➰Chapter Thirty-Seven➰
"Leah. I... I didn't know you'd come." Magnus said awkwardly, right after he opened the door to his apartment.
"Yeah, sorry I came without calling first. I know that you and Alec were going on a date, but I kind of need some herb my mom gave you. It's to help Isabelle's wound. Do you mind if I...?"
Magnus widened his eyes, but nodded. "Uh... Sure. Please, come in."
Leah entered casually, unsure as to why he was acting so weird. There was loud music playing from the stereo, so she assumed it might have just been the fact that she interrupted date night. She made a mental reminder not to do it again. She rumaged through the drawers in the living room, but found nothing.
"Leah, if it isn't that urgent, I could take it to the Institute later." Alec offered nicely, which immediately made her suspicious.
"No, thanks. I already interrupted your date night." Leah said, as she tried to figure where her mother might have put the herb. She then recalled an old desk where Dot used to hide some treats from her whenever she visited Magnus as a little girl, and she recalled it being in Magnus's guest room. "Wait. I think I know where it is."
She started making her way there, but Magnus immediately shut the door before she could reach the knob. She frowned. "Magnus, what is going on?"
"Trust me, you don't want to go in there."
"I've known you since I was a baby. Don't worry, I won't judge you for your hoarding tendencies."
Magnus gave her an offended look. "I'm not a hoarder, excuse you."
"Come on, let me just get this out so that you and Alec can go—" she stopped talking as soon as she heard giggles from the other side. She raised an eyebrow. "What the Hell?"
"Those are... My new pet parrots. They love to make a racket." Magnus said. "Really, Leah, I can teleport the herb..."
Leah simply shoved Magnus aside and opened the door. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw Jace lying naked on the bed, except he wasn't alone. There was a girl, with pointed ears and streaks colorful blue hair comfortably on lying top of him. "Oh. My. God."
Jace's giggles stopped once they noticed her there. "Leah."
"Who is this?" The girl asked with a raised eyebrow. She didn't seem to mind that they'd been caught in a compromising position.
"Sorry. I... Didn't know you'd be here," Leah said, glaring momentarily at an apologetic Alec and Magnus. She then met Jace's eyes, unable to hide how hurt she was feeling. "I'll just go."
She turned around and started walking away, ignoring Jace's calling for her.
➰➰➰
"Come on, why won't you tell me what's going on?" Clary asked once again, as Leah and her fenced in the training room.
Leah grunted, blocking every single one of her attacks. "I don't want to."
"You know, you really need to more this talking thing."
Leah snorted, twirling and in one quick motion, sweeping Clary off balance and making her fall on the floor. "And you need to do less of it."
"Sorry to interrupt, but we've got an emergency." Alec spoke, as both sisters followed him into the Ops Center, where Isabelle was already waiting for them, with a concerned look on her face.
"The Citadel was breached. Sister Magdalena was found dead, and Sister Cleophas is missing." Isabelle summarized for them.
"Sounds like the work of Valentine." Clary said, to which they all agreed.
"I'll go check if there's something more." Alec said, and he left towards the other computers.
Clary cleared her throat. "Izzy, there's something I need to tell you."
"That you told her about your new rune?" Isabelle snapped, taking both Clary and Leah by surprise. "Yeah, thanks for sharing. Apparently lying is a family thing."
"How did you even—" Clary started.
"Does it matter?" Isabelle rolled her eyes. "You should know what it feels like when the people you care about shut you out."
"This is not what that is, Isabelle." Leah said.
"Both my girlfriend and my parabatai are untrustworthy." Isabelle retorted. "I must have the worst taste in people, don't I?"
"We didn't tell you because Jace said it could put you in danger. I never—"
"So now I need to be protected?" Isabelle snapped. "I welcomed you both in. I trained you, Clary, rescued Simon every time he got in trouble—which is basically all the time—and after your mom..."
"Isabelle, I'm sorry." Clary said, choking out the words.
"We both are. We never meant to hurt you."
"We need to find Sister Cleophas. We can do it together." Clary reached out to take her hand pleadingly. "Please, Iz. I love—"
"There is no together for you and me, Clary. Not anymore," Isabelle turned her cold gaze to Leah. "Guess I chose the wrong parabatai."
