Hey, sorry this is late! I'm not sure how on time the next chapter will be next week because of the short vacation and I have exams the following week but I'll try to keep up to date.

The Summoning

"What are you two doing?" asked Isabelle the moment she entered Magnus's study, seeing Alec deep in conversation with Magnus and Max watching them sullenly from the corner of the room. "Aren't lessons over for the day?"

Alec glanced up. "I had an idea."

"Brilliant," said Isabelle sarcastically, joining a sulky Max. "First one?"

Magnus snorted but Alec scowled. "This demoness we're looking for, she must be very prominent in the demon world, right? I thought that if she was so well known, maybe other demons would know her. If we summon another demon and ask them who this 'Mother Demon' is, we could learn who exactly we're dealing with. Magnus and I have been looking into which demon might-"

"You're going to summon a demon in Alicante?" Isabelle rasped. "You're going to summon a demon in the city of Angels? Have you gone completely mad?"

"Isabelle, it's a reasonable-"

"Reasonable? Murdering demons is reasonable, befriending a vampire is reasonable, living with a warlock is reasonable, but summoning a demon in the heart of the shadowhunter world is most certainly not reasonable. Magnus, you can't actually agree with this?"

Magnus looked uncomfortable. "Isabelle, the plan has merit."

"Is there something in the water?"

"Look at it like this," said Magnus patiently. "Alec and I are going to leave the city to summon the demon-not a powerful demon, mind you-just a demon. We'll be outside the protection of the Clave, that way, the demon has no way of sneaking in. I'll bind it, it's not difficult, and then we'll force it to answer our questions. After, I'll banish it, or have Alec dispose of it, and no one will be none the wiser."

"And if the demon somehow escapes?"

"It won't be in Alicante, so no one will be hurt, and all Alec and I have to do is cross back across the barriers we erected during the first war. Likely as not, the demon will attack us, hit the shield, and then burst into flames. And if," Magnus continued before Isabelle could speak, "the demon decides to flee, where will he flee? To Jonathan, of course, but how is that worse? Jonathan already has an army of demons, adding one to the masses isn't really going to make difference."

"This is madness," Isabelle said, though she knew Magnus was right. "I mean, you can't just summon a demon, the Clave will know!"

"Who's going to tell them?" Alec asked swiftly. "Magnus has no duty to report this to the Clave, and I'm not going to betray him. Are you?"

"Well, of course not," said Isabelle at once. "But this just sounds so…dangerous."

"How often are the choices we make safe?" asked Alec soberly. "Izzy, it's been weeks since Jace and Clary, and we're no closer to getting them free. We need to figure out how Jonathan's doing it, and so far, the Clave has been useless."

"I know," sighed Isabelle, and she looked down at Max who was looking between them, his face set and his eyes curious.

"If you summon the demon," said Max after a moment, "will the Clave know?"

Alec smiled kindly down on his little brother. "Probably not, Max. We're not going to tell them anything."

"Can I be there?" asked Max excitedly, looking from Isabelle to Alec quickly.

"No," said Alec firmly.

"Absolutely not," Isabelle said.

"But, that's not fair!" Max whined. "You get to train to be a shadowhunter, and you get to fight Jonathan, and you get to save Clary and Jace. I'm just stuck here the whole time, in school."

Max crossed his arm, but Isabelle wriggled her finger through the gap in his arms and tickled his stomach. He giggled, lost his seriousness, and fell back into his seat. "One day, Max, you'll be able to fight with us, but not today, not this war."

"But why?" Max moaned. "I'm learning to fight, and I could be really useful. I'm small, and no one would see me; I'd make a great lookout."

"You'd make a better student," Magnus said gently, and Max glanced at him. He personally found the warlock rather intimidating, and didn't quite know how Alec spent so much time around him. "I know you'll probably tire of hearing this before the end, but when you're old enough, you can fight. There's no reason to throw yourself in harm's way when you're as young as you are. There's no reason to give up your childhood just yet. Trust me."

Alec shot Magnus an appreciative look. "Max, you'll have to stay here. I'll speak with Jocelyn and see if she won't watch you; she always seemed to like you."

