"Zee." Clary and I were finally speaking about Jace not being our brother, even if we've known for a bit, "You know what this means, right?"

We decided to actually discuss about it, considering neither of us had said a word about Simon breaking up with me and Jace not being our brother.

I stare at her, "What does it mean?"

"You and Simon aren't together anymore." Clary began to list, walking around my room, "Jace isn't our brother, you're both painfully single-"

"Okay-" I sat up on my bed, "Where are you going with this?"

"Are you kidding?" Clary looked at me in disbelief and bursts in excitement due to my obliviousness, "This means you get to screw Jace without it being incest!"

"Oh my god-" My eyes went wide, "Clary!"

"I'm sorry, but you can't deny that there's something between you two!" Clary softly laughs, "There's nothing in your way anymore, Zee."

I shook my head, "Whatever I felt for Jace- is ancient history."

"Look who you're talking to." Clary shoves me playfully, "I can read you like an open book."

I laid back on my bed, dragging out her name in annoyance, "Clary-"

"When you and Jace finally get the guts to tell each other how you really feel, I'm going to be right there, saying I told you so." Clary nudges me, plopping onto the bed with me.

-

"We've lost seven of our own, but we can't allow a single, radical Seelie to define the entire Downworld, any more than we can allow Valentine to define all Shadowhunters." Alec spoke in front of the entire Insitute, stood tall.

Alec continues, "So, to restore unity with our allies, I will be hosting regular Cabinet meetings here with the Downworld leaders of New York."

Isabelle, Clary, Jace and I were smiling at him proudly from where we stood.

"Please, let's make the Downworlders feel welcome." Alec finished, before everyone parted ways and Alec walked over to us.

"Look at you." Jace smiled at him, "In charge for a week, you're already shaking things up."

"Yeah." I agreed, giving him a soft smile, "I think this Cabinet thing is a good idea."

Alec exhales sharply, glancing around us, "Yeah, I'm not sure everyone agrees."

"All the more reason to do it, right?" I pat his arm to get his attention so he wasn't fixed on what everyone else thought and was paying attention to the conversation being had, "How can I help?"

"Actually, I need you and Jace for a mission." Alec brought up, looking between us, "You're going to the Seelie Court."

Clary asked, "Where is that?"

"The nearest entrance is in Central Park." Isabelle spoke up, "But- it's in another realm, where the Seelie Queen lives."

"I requested an audience with her to discuss Kaelie's crimes." Alec mentions, "But- she said she'll only meet with Valentine's experiments."

"Well." I clear my throat, "That category is just- charming, isn't it?"

"So, you think the Seelie Queen is responsible for Kaelie's attacks?" I crossed my arms.

Alec's eyes connect with mine, "That's what I want you to find out."

"It would make sense." Jace nodded, "Those murders weren't exactly Kaelie's style."

Clary questions, "How did you know Kaelie?"

"Book Club." Jace simply said.

I look at him, shocked, "You read?"

"Yeah." Jace nods, "Why does everyone find that so hard to believe?"

"Because it is hard to believe?" I stared at him, "Have you met you?"

"Look, focus." Alec cuts in, "We need to find out if she's complicit, an entire faction could be turning against us."

"That shouldn't be too hard for you guys, right?" Clary looks between us, "Seelies can't lie."

"Technically yes, but after hundreds of years of practice, they can expertly manipulate the truth, and-" Jace inhales, "The Queen is the master."

"She's very dangerous- the entire realm is." Isabelle adds in, "More than one Shadowhunter hasn't made it back."

"You know- what could go wrong?" I clear my throat, muttering under my breath just enough for everyone to hear as I rolled my eyes, "We're Valentine's experiments, right? Don't mess with us."

-

"Jace isn't going to be happy that you're here." I walked with Simon, my cold hands shoved into my coat pockets, "You really shouldn't have come."

Simon scoffs as we neared Jace, "When is he ever happy to see me?"

Jace instantly turned, "What is he doing here?

"Well hello to you." Simon greets, "I'm joining the mission."

"No, you're not." Jace shot back, "You weren't invited."

I sigh, "I already told him that."

"But- then I pointed out that you can never have too much backup." Simon points, "You've seen my fighting skills firsthand."

"There will be no fighting." Jace made it clear, "If you hurt anyone in the Queen's realm, she has every right to hurt you."

