Lily sat outside of the library door, nervously wringing her hands. The hall was dark and empty and silent as the grave. She wished for some sort of noise to distract her from the hushed murmurings on the other side of the door.

She turned her head as she heard footsteps coming down the hall, though it was a few minutes before their source was revealed. It was two boys, like light and shadows with a little redheaded girl. Lily quickly looked down, wishing she could blend into the surrounding.

"Hey is that-?" she heard one of the boys ask.

"Shhh," the girl laughed.

"I'm pretty sure you were right," the boy said, amusement evident in his tone.

Lily curled her hands into fists. She hated the way they talked about her, like she was too beneath them to even understand.

"Hey, you there," the boy said, still laughing. "Is it true? Are you some sort of psychic freak?"

"Jace-"

Lily ground her teeth, glad that her face was hidden in her hair.

"Are you deaf as well as blind?"

"Keep talking. Someday you might say something intelligent," Lily shot back quietly.

The other boy laughed by the sound of it and she allowed herself a small smile.

"Who are you then?" the first boy- Jace- asked. "Cause I think this whole thing is a load of crap. Everyone knows that you can't have a kid who's half Shadowhunter and half demon. It's common knowledge."

Lily ignored him.

"Well go on then, just admit it. You're completely full of it! You're probably in league with Sebastian! You're probably just some half rate spy!"

Lily stood up very quickly, making them jump. The blonde boy watched with gloating superiority as she pulled back her sleeve, revealing the clumsily made marks on her arm. The red headed girl nudged him and whispered something, probably about the quality of the Marks, to which they laughed, but for once she didn't care.

She brushed her hair back from her eyes and they gasped and for once she didn't mind that they were frightened by them. She held out her hand so they could see it clearly and then murmured several words she had never been taught, but somehow knew instinctively. Her hand burst into bright purple fames that licked at her skin and burned almost white. The trio scrambled back with a yell.

"Having fun?" Magnus said, leaning in the doorway. They jumped and Lily's arm went out with a pop. She had no idea how long he'd been standing there.

Lily looked down quickly, ashamed.

"Everyone in the Library," Magnus said, and she could feel his eyes on the back of her head.

Magnus bit back a smile as he watched Jace and Clary file through the door. Lily was still staring at her feet as if they were the most interesting thing in the world. It was almost funny how guilty she looked, though not quite as funny as Jace and Clary's expressions had been.

Then Alec stepped forward out of the shadows.

"Magnus, I-" he started but Magnus would have none of it. He hated seeing Alec, hated the heartstrings he pulled at, hated the way his eyes lit up when he saw him. It wasn't fair that he still loved him, not after what he had done.

He acted without thinking, and merely reached for Lily, whose eyes were still firmly planted on her boots. She looked up with wide eyes the color of blue bottle glass as he crushed her to him, a sharp intake of breath escaping her lips before they were on his.

She went rigid as he twisted his hand into her hair and then relaxed as his lips parted hers. He pulled her closer and she tentatively placed her hands at his waist. He explored her mouth, his tongue expertly awakening her nerves. He could feel her heart racing, her breath hitch, trace the thick scar into her hairline.

The door slammed and he stepped back from her, her arms falling lightly from his waist to her sides. She stared at him strangely, her bottle blue eyes spinning and something far away in her expression.

"Huh," she said a strange voice, her expression hinting at something he wasn't sure he understood. Magnus opened his mouth to say something but she moved to the door and closed it with a click. He shook his head and followed her inside.

Lily sat in the very back of the library as the Conclave assembled. She was mindlessly tossing a pen knife in the air, letting it twirl over itself before catching it by the hilt.

She didn't know how she felt about kissing Magnus. Sure, it had been fantastically breathtaking, but that didn't mean that she liked it. Or so she was trying to tell herself.

"Mind if I sit here?" the dark haired boy from the corridor asked and she jumped, catching the knife too early. It burrowed into her skin and stuck into her palm. She blinked hard and looked from her bleeding hand to the boy and back again.

She shook her head and stared attentively at her hand. It was bleeding profusely, the end of the blade visibly sticking out of the back of her hand.

"Are you ok?" the boy asked, looking slightly concerned.

"Do you think this will get me out of talking to the Conclave?" she asked.

"Probably not, all you need is an iratze," the boy said.

"Damn it," she said, pulling the knife from her hand.

"What did you do?" Magnus asked, sitting on her other side and looking at her blood soaked hand. "I told you, you have nothing to worry about with the Conclave."

Lily mumbled something indistinctly, clutching her hand. She scowled at him before reaching into her boot.

