Sweet Creature ▹ Alec Lightwood [2] ( SLOW UPDATES )

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FOUR
THE SHADOW MARKET

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     "How do you feel about me going to a Shadow Market?" Adrian asked a few days later, after he had fallen face-first beside Alec on his bed. It was very early in the morning, but Alec had just gotten in. Ever since the Shadowhunter body was found in vampire territory, every Shadowhunter in the area had been patrolling nonstop, in groups. Well, Shadowhunters who were of age, anyway. Adrian, Isabelle, Jace, and Clary weren't currently allowed to patrol since they weren't eighteen yet. That hadn't stopped Adrian from getting into sweats earlier and planning to go for a run, but the second he'd seen Alec stumble into his room, he'd abandoned his plans and followed him inside.

Now, Alec blinked his eyes open and squinted up at the ceiling, probably wondering if he'd heard Adrian correctly. Adrian folded his arms beneath his head and rested his cheek against them, waiting in patient silence. He already knew how Alec would feel about it, but he figured part of a healthy relationship was telling one's partner what they were up to, especially if it was a danger to them—and going to a Shadow Market was dangerous. It was dangerous and shady on any normal day for the people who frequented regularly, for the ones who were welcome. It was even more dangerous for those who weren't welcome, and that was what Adrian would be. Unwelcome, just like every Shadowhunter was. Alec was more than aware of the fact that Shadowhunters weren't welcome in any Shadow Market, no matter where the Shadow Market was, and that was precisely why he squinted up at the ceiling like he had heard Adrian wrong. Adrian sighed and rested his head on his arm, lying down as he watched Alec process Adrian's question.

"Please tell me the Shadow Market is the name of some new mundane store you want to check out and not, you know, the Shadow Market," Alec said eventually, still squinting up at the ceiling. Adrian could tell he was exhausted, and he started to question whether he should have brought it up now. He could've easily brought it up later, after he and Oliver went. He didn't bother answering Alec's question, knowing it was rhetorical, and waited some more until Alec sighed and turned his head to look at him. "Adrian, are you insane? You're being watched because of the parabatai ritual. Are you trying to get denied?"

"They only watch potential parabatai when they're together, which is precisely why I haven't told Izzy. Plausible deniability and all that. Jace told me," Adrian tagged on at the end, when Alec developed an alarmed expression and opened his mouth to ask how Adrian knew that they would only watch if Adrian and Isabelle were together. Adrian only had to slip that he wasn't going to stop looking for his parents, and Jace was freely telling him everything he wanted to know. Alec opened his mouth, closed it, then scowled and muttered under his breath about how awful Jace was. Adrian smiled until Alec glanced at him and asked, "Why do you want to go to a Shadow Market?"

"Well, I was with Maia and Oliver, and we were talking about how my mother had her Marks stripped and—well, you know the story. Anyway, they pointed out that a lot of exiled Shadowhunters tend to go to the Shadow Market for things like warlock services, protection spells, anti-demon talismans, stuff like that, because they can't do it the legal way because the Clave is literally evil. And since I have a picture of my mother and exiled Shadowhunters only come once in a blue moon, I figured it was worth a shot to go to the Shadow Market and just ask around." Alec seemed to understand, but he didn't look happy about it. Adrian hummed and reached over to pinch his cheek lightly, making him scowl some more and pull away. "I'm not asking for permission, just to be clear. I'm just telling you because that's what a considerate boyfriend does."