PART ONE: STORM

Chapter One

For the fourth time, Alexandra Herondale had crawled into the suitcase and was refusing to vacate it.

"What are we going to do about you?" Clary said, putting her hands on her hips. Lexie cooed, kicking her feet so that Clary's folded clothes toppled onto the floor. Clary tried to frown at her, but Lexie gave a dimpled smile so adorable that Clary couldn't help but smile back. She lifted Lexie out of the suitcase and set her on the bed, plucking a sock out of her little fingers. "Your child is as stubborn as you," she called across the hall.

"I think we agreed we're both at fault for that," came Jace's voice from the bathroom. He emerged a moment later, balancing a load of toiletries in his arms. He dumped them on the bed and Lexie immediately dove for the toothpaste; Jace snatched it up just in time and tossed it to Clary, who tucked it into a pocket of the suitcase. Lexie pouted. "Sorry, kiddo," said Jace, ruffling her curly red hair. "We don't have time for you to make a mess right now. We have to be ready in one hour and forty-two minutes precisely."

"Ah, my human alarm clock," said Clary fondly. She scooped up her clothes from the floor and put them back in the suitcase. "What would I do without you?"

"Sleep through meetings and get your Institute Headship revoked," Jace said, pulling her toward him. "Or just use your phone like a normal person." Clary started to laugh, but Jace cut her off by pressing his lips to hers. She melted against him, sliding her hands behind his neck. All too soon, he broke away. "We just wasted a whole minute making out," he told her reprovingly.

Clary shrugged. "So they'll hold the Portal for us. I mean, what are they going to do, rip up our invitations because we were twenty-eight seconds late?"

"They might," said Jace seriously. "Jia seems kind of stressed about the whole thing."

"It's a New Year's party," Clary said, rolling her eyes. "Isn't the whole point to get drunk and let loose?"

Jace picked up one of the invitations on the bedside table. They had been delivered two weeks earlier. The creamy cards were printed with a flowing script in golden ink, and the seal of the Consul was stamped at the bottom. Jace cleared his throat and read aloud in an affected voice, "'You are cordially invited to the first annual Shadow World New Year's Eve Celebration, to be held in Alicante. Invitees are encouraged to utilize the event as an opportunity to mingle with leaders of the Nephilim, warlocks, werewolves, vampires, and faeries alike. It is our hope that this tradition will begin to bridge the gaps between the various races of our world, and mend what has been fractured in the past.'"

"Okay, yeah, that's a lot to put on a party," said Clary. "No wonder Jia's frazzled." This was somewhat of an understatement; the last time Clary had talked to the Consul on the phone, Jia had gone on a ten-minute tangent about whether silver-colored decorations would be offensive to werewolves before remembering she was supposed to be collecting data on demon activity in New York. "Well, we'd better get a move on, then. We only have..."

She looked at Jace inquiringly, and he promptly finished, "One hour and thirty-nine minutes."

"Right," said Clary. "Get me your suit, will you?" Jace nodded and opened the closet. "And can you pass me my—oh, for the Angel's sake," Clary said exasperatedly, turning around to find her daughter once again sitting in the suitcase. "Alexandra!" she scolded.

Lexie bounced, burrowing into the suitcase and turfing Clary's clothes out again. Jace came over and tossed a pair of boxers on Lexie's head. "Eee!" she said indignantly.

"Well, if you won't get out of the suitcase, then I have to pack my things on top of you, don't I?" said Jace patiently. He set a neat stack of clothes on top of her head. She blinked, tilting her head as if trying to see what was on it. The clothes wobbled precariously, but somehow managed to stay aloft. "She has the natural balance of a Shadowhunter," Jace said proudly.

"Ba!" said Lexie happily, waving her arms; the clothes tumbled onto the bed.

"We'll keep working on it," said Jace, scooping her up. Lexie fussed, reaching for the suitcase.

"I wish we could bring her with us," Clary sighed, refolding the clothes and tucking them neatly away. She zipped up the suitcase before Lexie could make another attempt at invading it, much to her daughter's chagrin. "I know it's only really a day, but we've never left her overnight, and there's no cell service in Idris—what if something happens? Or what if she misses us?"

"I'm sure she'll forget all about us," Jace promised.

"Jace!"

"Okay, okay," said Jace, laughing. He set Lexie down and took Clary's hand. "She'll be fine," he said. "I think your mom can handle anything after raising you." Clary swatted him, but he dodged easily and spun her around so her back was pressed against his stomach. "Besides," he breathed into her ear, tracing his fingertips down her arms, "don't tell me you're not looking forward to a night to ourselves..."

Clary felt heat rising in her cheeks, but her body shivered as Jace kissed her neck and shoulder. "Horndog," she chided, but the unsteadiness in her voice gave her away. Jace gave a low, throaty laugh and pulled her closer to him.

"Da-ah!" Lexie said, evidently not pleased with being ignored.

Jace dropped one last kiss on the top of Clary's head before releasing her and flopping down on the bed. He rolled onto his back and lifted Lexie into the air above him. "You're so close!" he said. "Say 'Dada.'"

