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Chapter Text

Delilah Lightwood typically was a social girl, at any gathering or social event she always tried to present herself in a welcoming manner. Since she was only a young child, she wanted people to like her. Of course in comparison to her siblings, Anna, bold, suave and approachable and Christopher, inventive, intelligent and sweet, Delilah felt ordinary. 

Even when she sat with her friends, she didn’t feel a part of the group. Her brother stood next to her. Despite her being a year older, he towered over her, while Thomas stood the same height as Delilah. The two conversed as Delilah stood there listening silently. It was clear that they were trying to include her in their conversation but Delilah wasn’t fully concentrated, she was more fussed with the book in her hands, nervously fiddling with the pages.

The book in Delilah’s hands was one she rarely left the comfort of her house without. The cover was old and battered but it held beauty within it. Each page was decorated with a work of art, varying from pencil drawings to watercolour paintings and everything in between that the pages could withstand. 

“Isn’t this a bore?” Delilah lifted her head at the new voice entering the conversation. 

Matthew Fairchild. 

The blonde boy wasn’t someone who Delilah was particularly close to. In any group conversation, Matthew’s attention was mostly diverted to Christopher or Thomas and he only offered Delilah a comment or two directed toward her. Delilah knew that the Fairchild boy was not particularly fond of her. 

“Everybody here looks like a dolt. I am already in frightful agony, contemplating my wasted youth. Don’t speak to me, or I shall break down and sob uncontrollably.” Matthew was always one for theatrics.

“There, there,” said Christopher, patting Matthew’s shoulder. “What are you upset about again?”

“Your face, Lightwood.” said Matthew, and elbowed him. 

Christopher and Thomas both laughed while Delilah just offered a small smile. Matthew hadn’t looked in her direction since he had arrived and she felt awkward. She guessed that he didn’t even realise she was standing there.

“Er.” A voice interrupted the quiet laughter, “Hello.”

The group turned to the source of the voice. James Herondale stood there with what appeared to be a smile on his face, although Delilah couldn’t tell as it looked as if he were in pain. James Herondale. Delilah and Christopher’s cousin. Delilah offered him a smile. It seemed to make him relax a little.

“Jamie Herondale, right?” Matthew drawled.

James bristled. “I prefer James.”

“I’d prefer to be in a school devoted to art, beauty, and culture rather than in a ghastly stone shack in the middle of nowhere filled with louts who aspire to be nothing more than whacking demons with great big swords,” said Matthew. “Yet here we are.”

Matthew’s eyes drifted to the left for a brief second to look in Delilah’s direction. She seemed to be a million miles away, the expression she wore on her face was much like Christopher's everyday expression. It was rare to see it on Delilah who always seemed extra focused on her surroundings. It was something Matthew had admired about the Lightwood girl. His eyes focused back on James before Delilah could sense him looking in her direction.

Despite Delilah inclining to agree with everything Matthew had said, she remained silent. Of course she knew since she was a child that her path was written in stone, that she was destined to be a shadowhunter. And Delilah accepted that. Although as she grew, she knew that she didn’t want that to be her entire life. She needed to do something else. 

Delilah had been so wrapped up in her own mind that she had failed to notice a new voice in the conversation until her brother spoke up.

“Hello, sir.”

Delilah focused her eyes on Ragnor Fell who stood just behind Matthew. 

“Are you Christopher Lightwood?” Ragnor asked, somewhat menacingly.

Christopher’s wandering attention became focused on a tree. “Hm? I think so.”

Delilah could tell that her brother's behaviour that she loved so much seemed to have an effect on Ragnor. He looked like he could barely conceal the anger that was bubbling beneath his green skin.

“Are you not certain, Mr. Lightwood? Did you perhaps have an unfortunate encounter when you were an infant?”

“Hm?” said Christopher.

Ragnor’s voice rose. “Was that encounter between your infant head and a floor.”

Delilah’s mouth dropped open in surprise at Ragnor’s comment. Anger bubbled up inside of her at the comment directed towards her brother. Delilah always wanted people to like her but when it came to protecting her family, she didn’t care who she offended in the process.

“Listen here you pathetic green–”

“Sir.” Matthew spoke up, cutting Delilah off before he flashed his smile. 

The Smile. That damned smile. Whenever Matthew flashed that smile, it was as if everyone around him dropped down to do his bidding. With that smile, he could get whatever he wanted. No matter how much Delilah wanted to resist it she still found herself drawn to his smile. His smile was a work of art. 

“Sir, you will have to forgive Christopher. He’s a trifle absentminded, but he is definitely Christopher. It would be very difficult to mistake Christopher for anyone else. I vouch for him, and he can’t deny it.”

Ragnor unbent a tiny bit. “Are you Matthew Fairchild?”

Matthew’s smile became more playful. “I could deny it if I liked. I could deny anything if I liked. But my name certainly is Matthew. It has been for years.”

“What?”

“He’s quoting Oscar Wilde, sir.” James spoke up.

Matthew looked surprised. “Are you a devotee of Oscar Wilde?”

“He’s a good writer,” James said coldly. “There are a lot of good writers. I read rather a lot.”

Delilah was surprised at James’s tone. Most people who spoke to Matthew always clung onto his every word. There were times where Delilah would even listen to him talk, some of his insights into things were incredibly interesting to her. But James was different, he didn’t give Matthew the satisfaction.

“Gentlemen,” Ragnor Fell cut in, “If you could tear yourselves away from your fascinating literary conversation for a moment and listen to one of the instructors in the establishment where you have supposedly come to learn? I have a letter here about Christopher Lightwood and the unfortunate incident that caused the Clave so much concern.”

“Yes, that was a very unfortunate accident,” said Matthew.

“And that was not the word I used, Mr. Fairchild, as I am sure you are aware. The letter says that you have volunteered to take full responsibility for Mr. Lightwood, and that you solemnly promise to keep any and all potential explosives out of his reach for the duration of his time at the Academy.”

“Explosives?” James muttered to Delilah.

“My brother has a large…fascination for science. It can end rather catastrophically.”  Delilah answered with a small laugh.

“Do not worry,” Matthew said. “I mean, certainly, worry that we are trapped in an arid warrior culture with no appreciation for the truly important things in life. But do not worry about things exploding, because I will not permit anything to explode.”

“That was all you needed to say,” Ragnor Fell told him. “And you could have said it in far fewer words.” He walked away.

“He was green!” Thomas whispered in astonishment. 

“Really.” said Matthew, very dry.

“Oh really?” said Christopher brightly. “I didn’t notice.”

“I rather liked the unique hue of our teacher. It reminded me of the green carnations that Oscar Wilde’s followers wear to imitate him. He had one of the actors in, um, a play of his wear a green carnation onstage.”

“The shade of green made me violently ill,” Delilah commented, “Green is normally my favourite colour but an emerald green or the colour of the grass in summer.”

Matthew looked in her direction and carefully considered her comment. Green seemed to be her favourite colour as the dress she was currently sporting was a pale green that went perfect with the brown shade of her hair, just a little darker than Christopher’s. It fell in perfect waves around her shoulders and down her back. 

The Fairchild boy opened his mouth to respond to Delilah’s comment, ready to defend the shade of his teacher before James cut in.

“It was Lady Windermere’s Fan,”  

“Sorry?” Matthew questions, his eyes quickly moving from Delilah to James.

“The Oscar Wilde play,” said James, his voice void of emotion. “It was Lady Windermere’s Fan. ”

Matthew flashed his smile that James, surprisingly, seemed unaffected by, “Yes.” said Matthew. “Of course. Jamie, I can see that as a fellow admirer of Oscar Wilde–”

“Uh,” said a voice to James’s left. “You new boys have barely been here five minutes, and all you can find to talk about is some mundane who got sent to prison for indecency?”

“And girl.” Delilah muttered although her cut in seemed to go unnoticed by everyone. Everyone except Christopher at least, who placed a hand on her shoulder offering a small indication that he knew that she was there. Delilah offered her brother a smile.

“So you know Oscar Wilde too, Alastair?” Matthew asked.

“I know of many mundane criminals,” Alastair said, “I read the mundane newspapers to find hints of demonic activity. I certainly don’t bother reading plays.”

Matthew laughed in his face, “Naturally. What use do sad, unimaginative little people have for plays?” he asked. “Or paintings, or dancing, or anything that makes life interesting. I am so glad to be at this dank little school where they will try to squeeze down my mind until it is almost as narrow as yours.”

The group looked fearful as Matthew simply patted Alastair on the arm. “Run along now,” said Matthew. “Jamie and I were talking.”

Alastair laughed, though there was no humour behind it, “I was only trying to give you young ones a little guidance about the way we do things in the Academy. If you’re too stupid to take heed, that is not my fault. At least you have a tongue in your head, unlike this one.”

Alastair turned to face James to which James looked surprised. Delilah was shocked as well, James hadn’t done anything to provoke Alastair at all, all he had done during the interaction between him and Matthew was stand there. 

“Yes, you, the one with the peculiar eyes,” Alastair snapped. “What are you gawping at?”

“I–” said James. “I–”

“What’s your name?”

“H-Herondale,” James stammered out.

“By the angel, his eyes are awful,” said the boy to Alastair’s right.

Alastair laughed again, though this time it was at James’s expense. “Yellow. Just like a goat’s.”

Delilah’s mouth hung open in shock.

“I don’t–” James tried to speak.

“Don’t try to speak. You and your friends could perhaps cease obsessing about mundanes and try to think about little matters like saving lives and upholding the Law while you’re here, all right?”

Alastair and his friends strolled off, laughing amongst themselves. Although as they passed people, they would simply whisper the insulting name they had called James just a moment prior. This caused more laughter amongst the others surrounding the small group. 

Matthew laughed. “Well. What an–”

“Thanks so much for dragging me into that.” James snapped before he turned on his heel and walked away as quickly as possible while everyone turned and stared at him.

Delilah watched him walk away as fast as he could. Her eyebrows furrowed in concern. Delilah fumbled with the book in her hands before shoving it in her bag and began to walk away from Christopher, Thomas and Matthew and follow James. However she failed to notice the book falling out of her bag and onto the floor in her pursuit of her cousin.

***

Delilah spent ages looking for her cousin. She hadn’t let up her search since she left the others. It had been a few years since Delilah had seen her cousin but she remembered that they were quite close growing up, more so than James and Christopher were as her brother would rather be amongst chemicals and other sciencey things that Delilah didn’t fully understand.

When Delilah eventually found James, she had stumbled across him– quite literally. She walked down a staircase, she wasn’t fully paying attention as she neared the bottom as her foot caught a bag and she fell down the last couple of stairs landing at the bottom. Delilah let out a small groan as she raised to her feet.

“Are you okay?” James asked, closing the book in his hands.

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” said Delilah, spinning around to face James. 

James nodded before a silence fell upon them. Delilah sensed that James wanted to be alone but she wasn’t going to allow that. She could tell that he wanted someone deep down to talk to. Delilah moved James’s bag from beside him and sat down next to him on the step. James watched her movements carefully. 

“I think your eyes are unique.” Delilah spoke up.

“Unique is just another word for different,” James grumbled.

“Different isn’t necessarily a bad thing,” said Delilah. “If anything your eyes make you more mysterious. You’ve seen Christopher’s eyes, they are different as well.

“This difference between him and I is that the colour of his eyes are appealing whereas mine are…goat-like according to everyone in the Academy,” James looked defeated as he stared down at the book on his lap.

“Your eyes are appealing too!” Delilah scolded, she hit him lightly on the arm. “And do not call your eyes goat-like because that is far from the truth. Don’t listen to whatever Alastair says because he just wants to assert power, do not let him James.”

“All I wanted to do was make friends and look where that got me.” James said sadly.

“You have made friends.” Delilah said. “You also already had friends before you even tried to make friends. Christopher and I may be your cousins but we are also your friends. Christopher might not seem present when you speak to him a lot of the time but he is listening and he does care.” 

“Thomas is a sweetheart,” Delilah continued when James didn’t speak. “You do have friends here, James. You can sit with us if you wish.”

“Not if Matthew is there.”

Delilah sighed, “Matthew is…interesting. I don’t think he likes me very much.”

James’s eyebrows furrowed. During his interaction with Matthew, he had noticed the blonde sneaking glances at Delilah. James wasn’t sure if those glances were intentional or a subconscious movement. But from those glances alone, James thought that the two were close friends. James decided to not voice these thoughts to his cousin.

“He isn’t bad though,” Delilah continued. “He can just be a little over the top at times.”

“I can tell,” James said.

The two fell into a silence but it wasn’t uncomfortable. For the first time since arriving at the academy, James was completely at ease. 

***

Once Delilah got back to her dorm that evening, her roommate, Esme, was already fast asleep. This sent a wash of relief over Delilah as she was not in the mood for any more social interaction. Slipping off her dress and quickly changing into her nightgown, Delilah climbed under the covers of her bed. The Lightwood girl reached over the side of the bed and grabbed her small shoulder bag she had been carrying around all day. She flipped it open and gasped.

Her book was gone. 

Delilah rummaged through the bag some more but found nothing that resembled the small book she held so dear to her heart. She let the bag fall to the floor as she thought of places where she could have dropped it. It could have been anywhere. She had done laps of the Academy looking for James. 

Delilah felt tears prick her eyes. That book contained her work for the past two years, the book itself was a gift from her parents, the paper inside was of the highest quality. She felt stupid for crying but she couldn’t stop once the first tear fell. Delilah was a shadowhunter, she shouldn’t be crying over a small lost book. 

***

The following morning, Delilah was one of the first to emerge for breakfast. Before classes started she wanted to do a quick lap of the academy to see if her book was anywhere. Her bag was too light without it. Delilah found herself at a small table, her only goal for the morning was to eat her breakfast quickly and find her book before anyone else woke.

There were other souls awake when Delilah emerged that morning. Each had sat at different tables far apart from each other, yet they were conversing from across the hall. Delilah wasn’t sure why they didn’t just sit at a table together. 

Once Delilah had finished her breakfast, three people sat down at her table. Looking up from her plate, she was greeted with her brother, Thomas and Matthew. The former two offered her a smile while Matthew just looked at her, his expression was unreadable. Delilah smiled at the two before she stood from her seat as they sat down. 

“Where are you going?” Thomas asked.

“Oh, um, I’m just going to take a walk around the Academy before classes start.” Delilah lied. She didn’t want to admit that she was going to search the Academy high and low in search of a small book that held no significance to anyone but her. 

“We can come with you, if you wish,” Thomas offered. “I’d like to see more of the Academy.”

“No!” Delilah exclaimed. “No that is quite alright, thank you though Thomas.”

Before the boys could question her more, she was already walking away. She had made it a good distance away from the table and into the corridor she had disappeared into first in the pursuit of James. Delilah slowed her pace as she retraced her steps. 

“Delilah!” Matthew exclaimed, hurrying into the corridor. 

Delilah furrowed her brows and turned to face the blonde, confusion written across her features. Matthew came to a stop in front of her before he pulled something out of his waistcoat. Her book.

Delilah gasped, taking it out of Matthew’s hands. 

“I am most certainly sure that is why you abandoned us just now,” Matthew observed. “In search of this?”

“Yes!” Delilah exclaimed. “Where did you find it?”

“It must have fallen out of your bag yesterday. I hadn’t noticed it until long after you left.” Matthew explained. 

The smile on Delilah’s face was one full of childlike glee. “I thought I lost it.”

“You looked positively miserable at breakfast.” 

Delila didn’t know what inclined her to hug Matthew but she found herself doing so. She  nearly knocked him off his feet with the force in which she hugged him. Matthew was startled before he gently hugged her back. His hands gently touched her back. Once he touched her back, Delilah quickly pulled away.

“I’m truly sorry for that, Matthew,” said Delilah. “I’m just so–thank you.”

Matthew waved off her thanks, “It was the least I could do. You are very talented, Delilah.”

Delilah’s eyes widened, “You looked in it?”

“I’m afraid I did. Although it wasn’t my fault. When the book fell it was open, once I saw one I had to look at more. You capture such beautiful moments in your art. The use of colour really brings your painting alive.”

Delilah blushed, “Thank you, Matthew. Though I do have to admit that I have never let anyone see those paintings before now. Not even Christopher.”

Matthew gasped dramatically, his hand on his chest. “I’m honoured to be the first to witness these ground-breaking pieces of art. You could give all of those famous mundane artists a run for their money.”

Delilah blushed again. Nobody had ever complimented her art much except her family. But they were obliged to as they were her family and they would never say a bad word about her art even if it was completely terrible. The compliments coming from Matthew had a completely different meaning. He could have easily dismissed her art as average, yet he had given her some of the highest compliments.

“Can I ask you a question, Matthew?” Delilah inquired.

“If you are going to ask me to model for you, I will agree to it in a heartbeat. This hair deserves to be captured in art for eternity.”

Delilah laughed, “No not that. But I was wondering why you are being so nice to me.”

The smile dropped from Matthew’s face. “Why wouldn’t I be nice to you?”

“I just–” Delilah found herself fiddling with the pages of her book nervously. “I was just under the impression you didn’t like me.” 

“What on earth gave you that impression?” Matthew questioned.

“Um, I’m not sure,” Delilah suddenly felt shy. “You just never spoke to me directly when Thomas or Christopher were around. You made an effort with everyone else around you, yet you disregarded me.”

“I apologise that you thought that,” Matthew spoke sincerely. “But I have a confession too.”

“And what is that?”

“I too, was under the impression that you disliked me.” Matthew laughed.

Delilah didn’t know what to say, but somehow she found herself smiling and laughing over the ridiculous situation. Matthew laughed along with her. 

“I think some reintroductions are in order,” Matthew said, holding out his hand. “I am Matthew Fairchild.”

Delilah smiled, “I’m Delilah Lightwood. Pleased to meet you, Matthew.”

Chapter Text

Delilah Lightwood had fought plenty of demons in her seventeen years on the planet. When she fought with her blade in hand, she fought with a sense of grace only Delilah was able to achieve. She made fighting look like a dance, elegant and meaningful. Her blue dress flew around her making the sight of her fighting look even more graceful. 

