fallen hero | matthew fairchild

chapter 12 | otherworldly

Hero bounded towards the barrier of the roof just in time to witness Shira slam against the ground beneath her.

She flinched at the sound of the collision.

A numb sensation ran down the edges of her bones. She couldn't feel the horror of watching someone die. She continued to stare down at Shira's body, a pool of blood forming under her unmoving figure.

She suddenly felt a stabbing pain from her wrist. Hero knew what she would find when she looked down, but she was surprised by the red star's color darkening.

Over time, the star had faded to an almost pink shade, but now it was the same crimson color it was all those years ago.

She felt a hand lightly touch her shoulder. Hero whirled around, her senses on edge. But, Matthew was only staring at her with a look of fear and sadness.

"Is she...?" he asked quietly.

Hero couldn't speak. The words wouldn't escape her lips, it was like the saliva in her mouth had hardened around her tongue, not allowing her to form a sound.

"Hero."

She was sure some sort of reprimand would follow, but instead, she was startled by Matthew enveloping her in an embrace.

Hero stiffened at the sudden closeness.

She didn't deserve this reaction.

She shut her eyes so tightly she could see rainbow patterns in the darkness.

The warmth of Matthew's hug was ridiculously pleasurable. It took only moments before her shoulders lowered and her heart rate slowed.

"You did what you had to do," he murmured into the top of her hair.

Suddenly, he stepped away. Hero wanted to stop him from leaving, but she allowed the distance to form.

"But, now we must figure out what to do," Matthew said firmly.

The words slipped out before she could truly think it through, "Leave her."

Matthew stilled.

"What?" he asked, probably hoping he hadn't heard what she said.

But, she meant it. "We should leave her."

Matthew smiled, but it wasn't his usual dazzling smile. This one was strained at the edges. "Surely you don't mean that."

Hero narrowed her eyes. "Is there any other option? It's not like there are many places to bury her in this cement jungle."

"Of course, we are not going to bury her!" Matthew argued. "We are going to wake up Pistol and inform him of what happened."

Hero felt her posture go rigid.

If she went to Pistol and admitted that she had killed a fellow shadowhunter, who would protect her then?

"Why are you silent?" Matthew questioned. "You and I both know this is the correct course of action."

"I disagree."

The silence between the two of them was terse.

"We can't just leave her there. She isn't some animal," Matthew countered.

Hero's anger started to rise like a flame being fed timber.

"She would do the same to me. I was not even considered to be human to them." Her voice was growing louder. "To them, I am a demoness!"

Matthew shook his head. "It isn't right, though."

"Neither is hunting me."

He said nothing, but then turned on his heel and began to walk away from her.