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Arya

ARYA WAS IN NO MOOD TO HELP THAT MORNING. Isabel had asked her multiple times what her opinion on different coloured fabrics for Alec and Lydia's wedding was but she couldn't care less. As her foot hit the punching bag in the centre of the training room for the millionth time she let out a frustrated groan. She was ready to body slam the thing and on top of that, she could barely speak to anyone without snapping at them—which was the exact reason she was hidden away in the training room instead of conversing or helping.

She just couldn't understand her stupidity. She let him break down her defences, and for what. He was the only person who had managed to do it yet resulted in being the person to rebuild them. He ruined that. So there she was, back to being the cool, conserved, reckless Arya that everyone thought was gone.

"Arya?" Someone called from the doorway. "What?" She unintentionally replied snappily and harshly. The brunette turned to see Clary at the doorway and felt slightly guilty since she hadn't exactly done anything to deserve it. "Sorry, Clary, I've just got a lot on my mind." She mumbled, running a hand through her already messy hair.

"Yeah, I get it, don't worry about it. Izzy told me you were in her and I just needed some help with my right hook. Do you mind?" She asked calmly, walking further into the training room where Arya had ceased taking her anger out on the punching bag.

"Yeh, sure." She smiled and proceeded to get the redhead to copy her movements and they try it out on herself. The pair practised for what seemed like an hour or so—also trying some combat before they exited the training room.

Arya felt calmer and less frustrated and somehow Clary had helped to relieve some of the anger she had been feeling. It had been subsided at least. Or it was until she exited and was once again joined by the guests arriving and the wedding planners and decorators who fleeted between the people with boxes and sheets of flowers and cloth.

The redhead and brunette walked over to a table in the centre of the main floor where Magnus sat at the end and Jace paced around. They took a seat on the same side while Jace awkwardly took one opposite Arya.

"Morning." Clary greeted awkwardly and Arya sympathetically smiled at Jace.

"Morning." He said quickly and Magnus watched their exchange, fleeting his eyes between the pair as they spoke. "You two just come from training?" He asked since it appeared to be the only thing Jace and Clary could converse about after being told that they were siblings. It was awkward between the pair and that was putting it lightly.

"Yeah. I'm, uh, workin' on my right hook." She nodded and crossed her arms across her chest awkwardly.

"Good. That's a good punch." Jace commented and Magnus and Arya shared a look—it was even slightly awkward between the pair of them, given Arya had technically turned him down to go on a date.

"Yeah. I'm, uh, I'm workin' on it." She rambled and Arya subtly nudged her and she fell quiet again.

"While this conversation is no doubt scintillating, remind me why we couldn't do this at my place." He questioned with a huff. "At least there we'd have cocktails. And I think we all need them today." He commented, glancing at Arya and then between the newfound siblings.

"It's 9:00 in the morning," Clary commented with a judgy glance.

"Oh, it's happy hour somewhere, my dear. And it's definitely not here." He mumbled the last bit.

"We invited you here, Magnus because Hodge can't leave the institute. He's an important part of this mission." Jace clarified and Magnus nodded and looked around them. "Then where is our tardy little tutor?" He asked, clasping his hands together in his lap.

"Pardon the delay, Magnus. I was following up on a lead." Hodge glared as he approached the group and Magnus pursed his lips together in silence. "Now, we've narrowed down our list of warlocks to these three," Hodge explained, presenting the three warlocks on the screen before them.

"Why is Ragnor Fell up there? He's not more powerful than I am." Magnus scoffed and crossed his arms in a huff.

"Well, some would disagree. He is older than you." Hodge countered.

"Certainly not wiser." Magnus scoffed and Hodge frowned at him.

"Who is Ragnor Fell?" Clary asked out of curiosity and hopefulness that she would end their bickering.

"The former high Warlock of London." Jace and Arya said simultaneously and pointed at each other in agreement. Hodge grinned slightly, the pair had been doing that since they were younger. Sometimes people thought that it was really those two who were meant to be together rather than Arya and Alec.

