Fallen Angel

xxvi

Clary hit the floor hard. She gasped as her head snapped back, hitting the wall behind her. She sat there for a moment before Jace helped her up.

"Guys, she did it!" Evan said.

"Did we think she wouldn't be able to?" Alec asked.

"But this isn't the Court." Clary said, sounding disappointed.

"No it is! It looks different every time." Isabelle assured her. Jace nodded and they quietly crept to a curtain made of rose petals. He used the tip of his sword to slightly part the curtain.

The Seelie Queen was draped on a white divan in a white dressing gown. Clary frowned as she listened to the Queen.

"And what about my Morning Star?" She asked.

"We have heard that he went to Idris only to find his sister and brother missing. He is furious my lady." A Seelie knight said. The Queen frowned which quickly turned into a smile.

"So Clarissa and Jonathan have vanished? Interesting." The Queen said.

"My lady, we have reason to believe the Nephilim will be wishing to retaliate." The Knight said.

"And why would that be?" The Queen asked, sounding bored.

"They believe we are conspiring with your Morning Star." The Knight said.

"Of course we are. My goodness, the Nephilim aren't terribly bright, are they?" The Queen said. Jace emerged through the curtain followed by Alec, Isabelle, Clary, Zoe, and then Evan.

"So you've been helping Jonathan kill Nephilim?" Jace asked.

"How dare you! It is against the Accords to trespass into my realm!" The Queen screeched.

"How dare you! How dare you talk of the Accords when you have killed Nephilim!" Jace roared. Clary jumped. She'd never seen Jace that angry.

"We hardly did anything. Perhaps we gave Jonathan a helping hand here and there, but that's all." The Queen said.

"How could you betray the Nephilim like this?!" Alec asked.

"It was quite easy. You're all so focused on finding Jonathan, you're not paying attention to the Downworlders. Why, the head of the Night Children is running rampant through the streets, murdering mundanes." The Queen explained. Clary looked at Zoe who shrugged in response.

"Here's what's going to happen. You're going to tell us which path leads to Edom." Alec said. The Queen raised an eyebrow.

"Or what?" She hissed. Alec looked at the Knight and let an arrow fly into his chest. The Queen shrieked and Isabelle looked at her.

"Consider it revenge. You helped slaughter hundreds of Nephilim. In return, we kill a Seelie or two." She snapped. The Queen looked at them.

"Very well. If you'll follow me, I can take you to the road to Edom." She said. The six Shadowhunters followed closely behind. When they reached the fork in the road the Queen stopped.

"You may pick the correct path. One leads to the mundane world, another into Faerie, and the last into Edom." She said. Jace pointed to the darkest tunnel.

"You have to swear that you won't tell Sebastian we've come to Faerie." Jace said. The Queen nodded.

"I will not tell him you came." The Queen said. Jace nodded and followed the group down the dark path.

Once they were out of sight the Queen sighed.

"Someone bring me my mirror. It's time to warn my Morning Star."