The Shadowhunters

Meeting the Herondales

Tessa arrived in front of the Herondale house. Tessa had been there only once before, when Sophie and Tessa were

sleeping over at Cecily's house for a girls' night. Well, more like mansion. There was a fountain in the front yard, beautiful and elegant in stone. The entire building was probably

the same size as the Institute and flowers and plants outlined their property.

Sighing, Tessa walked to the front doors, ringing the doorbell. Sophie didn't have enough room to let her stay. Hopefully Cecily would let her stay. Cecily and Tessa were roughly

the same size, though Cecily was more curvy and Tessa taller, but Tessa didn't really think it through when she stormed out of her house. She had left her books, her clothes and

her money at the house, only bringing with her a twenty dollar bill and her cell phone – that was on low battery.

Finally, the door opened and revealed a woman – probably in her mid­thirties – wearing a maid's outfit. "Yes?" the maid asked.

"I'm looking for Cecily Herondale?" Tessa questioned. "I'm her friend, Tessa Gray."

Recognition flashed in the maid's eyes and she nodded. "Please come in, Miss Gray," the maid said, bowing. Tessa twitched uncomfortably.

"No need to bow and call me Miss Gray," Tessa said. "Call me Tessa."

The maid nodded before ushering Tessa inside and leading her upstairs. The mansion had four floors and Cecily was on the top. Her room was the entire fourth floor – much like a

loft with window walls. The stairs leading up to her room were not stairs, but a ladder through a trapdoor.

Her room was bigger than Tessa's house. Tessa had to grimace as she thought about it more. Her bathroom was bigger than Tessa's house.

Tessa climbed up the ladder, pushing the trapdoor open to find Cecily lounging on her bed, headphones on as she flipped through a magazine.

"Excuse me, Miss Herondale," Tessa said, imitating a posh, British voice.

Cecily looked up, staring incredulously at Tessa. She surged forward, hugging Tessa tightly. "What are you doing here?" Cecily asked, leading Tessa further into her room.

"Ran out of my house. Never going back. Can I wear your clothes?" Tessa asked, aiming for a nonchalant voice as she fell back onto Cecily's large bed. Cecily's eyes widened.

"Why would you do that?" she asked.

Tessa grimaced. "Get Sophie here. Then I'll explain."

The trapdoor to Cecily's loft­like room opened once more, but it was not a maid's bonnet that came through first, but a messy head of black hair. "Girls' night, eh?" Will smirked.

"I'm joining."

Cecily threw one of her pillows at him, but Will dodged it gracefully, entering Cecily's bedroom.

"I still don't think it's fair that you have the biggest room," Will said, sitting on Cecily's desk chair. Cecily's room was surprisingly neat – but Tessa knew better. Sophie had forced

Cecily to clean it.

"I'm the girl of the house. And the youngest," Cecily shrugged, as if that explained everything.

"You're younger by ten minutes," Will said, rolling his eyes.

"Still younger."

"Whatever," Tessa interrupted. "Get your friends – and just Jem, Gabe and Gideon please. And Cecily, quickly call Sophie. My phone's practically dead." Tessa took out her old and