"This is a sensitive political mission." Jace really didn't want Simon to come along, "It takes a certain charm."

"Well, I'll have you know, I was voted vice president in eighth grade." Simon mentions, "And you do not win an election without charm."

"Simon, this isn't middle school." Jace shot him a look, "This is life or death."

"Have you been to middle school?" Simon asks, making me laugh softly.

"Look, Seelies have the beauty of angels, and the viciousness of demons, and those opposing qualities makes them unpredictable." Jace began explaining, "A vampire or a werewolf, they prefer to attack you head on, but Seelies, they want to trick you into your own self-destruction."

"I mean, that's a little dramatic, don't you think?" Simon questions, "I mean, aren't Seelies like woodland hippies who eat berries and ants?"

Jace exhales deeply, "I thought the same about Kaelie."

Simon was quick to comeback, "And who saved Zee from her?"

"Jace, you're not gonna get him to change his mind." I huff, "I've tried- and we're wasting time, we have to go."

"Where is the entrance?" I asked him.

"There." Jace points to the water over the railing.

Simon looks down, "The Seelie Court is in a creek?"

"Not in it through it." Jace steps back, then leaps off the fence, jumping into the water, disappearing before you could even hear a splash.

I stare at the water, "This is officially your last change to turn back."

"Wherever you go I go, Young." Simon smiles at me, as I shrugged lightly, him and I both jumping and disappearing through the water, landing where Jace was.

I looked around, completely astonished.

"After you, Mr. Vice President." Jace gestures for Simon to go forward, making me laugh.

I suppress my laugh in my palm, as Simon salutes, leading the way as Jace and I followed him.

-

The birds chirped as I walked alongside Jace and Simon, the small white flakes covered our clothes, spotting our hair.

I attempt to ruffle some of it out of my hair, Jace speaking as he watched me, "You know, there's no use in doing that? Within the next few minutes it'll be all over your hair again."

I drop my hands and shot him a look.

"Don't worry-" Jace nudges me lightly, "You look good either way."

I hit my tongue to hold back a smile, looking away.

Simon spoke up, "You know, for a dangerous mission, the Seelie Court's pretty romantic."

"Well, unfortunately for us, we're all painfully single." I cross my arms, looking around.

"Is that blood?" Simon stopped, heading over to a tree, touching the branch to investigate.

"Simon, get away from the tree!" Jace raises his voice when he realized what Simon was touching, grabbing Simon and tossing him to the side, "Get away from the tree!"

"What the hell are you doing?" Simon jumped up right after he landed on the ground.

"Saving you." Jace exhales deeply, "As usual."

Simon scoffs, "From a tree?"

"That is called a kill tree." Jace points to the tree Simon was touching.

"How self explanatory." I remark, rocking back and forth on my feet.

"It would have wrapped its vines around you and torn you limb from limb." Jace went in depth, then looks at me, "That tree almost tore Simon's pretty face off."

Simon smiles proudly, "You think I'm pretty?"

"Look, in the Seelie realm, it's not just the creatures that are deadly." Jace sighs at Simon's response, "It's everything."

"If you want to survive, don't touch, eat, or smell anything." Jace said before walking ahead, "No matter how small."

-

As we walked into the Seelie Court, I was mesmerized with how beautiful it was.

My attention was so fixed on the setting that when a Seelie gently grabbed my face, I gasped; startled.

Three Seelies surrounded Jace and I, their hands gliding down our bodies as they circled us, and soon enough, my stele and sword was gone.

"Jace, my stele." I dug through my pockets and looked at him, "Our weapons."

Jace exhales deeply, "Yeah."

The girl who didn't look a day over ten stood up, "You'll get them back when you leave the Court."

"Your majesty." Jace bows, gesturing for us to do the same as we mimicked his actions, "What a rare honour."

Simon mutters to Jace, just as stunned as I am to see a girl instead of a woman, "Wait, that's the Queen?"

"Why is the vampire here?" The Seelie Queen asked, "He was not invited."

"He's with me." I stood straight after we were done bowing before her.

"My lady, Simon has proven himself a worthy warrior and a loyal friend." Jace said words I never thought I'd ever heard come from his mouth, "We insisted he be here with us, anything you have to say to us, you can say to him."

"I never thought I'd ever hear you say that." I looked at Jace, "I guess there really is a first time for everything, huh?"

Jace shot me a look, as the Queen obliges, "Very well, the vampire can stay."

