ANGEL WINGS - SHADOWHUNTERS

[26] storms and chains

"His cry is so full of pain." Cleophas whimpered once the sound had stopped. Rowena noticed how pained she looked, the hurt filled her eyes and tears started to fall down her cheeks.

Clary shook her head at Cleophas, "You said angels were rare, that almost no one had ever seen one." She recalled.

"It's unheard of." Cleophas continued.

"I've heard of it, I've seen an angel." Rowena admitted, holding her hand to her forehead – which had started to ache.

Clary's eyes widened, "You have?"

Rowena nodded, "My father. Only for a few minutes, a few thousand years ago. He told me about my mother and why he had to take her away. He told me about what I am and how ashamed he was." A tear left Rowena's right eye but she wiped it away with her sleeve quickly while Clary put her hand on Rowena's shoulder. "Anyway, what have you heard about angels?" She asked Cleophas.

"Iron Sisters hear the angels whisper when we're forging our weapons, but even we've never seen one. To communicate with one, you must be blessed by the angels." She said, Clary scoffed, "Clary, you are blessed."

Clary turned away and darted her eyes anywhere but Cleophas' face before turning back to her, with anger in her eyes, "No more lies, Cleophas. I know you're working with Valentine. You killed Magdalena, didn't you?"

Cleophas sniffled, more tears falling from her eyes, "I loved Magdalena. I thought Valentine... I thought his way was the only way to make the world a better place. A safer place. No matter what sacrifices had to be made, but... harming an Angel, holding him captive... that goes against everything we believe in." She stuttered out.

"What, and killing Downworlders doesn't?" Clary yelled as the wind blew furiously through the tight alley.

"You don't understand. An Angel is... pure goodness. They're the embodiment of what Shadowhunters stand for. If Valentine's harming an Angel, then everything we love will be destroyed."

"You know, Luke is right. You are not a Shadowhunter. You are a traitor. You're the Clave's problem now." Clary snapped, grabbing Cleophas' arm and trying to drag her out of the alley.

Before Clary could move Cleophas even one step, she grabbed Clary's arm and Rowena stood up on instinct, "No! Please. Let me take you to Valentine. We have to free the Angel. Then I'll turn myself in."

Clary looked down at the ground and then at Rowena for support. Rowena could tell she didn't know what to do, "No, why, why help me now?"

As if on cue, another harsh gust of wind blew through the alley, "Don't you see the storm coming? If Valentine has the Angel and a bolt of lightning..."

"He can activate the Soul-Sword." Clary continued.

"And kill all Downworlders instantaneously." Rowena finished.

The sound of a car skidding drew the three out of their trace and they instantly bolted out of the alley, just to come face to face with Luke and Jace. Luke held his gun up at his sister who Clary pushed behind her to protect her.

"Cleo, you hurt her, I'll drop you where you stand." Luke yelled over the sound of the oncoming storm, his gun still held up and pointing towards the three.

"Wait, no!" Clary yelled, getting further in front of Cleophas, Rowena following her lead.

Jace took a step forward, "Clary, get out of the way! You too, Rowena." He demanded.

"Make me." Rowena spat, taking a step towards Jace, her eyes starting to turn red.

"Luke, don't! We need her!" Clary cried at Luke.

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A few minutes later, Rowena was acting as supernatural babysitter and following Clary and Jace into an abandoned building to find an angel, "If Valentine needs lightning to activate the Sword, he probably put Ithuriel up on the rooftop." Clary informed the two.

"Cleophas could have been lying, Clary." Jace argued.

Clary shook her head violently, "She's not. Not about this."

"How do you know?" Jace retorted.

"I just know. Trust me."

Jace pushed the door open and the group were greeted by three of Valentine's men guarding a chained up angel. Jace and Clary pulled out their swords and Rowena's eyes glowed gold as she moved in front of the shadowhunters. In Rowena's hands, two glowing gold spheres appeared as if out of mid-air and suddenly, she threw one at one of the men, burning a hole straight through his chest. Jace and Clary quickly got the memo and took on one of the men, while Rowena took out the other.

"We have to hurry." Clary yelled, over the storm once the men were down. Jace grabbed his stele and drew a rune on the chain that just brunt out as soon as it was drawn. Clary tried the same thing on the lock before Jace tried to hack at the chain with his blade.

Rowena looked at the lock, "Stand back," She said, before creating another glowing ball and throwing it at the lock. It created a small explosion that did absolutely nothing.

"Nothing's working." Jace yelled.

Clary looked around, "Why can't we break the chain?"

"I don't know. Valentine must have used a warlock, some kind of dark magic." Rowena answered, "My powers aren't strong enough,"

Ithuriel screamed again. But this wasn't a regular scream like the ones the two had heard before, he was speaking to them, instructing Clary on how to draw a certain rune. Clary took out her stele and started to burn the rune into the lock.

"What's happening? What are you doing?" Jace asked.

"He's communicating with me." Clary answered.

Jace looked shocked at Clary's statement as she finished burning the rune. Once the rune was burnt, Ithuriel broke the chains, his wings appearing out of his back that looked similar to Rowena's but were cleaner and lighter. Ithuriel held out his hands to Clary and Jace who took them and seemed to go into a trance, which lasted only a few seconds, leaving Rowena very confused.

"What was that?" Clary thought out loud, as Ithuriel shot up into the sky, his glowing light disappearing in the clouds.

A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed that chapter and that you're staying safe, sane and healthy. Thanks for all the love and support on this book! :)

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