metanoia | alec lightwood

52

"Champagne." I took the glass that Jonathan poured me. "Couldn't you have poured me something stronger?"

"Well, champagne is usually served during special occasions." Jonathan pointed out and set down the bottle, holding his own glass. "And this is the upmost special occasion. You and I- we're finally united- things are finally the way they're meant to be."

"Should've given me the bottle itself then." I leaned back against the wall and looked at him. "Kidding."

Jonathan held up his glass. "To us."

"To us." I held mine up, then brought the glass to my lip, talking the entire glass of champagne in one go.

"Why is it you still have that ring on?" Jonathan pointed out, setting down his glass after taking a sip and taking mine off my hands. "We're together-"

"And I'm still engaged." I replied blankly.

"You weren't your full self when you accepted- Alec's- proposal." His name seemed like poison on Jonathan's tongue. "You weren't in your right state of mind-"

"Yes I was." I pushed myself off the wall and stared at him. "Jonathan, I do love him. Our alliance isn't going to change that."

"I don't understand why he's important anymore-" Jonathan walked toward me. "Zee, we're together again- I'm all you need just as you are for me."

I stayed silent, looking away.

"Something's troubling you." Jonathan scanned my face. "What's wrong?"

"He won't love me anymore. Now that I'm what I am-" My voice is low. "He'll only love me if I go back to- them- he's going to push Isabelle to finish the serum that'll break us apart quicker."

"No one can hurt us if we get the Morning Star first." Jonathan put his hands on my shoulders. "And once we have that sword, the entire world will be terrified of us— and they will finally leave us in peace."

"How exactly are we going to retrieve it?" I questioned. "The Seelie Queen said she will only give you the Morning Star sword if you bring her Lilith's head— and you failed."

"Well, those were her terms." Jonathan put a strand of my hair behind my ear. "You up for a trip to Prague, little sister?"

"Can't wait." I stepped away from him, reaching for the bottle of champagne. I poured myself another glass and right to the rim, right as a fire message flew in through the window and towards me. I caught the message and read it; my movements halting completely.

Jonathan noticed my frozen state immediately. "From your Shadowhunter friends?"

"It's from— Alec." My voice was quiet from shock, facing him while my eyes remained glued to the message. "He wants to meet."

Jonathan came to me. "What?-"

"He says his love for me matters more than his loyalty to the New York Institute." I slowly looked at Jonathan. "And to prove it, he'll help us get back our family sword."

"No— it's a trap." Jonathan shook his head. "Zee, you just said yourself- he'll only love you if you become who you were again-"

I pulled out my stele to send a reply back to Alec. "I want to hear him out."

"Zee, don't be ridiculous." Jonathan grabbed my wrist. "He just wants to come between us. He just wants you take you away-"

"Jonathan, unless he can prove that he's telling the truth, I won't buy his story." I stared up at him. "He can't take me away— he can't reverse who I am."