"Isabelle!" Leah called for her, as she watched her storm off without another word. Clary's cheeks were flooded by tears. So Leah decided to do the only thing she could do, which was to hug her sister and tell her that it would be okay, that she'd heal from this broken heart. But deep down, she knew that she was lying.
➰➰➰
"I don't think you should be on the field. Not like this." Alec said, as Leah and him walked through the dark streets of the city, in search for any signs of Cleophas.
"I'm fine."
"No, you're not. Look... Jace isn't really acting like himself." Alec started, but Leah stopped on her tracks to cut him off.
"Do not make any excuses for him, Alec. He's a grown man."
"I'm not making excuses. I'm just trying to—" Alec was interrupted by the sound of Leah's phone.
She picked up almost immediately. "Clary, please tell me you and Luke have something."
"Yeah. We found Cleophas. She's here at the Jade Wolf."
"Good. Meet you there." Leah hung up and turned to Alec. "They found Cleophas. She's at the Jade Wolf."
"You can't avoid this forever."
"Yes, I can." Leah retorted. "Speaking of avoiding. What's going on with Isabelle?"
Alec shrugged. "How should I know? She's your parabatai."
"She's acting strange lately. I can feel that there's something wrong." Leah said, as her hand touched her parabatai rune on her shoulder.
"Look, I'm sure she'll tell you when she's ready. How about we head to the Jade Wolf now?"
➰➰➰
"I agree with Luke. We have to turn Cleophas to the Clave and let them question her," Alec said, after Clary and Luke filled them both in on everything.
Apparently, Luke didn't trust that Cleophas was on their side. However, Clary seemed to be convinced that Cleophas was their best shot at finding out where Valentine was, and that seemed pretty appealing to Leah. She wanted nothing more but to make that man pay for everything he had done to her and the people she cared about.
"Well, I think we should listen to her, at least." Leah insisted.
"I'm sorry girls, but I couldn't save your mother, and I'll be damned if I let you two be jeopardized, too." Luke said, walking towards Cleophas.
Clary gave Leah a complicit look. She immediately knew what she wanted to do, and even though she didn't really like it, she knew that Clary wouldn't be able to pull this off without her.
As soon as they were distracted, Leah activated her Strength rune and punched Alec hard on the head, knocking him unconscious, while Clary tasered Luke. "Hurry!"
Leah ran as fast as she could after Clary, and she heard Cleophas follow soon after. She knew she would never hear the end of this from both Luke and Alec. That was, assuming that she was right, and that this wasn't a trap.
➰➰➰
"Where are you taking us?" Leah asked, as they walked into a dark alley.
"You realize Valentine will never forgive you for going after him like this." Clary said, to which Cleophas nodded.
"I have to make amends."
Clary suddenly gasped and tumbled, almost falling to the floor. Leah hurried to help her up, but she seemed to be in some sort of daze. "Clary? Clary!"
"Ah!" Clary grunted in pain, before kicking Cleophas on her stomach and knocking her down.
"What the Hell?" Leah asked, unaware of what had gone through Clary's mind for her to do that.
Clary held Cleophas in a choking position against the wall. "What are you doing to me?"
"Let... go." Cleophas gasped out.
"The sound in my head. It's coming from Valentine, isn't it?"
"Clary, what sound?" Leah asked with a frown.
"It's getting louder!" Clary squealed.
"Activate our Hearing runes!" Cleophas commanded Leah, and she didn't see a reason not to obey. Leah's ears started ringing with the sound of someone yelling, a powerful and startling sound. "It's not possible."
"What is this?" Leah asked, finally understanding Clary's pain.
"It's not Valentine. It is an angel."
"What... No way. An actual angel?!" Leah asked in surprise.
"Here on Earth. I think he's holding him captive. The angel is crying out for help." Cleophas explained, a pained expression in her eyes.
Leah panted, as the sound finally stopped. "But I thought angels were venerated beings. That Shadowhunters admired them."
"Valentine... How could you?" Cleophas cried. "His cry... Is so full of pain."
"You said angels were rare, that almost no one had ever seen one." Clary recalled.
