10/10/2017- 4, 732

Chapter 1

Four Mistakes

(6 years 11 months 28 days ago)

The day I made four mistakes, was the day I met Jonathan Christopher Morgernstern.

It was July 18, 2000, warm, sticky humid air, and a perfect day for rolling in grass until your knees were more green then ashy white.

It was that day I decided to have a picnic.

All by myself.

"You can't go," my father said, polishing his two shiny horns in the the bathroom mirror.

My father would pay extra attention to them, before he went out, ten-minutes too long, or like Uncle Magnus like saying, "baby girl, your dad is a horny guy, he likes doing them both, sometimes at the same time" I agreed with him there, innocent to what he really meant, laughing when Magnus did, but my Dad became so upset he was ready to punish us both, and so I never repeated it again.

"Why Daddy?"

"Because I said so," he began to shave the white hairs from his green chin, "we don't have the time to go for a hike. I have places to be-" there was a nervous air around him, my ten-year old legs swung as I sat on the bathroom sink, I was not-, "Get off the sink Sera. You know you can't sit there."

"Why?"

"I am not playing this game again," he said toweling off the excess, putting on a guy perfume as I called it, "yuck, this smells funny daddy, you smell funny," and that is when he threw the towel at me. It smelled like him, and I threw it back when he was leaning over to get the toothpaste and brushes from under the sink.

After we finished brushing our teeth, he put me on the ground, "Okay all done, now go wait in the front, we are going to the Market."

"I am going to a picnic," he did not seem to listen the first time, and that was not really my problem.

I went anyway, into the Brocelind Forest. My first mistake.

It was my idea, and I thought it was a perfectly relaxing way to spend my Sunday.

"Oh no, vampires, werewolves, and fairies, oh my," I giggled hiking all alone singing the wizard of Oz and imagining battling flying monkeys like Dorthy did. I headed south from the vast and glittering city, as far as south could possibly go. No one would bother me if I went that way. That was my second mistake.

It didn't matter. Not many things did in my mind. If I was told, "not to," on several occasions, even if my classmate Adam Ravenkey did not turn up, or the forest was kinda creepy, I was going to have a picnic with sugared strawberries, chocolates, and some books to read if I got bored.

Damn the consequences, and so I was damned with them.

"I should have brought more water," I gulped my last bottle an hour ago, and the trees were beginning to look darker. Creepier. The whoosh of an owl as it swooped over my head, and the a hoot it gave too made my back shiver in anticipation. The sound of crickets was increasing as I walked for longer, the insects a growing crescendo.

"Don't get scared Sera," I told myself, pulling up my hood, and trudging on, I got lost twice and the sun was not high in the sky making the hiking experience even more unbearable. Night was falling. My resolve was breaking just a tad and exhaustion trickling into its place. Instead of panicking I listened to my training, and knew that north was opposite direction to the sun, but that could easily be pointing south. Instead of wandering more and making a bigger mess I decided on giving myself a break.

"We are off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard- oh whatever," I was tired of singing, it was not making me feel any better, and so I rested on a flat boulder. After a while I didn't feel like moving, my legs groaned in protest whenever I tried standing.

"Ouch, ouchie that hurts," my feet were blistered, red, puffy, ugly, "Not pretty," I inspected them with arrogant distaste.

"okay, slow, slow, ugh," I put my boots back on not wanting to pop or worsen the inflamed water sacs on my sole.

"Nice going Sera," I told myself, upset for ruining my day. I removed the pack from my back, but I was still tired, and fanning my face was just making me dizzy so I stopped. I took out the strawberries, and took a bite savoring the warmed packed sweet goodness. I never had a problem with being hungry, being a growing Shadowhunter meant food all the time, and my tummy could hold so much I was surprised it didn't burst.

I sighed in content. This was the life. I listened to the birdcall, and the sound of the trees swaying in the wind. I leaned my head forward towards the wind as it gave me a moment's reprieve from the chaotic hike.

"Vampires, werewolves, and fairies oh my indeed, this isn't so bad," I convinced myself, "I can find my way out," but my mind kept trying to tell me something, something was off.

"Hello," I called out. It was rare for me to feel like this, I got the inkling that something was wrong, and then it hit me. There was no more birdcall. It was silent, "hello," my voice was wavering, "ah!"

