Distant Fires of Heaven (The Malevolent Sacrifices #1)

Messes

By the time Rosemary woke, she was relieved to find Mason lounging in the chair beside her bed, a book in his hand.
"By the angel, you're reading?!" She gasped.
Mason laughed. "It's a book about guitars. I'm currently reading a song."
Rose rolled her eyes. "I'm not even surprised. Mason? Reading? Never." She grinned widely.
She watched as he placed a post it on the page, closing it then set the book on the bedside table.
"Well now that you're awake I don't need to read." He said softly and pulled his chair right against her bed.
She let him take her hand, watching as he worked his fingers around her palm, cradling her hand in his.
She smiled graciously, watching as the Lightwood ring glistening on her hand from the light of the sun.
"I remember when we had to be secretive about stuff as simple as this." Mason said to her, playing with her fingers, feeling the structure of her finger bones.
It was true, at first Rosemary and Mason had hid their relationship.
He hadn't quite been able to live on his own just yet, he's still been living with his parents in Brooklyn, while Rose had been living with her own parents in the New York Institute- before Jace became consul.
It had been easier than they both thought. Mason used to come with Ethan and Ariel when they'd come to see Stephen and Elle.
At first, Mason had hung around Stephen and Ethan while they trained in the training room. This was particularly during the summer when Stephen had been home from the Academy.
Rose would sit in there sometimes, unable to bare the idea of hanging with Effy and Ariel as they giggled over famous boy bands and pink dresses. Rose would sit against the window sill, watching the three boys train with one another, Stephen being the best out of them. By the end of the training, Stephen would ask Ethan and Mason to go another round, Mason giving Stephen a traumatic expression. Every time.
It made Rosemary laugh, which had been a rather hard time for her to laugh since Lexa had recently died, at the time Rose thought she to be dead. Juliet hadn't been able to be in New York that summer, which would have kept Rose from hanging with her brother. Rose didn't know why Juliet couldn't come, all she knew that whenever she spoke to Juliet over the phone, something felt wrong.
Mason had managed to make her laugh many times, by his witty remarks about Stephen's excessive bloodlust for his throwing knives or Ethan's hair. He was the oldest out of the three of them, and had caught Rose's attention rather quickly.
She had caught up with him after his training session one day, sweaty and flustered Mason had been.
She remembered asking him why he came here, being outcasted by his younger siblings. He had told her his parabatai lived to far away to see him much, but until he was ready to travel to him that he'd stay and keep his siblings company, even if it meant being beat by 16 year old Stephen Herondale in training everyday. Rose apologized for Stephen's ambition to be the best, causing Mason to laugh.
It had been the most beautiful thing Rose had ever heard, like the idea of hearing honey if honey could laugh.
He stayed for dinner that night, sitting beside Rose as they munched on pork fried dumplings and lo mein from the local Chinese restaurant.
Rose had accidentally touched the back of Mason's hand, feeling the clad of his leather jacket as she did so. At the moment it'd been awkward, but as their friendship grew, and Rose would occasionally touch his hand, the two of them grew more accustomed.
She told Juliet first of her affection towards Mason, about the way his hair was styled, the leather jacket he wears, the blue hue of his eyes, she had deemed him to be perfect to her. Although Juliet had seemed numb the idea of love, Rosemary not so sure why, Juliet had urged Rose to confide in Mason, to see it maybe things could go well for them.
So later on Rose approached Mason as he exited his car, Ethan and Ariel practically running up the steps before Mason could turn the ignition off.
Rose stood on the sidewalk wearing a pastel blue dress, with her hair neatly tucked into a braid, which she crowned around her head. She kept her hands clasped together, her fingers folded neatly around one another.
Mason had been wearing what he usually wears, a black leather jacket, black jeans, heavy boots and a white T-shirt. His hair was always rumpled on his head, soft black waves that curved like satined silk, a few strands running down the front of his forehead. He'd push it off to the side, not like it mattered much because it'd just fall back into his face.
Out of Isabelle and Simon Lightwood's children, Ethan had been the only one with eyes similar to his parents. Ariel had inherited beautiful lavender eyes, softer than lilacs but just as purple. Mason on the other hand, had been born with a deep frosted blue set of eyes. She had told Juliet his eyes reminded Rose of frosted turquoise, Juliet told her to write a poem about it, Rose laughed.
As she watched Mason close the door to his car, and turn to look at her, she felt a wave of something she'd never felt before swim through her body. She felt like an electric eel then, feeling a shock of connection as she had looked at Mason's face. The set of his curved mouth, soft but sharp at the same time. Unlike the boys her age, Mason's facial features were sharper, older, hotter. Maybe it's because he is 3 years older than Rose, and is developing depending on his own age, but she loved that he clearly looked older, because his age had fit him so well.
Rose watched as he slid his fingers over the roof of his car, his Lightwood ring casted a pale gleam of silver among the towers of New York City.
