Fear

Epilogue

Epilogue

Emma Carstairs runs down the stairs of the Los Angeles institute in response to the echoing chime of the institute's bell. Skipping agilely across the institute's cold floor in bare feet, she holds her sword- Cortana- tightly in her hand.

Following the death of her parents during the Dark War, Emma had moved in with her friend- now parabatai- and his siblings, who were also mourning the death of their father and grieving the two older siblings who had been taken from their family. The past couple of years has been tough on the Blackthorns, especially on Julian. Julian was forced to adapt to the role of father in the Blackthorn house and Emma can clearly see how the weight of the responsibility is exhausting him. While Julian is responsible for his younger siblings, Emma is responsible for Julian.

She opens the door with hushed voices and winces as the grand doors of the institute creak open to reveal a shadowhunter with weapons strapped to their legs and torso. They have a black robe draped over their shoulders so that their face is hidden by the shadows of their robes. As the stranger steps forward slightly, Emma raises her sword so that the point of the blade is parallel with the shadowhunter's throat.

"Emma Carstairs?" The voice echoes around the main hallway on the institute and Emma doesn't hesitate to shush the stranger before they continue to speak. The cloaked figure reaches up their tanned hands to push down their hood revealing wayward dirty blond locks and eyes the colour of ice. "It's Ashley Fertistone. You told me you might know something about my family."

Emma lowers her sword in relief and pulls Ash into the institute hall, swinging the door closed behind him. "You have to be quiet; Julian only just got Tavvy back to sleep. Why did you have to turn up in the middle of the night?" She hisses at him in exasperation.

"I'm sorry, Emma. I didn't realise-"

"No, I don't suppose you did." She leads the beautiful shadowhunter through the endless halls of the institute until they come across the library.

The library is a grand spectre; hundreds of books with elegantly decorated spines lines up on magnificent oak bookshelves that reach so high that they seem to disappear into the roof. Row upon row of collected literature made by the finest of hands, from Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities to The Shadowhunter's Codex.

Emma collapses into a large chair at the head of a large rectangular table that is blanketed in sheets of drawing and maps and notes about some murders. Abruptly, she remembers that the sheets are in plain sight and sweeps them into a messy pile beside her.

"I hadn't woken you, had I?" Ash asks politely, ignoring the fact that Emma is still donned in skinny jeans and a thin jumper.

Swiftly, Emma dodges the question, guessing that her answer would lead to more questions. It's nearly five in the morningand Emma has been up all night studying papers on her parents' murder. "Julian should be along shortly. He's probably just making sure Tavvy is okay."

Stressed and exhausted, she leans forward on her elbows and runs her hands through the roots of her long, pale blonde hair that hangs around her face in loose waves. Ash picks up on this and questions, "What were those papers on?"

"That's none of your business," replies Emma curtly. She sits up stiffly and swipes up the pile of papers before dumping them on a desk that's out of Ash's sight.

"I'm sorry, Emma," Ash holds his hands out in submission. "I didn't mean to pry."

"It's just personal, is all." Emma slides into her chair and studies Ash through narrowed eyes. She soaks in everything she registers about him. Strong build, scars and a good weapon arsenal. Clearly he's a good fighter, she thinks to herself. She registers the way he holds himself; shoulders back and drawn up tall. Confident. She takes note of his accent and the manner with which he speaks. English. Lastly, she studies the look in his eyes. They were bright and friendly, but had a sharp edge to them that all shadowhunters shared- the look of damaged goods.

"Can we trust you?" She blurts out finally. "You were working with Sebastian before, so how do we know that we can trust you?"

"I'm looking for my family, Emma," Ash leans forward slightly, his fists clenched. "Think about what you'd do for your family; the things you would sacrifice. They're the only reason I joined Sebastian. As long as you help me find me family, I will have no reason to oppose you."

"Okay." Nods Emma, standing up and leaning towards Ash over the table menacingly. "But the people in the institute are my family and I swear on the angel Raziel that if you hurt any of them, I will yang your entrails from your body and feed them to you while you're still conscious. I may be young, but nobody hurts my family."

Ash promises, "I won't," before a grin slides its way across his face. "I think I understand why Jace thinks you're going to be the best shadowhunter of your generation. You've got fight in you, Carstairs."

"Jace said that?" Emma questions, her cheeks flushing slightly. When she was twelve, Emma had a massive crush on Jace Herondale and found it almost embarrassing now when Julian thinks it funny to remind her of it.

"Jace said what?" Julian questions, striding through the doors of the institute. His brown hair curls delicately around his face and his exhausted blue-green eyes peer at Emma curiously.

"Nothing," Emma shakes her head quickly and slouches back into her seat. "Ash, this is Julian Blackthorn- my parabatai- and Jules, this is Ashley Fertistone."

Julian shakes Ash's hand before placing himself in the seat to the left of Emma. "So you're the guy whose family we're going to find?"

"Yes, Emma told me that you had found a couple of leads," Ash nods enthusiastically.

"We've got a few different ideas from... Have you had any sleep?" Julian begins but trails off when he sees Emma yawning widely beside him. His brow furrows in worry and Emma just innocently shrugs back in an exhausted response.

"Sorry, I know it's late," Ash cuts in apologetically. "If you'd rather, we can continue this tomorrow."

"I think that's a good idea," Julian responds. "I'll show you to your room."

"Jules," Emma objects, "I'll show him the way. I've got some things to do before I go to bed anyway."

"You need to get some sleep," Julian objects. But is too tired to argue much himself, "Promise me that after you show Ashley to his room you'll go straight to bed."

Hesitantly, Emma agrees after Julian adds, "I mean it, Em."

He bids goodnight to the two before disappearing from the library, leaving Emma and Ashley looking after him; Ash curiously and Emma with worry.

Emma turns to face Ashley and spreads her arms in a welcoming gesture, "Welcome to the Los Angeles Institute."