Smoke and Mirrors ▹ Alec Lightwood [1]

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN
THE SEELIE QUEEN

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     It wasn't the first time Adrian had visited the Seelie Court. He was a naturally friendly person, and he had found out a long time ago that being a Shadowhunter and having a bunch of Downworlder friends went a very long way. He would be the first to admit, however, that the Seelie Court wasn't a place they should have been bringing Clary and Simon to. But it had been unavoidable. The Seelie Queen had requested Clary's presence, and Simon had insisted on coming. Adrian thought it was a horrible idea, which was why he didn't plan on letting either of them out of his sight during their visit.

Jace had taken Clary through the entrance, and Alec had taken Simon. Adrian glanced up at the full moon, then at where its reflection floated across the water. Taking a deep breath, he took another step through the water and felt the ground disappear from beneath him. It felt like floating, though he knew he wasn't. At the last second, gravity caught up to him, and he slid through the entrance quickly. He landed on his feet, bending his knees to take most of his weight. With a grin, he straightened and moved to the side, shaking cold water out of his hair. There was nothing he could do about his clothes.

"There's something thrilling about entering the Seelie Court, don't you think?" Adrian asked the three very grumpy-looking people standing in front of him. The fourth looked happy just for the experience. Alec was scowling and peeling his soaked sweater away from his skin. Jace was wringing out his shirt. Simon was pouting as he tried to dry his glasses, with no luck considering his shirt was just as wet. Clary was the only one who didn't seem grumpy at all, a smile on her face as she squeezed the water out of her hair. Jace sent him a dark look as his now wrinkled shirt dripped even more water at his feet.

"Thrilling isn't the word I'd use," Jace muttered, still scowling. Adrian rolled his eyes at them and brought out his stele, rolling up his wet sleeve to draw a heating rune on his skin. He could already feel the chill of being underground seeping into his bones. The last thing he wanted was to get sick. As the rune got to work warming his body, there was a sound like rushing water, and then Isabelle was falling from the roof of the dirt tunnel they were in, landing gracefully on her feet just like Adrian had, trembling from the cold and soaking wet, but grinning all the same. Adrian shared a smile with her before he took her arm and started drawing the heating rune for her. Isabelle looked over their friends as he did.

"You all look like wet cats," was her greeting after she took in every single detail, making sure none of them were injured. Adrian gave a small laugh as he tucked his stele back into his pocket. Isabelle pulled her long black hair over her shoulder and started the process of wringing it out. A rather large puddle appeared on the floor beneath it. Once she had squeezed every drop of water she possibly could out of her hair, she tossed it back so that it could dry down her back and let out a long sigh. "Oh, that was fun." Jace made a sound of exasperation, pushing himself off the side of the tunnel wall, where vines had started to creep over his shoulders, either trying to feel him or trying to pull him somewhere else. Simon and Clary took a few steps away from the wall once they noticed.

"I'm getting you and Dri dictionaries for Christmas, because I'm not sure either of you know what the words 'thrilling' or 'fun' means. Now, which way do we go?" Jace glanced in both directions of the tunnel.

"We don't go either way," Adrian explained, not bothering to follow his gaze. It surprised him that Jace had never been to the Seelie Court. It seemed like just the place for someone to go when they were feeling reckless, impulsive, or wild. The perfect place to go when one wanted to forget something, whether it be who they were, emotional pain, or the love they felt for someone who they thought could never love them back. Adrian should know. He had gone to the Seelie Court more times than he cared to admit. Thinking back on it now, as they waited for someone to arrive to escort them to the Seelie Queen, Adrian could admit that it was foolish of him to do. Not to mention dangerous. Slightly distracted, he added, "We wait here, and they come and get us."