𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋 ━━ ISABELLE LIGHTWOOD

63

AS MUCH AS KADE WANTED to stick around and find out what's going on with Isabelle, he had to leave when he received a call from Jace, asking for help.

Now he sat in the back of Luke's SUV, eyes fixed on the street as they sped through the city. The tone in Luke's voice matched Jace's when he'd filled him in—Clary had helped Cleophas escape. Cleophas, the former Iron Sister. The one who had been brought in for questioning. The one who was supposed to be locked away. The werewolf pulled the car to a stop when they caught sight of Clary and Cleophas running through an alleyway. They came to a halt when they saw the three stepping out of the car.

"Cleo, you hurt her, I'll drop you where you stand." Luke had his gun pointed in his sister's direction.

"Wait, no!" Clary stood protectively in front of the woman. "Luke, don't. We need her."

Kade's mouth opened to speak— "For w—" but the rest of the sentence vanished in a wave of blinding pain. He stumbled back, clutching his head with both hands as a deep, inhuman cry echoed through his mind. "Fuck. Not this again." He staggered, almost dropping to one knee, barely catching himself against the car door.

Jace was already beside him, holding him steady. "Kade? What is it?"

"Think I got brain tumor or some shit."

Jace shot him a look even though he couldn't see. "Are you serious?"

"No." He squeezed his eyes shut. "It's like some idiot's full on wailing in slow motion right into my ears."

"It's an angel," Cleophas suddenly said from where she stood, eyes staring at Kade in awe. Everyone turned.

"What?" Kade asked, his voice hoarse, still recovering from the pressure that had clawed through his skull. He straightened slowly, his hand still gripping the side of the SUV for balance.

Cleophas stepped forward, slowly, as if approaching something sacred. "You heard it," she said softly.

Kade's expression hardened. "I don't know what I heard."

But his heart was thundering in his chest. He had felt the pain behind the sound, the desperation. Something ancient. Something wrong. It still echoed faintly at the edges of his senses, like a bell tolling from across a vast sea.

Cleophas looked between him and Clary. "You're both blessed by the angels."

"What, she has been hearing that, too?" Kade's eyes shot up to Clary who nodded. "What does said angel want?"

"He's calling for help." Cleophas answered. "He's here, on earth."

"Valentine's bullshit again?"

"Yes," the woman nodded solemnly. "Angels are sacred. They're what shadowhunters are all about. If Valentine's harming an angel then everything we love will be destroyed."

"Why should we believe you?" Kade raised a brow at her. "You're a traitor."

"Please," Cleophas begged, sounding desperate now. "I'll turn myself in after we have freed the angel. I'll take you to Valentine."

———

KADE WALKED UP the stairs, it was dark. Rain was pouring heavily. Thunder rattled in the sky.

"If Valentine needs lightning to activate the Soul-Sword," Clary said, gripping the rail as the floor vibrated beneath her, "then he probably put Ithuriel up on the rooftop."

Jace glanced at her, doubt clouding his expression. "Cleophas could've been lying, Clary."

"She's not," Clary said quietly, but with conviction. Her eyes didn't move from the doors. "Not about this."

Jace's jaw tightened. "How do you know?"

"I just do," she replied, glancing over at him. "Trust me."

"She's right," Kade said, his voice low. "I can feel it again. That pressure—like the angel's crying louder the closer we get." He rubbed at his temple briefly. "It's not in my head anymore . It's here." He pushed the door open, exposing the rooftop to them.

Once they were there, they caught sight of the angel. He was standing, chained under the weather.  But Kade wasn't staring at the chains anymore. .

He was staring into the angel's eyes.

And the angel—Ithuriel—was staring back at him.

There was a silence between them, despite the storm howling above. Kade felt it like pressure against his skull, like a memory trying to surface. It wasn't words. It was pain. Agony. Recognition.

Then the guards moved.

There were four of them. Shadowhunters—but wrong. Twisted. Loyal to Valentine.

Kade stepped forward before Jace or Clary could move, already drawing his blade. One of the guards locked eyes with him, grinned, and charged.

"You don't belong here," the man spat.

"I recall your boss practically begging me to be one of you though."

They clashed—steel on steel. Kade's shoulder slammed into the man's chest, knocking him back a step. He followed through with a strike to the ribs. Kade's blade made contact with the man's neck, slitting his throat open without second thoughts. Two more came at him, at the same time. He deflected, swung and fought them off easily, while checking on Jace and Clary in the corner of his eyes, to make sure they had the situation under control.

Before they knew it, all the guards were on the ground, down. Kade made his way towards the angel, he tilted his head to the side. He heard Jace and Clary trying to break the chains but they weren't breaking.

"Why can't we break the chains?"

"I don't know." Jace sighed, "Valentine must have used a warlock. Some kind of dark magic."

Kade grabbed the chain and tried to break it but it was impossible. Then it hit him again. That loud cry in his head which made him clench his jaw in irritation now. Clary was holding to her own head, groaning in pain.

"Can you not," Kade snapped at the angel, "we're right here. Just talk normally—" he winced when his ears began ringing.

But then he heard it. The angel talking. He was telling Clary to activate some rune and the redhead was doing as she was told. Just as she was done, Ithuriel broke the chains, and his white wings were spread behind him as he looked up at the sky. Then he extended his hands for them to take.

Clary placed hers in his palm, Jace did the same while Kade stared at Jace's open palm reluctantly. Then he held it and a vision flashed before his eyes. The Soul-Sword was standing up in the ground and a cloaked figure with a demon hand tried to take the Sword but then they both dissolved, disappearing into thin air.

"What was that?"

Instead of replying, Ithuriel allowed his hands to fall back to his sides. Then he looked at Kade. Eyes piercing into his soul which made him shift uncomfortably. "What?" He raised his brows at the angel who extended his hand for him once more. Just him, he realised.

He placed his hand in Ithuriel's own. He saw the same vision from earlier. But this time, the cloaked figure didn't disappear with the sword— only the sword did. He watched the figure take the cloak off, revealing it to be him. Kade blinked in confusion, but didn't have the chance to ask before the Angel took off.

"How useful."