"Ah?" Lexie tilted her head inquisitively. Her legs wriggled in midair before Jace brought her down to smother her in kisses. She squealed.

Clary was just about to join the fun when her and Jace's phones chimed in sync. She was instantly on alert; their cell phones were connected to the main Institute line, which meant someone was calling in demon activity. Jace put Lexie down and pulled his phone out of his pocket.

"Body report," he said. "You want to handle it or should I?"

"You go ahead," Clary said. "Simon and Izzy will be here in a few minutes, I should wait for them."

"Okay." He kissed Lexie's head, then stood. "I'll be careful," he said.

"I know," said Clary. "I trust you." He smiled and kissed her swiftly. "Go on," said Clary, poking him. "We have to leave in one hour and thirty-seven minutes."

"Thirty-six," Jace corrected. Clary rolled her eyes, and he grinned at her before ducking out of the room.

"Ah-ba!" Lexie said, crawling after Jace. Clary grabbed her before she could jump off the bed.

"It's okay," Clary said soothingly, cuddling her. "Don't listen to him. We both know your first word is going to be 'Mama.'"

"Stop corrupting the baby!" Jace called from down the hallway.

Smiling, Clary leaned in and whispered, "It's our secret, right, Lexie?"

Lexie grinned. She reminded Clary so much of Jace when she smiled like that, her golden eyes twinkling mischievously just like his did. Clary kissed her forehead, tucking a wild curl behind her ear.

Her phone chimed again; she reached past Lexie to grab it off the bedside table. There were two texts on the screen. One was the anonymous tip-off about the body, and the other was from Simon: In the library.

Coming, she replied. She tucked her phone into her pocket and settled Lexie on her hip. "Who wants to come do boring Institute business with Mommy?" she said enthusiastically. Lexie frowned, not fooled in the least.

Jace had taken the elevator, so rather than wait for it to return, Clary took the stairs. She emerged on the ground floor and passed the armory; Jace blew her a kiss as he strapped on a weapons belt.

"No, Lexie," Clary said as Lexie tried to wriggle out of her arms. "No going in the armory until you're older." It had been difficult to convince Jace that this was a good idea; he had insisted a blunted knife was an appropriate toy for the baby until Clary threw one past him and lodged it the wall, at which point he had agreed to keep weapons away from Lexie for the time being.

When Clary arrived at the library, Simon and Isabelle were waiting for her on the couch. "Hey!" Simon said, standing up. "There's my favorite parabatai and my favorite niece!"

Clary laughed. "Come on, Simon, the dad jokes are getting old." Simon flinched. "Oh, crap, I'm sorry," Clary said immediately.

"'S'fine," Simon mumbled. He took Lexie out of Clary's arms, and she instantly yanked his phone out of his hand. "Oh no!" he said. "You've taken my communication device! I'm powerless!"

Lexie giggled and pulled her arm back; Clary snatched the phone out of her grip before she could throw it. "Eee," Lexie said reproachfully.

"No throwing Uncle Simon's phone," said Clary sternly. She handed the phone to Simon, who tucked it into his shirt pocket. Lexie reached for it again, but Isabelle came over and scooped her up.

"Auntie time!" she said, kissing Lexie's cheek. She sat on the couch and snuggled with Lexie. "Oh, Clary, please let us spend the next day taking care of this cutie-pie."

Clary chuckled. "Sorry, Iz," she said. "My parents have it covered. And as of right now, you two are the interim heads of the New York Institute."

"Sweet," said Simon, throwing himself on the couch beside Isabelle. "Time to throw a rager."

Clary rolled her eyes at him. "Do you need me to walk you through all the duties or do you have it?"

"Oh, we're fine," Isabelle said dryly. "Jace left a list." She picked a scroll of paper off the coffee table and let it unroll; it hit the ground and kept going until it bumped against the leg of the table. "It's very thorough," she said unnecessarily.

"That's my man," said Clary, grinning.

Simon pouted. "It's like you don't trust us."

Clary raised her hands in defense. "Just trying to make sure you don't burn down the Institute while we're off the grid. Or throw massive ragers," she added pointedly.

"Okay, I got it," Simon said. "We'll be good." At that point, Lexie snatched his phone out of his pocket, and before any of them could do anything, she flung it across the room. "No promises for your kid, though," Simon sighed, looking at Lexie, who clapped her hands delightedly.

"I'll get it," Isabelle said. She handed Lexie to Simon and walked to the other side of the library. Simon played with Lexie absently, letting her pull on his fingers. He had a distant look in his eyes.

"Hey," said Clary softly, touching him on the shoulder. "Still no luck on the baby front?"

"We don't have to talk about it," Simon said stiffly.

"Okay," Clary said. "But if you want to, I'm here for you, okay?"

He nodded. "Thanks."

Isabelle returned with his (miraculously unharmed) phone and he slid it safely into his back pocket before Lexie could grab it again. Clary stood. "Luke should be here soon, can you watch Lexie for a few minutes? I left her diaper bag upstairs."

