Entranced~ I.L

~7~

"I still don't understand, how can shadowhunters be better than what you call mundanes?" Clary frustratedly spoke. The group were heading back into the institute and Talia was honestly debating heading back but one glance at Izzy convinced her to stay a while longer and help out.

"Because we protect humans," Isabelle defensively responded, speaking it as though it were common sense.

Honestly, Talia didn't see it. Though she believed shadowhunters were better in power than humans, many of the shadowhunters protected the mundane solely because it's all they knew. They were brought up to do it and it was their duty. Many shadowhunters were very prejudiced and Clary being shunned due to being new to the shadow world, rather than being taught what to actually do, proved it. Isabelle was one of the very few who actually had a heart. She was kind to both Simon and Clary from the beginning. Though she wouldn't voice these thoughts.

"You're right," Clary began, spinning around to face the siblings. "Humans. You protect humans. You left Simon all alone in the van. Great job guys! You rock," Clary sarcastically spoke.

"There is some truth to the idea that human beings should have a modicum of common sense," Alec retorted back.

"Okay! Enough with the sarcasm, it isn't going to help anyone here," Talia butted in. That was a first for the girl who lived off of hiding behind sarcasm. But if she was going to help them do a rescue mission then she wanted to be smart about it and wasting time arguing whilst the clock was ticking was not the way to go about it.

"Look, they won't do anything to Simon. They just wanted to draw you out, they want the cup and they think you have it," Jace explained, an attempt to calm Clary's nerves.

"But why do they think that, why does anyone think that? What, my mom lies to me my entire life except 'Oh there's this magic cup I hid on, like, the Planet Bongo, but don't tell anyone!" The girl's growing frustration was evident and you didn't need powers to see that.

"Because if Jocelyn were to trust anyone with the location of the cup it would be her daughter. They don't wanna rule that possibility out when their lives are at stake." Talia was a downworlder, her life was at stake so it was in her favour to be an ally to the shadow hunters.

"Well what am I supposed to do now?" Clary asked.

"We have to report to the Clave," Alec voiced, beginning to walk away with the rest of the group following.

"Great," Jace mumbled, sarcasm lacing his tone to show that he was against this idea.

"They have to know what we've learned about Valentine," Alec added, ignoring Jace.

"What, that he's my father? Great, tell them," Clary leaned closer to Alec to show that she was serious as she spoke. "What good does that do Simon?"

"Clary, it's all connected. The vamps want the cup," Jace reiterated, hoping that Clary would catch on. He was leaning against the wall, the group once again stopping.

"Why? It makes new shadowhunters." Clary wasn't understanding the logic here.

"Nobody wants Valentine forming an army loyal to himself," Alec sighed, hoping that she'd now get it.

"Plus it controls demons," Isabelle added.

"So either we die or live outside of our free will. It'd be a lose-lose for all of us," Talia finished off. It was at this moment that Izzy remembered the girl was part of the downworlders, and so had Clary.

"They'll propose a trade," Jace had began to get back to his original point. "Simon for the cup."

"So vampires will trade Simon for the cup and Valentine will trade my mother for the cup. Either way I lose someone I love," Clary felt defeated as she leaned against the pilar beside her. "What if I just toss it up in the air and let them fight it out among themselves."