Her cousin, Thomas, who had once been her height and scrawny, was now over a head above her and broad shouldered. He fought beside Delilah as the two stood back to back as they fought the Deumas demon. Christopher had his bow in hand and was standing a little further away, his eyes that were usually unfocused on anything that wasn’t the chemicals in Henry Fairchild’s lab, were sharp and attentive. Matthew. Matthew Fairchild was dressed in clothes not suitable for fighting in the slightest, yet he was holding his own well. 

Delilah looked around for James, but couldn’t see him around her.

“Tom,” Delilah yelled over the sound of the demons. “Where’s James?”

“I don’t–” Thomas cut himself off as he ran forward. 

Delilah turned to find James standing still in the path of the demon, gripping onto his knives. Delilah gripped her seraph blade tighter as she watched James let the daggers fly. One plunged into the demon's throat and the other into its forehead. Its eyes rolled back as it spasmed. 

Delilah let her guard down a little as she stepped closer to the dying demon. However before she could even step closer James yelled and before Delilah could process anything the the creature burst apart and showered Delilah, Christopher, Thomas and Matthew in ichor and burnt bits of what could possibly be described as goo. 

“How–wha–?” Christopher stuttered, at a clear loss for words. Slime dripped off his nose and gold-rimmed spectacles. “But how?”

“Do you mean how is it possible that we finally tracked down the last demon in London and it was the most disgusting?” James said, joining the others. “Ours is not to question why, Christopher.”

Delilah looked at herself. Her dress was completely ruined. She had only just purchased it as well. Her brown hair had tumbled out of its updo while she was fighting. It cascaded around her shoulders, the ends dripping with goo. Delilah cringed.

“This is an outrage,” Matthew said, tossing his extinguished blade aside. “Do you know how much I spent on this waistcoat?”

“Your waistcoat? Look at my dress!” Delilah exclaimed, “I’m sure my whole dress was at least twice as expensive as your waistcoat, sweetheart.”

Christopher passed her a handkerchief. Only half of it was clean and free of any demon remains. She used the clean half to wipe away anything on her face, cringing as she did so. 

“No one told you to go out patrolling for demons dressed like an extra from The Importance of Being Earnest .” said James, tossing Matthew a clean handkerchief. 

“I don’t think he’s dressed like an extra,” said Thomas, who had been cleaning off Christopher.

“Thank you.” Matthew said.

“I think he’s dressed like a main character.” Thomas grinned.

“I would have to argue against that, Tom,” Delilah said, throwing the ruined handkerchief to the ground. “I believe that I am dressed like the main character. Matthew is a supporting character at most.” she teased.

Matthew sent her a playful glare as he mopped his dull gold hair, “This is the first time in a year that we’ve patrolled and actually found a demon, so I’d supposed that my waistcoat would probably survive the evening. It’s not as if any of you are wearing gear either.”

“Stop scrubbing me, Thomas,” said Christopher, windmilling his arms. “We should go back to the Devil and clean up there.”

There was a murmur of agreement among the group of shadowhunters as they each began to make their way to The Devil Tavern. As she walked, Delilah tried to scrape the goo out of her hair, gagging when it stuck to her hands. Just thinking about the warm shower she would take when that got to the Tavern almost made getting covered in demon remains worth it. 

“Lila,” said Matthew, falling into step beside her.

Delilah gagged once more as she wiped another bit of goo on her ruined dress. She turned to look at Matthew with a smile. 

“I really liked that dress.” Matthew commented. 

“Me too,” Delilah sighed sadly, “It was quite new as well.”

“Although it does give me an excuse to repay you for the waistcoat you gifted to me last month,” said Matthew casually.

“No,” Delilah said sharply. “That was a gift Matthew, I saw it in the shop window and knew that it would complement your eyes perfectly. The shades of green matched beautifully. Don’t you dare repay me by replacing my dress.”

“You threaten me, yet,” said Matthew, pulling a fresh handkerchief from his trouser pocket, “I will do as I wish.”

The blonde boy gently gripped Delilah’s arm causing her to stop in her tracks. He reached forward tilting her face towards him and wiped a drop of blood from her cheek that Delilah hadn’t even noticed that she had. She flinched as the fabric brushed over the small cut on her cheek. 

Delilah looked at Matthew as he wiped away the blood. There wasn’t much and most of it was already dried to her skin. His eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he worked around the small cut trying to avoid brushing over it again. Once he was finished, Matthew stepped away, straightening up. 

“Shall we catch up to the others?” Matthew questioned, offering Delilah his arm. 

Delilah took it gracefully, “Yes we shall, my dear.” 

Once the Devil Tavern came into Delilah’s view, she smiled and released Matthew’s arm, walking ahead of the boys wanting to be the first person in the shower. She heard Thomas and Matthew complain as she sped past them already knowing what she was up to. Once she was in their small room, Delilah slipped into the small bathroom and locked the door behind her.

She stripped off her ruined dress and left it on the bathroom floor, creating the pile of ruined clothes that she knew would only get bigger once the boys showered after her. Once the water hit her skin, Delilah let out a sigh of delight. The dirt on her skin ran from her body and down the drain. She combed through her hair getting out anything that shouldn’t be there. 

Once she had finished cleaning herself, Delilah stepped out of the shower and slipped on a simple dress she kept at the tavern in case she ever found herself in the situation she was in tonight. Her hair was still dripping wet although she grabbed a small towel to pat the ends dry. As soon as Delilah stepped out of the bathroom, a glass was thrust in her hand. She noticed that Matthew’s hair was slightly damp and summed up that he must’ve cleaned his hair in the bedroom that was rarely used for anything other than storing clothes.

Delilah took a sip from the glass and collapsed on the couch, Matthew taking a seat beside her and Thomas opposite her who held his glass in his hand yet made no move to drink from it. The door to the room opened which caught Matthew’s attention.

“James!” said Matthew delightfully. “Is that a bottle of cheap spirits I see before me?”

“James,” Christopher said, emerging from the bedroom. “I thought you’d gone home?”

“Why on earth would I go home?” James said, taking a seat beside Matthew.

“No idea,” Christopher said cheerfully. “But you might have. People do odd things all the time. We had a cook who went to do the shopping and was found two weeks later in Regent’s Park. She’d become a zookeeper.”

“I don’t recall that?” Delilah said, although it came out as more of a question.

As Christopher opened his mouth to respond to his sister, Matthew’s voice chimed out, full of concern.

“Your hand,” Matthew’s gaze was fixated on James. “What happened?”

“Just a cut,” James said, opening his hand. Some of the blood was dried yet some still looked fresh.

“No, James,” said Delilah, “Mine is just a cut. You should have said something.”

“I would have fixed you up in the alley.” Matthew reached for his stele.

“I forgot.”

“Did something happen?” Thomas asked.

“It was very quick.” James said with some reluctance.

“Many things that are ‘very quick’ are also very bad,” said Matthew, “Guillotines come down very quickly, for instance. When Christopher’s experiments explode, they often explode very quickly. Or when our Lila is working on a painting and accidentally spills her coffee across it, it happens quickly.”

“Please don’t mention that again.” Delilah groaned.

“Clearly, I have neither exploded nor been guillotined…or had coffee spilt on me,” said James. “I–went into the shadow realm.”

“I thought all that business had stopped,” Matthew said. “I thought Jem helped you.”

“He did help me. It’s been a year since the last time. I suppose it was too much to hope it was gone forever.”

“Doesn’t it usually happen when you’re upset?” said Thomas. “Was it the demon attacking?”

“No,” James said quickly. “No, I can’t imagine–no.”

“Demons don’t bother our boy,” said Matthew, finishing the healing rune. “It must have been something else.”

“You ought to talk to your uncle then, Jamie.” Thomas said.

James shook his head. “It was nothing. I was surprised by the demon; I grabbed at the blade by accident. I’m sure that’s what caused it.”

“Did you turn into a shadow?” Delilah asked.

James didn’t get the chance to answer.

“Speaking of the demon–” Christopher said, looking up from his notebook.

“Which we weren’t.” Matthew pointed out.

“–what kind was it again?” Christopher asked, “The one that exploded, I mean.” 

“As opposed to the one that didn’t?” said James.

“It was a Deumas, Christopher. Odd it was here; they’re not usually found in cities.” Thomas explained.

“I saved some of it’s ichor,” said Christopher, “I caution all of you not to drink any of it.”

“Christopher, you ruined my plans for the night.” Delilah teased her brother.

“I can assure you we had no plans to do any such thing, you daft boot.” Thomas said.

“Enough talk about ichor. Let’s toast again to Thomas being home!” Matthew changed the subject.

Thomas protested however everyone raised their glass. Everyone except Christopher, who was about to clink his test tube against James’s glass when Matthew confiscated it and handed Christopher a glass of hock instead.

Delilah smiled at Thomas as he gave up to protesting against the praise directed his way as a smile appeared on his face. 

“When you’re entirely done, I do have some news,” Thomas said. “You know that old manor in Chiswick that once belonged to my grandfather? Used to be called Lightwood House? It was given to my aunt Tatiana by the Clave some years ago, but she’s never used it–preferred to stay in Idris at the manor with my cousin, er…”

“Gertrude,” said Christopher helpfully.

“Grace,” James said. “Her name is Grace.”

“Yes, Grace,” agreed Thomas. “Aunt Tatiana’s always kept them both in splendid isolation in Idris–no visitors and all that–but apparently she’s decided to move back to London, so my parents are all in a dither about it.”

“Grace.” James began. “Grace is moving to London?”

“Seems Tatiana wants to bring her out in society.” Thomas said. “I suppose you’ve met her, in Idris? Doesn’t your house there adjoin Blackthorn manor?”

James nodded. “I usually see her every summer. Not this summer, of course.”

“London is being positively swarmed by new arrivals,” Matthew remarked. “The Carstairs family will be with us soon, won’t they?”

James nodded. “Lucie is wild with excitement to see Cordelia.”

“I’m looking forward to meeting Cordelia. If she’s as wonderful as Lucie describes her, I simply cannot wait.” Delilah said, taking a sip of her drink.

Matthew poured more wine into his glass. “Can’t blame them for being tired of rusticating in Devon–what’s that house of theirs called? Cirenworth? I gather they arrive in a day or two–”

All the drinks that were residing on the table and Christopher’s test tube were suddenly across the table as Thomas moved.

“ All of the Carstairs family are coming, did you say?” said Thomas.

“Not Elias Carstairs,” said Matthew. “But Cordelia, and of course…”

“Oh, bloody hell,” said Christopher. “Alastair Carstairs. I’m not remembering incorrectly? He’s an awful pill?”

“‘Awful pill’ seems a kind way of putting it,” said James. “We can avoid Alastair, Tom. There’s no reason for us to spend time with him, and I can’t imagine he’ll be yearning for our society either.”

Delilah didn’t have any altercations with Alastair while she was at the Academy. He never really targeted her, although since he targeted her friends and family, he indirectly targeted her too. By nature, Delilah was very protective about those she cared about. If someone insults them, or does them wrong, it would take her a while to trust them.

Thomas spluttered, not in response to James however. Christopher’s test tube had spilled out and began to eat through the table. Delilah watched as the boys lept up from their seats to grab dishcloths or anything to clean up the mess eating away the table they would surely have to replace. 

Thomas hurled a pitcher of water at the table, which in turn drenched Christopher. Matthew began laughing while Delilah tried to conceal her laughter as much as she could. 

“I say,” said Christopher, mopping the wet hair out of his eyes. “I do think that worked, Tom. The acid has been neutralised.”

“Someone should neutralise you, you mopstick.”

Matthew collapsed on the couch in hysterics, his back rested against Delilah. The Lightwood girl gave up concealing her laughter as she joined in with Matthew. Their laughter was loud and echoed throughout the room. Her arm rested around Matthew as his body shook with laughter. Wiping a tear away from the corner of her eye, Delilah removed her arm from around Matthew to which he simply gripped her arm and brought it back around him, gently holding onto her wrist as his laughter began to subside. Delilah smiled.

Chapter Text

Delilah was enjoying an afternoon to herself. The house was empty with the exception of the maids who left Delilah to herself. Once Delilah got into a rhythm, it was hard to break it. She wore a dress that was designated for painting. It was light in colour and didn’t necessarily complement her very well. It had old stains from her oil paints and some new as well. Delilah’s hands were covered in paint as were her arms. Typically she didn’t get as messy as she was, but once she abandoned her brushes for her fingers half way through the painting, there was no going back. 

Delilah didn’t know what had enticed her to abandon her brushes. Maybe it was because she wanted a sense of movement in the seascape. Maybe it was because she wanted something to blame when the painting ended up horribly. She took a step back, keeping her hands raised. The more she looked at the painting, the more she disliked it and wanted to scrape off the drying paint and restart. 

“You always liked the sea.” A voice startled Delilah. She wasn’t expecting anyone to interrupt her. 

“Matthew,” she scolded. “When did you get here?”

“Only a few moments ago,” said Matthew, taking a step towards the canvas. “This is exceptional.”

Delilah shook her head. “It’s all wrong. The colours aren’t correct and I am not getting the sense of movement I want. It’s all going wrong.”

Matthew softly smiled at her. “You are always your biggest critic.”

“I have to be,” Delilah muttered as she reached for a rag to wipe away the paint on her hands. “If I want to sell my work, they have to be perfect. I can’t afford to make mistakes.”

“Your artwork is already perfect.”

“You have to say that,” Delilah said. “You’re my friend.”

“I am your friend and as your friend I always tell you the truth and therefore I declare your paintings the best I have ever laid my eyes on.”

Delilah looked down to the floor. “Not that I am not enjoying your company, my dear. But why are you here?”

“I wish I were here so we could drink ourselves silly, but I am only here to drop something off.” 

Delilah had only just noticed the sheet draped over his arm, something inside of it. 

“I have a gift for you.” Matthew slowly took the sheet off an elegant dress. “I saw this and believe that it is to your tastes.”

Delilah’s jaw dropped. The dress was a deep emerald green and was the most gorgeous dress she had ever laid her eyes on. 

“How did you know my size?” It was the first question that came tumbling out of Delilah’s mouth.

“Anna had your measurements. She didn’t ask why I needed them.”

Delilah stepped closer, the dress lightly sparkled in the afternoon sun.

“I cannot accept this, Matthew.” Delilah finally looked up at Matthew who watched her reaction with a certain fondness.

“You can and you will,” said Matthew. “I know I would look fabulous in the dress but alas, it won’t fit me unfortunately.”

“Matthew, why?” Delilah said.

“Well you bought me that waistcoat a few months ago, so this is me repaying you for that gift.” 

“It was a gift! I don’t expect you to buy me anything in return, I told you that yesterday,” Delilah scolded.

Matthew shrugged. “Oh well, now accept this gift because I unfortunately cannot return it.”

Carefully, Matthew put the sheet back over the dress, protecting it from any paint that might drop on it and ruin it. Delilah gently placed her hand on Matthew’s shoulder to steady herself before she leaned up and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you, Matthew.” she whispered. 

Matthew tilted his head down and looked at her. “You’re welcome, Lila.”

Lila. The nickname that Matthew always endearingly called her. When the nickname first slipped past his lips two years ago when they were fifteen, Delilah hated it. For her whole life she had only liked to be called by her full name. She loved her name. No matter how many times Delilah corrected Matthew, he had been persistent, stating that her name was simply too long to say. Once Delilah accepted the nickname she began to like it–she liked the way he said it.

Pulling away, Delilah stepped back around her canvas, “I must get back to this god awful painting. Though you are welcome to stay if you wish, Matthew.”

Matthew waved his hand. “I think I’ll make my leave. I hope you see the beauty in your painting, Lila.”

Before Matthew left, he pressed a quick kiss to Delila’s forehead and he slipped out of the room without another word. Delila smiled as her eyes jumped from the dress draped over the chair and her canvas, a new sense of inspiration hitting her like a brick.

***

Before she left the house, casually telling her parents that she was going to Matthew’s to help Christopher out with some experiments, Delilah made sure that her runes were covered. She raised her hood over her head before she began to walk to the location. When Delilah left her house, she didn’t necessarily lie to her parents as she was making a quick stop at the Fairchild residence to pass along a message to her brother, though it wasn’t her final destination of the night.

Once Delilah had taken the back entrance into the lab, she found Christopher hunched over a table, many different chemicals laid out in front of him that Delilah didn’t even want to know what they were for.

“Hello, Delilah.” Christopher greeted without turning around. Despite Christopher being distant and inside of his own mind most of the time, he always recognised his sister’s footsteps.

“If mum and dad ask, I was here with you all night.” said Delilah, picking up a large sketchpad and a pencil roll.

Christopher hummed in response. Delilah pressed a quick kiss to her brother’s cheek. “You’re the best. I will see you tomorrow.”

“Stay safe.” Her brother called out to her just as she opened the door.

“I always am.”

As soon as Delilah exited the house, she closed the door softly behind her, gripping her supplies a little tighter. Her next location wasn’t too far away. The walk was short, the Fairchild estate only being a ten minute walk from the large house which was Delilah’s destination.

As soon as Delilah stepped through the doors of the house, she was greeted by the scent of smoke and alcohol. Delilah pulled her hood down and smiled. The mundanes around her looked at her as she walked to the familiar room. Many shadowhunters would ban Delilah from doing precisely what she was. But the Lightwood girl couldn’t find it within herself to care. The house was where she could unwind. It was a place that was just for her.

Pushing open the door to the room, Delilah stepped inside. It was already occupied, mostly by men with only a few women. Each person sat in front of an easel sketching the image of the nude model in the centre of the room. Delilah sat herself down in front of the free easel in front of the model. When Delilah made eye contact with the model, she sent a wink her way and a blush coated the models face. There was a tap on Delilah’s shoulder before a glass of wine was offered to her from the woman to her left who wasn’t much older than Delilah. The Lightwood girl took it gratefully and began to draw the blushing model in the centre of the room.

