Distractions

Thirty-Nine: Killing Tree

I'm alive, despite what some of my friends have thought throughout the past month and a half. The holidays, winter in general, and my schedule being crammed with events that took most of my time and energy really messed with my ability to write the last month or so. I'm pretty sure the only reason I've managed to write, even bits and pieces here and there, between events and parties that have had me up until the sun rose and the chaos that follows my extended family is through high levels of caffeine and spite. 

This chapter was even further delayed by me replotting and rewriting this chapter so many times that I used up several stacks of post-it notes and several pens. This chapter is a bit of a whirlwind of chaos, emotion, and revelations so I suggest sitting down while reading and maybe taking some time to process the chapter. It's wild, but I wouldn't change it for the world.

And yes, the title is a pun and play on words. I'll give a virtual cookie (the good kind) to anyone who can figure out the title.

Now, onto the chaos.

Trigger Warnings: Mentions of blood, discussion of potential death, discussion of potential injury/maiming, mentions of death (off page), potential death, imagined suffocation, imagined injury, manipulation, anger, breakdown, grief

Alec stood on the platform in the Ops Center looking every part the brilliant Head of the Institute that he was, head held high and gaze full of confidence. Everest and Izzy stood by one of the pillars, Sebastian standing behind them like a guard dog. Clary and Jace were standing next to each other on the other side of the crowd, just far enough apart that it was clear they were avoiding any unnecessary closeness but not so far away that they couldn't whisper to each other occasionally.

"We have lost seven of our own, but we can't allow a single radical Seelie to define the entire DownWorld, any more than we can allow Valentine to define all Shadowhunters," Alec said in his 'I'm in charge so you better listen or I will tell your mothers' voice. "So, to restore unity with our allies, I will be hosting regular cabinet meetings here with the DownWorld leaders of New York. These meetings will promote..."

Everest's focus on Alec's speech faded as two Shadowhunters nearby started whispering.

"I'm all for unity, but does he have to bring them here?" a Shadowhunter, one Everest recognized as Lindsay, complained. She was one of the Shadowhunters that constantly complained about anyone under fifty running an Institute. She made Everest want to break something.

"What do you expect? He's dating a Warlock and the other Fairchild-Morgenstern." Duncan, one of the Shadowhunters Mia and Noah had grown up with and hated, rolled his eyes disgustedly.

Everest and Izzy shared an angered, hate filled gaze. Everest wasn't sure what Izzy was more upset about: the fact that Duncan's reasons for not wanting to listen to Alec included prejudice against the DownWorld or the way that he referred to Everest. Everest's hand twitched ominously and Izzy nodded. The other girl's head jerked almost imperceptibly and Everest's first moved up and down, ASL for 'yes'.

Lindsay scoffed. "Still can't believe Alec Lightwood is in charge."

Duncan smirked. "Just wait. In a week, it'll be someone else."

"With the way this Institute is going, it'll be the Fairchild-Morgenstern girl, the one he's dating," Lindsay grumbled. "Especially if Jace Herondale gets any say in it. And we both know he will."