"Sure," said Simon. "We'll try not to set her on fire."

Clary elbowed him, and he laughed. "Thanks, you two," she said.

Out in the hallway, she ran into Jace, who was heading toward the main doors. He wasn't in full gear; a body report required little more than a gear jacket and a few weapons as a precaution. "Come back soon," Clary said. "Clock's ticking."

Jace caught her around the waist and pulled her in for a kiss. "One hour twenty-nine minutes, to be precise."

Clary shook her head. "You're such a dork."

"But you love me anyway," he said, and she smiled and watched him walk out the door.

It was lucky Jace had a strong stomach.

It wasn't the dead body or the blood that made him feel sick; he'd seen plenty of mangled limbs and shredded flesh before, and this didn't even come close. But he couldn't stop staring at the man's face. His eyes bulged, his mouth gaping open in terror and pain, and his hands were clasped to his chest like he had been clawing at his killer. Because the most horrifying thing about this murder victim was that his ribs were cracked open and there was a gaping hole where his heart should be—and if Jace wasn't mistaken, it had been cut out while the man was still alive.

"Who did this to you?" he murmured, kneeling beside the body.

He felt the air shift behind him and was halfway to his feet when a familiar voice said, "That's what I'd like to know."

Jace relaxed, settling back on the ground next to the man. "I should've known you'd be here."

The vampire emerged from the shadows; the late morning sun sent beams of light into the narrow alley, but she was protected by her long-sleeved, high-necked gown and a lacy pink umbrella propped on her shoulder. Jace stared at it for a moment. "Is that a parasol?"

"I'm a sophisticated woman," said Lily. "But that's beside the point. Do you know what happened to this guy or not?"

Jace shook his head. "I'm guessing you sent in the tip."

"Obviously."

"So why all the cloak and dagger?" said Jace. "Why not tell me it was you?"

She shrugged. "Wasn't sure who you'd send. Might have been some Downworld-hating nut who'd assume the killer was someone from my clan just because it happened in our territory."

"Was it?"

"Was it what?"

"Someone from your clan." Lily frowned at him. "You can tell me if it was," Jace said. "You know we won't penalize the whole clan, but this would break the Accords."

"It wasn't a vampire," Lily said. "Even fledglings wouldn't kill like this. I mean, look at the amount of blood. No one would let that much blood go to waste." Jace raised an eyebrow. "Of course, murder is bad and the amount of wasted blood is irrelevant," she added in a monotone voice.

"Clearly, whoever did it wasn't in it for the blood," Jace said. He pointed to the empty cavity in the victim's chest. "Do you have any idea what that's about?"

"If I did, I wouldn't have called you," said Lily. "This reeks of demon shenanigans, and I want it out of my territory."

Jace examined the body carefully. "He's mundane. Could have just been a rogue demon, but they tend to be more sloppy. This was methodical. They wanted his heart for something."

"Great," Lily sighed. "So I have a psycho killer to be on the lookout for now?"

"No," said Jace, suddenly noticing something.

"But you just said—"

"I know," Jace said. "Come here." She approached. Jace pointed at the victim's neck. "See those bruises?" he said. "Someone was holding him down."

"Okay," Lily said slowly, "so what?"

Jace demonstrated, pressing his forearm lightly to the man's neck. "How could the murderer have opened his chest with just one hand?"

"Oh, crap," said Lily, her eyes widening. "I have two psycho killers to be on the lookout for."

Jace nodded grimly. "Maybe more than two," he said. "It might have been Greater Demons or humans, but the fact that they took his heart is strange."

"What do you think they need it for?" Lily asked.

"I'm not sure." Jace stood and pulled out his phone. He snapped a few pictures of the body and the surrounding alley and sent them to Clary. "I'll call someone to retrieve the body. The Silent Brothers might be able to tell us—"

"Hide!" said Lily suddenly, yanking him behind a dumpster. A second later, he heard what she had heard—heavy footsteps coming toward them. They stopped a few feet in front of the dumpster.

"Right where he said it would be," said a voice—male, gruff, with a slight southern accent.

"Yeesh," said another voice, this one brassy and female. "You could've warned me, Lou."

Jace peered over the top of the dumpster; two uniformed officers were staring down at the body, looking disgusted but not shocked. He ducked back down. "NYPD," he mouthed to Lily.

She rolled her eyes. "Why do they have to get in our way?" she whispered irritably. Jace put a finger to his lips and listened.

"Hey, I recognize this guy," said the woman. "He was on the news a couple weeks back, remember? They said he killed his girlfriend, but he was never caught."

Lou snorted. "You know I don't follow tabloids, Tammy."

"It wasn't a tabloid," said Tammy. "This was statewide news. I think we gotta call this one in to the higher-ups."

Lou gave a low whistle. "Think we got a vigilante on our hands?"

"Maybe," Tammy said. "We'll have to trace that caller. We might have been talking to the murderer." She made a loud shuddering noise. "Come on, let's wait out in the street, I don't like how this guy's looking at me."