***

Delilah remained on the outskirts of the ballroom casually sipping her wine. She stalked around the sides of the ballroom avoiding all offers of a dance. The only people she would willing dance with were either not present or dancing with someone else in the room. Thomas was dancing with Lucie and Christopher was lingering by the refreshments table, fiddling with something in his hands. Delilah only hoped that it wasn’t something that would explode. James and Matthew were nowhere to be found.

From across the room, Lucie’s eyes met Delilah’s and she said a quick goodbye to Thomas before she began to race over. 

“Delilah!” Lucie exclaimed, clutching onto Delilah’s arms. “You must come with me to greet Cordelia, it still shocks me that you two haven’t met.”

Delilah smiled. “Cordelia has arrived?”

Lucie nodded before she gently began pulling her towards the group of adults. “We must rescue her.”

Delilah let herself be led by her cousin. Cordelia was easy to spot in the crowd, her red hair standing out in the crowd. 

“May I take Cordelia to meet the other girls?” Lucie said to Sona once the two girls were close enough.

“Of course.” Sona granted, looking pleased.

“Cordelia Carstairs,” said Delilah as the three girls came to a stop near the edge of the dancefloor. “It’s so good to meet you. Lucie has told me a lot about you.”

Cordelia smiled brightly. “All good things I hope.”

“My dear, of course they were,” Delilah said.

“Lucie has said in her letters many wonderful things about you as well. She mentioned that you are an exceptional artist,” Cordelia commented.

“She is!” Lucie chimed in. “I keep trying to get her to draw scenes from The Beautiful Cordelia but she refuses.”

“I only refused because I didn’t want to accidentally undermine Cordelia’s beauty,” Delilah said. “And now I definitely won’t.” She sent a wink Cordelia’s way causing the girl to look down.

Lucie brought Cordelia away from where they were standing and approached another group of girls. Delilah followed silently. Two of the girls –Catherine Townsend and Rosamund Wentworth– Delilah disliked. Although she hadn’t spoken to Ariadne much, Delilah remembered liking her when she first met her. 

“What a pretty dress,” Ariadne said to Cordelia. “I believe that’s the shade they call ‘ashes of roses.’ Very popular in Paris.”

“Oh, yes,” Cordelia said eagerly. “I did get this dress in Paris, as a matter of fact. On Rue de la Paix. Jeanne Paquin made it herself.”

Rosamund’s lips tightened. “How fortunate you are. Most of us here in the poky little London Enclave rarely get to travel abroad. You must think us so dull.”

Delilah rolled her eyes, taking a rather large swig of her wine to get her through the conversation. 

“Oh,” said Cordelia. “No, not at all–”

“ My mother has always said Shadowhunters aren’t meant to have much of an interest in fashion,” said Catherine. “She says it’s mundane.”

“Who cares if it’s mundane?” Delilah muttered under her breath, finishing off her wine.

“Since you’ve spoken of Matthew’s clothes admiringly so often,” Ariadne began, “should we assume that rule is only for girls?”

“Ariadne, really–” Rosamund began, and broke off with a laugh. “Speak of the devils. Look who’s just come in.”

Delilah turned to look in Rosamund’s eyeline and found Matthew and James entering the ballroom. It had been the first time she had seen them that night.

“They are so handsome, ” said Catherine. “Don’t you think so Ariadne?”

“Oh–yes,” Ariadne said hastily. “I suppose.”

“She only has eyes for Charles,” said Rosamund. 

Lucie rolled her eyes. “They’re just boys .”

“James is your brother,” said Catherine. “You cannot be objective, Lucie! He is gorgeous .”

“Matthew isn’t bad-looking either,” said Rosamund. “But so scandalous. ”

Delilah rolled her eyes again. If the girls found out what she got up to in her own time, she didn’t think they would talk about her with high opinion as they did Matthew.

“Indeed,” said Catherine. “You must be careful of him, Miss Carstairs. He has a reputation .”

“Careful of Matthew?” Delilah laughed in a very unladylike way though all of the girls ignored her.

“We should guess who James will ask to dance first,” said a girl whose name had slipped Delilah’s mind. “Surely you, Rosamund; you are looking so lovely tonight. Who could resist you?”

“Ah, yes, who will be graced by my brother’s attentions?” drawled Lucie. “When he was six, he threw up in his own shoe.”

“I somehow believe that no matter what you say they will ignore it.” Delilah said, her eyes dancing between the girls whose full attention was on James and Matthew, completely transfixed. 

Delilah turned her attention to Matthew and James and as she did so, Matthew looked directly at her before excusing himself from the conversation. He walked over to Delilah without breaking eye contact. Rosamund and Catherine fawned as he walked over, both convinced that he were about to ask one of them. However once Matthew stood before the group, he bowed slightly to Delilah. “Might I have this dance?”

Delilah smiled and took Matthew’s hand and allowed him to lead her to the dancefloor. Matthew took Delilah’s waist and pulled her closer to him. Delilah spared one glance at the group of girls and found Lucie to find a dance partner once again in Thomas and Cordelia had been swept away by James, leaving Rosamund looking fuming once Christopher approached. Delilah smiled.

“What’s made you so happy?” Matthew muttered, his mouth close to her ear.

“I just don’t like Rosamund.” Delilah said with a chuckle. 

Matthew chuckled lowly, it vibrated in his chest. “You’re not wearing the dress I bought you.” Despite his attempts to conceal it, Delilah found a hint of disappointment in his voice. 

Instead of the beautiful dress Matthew had purchased for her, she instead sported a deep purple dress that showed off her smooth shoulders. It tightened at her waist before flowing out to the floor, accentuating the curve of her waist. It was a gift from Anna.

“As much as I loved the dress you purchased for me,” Delilah began, “I think I will save it for a special occasion.”

Matthew pulled back a little to look at Delilah properly. Her thick hair was already fighting to be released from her eccentric updo her mother had done. Matthew found himself brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear, his hand lingering on her cheek for a moment. 

“And to whatever that special occasion is,” said Delilah, watching Matthew’s movements carefully. “You will be the one to accompany me. Because the dress matches your eyes perfectly.”

Matthew smiled, a genuine smile. Not the smile he uses to get what he wants. Not the smile he uses as a mask. No, it was a true, genuine smile just for Delilah. Of course Matthew wouldn’t admit it to Delilah but had purposely picked that dress with the intention to accompany her wherever she went in it.

Delilah smiled back at Matthew as the grip he had on her waist unconsciously tightened. Delilah’s gaze drifted a little to the left and the smile vanished from her face.

“James left Cordelia.” Delilah pointed out.

Matthew followed Delilah’s gaze. “So he has.”

“So go and dance with her!” Delilah stopped dancing.

Matthew furrowed his brows. “But then that would mean I would be leaving you alone.”

Delilah looked to her right and found Thomas now on his own, Lucie had completely disappeared. “I won’t be alone, Thomas is right there.”

Matthew still looked hesitant.”

Delilah sighed. “It’s not my reputation on the line here, it’s Cordelia’s. I cannot very well do it.”

Matthew stepped back and held Delilah’s hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it, “It has been a pleasure dancing with you, Miss Lightwood.”

Delilah rolled her eyes. “Just go.”

Matthew smiled before turning on his heel and swept Cordelia up in a dance. Cordelia looked confused momentarily before her eyes landed on Delilah and she smiled gratefully. Delilah offered her a smile in return before she walked over to Thomas and forced him back on the dancefloor.

Chapter Text

It wasn’t long before Delilah found herself standing at the side of the ballroom with Christopher and Thomas. After dragging Thomas to the centre of the ballroom to dance, Delilah soon regretted that decision as Thomas, no matter how lovely he was, continuously stepped on her feet. He was worse than Christopher in that regard. 

The three Lightwood’s stood in a small group, chatting amicably between them before Thomas’s attention drifted off. Delilah’s speech slowly faded out once she noticed Thomas’s face and the concerned expression that was creeping onto it. Delilah turned– as did Christopher– to follow Thomas’s sightline and found James in Matthew in what appeared to be a serious conversation.

James made eye contact with Delilah from across the room and she stepped forward a little. Just from the look on James’s face, she could tell that something was wrong. Before Delilah, Christopher or Thomas could approach James and Matthew however, a yell echoed throughout the room.

“For pity’s sake!” someone called. “Someone help her!”

Delilah’s attention was diverted to where a group was forming around a collapsed Shadowhunter. From between the gaps of people, Delilah saw a flash of a familiar dress sprawled out on the ballroom floor. It was Barbra Lightwood.

“We were dancing,” Oliver Hayward, Barbra’s suitor, began, “and she just collapsed.

The crowd of people now consisted of nearly everyone in the ballroom. Thomas pushed his way through the crowd to his sister, Delilah and Christopher following behind him. 

“She needs air,” Cordelia said. “Her corset is probably tormenting her. Has anyone a knife?”

Anna pushed through the crowd before kneeling down with Cordelia. “I have a dagger. What needs to be done?”

“We need to cut her corset off,” Cordelia explained. “She has had a shock, and she needs to breathe.”

Delilah felt a presence to her left. The person's scent– expensive cologne mixed with alcohol– gave her all the information she needed about them. Unintentionally, she leant into the person, seeking comfort as she watched her cousin on the floor fighting for breath.

“You might leave that to me,” said Anna. She manoeuvred Barbra out of Oliver’s lap so she had access to the back of her dress, running the dagger through the fabric delicately. It sagged free from Barbra’s body. “Ari–your wrapper–”

Ariadne drew her silk wrapper from her shoulders and handed it to Anna who wrapped Barbra in it, shielding her from the partygoers. Barbra’s breath evened out.

“What on earth?” Sophie Lightwood said while she walked through the crowd, Gideon Lightwood following behind her. “Barbra! Did she fall?”

“She just collapsed,” said Oliver. “We were dancing, and she fainted–”

“I’m– I’m all right,” Barbra said, slowly sitting up from Anna’s lap. “I’m all right now. I had a spell, a silly dizzy spell.”

Gideon and Sophie moved to help Barbra to her feet while Thomas offered her a handkerchief. Barbra smiled at her brother, taking it gratefully. She dabbed her lip and it came away with blood.

“I bit my lip,” Barbra said hastily. “I fell, and bit my lip. That’s all.”

“We need a stele,” Thomas said. “James?”

Delilah has only just noticed James' appearance as he stood beside Cordelia, his fists clenched at his sides unmoving.

“My stele,” he said. “Inside my breast pocket. Barbra needs a healing rune.”

Cordelia reached inside James’s pocket and pulled out his stele and passed it to Thomas. 

“James.” Lucie said, tugging at her brother's sleeve. “Jamie. Did you–”

“Not now, Luce.” 

“I forgot to eat today,” Barbra said looking at Sophie. “That’s all it is.”

“Nevertheless, we had better get you home,” Sophie said. “Will, can you have the carriage brought around?”

Delilah bent down and gripped onto Barbra’s hand. Barbra in return gave Delilah’s hand a weak squeeze and forced smile. Delilah stepped back while Thomas and Sophie helped Barbra to her feet. Delilah watched as they carried her away and out of the ballroom. Stepping back, Delilah wrapped her arms around Christopher’s arm, hugging it close. 

“What’s the inquisitor saying to Uncle Gideon?” Lucie asked.

Gideon nodded to the inquisitor and followed him to where Charles was speaking to Grace. Delilah tried to read their lips but ultimately gave up once she could only make out a couple of words– not even useful words.

“Looks like the party’s over,” Alastair said, appearing out of the crowd. “Apparently there was a Shax demon attack in Seven Dials.”

The grip Delilah had on Christopher’s arm tightened a little bit. He squeezed her and in reassurance.

“A demon attack?” James said, with some surprise. “On mundanes?”

Alastair smirked. “Yes, you know the sort of thing we’re meant to prevent. Angelic mandate and all that.”

Matthew’s face had turned to stone. 

“Charles is going with Gideon Lightwood and Inquisitor Bridgestock to see what’s going on,” Alastair said. “I offered to go with them, but I don’t know the streets of London well enough yet. Charles will get me acquainted with the city and I will soon be a gift to any patrol.”

“ You, a gift,” Matthew said, his eyes glittering. “Imagine.”

Matthew walked away. Alastair watched him go with one eyebrow raised. “Moody, isn’t he?”

“No.” Both James and Delilah said. 

Delilah saw Matthew walk over to his father and stand behind his chair. “I’ll be back in a moment,” she whispered to Christopher before releasing his arm and walking over to Matthew and Henry.

As Matthew noticed Delilah approach, his eyes brightened. The expression on her face was subtle but was enough for Matthew to form the question she so desperately wanted to ask. I’m okay, he mouthed to her. She smiled in acknowledgement of his answer which, in turn, caused Matthew to smile.

“Delilah!” Henry exclaimed. 

Delilah smiled at Matthew’s father, she had always liked the man. “Henry!” she greeted with just as much enthusiasm. 

Henry held lightly onto Delilah’s hands as Matthew smiled fondly as Delilah and his father conversed. He wasn’t why he was smiling exactly as he had seen the two talk countless times before. Maybe it was because of the enthusiasm the two were speaking. 

“I noticed that you had come to collect your art supplies last night,” Henry commented. 

Delilah stiffened a little at this. No one– except for Christopher and Anna– knew where she went when she left her house every week. She hadn’t told anyone that she would go to mundane parties every week and draw models both clothes and nude and getting up to scandelous activities. Delilah was sure that she could give Matthew a run for his money. Delilah wasn’t even going to tell her siblings but Christopher found out on his own and Anna had her suspicions. Neither one of the two stopped her from doing it at all, all they did was told her to be careful. 

“Yes,” Delilah said. “I just dropped around because I needed that sketchbook as I didn’t have a blank one and by the time Christopher would have made his way home, the idea would have gone from my mind.”

“You can use the lab to work on your art as well,” Henry said kindly, “If you leave any supplies there, you don’t have to take them all the way back to your house.”

“It’s fine, Henry,” Delilah said. “I enjoy the walk.”

“Delilah!” her mother, Cecily called to her. “We’re leaving now.”

Delilah nodded at her mother. “Give me a second, I just want to say goodbye.”

Delilah leaned down to kiss Henry’s cheek and said a quick goodbye. Delilah smiled at Matthew. “I will see you tomorrow, Matthew.”

Before Delilah could walk away, Matthew caught her arm. “You were at my house last night?”

Delilah nodded. “I was only picking up my sketchbook.”

Matthew’s eyes narrowed as if sensing a lie. Although it was true, she was just there to pick up her sketchbook. She just lied about where she went after which wasn’t any of Matthew’s business. 

Matthew released her arm. “I will see you tomorrow, Lila.”

Delilah nodded before she left Matthew and Henry and returned to Christopher and her mother, who was holding Alexander in her arms. 

“Your father is going with uncle Gideon and Inquisitor Bridgestock so he won’t be coming with us.” Cecily explained. 

Anna came up from behind Delilah and Christopher and wrapped an arm around their shoulders. “I’m coming with you tonight.”

Delilah was delighted. She always loved to spend time with her sister. Sometimes the company of just her brothers could render Delilah outnumbered. 

Cecily smiled at her children as they walked out of the ballroom and to their carriage. “I get to spend time with my children just to myself.” A soft smile graced her features. 

Each smiling, the Lightwood’s all clambered into their carriage and were on their way back to their house. 

***

Delilah strolled through Regent’s Park with Anna, the two sisters talking under their breath. The dress Delilah sported was more casual than the ones she had been wearing the past few days. It was a light blue gown with minimal detail. Her hair fell down over her shoulders with barely any styling, only the front pieces were twisted away and pinned at the back of her head. The sun was beating down and Delilah wished that she had her mother tie her hair up in some sort of updo to allow air to get to the back of her neck. 

“Henry didn’t suspect a thing,” Anna questioned.

Delilah shook her head. “No, he just believes I went there solely to retrieve my sketchbook.”

“You weren’t lying,” Anna commented.

“I know,” Delilah said. “But it still feels like I am deceiving them. Matthew definitely believes there is more to the story.”

“Matthew will always believe there is more to a simple story,” Anna said. “Especially when it comes to you. I’m not sure why you haven’t told him, he wouldn’t tell anyone, he would beg to come with you.”

“Firstly, what do you mean ‘especially when it comes to you’ ?” Delilah began, “and secondly, these parties are my thing. I wouldn’t be opposed to bringing Matthew because I know he would enjoy them and not judge. But that is a part of my life that is solely mine. I know the others won’t judge or view me any other way, but there is that small fear at the back of my head that prevents me from telling them.”

“Sister,” Anna began, “no one will judge you. They love you and adore you. Nothing will change their minds about you.”

Delilah sighed. “I will think about telling them, but I don’t think I’m ready yet.”

“And that is fine. Do it in your own time,” Anna smiled at Delilah, which reassured her. “Is that Cordelia Carstairs?”

Delilah’s gaze followed Anna’s and she nodded. Already Anna was walking in the direction of the Carstairs girl sitting alone on her picnic blanket. 

“Cordelia Carstairs?” Anna said once her and Delilah were standing close to her blanket. “May we join you?”

“Of course!” Cordelia said, delighted as she made room on the blanket. Delilah took a seat on the blanket next to her sister. 

“I suppose,” Anna said, “we have not been officially introduced. But after the drama of last evening, I feel as if I know you.”

“After hearing about you from Lucie for so many years, I feel as if I know you, ” Cordelia then shifted her gaze to Delilah. “You too, Delilah. We spoke briefly last night but I’d like to thank you for not leaving me abandoned in the middle of the ballroom.”

Delilah smiled. “Of course I wouldn’t leave you abandoned, Cordelia. Matthew was happy to help out with that.”

Cordelia’s grin spread brightly across her face.

“I see you have ranged your food about you like a fortress,” Anna said. “Very wise. I think of each social occasion as a battle to be entered, myself. And I always wear my armour.”

“And I always bring my sword.” Cordelia tapped the hilt of Cortana, half concealed beneath the blanket. 

“Ah, the famous Cortana.” said Anna, her eyes sparkling. “A sword that bears no runes, yet can kill demons, they say. Is that true?”