I heard something behind me. It was the sound of twigs snapping. Something big. Something was terribly wrong, or something was going to go wrong. In better words there was a predator, and something was about to die.

I collected my things ready to bounce out of here, not so much in the mood for a picnic anymore. Father was right. I should have listened to him. I should have waited for him- my backside shivered, "Ah! run, run, run," and I swiveled around as I ran off, my feet sleeping on the leaf scattered pathway searching for the culprit. I grew uneasy at the feeling that something was watching me, and had been for a while.

Now it was following.

I left everything. Dropping my pack of supplies, and sprinted. This was my third mistake.

My reasoning was, if I had a chance to escape then I did not need anything holding me back.

I ran without thinking, and my blindness would cost me.

I sprinted towards a field that I saw in the distance, not focusing on the ground. I did not pay attention to the glitter of metal a few steps away that would have made me apprehensive if I was in a clearer state of mind.

I turned to look behind me. I did this while my foot made contact with the metal teethed contraption on the ground.

click, I looked down, "SNAP!"

I WAS IN HELL!

BURNING TARTARUS OF SATAN! IT BURNS!
THERE WAS NOTHING ON GODS WORLD THAT HURT As much AS THIS!

I fell facedown and curled- arched-screaming profanities that I had never before spoke. Fire. Hot. Radiating. The intense pain in my ankle made me hate every choice leading up to this. I could tell you I handled it like a skilled warrior of the Nephilium, but I didn't. I cried to the mother I never knew, to my father, and to anyone that could hear. I was just ten for crying out loud.

My face was drenched in tears, and my fingers clawed at my camisole trying to release the aching pain radiating through my whole leg.

I couldn't even look at the metal monster that sunk its razor teeth into my poor swollen bleeding-oh god don't look- ankle.

"Stop wriggling," hands were on the contraption.

"What are you? AHHHHHHH!" I shrieked in pain as he tried wrenching it apart.

I rolled away from him. The leaves and dirt rubbed in my face and my mouth. But I was more focused on the metal teeth that took a shark bite out of my black booted ankles.

"Stop fighting it, you're making it worse," he commanded me fiercely pulling the metal clamp apart as far it could go, but it wouldn't budge.

My back arched at the pain, and I banged my fist against the ground wishing and praying he would be successful. I was still stuck in those blasted metal teeth, and it tore deeper into my flesh as he lost his hold forcing it snap shut again.

The pain increased twicefold.

"AHHHHHHH!" I cursed him and his mother, but he didn't stop.

The pain was blinding, and I just wanted him to— "Please, please, please," I rolled back screaming even louder, "get it off."

He pulled out something, "Slice" he cut off my foot, and suddenly I was released.

I couldn't feel the pain, or the foot, "You killed me."

"You are welcome," he said dryly putting back a machete he had on his back, "you still have your foot," he tried touching it, but I did not believe him, there was too much pain, he really had done it now. I would never run again. Never play chase with Adam and the other students, or steal Papa's work toys and make him chase me. I was dead.

"You killed me," I repeated lifted my head to stare him head-on.

I gasped.

Those pitch-black eyes were so familiar. It was Déjà-Vu, no it was more familiar, more surreal, and I couldn't stop staring. I knew it was rude, but I couldn't, my cheeks heated, and I groaned pretending it was the pain and not my instant fancy of him. Stupid, really. Stupid crush.

His attention was not on my silent revelation, but trained on my wound not once noticing my direct gaze. They were so overwhelming for someone so young, and if I could compare it to anything it would be a predator's gaze. I felt bare and helpless in front of him. it was him. He had been the one following me, and like a fool I had run. In my helpless state I was forced to let him look over the wound with an indifferent intelligence.

"You didn't break the bone," he explained, "you can walk."

My breathing became steadier.

"You chased me into this trap, and now I am going to bleed out," I muttered still watching him in my own fascination.

"Hardly," he probed the wound, and I flinched, "I think it would defeat the purpose of me trying to free you," I looked down to see the damage, ready to faint if I saw any missing appendages.

But the evil metal toothed monster was the one torn to shreds. My ankle was still connected to my ravaged red and bloody foot. I was so relieved that a new set of tears cascaded down my face. I was one lucky person to have him…. unless…. this was his trap.