"And one of my oldest friends," Magnus added, picking at the black nail polish on his fingers until it resembled the same rough look that Aryas did from doing the same thing. "Very prickly likes to keep to himself." He added, frowning at the thought.

"Okay, look. We just need to figure out which one of these Warlocks had enough access to Jocelyn that they could create the potion for her without anyone discovering what they'd done." Hodge explained the group nodded.

"By the early '90s, Ragnor was a professor at the shadow-hunter Academy in Idris," Magnus suggested and he and Clary shared a look.

"Isn't that when my mother lived there? Could he have made the potion for her?" Clary clicked on and Magnus frowned.

"The little bugger!" He sighed with a wicked grin. "That's why he hasn't responded to my fire message." He realised. "Ever since Valentine began hunting warlocks, Ragnor's been holed up in his secret country house just outside of London," Magnus revealed and everyone sighed now they finally had a lead to go on. "For all I know, Ragnor suspected my fire message was a ploy by Valentine to lure him out of hiding—"

"Or he just didn't want to talk to you," Arya mumbled with a smirk which earned her a glare from Magnus but a chuckle from the others.

"—We'll have to confront him face to face." The warlock continued nevertheless.

"You're going on this mission?" Hodge asked with raised brows.

"Of course! I'm the only one Ragnor trusts." He said throwing his hands up in the air as if he had no other choice but to go with them. "Besides, I've played my last hand here. Even I know when to fold." He huffed and everyone frowned at him confused about what he meant.

They all stood up to leave but as they did, they were blocked by the happy couple to be. Alec and Lydia. Alec had his arms crossed with his usually brooding expression while Lydia looked excited.

"Magnus, I didn't know you were here." She smiled at him politely while Alec frowned and Arya filled with the leftover polish on her nails. Jace looked at her sympathetically but not for so long that it seemed obvious. Nevertheless, they all noticed the impact this was having on the brunette, everyone except for the person who once cared the most. "We're just on our way to greet a few representatives of the Clave who arrived early for tomorrow's wedding." The blonde explained and they all nodded understandingly.

Alec's gaze was firmly placed on Arya, hoping for some sort of response from her—a look even—but she gave nothing. She didn't even look up at him. The brunette never really responded well to negative emotions, she was so used to blocking them out that it became second nature to ignore anything she felt. And it was starting to feel as if she had lied to herself when she said she had rebuilt her walls because before they were smashed to pieces she didn't feel or acknowledge anything she didn't want to feel and now she couldn't help it.

"What's going on here? Nobody told me about a meeting." Alec said sternly when he realised he wasn't going to get a response from the brunette.

"Magnus figured out that Ragnor Fell is the warlock who can wake my mom. We're just bringing him back to the institute." Clary explained hopefully. After all, this could mean that she got what she had been searching for this whole time.

"How can I help?" Alec asked.

"We're just recovering a warlock, Alec. We got this covered." Jace assured.

"Besides, you have emissaries from the Clave to meet. You must be far too busy with wedding plans to accompany us on this mission." Arya huffed, barely making eye contact with him as she continued to fiddle with her nails.

"Yeh, you don't want to tarnish your family's perfectly crafted image do you?" Magnus assisted.

"Again, lovely seeing you, Magnus." Lydia smiled warmly and Arya felt a slight tinge of guilt. After all, it was Alec she was really upset with.

Magnus chuckled and smiled softly and the couple departed.

"Get ready. We leave in an hour." Jace ordered firmly and they all left to get ready for the mission—that didn't include Alec, nor Izzy.

✧

The group of four took a portal—made by Magnus— to get to the new Warlocks house. They arrived in the middle of a field, a stream trickled behind them and trees surrounded the property.

"Ragnor's house is just across these fields," Magnus explained.

"Let's make this quick." Jace sighed, racing ahead. "We'll talk to Ragnor and Portal him back to the institute before anyone knows we're gone." He affirmed.

Arya was just glad to be on a mission, she was happy to have something to take her mind away from the next day's events. It was a headache.

"So...brother and sister, huh?" Magnus asked and Arya muttered a quiet 'oh my god' under her breath once he had said it.

