Our Fate IV ➰Shadowhunters➰

➰Chapter XVII➰

"How could you let them go on a suicide mission like this?" Jace asked Isabelle, sounding rather angry. He was obviously concerned with the news Isabelle had just given them, but Seraphina knew well that yelling at Isabelle wouldn't solve their problems.

"It's not her fault. Alec came to me and told me about his plan," Seraphina retorted. "He said we didn't have another choice."

"And you actually believe him?" Jace spat back bitterly. "Did it even occur to you that it was a stupid idea and that he should have told me about it?"

"Why? So you could go off on him like you're doing to me now?"

"Enough. I am still the Head of the Institute, and Alec and Max are my brothers. Maia and Clary are my friends. And we won't get anywhere arguing about who's fault all this is, because we should already know that it's Christopher's," Isabelle stated, making Jace sigh but nod, obviously not wanting to make his sister angry. Seraphina didn't really feel like testing Isabelle's buttons, either. "Now, we do what he asks, and hand you two over so that he'll release everyone. But not before we devise a plan to get you out of there."

"I doubt Christopher will let us hold on to our steles, and he'll probably activate our Antitracking runes."

"I hate to say it, but Jace is right. Christopher will never let us be found by you guys, just look at how hard he's made it to find Andrea," Seraphina said, biting her bottom lip nervously. "It seems to me like there's only one option here."

"What?" Isabelle asked.

"We turn ourselves in. And then, we somehow figure a way out on our own."

Thankfully, both Isabelle and Jace seemed to agree with her on this. They decided to leave immediately after that to meet up with Christopher at the point he instructed, hoping that he'd keep his end of the bargain and bring the others with him. At this point, she felt beyond frustrated. Why did the Angel send her down there in the first place, anyway? So far, she had done pretty much nothing to help the cause against Christopher Morgenstern. She was starting to question the Angel's intentions, as his only words echoed through her mind: Help them. Save them.

They met up with Christopher in the middle of Central Park, a suiting place to meet in the middle of the day, Seraphina thought, mainly because it would force the exchange to be as quiet as possible, as to not alert the surrounding Mundanes. Finally, she saw Christopher, his ice cold glare fixed on her from afar. There was much familiar about him, but the eeriest part was how much she reminded her of herself, by both the color of his hair and the shape of his eyes. However, there was a darkness in him that she couldn't recognize from anyone else, hatred in its rawest form possible.

He had Alec, Maia, Clary, Walt, Mina, Max and Andrea all lined up before them, as if they were awaiting some kind of execution. They all did their best not to show any emotions, but it didn't take a professional to know that they were probably scared of what Christopher could do. Seraphina didn't blame them.

"We're here, Christopher. Now hold up your part of the deal," Isabelle spat bitterly, as Seraphina and Jace took a few steps forward.

"Will do. But first, I need to take some security measures."

And out of nowhere, two Seelie knights walked toward Jace and her. The both extended their arms to their sides, allowing themselves to be patted down by Christopher's security guards. Once they were certain that they had brought no weapons, they tied their hands behind their backs and escorted them to meet face-to-face with Christopher himself.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Aunt Abigail," Christopher sneered. "Or is it Leah? Or Seraphina? Oh, well, I keep forgetting."

"You got what you asked. Now let them go," Seraphina said, narrowing her eyes at Christopher.