Bloodshed || Shadowhunters

Ninja

Nyx twirled her seraph blade in her hand, a small grin on her face as she watched her opponent, Jace, get into battle formation and lunge for attack. He was good, but she was better. Her moves were quick and calculated, with just the right amount of force to push Jace all the way down to the ground, knocking not only his ego down from where it was on a pedestal, but his self-esteem and pride as well.

"You just got your a** handed to you," she chuckled, "by a girl." Nyx then twirled her sword one last time and thrusted the blade forward, emitting a faint shimmering, vibrating force that pushed out and faded into air. 

Jace stood up, rolling his blue eyes as he looked away to see a woman who looked a lot like Isabelle. It was Maryse Lightwood.

"Hey," Jace came down and hugged the woman, a smile on his face. "It's great to see you. How's everyone in Idris? Where's, uh, where's Max?" the blond looked around, hoping to see the youngest Lightwood.

"I love how you guys share! A hidden brother. A secret country and a private portal," Clary spoke up sarcastically, emitting a roll of eyes from Nyx as the older red head went to the wall that displayed the shelf of weapons, and returned the blade back to its original location.

"Mother. Welcome back. We didn't expect you," Alec's voice filtered into the room, catching everyone's attention.

"You should be prepared, whether you expect me or not," Maryse told her eldest child sternly, pulling him into a very short hug.

"I am," he then corrected himself. " We are."

"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 to send scouts to look for Valentine, but no one in their realm will talk," Maryse explained, walking around the group and surveyed her sharp eyes around the institute.

"I have Seelie friends," Isabelle piped up.

"Yes, I know about your friends Isabelle," Maryse told her daughter, a hint of bitterness and a tad bit of disappointment mixed within the tones of her voice, that stayed ever so stern with her own children, but went completely warm and loving towards Jace.

Nyx was sensing that the woman had favorites, and that meant drama- family drama- and she was not about to go anywhere near that.

"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?" Maryse continued, glaring down at her only daughter sternly.

"Maybe you told him-them- something they shouldn't know. Maybe you trod on one of their ridiculous customs without knowing it," Maryse snapped.

"Wait, wait. I don't understand. You're laying all this on Izzy for having a friend in the downworld," Jace questioned, his eyebrows furrowed.

"When someone upsets the natural order, everything falls apart," Maryse answered.

"Natural order? What are you saying?" Clary asked.

"I can help. I know how to talk to Seelies," Isabelle said, wanting to seem good and useful in front of her dear mother who probably didn't think so before.

"She's right. She can visit with Meliorn and sees what he knows," Alec defended his sister, " I could go with her if you want."

"I'd rather Jace goes along this time, " Maryse dismissed her son's suggestion. "Alec, you stay with the Fairchilds. I want them under control," 

She ordered her eldest son to be a babysitter. How very kind of her.

"Hey, we're not you pets," Nyx snapped, causing all attention to go to her. Maryse glared at the older Fairchild and was about to say something when the younger one came to the rescue, bringing the attention all back to herself. Again.