I end up spending the night in Consul Penhallow's house, in one of the spare bedrooms. She must have assumed that Jem and I would sleep together, since she only gave us one room. After arguing for a good thirty minutes about how the other person should get to sleep on the bed, Jem ended up sleeping on the floor. Somehow though, when we woke up in the morning, we were sitting up against the bed, and I was in Jem's lap. It was after about fifteen minutes of us apologizing over and over to each other when Consul Penhallow came into the room.

"There's a council meeting starting soon." She says, and throws me some clothes. I look at them and see that they are Shadowhunter gear. "They were given to Aline but they're too small. I thought you might like to have some clothes to change into." She explains, and I nod, looking at her gratefully.

"Thank you." I say, and put them down on the bed so that I will remember to change into them later. There's something about the way the Inquisitor is standing, that makes me nervous. Her eyes also show her worry, and I know immediately that something is terribly wrong. "What's happened?" My hands fly up absently to my neck, searching for my necklace. It's under my coat, and I blink as I realize that I had been reaching for it. I'm starting to notice that I finger the necklace whenever I'm anxious or nervous. Consul Penhallow sighs, and runs her hand through her shiny black hair.

"You said you were staying with Magnus Bane?" When she says this, I feel like I am on a roller coaster that just dropped unexpectedly. It's like the floor just disappeared, and suddenly, I'm falling through the air.

"Magnus..." I look at the floor, desperately hoping that Magnus is alright. Jem's hand immediately moves to take mine, but then he stops. I don't notice though, since I'm so consumed by worry for Magnus. "What happened to Magnus?" I ask, looking over at the Inquisitor.

"You don't have to worry-."

"What happened to Magnus?" My eyes stare at her with such intensity that she seems surprised for a second. My gaze doesn't waver as I wait for her answer.

"The Downworld representatives...we haven't been able to contact any of them." Consul Penhallow says finally, and I can see how exhausted she is. I nod. At least Magnus isn't  dead for sure.

"Has Alec Lightwood been informed?" I ask immediately. The Consul looks at me strangely. "Alec and Magnus are...well they're in a complicated kind of relationship." I explain and Jem laughs softly.

"I've come to believe that's the only kind of relationship that exists." He says, a small smile on his face. I have this wonderful feeling in my chest, one that I always used to get when I would hear Jem laugh.

"If I see him at the meeting, I'll tell him." The Consul says, and I nod. She leaves and I change into Aline's clothes in the large, walk-in closet. I brush my hair with a brush that I find on a shelf, and pull it back into a high ponytail. When I step out, Jem is staring at me, and I have to check that I put all the gear on right. I look up at my hair, but I doesn't seem to be that bad.

"What?" I ask, blinking at him. He shakes his head and a smile appears on his face. I have no choice but to smile back, since he has the kind of smile makes everyone around him want to smile as well. "James Carstairs! Tell me what is wrong this instant!" I have a huge smile on my face now, and I'm sure I'm just standing here grinning like an idiot. Great job, me. Great job.

"It's just...you look like a Shadowhunter." He shakes his head and walks over. I stand, frozen, as he tucks a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

"I've been thinking...is it still possible to Ascend?" I ask, and now, it's his turn to freeze.

"Aurelia...being a Shadowhunter is dangerous. It's a constant battle, one that sometimes, you lose." Jem says in his soft tone. There's a hint of caution in it though. And something else that I rarely hear in his voice. Fear. I look up, and meet his eyes evenly.

"I know this. I'm not afraid." I say, and he shakes his head.

"That's not what I'm saying. You would make an amazing Shadowhunter. It's just..." He trails off and looks out the window, at the grassy hills that roll like ocean waves. Jem sighs, and turns away from me.

"It's just what?" I ask, while redoing my ponytail.

"Nothing." He says quietly, and I decide not to push it. Instead, I walk over to the door. My hand is on the shiny handle when I turn around and say something I don't expect myself to say.

"We used to be so close." The words leave my mouth before I really think about it. "Jem, I'm so sorry I shouldn't-."

"No, please don't apologize. I know..." He doesn't turn around, but sits down on the bed and sighs. "I look at you and I see the girl who I used to hold close to me at night. But then, there's something different about you. You're so...guarded. Why have you put up so many walls?" His voice shakes as he says this last bit, and I look down, knowing that he's not going to like the answer.

"You." I say simply, and shake my head sadly. Jem stands up and walks over to me suddenly, pulling me close.

"I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry..." Jem says in a choked voice. "I'm sorry..." I'm shocked at first, not expecting this reaction from him.

"Oh, no, Jem. You've done nothing wrong. This isn't your fault." I say, and I put a hand on his cheek and slowly raise his head. Our eyes meet, and though his no longer look like they did before, they are so familiar. It's like that time when my family and I went back to visit our old house in Washington after living in New York for a year. It was so good to be home, but the unhappy memories still lingered there, making me want to leave as much as I wanted to stay. "This is not your fault." I repeat, making sure that he knows this. I don't want him to ever think that this situation is his fault. Because it's not. It's mine.

