City of Redemption

Seven

"What do you mean I can't go?!" Julian shouted for what seemed like the millionth time. Nick stifled a groan. This had been going for at least ten minutes.

"Because," Miri shot back, "we don't need to risk more lives than necessary!"

"You're going," Jules said, sulking.

Miri dropped her head in her hands. "Julian Atticus Blackthorn, you are not going."

"I'm going."

Her jaw locked. "Over my dead body."

His mouth fell open angrily, and Nick held up a hand. "Alright, that's enough, you two. Emma's his parabatai, Mir. If it was Mia, you would be fighting tooth and nail to come."

"Yes, but—"

"Just let him come, Miri," Mia said tiredly. They were all sick and tired of hearing the back and forth. Miri scowled and crossed her arms, but she didn't object.

They were in Julian's art studio, huddled around the central island and easel. A stack of elder wood stakes sat in a pyramid in front of them. Miri, Mia and Jonathan had rounded up the New Yorkers, Rosewains and Nick half an hour ago. It had only taken ten minutes to explain their plan, which Nick thought was suicidal. Most of the Shadowhunters in the Institute were kept in the dark about this. No one wanted to risk word getting back to Wells about the trap.

"How exactly are we going to let Wells know we're surrendering?" Nick asked.

Everyone looked expectantly at Miri, who shrugged. "There has to be some way to contact her. Just— stop going on patrols and things like that. We'll tell everyone we're calling off the investigation and handing Jon—" She paused, face twisting like she'd tasted something sour. "Handing Jonathan over," she finished. She didn't like that part of the plan; none of them did. Not even the Rosewains, who hated him the most. It seemed too much like defeat, even though they were planning to use him as bait.

"I can go to a designated location alone," Jonathan said. He alone seemed completely alright with it. "The rest of you can stay in the shadows or something and attack her when she appears."

"The timing has to be just right," Mia added. "Come out too early and we'll blow our cover."

"Come out too late, Jonathan's dead," Miri finished. "We know, Mia. We've gone over this a dozen times."

Nick hopped off the counter where he was sitting. "When?"

"She needs to get the hint before we try it," Clary said. "Maybe... A day? A day and a half? I mean, a day of total radio silence should be enough for her to figure out we're calling it off."

Nick watched his sister nod. "A day seems like enough. Who wants to let the others know the investigation's over?"

Mia sighed. "I'll do it. She was walking around wearing my brother's face." There was a murmur of assent. "Someone has to hide the stakes, though. We can't exactly leave them out in the open. She doesn't even know we have them yet."

"I'll do it," Nick volunteered.

"You're sure?" Miri asked, surprise coloring her voice. He didn't usually help with semi-illegal activities like this. "If she figures it out, Nick—"

"I'm sure," he said evenly. "There are a few things you don't know about me, Miri. There are a few loose stones in my room's walls. I can hide them there."

Julian nodded. "We should each take a few, so even if one of us gets busted, we'll still have some."

"Sounds like a plan," Isabelle said, grabbing a few stakes. "What do you say we get this show on the road?" Without waiting for an answer, she stalked out the door, closely followed by the rest of the group. Nick hung back with Miri.