Angels and Warriors // A.L

Chapter 17

"He- what?" I asked.

Jace nodded, "Everyone saw, Isabelle, Magnus, Clary and I, but Alec made us swear not to tell you. He wanted to tell you that he liked you, not have one of us do it."

"Uh, liking and the one you love the most, are slightly different," I pointed out.

"I know, we were all really shocked, but I bet you anything it has something to do with this, like a natural parabatai or something. I'm not sure but I'll look into it for you," He promised. Then, switching topics, he handed me the Ace of Cups tarot card.

"Jace I don't know how-" I shook my head.

"Just have a go, nobody else is looking and there's no pressure. We have the card, so we have the Cup, whether it's two-dimensional or three," He assured me, nodding encouragingly.

I hesitantly flipped the card over in my hands a few times. I put my hand over the painted cup but nothing happened. I looked at Jace for suggestions. He went to shrug but stopped halfway, and I could see an idea forming behind his eyes.

"Try thinking of Alec," He said in a low voice, glancing around.

"Alec? What about him?" I exclaimed in a hushed shout.

"I don't know, anything!" He whispered back.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I thought of when Alec took me down into the City of Bones, him taking my hand, keeping me safe; standing by me when Clary put me in danger, the panic in his voice when he was shouting at the Silent Brothers as I collapsed into his arms.

I pushed my hand forwards; ready to try again but my hand never hit the card. I opened my eyes to make sure I hadn't missed but saw my hand had disappeared through the card. I felt my fingers close around a cold stem and I gasped. I pulled my hand back, Mortal Cup in tow.

"You did it, you've done it!" Jace suddenly picked me up and spun me around laughing. He put me down and called Alec, Isabelle and Clary over. He pointed to me proudly and I awkwardly waved the cup around.

Everyone's jaws dropped and I handed it to Clary, not wanting to be in the center of attention. "Guys, is it even safe here? Shouldn't we put it somewhere more secure or something?" I asked as they inspected it.

Clary glared at me as Alec went back to check on the monitors, making sure the grounds remained secure, "No, we can get mom back with this. Put it back in the card." She gave me back the cup and I pushed it back through until it disappeared into the tarot card.

I sighed and my eyes followed Jace, who had turned to Alec, "Alec, what are you doing? You can stare at this monitor all you want, they need angel blood to get past the wards. You know that."

"No Downworlder can come into the Institute. Not without an invite by a Shadowhunter," Isabelle added.

Alec stared back at his siblings, "Last I checked, Valentine is a Shadowhunter. I agree with Samara, the Cup isn't safe here. We have to give it back to the Clave."

"No. Not after everything we went through to get it," Clary said stubbornly.

Isabelle shook her head, "My brother and your sister are right. The Cup is extremely important."

"This Cup is the one chance I have at getting my mom back," Clary protested, taking the card from my hands.

"Our mom Clary, and there has to be another way to get her back without risking something as huge as the Mortal Cup! Which by the way, you wouldn't even have, if it weren't for me," I shot back.