"Hey, Rose." Mason had finally said to her. "Is everything okay? You look a little pale." How could he be so oblivious to the obvious? She was pale because of him.
She quickly scrambled to find words to speak. She only really had one chance at this, to admit to him how she feels.
She noticed he looked at the dress she was wearing, a small smile forming.
Rose inhaled, closed her eyes, and exhaled. But she felt his hand on her hand, then she opened her eyes to see he had drawn closer to her.
"I- I wanted to ask you something." Rose had never acted so nervous in front of Mason before, maybe she had made it to obvious.
"I'm listening." He said softly.
It seemed that he did already know, maybe even felt the same way, because he was now intertwining their fingers.
"Do you want to go out? With me?" The words had left her lips in a soft whisper, Rose immediately flushing a deep red.
"As in a date?" Mason asked, tilting his head slightly.
She nodded. She relaxed even more when she saw him smile.
"Then yes. I would love to."
Time with Mason had only been better from there, only Rose had kept it from her family, out of fear of them rejecting her dating an older boy, even though it was Mason Lightwood.
They had been together for 5 months before the two of them finally admitted to their parents they had been together. Simon and Isabelle had been told first, merely because Isabelle walked in on the two of them kissing. They had been so embarrassed, but Isabelle gushed and started pinching Mason's cheeks, chanting "My baby found love, my baby found love!"
Mason had turned as red as a crab.
Simon and Isabelle were perfectly happy with the two of them together, Simon then making jokes of how he'd tease Jace that now they'd be closer than ever. Besides Stephen and Ethan being parabatai, they'd have something to bring them even closer. Simon had snickered menacingly, Isabelle hit him on his shoulder.
The hard part was Rosemary's parents. She didn't think Clary would be as difficult about it as Jace would be. Not that Jace was a seriously tough father, or even strict, it's just the whole idea of having to tell your father you're in love with a boy type of deal. Things get awkward. Plus, Mason and Jace have a great relationship with each other. Jace has trained Mason one-on-one, teaching Mason skills that no regular shadowhunter would know. Rosemary would hate having her father not like Mason anymore because he's dating Rose.
The night her and Mason decided to announce their love for each other, happened to be the night Jace and Clary were throwing Elle's birthday party. She was turning 14 years old, but still as sassy as ever.
Juliet and her family came, and although Rose was so happy to see her, Juliet had been anti-social the entire time.
Juliet was 16, and she just came out of a nasty break up with Riley Dearborn. Rosemary did not know much of their relationship, only because Juliet refused to ever speak about it, but Juliet looked so hurt, Rose felt sorrow for her.
But even when Juliet looked her worst, she had been growing into her body. Instead of looking young and skinny, Juliet had grown curves, and boobs, and longer hair, and sun-kissed skin, and a butt that made people stare at her as she walked. Rose envied her body, it made her feel insecure with her small boobs and gentle frame.
She'd watch Juliet, sulking by herself by the juice bar. Wearing a black dress that cupped her frame well. Stephen had walked by her, said a slight hello. Juliet only gave him a smile, barely acknowledging him much at all.
"Hey there." Mason said to her softly. She turned and smiled at him, noticed him wearing a nice black polo and jeans.
"You know you didn't need to dress up?" Rosemary giggled. "I'm only wearing a sun dress. It's just a kids party."
"Well, I need to make a better impression of myself on your parents. I want to look presentable." Mason was cautious not to touch her hand, many eyes would witness them. Rose bit on the inside of her cheek. They had actually planned to do this. She spotted her parents sitting at their table, talking to Jocelyn and Luke. Rose used to see her grandparents every weekend, but as she grew older, it became to seeing them whenever. After all, Jocelyn did need to care for her own children.
Rose had taken Mason's hand. She caught Stephen staring at the two of them from the corner of her eye. She knew he'd have something to say about it, he'd have to catch her another time, no way would he intervene the bravery Rosemary built.
Mason followed Rose as they walked over to Clary and Jace, both their palms clasped together. Rose bit in the inside of her cheek when Mason ran his thumb across the back of her hand.
"We've got this." He said softly into her ear. She felt his lip press against the lobe of her ear once, then felt her butterflies increase as she realized they were closer to her parents than they were only a few paces ago.
It only took Rosemary three breaths until she stood directly in front of them. They had still been talking with a few guests before Clary registered her daughter standing in front of her.
"Oh hey you two." She smiled softly, bringing her lips to a glass of chardonnay. Only the adults were allowed drinks, which could be found near the back of the room.
"Mason and I wanted to tell you guys something." Rosemary said casually, well what she considered casual. Her nerves were working quite feverishly. Rose was waiting for the vomit to come, the usher of absolute nervousness to swallow her whole. Then she having to choke it back up.
Jace turned to give the two of them attention. His hair nicely swept to one side of his head. His gold eyes looking at the two of them peculiarly. He smiled in fact, then crossed his hands over his lap.
