Sugar and Spice

Sixteen

Sixteen

*~*~*~*

"Are you sure you're okay?" Magnus asked me, his voice soft as he and I walked through the Institute together. It had only been a few hours since my breakdown in Magnus' arms and I wanted nothing more to return to his loft, hide away from everyone else, from Alec. However, I couldn't do that. Izzy had called me, saying that she and Jace needed me to bring Magnus back to the Institute, that they needed our help with something.

"Yep." I lied through my teeth. He only sighed, knowing that it was a lie as she and I walked into the weapons room, finding Jace and Izzy waiting there for us. "What's going on?"

"It's Meliorn." Izzy told me, her voice hard, laced with anger. "They're sending him to the Silent Brothers to be questioned."

"What?" My eyes widened at the news. "That's basically a death sentence."

"We know." Jace nodded. "We tried talking to Alec and Lydia, but neither of them will listen. Alec wants to turn the Cup over to the Clave, whether Clary agrees or not. He says that he doesn't have a choice. And neither do we."

"Let me get this straight." Magnus pursed his lips as he looked between my two friends. "You need Alec's stele to open the safe, and you want me to steal it from him?"

"We prefer the word "borrow."" Jace corrected him.

"Without his knowledge." Izzy added.

"So steal." I rolled my eyes at their word play.

"No. No can do." Magnus shook his head. "Not happening."

"Magnus, ever since Alec found out our parents were in the Circle, he's been messed up." Izzy tried to convince him. Her eyes traveled in my direction, but I quickly looked at my feet to avoid her gaze.

"He can't see the big picture." Jace backed the brunette up. "If the Clave is willing to subject Meliorn to the Silent Brothers, if they're willing to go this far... what do you think will happen if they get the Cup? This affects everyone. Help us get into that safe. Help us stop this."

"They're right." I spoke up, causing all three of them to look at me, but I focused my attention on the warlock at my side. "They'll just be starting a war with the Seelies."

"You're both going to owe me." Magnus warned the other two, giving in. "I'm talking 14th century. Gold, rubies... definitely diamonds."

"And Alec can never know." I added. I didn't want to drag Magnus into this anymore than necessary. I didn't want a target painted on his back by Alec.

"That's a given." Jace nodded.

"If we're going to do this... there's no turning back." Magnus warned all of us, though I knew his words were intended more so for me. I only nodded. I knew he was right, that there'd be no turning back, but there was no ignoring this either. I couldn't just stand by while Meliorn was led into his death. I couldn't let an innocent die. I wouldn't.

*~*~*~*

"Hey." Jace hugged Clary tightly as she and Simon came out of the backdoor of Hotel DuMort, joining Jace, Izzy, Luke, and I.

"Hey." Clary smiled, hugging him back.

"Thank God you're okay." Jace shook his head as they broke apart, eyeing the hotel. "So this is your safe hideout, huh?"

"Well, you think the Clave was gonna look here?" Clary countered.

"Can we please focus on the matter at hand?" Izzy broke up their moment. "Unless no one here cares that the Clave is planning on murdering Meliorn."