"Someone's going to set you up and try to find you, Maggie," Shu warned.

"I'll hide in plain sight," He argued.

"At the biggest Downworlder event in the world, the guy who is literally known for partying, won't be expected to be there?"

"If you want to argue and worry about me, why don't you come too?"

"Seriously? Centuries of trying to get me into parties and you really think it's gonna work now?"

"Parties have changed within the last few centuries. I'd say I'll get you into them eventually."

"Keep trying, bro."

"If you come with me, I'll be protected, and it's not like even if I went alone I couldn't just portal my way out of there the moment someone catches me. Or do you doubt I can handle myself?"

"I don't exactly doubt that, I just doubt that you're taking the fact that you and I are the most wanted Warlocks in the world while in the middle of a war for the cup, with Valentine looking for us and all of our kind, no less."

"We've been the most wanted Warlocks for ages now. Are you really not used to it yet?"

"I'm used to it. Which is why I'd stay here."

"Being hunted is not an excuse not to party. Weren't you alive in Beowulf's time?"

"Yeah, and I learned that the people of those times were the most testosterone-fueled idiotic culture in most of history. Even when a ton of people were killed, they still partied for ages until finally they thought that maybe this monster killing people every night should probably be dealt with. Even the Spartans were more civilized, and they were harsh. Weren't you the one who was more interested in fleeing with our people rather than stick behind and try to find Joselyn's daughter?"

"Joselyn's plan was falling apart anyway, so finding her daughter wasn't going to do anyone any good. Just come to the party with me, and we'll be fine."

"I know you're going to go with or without me, Mags. The only reason I'm agreeing to go is because you won't stop bugging me until I agree."

"If you say so. Or maybe I'm managing to turn you into a party-animal after all."

"Not a chance. Live another few eons, and maybe I'll take it into consideration."

He took a sip of his drink before muttering into his glass, "There's also something being offered."

She turned with a smile. "I knew there was more to just this rave than entertainment."

"You doubted that I took into consideration our safety?"

"Three plus centuries with you Maggie, and I can properly say yes, yes I did. Now what's the offer?"

"Magnus, consider the other Warlocks-"

"When did you become so talkative?" Magnus complained.

"Magnus, I beg you to reconsider."

"Always frowning, Elias," Magnus muttered. "You may be immortal, but you're not immune to crow's feet."

He tapped Elias's temple and Elias slightly backed away cautiously. Magnus pulled his hand back as though he'd just saw an outfit he didn't like.

"Activate sass-mode," Shu thought to herself.

Elias breathed and steeled himself. "You cannot attend this meeting. No matter what the Shadowhunter is offering. Valentine is getting close. It is far too dangerous for you to leave the lair."

Magnus took a drink of his glass before holding it out. "I was alive when the Dead Sea was just a lake that was feeling a little poorly. While I value your counsel, so much red brick makes me feel like a caged animal."

"Is one necklace really worth the risk?"

"This necklace is," Shu declared.

Magnus smiled in success, since Shu was the only person that could possibly get him to change his mind, and if she was on his side, there was no one that could oppose him now.

"This discussion is over. I will meet with Clary Fairchild and the Wayland boy."

He began to walk away before his breathed and snapped his fingers. "Go to the Spiral Labyrinth and tell Tessa that we need more shields. While we're gone have every Warlock maintain the protective wards. We may be prepared to take on Valentine," He took Elias's chin and had him look him in the eye, "but my guests are not."

He then proceeded to pass his glass to Elias. "Drink up."

As Magnus walked away and Shu followed, Elias took up that offer.

"Three centuries and you still have no sense of style."

"I think you have enough glitter for the both of us, Mags."

"You look like a Shadowhunter. Well, actually, I've met a few that look better than that."

"Excuse me if my idea of fancy party is a shirt, a jacket, and jeans. I'm wearing heels, Maggie, for goodness sake. This is stretching the limits of my fanciness."

"They're two inch wedge high-tops. It's like you're trying to make me look bad by saying you're my sister."

