Nevermore 》 Shadowhunters

Eight

Things between Alec and me have been...awkward. He wouldn't look at me or talk to me on the way back to the Institute. Izzy tried to comfort me, but I just told her that I wanted to be alone.

I was in the training room with my seraph blade. I placed a few targets around the room. I counted to three before I began running at one. I turned around and sliced the dummy across the chest. It fell down and I roundhouse kicked another standee on the head before using my blade to stab its abdomen. I jumped over the remains and sliced the last standee on the neck.

"Looks like you could use a partner," Jace said while holding his seraph out.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" I asked.

He gave me his smug smile. "You know we never stop training." Then he gave me a concern look. "Also you could use the distraction."

I began twirling my seraph. "I don't know what your talking about."

He copied my move  "Sam, you know. We all saw Alec's memory at Magnus'."

"Are we going to talk or fight?" I asked.

"Fine. You ready?" In response, I spun my blade in one of my hands before throwing it up in the air and catching it in the other. "I'll take that as a yes."

We ran at each other. Our blades collided with the other. Jace swung at my arm, but I dodged it. I went for his chest and he blocked it. He tried to kick my head, but I dropped down and swept his feet from under him.

He got back up and swung his blade at me. I blocked it with mine and was about to slice his legs. He jumped over my attack and kicked my back. I fell down, and rolled over before he could send the blade to my side. I was still on the ground when he went to attack again, but I kicked him in the chest. This caused him to stagger back. I got up and punched his jaw.

Doesn't this seem a little violent for training? Well, Jace and I were taught to fight like that before we moved in with the Lightwoods.

We ran at each other again and our seraphs collided with each others. "Tie?" Jace panted.

I nodded. "Yeah."

We both looked over and smiled when we spotted Maryse giving us proud smiles. We both made our way over and hugged her.

"Maryse. Hey. It's great to see you. How's everyone in Idris?" Jace asked.

"Where's Max?" I panted looking around for the young Lightwood.

"No Max. Just mom with her hair on fire," Izzy answered when she and Clary came in the room.

"I love how Shadowhunters share. A hidden brother, and a secret country, and a private portal," Clary said sarcastically.

I gave her a sympathetic look. "I heard. I'm sorry Clary." Yeah, Alec decided to be an ass and lock Clary's necklace away, because Valentine was able to speak through it.

"Mother." Speak of the devil. Alec came and kissed Mom on the cheek. "Welcome back. We didn't expect you."

"You should be prepared, whether you expect me or not."

"I am. We are," Alec said.

Mom began waking around us. "We'll talk about the Institute later. Right now, we have a bigger problem. The Seelies have stopped communicating with the Clave and won't explain why. My guess is they're still upset we asked them to send scouts to look for Valentine, but no one in their realm will talk."

"I have Seelie friends," Izzy pointed out.

"Yes, I know about your friends. Isabelle, we stay separate from the Downworld for good reasons. The wrong move, the wrong word...Do you think there is such a thing as harmless rebellion? Who knows what offends these creatures? Maybe you told him...them...something they shouldn't know. Maybe you trod on to one of their ridiculous customs without knowing it," Maryse scolded.