Brothers by Blood (Alec Lightwood twin)

Chapter 65

JACE'S POV

We had entered the Seelie Court, a Seelie knight meeting us to making our way through the maze of hallways, to the throne room. A few of the Queen's nymphs came over to us and greeted us, taking our steles and weapons.
"Jace, my stele. Our weapons." Clary said, looking at me. I nodded slightly.
"You'll get them back when you leave the Court." The Seelie Queen said, standing up.
"Your majesty. What a rare honour." I said, bowing. I gestured for Simon and Clary to do the same. They both followed suit.
"Wait, that's the Queen?" Simon asked. I was about to scold him, but then the Queen spoke up.
"Why is the vampire here? He was not invited." She asked, looking displeased despite her young age. We all stood up straight.
"He's with me." Clary said. I then spoke up, reiterating her words.
"My lady, Simon has proven himself a worthy warrior and a loyal friend. We insisted he be here with us. Anything you have to say to us, you can say to him." I told her.
"Very well. The vampire can stay." She said, her voice light.
"You are as generous as you are lovely." I complimented her. She
"Set an extra place at the table for our third guest." This is going to be fun." She said casually.

*A little while later*

The Queen was speaking to a few of her nymphs while others placed food on the table. I knew better than to eat or drink anything, but it honestly did look good.
"I thought you said she was ancient. She hasn't even hit puberty." Clary commented.
"She is ancient. She uses Seelie magic to manipulate her age." I told her.
"Genius! She tries to seem all innocent and cute, but really she's-" Simon said, before the Seelie Queen came over to us.
"Hungry?" The Seelie Queen asked, sitting down.
"That's very kind, but we really should discuss business." I replied.
"Business is boring. That's why I sent a proxy to your Downworlder Cabinet Meeting. I'd like to know more about Valentine's children." She said.
"Child, actually. I'm the only one." Clary corrected her.
"Are you sure?" She asked. I immediately knew that she knew something that we didn't.
"I'm not Valentine's son." I stated.
"Yet, the same blood runs through both your veins. The blood of the angel. Please, show me what it can do. Don't be shy." She requested. Clary and I looked at each other.
"We're still learning how it works." I said.
"Are you?" She asked curiously. Although I was fairly sure she already knew the answer to that as well. She then turned to Simon. "And you, vampire. Are you still learning to walk in the sun?" She asked.
"Wow, word travels fast down here." Simon said nervously. The Queen looked at the food in front of us.
"It does. I hear whispers from the birds, the bees and the bugs. They're all in my service." She said cryptically.
"So was Kaelie. Were you surprised to hear one of your knights was killing Shadowhunters?" I asked the Seelie Queen.
"Were you? Kaelie was your lover." She said.
"Book club, huh?" Clary asked me, not looking at me. I ignored her.
"I was surprised. Kaelie didn't seem capable of such brutality." I replied politely.
"Precisely why she made an effective killer. The sweeter the honey, the deadlier the trap." She told me.
"Did Kaelie kill on her own, or was she working with someone else?" I asked. She didn't say anything, instead raising her hand for one of her nymphs to help her up. She picked up an apple as she stood.
"Another knight helped. But I took care of him." She said, tossing the apple and catching it again.
"By "took care of," you mean..." Simon said, trailing off at the end.
"Dead, dead, dead." She replied, looking down at Simon. She took a bite of the apple and dropped it back down onto the table. "I'd like a moment alone with the Daylighter." She said. I could tell that wasn't a request.
"Alone?" Simon asked nervously.
"With Simon?" Clary asked.
"My lady, perhaps you could discuss here. We prefer not to be separated." I offered.
"Don't worry. I'll bring him back with all his limbs attached." She replied.
"OK. It's OK, Clary. I'll be fine." Simon said before he stood up and followed the Queen out of the room. Clary and I looked at each other, worry etched onto both our faces.

SIMON'S POV

The Seelie Queen led me out of the room where Clary and Jace were. I wasn't sure what she wanted to talk to me about, but I was nervous as well as curious.
"I've never met anyone like you, and I've been alive for a very, very long time." The Seelie Queen stated.
"So you're not mad that I'm here?" I asked, surprised evident in my voice.
"On the contrary. I was hoping your friends would invite you along tonight. The Daylighter rock star." She told me.
"It certainly is a niche." I said, referring to what you just called me.
"I've mentored some of the greatest Seelie musicians. Ever heard of Sia? Or Bjork?" She asked curiously. I didn't know that they were both Seelies. You learn something new every day.
"Huh."
"I can help you too. You can visit my Court any time. Play your music as my nymphs tend to your every need." She offered.
"Why would you do that for me?" I asked with cautious curiosity.
"Because I want to be friends. Allies. I feel darker times are coming, Simon, and my feelings are rarely wrong. Oh, can I call you Simon?" She asked quickly at the end of her proposition.
"Uh, yeah. Yeah. Go for it." I replied.
"You and I may need each other, Simon. We cannot trust the Shadowhunters." She said seriously.
"You mean the Circle." I replied, daring to correct her. She smiled.
"You're still so young. Shadowhunters are all alike. Their mortality makes them fickle, selfish, weak. In the end, they always choose their own kind, and so must we." She said seriously. That couldn't be true, could it?
"I can't speak for all Shadowhunters, but I know Clary's nothing like that. She would never turn on me." I said honestly.
"This is about more than Clary. This is about the fate of the Downworld. There's a reason why my people have survived longer than any other creature on this Earth. We know when to choose the winning side." She told me.
"Well, I'm sorry. You've got the wrong guy." I apologized.
"No I don't. I want to be friends, Simon. And I'm willing to wait. I'm a very patient woman." She told me. The word "woman" sounded slightly strange coming out of the mouth of a girl who looked barely 12 years old, but I was curious nonetheless.