I glanced at my rescuer finally making eye contact with him, and began sizing him up. You would be surprised that I found a boy close to my age or appeared so, really lean build, gangly, and only a machete on his back. He didn't look like a hunter.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"The person that saved your life," he seemed proud of that fact.

"No," I wiped my cheeks, "What is your name?"

"You need to get this cleaned up," he kicked the metal contraption father away, "it's going to get infected from the dirt. it will get worse if you keep rolling around," he pushed down so I could stop, my foot continued to pump lots of blood out, dying,"oh come on, this could have prevented if you followed my directions." He started to lift me up, but I pushed away from him. I was afraid of him because one, he was mean, two, he was a stranger, and three, he was suspiciously unwilling to reveal his identity.

"Are you stupid? Are you a mundane?" I asked rolling my eyes, "you know a human, a mortal, a normal person?" That sounded stupid thing to say too, "homo sapiens?" he probably didn't know what that meant.

"Do you want to walk?" he asked.

How could I walk with this, "No, it hurts too much."

He scrunched his lips and squinted his eyes, "I was not asking about the pain, Nephilium girl," my eyebrows rose, "I asked if you want to walk?"

"Yes?" Was this a trick question?

"Then let me help you get this cleaned up or you are going to lose your foot. I did not go through all that trouble to see you fall short," I flinched away from his hand.

"I don't know. How can I trust you?"

He didn't seem surprised by my reluctance, "I saved you from that trap, and I am offering you help," he said slowly, "how can you not trust me?"

He has got to be kidding me, I leaned up, wincing, "Haven't you heard of not talking to strangers?"

"Haven't you heard of accepting help when it is given to you?"

He did have a point, but I still flinched away from him, "then no thank you. Just point me in the way to get out of here."

He rubbed the back of his head, his hand came back with sweat, "Don't be difficult. For arguments sake, if the roles were reversed, then I would be indebted instead of distrustful of such a person."

"But, I still don't know who you are?"

He looked irritated, his face scrunched, nose flared as if that bit was not important, "I am not going to tell you anything. So please take my hand," I didn't.

"Very well, wait here for another helpful stranger, to come and help you," He started walking away leaving me distressed on the forest ground. My hands tried to push myself up, but the pain was worse without him as a distraction. I would never get up by myself. I would surely die.

"You can't leave me!" I yelled hoping he would turn around, "there can be wolves in this forest!"

"Good luck!" He waved over his shoulder.

He was just kidding. No one would leave someone out here alone. I counted to ten but he still didn't turn around, and by now I was getting nervous. What if he really was going to leave me out here? Was he safer than the wolves that would eat me, or maybe he was worse than the wolves? I heard a howl from far off, and my body froze in fear.

"Hey, come back!" I yelled, and he appeared behind a tree.

"You called," he looked at his leisure, and I knew he was far worse than wolves.

"Where you just waiting around until I called you?"

"What do you think damsel," he teased, and if him bouncing his leg was anything to go by, he was getting irritated with me.

"Fine," I said through gritted teeth, letting him help, because I was getting irritated with him too, "come over and help me up."

He smiled triumphantly and came back.

Smug bastard, I thought. But I didn't refuse him this time, "Have it your way. Keep your name a secret it's probably embarrassing anyways," and his eyes glittered in amusement, reached for my two arms I leaned towards him.

I let him lift me up and I moaned at the pain that throbbed up my leg, my ankle was numb, and I unsteadily leaned most of my weight into him.

He wasn't too happy about that.

He dropped my backpack in a bush nearby, and I have yet to retrieve it to this day.

He didn't complain, or speak at all, which made me uneasy the entire time. It wasn't until he got to the middle of the field that I started slowing down. I was so tired, and the pain in my mind was working against me. It made me want to give up with every step I took. Stop moving, one step, stop breathing, another step, oh god, this was HELL!

He gave me no reassurances only curt commands on how to stand and egging me on to keep going.

"I can't do this," I confessed, "it hurts too much."

"Ignore the pain."

"Easy for you to say, you didn't have a bear trap just snap your ankle off," could he just have a little sympathy.

"Right now, I am regretting ever stepping in to help you," he began slowing down with me.