"How did this happen to us?" Jem asks in a hushed voice. I don't want to let go, don't want him to stop holding me. But we have to go. As a Shadowhunter, he has to attend the council meeting. I draw away from him and Jem puts on his Silent Brother robes. We go downstairs and I hear voices coming from behind two large, oak doors. I push them open, and inside it seems like every single Shadowhunter is in the crowded room. Jem touches my hand lightly, and I watch as he moves to join the other Silent Brothers. I'm standing near a group of children, all who look much to young to be at a council meeting. There's a girl with blonde hair who looks about twelve or thirteen, a boy the same age with messy brown hair. Two children who look around ten are standing close to each other, and their little sister, who looks about seven or eight, is standing a bit part from the group and looking around at all the people. A small boy who looks about two is playing on the floor by their feet, smiling. For a group of half-Angels, these people are terribly unorganized when it comes to meetings. They speak loudly, and over one another. I can barely keep up with how many people are talking at once, and slowly lose interest in the conversation. That is, until a guard standing next to the Consul yanks her back and holds a silver dagger to her throat.

"Silence!" The man roars, his wild eyes darting around the room. His eyes land on the child sitting on the ground and I see him pulling out another knife. Everyone else hasn't noticed where exactly he's staring, since they're looking up at him, trying to figure out what to do. So I decide that since I haven't already done something stupid today, it's time to do something stupid right now. I dive for the toddler, and tuck into a somersault pulling him close to my chest. I can feel the knife brush against my shoulder, as I roll out of the way. Everyone's eyes look at me, stunned. Helen Blackthorn lets out a small cry as she sees the knife buried in the floor where the child had been sitting a few seconds ago. Jem looks like he wants to run over to me, but he doesn't move in case it provokes the Endarkened Shadowhunter. I turn my head slightly and see the youngest girl looking over at the man threatening the Consul, her small face pale. Her older siblings are too far away to reach her without taking a step or two, so I reach up and take her hand gently. She looks startled at first, but I guess she assumes since I saved her little brother, I can't be all that bad. She slowly crouches down and sits close to me. I cradle the little boy in one arm, and wrap the other around the girl. I look up as the man shouts again.

"Hear me Shadowhunters!" The man roars, and I look up at him. Most Nephilim stare up at him as well, their hands halfway to their weapons. The Consul stands like a marble statue, and there's a crazed light in the man's eyes. "Hear me, for I was one of you! Blindly following the rule of the Clave, convinced of my safety within the wards of Idris, protected by the light of the Angel! But there is no safety here. None are safe, not even Heaven's messengers. That is the reach of the power of the Infernal Cup, and of he who holds it!" A murmur runs through the crowd, and the man with dark hair and blue eyes that I saw last night pushes his way through the crowd. I believe he's Robert Lightwood. There's an anxious look on his face as he stares at the Consul, and the blade pressed against her throat.

"What does he want? Valentine's son. What does he want from us?" Robert Lightwood demands, and I sit very still on the ground, not wanting to draw attention to myself or the children.

"Oh, he wants many things. But for now he will content himself with the gift of his sister and adoptive brother. Give him Clarissa Morgenstern and Jace Lightwood, and avert disaster." The Endarkened Shadowhunter says, and Robert shakes his head.

"We are Nephilim. We do not trade away our own." Robert answers coolly.

"We of the Infernal Cup have in our possession five of your allies. Meliorn of the Fair Folk, Raphael Santiago of the Night's Children, Luke Garroway of the Moon's Children, Jocelyn Morgenstern of the Nephilim, and Magnus Bane of the Children of Lilith." I feel a sharp pain in my chest as the man says this. They have Magnus. "If you do not give us Clarissa and Jonathan, they will be put to the deaths of iron and silver, of fire and rowan. And when your Downworld allies learn that you have sacrificed their representatives because you would not give up your own, they will turn on you. They will join with us, and you will find yourselves fighting not just he who holds the Infernal Cup, but all of Downworld." Sebastian is clever, I'll give him that.

"You are a fool and a follower!" A Shadowhunter man standing a few feet away from me says angrily. "No Downworlders will hold us accountable for not sacrificing two of our children to Jonathan Morgenstern's pyre of corpses."

"Oh, but he will not kill him. You have his word on the Angel that no harm will come to the Morgenstern girl or the Lightwood boy. They are his family, and he desires them by his side. So there is no sacrifice." The Turned Nephilim grins viciously. I wish there was something that I can do, but without my bow I'm not very helpful. I should have armed myself before leaving the room I had slept in last night.

"I will go!" A voice rings out, and I recognize it immediately. Jace Herondale. "I will go, willingly. I will go to Sebastian. Just leave Clary out of it. Let her stay. Take me alone." In that instant, there is no doubt in my mind that he is a Herondale. Will would have done the very same thing. Everyone begins talking at once, and in the chaos, I stand up, and run over to the other children, bringing the younger ones with me. Helen Blackthorn looks throughly relieved as I hand her the toddler. The girl through, remains next to me, her hand not leaving mine. The Endarkned Shadowhunter laughs hauntingly, silencing the room.

