After the commotion, Jace and Alec had ushered us into some kind of basement room, somewhere no one in the Institute would find us.

Jace and the vampire set Simon's lifeless body down carefully, Jace supporting his head underneath some old, dusty book.

Simon's eyes were closed, face peaceful. He just looked as if he were asleep...although, we all knew he wasn't.

"People will be wondering what we found outside the perimeter" Jace informs

"I'll go" Alec speaks up and my hear breaks just a little more, "I'll tell them we didn't find anything. Nobody will come down here."

"I might be a vampire...but I was raised a good catholic" the vampire says, making the sign of the cross

"The vampires breached the Accords" Izzy snipes, "Killing Simon is grounds for war."

"The vampires were not behind this" he corrects, "Just Camille. She attacked Simon on her own."

"And how do we know you're telling the truth?" Jace spits back, glaring at him disdainfully

"He could have gotten rid of...the body" I exhale, my jaw clenching, "He didn't have to bring him here"

"I don't want trouble with the Shadowhunters" the vampire agrees, giving me a thankful yet disapproving look, "Or the mundani"

"You know about me?" I gape, shocked

"Word spreads" the vampire declares, "After you killed one of of our own, the stories spread about a dangerous Shadowhunter. However, I know Magnus on a personal level...so I knew the truth."

I hold my breath, worry crossing over my face. If he knew, he knew that I was vulnerable when alone, that I was dangerous only when Clary was threatened

"Do not fret, child" the vampire chuckles humourlessly, "If I had seen you as any real threat, you would be dead. The others don't know, I assure you. I promised Magnus."

I nod slowly, shooting him a thankful look.

This vampire was growing on me.

"I warned the mundane to stay away" the vampire continues, "But Camille gave him a taste of her own blood, and like an addict...he came back wanting more."

"The only reason Simon ever tasted Camille's blood is because of you!" Clary accuses, glaring at the vampire tearfully, "You kidnapped him! You drug him to Hotel DuMort. You...You delivered him to Camille!"

"I never meant for this to happen" the vampire growls through gritted teeth and I stand up just a little straighter. The vampire notices and retracts the rest of his words, regarding me cautiously.

"Simon" Clary sobs, "Simon, please, come back! Please!"

I move towards Clary as if magnetised and pull her into my arms, adjusting the both of us away from Simon's body.

"Shh" I hush her, tears of my own slipping down his face, "It's okay. We'll get through this. At least...at least he isn't in pain."

My words do nothing to comfort Clary and instead she sobs harder. Our audience looks on in pity and sympathy but I close my eyes to them.

The last thing I need right now is pity.

"There is a way" the vampire hums and Clary snaps away from me, whirling towards him

"'A way' what?" Jace snarls, a permanent glare plastered to his face

"A way to bring Simon back" the vampire offers

"You can do that?" Clary questions, hope lighting her face, "How?"

My face falls. I knew enough about vampire legends to know that the only way Simon could come back would be to...

"He's a fledgling" the vampire explains, "It's a state of transition. Your friend can be resurrected."

"No" I refuse at once, "No, Clary, no"

"I could have Simon back?" Clary stammers, "Alive and breathing?"

"That's just it" Izzy voices with a note of warning, "He won't return alive or breathing. He'll be a vampire."

"And not the sexed up, romantic kind" Jace chimes in, "The ugly, blood-sucking, coffin dweller kind."

"That's offensive" the vampire glowers

"Really?" Jace snarls

"Coffin implies wooden box. We have caskets now. They're made of 14-karat gold."

"My bad" Jace glares, clicking his tongue

"It's almost sunrise" the vampire notes, "Simon must be turned into a vampire tonight or staked through the heart."

"And if we do neither?" I query

"His soul will be trapped for eternity."

Clary lets out a pained whimper and I hold her tighter, attempting to comfort her.

"You have till sunset to decide. The clock is ticking."

***

"This is all my fault" Clary cries, sitting beside Simon, the sunlight streaming through the small, boxy windows

We'd been in here all night, just sitting...thinking. I'd already told Clary this was her decision, that I was to take no part in it. For the longest time, Clary and Simon had been the closest. They were the same age, they met first...I was just the cool older sister that helped them sneak out of the house for parties.

Though, now, I just wonder if the reason I did that was so I knew where Clary was, could be there to protect her...or whether I just truly wanted to be that cool older sister all her friends liked.

I guess I'll never know.

Clary had protested, not wanting all the decision to be made by here, but I put my foot down. This was not my choice to make. I didn't even belong in the Shadow World, let alone to make decisions about other people being brought into it by force.