Jace waited until their footsteps had faded away before straightening. Lily rose to her feet beside him. "I don't suppose you were their anonymous caller too?" he asked her.

She shook her head. "'He,' they said. But I don't think they'll find him."

"Why not?"

"Because he doesn't want to be found," said Lily simply. "Which means they don't stand a chance. Not with someone this skilled at killing."

"Well, let's hope we have better luck," Jace said. "We should get out of here before they come back."

They managed to sneak out of the alley while the cops' backs were turned and sped down the block until they were out of sight. "Shame we won't be able to examine the body further," said Jace as they turned the corner. "Of course, this could just be mundanes killing mundanes, but I'll keep looking into it. Something's up with that heart."

"It's fishy," Lily agreed. "I'll do some digging too, once I get back from Idris."

"Oh, right!" Jace said. "You're going to the New Year's party too, aren't you?"

She made a face. "Well, I don't want to go if you're going," she said. "Talk about a buzzkill. Although," she added, "I guess Magnus and Alec make up for it."

"Thanks," said Jace. "Really. I feel loved."

She grinned, showing the points of her fangs. "I tell it like I see it, Herondale." She saluted him and walked away, spinning her parasol over her shoulder.

Jace checked his watch; he could call Clary for a Portal, but he had a little time to spare and it wasn't a long walk. So he set off, tucking his hands in his pockets. The morning was bright and crisp, if frosty. Jace's breath clouded in the air as he walked, and every so often a bitter wind would gust between the buildings, making him shiver. His feet took him automatically toward the Institute, leaving his mind free to wander.

He mulled over the murder for a few minutes, but without more information he couldn't make any judgments on its meaning. Instead, he found himself thinking about Lexie. A few days ago, Jace and Clary had discovered just how fast she could crawl when she disappeared from her play mat in the library. It had been the scariest few minutes of Jace's life, but when they found her halfway down the hall, tugging insistently on a tapestry, Jace couldn't help but laugh at the determined expression on her little features. Everyone agreed Lexie looked very much like her mother, but looking at her face then, Jace imagined he was seeing Clary at that age. Lexie had the same steely look in her eyes and puckered lips Clary had when she was solving a problem. Jace grinned to himself now, remembering it. Ten months ago, he couldn't have imagined how much he would love his daughter. He loved her more every day.

With all this on his mind, Jace pushed open the gate to the Institute and found Clary waiting for him on the steps, their suitcase beside her. She jabbed an accusing finger at him. "You can't just send me graphic pictures of murder scenes without a warning!"

Jace gave a sheepish smile. "Sorry."

She softened. "I forgive you," she said, sliding her hands around his waist as he came up to her, "but only because Luke picked Lexie up an hour ago, which means we are officially baby-free for the next twenty-four hours."

"Better make them count," said Jace, and he leaned in to kiss her.

"Please tell me you two are going to have more decorum when we get to Idris," said a voice behind them.

Jace lingered in the kiss for a long moment before finally breaking away to greet Alec. He and Magnus were standing on the lawn, their own suitcase leaning against the stone wall. "No promises," he said, grinning at his parabatai. "Come on, a kid-free vacation? And a party with booze? You can't tell me you and Magnus aren't going to take advantage of this situation too."

"We at least have the sense to keep our business in the bedroom," said Alec loftily.

Jace grinned. "You use the bedroom for business? No wonder Lily likes you." Alec went slightly pink, and Clary stifled a laugh behind her hand.

There was a rush of wind, and the wall behind Magnus began to glow. "Oh look!" said Alec immediately. "The Portal! Let's all go in the Portal now. Please."

And he took Magnus's hand and pulled him in before anyone could reply, yanking their suitcase after them. Smiling, Jace picked up his and Clary's suitcase and offered her his other arm. She took it, kissed him on the cheek, and led him into the Portal.

"How do I look?" Alec asked, turning away from the mirror toward Magnus.

Since arriving in Idris a few hours earlier, they had settled into Lightwood manor, had sex, gotten half-dressed for the party before having sex again, and finally pulled themselves away from each other long enough to actually get dressed. Alec had to admit Jace had had a point; with the kids staying with Maryse for the night, he and Magnus were perhaps overcompensating for their freedom.

Magnus, of course, looked incredible, though Alec had been told he was biased on this point. He was wearing a sleek velvet suit in sapphire blue, contrasting Alec's simple black tuxedo, and his hair was done up in its usual glittery blue spikes. Currently, he was lounging on the bed, but now he stretched and came over to Alec, looking him up and down. "Almost perfect," he said, and he touched Alec's bow tie. Alec glanced back in the mirror; his tie had turned a deep shade of blue.

"Now we match," Magnus declared, "and even better, it brings out your eyes."

Alec kissed him. "What would I do without you?"

"Suffer fashion emergencies," said Magnus very seriously. "So many fashion emergencies. And faux pas. So many, Alec."

Alec shook his head, smiling. "Then I guess you're my hero."