"Says the guy that I have to explain to everyone is my brother when you're wearing obscene amounts of make up, can't have a single outfit without glitter, your hair has no less than ten tons of hair gel in it, you always have a glass in your hand, you have no less than ten earrings and six rings on at a time - and what is up with those nails? - and you are the sassiest one in this family when I'm the girl."

"Oh, I'd say you have plenty of sass. I've taught you well. Could you at least put on a V-neck?"

"Perv."

"Just trying to help you get a boyfriend."

"That's the whole point of this outfit. I don't want one. Especially not someone who'd go to a rave that you approve of."

"Again with your sass levels. I'd say you're well on your way."

"I'll change my shirt only, and this is only because I might draw attention if I don't look like I belong."

"See? I am looking out for you!"

"Right."

While they waited for the Shadowhunters, Magnus was checking his hair in the reflection of his glass.

"I think it's fine, hon."

"Says the one who has no sense of style."

"Magnus! Asushunamir!"

They looked up to find Jace Wayland and Clary Fairchild coming their way. Magnus set his drink down and the two stood to meet them.

"Clary Fairchild," Magnus mused. "You've grown into a beautiful young woman."

"Magnus Bane," She retaliated with a hint of salt. "So you're the one who stole my memories."

"At your mother's request," He pointed out. "She knew the risk."

"And you, Shu. I don't even know what to say to you."

"How about 'Thank you?' I kept the monsters away from you for over a decade, Clary."

"Show me the jewelry, Shadowhunter," Magnus said, extending his hand.

Jace held up his hand and the necklace that Magnus came there for hung from his finger. Magnus smiled and reached for it, but Jace pulled back and Shu put her hand on Magnus's wrist. It obviously wasn't going to be that easy.

"We're here for a peaceful trade, Mags."

"Give Clary back her memories, and you get the jewelry," Jace declared.

"I have to confirm its authenticity," He stated.

"Don't worry," Shu said. "You have my word, for whatever it's worth, that he won't be pulling anything."

Clary and Jace shared a glance before Jace sighed and dropped it into Magnus's palm. The Warlock studied it carefully, finding the word "Amor," on the back.

"Amor verus numquam moritur."

"True love cannot die," Shu translated.

Magnus sighed. "Oh, how I've missed this jewel."

"Now it's your turn to pay up," Clary stated.

Magnus gave a slightly concerned look. "I wish I could retrieve your memories, but I no longer have them."

"What? Where are they?"

Magnus looked to the side. "I fed them to a memory demon for safekeeping."

"Why the hell would you do that?" Jace demanded.

"To protect Clary and the cup," He said matter-of-factly.

"If Valentine ever captured us, he could torture Clary's memories out of us, just like he tortured Dot," Shu explained.

"Tortured?" Clary asked quickly. "Wait, is Dot okay?"

"You don't know?" Magnus asked, concern taking over his face. "Dot is dead."

Clary froze. "What?" She shook her head in disbelief. "How do you know?"

"I spent years with Dot," Shu explained. "Even if she were low on magic and across the globe, I'd still know her…scent, if you know what I mean. Everyone with magic has got a scent, every person, no matter what type of creature, from Warlocks to Shadowhunters. I know Dot well, and I can't feel her magic anymore."

"Valentine killed her because she would not betray your mother," Magnus continued.

She shook her head in shock. "Oh my God…"

"Come with me, Clary," He offered. "My lair could offer you protection no Shadowhunter ever could."

Jace scoffed.

"No!" Clary declared. "No, I'm not going anywhere with you."

"Don't be a fool. Your mother would want you to live."

"Then help me get my memories back from whatever demon you gave them too."

"Valentine is hunting you, too," Shu said. "And every moment we're outside our lair's protection is a moment Valentine gets closer to finding us."

Magnus's hands flashed with magic and he opened a portal behind him, holding his hand out. "Come with us."

Clary looked to Magnus, to Shu, and then to Jace, who shook his head no.

Magnus rolled his eyes. "I won't offer again," He said.