And though I'd never tell Clary, if it were my choice...I'd have already staked him.

"Clary, this isn't your" Jace begins but Clary cuts him off

"Yes, it is!" she wails, "If it weren't for me, Simon would have never even known about the Shadow World. He would never have been kidnapped by vampires. He wouldn't have met Camille. He...he wouldn't be dead."

"Fledgling" the vampire corrects but we all ignore him

"Clary, you can't put this all on yourself" I reason, "If it's your fault, then it's mine, too, because he came looking for both of us that night. And you should know he would've kept coming until he found us. You know that. He cares about you too much to just let you disappear."

"Wherever the blame lies, it doesn't matter" Clary counters, a continuous flow of tears running down her cheeks, "But now I'm face with reprehensible choices and I can't figure out which one's worse. Please, Cami, please don't leave this all on me. At least tell me what your opinion is!"

"No" I shake my head, "This is your decision. I'm not choosing or giving my opinion on anything"

Clary exhales frustratedly, turning to the vampire, "If I, uh...If I bury Simon...what are the risks?"

"Clary, no. Absolutely not" Jace cuts in

"Glad to see you're willing to give your opinion, Buffy" I snap, "But, please, kindly shut up. She needs to know this, just let her process. Know all the choices and risks before she acts."

"Buffy?" the vampire chuckles, looking from me to Jace, "You know, mundani, you're growing on me"

"The risks?" Clary presses, rolling her eyes at our juvenile arguing

"If Simon is buried and doesn't emerge...he will be trapped under the Earth. Starving for eternity."

"Oh my God" Clary whimpers, her eyes widening in fright, "And, uh...If I-If I stake him?"

"He'll die a human death" the vampire sighs, "It's painless, as far as I know."

The staking was sounding better and better by the second.

"Simon, I'm so sorry" Clary cries, running her hand through Simon's hair

"Clary..." I begin, inhaling deeply, "Maybe you should go see Simon's mom...she might be able to help you make a decision"

"Cami, I-I can't do that" Clary stutters fearfully, "I can't face her-"

"Yes, you can" I reassure her, placing my arms on her shoulders, "Take Jace with you, he can glamour himself so you've got protection."

"Aren't you coming?" Clary murmurs

"No" I shake my head, "If we both go missing, no doubt Maryse will have it in for us, Jace, Izzy, Alec and everyone else. If it's just you and your with Jace, the golden boy, I'm sure she'll be less likely to get wigged."

"She's right" Jace agrees, "If Maryse knows you're with me...training or something, she'll think nothing of it. And I'm not the golden boy."

"Yeah, right" the vampire and I scoff in unison

***

As I walk down the stairs of the main Institute lobby, I spot Alec with a young boy. He was descending the stairs nearby and talking down to him as if he knew him.

"Hey, there"

"Cami" Alec breathes, surprised, "Max, this is Cami, the other Fairchild. Cami, this is Max, my little brother."

"Nice to meet you" I smile at the boy, offering my hand

"I want my stele back, Alec" Max complains, ignoring my hand. Alec shoots me an apologetic look but I just mouth back a silent 'it's okay'

"Well, they took it away because you nearly burned down the Mumbai Institute" Alec reminds him and my eyebrows shoot up, "Not to mention, with this important Clave member coming to visit, Mom and Dad want you on best behaviour."

What now?

"How many time do I have to say it was an accident" Max moans, pouting

"Tell you what, Max" I grin, squatting down to face him, "If you can keep out of trouble for just as long as this important person is here, I'll make sure Alec gets your stele back"

Alec shoots me a disbelieving look and I wink at him, smirking.

"Promise?" Max demands, holding out his pink

"Promise" I agree, linking my pinky with his

Suddenly, the door to the Institute flies open and a bald man covered in Shadowhunter runes enters the room. Though I couldn't be sure why...he seemed formidable.

"Alec, who is that?" I rush, standing in front of Max protectively

The second Alec spots the man, he pulls an arrow from his quiver and let's it fly. The man catches the arrow effortlessly, throwing it to the floor and pulling his stele out. And then his face...glitches. Switching quickly from the man to a woman and back again.

Alec lowers his bow and the...person waves their stele over their arm and I recognise the rune. The shape-shifting rune. As the stele ignites the rune, the man gradually become a young, blonde woman with a face as stony as the one Maryse wears.

Jeez, Shadowhunters sure aren't know for being warm.

