me the false pretenses and tell me what you need, otherwise get out of my shop."

"We mean no offense. Or trouble," Dalton said. This woman was a piece of work. It took every ounce of self-restraint to remain amiable.

She scoffed, "Whether you like it or not, trouble always follows your kind."

"We just need some specific herbs and things," Jaime said, handing her the relatively short list of ingredients.

She took a look at it and her eyes narrowed. "What sort of spell and for whom are these for?"

Dalton and Jaime had prepared an excuse for that very question, but it was Jaime who spoke. "Mujer hermosa." Beautiful woman. Dalton stifled a laugh. Hypatia was far from beautiful—ageless, maybe, but not pretty. "We were sent by Catarina Loss. As I'm sure you know, she teaches at the Scholomance, and has requested these ingredients for the educations' sake."

Dalton knew there were a few extra ingredients added to the list, meant as a sort of decoy. Mostly just medicinal items, things that generally came in handy no matter whether you were Nephilim or Downworlder. They weren't worried about whether or not Hypatia believed them. If she felt the need to check with Catarina, Magnus was one step ahead of her and had notified Catarina of their plan.

She looked at Jaime curiously. "You aren't so bad, for a Shadowhunter. You're lucky I'm in a considerably good mood today. Have a look around, this will take a few minutes."

"Thank you," Dalton said, trying to sound as genuine as possible. He leaned down to look into the case, recognizing the bones as— "are these human vertebrae?"

"Mmhmm," she murmured nonchalantly, busy filling small bags and containers with their ingredients—dragons' blood, mugwort, valerian root, hyssop, and amber.

Dalton knew better than to jump to conclusions; there were many ways to acquire human remains. Still, a shiver ran down his spine. He turned, and another, smaller case resting atop the counter caught his eye. He wasn't sure how he had missed it before; it was littered with shining jewels of all shapes and sizes—jewels he knew without any shred of doubt came from the Hatton Gardens heist.

….

Kit paced back and forth in his bedroom, contemplating his choices. He could either do as he was told and stay, helping Magnus with his spell; or he could not. He wasn't worried that the others couldn't handle their missions, but he couldn't stand not being part of it.

With that thought in mind, he opened his window and looked out, gauging the available footholds and ledges and the fall to the ground. The bedrooms were only two stories up—perfectly manageable on a clear night, which it was, thankfully.

He drew a quick rune for agility and surefootedness, then climbed out on the window ledge. He lowered himself over the edge. The moment his hands left the window ledge, a sound like a siren blasted around him, and it took all of his focus not to lose his balance and fall. He hoisted himself back up and plopped onto his bedroom floor. The noise stopped. In moments, Magnus and Thais burst into his room.

"Ha! I called it," Magnus said, upon seeing Kit sitting guiltily in front of the window. "Neat little trick, huh? All I had to do was cast a simple enchantment to sound off if you left the building. Worked like a charm, just as I predicted."

Thais laughed heartily beside him, then handed the warlock ten bucks. "I really thought he'd listen. Now I know better."

"I'm literally right here!" Kit blustered, glaring at them in accusation.

"Hmmm," Magnus mused, stroking his chin. "Should you or I tell Tiberius when he gets back, Thais? I'm sure he would have something to say about you trying to sneak out when you promised you wouldn't."

Kit paled. "I didn't technically promise anything. I said I understood why I shouldn't go, not that I wouldn't try." He found he was worried though. He hadn't been truthful with Ty, and he didn't know how Ty would react.

"I'm messing with you, Kit," Magnus said gleefully. "I won't tell him, but now we are both keeping our eyes on you until everyone returns." Kit flopped onto his back, intending to stay there staring helplessly at his ceiling, but his plan only lasted until Magnus opened his mouth once more. "Come, come. We have work to do!"

Kit groaned and pushed himself to his feet, thinking briefly about how satisfying it would be to slam his door in Magnus' magical face. He ended up doing no such thing, opting to follow Thais and the Warlock to the library, grumbling the entire way.

…..

Dru's phone chimed, and she opened her messages to a text from Thais. She wasn't surprised to find they caught Kit trying to leave. She laughed out loud at the part where Magnus' magical siren went off and imagined the look on Kit's face when he realized he'd been outsmarted by the warlock.

Ty looked over at her curiously. "He tried to leave, didn't he?"

How on earth Ty figured that out based on her actions, she had no clue. It was further proof of the uncanny connection between her brother and Kit. She nodded reluctantly, not bothering to deny it.

"This is Kit we're talking about. I would have been more surprised if he didn't try to sneak out. Still, he has no sense of self preservation."

"That he does not," Dru agreed.

They descended the stairs on the far side of the bridge and passed through the glamour leading into the market. Dru was blasted with various sights and scents, distracted by the variety of Downworlders and wares. She heard a vampire mutter, "Shadowhunters," before disappearing into the night. She was reminded of the time she went undercover for Kit and Ty, and how proud they were of her. She was determined to make her brother proud again.

