So close to the end! Thanks for those of you who've commented thus far!
~ THEMESONGS ~
Weapons ~ The Daylights
Take the Heartland ~ Glen Hansard
.M.I.W.
17. A Debt Left Unfilled
The area was in constant motion. People were walking through the throngs of guests, talking to other partygoers, some were dancing, others were standing in clusters and talking and drinking.
There were also the sounds. The clinking of silverware on glass, laughter, talking, and music filled the air just above the noise. Everything was at a constant chatter.
The building was beautiful too. Just like Clare described, the space was open and huge. The floor was made of a silvery steel, which looked shiny with the small, white lights scattered throughout the space. They were wrapped around large steel overhead supporting beams. I felt like I was at a posh party back in the 1920s.
It was all so much and all so little to take in.
I kind of stood idle while watching everyone. Claire had gone off to inspect the world of the Mortal Instruments – something she hadn't really gotten the chance to do. Everyone was off doing their own thing, and I didn't really know what thing I should have to focus on for tonight. I guessed I would just be under the torture of waiting for everything to explode.
My dress felt cold against my skin, the skirt swished out whenever I walked, which felt weird. I realized it'd been a while since I'd worn a dress that didn't feel like a Victorian blanket. There weren't any sleeves, which kind of showcased my Runes perfectly, jet black against my pale skin.
They'd been drawn down my arms, rolled over my shoulders, and even began to creep onto my collarbones. Some were old, kept alive with the magic of portal-hopping. A couple of them, however, were new editions just for tonight. I found them in an old book Jace had been studying: Runes Throughout the Ages. They were the Runes of fortitude, equilibrium, and stamina. I also carved a Mark into me that symbolized courage in combat.
Yeah, that's right. Me? Needing courage in combat? If anything, I felt like my problem had been that I was too excited to fight. But after binding my gear together to hide it until I needed it for tonight, I realized I was shaking. My whole body was shaking like a leaf. And I could barely control it. I'd almost broken down and grabbed my cigarettes.
So I carved the stupid thing right onto my right collarbone, to remind myself that I had to be brave. That if I was dying tonight, being sent to Hell, and becoming a demon, I at least left something good behind.
"Madi, does that centerpiece look centered to you?"
I followed Clary's gaze towards the floral centerpiece in the middle of the table next to me. I looked at it carefully, then shrugged. "Looks all right to me. Would you chill out? We're at a party. You know, a place with dancing, and mingling, and music? I'm pretty sure I could even swipe some champagne."
"No, it's okay." Clary murmured, straightening an already straight silverware set.
She looked nice tonight. The gold dress that fit her perfectly shimmered in the dim, twinkling lights. Her fire-red hair was pinned up, and the only jewelry she wore was the Morgenstern ring on its chain around her neck. Jace would have been so excited to be with her tonight. If he wasn't being detoxed for demonic possessions, of course.
I sighed a little as I watched her continue to fiddle with table settings. She just didn't seem to have her head on right. Not that I really blamed her, I guess, it just seemed kind of pathetic to me.
"Clarissa Morgenstern?"
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed someone grab Clary's attention. Quite literally. Someone put their hand on her shoulder, and we both turned around almost simultaneously. Clary seemed to look at the girl in confusion, while on my end, it was a completely different story.
My stomach jumped into my throat, then dropped. I found my hands curling into fists, and I felt like my ribs were cracking apart under the pressure of how hard my breath was being locked into my body.
Because a surprisingly pale girl with smooth, milky skin was looking down at Clary. Her eyes were a pure, solid blue, and she had long blonde hair. She was tall too. And thin. She looked like she was skin and bones.
But this was just a cover.
I could see through the girl's glamour.
And she was blue.
The Blue Skank!
"Kaelie." Clary said, surprised. "I didn't realize – do you know Luke?"
The girl's face twisted a little in contempt. "Do not mistake me for a guest at this occasion. My lady said you were quite flinty, despite your small size. In the Court you would be looked down on for having such a short stature."
Kaelie looked at me then, completely throwing me off guard. My teeth ground together out of pure anxiety. "You would not do much better."
Okay, anxiety over.
I felt my blood beginning to boil over, probably in a weak attempt to block out the intense pain in my chest. Did she realize she stole my boyfriend? Had he even been my boyfriend to begin with? I was about to open my mouth with a blazing (and I mean blazing) comeback –
"Well, we're not in the Court," Clary immediately supplied. "And we're not in Taki's, which means you came to me, which means you have five seconds to tell me what the Seelie Queen wants. I don't like her much, and I'm not in the mood for her games."
I found myself beginning to sulk. She led off great with the Taki's bit, but I still felt a serious blow to my ego that hadn't gone properly defended.
Suddenly, the freaky (fucking slut) girl reached out to point a finger at Clary's throat. "My lady said to ask you why you wear the Morgenstern ring. Is it to acknowledge your father?"
Clary clasped the ring tightly in her small hand. "It's for Jace," she blurted out, "because Jace gave it to me."
I felt my temper rising double-time then. Never tell shit to a Fae. They'll fuck you over. And it looked like in Clary's face that she knew it too.
"But he is not a Morgenstern," Kaelie replied, "but a Herondale, and they have their own ring. A pattern of herons, rather than morning stars. And does that not suit him better, a soul that soars like a bird in flight, rather than falling like Lucifer?"