Cordelia nodded proudly. “My father slew the great demon Yanluo with it. They say the blade of Cortana can cut through anything.”

“That sounds very useful. How are you finding London?”

“Honestly? It is overwhelming. I have spent most of my life travelling, and in London I only know James and Lucie.”

Anna grinned. “But you brought enough food to provision an army.” 

“And you now not only just have James and Lucie,” said Delilah. “You have us now too.”

Anna nodded in agreement. “I’d like to invite you to tea at my flat, Cordelia Carstairs. There are some matters we should discuss.”

Cordelia looked pleasantly surprised at the invitation. Delilah sensed that she didn’t think she would be getting an invite anywhere. Delilah gave the Carstairs girl a reassuring smile before her gaze caught two familiar figures walking along the edge of the lake. 

“Christopher! Thomas!” Delilah called out to them, waving like a mad woman, “Come over here!”

Cordelia gave them a bright smile as they came closer. “Do come say hello,” she said. “I’ve lemon tarts and ginger beer, if you like.”

The two sat down, Christopher nearly knocking the blanket as he did so. 

“I see why you called for our help,” Thomas said. “It would be staggeringly difficult for you to consume all this by yourselves. Best to call in the reserves.”

Christopher snagged a lemon tart. “Thomas used to be able to clear out our larder in an hour– and the eating contests he had with Lucie. I shudder to report them.”

“I remember that time you cleared out the larder,” Delilah said. “You ate my chocolate cake I purchased, it is the only time I recall being genuinely angry with you.”

“You didn’t speak to me for a week.” Thomas chuckled. 

“I like chocolate cake, especially if it’s handmade in the comfort of my own home. The market bought cakes just don’t taste the same.”

Cordelia chuckled lightly. “I may have heard a bit about that,” said Cordelia. “I know we’ve met before on occasion, but now that I’m officially in London, I hope that we’ll become friends.”

“Absolutely certainly,” said Christopher, “especially if there will be more lemon tarts in the offing.”

“I doubt she carries them everywhere with her, Kit,” said Thomas, “stuffed into her hats and whatnot.”

“I keep them in my weapons belt instead of seraph blades.” Cordelia said, causing the group to laugh. 

“How is Barbra, Thomas?” asked Anna. “Is she well after last night?”

“She seems quite recovered,” Thomas said, gesturing to where Barbra was walking by the Lake with Oliver.

“If you were a truly dedicated brother, you would be at her side,” Anna said. “I would hope that if I collapsed, Christopher would weep inconsolably and be incapable of consuming meat pies.”

“Barbra doesn’t want me near her,” Thomas said. “She’s hoping Oliver will propose.”

Delilah gasped, “Is she?”

Thomas nodded. “She was quite adamant that I do not come near her for the entire picnic.”

“Alastair!” Cordelia called to her brother. “Do come eat! The food is vanishing.”

“Ah,” said Thomas, in a slightly too casual voice. “Alastair is here.”

“Yes,” said Cordelia. “He’s the man of the house at the moment, since my father is in Idris.”

“He has my sympathy,” Thomas said. “My father is often in Idris, as well, with the Consul–”

“Cordelia!” Lucie called to the Carstairs girl from quite a distance away. “Oh, lovely,” she continued once she came closer, “we can combine our winnings. Let’s see what you have.”

Anna made space for Lucie to sit down next to Cordelia and James sat next to Christopher. 

“What did it turn out to be, last night?” Cordelia asked Lucie. “The demon business in the Seven Dials.”

“Shax demons all up and down Monmouth Street. They had to call on Ragnor Fell to help glamour the place so the mundanes wouldn’t notice what was going on.”

Thomas frowned. “It’s odd. After so long, we encountered that demon the other night, and now yesterday–”

“You encountered a demon?” Lucie demanded. “When was that?”

“Well done, Tom.” Delilah muttered under her breath.

“Er,” said Thomas, his hazel eyes darting around. “I may have been wrong. It may not have been a demon. It may have been a textbook about demons.”

“Thomas,” said Lucie. “You are the most dreadful liar. I want to know what happened. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.” Lucie’s attention diverted to Delilah.

The Lightwood girl raised her hands in defence. “Don’t blame me! It was James that made me swear not to tell you, I wanted to!”

Lucie glared in her brother’s direction. 

“Hey,” James defended. “You didn’t listen to me when I told you not to tell Lucie. It was only when Matthew told you not to tell her that you listened.” James paused. “Where is Matthew? Isn’t he meant to be coming?”

Cordelia suddenly rose to her feet. “James, I’d like to speak with you in private for a moment, if you don’t mind.”

James paused before nodding. “Lead the way.”

The group watched in silence as they walked away and out of sight. Delilah had an inkling to what Cordelia wanted to speak to her cousin about and she knew it most likely wasn’t going to be a particularly pleasant conversation.

Delilah went back to eating the lemon tart in her hand. It was the last one in the basket and Christopher looked at Delilah, his face innocent and sweet. But it didn’t work on Delilah as she took a bite out of it while looking directly at Christopher who let out a huff and went back to writing in his notebook. Delilah smiled in triumph. 

Finishing off the lemon tart, Delilah looked around the group. She wished she had her sketchbook and watercolour paints with her. The smiles on everyone’s faces as they conversed was something Delilah wished to capture in her art. The sun shining in their eyes made them all squint more than was normally necessary. The green grass was Delilah’s favourite colour especially from the bright sun beating down upon it, making it more vibrant and lively. She could only imagine the painting in her mind and she smiled sadly, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to capture the moment perfectly from memory no matter how hard she would try.

“I see Cordelia returning,” said Anna. “But without James. Interesting.”

Once Cordelia was back to the group after dodging many other picnic blankets, she sank down next to Lucie, fanning herself. 

“Did James get what he deserved?” Lucie asked. “Did you keelhaul him?”

“He is thoroughly abashed, I assure you,” Cordelia said. “But we are good friends again.”

“Where is he, then?” Thomas asked. “Did you bury his body in the park somewhere?”

“He went to speak to Grace Blackthorn.” Cordelia said. 

“I didn’t realise she was here.” Christopher said, eating a meat pie, with a brief glance in Delilah’s direction. In response she smiled brightly, still revelling in her triumph of eating the last lemon tart.

“She is,” Matthew said, appearing out of the thicket of parasols and picnickers.

He took a seat next to Delilah and offered her a smile as he sat down. He sat close to Delilah so his shoulder brushed hers every time he moved but Delilah didn’t find it in herself to want to move. She reached forward, picking out a pie for herself.

“Apparently, Charles promised last night to bring her here in our carriage. We had to detour out to Chiswick to fetch her.”

“Did you get a look at Lightwood– at Chiswick House?” asked Thomas. “I hear it’s in utter disrepair.”

Matthew shook his head. “Grace was waiting for us at the front gates when we arrived. I did think it a bit odd.”

Matthew shrugged while he reached and broke off a piece of Delilah’s pie. She swatted his hand as he plopped it into his mouth.

“There are plenty of pies,” Delilah said. “Why are you stealing mine?”

“It tastes better.” Matthew said after swallowing the piece of stolen food in his mouth. 

“Get your own.” Delilah said while shoving the rest of the pie in her mouth. 

Matthew only smiled and leaned back, one of his hands situated behind Delilah as he leaned closer to her ear. “So about those mundane parties you attend–”

Delilah coughed, choking on the food in her mouth. How did he know about that? she thought. 

“What?” Delilah said while she recovered from her choking. 

A small smile graced Matthew’s face. “I wasn’t completely sure about them but your reaction told me all I needed to know.”

“No, no it didn’t,” Delilah didn’t sound convincing in the slightest.

Matthew’s eyebrows furrowed. “Why didn’t you want me to know?”

Before Delilah could respond to Matthew’s question, she saw Cordelia reaching for Cortana just as a demon burst from the lake.

Chapter Text

There were immediately shouts and screams as the demon appeared out of the water. Delilah was on her feet in an instant. The demon sprung directly onto Piers Wentworth, he kicked and thrashed as he went down, desperate to get away from the demon. Cordelia sprinted past Delilah, she ran in the direction of her brother.

All of the picnics were abandoned as Shadowhunters shouted and screamed. Delilah was on edge as her heart hammered in her chest. She crossed the turned up blanket and stood close to Christopher, Anna standing just behind them. From his belt, Christopher silently handed her a seraph blade which Delilah took with barely steady hands. 

Closing her eyes for a moment, Delilah let out a breath, trying to steady her breathing. It was daylight, she thought, there shouldn’t be any demons. From beside her, Christopher looked down at her. Delilah felt his gaze and turned her gaze to meet her brothers. There was a silent communication between the two. Are you okay? The look on Christopher’s face seemed to suggest. Delilah nodded as she let out one final breath. 

Around her, all Shadowhunters that were able to fight had their weapons drawn. The demon that attacked Piers was gone, leaving him in pain on the grass. Despite the demon being gone, Delilah didn’t feel as if it was all over. Goosebumps encased her body as a chill went down her spine. 

Everything was silent. People talked around her and the cries of Rosamund over her brother echoed throughout the park, yet to Delilah it was silent. Her gaze was fixated on the trees. They whipped back and forth in the wind as ragged black shapes rose from them. Delilah gripped onto Christopher’s wrist and Anna stepped closer to her siblings as all three of them stared ahead at the menacing shapes in the trees. 

Before Delilah had time to process anything, demons sprung from the trees. 

Delilah yelled the name of the seraph blade and immediately sprung into action. The demons raced silently across the grass. Delilah stepped back from her siblings as a demon ran straight toward her. Everything seemed to be in slow motion. The demon ran fast, its flaming eyes fixated on Delilah. As the demon gradually got closer she brought her blade down cutting into its shoulder. The demon flinched away but didn’t back down.

Delilah backed away a little, curing the dress she wore. If she were in her gear she would be a lot more comfortable but her thick skirts combined with her corset restricted her movement a lot. She ducked as the demon leaped at her, its claws barely missing her shoulder. Delilah let out a huff, her hair tumbling out of the bun. The demon turned around and snarled at Delilah. 

Delilah rose and ran toward the demon, finally bringing the blade down with enough force that it pierced through the body of the demon. It disappeared. Delilah allowed herself to stop for one quick breath before turning to face the rest of the battle. From across the park, she could see her sister hunched over a bleeding Ariadne. Delilah gasped before she broke out into a run. Before she could get close, another scream broke out, distracting the Lightwood girl. Turning toward the source of the scream, Delilah faced Barbara who had a demon locking its jaws around the skin on her leg. Delilah ran.

James flung himself at the creature, knocking it to the side, Matthew following his parabatai. Delilah crouched down to check on Barbara. She was pale and there was blood across her dress and dripping down her leg. Thomas came sprinting over to his sister and cousin. Delilah bit the inside of her cheek at Thomas’s expression as he took Barbara’s bloody hand in his. Her breathing was ragged. 

The demons were gone and the destruction they had left behind was immeasurable. Thomas gently lifted Barbara up into her arms as Oliver drew many healing runes upon her skin. Delilah stepped back to allow the two to be alone with Barbara. Delilah looked around the park for her siblings. She spotted Anna still on the ground, Ariadne’s head in her lap as she gently brushed the hair away from her face, Ariadne’s dress was stained red. 

A gentle hand was placed on Delilah’s shoulder, causing her to flinch away. Turning around she was greeted by Christopher’s violet eyes. She flung herself at her brother, hugging him tightly. Christopher hugged Delilah back as the two stood together in the centre of the destruction.

***

Delilah had found herself in the back of a carriage with Cordelia, Lucie and Matthew. Christopher had taken Grace home in their carriage and Charles lad left with Ariadne in the Consul’s carriage. Leaving both Delilah and Matthew to cadge a ride with Lucie and Cordelia. 

Sitting beside her, Matthew stared lazily out of the window, paying no attention to the three sitting in the carriage. His hair was messed up and he had no intention to fix it, his clothes were stained with blood and ichor. The tight grip he had on the seat cushions made his knuckles turn white. 

Delilah leant her head against the back of the carriage, closing her eyes wishing the images of her friends, bloody and hurt, would leave her mind. They didn’t. Opening her eyes again, Delilah stared out of the window watching the city of London go by. Unconsciously, Delilah fiddled with the hem of one of her skirts, carelessly picking out a thread. It made no difference, the dress was unwearable due to the fresh stains of blood that coated it. Not her blood, the blood of her cousin Barbara. 

“I still don’t see how it’s possible,” said Lucie. “Demons don’t come out during the day. They simply don’t.”

“I’ve heard of them appearing under thick cloud cover before,” said Cordelia. “If no sunlight could get through–”

Matthew gave a hoarse laugh, cutting Cordelia off. “That was no natural storm. Yet I have never heard of demons who could control the weather, either.”

Delilah watched as he drew a silver flask from his waistcoat pocket. The Lightwood girl let out a quiet sigh. 

“Did you see the wounds?” Lucie asked. “I have never seen anything like it. Barbara’s skin was turning black at the edges where she was bitten–”

“You have never seen anything like it because there never has been anything like this,” said Matthew. “Demons who bring their own night with them? Who attack us when we are vulnerable because we believe we cannot be assailed.”

Delilah finally turned to face him. His jaw was set and there was a slight shake to his hands that now clutched tightly onto the flash instead of the seat cushion. 

“Matthew,” said Cordelia sharply. “Stop frightening Lucie when we do not even know what we are dealing with yet.”

Matthew took another swig from his flask. “Lucie doesn’t get frightened, do you Luce?”

“I am frightened for Barbara and Ariadne, and for Piers,” Lucie said. “Are you not concerned? Barbara is our family, and Ariadne one of the kindest people I know.”

“There is no special protection in this world for kind people,” said Matthew.

“ Matthew, ” Delilah warned, speaking for the first time since she sat in the carriage. 

Matthew turned to her, his flask held halfway to his lips. He held Delilah’s warning gaze. The hand holding the flask faltered a little. His hand shook. Delilah removed her hand from the hem of her skirt and rested it on top of Matthew’s, which was resting on the cushion of the seat. She barely grazed his hand before he withdrew it, placing it in his lap. 

“Yes, I’m being a beast. I know that perfectly well.” said Matthew, raising the flask to his lips once more while Delilah continued to pick at the loose thread on her skirt. 

The London institute rolled around quickly, the carriage came to a stop. Matthew immediately flung the door open and stepped out, offering his hand to Cordelia and helped her down followed by Lucie and then finally Delilah. She patted her skirts down and tried to look at least a little bit presentable as she stood in front of the London institute. From the corner of her eye, Delilah noticed Matthew looking down at his flask, glaring at it as if it were alive. 

“I think I’ll take a walk,” said Matthew. “I’ll return shortly.”

“ Matthew !” Luce looked horrified. “But the infirmary– and Thomas needs us–”

“I don’t like illness,” Matthew said shortly and began to walk away, his steps careful. 

Lucie turned to Delilah, a pleading look in her eyes. Delilah sighed. “I’ll go after him.”

Matthew hadn’t gotten too far away and Delilah had easily caught up to him. Now his steps were more messy and over the place once he thought he was far enough out of sight. 

“Matthew,” said Delilah, coming to step beside him. They were not too far away from where Lucie and Cordelia stood but they were far enough as to not be heard. “What are you doing? There are people hurt in the institute and you are walking away from it all. Thomas needs you now more than ever. His sister is in there in pain and you are just walking away from it all?”

“I already told you,” Matthew said, turning to face Delilah. “I don’t like illness.”

“I don’t think anyone likes illness, Matthew,” Delilah said, trying to keep her voice calm. “But your friends need you. Surely you can put aside your aversion to illness for one damn night and stay with your friends.”

Matthew didn’t respond. He took a few steps back from Delilah, putting more space between them. “I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

Matthew turned on his heel and walked away from Delilah, leaving her standing there alone. Delilah huffed before returning to Cordelia and Lucie. She had noticed two more figures joining them. Delilah’s heart became full. 

“Mum!” Delilah exclaimed. “Dad!”

Cecily and Gabriel turned in the direction of the voice and Delilah rushed forward. 

“Oh, my baby!” Cecily said, wrapping the arm that wasn’t holding Alexander around her daughter while Gabriel wrapped both of them in a hug. Delilah felt safe, safer than she had. Gabriel kissed the top of his daughter’s head as he pulled away from the hug as Cecily examined her daughter. 

“You’re not hurt are you?” Cecily held tightly onto Delilah’s hand. 

“I’m okay,” she reassured her parents. “I’m tired, but I’m okay.”

“Would you mind if I accompanied you to the infirmary?” Cordelia asked. “If there are bandages there, I could wrap my hands–”

“Daisy! Your hands! I should have given you a dozen iratzes, a hundred iratzes. It is only that you were so brave about your injuries–”

“Truly, it only hurts a little–”

Cecily smiled at Cordelia. “Spoken like a true Carstairs. Jem would never admit when he was in pain either.” Cecily pressed a kiss to Alexander’s head while still holding tightly onto Delilah’s hand. “Come, Lucie, let us get your future parabatai to the infirmary.” 

***

It took Delilah a lot of convincing for her mother to let go of her hand but once she did, Delilah immediately went to Thomas’s side. He didn’t register her at first, he didn’t even know she was there. She sat in the seat next to him. Barbara lay asleep in the bed, her face nearly as white as the sheets. In the time it had taken for Delilah to get to the institute, the blood had been cleaned from her body. The marks from where the demon had sunk its teeth into her leg were still clearly visible, her skin black at the entrance wounds. 

Delilah hated seeing Barbara laying in the infirmary bed. Barbara who was always dreaming of love and romanticising her life was lying in the clinical white bed, eyes shut while she fought for her life. Delilah hated it. But she could only imagine what Thomas felt. If it had been Anna or Christopher in the bed, Delilah would be fighting and killing every demon in existence if it meant getting revenge for her siblings. 

Delilah gently reached over and took Thomas’s hand in hers. He finally acknowledged her when he gave her hand a weak squeeze, his gaze not moving from his sister. The two remained there for a while longer before Thomas broke the silence. 

“I need to get out of here.” His voice was barely above a whisper. 

