The Guardian~Magnus Bane Love Story

17. Your Wards are Down

Sorry if I'm a bit off the plot. I don't have the book in front of me, so I'm doing this all by memory.

Everyone had gathered in the Hall of Accords. The Shadowhunters were getting treated for the wounds they received. The wolf pack was gathered around in their own corner, away from everyone. I chatted with Maia. Despite being a werewolf her and I had become pretty close. Maybe it was because we were both turned by a person we loved. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw a man walk over to Clary and them.

"Malachi," Magnus greeted. I rolled my eyes in annoyance.
Malachi scowled. "I don't remember the clave inviting you into the Glass City, Magnus Bane."

"They didn't," Magnus said. "Your wards are down."

"Really?" The counsel's voice dripped sarcasm. "I hadn't noticed."

Magnus looked concerned. "That's terrible. Someone should have told you." He glanced at Luke. "Tell him the wards are down." I smirked as Malachi made an angry sort of squeak. Luke stepped forward and tried to explain but Malachi went on how downworlders are scum blah blah. They didn't need his help blah blah. Which might I add, I was getting fed up with. We come to help people and we get shamed for it. Jerk.

Clary led Magnus over to the side and gave him the Spellbook, when all the sudden Sebastian showed up behind them. He wanted Clary to come outside with him(Apparently when Magnus and I had rode the horse. The two of them had visited the remains of the Fairchild house. He had apparently kissed her, however she rejected him. Also when Jace and her went to the Wayland home they had found an angel being held and tortured there. They had set him free which resulted in the house collapsing.) Anyways, she refused to come out there with him. He stormed off angrily.

I watched Aldertree the inquisitor, who kept Simon in the cell, as he glared at Simon across the room.

Then there was a scream.

It came from Amatis.

Everyone looked up to follow her gaze and they saw none other than Valentine standing there. I inched closer to Clary and Magnus followed. Magnus laid a calming hand on my shoulder.

Valentine had his eyes on Luke as he walked up the narrow aisle between the benches.

Aldertree made a noise like a wounded bear and tore himself from Malachi, who was trying to hold him back. He staggered then threw himself towards Valentine and right through him. I kinda zoned out after everyone realized he was a hologram and then began to talk to Luke then everyone else. They talked about Hodge's death(Which Clary had explained Sebastian did. Hodge was apparently in the cell right beside Simon.) and then Amatis stepped forward and told him there was a time they were all willing to follow him no more though.

I had to admit..I admired the woman's bravery.

Then Valentine talked about how either every Shadowhunter would pledge their allegiance and loyalty to him or else he would destroy them all and create a new race of Shadowhunters.

Then Aldertree went crazy and began forward shouting.

"I am the inquisitor, do you understand, the inquisitor! I am part of the Clave! The council! I make the rules, not you! I won't let you do this, you upstart, demon-loving slime-" Valentine in a rather bored way reached out as if to touch the inquisitor but his hand passed through the inquisitor's skin, bones, and, flesh, vanishing into his rib cage. There was a second of silence and then Valentine twisted his wrist much like to turn a doorknob.

Aldertree gave a single cry and dropped like a stone.

Valentine pulled his hand back and it was covered in blood reaching halfway to his elbow.

"I will give you until tomorrow at midnight to consider my terms. At that time I will bring my army, in all its forces, to Brocelind Plain. If I have not yet received a message of surrender from the Clave, I will march with my army here to Alicante, and this time we will leave nothing living. You have that long to consider my terms. Use the time wisely."

With that he disappeared.

"Man...who spit it his cereal?" I asked awkwardly.
         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So the Clave decided they talk about it. Whether they would surrender or not. Luke told them the downworlders would be back by midnight tonight. If the Clave wanted their help, they would help. If they didn't, they would turn around and leave. They would only help if the Clave allowed one of each downworlder families to be apart of the Clave. We were gathered at the Penhallow house and Magnus had disappeared without an explanation.

We sat talking and then Magnus walked in standing in the doorway. He moved to the side to reveal a figure with fiery hair. Jocelyn. I didn't have time to react before Clary began yelling. Why hadn't she told her she had a brother? And all that good stuff. She stormed off and Simon followed after her to comfort her. I looked at Jocelyn's pained expression.

"It's time to tell her, Jocelyn. She's ready." I walked out if the room and upstairs pausing at Isabelle's doorway. She hasn't left that room since Max. I knocked quietly. She had let Simon in earlier.

"Go away!" She yelled.

"Isabelle it's Alice." There was a pause and then the door slowly opened.

"What do you want?" I sighed. This was gonna be hard.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I should've stayed like Alec said. I should've been here to help you two." She looked at me.

"No. It was my fault. I should've believed him when he said he saw people climbing the demon towers. He was my responsibility not yours..." She looked like a lightbulb or a fire went off in her mind.

"Sebastian!" I looked at her confused. "What about him?"

"He was the one that killed Max!" We bolted down the hall to come face to face with Jace. He held up a picture.

"I got suspicious of Sebastian. He killed Hodge. This is the real Sebastian Verlac. Turns out we have an imposter on our hands."

"I knew something was up with him," I muttered. I felt an arm wrap around my waist. I turned to Magnus.

"There's a meeting being called...it's on the current issue, we need to be there." I nodded.

"Let's go."