Sweet Creature ▹ Alec Lightwood [2] ( SLOW UPDATES )

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY
FAERIE BELL

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

     Adrian wasn't invited to join the large Council meeting, of course, since he wasn't eighteen. Though Adrian had traveled back to the New York Institute with Isabelle and Alec, he had to stay behind with Isabelle while Alec disappeared into the library, where the meeting was taking place. Adrian and Isabelle briefly talked to each other about sneaking into the library—they should've arrived earlier, they agreed, to sneak in before anyone had arrived—but guards were stationed at the door. One of them even gave Adrian and Isabelle a warning frown, clearly knowing their intentions. Adrian offered a small smile, then grabbed Isabelle's arm and headed for the stairs. They went toward Isabelle's room. Clary was already in there, since she had spent the night at the Institute, and now she was spread-eagled across Isabelle's bed, staring up at the canopy with glazed eyes.

It had been a few hours since then, and Adrian had settled into Isabelle's window seat, flipping through a book he wasn't really reading. Isabelle was at her vanity, trying out new makeup looks. Clary was still sprawled on the bed, so anxious she couldn't lay still for longer than five minutes. Church had scratched at the door half an hour ago, mewing loudly until Isabelle had grumbled and let him inside. Now he was on Adrian's lap, purring as Adrian pet him gently. Every now and then, Church would paw at Adrian's lower stomach, the movements like he was kneading dough. Adrian gave him extra scratches whenever he did.

"How much longer will the verdict take, do you think?" Clary burst out, sitting up in one smooth motion. Adrian sighed and finally set the book aside, giving up entirely on reading a single sentence. Just like Clary, his mind was fully on the Council meeting, on whether Clary would be found innocent, and on the decision about Jace. Some people thought he went willingly, but Alec had said he would speak out as Jace's parabatai. The bond was very useful in proving Jace's innocence; wherever Jace was, he didn't want to be there. His bond with Alec could prove that much, considering Alec couldn't feel anything from him, not even joy. He tilted his head to study the alarm clock on Isabelle's bedside table. It was a bit likely that it wasn't even accurate, but Adrian took the time as it was.

"Not much longer," Isabelle said before Adrian could. Council meetings could take a very long time, but that was usually when most of them were arguing. From what Adrian had heard, many didn't agree with Clary being on trial at all. He was less sure about Jace. "Five minutes, probably."

"They've been in there for a few hours," Clary pointed out. She had flipped her phone open to check the time. "Is that normal? Is it a bad sign?"

"It's normal," Adrian told her comfortingly as Isabelle got up and went to join Clary on the bed. "A majority of that was probably just going over the evidence, all the testimonies." All of them had been called to testify over the last two weeks, telling their versions of the story under the Mortal Sword. Holding the Mortal Sword had felt like holding ice. It was so cold and it burned like sinking a frozen limb into hot water. Adrian had been shaking and covered in sweat toward the end of his testimony, which had been the same as Isabelle's and Alec's. No, he hadn't known Clary had revived Jace using an angel's wish. No, he hadn't been aware of Lilith's involvement until they discovered her lair the night Jace had gone missing. Yes, they had left Jace on the roof with Sebastian's dead body alone, since he had asked for it. No, he hadn't known Sebastian had been resurrected, and no, he'd had nothing to do with Simon wearing the Mark of Cain. Adrian had managed not to mention Clary then, but only because he wasn't asked who had put the Mark of Cain onto Simon in the first place.