"That reaction time was abysmal" the woman sighs, before gesturing to Alec and I, "Except for you two. Though I must admit my surprise that a daughter doesn't know the face of her father. I'm Lydia Branwell, envoy from the Clave"

As Lydia strides past us, I turn to Alec, my eyes wide, "That was Valentine?"

"In theory. You didn't know who he was?" Alec asks and I shake my head, "Why were you on your guard then? I figured you recognised it was Valentine"

"I've never so much as seen a picture of the man" I explain, "Clary saw him in the necklace but...I never saw him. I just got a really bad vibe from him so...I don't know I guess instincts took over?"

"Go figure"

Lydia's voice funnelling through the room prompts us to turn towards her, where she was addressing Maryse who was descending the stairs, Izzy by her side.

"Maryse" Lydia greets her...though I wouldn't say warmly, "The Clave has ordered me to take temporary control of this Institute."

"Wait a minute" Maryse glares, "Nobody informed us."

"The Clave doesn't need to" Lydia reminds her, an air of superiority echoing around her, "And, to repeat myself, it's temporary. Nothing's been decided yet, but I do need full clearance in order to assess how this Institute is running."

Lydia waves her stele on one of the computers, somehow using a rune to grant herself full access and control. Once done, she turns to me, "I see one half of the Fairchild sisters. Where is the other? I would hope someone here knows."

"She's training" I respond, crossing my arms over chest, "Though what business of yours that is, I don't know"

"I'm an envoy from the Clave and in control of this Institute at the current time" Lydia hisses and I glare back at her, "Therefore, the whereabouts of the Shadowhunters taking refuge here are all my business. You're telling me your sister is just...out and about on the streets of New York? Valentine's youngest daughter?"

"Aren't they also your cousins?" Izzy speaks up and I raise an eyebrow...cousins?

"Distant cousins" Lydia remarks

"I'm related to you?" I scoff, "No wonder I disliked you the second you stepped foot in here."

"Camille!" Maryse scolds me and I raise my arms in surrender, "That is no way to talk to your superior!"

"Not my superior" I reiterate, "I'm mundane, remember? As for Clary...she's with Jace. She's not running around out there alone. Do you really think I'd leave her alone with Valentine out there?"

"The same Jace Wayland who decided to lead an unsanctioned raid against the vampires?" Lydia confirms, "I've read reports."

"Jace might be unconventional, but he's our best soldier" Maryse defends, trailing after Lydia, "If he's with Clary, then she's in good hands."

"I hope so" Lydia sings, "And for your sake, all of New York. All of your jurisdiction better be well protected."

***

"I'm not a fan" Izzy grimaces later as we walk back into the main lobby. Lydia had grilled the entire Institute for the better part of an hour before demanding to know where the office was.

At least it gave everyone the chance to catch their breath.

"Neither am I" I agree

"Jealous?" Alec smirks

"No" Izzy and I chorus but Izzy counters, "Maybe...how the hell did she catch that arrow?"

"With the power of superiority?" I offer and Izzy giggles

Alec's phone rings and he pulls it out, frowning at it instantly.

"I have something you need to see" Alec announces, making his way to his mother and Lydia, "Something attacked the Jade Wolf."

Alec, connecting to the large monitor, flicks through pictures he was sent. They were horribly deformed people with green blood and grey organs...it was like nothing I'd ever seen before.

"The werewolves' headquarters? Where did you-" Maryse questions but Lydia cuts her off

"Where did you get these?"

"Leader of the New York wolf pack" Alec replies

"You're friends with Lucien Graymark? An ex-Circle member?" Lydia accuses

"He's like a second father to me if that makes you feel better" I simper and Lydia glares minutely

"How about we send Alec and Isabelle to investigate?" Maryse suggests, "They can take Miss Fairchild along to ensure she stays protected. I'm sure this linked to-"

"Valentine" Lydia interjects again and I feel like slapping her

Nothing shocks me more than Maryse actually wanting me to be near her children, but I'm grateful for the suggestion. Being stuck here with my bitchy distant cousin with no Clary around?

No thanks, I'll take the creepy dead guys.

"I need to see it for myself" Lydia dismisses before turning to walk away. When no one follows her, she turns to address us, "Are you coming or what?"

Her question is directed seemingly at Alec only but Alec nods before taking my hand and leading me with him. I smile in satisfaction as Lydia's face darkens. But she says nothing and instead moves towards the doors of the Institute, Alec and I following close behind.

***********

I am so close to the end of this book holy shit.

Do you guys want a book 2? And if so, is there anyone whos fucking bomb at photoshop and can make me a cover kinda like this

(but with some differences specific to book 2 which you will get slight spoilers for? ;) )

let me know!