Clary looked to his outstretched hand. "No. No I won't hide from my problems and neither should you."

"We aren't just saving our own hide," Shu snapped. "We're saving our entire species, all of our kind, including men, women, and children who shouldn't have to be dragged into this."

"Look out!" Someone shouted.

An arrow whizzed past Shu's head, but she didn't flinch even as her hair got caught in the wake of the arrow and it pierced a man in the chest behind her. Everyone looked around in surprise, Jace had his seraph blade drawn, and Shu glanced up to see a black-haired Shadowhunter in a denim shirt holding a bow.

He walked down the stairs and to the man he'd shot, and once Magnus saw him, he started staring.

"Glad to know I'm not the only one who thinks a regular t-shirt was appropriate for this event," Shu muttered.

"Who are you?" Magnus muttered.

The guy flipped a small seraph-blade dagger in his palm.

"Mag, we need to move," Shu said, dragging him towards the portal.

"Magnus, wait!" Clary shouted, grabbing his arm. "You're my only hope."

"Valentine found us," Magnus declared, looking around cautiously. "I warned your mother this might happen."

Shu pulled Magnus through the portal, and Clary reached out, only to grab a single button from his jacket before he was gone.

"She took one of your buttons," Shu pointed out.

"I'm blocking it now."

"They have a parabatai bond between the archer and the Wayland boy. No doubt they're going to be here soon."

Magnus sighed. "Help me block it, then."

Then, they heard the screaming.

"Oh, gods, they found us already!" Shu shouted.

She and Magnus ran out of the room they'd teleported into to find Warlocks and Shadowhunters fighting, most of the Warlocks around them dead.

"Bastards!" Shu shouted.

She ran up and punched the nearest Circle member in the face hard enough to smash his skull, blasting two more that tried to charge her with a wave of magic powerful enough to throw them through the wall.

Magnus threw his own magic at the attackers, using it to pick up objects and throw them since he didn't have the physical strength of Shu. He blasted back four of them, while Shu was at his back blasting another five that had tried to surround them.

As another wave came into the room, Shu took out her Stele and drew some runes onto her forearm. Magnus let his eyes change and his magic flare to life, blue wisps dancing across both palms, while Shu did the same behind him, only her magic was flaring much stronger in her rage.

"Ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

And together they threw their spells.

Magnus attempted to throw a bookshelf at another approaching attacker, but he backed out of the way and let it fall past.

Magnus and Shu backed up as he held out his seraph blade. "Your magic's strong, Warlocks. Much stronger than that horned weakling I killed this morning."

"Elias…?" Shu asked.

Magnus threw a blast of energy at the attacker as they walked in a circle, but the Circle member ducked under it and nodded. "That was his name. Well, lucky for us, he sold you out, before I took his Warlock mark."

He moved to swing his sword towards them, but Shu sent a wave of energy out to toss him back. He kept on his feet and the dance continued.

"Cat's eyes," The Circle member muttered. "Be a nice addition to my collection. And I wonder what you have, girl."

Shu held up a fist and let her eyes shine with a purple and red glow, a brand flaring to life, hovering just above her gloved hand.

"Let me give you a demonstration, first hand!"

An arrow suddenly went flying past at the Circle member, shooting him in the leg, and both Magnus and Shu waved their hands as they flared with energy, all the colors, purple, red, and blue, surrounding the man as he was blasted back into the wall.

She let her eyes, Warlock mark, and magic die away. "Why'd we leave that bastard alive long enough to talk again?" She muttered.

"Well done," Someone said behind them.

"More like medium-rare," Magnus quipped.

He let his eyes and magic fade before turning to see the archer Shadowhunter, and suddenly his eyes lit up again, though not with his Warlock mark cat eyes.

"I'm Magnus," He said, sauntering forward as though he hadn't just been fighting for his life with his fellow Warlocks slaughtered around him. "I don't think we've been formally introduced."

"Alec," He said, a smile forming across his face.