Jace nodded once, "You are as generous as you are lovely."

"Set an extra place at the table for our third guest." The Seelie Queen told one of the Seelies, then walks toward me, holding her hand out.

I stepped up slowly and grabbed it, as she simply spoke, pulling me along, "This is going to be fun."

-

I played with the sleeve of my shirt as Jace, Simon and I sat in the ground, around the table, as there was treats set in front of us on a plate, to what the looks of it being cupcakes.

I lean to my side a little, my chin hovering over Jace's shoulder as I whispered, glancing at the Seelie Queen as she spoke with her people, "I thought you said she was ancient- she hasn't even hit puberty."

"She is ancient." Jace turned his head and looked at me, "She uses Seelie magic to manipulate her age."

When I looked at him, I notice how close our faces were.

This makes me sit up and pull my face away.

"Genius!" Simon whisper shouts, "She tries to seem all innocent and cute, but really she's-"

The Queen walks over, "Hungry?"

Jace clears his throat, "That's very kind, but- we really should discuss business."

"Business is boring." She sat down, "That's why I sent a proxy to your Downworlder Cabinet Meeting. I'd like to know more about Valentine's children."

"Actually, between Jace and I-" I trail off, "I'm the only one."

She glanced between us, "Are you sure?"

Jace looks down, "I'm not Valentine's son."

"Yet, the same blood runs through both your veins." She began, "The blood of the angel."

"Please, show me what it can do." She told Jace and I, "Don't be shy."

I looked at Jace, not knowing what to say.

"We're still learning how it works." Jace simply said, and he seemed not phased by her at all.

"Are you?" She suspiciously stares at us, then looked at Simon, "And you, vampire- are you still learning to walk in the sun?"

Simon nervously laughs, "Wow, word travels fast down here."

"It does." She confirms, "I hear whispers from the birds, the bees and the bugs. They're all in my service."

"So was Kaelie." Jace mentions, "Were you surprised to hear one of your knights was killing Shadowhunters?"

"Were you?" She brought the question to him, "Kaelie was your lover."

I bit the inside of my cheek, looking away from them, muttering under my breath, "Book club, huh?"

"I was surprised." Jace clears his throat, "Kaelie didn't seem capable of such brutality."

"Precisely why she made an effective killer." She stared at us, "The sweeter the honey, the deadlier the trap."

"Did Kaelie kill on her own, or was she working with someone else?" I questioned.

"Another knight helped." She stood up, grabbing an apple, "But, I took care of him."

"By took care of-" Simon repeats, "you mean-"

"Dead, dead, dead." She said, then hissed, biting into the apple, a loud crunch sounding the room, as she simply tossed the apple back onto the table, "I'd like a moment alone with the Daylighter."

Simon stammers, "Alone?"

My eyebrows furrow in confusion, "With Simon?"

"My lady, perhaps you could discuss here." Jace spoke up, "We prefer not to be separated."

"Don't worry." She shrugs lightly, "I'll bring him back with all his limbs attached."

"Okay-" Simon quietly said, standing up, obeying what she wanted.

I sat up, "Wait-"

"It's okay, Zee." Simon softly nodded toward me as he was lead away, "I'll be fine."

-

"We should never have let Simon come." I sigh deeply, packing back and forth, "If I knew this would've happened-"

"He didn't exactly give us a choice." Jace cuts me off, seated on the side, "And you know, you can't really blame him. If I were him, I'd never leave your side either."

I froze, my eyes locking with his.

My heart fluttered at his words, as I couldn't break eye contact with him.

Then, Simon walks back over, making me look at him instantly, "Is everything okay?"

"Great!" Simon grabbed my arms and began pulling me along, "We need to go right now."

"Hey- wait." Jace stops us as we all faced the Seelie Queen who stood a few feet away from us, "Your majesty, with your permission, we should get going."

"But- you've only just arrived." The Seelie Queen said in a monotone, before vines emerged from the ground and made their way up Jace and Simon's legs.

"What's happening?" I stepped back, my eyes widening at what was happening due to it not happening to me.

Jace and Simon bent instantly and try to pry the vines off, the Queen shrugging, "It's futile to struggle."

"Vitis veritas." She said, "Enchanted vines that only obey me."

"What are you doing?" I spun and faced her, "They haven't done anything wrong, let them go!"

She stood tall, "But- they killed several of my kind."