Ty sighed beside her, glancing around the market. It was clear that he was nervous, though he did his best to hide it. "Let's just find who we need before we draw too much attention to ourselves."

Dru's phone chimed again. "Dalton and Jaime are at the shop," she said. "Let's go."

They weaved through the crowd, Dru doing as Kit asked and taking care to note any changes in Ty's demeanor. Sweat had already begun to bead on his forehead, but he remained calm as he surveyed their surroundings.

The scents and sounds around her were dizzying; Dru found it much harder to focus than she anticipated it would be. She shook her head to clear it of unhelpful thoughts and distractions, however she quickly found herself drawn to a dim, mysterious looking cubicle. She approached curiously, forgetting about her mission and her brother for the moment.

"Hmmm. Very curious," came a raspy voice from inside. "Come, little Nephilim. Come inside and your fortune shall be revealed."

Dru ignored the warning in the back of her mind telling her to turn around and walk away. She glanced up at the sign hanging across the indigo velvet curtain. Florica's Fortunes. She passed through, running her fingers along the velvety edge before emerging into a small parlor.

The acrid smell of incense filled her nostrils and she scrunched up her face. Smoke seemed to fill the small space, but in the center sat a small table with a crystal orb propped on an ornate clawed base. A woman sat on the opposite side, her beady little eyes watching Dru's every movement from beneath her hood. The tattered robes and gnarled joints indicated that she was quite old, yet her face appeared young. A witch, most likely.

"Witch. Gypsy. Oracle. Call me what you will."

Dru gaped at the woman for a moment too long, unsettled by the way the woman seemed to read her mind. "Florica is your name?"

She nodded, "Most people just call me Flo." Dru's phone buzzed in her pocket, but she ignored it. The witch lifted her brow in question. "What is it that you seek?"

Dru let the question mull over in her head. More than anything, she just wanted to feel like she belonged somewhere. She didn't realize she had spoken the thought out loud until the witch gestured for her to take a seat.

"My dear, is that what you wish to know? I can show you, after all. For a small price, of course." She smiled, and her teeth, or lack thereof, gave away just how old she was. Dru involuntarily shifted further back on the stool. She suddenly understood what the incense was for—to mask the putrid smell of her decaying teeth.

"What sort of price?" she asked, daring a glance into Flo's dark and piercing gaze.

"Just one teensy tiny strand of hair."

A witch with a strand of Shadowhunter hair was a very dangerous thing. The warning bells chimed in her brain once more and she stood unceremoniously from the velvet stool, knocking over the table between them in the process. The crystal ball rolled off the table and toward the curtained entrance.

"Don't—" Flo began, but it was too late; Dru's curiosity won over the alarm in her head and she cradled the crystal ball in her hands gently.

Nothing, save for the warmth that seeped into her palms, happened at first. Then it was as if everything happened at once. The room dissolved around her, leaving her surrounded by a dense and eerie fog. She looked down to find that the orb was gone. Dru began to panic, feeling around her for something, anything, to grip onto—anything to give her an indication of where she was. She reached for her stele, and found that it, too, had disappeared.

Shit.

Dru closed her eyes tightly, willing herself to calm down. She was a Shadowhunter. She was brave, and she was resourceful.

She continued her mantra as she opened her eyes, stunned to find that she was no longer alone. She reached for a seraph blade that didn't exist and settled for her fists. Shapes gradually took form around her, one after another, emerging from the mist.

She saw Thais first, but when she reached out to touch her, she dematerialized. Dru understood then that everything around her was an illusion, yet the knowledge did nothing to soothe her nerves.

One by one, images of the people she cared about surrounded her, then vanished. She watched as her and Thais stood inside the fire rings at their parabatai ceremony, exchanging the traditional vows. Kit was next, holding a gaudy necklace that glowed in his hands. She saw Ty, clinging to Livvy, begging her not to leave him again. She saw her family, too, and images of the London institute. She realized she was seeing images from her future—or her most likely future—she wasn't certain, and that it was an answer to what she sought. A place to belong.

It was clear to her that she was exactly where she needed to be. And yet...

All those images were not what caught her attention. One image in particular stood out to her, because she didn't think she would see the face of the boy from faerie ever again. Yet there he was, much older than when she had accidentally stumbled upon him when she grasped the eternidad. She recognized her own form materialize from the fog in front of him. The boy—though not a boy anymore—looked up at her, with a sort of shocked recognition.

Then he was gone and different images materialized around her. She watched in fascination as Thais' form approached an alternate Dru, cupping her face in her hands and kissing her gently on the lips. The sight sent a jolt of shocked joy through her, though she pushed it to the back of her mind, reminding herself that none of this was real. The fog shifted again, revealing a distraught Kit, holding her brother's lifeless form in his arms.