Once they had put their coats on, Alec held out his arm; Magnus looped his through it, and they left the manor together. It was a short walk to the Accords Hall, and though it was snowing lightly, the evening was pleasant. Alicante was lit up silvery-white by the glow of the demon towers, making the city feel like a winter wonderland. Alec leaned his head on Magnus's shoulder as they walked. Other people glanced at them as they made their way to the Hall, muttering behind their hands. Alec knew what they were saying: two men together, a Shadowhunter with a warlock, it's not right—but Alec didn't care. He was Magnus's husband, and Magnus was his, and that was all that mattered.

When they arrived at the Hall, a Shadowhunter was waiting at the door. He was no one Alec recognized, and Alec felt reluctant to attempt an introduction due to the fact that the man looked rather grouchy. "Invitations," he grumbled. Alec and Magnus handed theirs over. The Shadowhunter waved them in dismissively and turned to the next group of partygoers.

"Someone doesn't like playing doorman," Alec said once they were safely inside, having checked their coats at the door. The Accords Hall was lit with witchlight, but it had taken on a golden glow for the night, making the room warm and bright. A string quartet of werewolves was playing a pleasant, gentle song. A long table on the dais had been laid with snacks and bottles of champagne, and people were already milling about with drinks in hand, leaning against tall, round tables arranged around the dance floor. There were some people Alec recognized; Magnus waved at Catarina Loss, who winked at him in return, and Alec exchanged a nod with Aline and Helen Penhallow-Blackthorn.

Magnus hummed. "I think he doesn't like playing doorman to Downworlders."

Alec glanced at him, but before he could say anything, someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around; Lily and Maia were standing there, both looking lovely. Lily's dress was floor-length and patterned with roses, while Maia's was shorter and made of a silky material in periwinkle. "Now it's a party," Lily said.

"Not quite," said Magnus, and he waved his hand. Knowing what he was about to do, Alec turned his own hand palm-up and caught the glass Magnus had just conjured. Lily and Maia managed to catch theirs too, though Maia spilled a bit of champagne, cursing. "Now it's a party," Magnus said, beaming.

They all clinked their glasses against each other's and drank. "How's everything going?" asked Alec.

"Since our last Alliance meeting?" Maia said, raising an eyebrow. "Peachy. Nothing out of the ordinary in my neck of the woods."

"I meant, how are you," Alec said. "We don't always have to talk business, you know. We could just hang out as friends."

"Well, good," said Maia, "because tonight I intend to get drunk and not think about the pack until I wake up." And as if to prove her point, she downed her drink and held her glass out to Magnus for a refill. He flicked a finger, obliging. "Ah," she sighed, taking another long sip. "Anyway, I'm good. So good now."

"Same here," said Lily, "aside from the gruesome murder I stumbled upon this morning."

Alec choked on his drink. "What?" he spluttered.

"Jace didn't tell you?"

"No," Alec said indignantly. He cast his gaze around the room for Jace, but he and Clary didn't seem to have arrived yet. "What happened? Was it a demon?"

"I don't know," said Lily irritably. "The NYPD showed up before we could get any real evidence."

Alec had more questions, but at that moment, Jia stepped up on the dais and clinked a spoon against her glass. The assembly fell quiet. "Welcome!" she said, opening her arms wide. "Welcome to our New Year's celebration, the first of hopefully many. We have with us tonight the leaders of all of our races, from all around the world. Mingle, get to know each other, and most importantly, learn from each other. Together, the people in this room can build a stronger, better world for all people. So enjoy yourselves, and here's to a bright new year!"

Alec joined the guests in a round of applause, though he noticed it seemed rather half-hearted, especially among the Downworlders. "What's that about?" he asked the others as the string quartet picked up again and people began to dance.

Magnus sighed. "Jia's heart is in the right place," he said, "but she has a long way to go with Downworlder relations."

"What do you mean?"

Lily made a face. "It's the way she says things. Like in the invitation. 'Mend what has been fractured in the past.' Fractured by Shadowhunters, but she won't admit that. She wants to skip past all that uncomfortableness to the part where we're all one big happy family."

"Well, what's the point in rehashing the past? Isn't it better to move on?" Alec said, but Maia shook her head.

"Shadowhunters have to assume responsibility if there's ever going to be trust between Downworlders and Shadowhunters," she said. "Until you do that, we can't believe anything has really changed. And using language like that, without admitting fault, makes it seem like Downworlders had an equal part in the strife between us. Obviously, we're not perfect, but oppression is kind of a one-way street."

"I get what you mean," Alec said. "Or at least, as much as I can." He gazed up at where Jia had stood. "I hope she's right, though," he said. "Maybe things will get better."

"As always, I admire your naïve optimism," Lily said, tipping her glass back. "Well, friends, let's build a stronger, better world together, shall we?"

"You disrespecting our Consul?" said a deep voice in an Idris accent.

They all turned; a burly man was glaring at them, his arms crossed. His Marks bulged on his bare biceps, and his dark moustache bristled as he sneered at them.