"What?" Simon blurts out, "We didn't kill anyone?"

"She can't lie." Jace mutters, "Your majesty, you must be mistaken."

She folds her hands in front of her, "I told you, the birds, bees, bugs, they're all in my service."

That's when I realize, "The gnats at the kill tree."

Simon blinks as the vines were now at their chests, "What, that that bug I killed?"

"But- that can't seriously mean-" I stammer.

"Their deaths require justice." She exclaims, "Unless, of course, you'd rather play a game."

Jace asks, "What kind of game?"

"A game sounds better." Simon said in unison with Jace.

"It's simple, really." She stepped closer, "All I ask is a kiss."

"You want one of us to kiss you?" I scoff in slight humor, "I'm sure Jace would voluntarily do it."

"The game isn't for me." She looks between us all, then her eyes are fixed on me, "It's for you, Zee."

It felt like I couldn't breathe anymore, as my voice came out quiet and barely there, "What?"

The look in the Seelie Queen's eyes showed me that she was only getting amusement out of this, "The kiss that will set them free is the kiss you most desire."

My heart dropped into an endless pit.

Fear was burning in my eyes, as my heart began beating quicker. It was like an oxygen disappeared, and the only way I could get it back was by kissing either Jace or Simon.

"No- no, okay?" I burst, stressfully running a hand through my hair, "I'm not going to give into your stupid game-"

"I suggest you move quickly." She ignored what I said, "Once the vines reach their necks, the boys will be dead, dead, dead."

I swallowed hard, turning slowly to look at Jace and Simon. The vines were now completely around their arms and reaching their shoulders.

I took a step towards Simon, when The Seelie Queen's voice stopped me, "You can fool yourself, but not the vitis veritas."

I looked back at her, small tears beginning to pool in my eyes, as I let in a shaky breath.

Then, I heard Jace's weak call, "Zee."

When I turned my head, the vibes were wrapping around their necks, tightening quickly.

My eyes were wide as Simon strained against the vines, as he looked like he wanted to say something, but couldn't because of the vines.

Reluctantly, I walked over to Jace.

My eyes were locked with his, my hands reaching and grabbing his face gently.

I pushed myself up to my tippy toes, pressing my lips into Jace's.

When he kissed back, my heart was overwhelmed with everything I felt for him.

Whatever I shoved deep down when we were lied to about him being my brother. All I kept down when I started dating Simon, and maybe even after.

When my lips connected with his, everything came back. It resurfaced once more.

I wanted to ignore it, this entire time I made myself believe that I moved on from him.

But, this confirmed to me that I hadn't.

And it was overwhelming me, and I loved that feeling.

I slowly pulled away, but barley, dropping back to my normal height, my eyes not leaving Jace's.

I was so focused on him that I didn't even notice the vines no longer on him and Simon.

Then, I couldn't help myself and neither could Jace.

Jace pulled me into him, and in unison, we pressed our lips into each other's, my arms wrapping around his neck as I stood on my tippy toes once more.

Jace's arms were around me as he breathlessly kissed me, neither of us wanting to pull away from each other.

The feeling of escaping from everyone and everything returned when I kissed him.

I couldn't feel anything for anyone as long as I had him.

My feelings were so deep for him.

This time, Jace was the one to pull away.

I was out of breath, my eyes locked with his.

Then, I realized we were still at the Seelie Court, everyone's eyes were on us.

I slowly slipped away from Jace's embrace, taking a few steps back, turning my head away, blinking a few times, swallowing.

I looked back at the Seelie Queen, who was smiling at Jace and I, and had seemed to be smiling at us the entire time as she watched the show.

Then, my eyes connected with Simon's.

I could see the hurt in his eyes, but he was giving me a soft smile.

He knew.

He always knew.

"I told you, Daylighter." The Seelie Queen chuckled, "They always choose their own kind."

"That was a life or death situation." I shook my head at her, clearing my throat, "I can't believe you considered that a game-"

The Seelie Queen looks between the three of us, "Best to be completely honest, don't you think?"

Jace clears his throat as well, "Your highness, are we free to go?"

"Oh- yes." She simply smiled, as I walked past Jace and Simon, moving ahead right away.

My finger touched my bottom lip, still feeling the tingling from Jace kissing me.

-

"So, the Seelie Queen didn't help Kaelie, it was actually a Seelie Knight, who is now dead." Alec puts together what Jace and I told him after we had gotten back.

