metanoia | alec lightwood

53

"If you two are done flirting," I interject into Jonathan and the Seelie Queen's conversation, walking into the living room of the apartment. "We have more important matters to attend to."

Jonathan looked at me. "I wasn't flirting."

"I was." The Seelie Queen smiled deviously.

"Whatever. Let's cut to the chase," I crouched in front of her, folding my hands together. "You know why you're here. Your people have something that rightfully belongs to us— so, why don't you use your birds and your bees to tell the Seelie Court to hand over the Morning Star sword?"

She leaned down and held her face inches from mine to taunt. She challenged, "And if I don't comply?"

I pulled out one of my kindjals from my thigh sheath and placed the sharp blade to her neck. "I'm a good motivator."

"I knew it was too good to be true. You playing for the other side?" The Seelie Queen scoffed lightly. "I'd expect this behaviour from a proper Morgenstern-"

"Good." I pressed the blade against her skin, drawing a bit of blood from a small cut. "Clock's ticking, Queenie."

-

"I've secured the Queen." I walked into the living room and met Jonathan's back, as he stood facing the window, his attention elsewhere. "Jonathan, why haven't we left?"

"I guess I got distracted." Jonathan's voice was low and slightly shaky, spiking worry in me quickly.

"What does that mean?" I took a few steps further into the room. "What's wrong?"

Jonathan slowly turns to face me. "It's difficult for me to believe that this is actually happening."

"This?" I gestured between us. "Us- teamed up, on the verge of reclaiming what's rightfully ours?"

"Yeah— precisely that, you and me. Us." Jonathan folded his hands behind his back, his voice low and gruff. "The look you had in your eyes the first time you saw my true face the hatred, the disgust— I guess I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop."

A sigh left my lips. "I understand why you may feel that way— I haven't exactly been kind to you in the past. But, Jonathan- I've changed. My entire perspective has changed."

Jonathan stammered and said nothing. The look remained in his eyes and I knew my words didn't do much to ease his thoughts.

"Look," I walked towards him and stopped in front of him. "What Lilith did to me— what you did to me, enacting that spell with that warlock- I've realized how prejudice my behavior has been in the past. We're much more alike than I thought and I've been too naive to realize it because we were on different sides."

Jonathan's eyes softened slightly at my words so I continued. "I'm here. I've learned- we're partners, now. Have you even begun to realize how powerful we are together? And how unstoppable we'll be once we get our hands on our sword? You have me, now- there's no stopping us."

"You really believe that?" Jonathan inquired.

"Of course." I put my hands on his arms and gave him a comforting squeeze. "Jonathan, I am a prized jewel in your arsenal. They won't harm me- that will always give us the advantage. With our skills alone, they're no match for us."

"But you won't harm them either." Jonathan countered. "You hesitated to kill Alec when you had the chance- I was there-"

"Then you know I spared his life to send a message." I was quick to defend. "Not because I've gone soft-"