Magnus smiled back gently, not his usual cocky smirk. Shu rolled her eyes and smiled, walking past the two of them to check down the hall.

"Oh, uh…we should really…you know, probably get…" Alec stuttered.

"Right," Magnus said. "We should join the party."

"Right…"

"Let's move it, ladies," Shu called.

Alec snapped to attention and put on his serious face again, hurrying down the hall. Magnus turned to the fallen Warlocks, Shadowhunters, and trashed room behind him.

"This fight's far from over."

"Come on, Mags," Shu called, and he turned to follow the two of them.

"Magnus, Shu," Clary called as she walked into the room with a young girl.

"Zoe!" Shu quickly hugged her in relief, and even Magnus gave her an embrace afterword.

"Go join the others, my dear," He said. "This is no place for a little girl. Go."

She nodded and joined the other surviving Warlocks that they'd rounded up.

"I heard what you did for Zoe," Magnus said. "You risked your life without hesitation to save a young Warlock child."

"She was just a girl," Clary explained. "And she was in trouble. I had no choice."

"You always have a choice," Shu corrected.

"You're not like the others, Clary Fairchild," Magnus stated. "Most Shadowhunters protect Downworlders out of sense of duty, but you saved young Zoe because of what was inside your heart. You're more like your mother than you will ever know."

"Magnus, Shu, please…You can't hide from this battle. Look, Valentine, he found you once, he will find you again. We need to work together. Help me."

"We tried to stay out of this battle for them, Clary," Shu said. "We aren't just running and hiding because we're cowards, because we don't care who wins and who loses. We don't want to get the innocents involved. If one Warlock stands against Valentine, he'll take it as all Warlocks are standing against him, and he will not hesitate to wipe out every one of us. You saw what happened today. Magnus and I can fight the Circle members, but the other Warlocks can't. Children like Zoe shouldn't have to be brought into a fight because of us."

"We're not asking you to start a full-scale war. I'm just asking for one favor, and then you can back out, protect your people however you want."

"I can summon the demon, but you must make the demand," Magnus proposed. "Now, I warn you, retrieving your memories will not be easy."

She scoffed. "I will do what I have to do."

"All right."

"But we're not safe here," Shu said. "The lair's location has been compromised. Hold tight everyone. We're about to move."

Magnus and Shu together held their hands out, their magic flaring in their palms. The each clashed their hands together and sent out a shockwave of power across the room. They waved their hands and then flared their magic upwards, everything going white.

Magnus sighed as he looked through the windows of the newly fixed up and transported lair. "Ah, much better."

He turned and then frowned. "Ugh, it's inevitable."

"What?" Clary asked.

"After each move he gets the itch to redecorate," Shu explained.

"Normally, I love a dirty lair, but this one is just sloppy," Magnus agreed.

He gave Alec a look, and Alec looked slightly unsettled.

"Same old Mags," Shu muttered.

Alec walked to the side, most likely trying to get out of Magnus's look and avoid having everyone see his own, while Magnus just gave that smirk he got when someone was 'Playing hard to get' and he was willing to take that challenge.

He then looked to Izzy, Alec's sister, and his face turned slightly more humble. "I believe in payment for services rendered." He held up the pendant that he had just recovered. "Thank you for defending the Warlocks."

"I couldn't," Izzy said.

"Oh, but you could. And you should."

He walked behind her, opening the clasp. "The Lightwoods have been wearing this for years." He put the necklace around her neck and clipped the clasp together. "Besides, this would look silly on your brother."

She chuckled and Magnus looked over to Alec, who was talking with Jace. Alec saw him staring and quickly turned back to his parabatai.

"About Alec," Magnus said to Izzy. "Is he more of a flower, or cologne man?"

Now Izzy flat out smiled widely as she chuckled, and Shu shook her head but couldn't help letting her own smile slip.

"Okay, so how do we summon the memory demon?" Clary asked.

Shu looked up to her. "Are you certain? Summoning such a powerful demon could be lethal."

"I'll do anything to save my mother," She declared. "Where is the demon?"

