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 TWELVE

Bailey's hands shook as she swiftly unhooked her gear from the peg hanging above her bed, shoving two witchlights into her pocket along with the carefully folded leaf. She lifted up layers of clothing to bring out a sword. Her shortsword. Pulchritudinem terrore- beauty in terror. The name matched the sword perfectly for Bailey. It was about the length of her forearm, glittering silver, with a rune stamped into the hilt- angelic power. Bailey knew that as soon as she got to the Fair Folk realm, the blade would be snatched away from her, but it made her feel better to have it close by. She slipped it quickly into the harness that strapped around her back, made specifically for holding blades and such.

Quickly, Bailey grabbed her stele, drawing the runes of Angelic Power on the insides of both her wrists. She would've preferred to get Marked by Benjamin, who had inherited his mother's talent of drawing especially strong and powerful runes, but she couldn't let him see where she was going. He would follow her, and that would mean disaster. This was her journey. She wasn't going to let anyone else get killed in it.

Bailey stood, turning her forearm to ink a Soundless rune into the pale skin there, webbed by blue veins, and ducked her head out of the spare room, glancing each way. Nobody. She breathed a sigh of relief and stepped outside, heading silently down the stairs. Isabelle and Simon were at the Lightwood manor, and Jace and Clary were at the Herondale manor, probably meeting with some other Shadowhunters to discuss the current situation. That left Magnus, Alec, Nora, and-

"Bailey."

Bailey spun around, hair whipping into her eyes, to see Benjamin, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. His eyes were shadowed as he unpeeled himself from the wall and walked towards her.

"Where are you going?"

Bailey swallowed. "I- I'm going to the weapons shop," she lied quickly.

Benjamin raised his eyebrows. "In full gear? And when you have a perfectly good sword?" he was standing three feet away from her and closed the gap, boots soundless. "Bailey. I want the real answer."

"That is the real answer." Bailey bit off the words as she spoke them- time was running short, and her feet itched to get on with it. If only Benjamin would leave her alone. "Please, Benjamin-"

Benjamin grabbed her wrist - his skin was hot on hers. "I'm your parabati. We are bound. If you do this without me, you are disrespecting our vows, our connection, the fact that I am part of this-"

Bailey yanked her wrist away. "Let go of me." She closed her eyes- behind her eyelids, she could see faces. Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, Magnus, Alec, Benjamin, Nora, Lucy, Maia- they ran in an instant, as quick as water, slipping between her fingertips. She needed to do this. "Please."

"I'm coming." Benjamin narrowed his eyes to slits. "I'm coming, and if you don't let me, I'm telling everybody."

Bailey swallowed against a dry throat. "Fine," she snapped. "Get your gear-"

"What's happening?" Nora's voice, a husky combination of Simon's and Isabelle's, followed by her slender face, her narrow frame, her gear clasping at her wrists and back, a weapons belt slung around her slim hips. She raised her dark eyebrows. "I heard your entire conversation," she said, "And, unfortunetely for you, I'm coming. And you can't stop me. Sorry."

Bailey pressed her lips together. "Fine. Get ready, quickly. We're going."