Valentine's Arrow

22: The Dark Streets

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

REBECCA

Rebecca had been fully prepared to face an amphitheatre full of angry Council members, so when Jia led her into a much smaller, sparsely furnished room, she could not conceal her surprise.

The guards ushered her into one of the two wooden chairs, while Jia occupied the other. Once seated, she waved her hand at the guards, who instantly departed. The door clanged shut behind them, making the gloom complete.

Rebecca glanced at the door.

"Don't even think about it." Jia lifted an eyebrow. "There are ten guards stationed outside in that corridor."

Rebecca sighed; she was all out of witty comebacks at this point. The dingy room was uncomfortably hot, and she felt slightly nauseous. "Why have you brought me here?"

Jia shifted forward slightly. "I'm sure you're aware that the severity of your crimes warrants the death sentence."

"I'm aware."

"But you're also a valuable hoard of information."

Rebecca inclined her head, mockingly. "No wonder they made you Consul."

Jia ignored the jibe. "You have two choices, Rebecca. Either you cooperate, plead not guilty, and maybe, just maybe, you'll avoid the death sentence."

Rebecca remained expressionless.

"Or... you refuse to cooperate. And I have to warn you, we have ways of making you talk."

Rebecca simply smiled. "If you're talking about the Agony rune, Consul... you're going to have to come up with something better than that." She didn't know where all of this confidence was coming from, but she was going to make use of it while she had it.

"You think you can withstand the Agony rune?" Jia said.

"I can withstand a lot more than you think." Rebecca leaned forward. "But here comes the really unbelievable part – I'm on your side."

"Really? Mind telling me exactly why I'd believe you?"

Rebecca could tell that Jia was trying to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. "Because the faeries are working with Sebastian Morgenstern. Meliorn is a half-human, half-faerie. He can lie. And whoever you've sent to the Downworld meeting... well, they're Sebastian's hostages by now."

"Why would Sebastian kidnap a couple of Downworlders?"

"For two reasons: one, they're pretty good leverage. If I heard right, he's got Magnus, Raphael, Luke and Jocelyn. He's got leverage over Alec, who'd do anything to save Magnus; Clary, who'd do anything to save her mother and Luke; and Jace, who'd do anything for Alec and Clary."

"And the second reason?"

"Well, he's just pissed that he couldn't take over the Adamant Citadel."

Jia raised a disbelieving eyebrow.

"I know you've got no reason to believe me, or to trust me. But if you want to stop Sebastian, you've got no other choice. I'm the only one who knows him. I can tell you how to kill him."

Rebecca could almost see the gears turning in Jia's head. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to give me all of this information simply out of the goodness of your heart."

Rebecca pursed her lips. "All I want is a fair trial, Consul. For people to understand why I chose to stay." She paused for a moment, and then continued, "I had my freedom. I could've chosen to leave at any time I wanted."