Magnus stared at her before nodding. "Okay. Pretty boy, get your team ready."

Jace stepped forward. "You know what to do."

"I'm not talking to you," Magnus said, pushing Jace back.

"Sass-mode returns," Shu thought to herself.

"I'm talking to you," Magnus finished, pointing firmly to Alec.

Jace looked to Alec, and he shrugged his shoulders, shaking his head innocently like 'I don't know what he's talking about, he's crazy.'

"Come with us," Shu said, Magnus and her walking out of the room and motioning for Clary to follow.

"Everyone wants to Mortal Cup," Magnus said as they walked out of the room with Clary in tow. "Don't trust anyone, especially not the Clave."

"Then why should I trust you?"

"You shouldn't," He said bluntly. "Only trust yourself."

Shu passed her what looked to be a leather bag at first sight, but when Clary opened it, it was revealed to be a sort of book filled with chalks.

"These chalks are beautiful," She said. "What are they for?"

"If a person wants their memories returned, they must draw the pentagram to summon the demon," Shu explained, unrolling a scroll with an image of the pentagram on it.

"We can walk you through it, if you'd like," Magnus offered.

"I've got this," Clary said with a small smile.

"She's a natural artist," Shu said.

"Shadowhunter," Magnus called, waving Jace into the room. "Prepare Clary as best you can."

Magnus and Shu walked out and closed the doors a little before they heard Clary screaming from the rune being seared onto her.

When the group walked into the room, Clary had made a perfect pentagram out of the chalks and was making the final touches.

"Joselyn and Shu were right," Magnus admired. "Your artistry is beyond compare."

"I don't know about that," She said, standing.

"Oh, the only other person I've know who could draw as well was Michelangelo, who was excellent in bed, I might add."

Isabelle chuckled as Magnus looked over to Alec for a reaction. Jace looked to Alec in confusion and Alec gave another shrug of innocent confusion.

Shu elbowed Magnus in the side hard. He was always talking about knowing people that he hadn't actually been alive to know. He was old, but he wasn't that old.

Magnus walked around the art on the floor, rolling up his sleeves. "Okay. We're ready. Everyone take your rightful place on the pentagram."

"There are five spaces and six of us," Jace pointed out.

"I don't need to stand on the pentagram," Shu explained. "I can see and talk to the demon from out here just fine. Besides, I'm there to keep things in control if hell breaks lose, quite literally."

Each of the others took a place at the points of the pentagram.

"We must initiate a bond," Magnus declared. "Once this bond is sealed, it cannot be broken until the demon retreats. No matter what happens, we must not let go of each other's hands."

Everyone nodded in acknowledgement, before Magnus reached his hand out to Alec, who Magnus just so happened to be next to on their circle around the pentagram. Izzy gave a look of knowing, keeping a straight face, but her eyes darted between the two of them.

Alec looked to Magnus's hand for a moment, before reaching out and taking it. A jolt of power was sent through him, causing him to visibly flinch. He hesitated for a moment, as if forgetting what he was supposed to be doing with all the eyes on him, before reaching out and taking Jace's outstretched hand, the jolt being sent through him as well, although slightly less potent, as the energy was being spread through more people.

Alec's eyes seemed to dart around, and Izzy looked at him curiously, seeing how he was now holding hands with Jace and Magnus, two people that were obviously making him uncomfortable.

Jace took Clary's hand, and the surge went through her, the reaction as big as Alec's since she was unprepared for what it would feel like, and the she reached out to Izzy, who smiled.

"You people are pathetic."

Magnus gave her a skeptical smile while Jace and Alec looked more annoyed.

She took Clary's hand and the jolt easily, before grabbing Magnus's other hand and completing the circle.

"I will lead the ceremony," Magnus said. "You all must do exactly as I say. The demon's name is Valak Mataecharonsan, and at some point, he will ask for payment in exchange for Clary's memories."

"What do you mean?" Jace asked. "What kind of payment?"

"We will see," Shu said.

"Let us begin," Magnus said.

