𝔯𝔞𝔯𝔢 | 𝔪𝔞𝔱𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔴 𝔣𝔞𝔦𝔯𝔠𝔥𝔦𝔩𝔡

1.07

"𝔑𝔬 𝔤𝔯𝔬𝔴𝔱𝔥 𝔬𝔣 𝔪𝔬𝔬𝔯 𝔬𝔯 𝔠𝔬𝔭𝔭𝔦𝔠𝔢,
𝔑𝔬 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯-𝔣𝔩𝔬𝔴𝔢𝔯 𝔬𝔯 𝔳𝔦𝔫𝔢,
𝔅𝔲𝔱 𝔟𝔩𝔬𝔬𝔪𝔩𝔢𝔰𝔰 𝔟𝔲𝔡𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔭𝔬𝔭𝔭𝔦𝔢𝔰,
𝔊𝔯𝔢𝔢𝔫 𝔤𝔯𝔞𝔭𝔢𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔓𝔯𝔬𝔰𝔢𝔯𝔭𝔦𝔫𝔢,
𝔓𝔞𝔩𝔢 𝔟𝔢𝔡𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔟𝔩𝔬𝔴𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔯𝔲𝔰𝔥𝔢𝔰
𝔚𝔥𝔢𝔯𝔢 𝔫𝔬 𝔩𝔢𝔞𝔣 𝔟𝔩𝔬𝔬𝔪𝔰 𝔬𝔯 𝔟𝔩𝔲𝔰𝔥𝔢𝔰
𝔖𝔞𝔳𝔢 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔰 𝔴𝔥𝔢𝔯𝔢𝔬𝔲𝔱 𝔰𝔥𝔢 𝔠𝔯𝔲𝔰𝔥𝔢𝔰
𝔉𝔬𝔯 𝔡𝔢𝔞𝔡 𝔪𝔢𝔫 𝔡𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔩𝔶 𝔴𝔦𝔫𝔢."
~ Algernon Charles Swinburne, "The Garden of Proserpine"

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They walked down the alley and then a door rose in front of them. It shimmered in the side of a wall and didn't show itself to mundanes. Inside was a narrow hallway with walls of heavy red cloth tapestries and at the end of the hall was a painted red door.

"When this place is not home to the salon, it is a gaming house." Estelle informed Cordelia. "There is even a trapdoor in the roof, so that if they are raided by the police, the gamesters can escape over the eaves."

The door was opened and on the other side stood a man dressed in an iron-gray jacket and trousers. His hair appeared white and his eyes dark purple. Malcolm Fade. High Warlock of London. His eyes were the physical mark of the demon blood in him.

"Four this time?"

"Yes." Anna nodded.

"We try to limit the number of Shadowhunters in the salon. I prefer the Nephilim to feel outnumbered among Downworlders, as it is so often the other way around." Someone called him from behind. "You do enliven the place, though, as Hypatia reminds me. Come in. Are you armed? Never mind, of course you are. You're Shadowhunters."

They walked through, Cordelia being the last one in. inside, there were several rooms, decorated in jewel tones of red, green, blue and gold. They moved down a bronze corridor and into a room shaped like an octagon filled with Downworlders.

Cordelia looked in awe as she gazed around. "I cannot see why one would wish to picnic in the nude. There would be ants in dreadful places." She commented when she saw a picture of a nude woman with a picnic.

"Cordelia, you are a breath of fresh air." Anna laughed. A woman walked over, dressed in deep crimson with black hair. She had a silver tray with crystal glasses filled with a sparkling liquid. Champagne.

"Champagne?" She offered.

"Thank you, Lily." Anna took a glass. Matthew took two and handed one to Estelle who smiled in thanks. Cordelia hesitated slightly before she took a glass. Matthew downed his before grabbing another. Estelle shook her head amusedly, sipping on her own.

Cordelia smiled. "What's that little smile of yours?" Matthew inquired. "You look as if you're about to laugh."

"What of it?" The redhead asked.

"Most girls would be afraid. I mean, not Anna, or Estelle. But most." Matthew replied.

"I don't frighten easily."

"I am beginning to see that." He looked over at Anna who was with Lily. "Anna can seduce anyone."

"It's her talent." Estelle added.

"Not my only talent, I hope." Anna said as Malcolm Fade appeared. Lily walked off.

"Hypatia wishes to see you, Anna. She has a friend visiting from out of town who has requested to meet you." Malcolm said.