Cleophas nodded. "It's unheard of. Iron Sisters hear the angels whisper when we're forging our weapons, but even we've never seen one."
"So how did Valentine get ahold of one?" Leah asked.
"To communicate with one, you must be blessed by the angels." Cleophas said. "Clary.. You are blessed."
Clary scoffed. "No more lies, Cleophas. I know you're working with Valentine. You killed Magdalena, didn't you?"
"I loved Magdalena. I thought Valentine... I thought his way was the only way to make the world a better place. A safer place. No matter what sacrifices had to be made, but... harming an angel, holding him captive... That goes against everything we believe in."
"What, and genocide is perfectly acceptable?" Leah snapped.
"You don't understand. An angel is pure goodness. They're the embodiment of what Shadowhunters stand for. If Valentine's harming an angel, then everything we love will be destroyed."
"Luke was right. You are not a Shadowhunter. You are a traitor." Clary spat, anger surging through her in a way Leah had never seen before. "You're the Clave's problem now. Let's go."
Clary started walking away, but before Leah could follow her, Cleophas grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. "No! Please. Let me take you to Valentine. We have to free the angel. Then I'll turn myself in."
"How can we trust that you're telling the truth?" Leah asked, as the wind brushed against her face harshly.
"Don't you see the storm coming? If Valentine has the angel and a bolt of lightning..."
"He can activate the Soul Sword and kill all Downworlders," Clary realized, in horror.
They started running out of the alley, but were cut off by a police car blocking the way. Out of it came an angry Luke, Alec and Jace.
Luke pointed his gun at Cleophas. "Cleophas, you're not going anywhere."
"Luke, you don't understand. We need Cleophas to—" Leah started.
Jace didn't let her finish. "Leah, get out of the way!"
Leah remained standing in front of Cleophas protectively. "We need her. Valentine has everything he needs to activate the Soul Sword and kill all Downworlders."
"Luke, please, listen to her." Clary pleaded.
Luke sighed heavily, before lowering his wrapon and nodding. "Alright. Tell me everything."
➰➰➰
Jace and Leah hurried upstairs, following the strong sound of lightning. Clary and Alec followed closed behind.
"If Valentine wants to activate the Sword, then the angel is probably at the very top of the tower."
"Cleophas could have been lying." Jace said, but Leah shook her head.
"No. I heard it too. Those were screams for help. I could feel his pain."
They finally reached the top to find a group of three Circle Members protecting an old man in chains. Leah unsheathed her seraph blade and narrowed her eyes at them. "Let him go."
Instead of replying, the men attacked. While Alec and Clary fought one of the guys, the other two directed their attacks at Leah and Jace. Leah struggled to keep up with her opponent, given that he was notoriously stronger and more experienced than her. She blocked all the attacks she could, but he eventually knocked her blade out of her hands and kicked her to the ground, the tip of his blade aimed at her neck. "I guess I'll just have to tell Valentine one of his kids didn't make it."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Jace said, stabbing the man in the stomach from behind and watching as he fell to the ground. He then extended his hand to Leah, offering his help to get up.
Leah rolled her eyes and swatted his hand way from her. "I had it covered."
"Are you seriously still mad at me?"
"Guys, not the time." Clary reminded them, as she helped Leah up and they walked towards the old man. "We have to hurry!"
The weather was getting proggressively worse, and Leah was able to catch glimpses of lightning in the distance. Jace and Alec frantically drew Open runes on his chains, but it was pointless. Jace sighed. "It's not working."
"Why can't you break the chain?" Clary said, talking over the loud wind.
"Valentine must have used a warlock's dark magic." Leah said, biting her bottom lip nervously.
Clary winced in pain once again, and pulled her stele to draw some new rune on the angel's lock. "He's communicating with me."
The chains finally broke and the angel's wings were finally revealed. He then extended his hands to both Clary and Leah, and showed them a vision of the Soul Sword being held by a monstruous being, and shattering into ashes. Leah frowned, unable to understand the meaning behind it. "What does it mean?"
The angel simply flew back towards the sky, without uttering a single word.
Leah and Clary exchanged worried looks. She had no idea about what just happened, but she could tell it was not a good sign.