"We don't want any trouble," Alec said.

"Then don't make any." The man took a step toward them; instinctively, Alec shifted so he was standing in front of his friends. The Shadowhunter glanced between them, his sneer widening. "You're on the wrong side of history," he told Alec.

"Consul Penhallow doesn't seem to think so," Alec said coolly.

"She's misguided."

"Now who's disrespecting her?" Alec asked. The Shadowhunter flushed angrily. "I suggest you leave my friends and me alone. Go mingle, like the Consul said. Maybe you'll actually learn something from Downworlders."

The man gave a derisive laugh. "Like what, how to exploit trust? There's a reason we had the Cold Peace, you know."

"The Cold Peace is over," said Maia sharply, "and in case you forgot, it was a huge disaster."

"No one asked you, dog." The Shadowhunter spat at her feet, and Maia flinched almost imperceptibly. Lily started forward, but Alec held out his arm, stopping her.

"I already told you to leave," he said quietly, "and I have friends in high places. It would be a shame if you got thrown out so early in the night."

"Is that a threat?" the Shadowhunter growled.

"Yes," said Alec.

They stared each other down for a long moment; then the man turned on his heel and stormed away. Alec took a sip of his champagne, but it tasted bitter in his mouth.

"Thanks for that," said Maia softly.

Alec shook his head. "You were right," he said. "Things won't change until people like him see they're wrong and own up to it. And I don't think that'll be anytime soon."

They stood in silence for a moment; the mood seemed to have dipped. "Well, I knew this party was going to be a bust," said Lily finally. "I'm going to find someone to make out with. Later, skaters." And she disappeared into the crowd.

"'Later, skaters'?" Maia repeated disbelievingly. "I have no idea who that girl is."

She followed Lily, leaving Magnus and Alec standing alone. Magnus gazed across the room, a faraway look in his eyes. Alec touched his arm lightly, and he came to. "I admire your optimism too," Magnus said quietly. "People like you were rare a hundred years ago. People like us weren't raising a warlock and a Shadowhunter as brothers. Maybe things really are changing."

The quartet began to play a new song, a cheerful waltz. Alec held out his hand. "Dance with me?"

Magnus gave a little bow. "I would be delighted."

They left their drinks on a nearby table and joined other couples on the dance floor. Magnus took the lead, guiding Alec in the waltz. Alec smiled. "You should teach Max and Rafe to dance like this," he told Magnus. "While they're still little enough to stand on your feet."

"I'd love nothing more," said Magnus. He spun Alec gracefully and pulled him back into his arms. "You could help me teach them," he said. "I'll need a partner to demonstrate."

Alec laughed. "I'm a terrible dancer."

"You're doing fine," Magnus said, but as if on cue, Alec suddenly found his foot on top of someone else's. There was a yelp behind him.

"I'm sorry!" Alec said, turning around. A warlock was hopping on one foot, blinking tears from his unnaturally bright, electric-blue eyes. Small white horns spiraled out of his curly brown hair, and his pale face was dotted with freckles. He looked remarkably young, even for a warlock. "I'm really sorry," said Alec again.

The warlock waved him down. "It's okay, I'm—" He froze suddenly, almost toppling over. His gaze had fallen on Magnus, and his mouth was slightly open. "You're—you're Magnus Bane."

"I am," Magnus agreed.

"You're Magnus Bane," the warlock repeated in awe. "Magnus Bane!" He leaped forward and seized Magnus's hand, shaking it enthusiastically; he was about a foot shorter than Magnus. "I'm so excited to meet you! I've wanted to talk to you ever since I found out I was a warlock, I live in New York too, you know, in Queens, and—" He gasped, looking back at Alec. "Then you must be Alec Lightwood! Alec Lightwood stepped on my foot!"

"Sorry, again," Alec mumbled, but the warlock grabbed his hand and shook it.

"Oh, wow," he said, starry-eyed. "Wow, wow, wow. I can't believe I'm talking to Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood."

"It's nice to meet you, uh—"

"Eli!" the warlock said. "Eli Ravenscar. It's such an honor to meet you, Mr. Bane, Mr. Lightwood, sir—"

"Ravenscar," Alec noted. "That's a Shadowhunter name."

Eli's expression seemed to close off. "My family left the Clave generations ago," he said, "but we kept the name." He shook his head, the smile returning to his face. "You know, I've actually been trying to figure out what my warlock name should be—now, Magnus Bane, that's an impressive name! How did you come up with it? What was your original name?"

"That's a very personal question," said Alec, a little defensively. Eli immediately turned scarlet.

"I'm sorry!" he said, shrinking into himself. "I'm not—I don't really know much about other warlocks, I've only met a few—"

"How old are you, Eli?" Magnus asked kindly.

"Eighteen," said Eli brightly. "But nineteen in February!"

"Ah," said Magnus, exchanging a glance with Alec; that explained a lot. "Has your friend shown you around Idris yet?"

"My friend?"

"You're someone's plus-one, right?" Magnus said. "Did you have time to explore with them before the party?"