"You don't mean that," I whined out.

He made no comment.

We made it to a stream on the other side of the field, and I collapsed on the pebbled ground. He slowly helped me off with my ruined boot while I kicked and screamed. He helped me wipe off the blood against my protest, because if it was just me I wouldn't care if it got infected. As long as the pain stopped that was all I wanted.

"I need an iratze," I spoke out while he was inspecting the cleaned wound.

"I know," he mumbled. If he knew that it meant that he was most definite a Nephilium, Downworlder, or a mundane with Sight, though the latter was a little far-fetched.

"Wait here," he said, and took off.

"Where are you going?!" He left me.

"Hey don't leave me here alone!" I heard another wolf howl, and I couldn't help but panic. Of course he would leave me, and my heart dropped in my stomach. I was a failure as a Shadowhunter, and as a daughter. I deserved to have my punishment of being left to die. My guilt was making me very dramatic.

"This is my entire fault," the stream water kept trickling through, and that was all I heard for miles. There was no person for miles. I was alone. Maybe if I screamed then someone would hear me, and come running. I stopped myself remembering of werewolf pack and vampire clans that surrounded some of the southern border could very well hear me, and smell….

Oh god, I started wiping more blood off, making it worse, "ah!"

What if a vampire smelled it, and thought me a treat? I wished I had taken my seraph blade, and not have been afraid of losing it. I would never go anywhere now without my seraph blade. I closed my eyes wishing that he would come soon. I prayed really hard, and still no sign of him.

He probably meant what he meant earlier, and he was not going to come back.

Or he was?

Or not?

He was not going to come back.

I took a gulp of air ready to scream for help, and like that he returned, "oh thank Raziel! I thought you were leaving me, " he was quiet, carrying something with him.

I was surprised he returned to me, but more relieved with the fact that I was one step closer to going home.

I clapped my hands at seeing the stele, "Thank goodness I thought I was a goner. Oh good, you found one," I saw him hoping down so he could hand it to me.

I reached my hand out to him, "Hurry up, it's hurting!"

"If you keep complaining I am going to turn around, and go back to my home," His house must be close by, and I felt giddy knowing there could be more people to help me if need be.

"You have a stele?"

"It's not mine," he said softly, revealing the familiar healing stele that I associated with runes and healing.

I felt relief urging him closer to the wound, "Put the iratze on my calf," I pulled up my pants, expecting him to blush in embarrassment, but he looked focused on getting the job done. He worked on my calf carving it deeper and slower than it usually was supposed to be.

I hissed, "You made it too deep," but we both watched the iratze turn to a gold, and then spread out like light towards the gaping bite wound, and the sinew of muscle and skin reattached, and the pain became a dull hum.

Steles are amazing. I was not a stranger to people marking my skin. People at the Academy did it, and my trainer would mark me if I needed Agility or Healing after spraining a muscle.

I had the Enkili rune since I was a babe to protect me from the demon traces, and was marked when I was first initiated into the Shadowhunter society. My second Mark was on my shoulderblade, the Voyance; for sight, and I got that when I was seven. This past summer I got my Agility Mark; which quickens the mind and body, and Fortitude Mark that I had traced before coming here. Maybe that was why my resolve to come here was so strong, and my courage felt infallible.

"You did well," I inspected it; "you do this often."

"No," and he mumbled to himself.

"What was that?"

"That was my first Mark. I was trying not to take a chance, but I guess I did a good job."

I felt my right eye twitch, "Come here, let me give you a reward," I murmured. I smiled beckoning him closer, and he half-hardheartedly leaned forward, "that's right, come closer," I teased.

I recoiled my hand back, and punched him on the cheek. It gave a satisfying sound, and I could see that my punch had left a faint red blemish on his otherwise pale white skin. I thought he was going to pounce on me, but instead he just vibrated with anger.

He looked deadly towering over me, "What was that for? Are you insane right now?"

As if that was enough for me to feel scared about him. I just survived a bear trap; I was ready for Round Two baby.

"That was for almost paralyzing me you imbecile. Haven't you heard of practicing on paper before putting it on real people? Well you got what you deserved," his frown became any deeper, "But you were successful so I guess this," I pulled on his collar.