"All she ever does is go to Clave meetings and sit in her study, studying things," Max pouted.

"She's just worried about her daughter, is all," Isabelle said. "I'll take Max over right now, and see if she's not there."

"No, Izzy!" Max cried, but Isabelle scooped Max up in the same manner she had seen Clary do on so many occasions, and headed for the door. "Make sure we'll have time tonight to do it!"

Max moaned and groaned as they went back down the stairs and outside to Jocelyn's house. She paused at the sight of the door, wondering how she was going to best explain why Max needed to stay with Jocelyn. She's a sworn member of the Clave, far more than I am, and held to a much higher standard. Convincing her this is right is going to be like fighting a war. Max smacked her back absently and Isabelle dropped him to his feet, pounding on the door in frustration.

"Jocelyn, I need to talk-"

"Hello, Isabelle." It was Luke, and he seemed surprised to see her there, with Max nonetheless. "How can I help you?"

"Isn't Jocelyn in?" asked Isabelle, peering past Luke.

"Yes, but she's…well, she's occupied at the moment." Luke's face showed his strain and Isabelle knew he was worried.

"Well, it's rather important. Can we come in?" Isabelle nudged Max with her knee and he slouched in, looking very angry.

Luke saw. "How now, Maxwell? School not what you thought it would be?" His eyes twinkled and Max's frown turned up just a bit. "Miss our days out in the wild?"

"No," Max said, determined to stay angry, but just the thought of werewolves was winning him over.

"Then you miss the castle?"

"No." Max was still frowning, but he was having trouble keeping it up. Isabelle noticed how easily Luke had worked his charm over on the boy and wondered if he had ever been a father, and then, sadly, realized how Max didn't have a proper father.

"Max is in a sour mood because Alec and I have plans that don't involve him, and, as usual, he thinks he grown enough to be part of them." Isabelle pointed Max into the kitchen where she smelled something cooking.

"Ah, the curse of adolescence," Luke murmured, and caught Max's eye. "Maybe tomorrow you'd like to take some time from your studies and visit my pack? Maia hasn't seen you in ages and we just talking about you. Or, perhaps Simon could come and stay a bit. I heard he and your sister have quite made up."

Since Isabelle hadn't mentioned her ad Simon's relationship, Max was stunned and turned an accusatory eye on Isabelle. "You didn't say that!"

"It was none of your business," Isabelle sniffed.

"I'm telling Alec!"

"Go ahead!" Isabelle placed both her hands on her hips in challenge.

"Children," Luke sighed, and they both glanced his way.

At the same time, Isabelle and Max said, "I'm not a child." Luke grinned even wider.

"No, of course you're not, but I'm not sure Jocelyn will want to speak with you when you're in such a humor." Luke continued to smile and Isabelle shook out her hair, giving herself a little shake. "Now, why don't you two come with me and we'll see how Jocelyn is."

Isabelle shot Max a warning look before they followed Luke upstairs to the study. Outside the doors, the sound of frantic muttering and parchment being pushed about was heard. Luke cast a meaningful look at Isabelle before he pushed the door open. Jocelyn was seated behind a desk, her hair springing free from its usually tame knot, and her face was sallow with ugly shadows. She glanced up when they entered and her gaze rested on Isabelle and Max for a moment before she returned to her work.

"What can I do for the Lightwoods this day?" she asked distractedly.

Isabelle came forward and saw that Jocelyn was poring over books and papers of demonologies. Isabelle felt a stab of pain when she realized that Jocelyn must have been searching for the demoness ever since Clary was taken by Jonathan. She seemed more obsessed than Alec and Magnus.

"I've come to ask if you could do me a favor then evening," said Isabelle and Max huffed.

"I don't find that I have much time for favors anymore," Jocelyn muttered. "What is it for?"

Isabelle considered lying, but she realized suddenly that Jocelyn's hunt for the demoness had taken her far from the path of the Clave. She doubted whether Jocelyn would have cared. "Well, to be honest, Alec and Magnus have formulated a plan of sorts to try a discover the name of this elusive demoness."