"Um—" Eli's eyes darted away nervously. "No, I didn't—we didn't get much of a chance to explore, no—"

Alec leaned in. "You're not supposed to be here, are you?" he asked quietly.

Eli looked down, shuffling his feet. "Please don't tell anyone," he mumbled. "I snuck in. I just wanted to see what Idris was like, that's all, I swear."

"We're not going to report you," Alec said reassuringly. "But you might want to come up with a cover story in case anyone asks why you're here."

"Okay," said Eli, "maybe I'll..."

But Alec had stopped listening; he had just seen Clary and Jace across the room. He waved them over. "There you are!" he said as they joined him, Magnus, and Eli. "Where have you two been?"

"We fell asleep!" said Clary, laughing. "Turns out you get really good sleep without a nine-month-old around." They did both look like they had gotten ready rather hastily; Jace's slate-gray suit was rumpled, and Clary's makeup was a little smudged, though she still looked stunning in a form-fitting gown made of a silvery-black material that shimmered in the witchlight. She caught sight of Eli. "Hello. Who's this?"

"This is Eli," Magnus said. "He's from Queens."

"Oh!" Clary said, smiling. "Nice to meet another New Yorker!"

Eli was watching her curiously. "Do I know you?" he asked Clary.

"No," said Clary, looking perplexed. "I don't think so." She held out her hand. "Clary Fairchild." Eli shook it, still gazing at her as if she were a puzzle to be solved.

"And I'm Jace." Eli shook his hand too. "Clary and I run the New York Institute. If you ever need anything, we're always happy to help."

"Oh—you're—" Eli's eyes widened. "Um—I have to go!" And he squeezed between two vampires and vanished.

"Was it something I said?" Jace asked.

Alec shook his head. "He's gatecrashing," he said with a slight smile. "I think he was worried you two would report him."

"We wouldn't have," said Clary, sounding disappointed. "He seemed sweet."

"Apparently, he's a big fan of Magnus's," Alec told them.

"Who wouldn't be?" Magnus said airily, wrapping an arm around Alec's shoulders. "As I recall, you were a pretty big fan of me when we first met."

"You telling me you want to divorce me for Eli?"

Magnus laughed. "Come on, you silly man. Let's dance."

The party went on for hours; it was nearing midnight when Clary and Jace stepped off the dance floor, panting. "Do you want a drink?" Jace asked.

"Actually, I'm a little hungry," said Clary.

"I'll grab you something." Jace kissed her on the cheek and wove his way through the crowd toward the dais. Clary leaned against a nearby table, wiping sweat from her forehead; Jace could dance rather exuberantly when he wanted to, and she was quite out of breath. Her feet were aching too; she longed to kick off her shoes, but that seemed improper. In any case, Jia had just seen her and was making a beeline toward her. Clary straightened as the Consul stopped in front of her table.

"Clary!" She opened her arms, and Clary embraced her. "I feel like I haven't seen you all night! How are you?"

"Doing great," said Clary, smiling. "Thank you for putting this all together, Jia. Jace and I are having a wonderful time."

Jia beamed. "It's my pleasure. And how's your little one? Alexandra, isn't it?"

"We call her Lexie," Clary said. "She's good too. Almost ten months old now."

"Oh," Jia sighed. "I remember when Aline was that little. Now she's all grown up and married! Enjoy this time while you can."

"I already feel like she's growing up too fast," said Clary, laughing.

Jia leaned in conspiratorially. "I have to ask," she said. "There've been so many rumors going around. Is it true she was born in a demon realm?"

Clary's heart stopped. She could hear a strange rushing sound in her ears. Her mouth felt dry. "I..."

Jia covered her mouth with her hands. "Oh! I'm so sorry. That was terribly rude, wasn't it? You know, I think I've had a little too much to drink—Clary, are you all right?"

"Excuse me," Clary managed, and she tore away from the table, stumbling out of the Accords Hall. The cold air hit her like a slap to the face, and she sucked in a painful breath. Her vision was tunneling; she half-fell against a column and hugged it, interlocking her hands tightly to stop them from shaking. She gasped, choking back sobs as she tried to force memories of a scarlet sky and a dark cave out of her mind's eye. She tried to focus on her surroundings, but the sparkling lights of Alicante were blurred from her tears.

"Clary?" She jumped. Jace put a gentle hand on her elbow. "It's okay. Breathe." She tried to, but the freezing air felt like needles inside her lungs. A sob escaped her. "Shh..."

She turned and buried her face in Jace's chest, clinging to him. He rubbed her back. "This will pass," he said softly. "Keep breathing. You'll be okay." She focused on the sound of his voice as he continued to murmur soothingly to her. Her pulse began to slow, and she registered that her fingers were aching, so she released them from Jace's jacket. He kept his arms around her, supporting her as she drew in one slow breath, then another. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked quietly.

She shook her head and pulled away from him, wiping at her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said feebly. "You can go back inside if you want."

"I'm good right here."

