Tainted Soul • Lightwood. [ON HOLD]

T W E N T Y - T W O

Justin walked to the main room after realizing his attempts to sleep were useless. Shadowhunters were walking around him, no one paying attentiom to the redhead, eaxh invested on their tasks.

He saw Alec at the entrance of the Institute crouching down in front of a little boy, who Justin figured was his little brother Max. He started walking in their general direction when the doors to the Institute opened.

Valentine came walking in, Alex reacting quickly. He stood in from his brother and fired an arrow to the man, who caught it. Justin ran to stand besides Alec and Max, staring at his father's figure in astonishment. Alec sent him a look before his attention was once again in thr man standing at the entrance.

Valentine then threw the arrow to the floor, took a stele out of his pocket and ran it over his arm. Thr man then turned into a blonde woman. "That reaction time was abysmal," the woman said. The Shadowhunters stared at her in confusion, not fully understanding what just happened.

The blonde walked further in, standing in front of Alec, Max and Justin. "Except for you. I'm Lydia Branwell, envoy from the Clave."

Lydia walked past the three boys and to the center of the room. "Maryse. The Clave has ordered me to take temporary control of this Institute," she said as she stood facing a monitor.

Maryse abd Isabelle descended the stairs quickly. "Wait a minute. Nobody informed us."

"The Clave doesn't need to. And, to repeat myself, it's obly temporary," Lydia told the Lightwood. "Nothing's been decided yet. But I do need full clearance in order to assess how this Institute is running."

"Okay, what just happened?" Justin whispered to Alec, who as the redhead was confused by what just went down. The raven haired boy shrugged his shoulders in response.

"Where is Clary Fairchild? And Justin Morgenstern?" Lydia asked. When no one answered her, not even the boy in question she continued. "I woukd hopebsomeone here knows."

"I'm Justin Morgernstern. Clary's in the field, training." Lydia turned her body to the boy and walked to him. "You're yelling me she's just... out and about in the streetsvof New York? Valentine's daughter?"

"Isn't she also your cousin?" Isabelle asked her. "Distant cousin," Lydia said, clenching her jaw. "She's with Jace," Alec continued to make the excuse more believable.

"The same Jace Wayland who decided to lead an unsanctioned raid against the vampires? I've read reports." Justin hands turned into a fist at her words. He was tired of people talking that was about him and his sister and to have this envoy said it was just an unsanctioned raid ticked him off.

"It was a rescue mission. If they didn't come, I would be dead." Lydia stopped in her tracks but continued walking.

"Jace may be unconventional, but he's our best soldier. You heard Justin, he saved his life. If he's with Clary, then she's in good hands," Maryse intervened.

"I hope so. And for your sake, all of New York. All of your jurisdiction better be well protected," Lydia adressed the hunters around her.

Isabelle went to stans besides her borther and Justin, ger arms once again wrapped in front of her chest. "And people ask me why I don't like blondes."