Delilah nodded as the two stood up. Thomas still gripped Delilah’s hand tightly, seeking comfort from her. “Where do you want to go?” Delilah asked.

“Anywhere but in here,” said Thomas, his gaze cast to the ground.

Delilah nodded once again as the two stepped out of the infirmary. They walked through the halls of the institute together. Delilah had grown to be quite close with her cousin. After her brother, James and Matthew were expelled from the academy, it was just her and Thomas left. Delilah remembered breaking down in Thomas’s arms, Thomas who was barely taller than Delilah herself, once the three were gone.

“She’ll be okay, Thomas,” Delilah said. “She’s strong.”

Thomas nodded. “She needs to be. She was so excited about the thought that Oliver might propose at the picnic.”

Despite the circumstances, Delilah smiled. “She’s always talking about Oliver. She has since she met him.”

A smile began to creep onto Thomas’s face. “You’re lucky you didn’t have to sit through every meal of her fawning over him.”

“Trust me, Tom. I’ve heard all about the fawning,” said Delilah. “A few weeks ago, she and I went dress shopping and the whole time she questioned whether Oliver would like it or not. She then proceeded to tell me how handsome and kind he was before switching the conversation over to my love life.”

“Your love life?” Thomas questioned, a playful smile pulling at his lips. “Why? Have you got your eye on anyone?”

Delilah let out a most unladylike laugh. “Definitely not. I’m rather invested in my art to even think about a potential partner.”

Thomas let out a small chuckle before it faded away. “She needs to be okay.”

Delilah squeezed his hand before their attention was diverted to the entrance hallway and a figure slipping through the doors. Christopher stood there glancing at Delilah and Thomas. As Christopher opened his mouth, Delilah began to speak.

“Mum and dad are in the infirmary,” Delilah said. Christopher gave a small smile and nod before he began to walk in the direction of the infirmary. 

Thomas watched him leave and it was then when Delilah realised what Thomas needed. “Shall we go and find James? It would do you some good being surrounded by the others right now.”

Thomas looked down at her and nodded before the two began their search for James. It didn’t take them long at all. He stepped out of the music room with his father, Will Herondale, and Jem Carstairs– Brother Zachariah just as Delilah and Thomas were about to walk past.

Will took note of the expression on Thomas’s face before exchanging a glance with James. Will left the three alone without another word. 

“James, I need something to do,” Thomas said once Will and Jem were out of earshot. “Something that might help my sister. I think I might go mad otherwise.”

“Of course– we all must help Barbara,” said James. “Thomas , in the park, Barbara saw the demons before everyone else. She was the one who warned me.”

“She had perfect Sight even before she got her Voyance rune,” Thomas said. “Perhaps because my mother was a Sighted mundane before she became a Shadowhunter. We’ve never been sure– Barbara wasn’t terribly interested in testing her abilities– but she always had unusually keen senses.”

“It is almost as if she could glimpse my shadow realm…” James trailed off, his gaze became unfocused on the floor, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. It was a look Delilah recognised all too well. James Herondale had an idea.

“We need to round up Matthew and Christopher,” said James, looking between Delilah and Thomas. “I have an idea of what we can do.”

“Christopher has just returned from Chiswick,” Thomas said. “We saw him in the entry hall. But as for Matthew…”

Delilah sighed. “I have an idea of where he might be.”

“Do you want one of us to come with you?” James asked. 

Delilah shook her head. “I’ll be fine, I’ll be back quick.”

James nodded, his focus on Thomas, who had some colour return to his cheeks. “Meet us in the ballroom.”

Delilah nodded before walking back down the hallway in her search for Matthew. 

***

It was cold outside, colder than it had been all day. Delilah shivered as she wrapped her arms around herself. The blood and ichor that had gotten on her dress had dried and Delilah could feel it on her bare arms. She should have asked James or Thomas for one of their jackets. 

The row of carriages were vacant, all except one. The voice from inside was slurred and was singing. Rolling her eyes, Delilah approached the Baybrook carriage. She peered inside and there was the person she was searching for. He laid across the seat, flask in hand singing at the top of his lungs. Sighing, Delilah opened the carriage door. 

Matthew sat up as soon as the door was opened, his eyes were unfocused as he took a sip from his flask. Delilah guessed he had found somewhere to fill it up in his absence. 

“My Lila,” Matthew said affectionately. 

Delilah ignored him and simply held out her hand to help him out of the carriage. Matthew didn’t take it. 

“Why don’t you come and join me?” Matthew asked, “We haven’t done anything like this in a while.”

Delilah pinched the ridge of her nose. When Matthew got as drunk as he was, she forgot how hard it was sometimes to persuade him to do something.

“Matthew, we need to go and be with the others,” Delilah said.

Matthew’s expression darkened. “I told you twice, I don’t like illness.”

“We’re not going to the infirmary. Thomas needs you,” said Delilah, but Matthew still didn’t make a move to leave the carriage. “ James needs you.”

Delilah hoped that the name of his parabatai would convince him to even consider leaving the carriage. Delilah’s hopes were correct when Matthew slowly shuffled across the seat and closer to the door. 

“What do they need help with?” Matthew asked.

Delilah shrugged. “I don’t know. James had an idea and told me to meet him, Thomas and Christopher in the ballroom once I found you.”

Matthew looked down at the flask in hand, a flash of contemplation spread across his face before he put the flask in his waistcoat pocket. He took Delilah’s hand gently and stepped out of the carriage. He was not steady on his feet and Delilah reached out and held his shoulders to keep him still. 

“Are you okay?” Delilah asked, her voice soft.

Matthew nodded. Delilah didn’t look too convinced before she wrapped an arm around Matthew’s waist to help him walk straight. Matthew’s arm wrapped around her shoulder, his hand brushing her bicep. 

“By the angel!” he exclaimed.

“What?” Delilah questioned, worried it was something bad.

“You’re freezing!”

“It isn’t exactly warm, Matthew,” Delilah said, while trying to support his weight as he still swayed in her arms. 

Matthew rubbed her arms which Delilah guessed was him trying to warm her up but all it did was tickle her upper arm and made her twitch. Which Matthew interpreted as a shiver so he did it more. Delilah couldn’t wait until she was through the doors of the institute. Before they made it through the doors however Matthew stopped walking, holding Delilah’s wrist tightly. 

“Wait, wait, wait,” Matthew said, before crushing her body against his in what Delilah presumed was a hug. 

“You’re smothering me,” Delilah mumbled into his chest. 

“I’m sorry I snapped at you earlier,” Matthew apologised. 

“You didn’t?” Delilah said. 

Matthew didn’t respond, he only held her body against his. Delilah was concerned for two reasons. The first one was the fact that Matthew could barely support himself, let alone two people as she was not in a position to save either of them if he began to sway or fall. The second reason was his deep breaths he was taking, it wasn’t normal. 

Delilah brought her hands up and returned the hug, hoping it would get him to loosen his grip a little. Matthew pulled back as Delilah held on to him to steady him. There was a flash in his green eyes that Delilah had never seen before but it was gone as quickly as she had noticed it. 

Delilah turned and pushed open the institute doors, helping Matthew inside.

Chapter Text

Delilah practically carried Matthew to the ballroom. Her arm was tightly wrapped around his torso while his arm slumped over her shoulder. With her spare hand, Delilah held his wrist tightly knowing that if she didn’t, Matthew would simply slip out of her hold. Her hair fell into her eyes and she tried her best to blow it away, she gradually got more agitated as her hair didn’t do what she wanted it to. 

While Delilah was slowly getting angrier, Matthew happily strolled by her side. This confused Delilah deeply. The demeanour he had shown outside of the institute was brief but Matthew had allowed his walls to fall, if only for a fraction of a second. There was something within Matthew that no one knew, Delilah had always known that, although she didn’t know what it was – no one did. 

By the time the two entered the ballroom, James, Thomas and Christopher were standing in the centre. At the sound of the arrival of Delilah and Matthew, attention turned to them. Concern flashed across James’s face at the sight of his parabatai slumped across Delilah. The Lightwood girl released his hand and let him slump back into the wall, letting out a sigh of relief that she had managed to get him into the ballroom without injury to herself or him. 

“We must bar the doors,” said James. “They don’t lock, and we can’t be interrupted.” James glanced at his parabatai. “Matthew, can you stand?”

“I am quite all right,” he said, pushing himself from the wall and staggering over to a chair and fell into it. “Please continue with your plan.” He squinted. “What was your plan?”

“I’ll tell you in a moment,” James said. 

Christopher looked worriedly at Matthew. “Perhaps some water?”

“I’m quite all right,” Matthew repeated.

“I found you drinking and singing in the Baybrooks’ carriage!” Delilah exclaimed.

“It was private there,” Matthew said. “And well-upholstered.”

“At least it wasn’t the Bridgestock’s carriage, because they have already experienced enough tragedy today. Nothing bad has happened to the Baybrooks.” said Christopher, with great sincerity.

“Nothing until now,” James said. “Christopher, was everything all right, dropping off Miss Blackthorn?”

“Oh, perfectly,” said Christopher. “I told her all about culturing bacteria, and she was so fascinated that she never spoke a word!”

Delilah cringed. She loved her brother dearly but she knew that one thing a woman wouldn’t want to hear about is bacteria. 

“Did you have to tell Mrs. Blackthorn what had happened at the park? She can’t have been pleased.”

Christopher shook his head. “I confess I didn’t see her. Miss Blackthorn asked that I drop her at the gates, not the front door.”

“She probably doesn’t want anyone to see the state of the place,” said Matthew, yawning. “The gates alone are festooned in rust.”

“Thomas,” James said, his voice low. “Maybe a healing rune?”

Thomas nodded before taking a seat on the arm of the chair Matthew had fallen into. “Push your sleeve up, then, there’s a good fellow. Let’s wake you up and James can tell us whatever mad thing he’s planned.”

“We'd better check the locks on all the windows. Just to be sure,” James said, darting around the ballroom like a madman.

“James, my dear,” Delilah said. “What is your plan? If we need to lock the windows and bar the doors, it does seem quite over the top.”

James didn’t reply as he checked on one of the windows to make sure that it was locked.

“It seems somehow blasphemous to use Marks to rid oneself of the effects of alcohol,” Matthew said, looking more clear eyed than before.

“I’ve seen you use your stele to part your hair,” said James.

“The Angel gave me this hair,” replied Matthew. “It’s one of the Shadowhunters’ gifts. Like the Mortal Sword.”

“Now that is blasphemy,” Thomas said.

“Lila agrees with me,” Matthew said, stubbornly.

Delilah snorted. “Where did you ever get that idea?” 

Delilah sat on the chair Matthew was previously seated in and began to fan herself with her hands. With all of the windows and doors locked shut, it was getting warmer and warmer and Delilah wished that she were outside in the cold again.

Matthew shot her a glare before turning his attention to his parabatai. “James, why are we locking all the windows? Are we afraid of over-curious pigeons?”

James finally turned his attention to his friends. “I have spent the past four years of my life trying to train myself not to do what I’m about to do. I don’t wish to even consider the possibility of being interrupted.”

“By a pigeon?” said Matthew. “Jamie, what are we doing here?”

James took a deep breath. “I am going to deliberately send myself into the shadow realm.”

Everyone immediately exploded in protest. Delilah stood to her feet inching closer to the others. “James, you can’t be serious,” she said.

“Of course he isn’t,” Matthew said, suddenly entirely sober. “The danger–”

“I do not think there will be danger,” James said. “I have been in and out of the shadow realm many times in my life. It has been ages since I fell accidentally into that world. Yet in the past week, I have seen it three times, once just before the attack today. I cannot think that is a coincidence. If I can use this ability to help Barbara, Ariadne, all of us– you must let me do it.”

“Bloody hell.” Matthew rubbed his eyes. “If we don’t help you here, you’ll just try to do this after we’re all gone, won’t you?” 

“Clearly,” said James. He tapped the daggers at his waist. “I’m armed, at least.”

Matthew twisted his signet ring around his finger, a thing he only did when he was distressed. “Very well, James. As you wish.”

Delilah took a step closer to Matthew and slightly nudged him with her elbow. He glanced at her briefly before the twisting of his ring ceased and his shoulder’s seemed to relax the smallest bit. 

James cleared his throat. “All right. Let’s get on with it.”

There was silence as Delilah, Christopher, Thomas and Matthew stared at James. 

“Well?” Thomas said. “Go on into the shadow realm, then.”

James took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Nothing happened but everyone stayed silent. Delilah noticed the concentration on James’s face as he tried to fall into the place where he always tried to avoid. She knew that it was a bad idea and she wished she had put a stop to it as soon as James suggested it. 

Matthew stepped away from Delilah and stood directly in front of James. The Herondale didn’t seem to notice until he opened his eyes and jumped back in surprise.

“Matthew!” James exclaimed.

“I really don’t think staring at him is going to help, Matthew,” Thomas said as Matthew took a reluctant step back.

“Is there anything we can do to help? We’ve all seen you do it. You start to get shadowy and a bit blurry at the edges.” Delilah said. 

“When I go into the shadow realm, the realness of my presence here begins to fade,” James said. “But it is not what drives me into the shadow realm. More of a side effect of being there.”

“Often it happens when you are upset or shocked,” said Christopher. “I suppose we could try upsetting or shocking you.”

“Given everything that’s happened, that shouldn’t be too hard,” said James.

“Nonsense,” Matthew said. “The last time I saw you shocked was when that Iblis demon was sending Christopher love letters.”

“I think that shocked everyone,” Delilah added.

“I have a dark charm,” said Christopher sadly.

“Please recall that I am the pale neurasthenic one and you are the stern heroic one,” Matthew said to James. “It is very tedious when you mix up our roles. We will have to think of something quite impressive to startle you.”

“So what is my role?” said Christopher.

“Mad inventor, of course,” said Matthew promptly. “And Thomas is the one with a good heart.”

“Lord, I sound dull,” said Thomas.

Delilah folded her arms across her chest. “And what is my role?”

Matthew looked at Delilah waiting for his answer expectantly. “You are,” Matthew began, trying to find words for what he wanted to say but failed. “You are just Lila.”

Delilah’s expression faltered. “ ‘Just Lila ’? And you thought you sounded dull, Thomas.”

“That’s not–” Matthew tried to speak but was cut off by Thomas.

“James, come here for a second.”

James moved toward Thomas. Delilah eyed her cousin, wanting to know what he was planning behind his hazel eyes. What Delilah didn’t expect was a fist flying through the air and hitting James in the face. He stumbled back before landing on the floor. Delilah’s mouth hung open in shock. 

“Thomas!” Matthew yelled while checking on James. “What were you trying to–?”

“I was trying to surprise him!” Thomas yelled back. “This is important, Matthew!” Thomas shot James a concerned glance. “You don’t mind, do you, Jamie?”

“It’s all right,” James said breathlessly. “Only it didn’t work. If I turned into a shadow every time something hit me, I couldn’t patrol.”

“There has to be other ways to surprise you,” Delilah said. 

Just as Matthew had gotten James to his feet an arrow soared past Delilah. Thomas reached forward and pulled her back and out of harm's way. Delilah stumbled, clutching onto Thomas’s arm. Matthew pushed James back to the floor again as the arrow soared past them and into a window shattering it. James might not have been surprised but Delilah sure was. 

Delilah turned to the direction the arrow had come from and found Christopher holding one of the bows that was displayed on the wall.

“In case anyone was wondering if those were purely ornamental,” said James, getting to his feet, “they are not.”

“In the name of a million bloody angels, Christopher, what the hell did you just do?” Matthew demanded. “Did you just try to kill James?”

“I was not trying to kill James,” said Christopher in an injured tone. “I was hoping the shock of the arrow flying past would startle him into the shadow realm. Pity it didn’t work. We must think of a new plan to grievously alarm James at once.”

“Christopher!” James exclaimed. “I cannot believe you would say that! I also cannot believe you would shoot at me.”

“It had a seventy-two percent chance of working, in perfect laboratory conditions–”

“We are not in perfect laboratory conditions!” James shouted. “We are in the ballroom of my house!”

“Stop shouting!” Delilah snapped. “All of you!”

The ballroom doors began to rattle, diverting everyone’s attention. “What’s going on?” It was Will’s voice. “James, are you in there?”

“Bloody hell. My father,” James said. “Look, all of you– get out through the windows. Well, the broken one anyway. I’ll take the blame. I’ll say I shot the window out.

“In the ballroom?” Thomas said practically. “Why would you do such a rattle-headed thing?”

“I’m capable of anything!” James made a grab for the bow in Christopher’s hands but the Lightwood simply ran behind Thomas, shielding himself behind the bigger boy. “Come on, Kit, give it over–”

Thomas rolled his eyes. “He’s going to say, ‘Because I’m a Herondale,’ isn’t he?”

“Most likely,” Delilah muttered.

“I am a Herondale,” James said glaring at everyone as Will’s knocks became louder. “And I am telling you to get out of my Institute so the only one who gets punished is me.”

“Answer me, James!” Will shouted from the other side of the door. “Why have you blocked this door? I demand to know what’s going on!”

“James isn’t here!” Matthew shouted. “Go away.”

James looked at Matthew puzzled. “Really?”

“I heard breaking glass!” Will called. 

“I was practising fighting moves!” Matthew answered.

“In the ballroom?”

“We’re trying to distract Thomas! It’s been a very emotional day!”

“ What ?” Will’s voice was incredulous.

“Don’t you blame this on me!” Thomas whispered.

“James, if you're going to do this, you need to do it now.” Matthew said, stepping closer to James.

“I know,” James said. “Math– help me.”

Delilah saw Matthew step closer to James and whispered into his ear. James jerked away from Matthew and Matthew’s face fell. Delilah watched as James closed his eyes before he vanished completely just as Will had managed to get through the doors. He looked around at the guilty faces.

“Hi, uncle Will,” Delilah said, offering her uncle a small wave. 

Will’s eyes jumped from Matthew to Delilah to Thomas to Christopher and back again. “Where is my son?”

No one answered. Because no one knew.