He began speaking a spell in Chthonian.

Izzy looked down as the necklace Magnus gave her began glowing and humming. "The neckless. It's pulsing."

"Do not break the circle," Shu reminded them. "Whatever happens. You're fine, Izzy. It won't hurt you."

A scream rang out and dark smoke began swirling into a tornado within the circle they made with their hands. The winds were forcing them back, threatening to break their hand locks, and the sweat from stress wasn't helping either.

"I have heard your summon and came," A male voice called out from the dark clouds. "What is it that you seek from me?!"

"We once gave you the memories of Clary Fairchild for safekeeping, and now we wish to retrieve them again," Magnus told it.

"Memories to find the Mortal Cup? I refuse! Nothing you could offer me would allow me to risk such a thing."

"Please, we need them to find the Mortal Cup before someone who will use it wrongly claims it instead."

The winds didn't die down, but the dark clouds clumped together to form a shape resembling a man.

"I have lived a slave to the Mortal Cup before, I will not be one again!" The voice hissed aloud.

"We're doing this so that we can keep the cup from Valentine!" Clary shouted over the winds.

The demon turned on her.

"Like I haven't heard such a claim before. You listen to me, Clary Fairchild, I have seen people like you before. You all believe that if I give you the power of such important memories that you can protect what lies within them, but your kind has never held up to that promise, not once in all of history. Let me be blunt: you and your little gang of Shadowhunters, aren't enough to protect the cup if you found it. I shall not allow you these memories, I shall not allow this cup to be found under any circumstances."

"If you don't trust them with them, trust me!" Shu called. "Give the memories to me, and I shall do with them what I see fit! I will not allow that cup to fall into enemy hands, I will not allow someone to utilize it! And should I fail to keep that promise, I shall get the cup back under any circumstance! Should I die before this is accomplished or fall victim myself, you shall take what I hold dearest to my heart!"

The demon hesitated at the offer, staring to the woman outside of the pentagram. Then, the body of dark clouds spun once more and returned into a tornado of demonic energy.

"It is time!" Magnus called. "The demon demands payment!"

"What does it want?!" Alec called.

"We must each relinquish a beloved memory of the one we love the most!"

Izzy tense, throwing her head back as a memory flew out of her chest and into the dark whirlwind. For a moment, the image showed Alec, before it faded into the swirls of darkness. Clary gasped as the same thing happened to her, only it showed her mother in the image before it was taken. Magnus was next, this time with an image of Shu.

"Aw, I'm flattered, darling!" She called.

"Don't get cocky," Magnus muttered with half a smile. "It wasn't exactly my choice."

"Oh, how cruel, Maggie!"

Alec was up next, and his image was that of Jace.

Alec looked panicked. "No, it's not true! The demon deceived me!"

"Do not break the bond!" Magnus shouted.

"Alec, it's okay!" Izzy called.

"Don't tell him that!" Shu muttered. "Great, and now-"

"No!"

Alec pulled away, breaking the circle, the dark mist within the tornado began to expand, throwing all of them back now that the circle was broken and the demon was free.

"Alec!" Jace called, but it was too late.

"No!" Magnus shouted.

"Shit!"

Shu and Magnus each put their hands out, their magic energy glowing in their hands, barely keeping the demon contained within the room. Alec surged forward to stop it, but Jace jumped up and pushed him out of the way before he was grabbed. Izzy quickly took his arm and kept him from getting sucked in, and Alec grabbed his other arm as they both tried to pull him free.

"The demon is growing stronger!" Magnus called.

"He's slipping!" Alec shouted.

The dark energy swirling around the room grew more and more powerful, the dark smoke expanding and the red-eyed demon within more and more visible.

"Clary, help us!" Izzy called.

Clary ran into the other room and grabbed a seraph blade.

"Clary, if you kill the demon, your memories will be lost forever!" Magnus warned.

Clary looked to the blade in her hand and her new friends that were struggling to save Jace. She then marched forward and walked into the tornado of darkness.

