It's been another busy week! Sorry for the wait, new chapter might just be released tomorrow? Thanks for the support so far! And woots 1.1k for my Instagram fanpage, amazing!

Follow me on Instagram? It's @ dystopianfiction . I do f4f! Love y'all! <4

“Why isn’t she waking yet?” Chantelle opened an eye big enough to see Ares asking Zachary worriedly.

Zachary folded his arms. “You know, she hasn’t been having that great a rest because of you.”

Ares pinched the bridge of his nose and sat down. “I know, I know. But Andre…”

“Don’t even talk about him. He isn’t my brother anymore.”

This made Chantelle shoot up so fast she almost fainted again. “Are you kidding?”

Both of them looked at her. “He’s a vampire, Channy. My brother’s a Shadowhunter.”

“He didn’t have a choice! And he was trying to save Marissa!”

Zachary didn’t hesitate, leaning forward a little, towards Chantelle. “Did you see the glint in his eye? How he dived right into the action? Maybe it was his intention!” Zachary yelled now. He took a while to calm down. After a few breaths, he spoke again. “Marissa saw it too, how he just… let the vampires do it. And how he bit the vampire.”

“That… that isn’t possible. And it was defence.”

“He didn’t have to bite the vampire and consume that much blood.”

“It could have been an accident.”

Zachary held his hands in the air. “Yeah, he must have accidentally did the most horrible thing in the world.”

Ares moved to sit next to Chantelle when Laressa barged in, holding books.

“Wow, never seen you take interest in those.” Ares said.

Laressa glared at him, setting the books down on the table beside them. “This is so the wrong time for your idiotic commentary. I found these under Andre’s bed.”

They picked the books up, examining them.

Ares looked up. “All on vampires.” He remarked.

“He must have stolen them from the library.” Chantelle told them. “I have no records of him borrowing them. But for all you know, he might just be researching to kill.”

“Whatever.” Zachary shrugged, attempting to appear indifferent, but failing. “It’s 4am. I need to sleep.” He threw himself onto an adjacent bed as Chantelle traced the lines of the bed sheet.

“I heard of your amazing stunt.” Someone boomed from the doorway—Magnus Bane.

“The High Warlock of Brooklyn?” Ares raised his eyebrows.

“It’s Los Angeles now.” Magnus spun to Ares. “What do we have here? Jace Herondale’s ghost? What is it with you people looking like your ancestors?”

Chantelle sat straight. “Wait, you can see Ares?”

“Of course I can, but he’s as pale as a ghost. Are you certain he isn’t one?”

Ares snorted. “As much as you annoy me.”

Magnus turned back to Ares. “Snarky, check. Arrogant, check. Definitely a Herondale.”

“Not forgetting mean, horrible, irritating—“ Added Zachary.

“Annoying, snarky, did I mention annoying—“ Continued Laressa.

“—And all its synonyms in the thesaurus.” Chantelle surprisingly beamed.

Ares raised up his hands, mimicking a surrender. “Geez, I guess I’m definitely deaf to all your criticism.”

Magnus laid down the ancient book found in the library. “I got in touch with satyr that managed to translate this piece. It contains information about Hell and Death alright, but none of how to get there, unless someone’s waiting for you.”

“But Death’s waiting for me.” Chantelle said.

“I thought we were going to spring up a surprise.” Ares stated.

“There was a circle in the library. Maybe we have to do something to it.” Zachary suggested.

“Shall we check it out again?” Magnus suggested, and they headed to the library’s secret room.

Chantelle squatted next to the patterns. “Maybe we have to draw a rune on the empty circle.”

“But which?”

Chantelle somehow felt something click in her brain, like she knew the answer. “Voyance rune.” She mumbled, drawing it onto the floor.

Nothing happened.

“What now?” Asked Ares just as the ground vibrated a little, the circle splitting a little, crack lines forming, adding to the existing. A hologram formed instantly, but it was plain blue and empty.

“What are you doing?” Asked someone in the doorway and they found Marissa standing there, arms crossed, leaning onto the side. “By the angel, please tell me you’re not trying to speak with Hell’s servants.”

“What?”

Marissa rolled her eyes. “Hell’s servants. Anyone who’s in charge can speak with them.”

“So you didn’t tell us about this?” Laressa asked.

“I didn’t expect you all to want to go to Hell. Do you think you’ll survive? You can be the best Nephilim for all you want, there’s no escaping Death. Even if you do, Death will return for you.” Marissa folded her arms.

Ares stared at the patterns of a rug chucked under a desk nearby. “They’ll exchange for our Deaths with something miraculous. A child cured from cancer, an infertile mother suddenly with a child, so on. That’s how miracles appear.”

“When people seek Hell.” Chantelle continued. There was sense in that.

“I guess. But if you want to go on such a voyage, I can’t stop you. Count me in. But Chantelle has to pass her Shadow Trials first.”

Chantelle saw a point in there. From the connection, she could hear Ares speaking to her. Marissa’s going to betray us.

Excuse me? Chantelle had no idea what her parabatai was talking about.

She will do whatever it takes to stop us.

No, she won’t.

Ares looked down at the floor, mind still with his chat through the connection. You don’t know Marissa like I do. Laressa and Zachary and Andr—scratch that-- should know it too. Ares could never forget Andre’s existence. It was instinct to accidentally mention him like this.

The Younghunters agreed to leave the thing alone, but for how long? “That thing, like a Hell’s Portal, might hold the key to answers.” Laressa said when Marissa headed for duty.

“Or the key to our death.” Ares was always pessimistic-candour, so often Laressa gave up on glaring at him.

“By the angel, it’s almost morning. Maybe this time Ares will stick for real.” Zachary said.

“Doubt so, guys.” Ares looked down at himself, who was paler than before.

“I can’t believe you’re leaving.” Chantelle said, accusingly. But she knew it wasn’t her fault, she just wanted him to stay so much…

“I know, I know.” Ares reached out, and unknowingly he touched her hair. How long has he waited to do that? Her hair was brown, just the right shade, some strands a tiny bit darker than the rest, few almost like black themselves.

Chantelle darted away awkwardly, confused as to why he did that. It was weird, that moment exchanged between them, for Chantelle, and she looked up at him, confused.

But Laressa and Zachary didn’t seem to be all that surprised.

“That… was awkward.” Chantelle said, trying to make the mood better, but red crept up Ares’ cheeks. She didn’t seem to jump to conclusions yet, though.

Ares laughed half-heartedly, but the smile didn’t touch his eyes. He looked away, frowning now.

“That’s a first.”