"There will be no bargain without Clarissa. Sebastian demands her, and I deliver what my master demands."

"You think we're fools," Jace says, his eyes meeting the Endarkend's evenly. "Actually, I know better than that. You don't think at all. You're a mouthpiece for a demon, that's all you are. You don't care about family or blood or honor. You're no longer human." Jace's voice is clear and calm, as he stands still, looking very much like an angel.

"Why would anyone want to be human?" The Dark Nephilim sneers. And, as terrifying as this situation is, I feel a flash of annoyance. Being human's not all that bad. It's not as cool as being a Shadowhunter but still. 

"Your bargain is worthless," Jace continues. "So we give ourselves up, and Sebastian returns his hostages. Then what? You've been at such pains to tell us how much better he is than the Nephilim, how much stronger, how much cleverer. How he can strike at us here in Alicante, and all our wards and all out guards can't keep him out. How he'll destroy us all. If you want to bargain with someone, you offer them a chance to win. If you were human, you'd know that." There's a pause, and I look closely at the Endarkned Shadowhunter, noticing that something is odd. His mouth his moving, but he's not saying anything. He nods his head, like he is thinking about what to say. Or, rather, like he's listening to someone telling him what to say.

"You cannot win." The Turned Nephilim says finally, and Jace laughs mockingly.

"You see what I mean. Then what does it matter if we die now or later-."

"You cannot win," The Endarkened says, completely ignoring Jace. "But you can survive. Those of you who choose it can be changed by the Infernal Cup; you will be soldiers of the Morning Star, and you will rule the world with Jonathan Morgenstern as your leader. Those who choose to remain the children of Raziel may do so, as long as you remain in Idris. The borders of Idris will be sealed, closing it away from the rest of the world, which will belong to us. This land granted to you by the Angel, you will keep, and keeping within its borders, you will be safe. That, you can be promised." I want to scream and hurl something sharp at the man's head. The world he's talking about ruling is mine. My family is there. My friends. My home. The Shadowhunters can't just stand by as Sebastian slaughters mundanes. Can they?

"Sebastian's promises mean nothing." Jace snarls, his golden eyes flashing up at the Endarkened.

"His promises are all you have. Keep your alliance with the Downworlders, stay within the borders of Idris, and you will survive. But this offer stands only so long as you give yourselves up to our master. You and Clarissa both. There is no negotiation." The man stares down at Jace from his place on the dais. Survive. The Endarkened keeps saying that the Shadowhunters can survive if they hide within the walls of Idris. But surviving isn't the same thing as living. What's the point of being alive if all you do is watch as the world around you falls?

"Give us time," Robert Lightwood calls. "Give us some time to cast a vote at least."

"Time," The Endarkened sneers, raising the knife above his head and holding Consul Penhallow with the other. "Why should Sebastian give you time?" A sharp singing noise cuts through the air and I spin around to see Alec Lightwood, his bow raised, the string still vibrating from shooting an arrow. The knife in the Turned Nephilim's hand is knocked free of his grasp. He staggers back and let's out a roar of pain. The Consul darts off the dais, and Jace Herondale runs forward, his seraph blade held tightly in his hand. Alec Lightwood runs past me and tackles Jace to the ground, seconds before the dais bursts into flames. The Endarkned, now a black shadow at the center of the flames, throws his hands up in the air and laughs maliciously. The young girl is still clutching my hand, and I push her towards me and bury her face in my shoulder, to shield her from seeing this horrid sight. I notice the blond girl, who had be standing with who I assume are the Blackthorns, staring at the scene, her small face pale with shock. I stand up, picking up the Blackthorn girl who has her hands over her ears, and run over to the blond girl.

"Hey," I stand in front of her, blocking her view of the burning man. "Hey, look at me." I say, bending down a bit so that I'm her height. I have to shout to be heard over the shrieks and screams and the crackling fire."What's your name?" She stares at me, to shocked to say anything.

"Emma." She says finally. "Emma Carstairs." I look down at the girl, a small smile appearing on my face as she says her last name.

"I happen to know a Carstairs whom I love very dearly." I say to her, and she looks surprised. "Just close your eyes, Emma. It'll all be a bad memory soon." I don't speak to the girl as if she were a small child, but someone my age, that I would have a normal conversation with. I think this is what makes Emma nod and close her eyes. She seems like the type of girl who acts and thinks older than they are, and hates to be addressed as a child.

"Two days Nephilim! You have two days to decide your fate! And then you will all burn! You will burn in the fires of Hell and the ashes of Edom will cover your bones!" The Endarkened cries. His voice rises to a haunting and unearthly shriek, which is suddenly silenced as the flames disappear. All that remains is a message, scrolled in something that looks like gold ink. Veni. I immediately think of the Latin phrase Veni, vidi, vici. I came, I saw, I conquered. Sebastian Morgenstern has come. And he wants to burn my world to the ground.