Rose registered her father had been in a well enough mood, so she took that in account.
But she hadn't been the one to speak as she mentally planned. It'd been Mason, and he spoke with utter confidence and most of call, radiating clarity, as if he could not be anymore sure of his statement.
"Clary, Jace, I would like to confess something to you both." He looked over at Rosemary, who was afraid she was about to topple over and die. "I am in love with Rosemary, and it seems I don't think I will ever love another soul." Rose turned her head towards Mason in absolute astonishment, because she was so sure she'd been the one to love Mason that much. Now they were surely at some type of competition with one another.
"I love him just as much." She said softly, staring at Mason with this gleaming twinkle in her eyes. "He is the highlight of my life, and we wanted to tell you both, and hope you both understood what we mean." She murmured softly. Her butterflies subsided. All that was there in Rose's stomach was her earlier lunch, and in her heart, was Mason.
He gave her a reassuring squeeze on her palm.
Clary had the biggest smile spread across her face, her head resting on her hand. "Of course I understand, Rosie." She said softly. "I am so happy you've found love. I'm so happy you both found it within each other." She moved her hand to take Jace's hand. Jace looked at their fingers, slowly ran his thumb across Clary's thumb, and looked back up at Rose and Mason.
"I assume my blessing is the one you both are terrified of. I'm not sure why, I'm definitely not the one you should be terrified of." Jace grinned. Clary rolled her eyes.
"You never know, they could have been scared of me too."
Jace snorted, Clary pinched his arm. He yelped, but looked over at Clary with his gold eyes pulsing at a loving vision, as if he looked at her to keep his heart beating. Rose wondered if she looked at Mason the same way, it sure felt that way.
Rose smiled at her parents little banter, of how cute they are, and how much she used to long for something like that. Now she could say she had it.
"Rose, Mason, of course I'm okay with this. I'd never want anyone else for either of you if this means true." Jace smiled at the two of them.
"Really?" Rose asked softly. She felt her heart fluttering.
"Yes, Rosie. Really. I'm really not that terrifying, you know." He rolled his eyes at her, but gasped when Rose had ran over and gave her father a giant hug.
"Thank you." She whispered to both of her parents. "Thank you, Thank you, Thank you." She said with glee.
Rosemary could remember that day as the best day of her youth, only to have it downfall from there, because of Stephen, and not accepting her love. She knew now that to him, love had been weak, something that ate up the heart and spit it back out. He never trusted the idea of love, not when Lexa had been damned by it, at the time something only Stephen knew to be true.
He always lied to Rose, telling her he disapproved of her and Mason because of their age differences, when in reality, it was something else. Rose couldn't guess at what it was, only that whatever it had been that caused Stephen to treat her and Mason's love with cruelty, had been the thing to eat up his heart and spit it back out.
She once again thanked her parabatai for showing Stephen that love is nothing cruel. That love can be pure, it can be solemnly good and sweet.
Rosemary watched now as Mason ran his fingers along her inner palm, tracing the veins embedded into her skin.
"What are we going to do about your power?" Mason asked her, not meeting her gaze as he focused on her hand.
"I just needed to rest. I'll be on my feet again in no time at all." Rosemary reassured him, if only she had been so sure.
She was sure that she had seen Gadriel in her sleep, visiting her among her dreams, showing her something she couldn't quite make out, but somehow understood.
"Mary, I don't want you to keep getting yourself hurt." Mason mumbled. He looked up to meet her gaze. "You are to important to me. More than ever." His blue eyes darkened, Rosemary knew what he meant.
He was meaning he needed to keep her safe, keep her protected, since Ariel wasn't, since she was left exposed.
"We all had our guard down at ball, Mason." She said softly. "It's no one's fault expect those who murdered in cold revenge. We'll find Lexa, and Riley, and whoever else was behind her death. We'll find them all, we'll take back the heart Lexa stole, we'll get our chance to overcome-"
The door to her room bursted open, Ethan stood at the door panting. Mason jumped to his feet. "What is the matter!?" He grabbed Ethan by his shoulders. Rose could see the immediate need to protect. He couldn't save one, he won't give himself the chance to need to save the other if he's always protective.
"We need Rose." He panted, resting his head against the door frame. "Adaon is here, we need her for security."
Rose pulled herself to her feet, rushing to grab her gear and Glorious from under her bed.
"Woah, woah. What the hell do you mean?" Mason scraped his weapons belt from off the dresser, strapping it on to his waist.
"Adaon is here to talk to us, he is waiting in Blackthorn Manor. This is our chance, Mason. To get what we went to faerie for. We can redeem revenge!" Ethan exclaimed. Rose had went into her bathroom, changed, and came out with her hair twisted into a braid.
"Rose." Mason said taking her arm in his hand. "Don't use your power unless it is absolutely necessary." He said.
She nodded once, then the three of them left her room, only the wind making noise from the opened window.