***

Delilah needed to go to the one place where she could let loose. She would be able to relax far into the night and early morning. So that's what she did. As soon as Delilah got home with Christopher she went to her room and stripped off her ruined dress in favour of another, this one a little more scandalous than her everyday dresses. It was dark in colour and the blue of it only reveals itself when it catches the light. 

Delilah had become an expert in tying her own corset, she had done it a few times before after a long night at the House. She grabbed a jacket from her wardrobe and threw it over her shoulders. As Delilah slipped out of her bedroom she noticed Christopher’s door open a crack. He was sitting on his bed staring at his hands. 

She stepped closer so she stood in the doorway. Christopher still hadn’t noticed her presence. Delilah stepped further into his room. It was nearly empty. Before Christopher began to use Henry’s lab, his bedroom was his lab and he had basically destroyed all furniture, even his bed needed replacing at one point. 

“Christopher,” Delilah announced her presence. “Are you okay?”

His violet eyes met her blue ones. She had always loved the colour of her brother's eyes and she remembered being jealous of them when they were children. So jealous that she didn’t bother with her brother for nearly two weeks when they were four and five. 

“I’m okay,” Christopher said. 

Delilah sighed and joined him on his bed. “I am your sister, Kit. That means that I can tell when you are lying. We have grown up together, I know everything about you.”

“What would have happened if I had hurt James today?” He questioned. “I know it had a seventy-two percent chance of working but if the experiment landed in the twenty-eight percent, I could have seriously injured James.”

“Oh, Christopher,” Delilah said, taking his hands in hers. “What matters is that you didn’t injure James at all. You shocked all of us, yes. But there wasn’t even a scratch on him.”

“But–”

“What if it was me who shot that bow and I was in your position right now?” Delilah said. “What would you be telling me?”

“That you were only trying to help,” Christopher said. “And that you shouldn’t dwell on it.”

“Exactly,” Delilah squeezed her brother’s hands. “Now take your own advice.”

Christopher looked at Delilah before slowly nodding, the night bouncing from his glasses. Delilah leaned forward and wrapped him in a hug. “You know I love you right?”

Ever since Barbara was injured, Delilah wanted nothing more than to wrap her brother in a protective shield. She couldn’t imagine what Thomas was going through but she didn’t want to. Delilah knew that if she treated Anna this way, Anna would simply push her way and besides, Delilah knew that her sister was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Alexander was constantly with their parents so Delilah never had to worry about him. 

But with Christopher it was different. Growing up very close in age played a part in how protective Delilah was over her brother. When they were younger, Delilah remembered always being taller than her brother and she held it against him. But just before the two joined the academy, Christopher had a growth spurt so he towered over Delilah. Of course she grew after but not to catch up to Christopher, coming a few inches below his height. Like in childhood when Delilah always held over him that she was taller, Christopher began to hold it over Delilah’s head. 

“I love you too,” Christopher said after a while. He never said it often so Delilah knows that when he said it, he really meant it.

“Good,” Delilah said before pulling away from her brother. “Now put a smile on your face, I’m older so I know best.”

Christopher fought the smile as he looked at his sister as she slowly backed out of his room. “Now if I come back later and you are staring into the void contemplating every experiment you have ever done, I will personally…I don’t know what I will do to be honest. You don’t really care about your clothes nor anything in your room,” Delilah said. “But just know that I will do something.”

“I believe you,” Christopher said, finally letting a small smile appear on his face. 

“Good,” Delilah said, straightening her jacket. “I will see you later, Kit.”

Christopher simply waved as Delilah closed his bedroom door and continued her way out of the house. 

It was quite late but it hadn’t yet turned midnight. Delilah debated going to the Fairchild residence for her art supplies as she hadn’t had the ones she usually took to the House. She had asked Christopher to put them back in the lab. Normally she would go in freely but since Chrstopher wasn’t there, she didn’t have that luxury, knowing that the lab was locked if Christopher or Henry were not using it. 

Delilah didn’t want to risk knocking on the door in case Charlotte or Henry answered and questioned why she was out so late, especially if there was a demon attack only hours before. Of course Delilah would simply say that she was on her way to Anna’s flat but then she would be met with the circumstance of the Consul accompanying her and Delilah didn’t want that. 

As she found herself nearing the Fairchild residence she noticed the light emitting from Matthew’s bedroom. The only light on in the house. Hurrying her steps she picked up a few small pebbles from the floor before coming to a stop below the window. With precise aim, Delilah threw the first pebble– it hit his window. Delilah internally cheered and threw the second, and then the third. She was having far too much fun. Just as she went to throw the fourth, the window opened and Matthew’s head peered out into the darkness. 

“Matthew!” Delilah whispered up to him. 

Matthew looked down and his eyes widened in surprise. “Delilah? What are you doing here?”

“I need to get into the lab and it’s locked,” Delilah said. 

The light coming from Matthew’s window was bright and cast a perfect square onto the ground below, illuminating Delilah’s figure.

“Go to the door to the lab,” Matthew said simply before closing his window.

Delilah dropped the rest of the pebbles and quickly scurried around the house and waited in front of the entrance to the lab. It wasn’t long before Matthew opened the door. He didn’t look amused. “It wasn’t locked, did you even try to open it before you pestered me?”

“No,” Delilah said sheepishly while she stepped past Matthew and into the lab. “I assumed that it would be locked.”

She spotted her sketchbook where she normally left it and she smiled and picked it up alone with her pencil roll. Matthew watched as she did so.

“This is all I came for, I shall be going now,” Delilah turned around to face Matthew and he stood in front of the doorway, blocking the exit.

“It’s late, Delilah,” Matthew said simply. “Where are you going?”

“Nowhere, just to Anna’s–”

“You’re going to one of those mundane parties, aren’t you?” Mathew asked.

Delilah sighed. “Yes, I am, and as much as I love your mother, I would appreciate it if you didn’t say it so loudly. She is still the Consul, Matthew. I just need a distraction. With the demon attack and James disappearing earlier, I just need to wind down for a while.”

“Bring me with you,” Matthew said.

“What?” Delilah exclaimed. “No!”

“It’s either that or I am dragging you and locking you in the guest room,” Matthew said. 

Delilah glared at him. “Fine, grab a jacket and be quick . I won’t wait for you.”

A smile broke out on Matthew’s face, he looked giddy . “I’ll be fast.”

As soon as Delilah was out of sight, she stepped out of the lab and quickly walked away from the house. Her pace was between a fast walk and a jog. If she made it to the end of the street, Matthew wouldn’t know what direction she went–

“You can’t escape me that easily, Lila,” Matthew said, draping his arm over her shoulders. 

“I was hoping to,” Delilah grumbled.

“You don’t mean that, you love my company too much,” he said. 

He wasn’t lying and Delilah didn’t deny it. 

The walk to the house was silent. Matthew’s arm was still wrapped around Delilah’s shoulders securely. Neither of them realised. It wasn’t long before the House was in sight. The music was already flowing from it and it was completely lit up. Delilah smiled. Matthew glanced down at Delilah and he too, smiled.

As they made it to the doorstep, Delilah turned towards Matthew. “I must warn you, it can be a little much.”

Matthew only nodded as he followed Delilah in. Immediately he was hit with the smell of alcohol and smoke. People lounged about in the entryway talking and drinking. Delilah smiled at people in greeting. 

Delilah reached and took Matthew’s hand in hers. Her warmth was a complete contrast to the cool tone of his hand. 

“There are a few sighted mundanes here too,” Delilah said and pointed to a boy, around the same age as Matthew and Delilah, slumped against the stairs, his arm wrapped around a woman as they conversed. “His name is Tobias. He has the Sight.”

Matthew nodded as he looked in Tobias’s direction before it bounced around between everyone’s face. Matthew smiled.

Delilah gripped Matthew’s hand as they walked through the house. A glass of champagne was offered to Matthew and he took it immediately. 

“Where are we going?” Matthew whispered, his mouth brushing her ear as he spoke.

Delilah smirked. “My favourite room.”

Delilah pulled him down the hallway until she pushed open the large doors. Inside there were easels set up in a circle. People set up as Delilah found an empty space. 

“So this is what you do here?” Matthew questioned, looking around the room in awe. Upon the walls were large pieces of artwork that stunned Matthew and only made him more intrigued.

Delilah smiled at him. “This isn’t all I do here.”

“Delilah!” A voice squealed. 

Before Delilah could react a body came in contact with hers and pushed her gently into the wall. Lips were immediately on Delilah’s as the figure pressed herself into Delilah’s body. Delilah smiled into the kiss and held tightly onto the woman’s waist, tracing the curve of it under the robe she wore. 

Matthew stared down at Delilah wide eyed. He didn’t know.

The woman pulled back from Delilah and her brown eyes widened when she took in Matthew. “Oh, I didn’t know you were with someone.”

“We’re not together.” Both Matthew and Delilah answered.

“Okay,” the woman laughed. “I’m Celine, by the way. I model here.”

Matthew shook Celine’s stretched out hand. “It’s wonderful to meet you Celine, I’m Matthew.”

“Oh!” Celine exclaimed. “So you’re Matthew! Delilah has mentioned a Matthew a couple of times before.”

Delilah tried to deny it but she couldn’t, knowing that Celine would only call her out on her lie immediately. 

“Did she?” Matthew smirked looking at Delilah. 

Celine nodded before she turned her attention to Delilah. She pressed a kiss against her lips. “I have to make sure my hair is perfect. There’s going to be twenty people drawing it and I will not let it look like a bird's nest.”

“Your hair is already perfect,” Delilah said.

“Delilah, be serious, this is not time for jokes,” Celine said before she walked away, quickly catching the attention of a man walking past as she whisked him away in her arms.

Matthew took a sip of his drink before turning to Delilah who now also had a drink in her hand. Delilah fiddled nervously with the drink as she looked at Matthew. 

“So are you with Celine or not?” Matthew asked. “Because if you are then I must congratulate you. She is beautiful.”

“No, we are not together,” Delilah said. “She also has the Sight and she was the first person who saw me here and greeted me when everyone else looked at her like she was mad.” Delilah paused. “But I do prefer the company of both men and women. I did quite like Celine before that infatuation faded away.”

Delilah took a large swig from her drink. “I’ve wanted to tell you that for a while.

Matthew’s eyes softened. “Then why didn’t you?”

Delilah shrugged. “To be completely honest, I don’t know. The only people who know are Anna, Christopher and now you. I know the others won’t judge me but…” Delilah sighed. “I just don’t know.”

“Hey,” Matthew said softly, his hand trailing down her arm until his fingers entwined with hers. “You needn't tell them now, tell them whenever you are ready.”

Delilah looked up at Matthew and smiled, squeezing his hand. She leaned up and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you, Matthew.”

Matthew nodded before his eyes glanced around the room. “So these parties happen every night?”

“Basically,” Delilah said. “I don’t come every night but I do come at least once a week.”

Delilah shrugged off her jacket and Matthew stared at her. He couldn’t tear his gaze away. The dress she wore was not one he had ever seen before and he wished to see more of it. The dress hugged her curves and dipped dangerously low in the front. Matthew’s eyes surveyed every part of her. 

Even though Matthew had seen more of Delilah’s body before, with her only in her nightgown. After a night of drinking the two had found themselves curled up together in the bedroom of the Devil Tavern. That had only been six months ago and the two didn’t speak about it ever again. 

Feeling eyes on her, Delilah glanced up at Matthew, a smirk playing on her lips. “Like what you see, Fairchild?”

“No! I mean, yes. But not like that! By the angel…” Matthew’s face was redder than Delilah had ever seen it.

“I’m just teasing, sweetheart,” Delilah said, throwing her jacket on the chair behind her.  

Matthew only nodded before ripping his gaze away from her body. “While you do your art lesson, I’m going to take a look around.”

Delilah winked. “Have fun!”

As Matthew walked out of the room, Delilah finished off her wine before filling her glass once again with the bottle on the table behind her. As she sat, Delilah felt lighter and felt like there was a huge weight off her chest. Celine came back, her hair now in a different hairstyle, and seated herself in the centre of the circle of easels and dropped her robe. Delilah was concentrated on her pencil and sketchbook for the next hour.

***

Delilah packed up her art supplies and left them on the table behind her and went out in the House to find Matthew. She held the bottle of wine close to her and drank straight from it, instead of the glass she had abandoned only after her second drink. As she walked past people, she was dragged into many conversations by people she knew and people she didn’t. 

By the time Delilah found Matthew the bottle of wine in her hand was basically empty. Matthew was seated across from Tobias– who had the woman he was talking to when Delilah and Matthew had walked in– situated in his lap. From over Tobias’s shoulder, Matthew spotted Delilah and a lazy grin spread across his face. 

As she neared, she placed herself in front of Matthew as leaned into his chest, smiling at Tobias and the woman. “It’s lovely to see you again, Tobias.” Delilah said. 

Tobias smirked. “You look delightful tonight, Delilah.”

The woman looked at Delilah’s dress and gasped. “You must tell me when you got your gown from.”

“I honestly do not remember,” Delilah confessed. “Although, I would be more than happy to accompany you and we can find it together.”

The woman eagerly nodded and Delilah smiled. She knew that it would never happen but it was nice to discuss.

Matthew’s hand wrapped around her from behind, pulling her closer to him as Tobias’s gaze raked all over her body. Delilah smiled at Matthew’s protectiveness and leaned further into him, while she took a final swig from her wine bottle. 

Delilah noted Matthew’s glass empty and intertwined their fingers. “Do you want to get another drink?”

Matthew simply nodded, still glaring daggers at Tobias. Delilah dragged him through the house until they ended up in a large room. It was grand and filled with paintings and all sorts of art. Matthew spun around in wonder. The large table in the centre gave away that this was the dining room. It was filled with bottles of alcohol both expensive and cheap. Delilah picked up a nearly full bottle of whisky and spun around to face Matthew. 

“You were jealous of Tobias,” Delilah spoke as the two collapsed onto a sofa in the corner of the room. 

“I was not,” Matthew defended. 

“Are you going to be that way if a suitor ever comes my way?” Delilah questioned, taking a swig from the expensive whisky before passing it to Matthew. 

“I won’t have to,” Matthew said. “You know you already have Christopher, Thomas and Matthew for that. Only one of them might be your brother but the other two practically are.”

Delilah laughed. “Christopher wouldn’t notice if I had a suitor, he would notice after a few weeks then greet them like he’s known them for years. But it’s true that any suitor might be intimidated by Thomas’s stature. And people will be intimidated by James because he is a Herondale and his father is Will Herondale.” Delilah sighed dramatically. “I will never find a suitor.”

Matthew laughed and took another swig from the whisky. “I fear you won’t.”

Delilah took the whisky out of Matthew’s grasp and brought it to her lips, feeling it burn down the back of her throat. “I’m not sure if I even want to have a suitor. I couldn’t picture myself in a marriage and with children. I can only picture myself at parties and doing my art all around the world. I don’t want to be tied down, especially when I’m young and in my prime.”

“You don’t need to think about that now,” Matthew said, as Delilah shuffled around on the sofa and brought her legs up to rest over Matthew.

“Oh, but I do,” Delilah said. “I’m a woman, Matthew. I am expected to marry soon and bare children for my husband. Even if Shadowhunter’s are a little more progressive than mundanes, there is still an expectation for me. For every woman.” Delilah brought Matthew;s hand closer to her and fiddled with his rings. “I just want to have a life. I understand I am a Shadowhunter and that comes with a lot of responsibilities, but I want to travel with my art. Make my own living, make my own money. But that is nearly impossible. ”

Matthew’s hand unconsciously glided down her shin before resting on her ankle. If they hadn’t been at this party and were doing what they were in the Institute or anywhere outside of the house or any other downworlder party, it would be considered the most improper. Matthew couldn’t find it within himself to care.

“Then do it,” Matthew said. “Who cares if you say it’s not possible. It will be possible because you, Delilah Lightwood, will make it possible.”

Delilah smiled. “I knew why I liked you, Matthew Fairchild.”

“I am a very easy person to like,” Matthew teased. 

Delilah rolled her eyes as she looked at the time on the clock. It was nearly two in the morning. “It’s getting late, we should be getting home.” As she said it, Delilah found herself not wanting to leave.

Matthew noticed the expression on her face and tightened his grip on her leg. “Do you want to leave?”

Delilah returned her gaze to Matthew and shook her head. “I am enjoying my time here.”

“That settles it then!” Matthew said. “The night is still young and if your parents ask where you were, you can easily just say that you were shaken up by everything and spent the night at my house. No one can judge you for going to the Consuls house despite her nor her husband being there and their eldest child had accompanied them wherever they went. And the sole resident left in the house refused to let a tired and distressed lady walk home in the dark and cold so he allowed you the use of the guest room.”

“So I threw pebbles up to your room for nothing?” Delilah exclaimed. “I could have just knocked on the door?”

“Yes,” Matthew answered simply. 

Delilah lightly hit his arm. “You could have told me that!”

“Well, you were in such a rush to leave that I didn’t have the chance,” Matthew defended. 

Delilah rolled her eyes before standing up and offered Matthew her hand, the other still tightly gripped the bottle of whisky. Matthew simply stood and took her hand in his, unsure of what was happening. It was the first time Delilah had noticed Matthew’s appearance. His jacket was missing and probably abandoned somewhere in the house and the first few buttons of his shirt were unbuttoned, revealing some of the runes on his chest. Delilah swallowed.

“Where are we going?” Matthew asked.

“There is still plenty of this house that you probably haven’t explored,” Delilah said and dragged Matthew from the room. 

***

An hour later, Matthew and Delilah stumbled into one of the many bedrooms in the house, both laughing maniacally. The room was large with a king size bed in the centre of it. 

“I can’t believe you said that!” Delilah said as she stumbled to the bed. “I do want to come back here! And so do you, don’t lie.”

“I’m not, I’m not,” Matthew said as he sat next to Delilah. 

The bottle of whisky the two had shared was gone and in their systems, rendering the two of them drunken messes. Although not drunk enough to be rendered unconscious, both of the two Shadowhunters were still very awake.

“Did you even hear what he said about you?” Matthew said. 

