The Angel's Stone

Chapter 18.

(Please no hate for this chapter, I gathered what I could from the books to try and make this as accurate as possible. Thanks :))

Two circles were painted on the ground, directly next to each other. Natascha sat in one, Angel sat in the other, wearing a similar dress. The floor was paved in binding and loyalty runes. The only thing separating them was two medium rings on pedestals, which both smelled of gasoline. The Council and the Shadowhunters of the Ohio Institute sat in the audience, as the Consul ascended the stairs.

For Natascha it went by so fast everything was a blur. The Consul's strong words, Angel's blood red dress, the vows they both had to repeat.

"... To return from following after thee, for either thou goest, I will go, and from thou lodgest, I shall lodge. Thy people shall be my people, and thy god my god. Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried. The Angel do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me."

The Consul smiled, and sparked a match. Natascha's eyes followed the contained fire as it lit the rings. They blazed up like a seraph blade. Angel stared at her through the rings, the red of her dress mixing with the fire. It looked like the flames were licking at her hair, though she was too far away for that to actually happen. Then Natascha reached through the ring, feeling the intense heat bent on her wrists, and laced her fingers with Angel's. A roaring sounded, something in the back of her mind told her it was applause.

When removing her hand, the fire sparked onto her wrist, the pain jerking her out of her daze. The Consul was handing her a stele impatiently. She took it without a word as he went to hand Angel one.

"The rune you see in below you is the one you will Mark your parabatai with over her arm-" he pointed below his shoulder- "and over her heart."

Natascha looked down. The parabatai rune shone a bright silver at her below, winking at her feet. Even though it wasn't drawn on yet, the rune already reminded her of Angel.

The two met up in front of the rings of fire. Angel smiled at her reassuringly as she took Natascha's arm and began Marking. It stung, and felt as if someone was lassoing a part of her with an unbreakable rope. The rope tugged snugly when she drew the rune over her heart, just above the low neckline of her dress. Natascha felt as if Angel had taken a piece of herself and given it to her. She felt joy in returning the favor.

When she was finished drawing the rune, they both stood back as the Consul strode up to them. His gaze was hard, as always, but all he said to them was, "Congratulations."

⌯⌯⌯

If breakfast was at all boring, dinner made up for it.

Only Austin and Marlene ate with Natascha and Angel, for the rest of the boys had gone to get a surprise. The four mostly ate in silence, but towards the end of their meal, Austin had told them of the many runes they could now bare because they were parabatai. Also that the runes are more powerful when your parabatai Marks you.

Natascha was barely paying attention. The food was so delicious, and it was a mixture of both of their favorites. Warm, juicy chicken from Natascha with some cranberry sauce drizzled on the side, Angel's pick. She was just about finishing it off, when the doors- if there were any- would've been slammed open as Dylan, Patrick, and Wayne bursted into the room, Dylan pulling a confetti canon, Wayne holding a birthday cake, and Patrick carrying a handful of colorful balloons. One of them said, "Congratulations! You're married!" Except the 'married' part was crossed our and someone had wrote in sloppy handwriting 'parabatai' under it. They all wore matching cones on their heads, decorated in tinsel and bright colors.

Natascha cracked up. Angel smiled brightly, her cheeks covering her eyes into slits. Patrick danced over to them and tied the balloons to the back of Angel's chair, just as Dylan skipped around the room blowing the confetti canon after every skip, making a very loud noise that grew obnoxious after the fith time. Wayne set the cake in between them: chocolate, strawberry filling spilling over the side. Angel marveled at it. "My favorite!"

Natascha giggled, and jumped, gripping the chair, a little closer to her. Her necklace rocked from side to side, the pendant smacking Angel clear on the neck. Once, then twice.

Angel's face suddenly lost all of it's lively glamour, and her face went without expression. Then, her eyes shut, blocking every image of the table in front of her, and her face fell into the cake, splattering over Natascha and the table cloth.