Jocelyn's face snapped up, her eyes sharp with pain. "What sort of plan?"

"I can't say," Isabelle said stiffly and Luke frowned.

"Can't or won't?" Jocelyn asked coldly. "You and your brother have cost me my daughter once, and now, through your efforts, you refuse to tell me what you will do? These games of yours tire me."

"No, Jocelyn, it's not a game-"

"Don't you think I have grown tired of this?" Jocelyn accused, her eyes flashing like flint. "Don't you think I have lost enough?"

"It is not that we wish to cause you more pain," said Isabelle quickly, throwing her hands up. "It is that you are a member of the Clave, and, as such, are sworn to them. Alec and I, as newly turned, are not held to the same standard."

"And so?" Jocelyn snapped.

"Jocelyn," Luke warned gently. "They are trying to help you. Remember, Clary was their friend too."

Jocelyn's face softened but her eyes remained hard. Isabelle cleared her throat. "Alec has suggested that Magnus summon a demon and force the demon to tell them who Jonathan is working with." Jocelyn and Luke stared, mouths agape. "We're going to do it outside of Alicante, so-so the Clave won't have to know," she added hopefully.

"And breaking about a hundred laws in the process," Luke said. "Is Magnus really going along with this? Do you realize how much danger you could be in?"

"I'm a demon-hunter," said Isabelle slowly. "How much danger could I be in of a demon? Besides, Magnus isn't going to summon a powerful demon, just one that would know who the demoness is."

"There is no such thing as a safe demon," said Jocelyn evenly. "Any demon Magnus summons will be dangerous and hungry and it doesn't matter that you're a shadowhunter."

"Well," said Isabelle, a little hotly, "what would you suggest? This is the easiest, fastest way to get answers, answers, I remind you, that will tell you what we're dealing with. You want to help Clary and Jace, then we need to know who the demon is."

"But like this?" asked Luke. "It's a good idea, don't get me wrong, but the risk of summoning a demon so close to Alicante is ridiculous. You're sure to be noticed."

"That's why it's Alec and I, not you," answered Isabelle smartly. She saw the uncertainty between Luke and Jocelyn and said, "What else is there? We want to find out who she is, and this is the best way! I care for Clary and Jace as much as you, they are my only friends besides my brothers, and I would do anything to help them."

Jocelyn stared at Isabelle before she found her voice. "If you do this thing, you need to make sure no one sees you leaving the city. There is a way the Watch takes that will let you out; I can show you the way."

Isabelle felt her breath come out in a relieved sigh. "You'll help us then?"

Jocelyn's nodded stiffly. "I'll take you, Magnus, and Alec to the entrance, and I'll keep an eye on Max tonight."

Max, who had half been hoping Jocelyn would say no, felt his face fall. He wanted to tag along with his siblings. "But I don't want to stay here."

"Max, we've discussed this, and you're not going," Isabelle said firmly, and she took his arm in her grip. "You're staying here tonight. I'm sure Jocelyn will make you something delicious for dinner, and she has a great library. I bet there's a book there you'd like to read."

"I want to come!" Max said fiercely, but Isabelle just rolled her eyes at Jocelyn who, for the first time, smiled faintly.

"Max," Jocelyn said slowly, "you'll like it here. You remember when you stayed here with Clary and Jace and you got on so well? It'll be just as it was before."

Max eyed Jocelyn with dislike. "I miss training with Jace and Clary reading me books."

"I can read you a book," said Jocelyn kindly.

"I don't want to read a book," Max snapped back.

"Max, behave yourself!" Isabelle ordered sharply. "Jocelyn is a very nice woman, letting you stay here while we go out. How many people do you know would take you in out of the kindness of their heart, feed you, clothe you, give you a warm bed? What would Mother say if she saw you now?"

It had been the wrong thing to say. Max's eyes went wide with the shock of what Isabelle had said and then started to water. "Mother?"