"I don't want to talk about it." Jace huffed firmly and maintained his quick walk even tho he remained only a few strides ahead of the rest of them who were in no real rush.

"What, so we're just gonna be work buddies now?" Clary huffed. She had been frustrated with the way Jace had been shrugging it off all day and this was finally her opportunity to get it off her chest. "All about the mission, and totally ignore the huge bomb that just dropped on us."

"Yeah, sounds like a plan." The blonde affirmed while Arya and Magnus lingered towards the back to let the pair hash it out.

Clary huffed which then progressed the conversation since that was her way of saying she disagreed with him without saying it. "What do you want me to say, Clary? That I was attracted to my sister?" He asked harshly and Arya winced at his tone.

"No—" Clary began.

"Point of fact." Magnus suddenly interrupted, raising his hand as he said it. "Brother and Sisters are often attracted to each other. I once knew this one couple in ancient Egypt—"

"Magnus." Arya interrupted him and he turned to her. "Shut up." She said, glancing towards the other two who clearly wasn't helping. She patted him on the chest and he stopped his rambling, but his eyes still followed the brunette as she walked. Maybe with Alec out of the way—it may finally be his chance.

"Maybe this will all make sense when we wake up Jocelyn," Magnus suggested—which was slightly more assuring than his previous comments. "Since she is Jace's mother as well, perhaps—" Magnus continued and Arya could tell he hit a sore spot when Jace abruptly turned to the warlock with a fiery glare.

"Don't say that again. Maryse is my mother." He affirmed and Clark sighed. "At best, Jocelyn is the woman who abandoned me." He told them.

"Hey, that is not true. My mother would never abandon her son. She thought you were dead." Clary countered.

"Or maybe she just didn't want me." Jace denied.

"You don't know her, Jace" Clary argued and Magnus's eyes widened while Arya rubbed her head in her hands when he realised he had caused another argument.

"That's right, Clary, I don't. Do you?" He snapped.

"I'm sorry I asked!" Magnus stopped them and Arya sighed in relief.

"God, I came with you to escape my relationship drama, not get a front-row seat to yours." The brunette huffed, storming between the pair and away from Magnus. God. Could she even call anything she had with Alec a relationship?

"What was that?" Jace suddenly asked when he noticed a barrier just ahead of where Arya was about to walk having not noticed it.

"Nice try, Jace. You're not getting out of this conversation that easily." Clary argued at the blonde who was watching Arya's footsteps—just like Magnus.

"Look out!" He suddenly called and Jace ran forwards and pulled the brunette back, just before a large firey green barrier appeared between where they were and where they needed to walk.

"Ragnor put upwards to protect his lair," Magnus explained.

"Why is the fire green?" Clary asked, looking up at the strange coloured flames.

"It's a wall of fire that only the pure of heart and intention can pass through." The warlock further told them. "Are you ready?" He asked and they started to walk through the flames.

But only Clary appeared on the other side.

"Jace? Arya? Magnus? Where are you?" She called out with no response. They were gone.

✧

Unlike Clary, the other three shadowhunters and warlock appeared strapped to three chairs on either side of Ragnors fireplace.

Clary had just pulled him out of a painting at the three were enjoying making comments that only he could hear although they did want the mission to hurry up.

But once he did unveil them they were free to talk.

"Honestly Ragnor, was that nonsense really necessary?" Magnus complained as the three rose from being strapped in their chairs.

"Of course. She offered me anything. You were only up to a timeshare of your flat in Paris. Yawn." Ragnor sighed and Magnus glared at him.

"Enough with the warlock games," Clary complained. "Can you really wake my mother?" Clary asked accusingly.

"Not without the book of the white." Ragnor denied.

"What is the book of the white?" Arya groaned, slumping back down on one of Ragnors chairs.

"It's an ancient book of Warlock magic containing spells more powerful than...most warlocks could
ever imagine." He grinned, patting Ragnor on the shoulder.

"I possessed the book when your mother came to me and I used its contents to create the potion. Regrettably, I no longer have the book. I asked Jocelyn to hide it that Valentine may never find it." He revealed.

"Ragnor, please, I have to get my mom back," Clary said desperately. "Is there any way to get the Book of the White?" She asked hopefully.

"Possibly. I may have something that can help us. Won't be but a moment." He called, running off quickly to get something they didn't know what was.

"What do we do if he can't find the book?" She

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Jace assured and Arya looked at him.

"If we come to it." She assured and Clary smiled at him softly.

"It's a bit drab isn't it," Magnus commented, looking around his house and commenting on the way it was decorated at a serious point in time.

However, his judgement was withheld when they heard a call of pain from the room above. It was Ragnor. He stumbled backwards with a Shax demon attached to his face.

"Ragnor." Magnus panicked once he fell and the demon turned to ash.

"Shax demon." Jace identified and it sent a few horrifying memories through Arya's mind.

Ragnor tried to cling onto life as he muttered a few words in pain. "Demon t-took me...b-by surprise." He staggered while Magnus attempted to heal his large wound on his neck with Magic.

"How could a Shax demon get past Ragnors wards?" Arya panicked, her hand already on her seraph blade in case there was any more ready to attack.

"It must have followed us. Jumped through when the firewall reset." Jace suggested.

"Be still, my little dear cabbage." Magnus coaxed while he continued to try and heal his friend with all the strength he had. "Your wounds are deep. Hold
on. Please." He pleaded on the verge of begging while Ragnor who couldn't hold on much longer lifted a hand to the warlocks cheek before life gave up on him.

Ragnor had died in Magnus' arms.

"For centuries, this man knew me better than anyone," Magnus said shakily.

Arya felt awful for him.

"Magnus, we're so sorry." Clary gave her condolences on behalf of all of them. Arya nodded and Jace ran a hand through his hair. It was fair to say that their plan had failed tremendously.

"We have to leave, now," Jace concluded.

"We can't. Not until we find whatever it is Ragnor said could help us locate the Book of the White." Clary insisted.

"It's too dangerous." Jace denied. "If one shax demon found us, you can bet there are more on the way."

God, they even squabbled like siblings.

"We have to try." Clary insisted.

"We don't have time to scour through mountains of Ragnor's stuff." The blonde concluded and Arya glared at the pair of them.

"Both of you, shut up." She snapped. "You're being selfish. Ragnor just died, Magnus is clearly distraught over the death of one of his closest friends and the pair of you are acting like children. I get it. It must suck to find out you related. No, I don't get what you're going through. But this...this is more important than who has to be right and who's wrong. So shut the hell up and let's leave Magnus in peace." She scolded the pair and Magnus looked at her great fully before he summoned a portal for them.

"I'll transport everything back to my place and find what you need. Now leave me to take care of my friend." Magnus pleaded and the three nodded, walking through the portal and arriving back at the institute.

✧

"Jace, you're coming to Alec's bachelor party right?" Izzy bombarded them as soon as they walked through the door.

"No. He doesn't want me there, i'm not particularly happy for him, and I'm swamped." Jace denied.

"You two seriously haven't worked things out yet?" Isabel sighed. The pair were just as stubborn as each other.

"There's nothing to work out. If he wants to talk, we'll talk." Jace tried to shrug the other lightwood off.

"He's your Parabatai." She argued.

"We have more important things going on than a bachelor party," Jace said lowly whilst he continued to glare at Alec's soon to be wife from across the room. "Come with me." He ordered and Isabel followed him and the rest of them up onto the training room floor. "We have a Mole in the institute." He said quickly and Isabel's eyes
widened.

"We were attacked by a Shax demon when we went to see Ragnor Fell." Arya expanded.

"The attack can't have been a coincidence. Valentine must've been tracking us." Jace insisted.

"You don't think someone from the institute told Valentine where you were going," Isabel predicted and they nodded.

"There's no other explanation." Clary agreed.

"No one here would betray us like that," Isabel assured. "This is our family.

"Not everyone family yet." Jace realised, his eyes fixating on Lydia again as she fluttered around the institute like a social