Warlock (The Mortal Instruments)

Chapter 2

A/N That picture took forever to edit. It's Riley in battle gear coming out of a portal like a boss. What do you think about the new cover? Too over the top?

A few minutes after Riley packed some clothes and necessities Tessa and Odelia gave her- despite her objections- into the alchemy bag, she was sent through a portal that would send her near Lake Lyn.

Riley soon made an important discovery when she arrived. Shadowhunters were very different. Emphasis on very.

"Do you have any weapons?" A shadowhunter with long black hair and a whip asked Riley as soon as she crashed out of the portal.

She sounded familiar to Riley, but seriously? She thinks Riley's going to bring a weapon into a city filled with demon hunters who could kill her faster than the blink of an eye?

"Nope, not unless you count an angry cat," Riley responded.

"Really?" She said like it was the weirdest thing she had ever heard.

"Really."

"That's going to have to change. I don't think I've introduced myself yet. I'm Isabelle Lightwood."

"Riley Pyre. Nice to meet you."

"Same. Follow me." She walked towards a couple horses. "Do you know how to ride?"

"Yeah." She followed and shot a fly that was bugging her down to the ground with a spark from her fingertips. "What do you mean 'That's going to have to change?'"

She stopped and looked impressed by Riley's bug killing feat for a split second before her eyes were clouded with an expression that asked Riley if she was stupid. "You've been targeted by a Greater Demon, more and more of your kind are being killed by the same demon every hour, and you're heading into a city of Shadowhunters who are prejudiced against your kind. I mean that you need a weapon. It's for your own good."

"Thanks for rubbing salt in the wound." Anger and grief filled every pore of her body. She shook her head to snap herself out of the stupor.

Isabelle didn't reply as she got onto the saddle and took off before Riley had gotten on the other horse or finished her sentence. It seemed rude to Riley. But she wasn't going to let Isabelle drag her down.

Riley clicked my tongue to get the bay mare's attention. "Easy, girl. Sorry, Chairman."

She adjusted the straps, put Chairman in the saddle bag, boarded the saddle and grabbed the reins as they fell off of the knobby part of the saddle- the horn, Riley remembered. She gave the horse a nudge on the side with the heel of her shoes and the mare darted off towards Isabelle.

When Riley reached Isabelle, she slowed down.

"That was fast." Isabelle matched her pace.

"I've been riding for a few years. It's normal for me. Anyway, what's the city like?"

"It's nice. A lot has happened there."

"I'd say so, especially with- you know- the sword fighting and drawing on yourselves." Riley decided not to mention the war. It seemed like everyone lost someone, including herself. "So, what's the latest in Idris?"

"Besides trying to destroy the demon in charge of the Warlock deaths? Next to nothing." She said. "Oh, wait. The Fey Folk are pretty hostile about the treaty too. None of us except for the older Nephilim like it. Making the Fey lay down all of their arms instead of reducing them and banishing Helen and Mark Blackthorn was taking it too far in my opinion."

"I agree. Not allowing the Fey Folk to bear arms lays down even further resentment between your groups and gives the Fey a reason for war. If the queen wanted to, she could cause a new war that would most likely end up as a mix between World War II, the Civil War and the Revolutionary War. It would obviously be devastating for all sides. As for the banishment, it really was taking it too far. Mark was kidnapped. Helen did nothing wrong. He warned you like a spy behind enemy lines would, she fought for you as well as any other and they were both one of your own. And besides, what's that to say for the Warlocks? Would we be treated the same as Helen and Mark just because we're part demon?"

"I don't know. I never thought about it from a Warlock's point of view before. You guys think about the future a lot, don't you?"

"Why wouldn't we? We could die at any instant but we're still immortal. The distant future is only a blink away for us." Riley looked ahead. "Hey! I think I can see the city!"

"You're right. We have one more hill to go. How about a race?"

"Nah, I've got Chairman to worry about. He's already ruffled up from having to catch up to you."

"Wait, you really have a cat with you? I thought you were joking." Isabelle laughed.

"Who would joke about an angry cat?"

"Jace, apparently."

"The blonde guy who was bound to-"

"Yep."

It continued with Riley and Isabelle asking each other questions until they reached the city.

"We'll have to swing around north of the city." Isabelle spoke up. "They only let Downworlders in through the northern gate because of a stupid tradition."

"It's fine. I'm used to it by now. Every group has its secrets. Like how the vampire bikes that run on demon energies are made and such."

They swung around north of the city and met Magnus and Alec at the gates.

"Thanks for the help, Isabelle." Magnus said.

"It's no problem. If I were in the city for another minute, I would've gone crazy."

"I'll take the horse for you." Alec said to Riley.

"Thanks. I have no clue where to put her up anyway." Riley said.

Magnus walked up to her and gave her a concerned look she imagined a father would give after Alec left and she sat Chairman down. He put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

He was talking about Catarina's death.

Riley's walls came crashing down whenever she was near her brother. She gave him a look that warned him she was on the verge of breaking down. She shook her head. "You?"

Magnus sighed and folded her into a hug. "No."

She buried her head in his shoulder and they stood there comforting each other.

She pulled back after a few seconds. "Let's just go unpack the wolverine."

"Wolverine?" Magnus raised an eyebrow.

"Chairman."

"Oh. We probably should unpack the wolverine, then."

"What about a wolverine?" Alec asked.