I was stood with Jace, but as far as possible, leaning against the table, my weight of my elbows as I looked everywhere but Jace. I hadn't said a word to him since we kissed.

"Yeah, the Queen's hands are technically clean in this one." Jace replied, "I think there's more to it."

Alec looks at him, "Well, what makes you say that?"

"I don't know." Jace admits, "Call it a gut feeling."

"Okay, I'll have the Clave keep a closer eye on the Seelies." Alec nods, then looks between Jace and I.

I could feel Jace's stare on me but I refused to look at him.

"Are you guys alright?" Alec's eyes squint in suspicion, looking between Jace and I, "You two seem distracted."

"I'm fine-" I clear my throat and stand up straight.

"Yeah-" Jace sigh, "I'm, uh- I'm fine too."

"I'm gonna be in my room if you need me-" I nod towards Alec, before spinning around and walking away, heading up the stairs and down the hall.

"Zee, wait." Jace's voice filled my ears as he chased after me a few moments after I left him with Alec.

"Uh-" I kept walking, not even bothering to turn around, "What's up?"

"Zee, please stop avoiding me-" Jace grabbed my wrist, stopping me, "Can we just- I don't know, talk?"

"There isn't anything to talk about Jace-" I sigh deeply, beginning to pull my wrist from his hold.

"Listen-" Jace doesn't let me pull away, "We need to talk about what just happened."

"Jace, really- we're good, okay?" I pull my wrist from his grip and walk away.

Before I know it, I'm thrown over his shoulder and he's walking into his room.

"Jace!" I kick my legs, my fists lightly pounding against his stomach, "Put me down!"

He shuts the door, locking it, then sets me down, "I'm not letting you out until we talk about this."

"Jace- no, let me out-" I began walking past him, reaching for his door knob.

"No!" Jace grabs my waist and pushes me back, "We really need to talk about this- and I won't just let you avoid me."

"Jace, I can't talk about this with you." I shook my head and looked down at my feet.

"You haven't even looked me in the eye since we got back." Jace stepped closer to me, "Look- if you're upset with me, I'm sure Simon will come around sooner or later-"

"Simon's fine, Jace." I crossed my arms, keeping my answers short.

"Then- what is it?" Jace sighs deeply, sounding defeated, "I don't get it-"

"Jace." I took a step back, "You don't understand."

"Well- then help me, understand." Jace presses, taking a step closer, "You gotta give me something here."

My eyes connect with his for the first time since the Seelie Court, my heart beginning to beat faster.

"Because of you, I can't feel anything for anyone." My voice came out quiet, "I thought being with Simon would help me- but the entire time I was with him, I didn't feel anything for him the way I feel for you."

Jace instantly shut up, his eyes locked with mine.

"And- no, I'm not blaming you- but, I can't control it. I've tried- and tried- to convince myself that I was over you- that I was moving on, that what we had was ancient history." My tone got louder and louder with every sentence, "But, tonight- I couldn't force myself to think I was over you- because of those stupid vines."

I stepped back, my arms dropping to my sides, using my hands as I spoke, as I was raising my voice, "Every since I found out you weren't my brother- everything's been different. And it- makes me angry because only with you, I have to control myself because all I want to do is just- kiss you-"

Before I could even finish my sentence, his lips were connected to mine and his arms were around me, pulling as close as possible.

My chest was against his, as I was frozen in my spot, before completely melting into the kiss and grabbing his face.

It was then where we couldn't hold back anymore.

I was pressed against the wall, my hands running through Jace's hair, as Jace breathlessly kissed me, keeping our bodies close.

Even if our chests were already touching, my body was screaming to get closer.

Jace left kisses down my neck, as I bit my bottom lip in pleasure, breathing heavily.

When Jace began to lift my shirt, he stops.

"It's okay." My voice came out as a whisper, and it was clear that I was a mess when it came to him.

My body was a mess when it came to him.

Jace's eyes connect with mine, "Are you sure? I don't want you doing anything because you're upset or-"

"Jace." I grabbed his face with one hand, "I want this- I've wanted this for so long."

Then, my shirt was over my head and on the floor, the night being spent in completely pleasure.

authors note:

you're. welcome.

that is all i have to say.

wait I'm getting paranoid and thinking that this chapter kinda sucks

omfg, predestined also hit 4k ??

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