I was surprised at how easy this was, but I had been practicing on Adam after our practice rounds; which had left me permanently confident in my ability to charm the socks off boys.

"Is what you deserve," I pulled harder on his black collar, leaving no room for him to reject me. My lips met his, but this was different. His lips were frozen, and instead of him kissing back it was just me forcing mine on his. I was surprised he hadn't pushed me off.

I was the one to stop the kiss, and I was not afraid to say that instead of it being yucky, I actually was pretty nice. Tangy and spicy, I liked it a lot. His eyes were closed, and for a while I was wondering when he would open them. I was expecting him to like it, but when he opened them his black-eyes finally reflected the rage within.

I laughed at his expression, "like it did you?"

"You're disgusting!"

I wiped my lips with a practiced charm grinning as he made a sickened face and repulsed noises.

I giggled, "Stop wiping your mouth, it wasn't that bad."

He rubbed his tongue with his nails, "What type of person does that? Do not ever do that again. Did you even wash your mouth" I laughed at him again, he was funny, "your breath smells!"

"You are a charmer, Lover Boy," he blushed.

"I hate you," there was venom in his voice, but I knew he was just embarrassed for being caught off guard, "I wished I left you to die."

"No you don't," I giggled.

He shook his head slowly, "You are wrong. I do wish that, and no one would have been the wiser," the dark of his eyes grew, "you could have screamed for hours, and no one would have come, but to pick off what was left of you."

"What the hell?" Talk about creepy; especially when he looked off in the distance like that, "What is your problem?"

"Nothing," he returned to his solemn self, and I felt a little sad for him. He probably didn't have any friends and that's why he acted so weird. Well that is what the other Nephilium children thought of me.

I coughed shaking off the awkwardness, "How about I make you a promise."

He didn't look convinced, "Quit looking at me like that! I didn't give you cooties. Well here I go. I swear on Raziel to be indebted to you, and to kiss you every time you save my life," I winked at him, and he looked even more nauseated.

Before I could say another thing, he was already running down the stream into the forest, and I couldn't stop laughing.

"See you later Lover Boy!" He ran even faster.

What did he think I was going to chase after him or something? I just might if he kept acting like I was some disease.

"SERA! SERA! SERA WHERE ARE YOU!"

"Guys!" I called for them, my father, and someone else was with him, I was found, "over here guys!"

"Over here Ragnor," my blue-skinned Aunty found me, she was so pretty in her summer dress. There was tears in her eyes when she found me, unharmed, yet the blood made her say, "oh baby, what happened to you?"

"I fell-"

He did not believe, "What happened?" My father was suddenly everywhere, lifting me up, I got blood on him, and my bloody leg did not look as bad as before, but nothing mattered, "what did I tell you! What did I say about coming here alone, anywhere alone, what if Catarina had not found you, what if I-" the nervousness from the bathroom was nothing like it was now, this a different father. Completely unhinged.

"I am sorry," I blubbered out, tired, and only in the mood for going to bed.

"She is sorry Ragnor, just look at her-"

"No," he brought me closer, I could smell his aftershave, but I was still so busted, so grounded, "you know better Sera Fell, you know better," he pulled me into his chest, and squeezed.

Later that night I was in my room. Washed. Cleaned of blood. The iratze still visible on my calf, but covered by my sock so my father would not notice it. My golden blonde hair was braided by Catarina, and my tanned legs were completely healed as she had told my father a hundred times.

"No going by yourself Sera, promise me," he asked of me while Catarina sat on the love seat, reading a Dickens book. Her hair was washed and braided too as she eyed us both with love in her eyes. My only and favorite Aunty, she was a godsend for saving me from dad's wrath. The nights she stayed, Dad did seem in a better mood.

"Promise me, Sera," he repeated, and I did.

Even when I felt guilty the whole night, not finding sleep, and the dread settled over me during every morning leading up to Sunday. My mind had been made. It had been made the moment the boy saved my life.

I decided to come back the next Sunday, and the one after, and see if he would be here. Just the look on his face would be enough to keep me laughing until Christmas. I chose right then in my princess themed room that I just might befriend this boy, even though there was a slim chance he would show his face after what happened.

At least there was a chance. That was my fourth mistake, and probably the worst one I ever made.

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