"Simon, hey, wait, where are you going?" I ask, stopping Simon in the main hall of the Institute.

I had woken up early, not being able to keep to much of a sleep schedule. Simon had his determined face on...and his jacket.

"I already told Isabelle, they can't keep me prisoner here"

"Prisoner? Simon, what-"

"They can't keep you either! You're as mundane as me, we should just walk out of here, right now!"

"Simon, where-what, where are you going?" Clary shouts, running down the stairs and in front of Simon

"I'm going home, Clary" Simon stops, "And if you two haven't completely drunk their Kool-Aid, then you're coming with me!"

"You know we can't!" I exclaim

"Yes, you can!" Simon encourages, "You, especially. It's not safe here."

"In fact, this is the safest place they could possibly be" Jace counters, emerging from the elevator

"You don't get to talk to me, Captain America" Simon snides

"Considering I'm the guy with the weapons, I get to say what I want"

"You know what, Jace? Step off your high horse for just a second, alright?" I snap before turning back to Simon, "What is your problem, Simon?"

"He's my problem!" Simon yells, pointing a finger at Jace, "He's just like Kirk Duplesse from high school. Do you guys remember him? Total jerk with the square jaw. Smelled like body spray. Always bullying people. Why don't you do your own homework, huh? JUST ONCE!"

I frown, confused. Something was wrong with Simon. He could be strange at times but not this strange...

"I can take care of myself" Simon hisses, rounding Clary and heading for the front doors

"I'm not saving his ass a second time-" Jace begins but I cut him off

"Jace!" I snap, "Shut the fuck up, alright?"

"Simon! Wait!" Clary yells, running off after Simon, leaving Jace and I with our arms crossed, glaring at each other

I watch intently as Clary tries to talk some sense into Simon, but it doesn't work. She screams his name as he exits the Institute doors without turning back.

Clary turns to face me and I hurry towards her, grabbing her in a hug as she cries into my chest.

"It's okay, Clary" I comfort her, "He'll be okay"

At least, I hope.

***

Since Clary's dream about Magnus Bane having done something to wipe her memories, Jace had rounded up Hodge, Izzy and Alec to inform us of him, to get information before we could attempt to find him.

"Magnus Bane" Hodge begins, swiping along on a tablet connected to the large display screen in front of us, Hodge was pulling up old photos of Magnus that dated back several years "He's over 300 years old. And, as you can see, he's not exactly shied away from the pleasures of every century. His tastes are both exquisite...and quite excessive."

"He looks like the Downworld's David Guetta" Clary muses and I laugh aloud

"Guetta's already a Downworlder" Izzy informs

"Seriously?" I gape

"Vampire" Izzy confirms, "Ever seen him in daylight?"

"Can you three focus?" Alec snaps, "This is not a joke"

"Someone needs to get slayed" Izzy teases and I chuckle

"Alec's right" Hodge agrees and I roll my eyes. Ever since what he said to Alec got to him so completely, I'd had the shortest of patience's when it came to him and, frankly, not a large range of respect either, "Now, Magnus is one of the most powerful warlocks I've ever known. He has a deep mistrust of Shadowhunters"

"Well, then why did he help our mother remove our memories?" I object, "She's a Shadowhunter, right?"

"Yes, one of the best" Hodge remarks fondly and I frown, "But 'help' might not be the most accurate word. Now, did Magnus provide a service for Jocelyn? Perhaps. But more than likely, your mother paid Magnus handsomely for his magic"

"Warlocks usually require payment before they help anyone with anything" Jace concurs

"Word from the Clave is that most of the Warlocks have gone into hiding since Valentine began hunting them" Alec chimes in

"Valentine must be searching for the warlock, where did Jocelyn-" Hodge begins before the sound of searing skin cuts him off

"Hodge, your rune" Clary warns him, cautiously, "Are you okay?"

"So, how do we find Magnus, then?" I inquire, Hodge's poor boo-boo the least of my worries

"We don't" Jace admits, "Magnus finds us. We'll set up a meeting, somewhere protected. Lure him out of hiding."

"And I know exactly where we do it" Izzy beams confidently, taking the tablet from Hodge and pulling up an invitation

"A Downworld rave" Jace praises, "Nice, Izzy"

"And where'd you get that?" Alec teases

"During my surveillance of the Downworlders" Izzy smirks, "From what I hear, Magnus likes to party"

"Surveillance, right" I wink at her and Izzy shakes her head

"He'll never go for it" Alec interjects, "Not with Valentine trying to kill him."

"Of course he will" Jace rejects, "He'll blend in. Hide in plain sight."

"I don't know" Clary considers, "It seems..."

"Trust me" Izzy interrupts, "If Magnus is coming out of hiding, he's going to one of the biggest parties of the year."

"Never underestimate Magnus' hedonism" Hodge comments, "Or his greed. Come with me."

We all make our way through to the training room, me keeping in close range of a wall in case I felt sick.

This crap was starting to piss me off.

Hodge waves his stele over a rune on the floor and slids the tile off, revealing a hidden compartment with a ruby necklace inside.

"Is that real?" Izzy breathes, mesmerised by the jewel

"A four-karat, unheated Burmese ruby" Hodge nods, holding the necklace out, "And this necklace has a special meaning to Magnus Bane as it was a gift from him to his then lover, Camille Belcourt"

"Wait, Camille and Magnus were lovers?" I question, "I mean, vampire leader Camille?"

"Warlock gets around" Jace chuckles

"Magnus bought it in 1857 for the price of his London townhouse" Hodge voices, "Now, the jewel is enchanted by a spell that alerts the wearer of the presence of demons"

Izzy takes it in her hand, admiring it, "It's so beautiful"

"Magnus has longed to reunite with this necklace" Hodge tells us, "Offer it to him. He might just take the bait."

"I'll send Magnus a fire message to arrange the meeting" Jace says, moving to leave, "We have to get to Magnus before Valentine does"

As Jace strides away, I can't help but look over at Alec. We hadn't spoken since the night we'd saved Simon, and he'd made no move to make amends, neither did I.

For once, he wasn't looking at me when I looked to him, but at the necklace, he had a concentrated face, as if he were thinking.

Suddenly, he turns his face and meets my eyes but I drop eye contact quickly, blushing and staring at the floor.

This Shadowhunter crap sucked sometimes.

***

sorry for the short chapter guys but I have work...well, kind of now so I gotta jet

yikes

Happy Reading!!