“It was Tobias, I don’t question anything he says anymore, especially not after the night I spent with him,” Delilah said, laying on her side and propping up her head.

“You didn’t?” Matthew laughed, “Him? Really?”

Delilah blushed. “It was a good option at the time.”

“He is nice to look at but he has the personality of a slug,” Matthew commented. “And the slime of one too.”

“Again,” Delilah said, “it was months ago and it was the best option at the time.”

Matthew laughed before he laid down. The two stayed that way for a while. Somehow in these past few hours, Matthew had gotten to know the true Delilah, the side of her that she never shows anyone, never tells anyone about.

As Delilah stared up at the ceiling, she realised that she had never had so much fun before. Not in her everyday life nor in this house. Delilah didn’t want it to end. Suddenly sitting up from the bed, she stumbled over to the door and locked it. Matthew sat up and watched her with curious eyes. 

“It’s late,” Delilah said. “And neither of us are in a state to walk home. We can stay here for the night, many people do.”

Matthew allowed his head to fall back down onto the bed. “I am not complaining, this bed is almost as comfortable as mine. Much larger too, I don’t know where you are going to sleep.”

Delilah rolled her eyes. “With you, idiot.” 

The Lightwood girl heard Matthew laugh as she tried to reach to undo her corset. She could normally do it easily but she didn’t have the coordination. 

“Want some help?” Matthew questioned as he watched her struggle.

“Please,” Delilah said as Matthew stood from the bed and was at Delilah’s side in an instant, chests nearly touching. 

Delilah looked up at Matthew who looked at her. Blue and green eyes meeting. The blonde placed his hands on Delilah’s shoulders and turned her around so her back faced him. Delilah gathered her hair and rested it over her shoulder to allow Matthew to untie her corset. Matthew could normally untie it quickly but he found himself doing it slowly. His hands shook.

Delilah could feel his breath on the back of her neck and shoulder as she stood behind her. She tried to ignore it but found it difficult. She could still smell his cologne on him, still lingering despite all the different smells he had walked through in the house. She could feel every tug and pull as Matthew untied the corset. 

Of course Delilah had her corset taken from her body before by someone else but it was normally in a rush and quick. It wasn’t as intimate as the way Matthew did it. The dim lighting in the room hid Delilah’s blush well. 

As the dress finally sagged from her body, Delilah gasped and held it against her chest. Somehow now forgetting that she didn’t have anything to change into. 

“Give me your shirt,” Delilah said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Matthew didn’t say anything as he slowly unbuttoned his shirt and handed it to her in her free hand that wasn’t holding her dress to her chest. Delilah took it and stepped into the small bathroom just off the bedroom and let the dress fall from her body. The material was soft against her skin and Delilah sighed in delight. The shirt was long on her but not as long as Delilah would have liked. But it was all she had, so she walked out of the bathroom.

Matthew remained standing where Delilah had left him, seemingly lost in thought. She tried not to but her eyes looked his body up and down. His shadowhunter training had definitely been useful. She stepped closer to Matthew until she could tell that she was in his eyeline as his eyes fought to look at the carpet. 

Delilah chuckled as she stepped closer and gently reached for his face, raising his gaze to meet hers. She didn’t miss the brief glance at her before he met her gaze though. 

“This is most improper,” Matthew mumbled, not looking anywhere but her eyes.

“There is nothing proper about us,” Delilah muttered, thumb brushing across his cheek. 

She released Matthew’s face as she climbed into the bed. It was soft and the pillows were plush. Delilah let out a content sigh. Matthew remained where he stood and he turned his body to look at Delilah in the bed. Somehow the bed seemed ten times smaller than it did when he walked in. 

“Are you going to stand there all night?” Delilah asked. 

Matthew finally moved as he removed his shoes and slowly shimmied out of his trousers before finally joining her under the covers. The two lay side by side facing one another. It was silent, even the sounds of the party below could not be heard. Delilah and Matthew were in their own small world. 

“Today was a nice distraction,” Delilah whispered. Her breath fanned Matthew’s face.

“Yeah,” Matthew breathed out. “Yes it was.”

Delilah shuffled closer to Matthew and rested her head on his chest. Matthew immediately wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. Their legs tangled together under the covers. 

“It has felt like today has gone on forever,” Delilah said, tracing the runes on Matthew’s chest. “I came here for a much needed distraction. Originally I was looking for a bit more than just drinking, though.”

Matthew paused. “There was a downworlder party tonight that I planned to attend.”

“Oh, I’m sorry for dragging you away from it,” Delilah apologised. 

“It’s fine,” Matthew mumbled against her forehead. “I much preferred my time here, with you. Everything with the demon and James disappearing and I don’t know where he even is. I needed to get away from everything for the night. A distraction as you called it.”

Delilah shifted her head and looked at Matthew. Blue and green. Matthew’s hand brushed her hair away from her face.

“You have violet flecks in your eyes,” Matthew muttered.

Delilah didn’t reply. She was too concentrated on the way Matthew held her and the hand getting tangled in her hair. Originally they wanted the same thing. A distraction, something to focus on for a brief moment. To feel something other than worry or pain for a single moment in time. She knew that it had happened before between them, but Delilah barely remembered it. She only remembered waking up in the Devil Tavern in her nightgown and Matthew only in his shirt. 

Before Delilah could think, she pressed her lips against Matthew’s. She cupped his jaw and she pressed her body against his, feeling every part of him. Her body was on fire with desire. Matthew’s eyes fluttered closed as his arm tightened around her body, the hand in her hair gripped it with some more force. 

Delilah’s hands rested on Matthew’s firm chest as she kissed him. His lips were as soft as she remembered those months ago. His body felt the same as it did then. Delilah’s finger’s unconsciously traced the runes on his chest, she was completely absorbed in Matthew. 

Matthew’s hand slid down her body and held her hip, fingertips digging in. Despite his drunken brain, his senses were on fire and as sharp as ever. He was overwhelmed by Delilah’s scent. The smell of her perfume and shampoo seemed to spread all around the room. The goosebumps across her skin and the slight shiver that racked her body as the duvet slipped away from her shoulders. The taste of her and the alcohol that still lingered in her mouth. Matthew was aware of everything about her. 

Delilah pulled away once she realised what she had done. 

“I am so sorry,” Delilah said. “You just mentioned a distraction, as did I. And I thought that didn’t need to be wasted–”

“Delilah,” Matthew cut her off. “Are you sure?”

“I just really need a distraction.” Delilah’s voice was barely above a whisper.

“As do I.”

Their lips met in the middle. It was gentler and tender, just what each other needed. Matthew’s hands gently caressed Delilah’s body as they kissed, afraid that she would break if he applied even the smallest amount of pressure. Delilah’s hands snaked up to his hair, which was just as soft as it had been the last time. Delilah could see why Matthew took such pride in it.

Matthew slowly moved so he was leaning over her, her body now rested beneath his. Delilah could feel every part of him against her. Delilah wrapped her arms around Matthew’s neck pressing him against her, leaving no gap between their bodies. His hands slipped beneath her shirt– his shirt. Her skin was soft to the touch. His fingers briefly ran over the small scars she had gotten from training and her normally clumsy self.

Delilah wrapped her legs around Matthew’s waist as she shifted their positions. The kiss broke away momentarily as Matthew looked up at Delilah. His eyes dark. His hands held onto her waist as she slipped his shirt over her head, revealing herself entirely to Matthew.

Matthew’s fingers traced the curve of her waist and hips before slowly coming back up her body, his fingers danced across her breasts and caused Delilah to suck in more oxygen that was typically necessary. 

Delilah looked at Matthew beneath her and it was the only thing that she could think of. Everything about the day– the demon attack, the injured people in the institute and James’s disappearance to the shadow realm. All of it disappeared. The only thing she could focus on at that moment was Matthew. 

“Are you sure?” Matthew asked once more. His hair was a mess on the white pillow, courtesy of Delilah. His chest heaved up and down. 

“I am sure,” Delilah said. Leaning forward so her face hovered above Matthew’s. “Are you sure?”

Matthew’s hand held her hair tightly in one hand while he held onto her hip with the other. “I have never been sure of anything else.”

Matthew pressed his lips against Delilah’s. He sat up, Delilah still straddling his waist and pressed her chest to his, feeling all of her. Delilah moaned into Matthew’s mouth as his hands explored her body as he mouth trailed from her lips and across her jaw. Delilah smiled.

It was a pleasant distraction.

Chapter Text

The breeze blew the silk curtains gently as Delilah stood in front of her mirror. Her mother wasn’t around to do her hair and she was struggling to pin it in place. There were maids to help but Delilah only allowed her mother to style her hair, she had done it when Delilah was a child and Delilah was going to make sure that it didn’t stop any time soon. 

The dress Delilah wore wasn’t her favourite but it was now one of the only ones that wasn’t either covered in blood or destroyed completely. She knew that she would drag Anna and Matthew to shop for clothes soon, perhaps she would invite Cordelia to tag alone. Delilah hadn’t had a chance to speak to Cordelia much. The incident at the picnic and her helping James in the ballroom had thrown a dent in her plans to get to know the Carstairs girl better. 

Once Delilah had finally decided to let her hair settle around her shoulders and down her back, there was a knock on the door. Delilah already knew who it was. 

“Christopher!” Delilah yelled to her brother in the room next to her own. “Thomas is here!”

“Give me a second,” Christopher said before emerging from his room with a vial clutched in his hand which he slipped into his pocket. 

Delilah’s eyes narrowed at the singed cuffs of his shirt before her eyes trailed up to her brother’s face who had a smile on his face. She shook her head, a smile pulling at the edges of her mouth before she linked her arm with her brothers as the two descended the stairs. 

“You came back early this morning,” Christopher commented. “I was awake reading through mine and Henry’s research.”

“The session ran a little later than usual,” Delilah said. “I decided to stay at the house for the night. With demon attacks happening, I thought it would be safer.”

Christopher simply nodded at her answer. “I agree that it was safer.”

Of course Delilah never liked lying to Christopher, she told her brother practically everything. But she didn’t want to tell him that she spent the whole night with Matthew, that was something she never wanted to admit to him. Or anyone else for that matter, it was strictly between her and Matthew. 

Thomas was waiting in the entryway for the two Lightwood siblings, pacing. Once the two descended the stairs she let go of her brother's arm and walked over and wrapped Thomas in a hug. “Are you okay?” she asked.

Thomas only nodded before pulling away from Delilah and stepped back, looking between the two siblings. 

“Matthew sent word early this morning that we shall all meet at his house,” Thomas explained as the three Lightwoods exit the house and enter the carriage, Christopher helping Delilah inside. 

Delilah sat opposite both Thomas and Christopher for the carriage ride to Matthew’s. It wasn’t too far away and it was certainly quicker than the route in which Delilah walked. It was bright in the sky and the sun was shining despite it being close to sunset. It was a beautiful day and Delilah wanted nothing more than to be outside rather than the carriage. Christopher and Thomas conversed while Delilah offered a comment occasionally. Delilah didn’t mind this however, both of the boys were discussing things that had very little interest to her.

Once the carriage pulled up in front of the Fairchild residence, Thomas and Christopher were the first out, leaving Thomas to help Delilah down from the carriage. It felt strange using the front door to enter the house, typically she would enter through Henry’s lab before quickly leaving. 

Henry greeted the three Lightwood’s before telling them that Matthew and James– who had arrived not too long before Delilah, Thomas and Christopher– were in the garden. As the three walked through the house barks echoed throughout it and Delilah gasped in delight. 

“Oscar!” Delilah giggled as the dog ran up to her, nearly jumping into her arms. 

The dog greeted both Thomas and Christopher before returning to Delilah who had bent down to stroke him easier. Delilah had always wanted an animal, whether that be a cat, lizard or even a squirrel from Regent’s park. But what Delilah had always wanted more than anything was a dog. 

The three Lightwood’s finally entered the garden to find James and Matthew under the large tree. Oscar ran happily over to his owner before running back to the trio, doing this as the Lightwood’s were close enough to converse with Matthew and James.

“James!” Christopher called when they were in speaking distance. “What happened last night? Where did you disappear to?”

Delilah sat down on the grass and Oscar walked over to her, his tail wagging happily. 

“There you go, James,” Matthew said smugly. “Now you don’t have to tell the story more than once.”

“Yes, what happened to you last night?” said Thomas. “You vanished, you know. Matthew was about to rip the institute apart brick by brick to see if you’d fallen into the crypt.”

Delilah looked over her cousin. He didn’t appear to be injured or even seem remotely affected by his trip into the shadow realm. It didn’t calm her worry though.

As James began to explain the story. He explained how he had gone into the world of shadows before seeing a light and followed it and found himself in Chiswick. He described the Cerberus demon and how he had killed it. Through his whole description, Delilah lightly patted Oscar’s head. 

“Cordelia and Lucie were there too,” said James. “At Chiswick.”

Delilah’s eyebrows furrowed in concern. “Are they both okay?”

“What on earth were they doing there?” Matthew questioned.

“They’d gone to check on Miss Blackthorn and see if she was all right,” said James. “And they were both okay, Delilah.”

Delilah let out a quiet sigh of relief. 

“Seems dangerous to be out and about at night after those attacks,” Matthew said. “The girls shouldn’t be taking such risks.”

Delilah raised an eyebrow and glanced in Matthew’s direction. Matthew met her gaze. “You're one to talk,” Delilah said. “You are out basically every night.”

“So are you!” Matthew defended. 

Delilah stilled as the words left Matthew’s mouth. James and Thomas looked at Delilah confused. Christopher looked between Delilah and Matthew, confusion evident on his face. He looked at Delilah. How does he know? His expression seemed to say. 

“Delilah?” Thomas said, “What does Matthew mean?”

Delilah sighed. “I just go to art classes sometimes during the week. Do you really think my art is as good as it is without some lessons?”

It wasn’t a complete lie because it was mostly the truth. She only concealed what else she did at those art classes. “I know it’s stupid to go alone, but I do enjoy them and I am very careful. Now before you all berate me, let’s get back on the topic we were just discussing.”

The boys were silent. Matthew had an apologetic expression on his face while James only looked at Delilah curiously. Christopher shared a look with Thomas before the taller boy began to speak, changing the subject completely.

“Here’s my question: Why Lightwood– I mean, why Chiswick House? Why the greenhouse?”

“No idea,” said James. “Perhaps because the demon was there?”

“Demons do like to take up residence in ruins, especially those where there are remnants of black magic,” Christopher said. “And we all know what Grandfather Benedict was up to in that house. It’s why he turned into a worm.”

“Ah,” said Matthew, “fond family memories.”

“Well, the Clave agrees with you,” said James. “They believe the demon has been there since Benedict’s time. And while it seems entirely unconnected to the attacks, I do feel we have been seeing an unusual number of demons lately in rather unusual places.”

“‘Demons in unusual places’ was Benedict’s motto,” said Matthew. “How do we know what the Clave thinks? Charles has been remarkably tight-lipped.”

“Not to me,” said James. “He came to see me this morning.”

Thomas’s expression darkened. “Don’t tell me he believes all that poppycock about you going to see Miss Blackthorn and being refused–?”

“He does believe it,” said James. “Or at least, I was unable to give him another, better explanation. I cannot say I was wandering about the shadow realm. better , I suppose, that they think I am a lunatic in love.”

“But you barely know Miss Blackthorn,” said Christopher, nibbling a piece of grass.

Delilah watched James and Matthew share a look. A whole conversation seemed to happen through that one brief look.

“I do know Grace,” said James. “And I do love her.” 

Delilah listened to James’s second story of the day, this time explaining all about his summers in Idris and how he had slowly begun to fall in love with Grace Blackthorn. Delilah clung onto every word, she had always assumed that James had been keeping a secret but she wasn’t expecting it to be this. By the time he was done with his story, the stars were becoming visible in the darkening sky.

The three Lightwoods remained in silence as they took in James’s story. Christopher was the first to speak. “I didn’t know that you were in love with someone, James. I’m sorry. I should have been paying attention.”

“I didn’t know either,” said Thomas, “and I have been paying attention.”

“I always could tell that you were keeping a secret, James,” Delilah said. “But I never expected you to say that you were in love. Isn’t that sweet!” She teased her cousin.

“I am sorry I didn’t tell you all before. Grace has always worried that her mother would find out and be furious. Even Lucie does not know,” said James.

“Forbidden love,” Delilah said, somewhat sadly. She wouldn’t admit it to the boys around her but she was somewhat of a romantic. Her shelves in her bedroom were filled with romance novels. It was a secret Delilah would take to her grave.

Thomas frowned. “My aunt Tatiana is mad. My father has often said so, that his sister was driven to madness by what happened to her father and her husband. She blames our parents for their deaths.”

“But James has never done anything to her,” Christopher said, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

“He’s a Herondale,” said Thomas. “That’s enough.”

“That’s ridiculous,” said Christopher. “It is as if one was bitten by a duck and years later one shot a completely different duck and ate it for dinner, and called that revenge.”

“Please do not use metaphors, Christopher,” Matthew said. “It gives me the pip.”

Delilah nudged Matthew’s leg and rolled her eyes.

“This is bad enough without mentioning ducks,” said James. “I’m sorry, Thomas. I feel as if I have failed in helping Barbara.”

“No,” Thomas said quickly. “We have only just started. I was thinking– perhaps you, Matthew, Delilah and I should go to the Devil Tavern and look through the book collection. There are volumes there that the Clave will never find combing through the Institute’s library. We could see if there is any mention of these daylight demon creatures.”

“What about Christopher?” said Matthew.

Christopher held up a vial of red liquid–blood. Delilah scrunched her nose wondering how long he had been keeping that in his pocket for. “I managed to acquire some blood that the Silent Brothers had taken from one of the patients last night,” he said proudly. “I intend to mix modern science and Shadowhunter magic to attempt to create an antidote for the demon poison. Henry has said I can use his laboratory while he is in Idris.”

“That better not be my sister’s blood.”

“It’s Piers’s,” said Christopher, “though for the sake of pure science, it should not matter.”