A strangled cry left Dru's lips and she collapsed to the depthless ground beneath her, cradling her head in her hands. She muttered to herself, "It's not real. None of this is real." Yet instinctively, she knew that it was real—at least in some future reality, and she had no idea how to begin processing that sort of knowledge.

The images changed again, only this time it was just her, walking along a dark tunnel, only to emerge into a massive cavern that glittered like a disco ball around her. There was a figure in the center of the cavern, and she watched as this future version of herself approached it.

Abruptly, the dense fog disappeared and she found herself sprawled out on the ground of the oracle's tent. She felt for her stele and weapons, relieved to find everything where it should have been.

"Drusilla! Are you okay? What did you do to her?" she heard her brother accuse the witch. She didn't know when he got there, but she felt extremely foolish for jeopardizing their mission.

"Ty-Ty. I'm okay. It was my fault."

"Stupid girl," the woman sneered, snatching the orb from the ground, and she realized with a jolt that she had been inside the orb. "You careless, stupid girl."

Great. That was twice now that she had been called a stupid girl by a Downworlder.

"Don't call her that," Ty snapped, reaching out a hand to pull Dru to her feet. Dru found that she couldn't so much as look at her brother. She was afraid of the images she had seen, and incredibly disappointed in herself for letting her guard down.

"She could have broken my crystal! It's my livelihood."

"She didn't though, did she?"

The witch's mouth snapped shut, and she busied herself setting the table right and replacing the orb on the clawed pedestal, mist still swirling amidst its depths. "You owe me payment, child."

Ty began rummaging around in his pocket for a few gold pieces. "How much?"

"Ty," Dru began. "It's not money she wants."

"What, then?"

"A strand of Shadowhunter hair." She began to tug on a stray hair escaping from her braids, when Ty gripped her hand to stop her.

"No. You are not giving any of your hair to her."

The witch cackled across from them, advancing on Ty. "She has no choice, boy. She sought answers to the wonderings of her soul, and now she must pay."

Dru watched in horror as Ty plucked a few strands of his ink black hair and dropped them on the table. She wanted to object, but this was Ty, and once he had made up his mind there was very little chance of changing it. "You said Shadowhunter hair. You didn't specify whose."

He grabbed Dru by the wrist, beginning to tug her after him and out into the market.

The witch called after them with her gravelly voice, "Don't you wish to know what it all means?"

Dru hesitated, and Ty halted next to her, looking at her with a gaze that was both angry and curious. Dru allowed herself to think about what she saw in that crystal ball—it was all very confusing and terrifying. But she didn't understand why she saw both versions of her future, or how a very real and alive Livvy could make an appearance in one of those realities. She didn't truly understand what any of it meant, but she did not want to owe this fortune teller anything else.

"Fine. So be it," Florica shrugged, making Dru shudder involuntarily.

"Quit reading my mind," she snapped.

"Would that I could, my sweet. There are millions of alternate realities and possible futures. You only saw a few. It all depends on the choices you make." Her smirk made Dru's toes curl, and she wanted nothing more than to get out of that tent. "You, however," she pointed at Ty. Her eyes rolled to the back of her skull, and suddenly the witch spoke as if she had been transported through time and space from the past. "Ever mind the rule of three—three times your acts return to thee. This lesson well, thou must learn, thou only gets what thee dost earn." Her beady eyes returned to their rightful place, widening in surprise. "You cannot escape your fate, boy," she smirked.

Ty stiffened beside her at the crone's words, but did not give her the satisfaction of a response. Turning on his heel, he dragged Dru out of the tent and back into the night. The air was fresh, comparatively, and she dragged it in, trying to cleanse her incense-filled lungs.

He released her, rounding on her, yet unable to look her in the eyes. Her chest constricted at the sight of the fear in his eyes, dark gray with the emotions swirling in their depths, yet she had no way of knowing what thoughts lurked there. "What on earth were you thinking, Dru? I didn't know where you were. I thought—" he dragged a hand through his sweat-damp hair, pacing back and forth in front of her. "I can't lose another sister."

Drusilla Blackthorn did not cry easily, but she burst into tears at Ty's words. "I'm so sorry, Ty," she sobbed. "I didn't mean to scare you."

He nodded, but said nothing more on the matter, leaving her feeling miserable and useless. She followed him through a section of the market lined with cages filled with insects and other magical creatures. Ty had pulled his hood up at some point, and Dru noticed that he kept his gaze in front of him, avoiding looking at the caged animals. She knew about the time Ty opened the cages here, freeing the faeries within, and suspected it took an incredible amount of restraint for him not to do it again.

At last, they passed a few booths laid out with various weapons and magically imbued items and Dru had to tear her gaze away from the lovely ornate daggers. Her mind was already cluttered with the images from the crystal ball, namely the mysterious boy whose name she still didn't know, and the horrific image of her dead brother. She shuddered at the thought, and bit back the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks again.

"Here," she heard Ty say and followed as he ducked into a small, nondescript shop. The only indication that it belonged to the fey was the tiny acorn pinned above the door.