Story of a Shadow

CHAPTER 2

So that was how it was. I trained normally, with Magnus as my mentor and Mother as my trainer.

I grew strong, and learned to fly, and would often soar to the roof and sit with Charlotte.

The second major point in my life was Clary Fray.

It started on a weekend in May. Mother started to have a visitor, and she would go up to the highest point in the house, the balcony, to meet with her. Luckily for us, this was only a few feet away from our hiding place. And we had no intention of moving.

From our eves dropping, we quickly learned huge amounts about Jocelyn, the visitor.

One particular conversation stuck in our minds like glue.

It was a lovely day. The sun was setting and we were looking over at the lake as we listened.

"But Madeline! How can you be so calm! Clary's life is in danger! I have already lost one child to him and cannot bear to lose another." Jocelyn was yelling by now, and panting hysterically.

"Jocelyn, calm yourself! You are growing more frantic by the day. Clary will be fine. I will send my nephew to Brooklyn. He enjoys Pandemonium. I'm sure Clary will be drawn to the place, with your blood."

"But what will that do?"

"When he sees she sees him, I'm sure he'll go to be the hero." Mother sighed. "Again."

"But she won't! Magnus has been blinding her memories. Remember?"

Magnus had moved out by then, gone travelling and been appointed high warlock of Brooklyn by the time I was 15. Me and Charlotte planned to live at the local institute there in August, which was dawning closer by the second.

"Come with me. I have an idea to protect Clary from harm and keep the information to myself. Meet me in Brooklyn when you can. Madame Dorathea will let you through. She will know it is you. I'll see you next week."

Jocelyn stood up and left.

Three months after this, me and Charlotte were prepared to leave England and go to the American institute in Brooklyn. Mother had come to see us off. We had chosen to fly by plane to Brooklyn and my wings were successfully glamoured and hidden by even shadowhunters by my leather jacket. I had a feeling it was going to be an uncomfortable flight.

"We love you Mother. We hope that Marcus and Lucas continue with their training as well as they are." We waved goodbye as we boarded the plane.

What seemed like an eternity later, we stepped off into Customs and greeted Magnus. He was so different.

Instead of the smooth black hair and suit he had when we left, he was wearing a blue sparkly waistcoast and black jeans. His hair was slightly blue and his cat eyes were still the same. Bright green.

"Oh my little sisters! Shadow, where are your beautiful wings? Charlotte, glad to see you. I love that jacket, so you."

It suddenly dawned on us that he had changed so much. We were only a few years apart, him being 19 and us still being 15, but he seemed the same age. Magic really does bring youth. Huh.

As we drove to the institute, Magnus told us of his adventures in Peru.

"Ragnor is such a bore. He always wants to stick to the plan. It was sticking to the plan that got me kicked out of Peru! Ah, here we are." He turned into a glamourous church like building. It was ornately carved with runes of protection and angels. I almost felt sorry for the mundane that probably only saw and abandoned factory.

"Well, I have to go. Cats to feed, spells to spell, you know."

He got into his car and left. We stepped inside and were dazzled once more by the inside. It was beautiful, with a marble floor and stone grey walls, with a staircase going higher into the building.

A beautiful girl, about 16, stepped out of one of the rooms. She looked at us surprised, then her expression changed as her eyes fell on my wings.

She went to attack me, but I was ready. She threw a punch at me that I easily deflected it and threw her back into the room that she came from. The girl was out a split second later, brandishing a golden whip. She lashed out at me, but i ducked and the whip hit charlotte, who through her bag for a sword. She gasped in pain, and turned, her face hardened with strength. Her seraph was in her hand, and she quickly ran up to join me.

The girl raised her whip again-

"IZZY!" A tall dark boy, about the same age as the girl, ran down the stairs. His eyebrows, I must say, were remarkable.

"We were in the infirmary and heard a lot of crashing. I said it was probably you were probably killing dinner." His eyes fell on us, and he said "I'll just remind you non of us are cannibals."

He came towards us and we brandished out weapons again.

He put his hands up.

"I don't mean any harm. Izzy was just following her instincts. Terrible though they are." He cast a look at Izzy, who threw a scornful look at him. I realised the likeness between them now, and is dawned on me. Were these the 'Friendly' Lightwoods?

"Alec Lightwood." He extended a hand, which Charlotte took and threw him across the room.

"Charlotte! Why don't you ever get revenge on the attacker!"

I rushed to Alec. We'd only been there five minutes and already we'd been attacked, attacked a guy and one of us was bleeding.

"Sorry," I said, helping him up. "She feels that sometimes people need to see the effect of their actions on others. I'm Shadow Ravenkey. That's Charlotte Ravenkey."

"Shall we start this again then Shadow?" He got up, brushed dust off him, and went to fetch Izzy, who had stormed out.

I looked at Charlotte. "First impressions?"

"Nah."