Scars of her Blood • Shadowhunters

Chapter 40: Nothing if not predictable

They did not have to go far before meeting the first Circle members. Celia was at the very front of the group and was attacked first. She sliced effortlessly through the woman in front of her. Before the next person could reach her, Isaac pulled Celia back:

"Take four people of your choice and go to the command center. We clean up the hallways."

Celia nodded and waved for Rubi, Benicio, Salomé and Ethan to follow her. She led them down a different hallway, away from the fight. It would be a bit of a detour. When they passed one of the rooms, the door flew open and two Circle members emerged. Rubi quickly pushed her Yuka into the throat of one of them, the other fell victim to Benicio's axes. Aside from those two, the group was not bothered by any of Valentine's men. Just as they were about to turn one of the last corners though, Celia stopped them. Down the hall, a group of Circle members stood around, as if guarding something.

"I can't shoot all of them...And the space is too tight for all of us.", Salomé hissed, more frustrated than anything else.

"How is your magic training going? Anything you can use already?", Benicio asked. Celia shrugged:

"I broke a glass today."

"Great...", Rubi scoffed. Celia looked at the group once more.

"Stay here for a moment.", she told the others and stepped out onto the hallway, "hey, no loitering in the halls!", she yelled and immediately had the attention of all six men. Twirling her swords Celia already hit two of them with wounds they would most certainly die from.

"Salomé!", she screamed, before slicing through another's throat and then ducking down. An arrow zipped past her, followed by a gurgling sound. Celia turned on her knee and struck upwards, impaling Circle member number five on her sword. A second arrow was released, killing number six. Celia pulled back her sword and got up.

"Let's go!", she instructed the others to follow her, "just around this corner."

When they turned that corner, a chaotic picture presented itself in front of her. Valentine was on the floor, Simon was helping Clary back to her feet and Jace stood next to the sword.

"Jace, if you touch the sword, it will kill you!", Clary pleaded.

"Jace, do it!", Celia yelled. Jace looked over to her and nodded slowly. With a last look down onto the sword, he grabbed it with both hands and pulled it out of the power core. The sword lit up for a moment. Then it seemed to be pulsing. Jace fell backwards and dropped it, as if being hit by an electrical shock. But the Soulsword was fine.

"Why didn't that destroy the sword?", Clary whispered, eyes wide.

"You are nothing if not predictable, son.", Valentine spoke up and approached the sword. Out of the corner of her eye, Celia saw Salomé knock an arrow on her bow, but it was too late.

Valentine picked up the sword and looked straight at Celia, while there were Downworlders storming into the Institute around her. He raised the Soulsword and a bright light exploded from it. Celia's senses overflowed with impressions. She could hear the screams from the dying Downworlders around her, heard Benicio calling out for her. At the same time, she was blinded by the light from the sword. It stung on her skin, as if someone was pricking her everywhere with little needles. Celia fell to the ground. The mark on her neck was burning - the parts of her that were demonic resented the light, suffered from it.

Then the light was gone, as fast as it had appeared. Celia heard the groaning of the other Hybrids around her and slowly her vision came back.

"Benni?", she whispered, still struggling to see further than a few feet. But she could already see the bodies around her – none of them moving anymore. He just killed so many Downworlders... Celia did not know how to feel. Then someone grabbed her arm and pulled her up: