smiled at her slightly annoying parabatai. "Good point." Izzy grinned. "You so just wanted to hear us say it." Arya scoffed and Izzy nodded.

"Damn, I make this necklace look so good." Izzy sighed, knowing she would soon have to hand it over to Magnus. "Will you take it off?" Alec pleaded. "I'm certain Magnus Bane doesn't want drool on his ruby when we make the exchange." He grumbled.

"You know, I wouldn't be so sure. Most men like it when I admire their jewels." Isabel giggled and Arya and Clary snorted at her comment. "Can you just give it to Jace?" He grumbled, not needing to hear his sisters comments—especially those comments.

"You're such a buzzkill." Izzy groaned. "I'm sure you'd like Arya to admire your jewels." She smirked and Arya could have died right there and then and so could Alec. "I'm just gonna go straight in," Arya mumbled, moving out of the line and flirting with the man at the entrance a little so she could get in before the others.

Inside was loud and bright and busy. Booming techno music was playing, piercing green lights flashed from the ceiling and sweaty bodies covered every inch of the floor where people were dancing.

"Blend in. Keep your weapons ready." Jace told them once Arya had re-joined the group. It was almost instantly however that they found Magnus—sat at the bar alone and presumably waiting for them. "Clary Fairchild." He said when the redhead emerged through the crowds besides Jace. "You've grown into a beautiful young woman." He complimented but Clary wasn't having any of it.

"Magnus Bane. So you're the one who stole my memories." She snarled at the older man. "At your mother's request. She knew the risk." He told her truthfully.

Alec, Izzy and Arya split up during what was supposed to be the exchange and tried to blend in with everyone else. Arya was talking to a random guy who had approached her. Izzy was dancing between the groups of people and Alec was leant against the table watching the pair to make sure they didn't do anything stupid or nobody tried to hurt them—while also pulsing with Jealousy.

But Arya's attention was taken away from the guy she had been talking to when she spotted a familiar man walking through the crowds. She excused herself from the conversation and headed over to Izzy to tell her what was happening. She also made eye contact with Alec who had already been looking at her. She nodded her head towards the man and Alec frowned, watching him while Izzy and Arya left the crowd and they all joined together to try and find where the man was going. But once they noticed he was getting closer to Clary, Jace and Magnus and then finally spotted the circle rune on his neck, they realised they had been found. "Watch out!" Isabel shouted over to the other three while Alec shot one of his arrows into the right shoulder of the man. The lightwood walked forwards and retrieved the Seraph dagger from the man's pocket while Clary tried to stop Magnus from disappearing through the portal.

"Valentine found us. I warned your mother this might happen." He told her bluntly before snatching his hand from her grasp and disappearing through the portal. "The area is clear, looks like he was the only assassin," Izzy told them while Alec checked out the body. "He has a circle rune on the base of his neck." He warned them.

"They found us." Arya deadpanned. "It's not safe here." She warned, hinting that they should probably leave. "Clary, we have to go," Jace told her sternly once he saw she had made no move to leave with them. "Clary..." He said again when she didn't move from her spot. She soon followed after them but wasn't acting herself. She was distant.

"Jace..." Isabel said, alerting him to the same thing. "Clary, we have to move." The blonde insisted. "I'm catching my breath." She snapped at him while Izzy assisted her and made sure she was okay.

"You know what? This is great. And not only did Magnus but get the girl her memories back, he took the necklace. This is fantastic—" He ranted. "Alec, the girl...her name is Clary and I highly suggest you keep your voice down." He snapped at his parabatai. "Why?" The lightwood argued back while the three girls stood together in a group—waiting for their argument to be over. "What, are you afraid I'm gonna upset her? We have risked our lives again and again for this girl, and where has it gotten us? All right? Nowhere. We're no closer to getting the mortal cup. And we've lost the Institute's necklace." The boy continued to rant.

"Hey, I am right here." The redhead finally snapped at him. "I don't care about your damn jewellery." She argued. "I'm sorry you're gonna look bad in front of your bosses, okay? But my mother is still missing and my last chance at finding her just disappeared into thin air." She shouted at him while everyone remained quiet for Alec and Clary's argument.

"Clary, it's gonna be fine." Jace tried to convince. "No, it's not!" She shouted. "People are dying because of me. And Magnus? Magnus will never come out of hiding again while valentine is still after him." She said more shakily. "We're never gonna find him." She resulted. "And I will...I will never get my memories back." She gave up, throwing the button—which had torn of Magnus jacket when she tried to stop him from disappearing—onto the ground—only for Jace to catch it.

"You give up way too easily." He scoffed, holding the button out in his hand and turning away from the rest of the group holding it between his hands to try and track him. But he ultimately wasn't strong enough to break through the protections and thus had to have the assistance of Alec for parabatai tracking so they could find him.

"Got him," Jace announced, the pair separate.

✧

"Magnus' lair is right behind that fence," Jace told them once that had arrived inside some abandoned warehouse. They had their weapons ready in case the situation got messy like it always usually did.

"Magnus lives in a wear house?" Clary questioned—curious as to why a rich warlock who took advantage of all of life's pleasures had chosen to live in a place that reflected the exact opposite. "Not exactly," Jace told her vaguely, with his seraph blade brandished.

"Warlock glamour," Arya told her, wearily looking around from her place besides Alec. "Somethings wrong," Izzy interjected, suddenly. "It's far too easy to get this close." She warned them.

"His protective wards must be down," Jace suggested but still, everybody continued to stay in the same place, nobody wanted to move and risk being caught if a guard or being ambushed. "You..." Alec mumbled salty at Clary. Last time she had interfered in a Demon fight she had almost gotten Arya killed by one. He wasn't going to risk the girl's life twice. "Don't get in the way." He warned and Clary glared at him.

But just as the two ended the deathmatch they had created with their eyes, the sounds of a man grunting and struggling changed their attention to the opening of the gate which Magnus' lair resided behind. They couldn't see the sword but the sound of it tearing through one of the men's flesh—caused by the other—made it very clear he had been stabbed. "Oh, God! Valentine found Magnus." Clary stressed.

She soon followed after the other four shadow hunters, heading straight to where the stabbed man was falling to his final death. The man responsible for the attack was seen fleeing but Arya's attention wasn't on him. Instead, a girl was shaking the dead man and calling for him to wake up. She was young—11 at most—and the man who was now lying dead was her father. And from Arya and Clary's hidden place behind a pile of scaffolding, they say a man with another seraph blade, sauntering straight up behind her. "Watch out!" Clary shouted, while Arya ran forwards and kicked the man's chest—shoving him away for the three girls.

"Clary Fairchild. Valentine will be so pleased to meet you." He snarled, eyeing up the redhead besides Arya. "Arya Legacy. I'm sure he'll be happy to finally finish the job he started eleven years ago." The circle member snarled again and it made Arya sick to her stomach. If she wasn't filled with so much adrenaline then she could have thrown up the contents of her stomach in the nearest toilet. "Yeah well, he's not gonna get a chance." Arya glared, hastily grabbing and extending her seraph blade and throwing it into the man's stomach like you would an axe in target practice.

"Thanks for that." Clary smiled while Arya retrieved her blade. "Any time. But stick close. It's safest if we stay together." The girl assured, leading the young girl and Clary towards Izzy while she headed up to find Manus' lair. When she did she saw he was battling another Circle member. "Your Cat eyes will be an excellent addition to my collection." He quipped at Magnus and Arya scoffed. "Good luck with that." She smiled sarcastically, grabbing one of the blades from the trap beneath the skirt of her dress and throwing it into his leg. Magnus handling the rest. "Well done." She muttered once he collapsed onto the toppled over bookshelf lifelessly. "More like medium-rare," He joked and Arya giggled slightly. He turned to meet her and smiled politely.

"I'm Magnus." He greeted. "I don't think we've been formally introduced." Giving her a sultry look which made Arya a little nervous. "Arya." She greeted and Magnus nodded with a smirk at her. "We should probably...you know—get..." She stammered—her nerves making her stutter from the look he was giving her. "Right, we should join the party," He agreed. "Right." Arya nodded, heading out to help the others and almost running into Alec on the way.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked her hopefully and she nodded with a smile that he was checking up on her. "Yeah...yes—totally. I just—just met Magnus." She stuttered, hating herself for doing it. "Oh. Oh right." Alec frowned and noticed the obvious blush on her face and hoping that it wasn't from the Warlock.

They finally all congregated back into Magnus' living room which was now partially destroyed. Izzy was igniting her runes while Jace and Alec made sure all the circle members were either dead or securely tied up. "Magnus!" Clary called, jogging in with the child they had helped previously behind her and Arya emerging behind them a few moments after. The girl was hugging him tightly and he looked pitifully at her. "Go and join the others, my dear. This is no place for a little girl." He told her, directing his gaze towards the portal which all Warlocks were now disappearing through. "Go." He ushered and she complied.

"I heard what you did for Zoe." He told the redhead. You risked your life without hesitation to save a young warlock child." He said gratefully. "She was just a young girl and she was in trouble. Besides, I didn't do it alone." She admitted, looking over at Arya who had been chatting with Izzy but looked up when she sensed two sets of eyes on her. "On the contrary to what people may believe—I still have a heart. We had no choice." Arya told him firmly and he smirked at her again. "You always have a choice." He disagreed. "Her. I like her. She's got sass." Magnus told Clary and then smirked at the brunette and Arya blushed at his gaze again slightly—not noticing Alec's frown as he looked between the two from across the room or Clary's laugh both at Magnus' comment, The look on Arya's face or the fact the other pair were so oblivious.

"It's alright, mate. But you should probably take my advice from the graveyard the other night." Jace warned and Alec glared at him, recalling what he had said.

✧

"If you are so jealous she was with a vamp—maybe you should do something about how you feel instead of bottling it up."

✧

But Alec was broken from his thoughts when Magnus spoke up again. "You not like the other girls—especially you." He winked at the brunette. "Most shadow hunters protect Downworlders out of a sense of duty, but you two saved young Zoe because of what was inside your heart." He told them before turning to Clary. "You are more like your mother than you will ever know." He told her and Clary smiled.

"Magnus, please..." The girl begged, cutting their previous conversation short. "...you can't hide from this battle. Look, Valentine, he found you once, he will find you again. We need to work together. Help me." She pleaded.

"I can summon the demon, but you must make the command," Magnus offered. "Now, I warn you...retrieving your memories will not be easy." He told her bluntly. "I will do what I have to." Clary insisted. "Alright." The warlock agreed. "But we're not safe here. The lairs location has been compromised. Hold tight, everyone, we're about to move." He warned them all so everyone steadied themselves as his hands glowed blue, the damages from the room disappeared—as well as the bodies—and the room lit up with a bright purple light which consumed them and then suddenly...they were in a similar but different apartment.

"Ah, much better," Magnus sighed deeply, looking around at the new complex. "Uh, it's invertible. After each move, I get the itch to redecorate." He complained and then turned to Arya who was already looking at him—much to Alec's dismay. "Normally, I love a dirty lair, but this one is just sloppy." He smirked at her and everyone followed his eye-line to her, while he casually fixed a table with his foot.

Alec scowled and Arya awkwardly smiled, subconsciously moving closer to the raven-haired shadow hunter who eased his tension when he noticed her doing so and moved to stand beside her, Magnus raising his eyebrows at the boy. "I believe in payment for services rendered." He told them, turning to Izzy beside him and brandishing the necklace from earlier to her, the ruby shining just as pretty as usual. "Thank you for defending the warlocks." He glowered, walking behind Izzy to have better access to her neck while the other four converged in a group to the left of them.

"I couldn't." Izzy refused. "But, you could. And you should." He insisted, fastening it for her. "The light woods have been wearing this for years. Besides, this would look silly on your brother." He told her, glancing at the boy who was so overprotective of Arya. "I would give this to your parabatai—" He started. "How did you know." Izzy asked surprised and Magnus grinned and gave her a look which probably meant 'I know everything. "—but I sense she'll be getting much more from me in the future to come. Is she more of flowers and chocolates or perfume girl?" He asked the raven-haired girl curiously and she just chuckled once she saw the glare her brother was sending Magnus and the rosiness off Arya's cheeks.

"I wouldn't. She's in love with my brother." Izzy told him honestly—nodding towards Alec subtly. "And He's..?" He asked. "Smitten by her," She gushed. "Are they?" Magnus asked, desperate for information. "In-denial of theirs and oblivious to each other feelings." She laughed.

"Okay, so how do we summon the memory demon?" Clary asked hastily, cutting everyone's conversations short. "Are you certain?" He asked. "Summoning such a powerful demon could be lethal." He warned.

"I'll do anything to save my mother." Clary insisted forcefully. "Where is the demon?" She asked, wanting to quickly get it done.

"Okay. Angry boy, get your team ready." He ordered, referring to Alec. "You know what to do," Jace said, walking forwards but Magnus stopped him. "I'm not talking to you. "I'm talking to you." He said pointing to Alec who was still protectively stood in front of Arya.

Truth be told, he could have gotten Jace to do it. He just wanted Alec out of the way of Arya for a little while. "Come with me," Hs told Clary, directing her into a larger room through double doors, leaving the other four to get ready.

"What is with him and Arya," Alec mumbled to his parabatai and Jace smirked at him. "He's doing what you should be doing." Jace grinned cockily and Alec glared at him. "Not my fault he's made more of a move in the last five minutes than you have in the last five years." He laughed and Alec scoffed, turning his attention back to his arrows and bow while Jace walked over to Clary to also prepare her—Magnus orders. And seconds later they could hear the brutal screams that had escaped Clary's lungs.

✧

The five felt like it had been forever while they waited for Clary to draw the hexagram needed for the ritual. Alec felt like it had been especially long when he had to endure Magnus' staring and comments directed towards Arya. But now the wait was over and the harder stuff would begin.

"Jocelyn was right, your artistry is beyond compare." Magnus complimented as they all entered the large room and saw the hexagram which was drawn out beautifully on the floor. "I don't know about that." Clary sighed and Arya realised that she was very bad at accepting compliments. "Oh, the only other person I've knows who could draw as well as Artemisia Gentileschi, who was excellent in bed, I might add," Magnus commented, winking at Arya who smiled while Alec frowned for the millionth time, Izzy laughed and Clary and Jace shared a loving look.

"Okay, we're ready." He called out, rolling up his sleeves in preparation. "Everyone take your rightful place on the hexagram." The warlock told them. Arya took a place between Magnus and Alec with Izzy to Alec's right, Clary to Magnus left and then Jace between the raven-haired girl and the redhead—who the blonde had to position since she was utterly clueless.

"We must initiate a bond. Once this bond is sealed, it cannot be broken until the demon retreats. No matter what happens, we must not let go of each other's hands." He warned and everyone nodded. He extended his hand to Arya first who took it and could feel the bond is made. It was like two really strong magnets had been placed beside each other and the opposing ends had just joined together and were now stuck like that. The same when she took Alec's hand. It was warm and soft and Arya couldn't help the butterfly feeling which rippled through her stomach when their touch met. She was crazy about him. And it didn't help that she knew Izzy could feel the same a little by the smirk she was sending her best-friends way.

When it came round to Izzy she looked between the other and smirked. "You people are pathetic." She grinned and Arya laughed at her antics slightly before they all focused again.

"I will lead the ceremony, and you all must do exactly as I say," Magnus told them sternly and everyone remained quiet. "The demons name is Valak. And at some point, he will ask for payment in exchange for Clary's memories." Magnus explained how the process would commence.

"What do you mean? What kind of payment?" Jace worried, hoping it wasn't anything too severe or radical. "We will see." Magnus simply replied. "Let us begin." He said and Clary looked at Jace uneasily. The blonde mouthed 'it will be okay' to the redhead and Izzy and Arya smirked at one another. Their moment, however, was interrupted when Magnus began chanting in Chthonian.

The bond between the six suddenly got a lot stronger and Arya felt like she was superglued to the pair but she knew that once the demon emerged it would be more difficult to hold on so the strength between them all was necessary and she didn't mind holding Alec's hand. She could get used to it.

"The necklace. It's pulsing." Izzy told the group who all saw the ruby beginning to glow on and off, signalling that the demon must be present and just like that it appeared. They all looked up to watch as its pitch black smoke