She was shivering, though she wasn't sure if it was from the cold or from the panic still receding from her body. In any case, Jace quickly ducked into the building, returning a moment later with their coats. He slipped his on and wrapped hers around her. Inside, the noise had died down and Clary could hear Jia saying something, though she couldn't make out the words. Jace glanced at his watch, and Clary leaned over his shoulder to see; it was a minute before midnight.

"Should we go in?" Clary asked.

Jace shrugged. "Why? Let's celebrate out here. Just the two of us." She smiled gratefully, and he took her hand, looking down at his watch. "Ten...nine...eight..."

Clary joined him. "Seven...six...five...four...three...two...one."

"Happy New Year," Jace breathed. Clary tilted her head up to kiss him. As their lips met, there was a loud crackle behind them, and fireworks soared into the air, exploding above them in a shower of gold sparks. The doors opened as people flooded out to watch the show.

"Let's get out of here," Jace murmured into Clary's ear. He pulled her away before they could run into anyone they knew, and they slipped into the shadows, leaving the Accords Hall behind. They walked down the cobblestone road, making their way back to Herondale manor. Jace pulled an apple and a small dagger out of his pocket. "Want half?"

Clary rolled her eyes. "You had an entire table of all the snacks you could possibly want, and you picked an apple?"

"Do you want it or not?"

Clary held out her hand. Deftly, Jace sliced the apple in two and handed her half. She bit into it, licking the juice from her lips. Apples always reminded her of her first kiss with Jace. "Do you remember that night in the greenhouse?" she asked him. "My sixteenth birthday?"

"How could I forget?" Jace said, smiling. "It was one of the best days of my life." Clary glanced away. She picked a seed out of the apple and flicked it aside. Jace touched her shoulder lightly. "What is it?"

She dug another seed out, scraping the flesh of the apple with her nail. "People always talk about the day their kid was born as the best day of their life. But for us...Lexie's birth..." She swallowed, willing herself not to fall back into those memories. "He took that from us," she said quietly. "Leviathan. That will always be the story of her birth. And someday, she's going to ask me about it, and I...I won't be able to tell her. I can't even think about it without..."

"I know," Jace said softly. "We don't have to tell her everything, not for a while. And if she asks, I'll talk to her about it. You don't have to relive it."

"That's not the point," said Clary. She dug her nails into the apple, juice running down her hand. "It's been almost a year, and I'm still...I still can't get over it. I thought it would be better by now."

"It is better," said Jace gently. "Do you remember how bad it was right after she was born? You were having nightmares every night, and panic attacks all the time...it's gotten so much better since then."

Clary pulled a bit of peel off the apple; she'd lost her appetite. She tossed it into a patch of grass. "Is this going to be my life?" she asked quietly. "Am I always going to be afraid of what happened? Am I never—" Her voice cracked. "Am I never going to be free of it?"

"I don't know," Jace said. "I wish I did. I wish I could tell you this would all go away. But maybe it's just something you learn to live with." He touched her chin, tilting her face up toward him. "One day at a time, right?"

"One day at a time," she agreed.

They walked on in amicable silence. Behind them, Clary could still hear the distant popping of fireworks, but they were far enough away now that the only light in the sky was that of the thousands of stars above them. There were never this many stars in New York, not with all the light pollution; the stars were one of the things Clary loved most about Idris. Clary gazed up at them as they walked, trusting Jace to keep her on the path. "Thank you," she said softly.

"For what?"

"For always being there," she said. "For calming me down when I can't do it myself."

"You don't need to thank me for that," Jace said, wrapping an arm around her. "I'll always be here for you."

They had arrived at the manor. Jace pushed the gate open before glancing back at her. "Do you want to keep walking?" he asked.

"Not really," Clary breathed, and she kissed him. He made a small, startled noise before pulling her closer. His hands tangled in her hair.

"This gate really isn't sturdy enough for us to have sex against it," he murmured.

She laughed and slid her hand into his, drawing him into the house and up the stairs to the bedroom. She tossed her shoes aside and shrugged her coat from her shoulders, then unzipped her dress and let that fall to the ground too. It was the kind of dress that didn't require a bra, and Jace looked her up and down hungrily as he kicked off his shoes and undid his belt with trembling hands. Clary yanked Jace's tie off, and then, too impatient to unbutton his shirt, she pulled it over his head instead. Moonlight rippled across his bare chest as he pushed her onto the bed, flinging his pants aside. They landed on the nightstand, almost toppling the lamp on it. Jace pressed her into the bed, kissing her; she felt a shiver of ecstasy run down the entire length of her body.

"Mm—" Clary gasped, "protection?"

"I got it..."

Jace fumbled past her and knocked his wallet off the bedside table. Clary giggled and reached down, grabbing it as Jace continued to trail frenzied kisses down her jaw and neck. She slid a condom out of his wallet and tossed it at him. "Wrap it up, Herondale. No glove, no love."

Jace gave a bark of laughter. "Yes, ma'am."

And they met in an explosion of passion that rivaled the fireworks outside.