-Clary's P.O.V-
What I saw outside freaked me out. There were two people there- well, not exactly two people. One looked like a woman several years older than me, and I recognized her. Tessa Gray, the only non-barren warlock in existence and one of my mom's closest friends. Well, and mine too.

The other was what freaked me out. His face was shifting, looking like a different person every time. I mean, if that was it- I fight Eidolon demons a lot- I wouldn't be so freaked out. I've seen Tessa shape-shift as well. But the face was shifting into people I knew and they looked pained.

Jace rushed over and opened the door. "Tessa?" his jaw dropped open, and I had to flick his chin so he'd close it.

"Hello Clary. Hello Jace. We need to talk," Tessa said, her voice accented by the slightest hint of British aristocracy, which- to be fair- was due to her time period. I held the door open, letting Tessa enter. Thankfully, she left that thing outside.

"What in the world was that?" I asked, trying to hide the tremble in my voice as Tessa and Jace seated themselves. Alec, Izzy, Simon and Magnus popped out as well and

"Oh good. You're here too. Saves me a trip," Tessa smiled at Magnus. They must really have a history.

After a minute where everyone was silent, Jace broke it with a slight smirk. "So, will anyone tell me what in the name of Raziel that was?"

"Shut up Wil-" Tessa interrupted herself, shaking her head. "Sorry Jace, your personality is just so similar to Will's that, well..."

Jace shrugged. "I get that a lot from Jem."

Tessa tried to keep herself from laughing but failed. "That must be painful for Jem, with Alec looking so much like Will and you being, you know, you." Jace raised an eyebrow but let it go.

-Tessa's P.O.V-
I looked around the table, from Clary to Magnus and from Jace to Simon, knowing that what I was going to say now was going to freak the Shadowhunters out. Magnus leaned his arm around Alec's shoulders. Clearly he was expecting something bad- which was what they were going to get from my news.

"There is a demon resurgence in Greater New York, and it's due to Maryse Lightwood." Alec nearly jumped out of his seat, Isabelle gaped, and Jace... Well, he reacted pretty badly. He yanked out his Herondale dagger and nearly cut my throat with it. He would have if Clary hadn't grabbed his arm using lightning speed that nobody knew she possessed.

"Let... Go... Of me Clary!" Jace yelled, pulling away from his girlfriend's grasp. Clary spewed obscenities that I doubt Jocelyn would have approved of as she shoved my chair away from the table and positioned herself between me and her boyfriend.

"Jace, yes, you just discovered that your adoptive mother is responsible for a bunch of demons, but there's a reason mundanes say "Don't kill the messenger." We might have misunderstood Tessa, perhaps she doesn't know she's doing it?"

I tapped Clary's shoulder, and she whirled around, Heosphoros already in her hands. "Oh, sorry Tessa. Battle instincts." I smiled. She reminds me of Charlotte, one of her ancestors.

"Clary, it's fine. Also, I can protect myself. I am a warlock, if you haven't forgotten- albeit one with some very unusual abilities."

"That's an understatement," Magnus interjected.

"Hey, Magnus? Would you not get involved? This is between Jace, Clary and me. Also, I think that your kid is here."

Max poofed into being right over Alec, and the shadowhunter reached up to grab his son. "How did you know that?"

Clary laughed and winked at me. "Remember when he did that in the middle of a Conclave meeting? Everyone was staring at Alec as though he'd just been attacked by a demon!" She started laughing wildly, and Jace clearly couldn't help himself. He joined in on the laughter.

I almost didn't want to raise the Maryse issue again, but I had to. "As far as we know, wherever Maryse goes there are higher levels of demon activity. Of course, it could be just a coincidence, but usually there is no such thing as a coincindence when it comes to the Nephilim."

Jace groaned and let his head collapse on the table. "Not this again..."

"Guys! Guys! You have to see this!" Clary's parabatai, Simon, burst into the room carrying a sealed envelope and a piece of slightly charred paper. "I just got a fire message from the Los Angeles Institute!"

Clary sprang out of her chair. "Are the Blackthorns okay? And Emma Carstairs?"

"About that..." Simon's voice trailed off. "Julian Blackthorn found a letter in his uncle's trunks addressed to Tessa. It says it's from the Magister."

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Woo! It's been such a long time, but I finally read CoHF! And oh boy... What is Mortmain up to?
SpringStar186