Damn it, Isabelle thought at once. "Max, you know I didn't mean-" but Max was already gone. He had stormed off, probably up to the room he had used to sleep in, and Isabelle could only watch. Jocelyn watched him go with sympathy, as Isabelle collapsed into a chair. "I shouldn't have brought up our mother, I know Max misses her."

"It is hard on a young boy when they lose their parents in such a violent way." Jocelyn peered keenly at Isabelle. "I'm sure Max knows you love him."

"It's not that I don't love him," sighed Isabelle. "It's just that a mother should love him, not me."

Jocelyn really didn't know what it was to watch young children suffer, and she felt that she was utterly alone and miserable. Seeing such love so plainly only stood remind her that she had lost her children, and it seemed a very slim chance indeed that she would ever see either of them again. "I'll speak with him for you," she said at last. "But that will be tonight, after I've led you three to the city exit. Come, let's find Alec and Magnus.

"Are you sure no one is going to see us?" Magnus muttered under his breath while Jocelyn hurried along ahead of them, her eyes glancing back and forth frantically. "Not that we look conspicuous but-wait, that's exactly how we look."

Jocelyn scowled but Isabelle and Alec smiled down, enjoying a little break from the mounting tension. They had left their houses quietly, afraid that a passing member of the Clave would notice their small group and inquire after them. Now, as they fled through the city, they were going in the frantic, hyper-vigilant tread of the hunted. Isabelle drew nearer to her brother, wondering if he was as nervous and scared as she was, or if he really thought this was going to work. He caught her eye, and for a moment, he smiled.

"Well, if this goes wrong, we can always just go back to farming," said Isabelle with a wink.

Alec chuckled and Magnus glanced back. "Just the four of us; me, Max, you and the warlock."

"I will not be moving anywhere away from this city if it involves living with you, miss Isabelle," Magnus shot back, and Isabelle scowled.

"Keep quiet!" Jocelyn hissed as they passed behind a house. "We need to go silently and safely beyond the city proper, and talking about it isn't making this any easier."

Isabelle had to suppress a smile and then followed on in silence. They reached the small exit that the Watch used and Jocelyn nodded toward it. "Take this up, don't stop, and when you get out, cross the river. It marks the city boundary and should still be frozen."

"Thank you, Jocelyn," Magnus said, and bowed his head to her.

"Help me find my children, and I don't care what you do," was all she said.

As they slipped by her, out of the city, Isabelle realized that the 'children' Jocelyn had been referring to was Clary and Jace. Magnus now took the lead, and he carried a bright, glowing flame in his hand, muttering to himself every now and then. Alec watched Magnus closely, wondering what the warlock was thinking, if he was worried about what was to come, if he thought it would even work.

It has to work. There's no time for anything else, there's no other option. Alec thought momentarily of Clary and Jace. We'll get them back, we'll summon this demon and get them back. Then, we can finally end this.

"Is that light?" asked Isabelle, breaking his thoughts. "Look, up there!"

Magnus, spurred on by Isabelle's words shot off, calling back for them. After a moment of struggling up the stone steps, they broke out into a small clearing in a forest, the entrance to the city craftily concealed by a mess of vines and bushes. Magnus spun about, looking for signs of other shadowhunters who might have followed them, but there were none.

Having not left the secret city in a couple weeks, Isabelle was again taken by the feel of a breeze in her hair and the smell of fresh air. She gazed up at the night sky and saw a fat moon dangling in the dark and thousands and thousands of stars winking out. She breathed in and could taste spring on the air.

"There's the river," said Alec, pointing beyond Isabelle, where a streak of silver cut through the land. "It's still frozen, so we can cross it."

"We'll go quickly now," said Magnus, "and you two will keep your weapons at the ready. Stay close by me."

Magnus stood before the river a minute, looking out into the forest that seemed so similar to their own, but certainly contained more than a few unpleasant characters. He raised his hand again once more, high above him, and the green light in his hand expanded far beyond their small clearing; if anything had been there, it would have run. Magnus turned and waved the two of them on before pushing out into the forest.