"You're going to get blood all over your jeans," Magnus said.

"I need to get my steele," she said. She dug it out and pressed it to her injured hand. Then she paused. She sighed and stuffed it back into her boot.

"You didn't do anything," the boy said, looking at her strangely.

"I know."

"Why don't you just iratze yourself?" he asked. She didn't look at him.

"Because I don't remember how," she said very quietly.

"What do you mean you don't remember?"

Lily ignored him, her eyes downcast.

"Lily, just let me see your hand," Magnus said softly. She shook her head and closed her eyes.

She murmured a stream of words that sounded like a crackling fire. Her injured hand burst into purple flames. The boy jumped but Magnus merely stared at her, an odd expression on his face. The flames slowly sunk into the alabaster of her skin and she slumped, breathing hard.

The wound was gone, as was the blood.

"Lily," Magnus said. She looked past him, her strange eyes far away.

"Lillian Maryse Nightwater," the Consul called, beckoning her forward. She stood on shaky legs and stepped forward, her hands trembling. She sat in the chair he motioned to and looked down at her feet, still quivering. The Consul raised an eyebrow before handing her the Mortal Sword.

"You understand why you are here?" he asked, staring hard at her.

"Y-yes," she said in barely a whisper.

"You have information that could help the Clave?"

"Yes," she said again.

"Speak up," he said sharply.

"Yes," she said again slightly louder.

"The last record the Clave has of you is your stay at the London Institute for two weeks, is that correct?"

"Yes."

"And that was?"

"Six years ago."

"Why did you leave?"

"They chucked me out."

The Consul turned on her, staring at her hard.

"Institutes cannot 'chuck out' Shadowhunter children. It's against the Law."

"Yeah well they said I wasn't a Shadowhunter so they didn't have to worry about the Law." She looked up finally, eyes narrowed in loathing.

The Consul raised his eyebrows. "That seems highly unlikely-"

"So does being a Warlock-Shadowhunter hybrid," she spat losing her temper. "But I kind of threw that out of the window, didn't I? But you would know all about how that went over, wouldn't you Walden?"

"I will not have you speak to me in this manner-"

"What's the matter Waldo? How's dear old mum anyhow? Psychopathic as always?"

"ENOUGH!"

"What, the whole attempted murder incident didn't seem to be your thing? I didn't take to it either as I recall. Of course, I suppose that's why you've been promoted. Covering shit up's what the Clave does best, isn't it?"

"You insolate little-" he started but stopped himself. "I find you in contempt-"

"You'll find a whole lot more here if you keep-"

"ENOUGH!" he bellowed, spit flying from his mouth. Lily shut her mouth, still staring at him in absolute disgust. He took a few calming breaths before continuing. "What… information… do you have?"

"Jonathan is here, in New York. He has returned for his blood. It will all end in blood. The blood of the Angel and that of the Devil will flow in the street and it will choke the life from all who remain. He is here. He is coming."

There was silence. Every eye was about her. Then finally the Consul spoke.

"What does that mean?"

Her eyebrow shot up, her expression mocking, but she answered. "It means that Jonathon Morgenstern is in New York and he has returned for her," she said, pointing to the red headed girl. "And it means that someone will fight him, someone who the Angel runs purest through but it won't be enough and everyone who stays will die too."

"I've had enough of this nonsense," he spat. "This was a waste of everyone's time-"

"How was this a waste of everyone's time?"

"The Clave doesn't have time to listen to liars-"

"I was holding the Mortal Sword. I can't lie when I hold it, no Shadowhunter can-"

"But you're not even fully human, never mind a Shadowhunter, are you?"

Lily's eyes bored into him, her jaw set. Then she stood up and drove the blade into the floorboards. She turned and looked at each one of them in turn.

"You put such stock into your humanity, that you're descended from the Angel. And yet you call regular humans Mundanes and treat them like cattle. And nevertheless you're just like them, just as weak and stupid and corruptible. You were ready to surrender to Valentine just so as not to have to work with Downworlders. Downworlders who were prepared to die for you. All because of your stupid prejudices. And even now you still won't believe me because of what I am. Well, you know what, I can help who I am just as much as you sorry bastards can help how ugly you are. And I mean that on the inside, because yes, Blondie, we can see you chiseled good looks." Jace sat back down. "So you know what? I'm done. I tried to help you even after everything you've put me through, everything I've had to endure, everything that was taken away from me, because of you. And you've called me a liar. So now you can all burn and we'll see if your Angel will save you then!"

She cast one last look at the disbelieving faces around her before storming to the door and slamming it so hard several books fell from the shelves.