I was already ten steps ahead of the game there, and quickly decided to intervene.
"Gee, I didn't know you knew so much about Shadowhunters there, Smurfette." I rejoined. "Was that the only reason you came here? Asking about a ring? Something tells me the Queen seems to have a lot of time on her hands to be thinking about family jewelry."
She glared at me then. "My Queen's thoughts do not concern you."
"That's not what she said last time I was here." I snapped back, making sure it sounded like the best fucking innuendo out there.
It got the desired effect, and her eyes widened in horror.
"Yeah, I thought you'd still remember when your lives were in my hands."
"That debt has been paid in full." Kaelie practically snarled.
I snorted, my jaw stiffening. "You'd think so, wouldn't you?"
"Kaelie," Clary suddenly demanded, her voice steely calm. I backed off a little at the sound of it. Clary was having no shit today, it seemed like. "What does the Seelie Queen want?"
"To give you this." The Fae held out her hand. In it was a tiny silver necklace with a bell acting as its pendent. She held it by its chain, and as she moved it, the bell gave a soft, tinkling sound that reminded me of wind chimes blowing softly in a summer rain.
Wow, that was graphic, wasn't it? Me and my imagery.
I threw my arm out in front of Clary, blocking her from the bell just as she was already shrinking back. Kaelie glared at me, and I glared right back.
"Not interested." I said.
"It's not your gift to receive." The other girl retorted.
"You honestly think I care?"
"I do not want the gifts of your lady," Clary said strongly, "for they come freighted with lies and expectations. I will not owe the Queen anything."
What the fuck is with this proper Victorian-speech, here?
"It is not a gift," Kaelie huffed. "It is a means of summoning. The Queen forgives you for your earlier stubbornness. She expects there is a time soon in which you will want her help. She is willing to offer it to you, should you choose to ask."
"Oh trust me, she won't." I snapped.
But she bowled right over my observation. "Simply ring that bell, and a servant of the Court will come and bring you to her."
Clary shook her head. "I will not ring it."
Kaelie shrugged, immediately setting guard-dog-mode on a new high. "Then it should cost you nothing to take it."
A pale, freckled arm shot out from over my protective one, grabbing the bell.
"No! Stop!" I yelped.
"You would do anything to save him." Kaelie told Clary savagely. "Whatever it cost you, whatever you might owe to Hell or Heaven, would you not?"
The bell rang out again as Clary held it tightly in her hand.
"A wise choice." Kaelie smirked at me.
I snapped.
"I'm going to kill you now." I said, already curling a fist back to swing it into her face.
"Madi!" Clary cried.
Kaelie dodged it, though. "Perhaps we should talk." She suggested, already snaking towards the balcony of the building.
Clary rested a small hand on my shoulder, "Madi, don't –"
"Stop it, Clary." I stepped out of her hold, already setting to be on Kaelie's heels.
Once we were just out of the crowd, Kaelie paused to see if I was keeping up. I stormed towards her, shoving past her towards the balcony outdoors with my shoulder. Smart of her to choose to talk out here. Her bloodcurdling screams for mercy wouldn't be too loud to cover the music.
"Rather volatile, aren't you?" She demanded, trying to retain some haughtiness as she followed me outside. It didn't really work since her tone sounded more or less pissed.
"You don't know the meaning of the word." I snarled.
I finally stopped at the railing, only when we couldn't go any further. I was fighting down the tremors fighting to break through my body. I was getting so worked up over this. If I wasn't careful, I was going to fuck myself over majorly if I my adrenaline kicked in.
"Don't be so upset." Kaelie murmured, as if she read my thoughts. "Meliorn is quite wonderful. I can only imagine how devastating it would be to lose him."
I gripped the railing, my knuckles turning white under the pressure. "That's over with now." I said.
"Is it?" She mused. "You've obviously been holding out for him. Even when you abandoned him, you expected he would love you still. Truly, Madi, you are a romantic at heart, and that's as wonderful as it is tragic. To see him in the arms of someone so perfect for him –"
"Is this going to be some Rattlesnake-Mongoose-type thing?" I demanded. "I don't even see how this is your business to begin with. Don't tell me – this has something to do with the Queen as well. Is she trying to set me up with someone now?"
Kaelie glared at me. "We wouldn't sully our kind with yours, Rogue."
"Really? Again, I'd love to mention my last visit here. You guys seemed pretty pumped to have me on Team-Fae then. And giving me a prisoner as a gift for my services, by the way? Not cool."
"You dare rescind our gratitude?" She demanded, aghast. "You? How – who do you think you are? Some god –?"
"Take that bell back to your Queen and we'll call it squared." I snapped.
She sobered at that, her posture suddenly closed off and cold. "I cannot."
"Then we're not even."
.M.I.W.
Please tell me I'm not the only one who thought Kaelie was blue. In the first book, doesn't Clare say she is? I'm so confused, and I'm sorry if I ruined things in chapter five if I've been wrong this entire time.
When Madi mentioned "Rattlesnake-Mongoose-type thing" when arguing, it was a reference to Mac Lethal's song Rattlesnake versus Mongoose. It's about a guy who broke up with his girlfriend, and is completely over her, but she keeps trying to make him jealous.