NOTE: ALMOST ALL OF THESE CHARACTERS BELONG TO CASSANDRA CLARE. THE SETTINGS (IDRIS, ALICANTE, ETC.) ALSO BELONG TO CASSANDRA CLARE. I AM JUST BORROWING THEM.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The lights of Alicante were dimming, and the twilight-light was starting to take over. Magnus leaned his elbows against the windowsill, the tip of his nose against the frosty glass pane. He was starting to feel restless and jumpy about being shut inside all day, and that feeling itched at his nerves.
"You okay?"
Magnus turned to see Alec, standing in the doorway. He was wearing a pullover brown sweater with holes at the elbows, and his lips were chapped, his nails raw. His eyes looked bleak and tired. Magnus felt a wave of exhaustion and worry wash over him. He straightened up and walked over.
"I'm fine." Magnus pulled at the sleeve of Alec's sweater, examining the holes. "The question is, are you okay?"
Alec squinted at him. "Emotional now, aren't you?" The attempt at a joke was half-hearted- he sank down on the bed, holding his face in his hands. Magnus studied his face, his weary hunched-over pose.
"Alec." His voice came out harder and sharper than Magnus had meant for it to. Alec glanced up, surprise mingling with the weary on his face. "Alec. You can't just shut me out like this."
"I am not shutting you out." Alec stood up and walked over to the window, his back facing Magnus.
"You call that not shutting me out?" Magnus scowled at him, even though he knew Alec couldn't see him. He hated when Alec acted this way- cold and distant and utterly detached. It made him feel uncomfortable, like he was being forced out of his skin, and Magnus never liked to feel uncomfortable. "You have to start telling me things, Alec."
"Fine!" Alec whirled around. There was a ferocity written across his face that was startling to Magnus- he took a step back. "Fine! I'll tell you what it is. It's this. It's not knowing things. It's that the Clave isn't doing anything, and there's nothing we can do!"
Words died at Magnus's lips- all he could do was stare at Alec. Alec's chest was heaving, and his eyes were slightly wild.
Magnus opened his mouth to say something just as Isabelle kicked open the door, flying in. Alec turned on her, glaring at his sister. "We're kind of in the middle of something, Izzy."
"Oh, like all of the times that you barged in on me and Simon?" Isabelle scowled. "Plus, I wasn't here for you. A letter came in the mail. For you." She turned to Magnus and handed him an envelope.
Magnus looked down at the square of paper in his hands. "What's in it?"
"How could I know?" Isabelle rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm leaving." She said it pointedly to Alec before shutting the door.
Magnus slid his fingertip under the envelope's lid, sliding it open. A sheet of fresh paper fell out- Magnus picked it up. On it was black, small type, marching across the paper like a little army.
To Magnus Bane, Victoria Lowly, and Maia Roberts,
As you well know, there have been Nephilim slaughterings. A Council Meeting was held today at the Gard with witnesses including Clarissa Morgenstern. Holding the Mortal Sword, she confirmed that she had heard from the Silent Brothers that it was the fey, using a non-Clave-approved weapon to kill these Shadowhunters. There have been doubts. We will not battle until we must.
To speak to the fey and try to understand, we have elected the three of you to dine with the Seelie Queen and try to get information. This will be held tomorrow, at 7:00.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Rosa Doveheart
Magnus could only stare at the paper in his hands.
"Well?" Alec's voice was edged with impatience. "What is it?"
Magnus swallowed. It felt like something sharp was lodged in his throat. His voice was dull when he spoke.
"Rosa Doveheart. She thinks that speaking to the Seelie Queen will help." His voice was acidic- Magnus stuffed the letter into his pocket.
Alec looked strangely at him. "Magnus?"
"Yes?"
"Is... is everything going to be okay?" Something about his voice and the utter smallness of it made Magnus's heart split.
"Yes," he said, and walked over, gently taking Alec's hands in his own. He leaned forwards until the tips of their noses touched and closed his eyes as their lips barely brushed. "Yes."
"Victoria? Mail."
Victoria squinted her eyes open. The dim light above her shone directly into her eyes- she rolled over, tugging the fleecy blanket tighter around her shoulders and scrunching her eyes shut again. "I'm the head of the New York vampire clan," she mumbled. "I don't care about mail."
"You care about this." Victoria raised her head slightly as Jonah entered the room- he was dressed properly, in a dark white T-shirt and jeans, his hair brushed, straight but curly at the edges, showing his slightly pointed ears. Faerie, Victoria thought, a smile curling her lips.
She had never thought that she, Victoria, would date a faerie. Their entire race had always seemed too wishy-washy and feeble. But as she had gotten to know Jonah, they had a viciousness that she appreciated... she sat up, raising herself on her elbows and flicking a strand of hair out of her face. "Let me see."
Jonah handed her an envelope, and Victoria tore it open, grabbing the crisp sheet of paper that fell out.
To Magnus Bane, Victoria Lowly, and Maia Roberts,
As you well know, there have been Nephilim slaughterings. A Council Meeting was held today at the Gard with witnesses including Clarissa Morgenstern. Holding the Mortal Sword, she confirmed that she had heard from the Silent Brothers that it was the fey, using a non-Clave-approved weapon to kill these Shadowhunters. There have been doubts. We will not battle until we must.
To speak to the fey and try to understand, we have elected the three of you to dine with the Seelie Queen and try to get information. This will be held tomorrow, at 7:00.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Rosa Doveheart
Victoria stared at the paper in her hands as a grin crept slowly across her mouth.
"This is perfect," she announced, throwing the sheet down.
Jonah raised his eyebrows. "What's perfect? The fact that we are finally going to overthrow the Nephilim? Is that what you found out?"
"Yes." Victoria threw off the covers and riffled through her drawer, throwing on a knee-length, pure black dress. She turned to smile at Jonah- she could feel her fangs popping out. She was hungry. "Yes."
The New York morning was clear, the bright sunshine filtering cleanly through the glassy windowpanes. Maia Roberts stumbled from her bedroom into the kitchen/living room, looking blearily around, willing her eyes to focus.
Lucy was back. Sprawled out over the couch, under a thin, ratty brown quilt, her halo of golden-brown curls fanned out around her. A glass of pomegranate juice was balanced on a coaster on the coffee table. Maia bent to pick it up, looking at her daughter's face. On closer inspection, Lucy did not appear to be sleeping deeply- there was something off-kilter in her face, sleep circles ringed under her eyes, the laugh lines gone from the corners of her lips. What had happened at the Hunter's Moon?
Maia resisted the urge to wake her daughter up right then and there. She shoved the dirty glass into the sink and checked her mailbox.
There was one envelope, addressed in her name. Maia opened it quickly.
To Magnus Bane, Victoria Lowly, and Maia Roberts,
As you well know, there have been Nephilim slaughterings. A Council Meeting was held today at the Gard with witnesses including Clarissa Morgenstern. Holding the Mortal Sword, she confirmed that she had heard from the Silent Brothers that it was the fey, using a non-Clave-approved weapon to kill these Shadowhunters. There have been doubts. We will not battle until we must.
To speak to the fey and try to understand, we have elected the three of you to dine with the Seelie Queen and try to get information. This will be held tomorrow, at 7:00.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Rosa Doveheart
Maia stared at the forcefully typed black text, marching across the white page.
The fey will never listen to words, she wanted to scream at Rosa. How can you not understand!?
Instead, she darted swiftly over the carpet to wake her daughter up.