"Don't!" Shu shouted.

She stopped her containment of the demon, grabbing Clary's wrist with her sword and Jace's wrist before giving them both one strong tug and throwing them back. She then waved her hands at the demon from point-blank and sent a blast at it, teleporting it through a portal where all of the wind and clouds were sucked up.

Magnus fell back and to his knees, breathing heavily, while Jace was collapsed on the ground.

"Jace," Clary muttered, moving to kneel next to him. "Oh my god, Jace."

"Jace," Alec urged. "Get up."

"Is he gonna be all right?" Izzy asked.

Magnus, who had stood and walked over while fixing his sleeves, looked at Jace. "I don't know," He responded bluntly. "Does he normally just lay like that without moving?"

Shu elbowed him in the gut again and Magnus winced. "Yeesh, would you quit that?"

"Get up. Jace?"

"Jace!"

"I have a solution," Shu said.

She kneeled down next to him and whacked him on the back. He suddenly gasped, taking deep breaths and surging up, coughing and holding his side. He looked around to see the demon gone, wincing as he moved.

"I'm all right," He assured them. "I'm all right. I'm all right. I'm just getting my second wind."

Alec slipped out of the room and Magnus took notice, slipping out after him.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of, Alec," Magnus said to him.

"I don't know what you're talking about," He declared.

"You will."

Magnus then walked past him and into the other room. Shu quickly hurried to follow, as Izzy stood and walked over to her brother. Alec turned and walked away before anything more could be said, and Izzy looked down in guilt.

"Why did you save it?" Izzy asked.

"Hm?" Shu asked.

"You stopped Clary from stabbing it. You banished the demon, but you didn't kill it."

"Sympathy. Demons, unlike what you may or may not think, aren't mindless. The Forsaken are mindless. Demons have reasons for doing what they do. They're not good reasons, but they're understandable ones. If killing, deceiving, and stealing is what they must do to survive, they will do it. If you Shadowhunters hunt them, they will try and eliminate you so that they can live. It's a natural cycle of life, and it's sad, but it's the way it is. I just have a heart big enough to sympathize here and there. Charon did nothing wrong, he just wanted to get out of the confinement of the pentagram. That's like putting a collar on someone and expecting them to do tricks like a pet. Seems like regular old routine, but that's only because you don't trust them, so they don't trust you, and the cycle goes on."

"Charon?"

"Valak Mataecharonsan. I call him Charon. One of the Greater Demons. I know him."

"You're just, what? BFFs with a demon?"

"No. I just don't have a lot of enemies. I stay out of people's way, they stay out of mine. Demons don't hate me, but they also don't love me. Same with you Shadowhunters. I'm only known as Magnus's sister, nothing more, nothing less. I let him have the notoriety while I tag along. And if a demon isn't causing any harm, I settle things peacefully, without violence."

"You seemed like a pretty violent person against the Circle members that broke in."

"They slaughtered my kind, my friends and family. All those innocents that had nothing to do with all of this. Magnus and I were the ones to help Joselyn. We were the ones that chose to get dragged into this…this war, this constant hunt for the Mortal Cup. It's our burden to bear, and all of those other Warlocks should've never had to pay for it."

"You have a good heart. Not a lot of people are willing to see past a demon's…demon-ness."

"He won't do any harm to anyone, but I doubt he's ever going to give Clary her memories back. They're gone for good."

"At least he's gone without anyone getting hurt."

"Mm-hm."

A man woke up in a dark alley. He looked to his hands, his legs, his body.

How long had it been since he had the luxury of a stable solid form?

Standing, he leaned against the wall to try and adjust to having legs again. He tested his powers and felt the wisps of darkness still flowing within him, ready to be let out any time he wanted to release them. He sensed the memories. All the delicious memories of people, good and bad.

How long had it been since he'd been able to feast so easily?

Heading out of the alley and into the light, he was temporarily blinded by the sun. That might take some adjusting to.

He sensed all the food in this world, food like he'd never seen before.

He was so hungry.

He would feast well today.