Chapter 16

Maryse Lightwood slipped into one of the guest chairs in Jia Penhallow's office. It had become something of a ritual for the two women to share a drink at the end of a busy workday. Jia poured each of them a glass of red wine waiting only for the traditional 'cheers' before taking her first sip. They smiled, expecting nothing more than a relaxing end to the hectic day when an unexpected knock at the door shattered that illusion.

"Come;" Jia barked.

Roderick Starkweather entered the room; "Consul;" He said acknowledging Jia's position, "The Warlock Representative, Felicia Phantom requests an interview;"

Starkweather looked as though he would like nothing better than to tell Phantom to come back in the morning, and maybe then the Consul would TRY to fit her in.

Jia took a deep breath and said; "Roderick, show High Warlock Phantom in without delay."

The disgruntled shadowhunter acknowledged his orders and ushered woman into the office.

Felicia Phantom was a tall, elegant woman, not beautiful exactly, but arresting. She had vibrant red hair and glittering green eyes that seemed to mesmerize you if you stared into them too long. Black bat wings fluttered behind her as she moved gracefully into the room.

"Felicia, what can I do for you?" Jia asked crisply, gesturing the woman to take a seat, and trying to rein in her personal dislike of the latest warlock representative on the council. Her self-important, condescending manner irritated Jia, and made her look back rather fondly to the irreverent Magnus Bane's time in that office.

Phantom looked sharply at Maryse Lightwood, hesitating to state her business long enough that Jia felt compelled to snap; "Anything you have to say to me can be said in front of Maryse, Felicia, please get to the point."

"There has been a murder in Salem, Consul Penhallow. The body of warlock, Xavier Malum was recently found, and now a friend of his, Janus Dark has disappeared. I demand you begin an immediate investigation!" Phantom paused waiting to see the effect of this rather startling news.

"Yes, Felicia I have been informed of this serious matter, and I assure you the Clave has already begun looking into it." Jia replied wondering why Phantom would waste her time with this. She did not have to wonder long.

"Some information has come to my attention that might assist the investigation." The warlock said, her cold green eyes glinting maliciously. "It seems that the last person known to have seen the missing potion maker, Janus Dark, was Magnus Bane."

Malum? Maryse thought, why did that name sound so familiar, and frightening? Oh, Ohhh! Chance Malum the warlock who had incurred the wrath of the Clave for marrying a shadowhunter and...

Jia glanced at Maryse and marvelled, not for the first time, at the other woman's composure. Whatever her feelings about hearing this news, no one watching her would be privy to them. Consul Penhallow turned her attention back to Felicia Phantom wondering just what Magnus had done to earn this woman's enmity. If the high Warlock of Brooklyn had anything to do with this deplorable business, the Coven would most likely wish to handle it without the intervention of the Clave, and yet here was the warlock representative volunteering information; "I will pass your information along Felicia, now is there anything else?"

Phantom knew she was being dismissed and didn't like it. "I look forward to getting an update from you on this matter at the next Council meeting." She snarled, not caring that it sounded more like a threat than genuine concern to see justice done. Magnus Bane had failed to show due respect either to her position, or her personal charms, and she was determined to make him regret it.

A curt nod of the head was Jia's only response, and she waited several minutes after the door closed behind Phantom before taking a deep breath and muttering; "Insufferable bitch."

Maryse gave her a shocked look before the guilty grin on Jia's face caused her previously cautious demeanor to crack, and both women began to giggle like the school girls they'd been long ago.

Jia was the first to regain her composure. "I hate to ask this of you Maryse, but can you check with Magnus and Alec about Janus Dark. I have learned to trust the New York Institute despite their tendency to take an unorthodox approach;" A small smile broke over Jia's face; "Truthfully maybe it's because they do." She huffed.

"I'll check in with Alexander first thing in the morning and let you know;" Maryse replied as she rose to leave. "Have a good evening Jia;" She added.

Arriving at her flat in Alicante, just off Angel Square, Maryse didn't remember the walk, or even what the weather was like. Her mind was totally preoccupied with concern for her precious grandson. The Clave had no reason to question her story about Alec and Magnus adopting a warlock baby, but if an investigation into the disappearance of Janus Dark was about to begin in New York, and Magnus was in involved in any way...

Maryse shook her head in an effort to clear her mind of the formless fears that had taken hold. She did not need to borrow trouble, and hopefully a quick call to Alec would assure her that there was no reason to worry. She walked over to the discrete liquor cabinet near her desk and poured herself another glass of wine. Maryse didn't usually indulge in a second glass, but tonight there was a chill in the air and her mind kept drifting to that terrible story about the warlock, Chance Malum who had found a way, through magic, to have a child with his shadowhunter wife. It was a terrible, old story, the Clave of that time were horrified not only by the marriage, but by the magic that could produce warlock offspring. The warlock and his child were killed, and the shadowhunter stripped of her marks. Maryse took a large gulp of wine and shuddered at the thought of a similar fate happening to her family, if the secret of young Aiden's birth was ever discovered. The magic that Malum used was still illegal and the punishment harsh. 'Sed Lex, dura Lex' The Law is hard, but it is the Law, the Covenant she was sworn to uphold, seemed to mock her as she grabbed the phone and began to dial the familiar number...

~~~~~ ! ~~~~~

The haunting cry of a distraught child woke Shivvy from her fitful sleep. Glancing at the clock by her bed she saw it was ten minutes to midnight and she sighed, it was going to be another, long, restless night. Ever since she had agreed to the terrible bargain with McKenzie, sleep, peace of any kind, eluded her. How had she allowed herself to get into this mess, she loved her brother Ian and his parabatai Josh, and wanted to protect them more than anything, but to end her relationship with Daniel and tie herself to a man she detested...

The terrified, lonely cry came again breaking into the girl's tortured thoughts. She had heard it before and wondered why no one seemed to try to comfort the distressed child. Rising to her feet, Shivvy moved quietly to the door of her room and looked cautiously out into the hallway. Once she'd ascertained the way was clear, she crept quietly down the passage toward the source of those heart wrenching cries.