War of Hearts

Chapter 14

Val's POV

A week after Alec was appointed the new Head of the Institute, Alec and I were still laying in bed just talking before we had to get Madzie up and either take her with us to the Institute or take her over to Magnus's.

"I wanna improve the relations between the Downworld." Alec said as I traced a few of the runes that littered his side. He had been quiet for a few minutes and I knew he was trying to figure out how he wanted to word it. "We can't let the actions of Kaelie define the entire Downworld."

"I agree but how are yo... we going to pull this off?" I asked him.

"Regular Downworld meetings with the leaders of the Downworld here in New York. I also wanna tighten the security around the sub-cells. Can't exactly have Valentine get another chance to escape." I hummed in response as I started to trace his parabatai rune.

"I'm thinking of seeing if he can be taken to Idris. I'm getting tired of questioning him and I know the others are tired of my hands being covered in blood." I told him after a moment.

"We'll see what we can do about that." He looked over at me. "We need to get up."

I groaned but still managed to get up and make my way over to my closet. Thankfully, Magnus had used his magic to furnish the place yesterday with Madzie giving her input and so Alec and I had our own closets. I pulled on a corset-like tank top and a pair of ripped jeans along with a pair of black boots. I walked out of the closet as I pulled a jacket off the hanger and started to shrug it on before I walked into the bathroom and brushed my teeth and hair. I grabbed one of my hair ties in case I decided to pull my hair up like most days before I walked out and headed into Madzie's room. I smiled when I saw her playing with some of the toys that Magnus had furnished her room with. "Time to get ready, Madzie." She looked at me and smiled before she rushed to her own closet to find an outfit since she was still in her pajamas. When she walked out she was in a pair of jeans, a Little Mermaid shirt, her usual little scarf, and a pair of sneakers. We walked into the kitchen where Alec passed me a cup of coffee and Madzie a piece of toast. "Are we going to Uncle Magnus'?" Madzie asked us.

"Do you wanna go while we go to the Institute?" Alec asked her. She nodded. He looked at me as I sipped at my coffee.

"He should be here..." I broke off as a Portal appeared in front of us and Magnus stepped out. "Now. I texted him when Madzie was getting ready." I added as Madzie ran and gave Magnus a hug after she finished her toast.

"What are we doing today?" She asked him.

"Whatever you want sweet pea. But you will be at the Institute later tonight." He looked at us. "Lucy told me before she left. I'll be representing the warlocks." We nod in appreciation and together both Madzie and Magnus stepped back through the Portal and into Magnus's loft. Alec and I headed out of the apartment and headed over to the Institute. I sent a text to the entire group of Shadowhunters in the Institute telling them all to gather in the Ops room for an announcement. We walked up to the platform with me standing a few feet behind Alec as he gave out the announcement.

"We have lost seven of our own, but we can't allow a single radical Seelie to define the entire Downworld, any more than we can allow Valentine to define all Shadowhunters. So, to restore unity with our allies, we will be hosting regular cabinet meetings here with the Downworld leaders of New York. These meetings will promote..." I blocked him off as I listened to the Shadowhunters in the crowd talking in low voices instead of listening.

"I'm all for unity, but do they have to bring them here?" Lindsay said.

"What do you expect his sister and her parabatai is dating a warlock." Duncan said.