𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋 ━━ ISABELLE LIGHTWOOD

53

"OH, COME ON— " Kade groaned, coughing up blood once a fist came in contact with his stomach, right in his opened flesh. Valentine sent a few of his men to beat him up instead since he was busy or so he thought.

"You guys know what you are?" His question made the three men pause their bearings.

One of them raised his brows, "what?"

"Valentine's bitches." That earned him another punch in his stomach.

"Talk," one of the men said, "keep talking. It'll only make us hit you harder."

"Kinky," Kade blurted out with a chuckle, blood pouring out of his busted lips, "I mean, it kinda is if you look at it this way."

"You're completely sick—" the man who was speaking was interrupted by Valentine who walked in the place, "all right, that's enough."

The men were quick to leave the two alone. Valentine approached Kade with a smirk on his face, "my, you're a mess."

"Still hot as fuck though."

Valentine only sighed in response, not knowing what else to say. He took out his stele from his back pocket and ran it on Kade's healing rune which had him furrow his brows in confusion. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Healing you," Valentine replied, "I figured you could catch a break. Besides, I need to talk to you."

Kade could feel the pain leaving his body and his cuts closing. He looked down and found several new freshly looking scars. "I don't wanna talk."

"Jace wants to see you," Valentine informed, "so, I'm going to unlock those chains and you're not going to try anything because let's be honest, we both know you're smarter than that, okay? Even if you do manage to get past me, you'll never be able to get off this ship alive. There are over a hundred men out there, just training and training—"

"Okay we get it. You're scared of me and you feel unsafe with me free." Kade cut him off with a bored tone, "unchain me now."

"That's not true," Valentine rolled his eyes before unchaining him nonetheless. "And do not forget why you're here, all right? To keep your friends safe."

"Whatever," Kade mumbled as he ran a hand through his hair, cringing when he felt how sticky they were. "I need a shower."

Valentine clicked his tongue against his cheek, "well, I did not unchain you so you can freshen up—"

"— I need to freshen up. And well, I'm not doing anything unless I'm clean. I feel dirty, there's blood all over me. And I need clothes since you did I don't know or want to know what, with my shirt."

"Fine!" The older man groaned, "you're so exhausting and dramatic. How do you live with yourself?" he tugged him forward, "come with me."

**

Kade had taken a shower and changed into a black shirt and a pair of jeans which Valentine got him. He was led outside and left there with a man guarding him while the old man went to get Jace.

The Hawthorne leaned against the railings and raised his brows at the bald man guarding the door, "so how do you like your job? Bet being a babysitter wasn't what you had in mind when baldy told you—"

"I am not a babysitter," the man huffed, sounding annoyed and offended by his words. "Valentine thinks you'll escape if we leave you alone even for a second. He does not trust you."

"He shouldn't," Kade shrugged. The man arched his brows, "he told us you're dangerous."

Kade breathed out a chuckle, "sweet."

"Kade," a familiar voice made him turn around. "By the angel, hey, Jace rushed towards him and engulfed him in a hug, "are you okay?"

"Been better," Kade shrugged as he broke the hug. "What about you?"

"I'm fine," Jace muttered, his eyes going to Valentine then back to Kade. Before he could say anything else, Valentine approached them and placed his hands on the railing, looking down at the group of people training.

"Impressive, aren't they?" The older man asked, "but they still don't have the inherent gifts that you have. You took to a seraph blade the way a baby takes to a bottle."

"What gifts?" The question left Kade's lips on their own. Jace turned to look at him and let his anger consumed him as he looked back at Valentine, "what kind of father experiments on his son with pure demon blood?"

"Excuse me?" Kade's eyes widened as he stared at Valentine, "you did what?"

"You heard," the older man shot back, flickering his eyes to the blonde, "a father with perspective. We both want the same thing. To save this world from demons."

"The Clave fights demons."

"The Clave has grown soft," Valentine retorted, "protecting Downworlders with the Accords." He looked at the two boys, "all Downworlders, one day, will give in to their violent tendencies. It's unavoidable. Even a single drop of demon blood running in your veins, makes you a threat to humanity."

Kade bit his lower lip, adverting his eyes to the shadowhunters training as Jace's voice shook while he spoke, "I— I know plenty of Downworlders who play by the rules. They control their urges."

"You're thinking Lucian Graymark, warlocks like Magnus Bane, and even—" Valentine paused, "Clarissa's little vampire friend, Simon? No matter how good they try to be, Downworlders cannot control their demonic blood forever."

"If that blood is so evil," Jace began, "why did you put it in me?"

"To fight fire with fire." He shifted his eyes to Kade who was gripping the railings so hard that his knuckles were turning white. "You good there, son? You have been awfully quiet."

"People with demon blood aren't evil," Kade turned to face them, "those who are, have chosen to be. Look at you, for example. You don't have demon blood in you yet you're one of the most evil motherfuckers I know."

"I am helping save the world."

Kade cocked an eyebrow as he tilted his head to the side, "sure, is that what you're going with, Morgenstern?"

"I will purify the world from those Downworlders," Valentine's tone was serious as he glared at Kade who was giving him a challenging look as if he was sure he wouldn't succeed.

"Yeah, you do that," Kade's hand reached out to his shoulder and he tapped mockingly, "and if you do, good luck dealing with the consequences."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Valentine asked, frowning in confusion. "Maybe it's time to put you back in chains."