Directly beyond the river, the taste and warmth of spring that was blooming into life in Alicante vanished. The forest outside the city was trapped in the grip of a bitter winter, and the ground and trees were dead. Isabelle looked about her uncertainly as they pressed forward, and she had a sudden desire to curl up in the bed she had in Magnus's house, a fire stoked up, and the pleasant warmth traveling up her feet and legs. As they walked, she also had the sense that something was watching them.

"We'll stop here," said Magnus, looking about at the small stretch of dry land. "Alec, Isabelle, patrol the clearing while I set up the pentacle. If you hear anything, just run, I'll be fine."

While Isabelle and Alec circled about, staring out into the cold dark, Magnus got to work. He was drawing runes in the earth, carving the marks so deep into the soil that the color changed. He worked ceaselessly, unwilling to look up from the spell. As the minutes ticked by, Magnus thought distantly of the demon he would have to summon; it wouldn't be difficult to summon the creature in general, but to force its will to bend to his. He finally glanced up, saw Alec walking the edge of the trees, and frowned.

This'll just be fast, Magnus thought, and cleared his throat. "Alright you two, I'm going to summon it now. Stay in the pentacle with me no matter what and do not speak or move unless I tell you to."

Alec and Isabelle slunk into the ring with Magnus and watched as he closed his eyes and began to speak in a low, even voice, in a language they didn't know. At first, nothing seemed to be happening, and Isabelle watched the other pentacle nervously. Alec as about to ask Magnus if he knew what was happening, but Magnus made a harp gesture and Alec fell silent. Almost a moment later, smoke began to billow up from the opposite pentacle.

Isabelle opened her mouth to speak, but Magnus's warning came back and she snapped it shut. As she watched, though, the smoke grew thicker and thicker, curling around the ground, drifting as far as their own pentacle and then creeping up the walls of their own pentacle. Isabelle drew back and bumped her brother who gripped her firmly. As they both looked on, the smoke grew blacker and blacker, like a living shadow, and then, suddenly, a pair of red eye blinked out of the black smoke. Isabelle rasped and a flash of white shone through the dark, a mouth full of fangs.

"Warlock," the voice said.

"Warlock Bane, to you," Magnus answered, and Alec was impressed by the force of will he heard in the voice. It was the voice of a man who was strong and unafraid. "I have summoned you here, and you are bound by the pentacle and my magic to do my will."

The demon's eyes narrowed and it seemed to be thinking; after a moment, it hissed. "You're a better magician than I usually come across."

"Not often does a high warlock have need to summon a lesser demon," Magnus answered. "Now, I have summoned you to answer a question."

"Interesting," said the demon, its eyes wider. "What question could a high warlock want of me?"

"You have felt the tug of the summons, have you not? Another man calls forth demon kind into this world?" Magnus waited and the smoke swirled and withered. "Answer me!"

"Yes," snarled the demon. "Yes, but I am but a lesser demon, and the summons only opens the door to those greater than me."

"He calls you under the name of the Great Goddess," Magnus said next. "Is that true?"

"Yes," the demon said despondently.

Magnus breathed out in relief. "Who is she? Who is the name of the this demon the man uses? Who is the Great Goddess?"

The demon chuckled darkly. "She is the Great Mother."

"Don't play games with me," Magnus warned. "If you think I won't destroy you, you're sorely mistaken."

"She is who she is," said the demon quickly. "She is my mother, she is your mother. She has brought forth the race of demon kind and she will see us rise with the aid of her son."

"My mother…?" Magnus murmured, and then his eyes widened in shock. "Liar!"

"I think not," said the demon, and its teeth widened into a grin.

"Go!" Magnus hissed, waving a hand through the air, making a gesture with his hand. "Begone, you foul thing, gone!"

"You think," said the demon, it'svoice echoing out, "that you can stop the Great Mother, warlock? You think there is any hope for the Angel get now that she comes?"

"Go!" Magnus bellowed, and Alec was shocked to see how white his face was.

"Magnus, what is it?" Alec asked, shaking his arm. "What did the demon say?"

"I know who she is," Magnus said blankly, and there was horror in his face. "I know who the Great Goddess is."