𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋 ━━ ISABELLE LIGHTWOOD

15

KADE WAS IN HIS ROOM, about to put a shirt on as he just finished sliding on his pair of grey sweatpants. He was just done showering. His brown hair was wet, the water was dripping from it down his exposed runed chest.

Isabella knocked on the door and opened it without giving him the chance to tell her to enter. As soon as she flung the door open, her eyes fell on him and she froze in her spot.

Her eyes shamelessly stared at him, tracing the runes on his skin and the tattoo writing on his chest. It was a sentence in Greece— she didn't understand that language but she made a mental note to ask him about it some time.

"Yes?" He raised her brows, snapping her out of her daze as her eyes met with his grey ones. "Uh," she cleared her throat, "put a shirt on and come with me. It's about Clary's memories."

"Give me a sec," he grabbed a random black shirt from his closet and slid it on before he walked towards Isabelle before they both left his room and went downstairs where the others were.

Kade sat down on a chair while Isabelle placed herself on the table in front of him and turned her head to face the screen that was displaying a picture of Magnus Bane with people throughout the years. Alec was sitting next to Kade while Jace was standing and Clary was on the table as well.

Hodge began explaining, "Magnus Bane. He’s over 300 years old. And, as you can see, he’s not exactly shied away from the pleasures of every century. His tastes are both exquisite… and quite excessive."

"He looks like the Downworld’s David Guetta," Clary commented earning a smile from Isabelle, "Guetta’s already a Downworlder. Vampire? Ever seen him in the daylight?"

"Can you two focus?" Alec grew annoyed, "this is not a joke."

"Someone needs to gets slayed," Isabelle said to Alec who rolled his eyes just as Hodge sigh, "Alec’s right. Now, Magnus is one of the most powerful warlocks I’ve ever known," Hodge glanced at Kade as he added, "he has a deep mistrust of Shadowhunters."

"Well, then why did he help my mom remove my memories?" Clary questioned, "isn’t she a Shadowhunter?*

"Yes, one of the best," Hodge said, "but “help” might not be the most accurate word. Now, did Magnus provide a service for Jocelyn? Perhaps. But more than likely, your mother paid Magnus handsomely for his magic."

"They never do it for free," Kade spoke up earning a hum from Jace as he further explained, "warlocks usually require payment before they help anyone with anything." 

"Word from the Clave is that most of the warlocks have gone into hiding since Valentine began hunting them." Alec informed as Hodge looked at him, tilted his head to the side, "Valentine must be searching for the warlock, where did Jocelyn—" he cut himself off when his circle rune began burning.

"Hodge, your rune," Clary pointed out the obvious, "you okay?" When she received a nod from the older man, she asked, "so how do we find Magnus?"

"We don’t," Jace replied, "Magnus finds us. We’ll set up a meeting, somewhere protected. Lure him out of hiding."

"And I know exactly where we do it," Isabelle spoke up and hopped off the table before grabbing the table from Hodge. She swiped through some pictures, showing a poster for a VIP party for Downworlders.

"A Downworld rave," Jace commented, "Nice, Izzy."

"And where’d you get that?" Alec asked his sister who replied, "during my surveillance of the Downworlders. From what I hear, Magnus likes to party."

"He’ll never go for it," Alec sighed, "Not with Valentine trying to kill him."

"Of course he will," Kade said, leaning in his seat, "he’s gonna blend in. Hide in plain sight."

"I don’t know, it seems—" Clary was cut off by Isabelle, "trust me. If Magnus is coming out of hiding, he’s going to one of the biggest parties of the year."

"Never underestimate Magnus’ hedonism. Or his greed," Hodge said as he began walking away, motioning for them to follow him, "come with me."

They followed him and watched as he stopped and bent down to activate a rune on a tile on the ground and moved the tile, revealing a necklace with a red stone.

He picked it up and Isabelle stared at it with awe, "is that real?"

"A four-karat, unheated Burmese ruby. And this necklace has special meaning to Magnus Bane as it was a gift from him to his then lover, Camille Belcourt." Hodge informed making Clary furrow her brows, "What, Camille and Magnus were lovers?"

"Warlock gets around," Jace said earning a smile from Clary while Hodge further explained, "Magnus bought it in 1857 for the price of his London townhouse. Now, the jewel is enchanted by a spell that alerts the wearer to the presence of demons."

Isabelle grabbed the necklace and stared at it, "It’s so beautiful."

"Magnus has longed to reunite with this necklace," Hodge looked at the rest, "offer it to him. He might just take the bait."

"I’ll send Magnus a fire message to arrange the meeting," Jace said, "We have to get to Magnus before Valentine does."

"No need," Kade stopped him and took out his phone, "I'll just text him."

"Wait—" Jace frowned in confusion, "what? Text him? You have Magnus's number?"

"Yeah," Kade looked at the others, "we're friends."

"Wait so he is that warlock friend of yours?" Alec asked earning a nod from Kade as Hodge let out a sigh, "so you're friends with the high warlock of Brooklyn, really?"

"Yep," he stood up from his seat, "influence... hang out with the big crowd and all."