Crowns ~ Alec Lightwood

Revolution Is Coming

Rory walked in late during an emergency briefing. She apologized for her tardiness before focusing on their intel. Alec noticed that she was holding herself in a more awkward position than normal.

"There was a shadowhunter whose runes were carved out, along with wolf marks," Jace filled in, handing the report tablet to Rory.

"What kind of wolf attacks a shadowhunter?" Izzy asked.

"One that's trying to send a message."

"And get the attention of the Clave," Madam Herondale added, "I think I have a pretty good idea of who did it."

Clary lightly glared at the woman as she ordered Jace and Alec to bring in Luke for questioning. Without further instructions, she walked off. The others dispersed, but Alec moved closer to Rory.

"You seem strange today," he commented.

"As opposed to every other day?"

He scoffed, "You know what I mean. Is everything okay with you?"

She tugged at her sleeves nervously and looked at her feet, "It's just my burn."

"What's wrong with it?" he questioned, picking her arm up to inspect it.

She pulled her limb back and readjusted her sleeves again, "It's fine...it's just not healing the way I thought it would by now. Don't worry about it. Just go on your mission with Jace and I'll figure it out."

He sighed and reluctantly nodded, choosing to believe her. Once he was out of her sight, she made her way to their room and discarded her jacket. She rolled up her sleeves and unwrapped the bandages.

Underneath the concealment, her burnt skin was slowly turning black and crawling up her arm like a poison.

-

"I'm getting sick of these alarms," Rory muttered as she quickly made her way back to the ops center. The rest of the team was already there, fretting over the reason the noise was going off. Clary and Izzy quickly entered the Institute with two bodies being rolled in behind them.

"What happened?" she asked.

"We found Rosegreen and Penmount dead in the Bowery. Same runes were carved out," Clary informed.

"Except this time his blood was drained," Rory observed the first body.

Jace pointed at the other one, "And he's been lanced by a Seelie knight."

"It's not just a lone wolf," Clary realized, "It's multiple downworlders."

Jace sighed, "The downworlders want revenge. This could be the start of an uprising."

-

"Another shadowhunter was found dead last night. This time, murdered by a warlock. In this time of crisis, it is essential that we maintain strong leadership," Herondale said, "That is why I am naming Jace Herondale head of the Institute, effective upon my departure for Idris."

She dismissed their meeting without another command and the other's crowded around Jace. Everyone seemed to be mildly okay with the decision, except for Rory. They noticed that she was acting weirder than normal but kept it to themselves.

"Let's not make a big deal out of this," Jace calmed, "She's still in charge until she leaves the institute."

"Still! Becoming head of the Institute and finding out you're a Herondale?" Izzy gawked, "It's definitely gonna get to your head."

"So being a Herondale is what?" Clary questioned, "Like the Kennedy's of the shadow world?"

"It's an old shadowhunter family. Like the Lightwoods and the Morrisons," Alec compared.