“And yet we are all relieved,” said James. “Matthew, Delilah and I can go to Fleet Street– perhaps Thomas should help Christopher in the lab?”

Thomas sighed. “I always end up helping Christopher in the lab.”

“It is because you are remarkably good at dodging explosions,” said James, “and also, you can curse in Spanish.”

“How does that help?” Thomas said.

“It doesn’t,” said James, “but Christopher likes it. Now–”

“James!” Henry called from the house. 

James took off toward the house leaving the three Lightwood’s, Matthew and Oscar on the grass. Oscar was asleep beside Delilah while the four sat in a comfortable silence as Matthew reached for his book, brushing the front cover. She leant forward and snatched Matthew's pocket watch to check the time. The blonde protested, gripping her wrist lightly.

Delilah sighed. “I was just checking the time.”

“You could have just asked, you didn’t need to assault me,” Matthew said dramatically.

Delilah snorted. “Stop being dramatic, darling. I barely touched you.” Delilah stood to her feet, brushing off the grass. “And besides, where's the fun in just asking.”

“Where are you going?” Thomas questioned.

“Anna’s,” Delilah said. “I heard that she was having tea.”

“One of us should escort you,” Matthew said, moving to stand to his feet.

“It isn’t too far of a walk,” Delilah said. “And besides I am in desperate need of female company.”

Without another word, Delilah walked away from the three boys still sprawled out on the grass. 

***

The sky grew darker as Delilah made her way to Anna’s and she would be grateful to loosen her corset. It was painfully tight around her chest and it wasn’t even tied up too tight. Despite the night growing dark and people made their way back to their homes ready to settle down for the night, Delilah was wide awake. She half blamed it on the previous night and partly because of the morning.

The sun was rising before Delilah and Matthew had finished their activities, the alcohol in their systems and their physical exertion rendering them unconscious the moment Matthew rolled from her body to lay down beside her, holding her in his arms. Only two hours later, both Delilah and Matthew were waking up with the sound of commotion down the corridor. They didn’t speak as they changed only when Matthew wrapped his arms around Delilah’s waist and pulled her back against his chest were their first words spoken. 

“Thank you for last night,” Matthew muttered, his lips brushing her bare shoulder. 

Delilah held onto his hands, her thumb gliding across his knuckles and rings. “No, thank you, Matthew.” 

Matthew smiled and pressed his lips against hers. Delilah spun around in his arms to press her lips more firmly against his. The kiss wasn’t long as Delilah broke it, pressing her hands against his chest. 

“I need to get my sketchbook before we leave,” Delilah said, stepping out of Matthew’s hold. 

Matthew’s arms fell back down by his side as he nodded and sat on the bed to lace up his shoes. 

Delilah remembered the stolen touches with one another while they were in the house. She remembered the way Matthew’s lips brushed across her neck just before they left the room. Once they were out in the fresh air however, the haze that seemed to encase both Delilah and Matthew evaporated as they returned back to a sense of formality, or as formal as Delilah and Matthew could muster, as the Fairchild offered his arm out to Delilah. Neither of them mentioned what they had done in the house again.

Delilah was standing outside of Anna’s flat before she knew it. The spare key Anna had hidden just for Delilah was hidden in a small plant pot outside the front door. Delilah let herself into the building before making her small ascent to the second floor and unlocked Anna’s flat with ease. 

“Anna!” Delilah called throughout the flat. “I am in need of your presence.”

When Delilah walked into the living room, she was greeted by the sight of familiar red hair. Delilah smiled. “Cordelia Carstairs,” she stepped further into the living room. “I hadn’t known that you would be here.”

Cordelia smiled. “It’s good to see you, Delilah.”

“Ah, sister!” Anna said, appearing in the living room with two teacups. “You came!” Anna’s eyes looked her sister up and down. “And in the most ghastly dress.”

Delilah gaped. “It is the only one I had that was…appropriate.”

Delilah thought back to the remainder of her dresses in her wardrobe, all either for painting, covered in stains or were simply too scandalous to wear during the day.

“I have a dress you left here when you last stayed,” Anna said. “Go and change.”

Delilah rolled her eyes. “You can be bossy when you want to.”

It didn’t take Delilah long to change into her other dress at all and she was relieved to be wearing it, she hadn’t realised how much the other one had been at least one size too small, now she could breath a little better. Delilah emerged from Anna’s bedroom and sat on the couch next to Cordelia. 

“Would you like some tea?” Anna questioned.

“I am quite alright,” Delilah said. “Now what were the two of you discussing before I arrived? I am in desperate need of company other than the boys.”

Cordelia laughed a little at Delilah’s dramatics as she took a sip from her tea. 

“We were gossiping about Cordelia, though she won’t gossip about herself,” Anna said, relaxing into the mismatched chair that Delilah had purchased for her flat. She turned her attention to Cordelia. “If you don’t wish to gossip about yourself, why don't you tell us about your brother? Is he as awful as he used to be at school?”

“Did you go to school with Alastair?” Cordelia asked, a hit of surprise lacing her tone.

“No, Delilah did, as did James, Matthew and the rest of the Merry Thieves. Matthew says he was a miserable blighter and gave them all the pip. No offence meant. I admit, Thomas never says a bad word about him? Sugar? I haven’t any milk.”

“No sugar,” Cordelia said and set her gaze on Delilah. “Alastair was mean to you?”

“Never to me,” said Delilah with a shake of her head. “Though he was quite awful to James, insulted his eyes many times.”

“Alastair is rather awful,” Cordelia admitted, “but I don’t think he means to be.”

“Do you think he’s in love?” Anna said. “People can be awful when they’re in love.”

“I don’t know who he’d be in love with,” Cordelia said. “He’s hardly had time to fall in love with anyone, since we’ve just arrived in London, and I doubt everything that’s happened has put anyone in a falling-in-love mood–”

"What did your father do, exactly?" Anna said.

"What?" Cordelia nearly spilled her tea.

“You could have been less direct in your approach,” Delilah commented. Anna ignored her.

"Well, we all know he did something dreadful,” said Anna. "And that your mother's come here to try to ingratiate herself back into Shadowhunter society. I hope everyone won't be too stiff-necked about it. I quite like your mother. She reminds me of a queen out of a fairy tale, or a peri from Lalla Rook. You're half-Persian, aren't you?"

"Yes," Cordelia said, a little warily.

"Then why is your brother so blond?" Anna asked. "And you so redheaded- I thought Persians were darker-haired."

Cordelia set her cup down. "There are all sorts of Persians, and we all look different," she said. "You wouldn't expect everyone in England to look alike, would you? Why should it be different for us? My father is British and very fair, and my mother's hair was red when she was a little girl. Then it darkened, and as for Alastair he dyes his hair."

"He does?" Anna's eyebrows went up. "Why?"

"Because he hates that his hair and skin and eyes are dark," said Cordelia. "He always has. We have a country house in Devon, and people used to stare when we went into the village."

Delilah frowned, a dark look falling across her features. Anna, however, was the one who spoke. "People are " She broke off with a sigh and a word Delilah couldn’t quite hear. "Now I rather feel sympathy toward your brother, and that was the last thing I wanted. Quick, ask me a question."

"Why did you want to get to know me?" Cordelia said. "I'm younger than you, and you must know loads more interesting people, like Delilah.” Cordelia gestured to Delilah. 

“Delilah is my sister, I have known her business since she was born,” Anna rose to her feet. If only she knew everything, Delilah thought to herself. 

"I must get changed," Anna said, vanishing into the bedroom. The door was closed yet Delilah and Cordelia could still hear her perfectly clear as if she were still in the same room. 

"At first, it was because you're a new girl in our set, and I was wondering if you were good enough for our Jamie or our Matthew." Anna continued. 

"Good enough for them in what sense?" Cordelia questioned, looking toward Delilah for an answer. 

"Well, marriage of course," said Anna. "Anything else would be scandalous."

Cordelia sputtered and Anna laughed. Delilah held a look of amusement on her face. Cordleia looked flustered and a little embarrassed by Anna’s direct statement. 

“But I thought,” Cordelia said, composing herself, “that Matthew was courting Delilah.”

Delilah’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Matthew is just my friend, as fond of him as I am, we are strictly friends.”

Cordelia looked away from Delilah sheepishly. Delilah noticed as she leaned forward in her seat. “I do see why you might have thought that though, we are rather close. But we are only friends, so if you do ever take a fancy to him, keep that in mind.” Delilah sent a wink Cordelia’s way and the girl flushed.

"You are too much fun to tease," Anna said. "I meant good enough to know their secrets– and Christopher's and Tom's as well. They are my special favourites, those four, you must have noticed. And, well, the current crop of girls in London is rather dire of course, Lucie's a delight, but she'll never look at any of the boys as anything but brothers." 

"Seems sensible," Cordelia murmured, "especially in James's case."

"They need a muse," said Anna. "Someone to be inspired by. Someone to know their secrets. Would you like to be a muse?"

"No," said Cordelia. "I would like to be a hero."

Delilah smiled and nodded in agreement at Cordelia’s answer. “I quite like that you came to London, Cordelia Carstairs.”

Cordelia smiled brightly.

Anna poked her head out of the door and looked at Cordelia for a long time from under her lashes. Then she smiled. "I suspected as much," she said, vanishing back into the bedroom. The door banged shut. "That's really why I asked you here." 

Cordelia's head was spinning. "What do you mean?"

"We are in danger," called Anna. "All of us, and the Clave will not see it. I am afraid if steps are not taken, it will be too late for Barbara and Piers and- and Ariadne." There was a slight tremor in her voice. "I need your help."

“But what can I–” Cordelia began, and broke off as she heard the downstairs front door bang open.

“Delilah! Anna!” A deep male voice echoed up the stairs. It was soon joined by the tread of running feet, and Matthew Fairchild burst into Anna’s parlour.

Chapter Text

The first thing Delilah had noticed when Matthew entered the room was his different attire of clothing. Before he was dressed in what he deemed his ‘casual’ clothes– which still consisted of a fancy waistcoat and pressed trousers. Now he wore a waistcoat that certainly wasn’t cheap and clutched a silk hat in his hands, one that Delilah hadn’t seen before. The soft blonde curls atop his head were windswept. Apparently the wind was kind to Matthew as each curl seemed to be perfectly placed. 

“Lila,” Matthew’s smile was easy as he glanced at the Lightwood, his eyes scanned over her body. “If I knew we were having a fashion show, I would have worn my better waistcoat.”

“A better waistcoat?” Delilah laughed. “What can possibly be better than that one?”

Matthew shrugged. “I would have found one.”

“Not that I don’t love seeing you, my dear, but if you were planning on pestering Anna, Cordelia and I, why didn’t you say back at your house, I would have waited for you.” Delilah said.

Matthew glanced at the sofa opposite Delilah’s where Cordelia was perched. “What are you doing here?”

Cordelia’s expression turned sour. "Having tea."

Matthew approached the sofa where Delilah sat and slumped down next to her, crossing his leg over the other and rested his hat on the space next to him. “I don’t see Anna.”

"She's in her bedroom," said Cordelia coolly. 

Delilah fiddled with the hem of her top skirt. She wasn’t sure why Matthew was acting the way he was, especially to Cordelia who had done nothing to provoke him. 

"Alone?" Matthew inquired.

"Matthew!" called Anna from the bedroom. "Don't be awful.”

Matthew perked up at the sound of Anna’s voice and draped his arms over the back of the sofa, his hand brushing Delilah’s shoulder.  "I have already had a maddening day," he said.

Delilah lightly hit his chest. “You’ve spent a lot of the day with me.”

Matthew’s gaze fixated on her, his green eyes seeming bright in the lighting. His fingertips brushed her hair gently. “You could never be the reason for my maddening day. Though you were present to hear about most of my maddening day, apologies that you need to sit through it again, Lila.”

“Get on with it!” Anna called from the bedroom.

"James has been slandered by Tatiana Blackthorn and my rotten older brother is backing her up to the hilt; James has gone off to rendezvous with Grace. I am here to get squiffy and try to forget what a foolish thing my parabatai is doing." He glanced at his watch. "Also, Lila and I have to be at Fleet Street by midnight."

Anna emerged from the bedroom in a black velvet coat, matching trousers, and a white silk shirt tied at the collar. Delilah let out a huff. 

“If I knew that the both of you were going to look like you stepped out a fashion illustration, I would have left one of my nicer dresses here, Anna.” Delilah complained.

Anna rolled her eyes at her sister before turning to Matthew. "A dreadful tale," she said. "Shall we go?"

"Certainly," said Matthew. "Cordelia, it was lovely, if surprising, to see you."

"There is no need to say farewell," Anna said, drawing on a pair of white gloves. "Cordelia will be coming with us. That was why I invited her here in the first place."

"I thought you wanted to have tea!" objected Cordelia.

"No one ever just wants to have tea," said Anna. "Tea is always an excuse for a clandestine agenda."

"Anna, Cordelia is a proper young lady," said Matthew. 

“Matthew, let Cordelia come,” Delilah said. “She might find it fun.”

Matthew seemed to go on as if he hadn’t heard Delilah. "She may not wish to risk her reputation by sallying out with Downworlders and reprobates."

"Cordelia wants to be a hero," said Anna. "One cannot do that by staying at home stitching samplers." Her eyes gleamed. "I was at the Enclave meeting today; you were not. I know how the Enclave has decided to handle our current situation, and I do not think it will help those who are stricken, or prevent the attack at the lake from happening again."

When Matthew spoke, the brashness had gone out of his voice. "I thought Barbara was getting better. Thomas said–”

“The Silent Brothers have put all the wounded to sleep," said Cordelia. "They hope that they will heal, but…”

"Hope is not a solution," said Anna. "The Clave insists this was a random demon attack, which took place not in daylight but under cloud cover. They have set patrols in Regent's Park."

“It couldn’t have been random,” Delilah interjected. “It couldn’t have been a coincidence how there were mundanes in the park and the demons only focused their attack on us.”

"And the demons came before the cloud cover did," said Matthew. "When Piers fell screaming, the sun was still visible."

"You begin to see the problem," said Anna. "Several Enclave members made those points, among them my parents, but the majority prefer to think of this as the sort of problem they have faced before. Not something new."

"And you think it's something new," said Cordelia.

"I am sure of it," said Anna. "And when a new supernatural threat enters London, who are the first to know of it? Downworlders. We should be asking questions in Downworld. There was a time when the Clave had connections with High Warlocks, with the leaders of the vampire and werewolf clans. With the Queen of the Seelie Court." She shook her head in frustration. "I know Uncle Will and Aunt Tessa have done all they can, but these alliances have been left to fray and now Shadowhunters can only imagine relying on themselves."

"I see," said Matthew, whose eyes had begun to sparkle. "We shall be going to the Hell Ruelle, then."

Delilah gasped and clutched Matthew’s arm. “I haven’t been there in ages! ”

"Matthew and I occasionally attend an artistic salon in a building owned by the High Warlock of London," said Anna. "Malcolm Fade. Delilah tags along when she is…available.”

Cordelia looked at Delilah, as if she were wondering why she would ever be able to not attend something she clearly seemed excited about. 

That day she had told both James and Thomas about her nightly escapades to her art lessons, adding Cordelia to that list wouldn’t affect anything too greatly. 

“I normally attend art lessons at a place called The House,” Delilah said. “They are quite…similar to parties in the downworld.”

Cordelia looked as if she wanted to ask more questions but Anna cut in before she got the chance. "Every Downworlder who is anyone will be there," said Anna. "It is time for us to do what we do best."

"Drink?" said Matthew and Delilah chuckled.

"Be charming," said Anna. "Ask questions. See what we can learn." She held out a gloved hand. "Come, come. Get up. Is the carriage downstairs, Matthew?"

"At your service," said Matthew. "Are you quite sure you want to come, Cordelia? It will be scandalous."

Cordelia didn't bother to reply, just retrieved Cortana as they left the flat. Delilah smiled at Cordelia’s determined expression. There was a lot to admire about the Carstairs girl and Delilah wanted to get to know her more. A new presence in London was always welcome. 

"So what kind of salon is this, exactly?" Cordelia inquired, as the carriage door swung open and Matthew helped her inside and held his hand out to Delilah. 

"An exclusive one," said Anna, settling back on the velvet bench seat. "Some of the most famous Downworlders in the world attend."

The carriage was larger than average and Delilah stretched her legs out in front of her, not the most ladylike position in the world but a comfortable one at least. The carriage set off at a clip.

Anna said, "Some you may have heard of; some you may not. Some with reputations they don't deserve and some with reputations they more than do."

"I never thought of Downworlders as being interested in painting and poetry," said Cordelia. "But I suppose there is no reason they shouldn't be, is there? It's just those aren't things that Shadowhunters do. We don't create like that."

"We can," Matthew said. "We are simply told we shouldn't. Do not confuse conditioning with a native inability."

"Do you create, Matthew?" asked Cordelia, looking at him sharply. "Do you draw, or paint, or pen poetry? Delilah paints, do you do anything of the sort.”

"Lucie writes," said Matthew, his eyes like dark water. "I thought she wrote for you, sometimes."

"Lucie worries," said Cordelia. "She doesn't say so, but I know she worries that all her writing will come to nothing, because she is a Shadowhunter and that must come first." She hesitated.

Over her years of writing, Lucie had come to Delilah with her concerns over her writing many times. After all, the two were the only young women they both knew of that both wanted to pursue something creative. Delilah remembered the nights when Lucie first began to get into writing and she would come to Delilah for her to draw or paint scenes from the story. Lucie insisted that if she were to ever publish any of her works, Delilah would illustrate them. 

 "What does it mean, 'Hell Ruelle?" Cordelia’s voice brought Delilah back to reality. 

Anna's eyes gleamed. "Official academic gatherings in Paris have always been controlled by men, but salons are a world ruled by women. One famous noble lady seated her artistic guests in her ruelle-the space between her bed, any lady's bed, really, and the wall. A scandalous spot. Informally, an artistic gathering presided over by a woman came to be known as a 'ruelle."

"But you said Malcolm Fade ran this one, I thought."

"He owns the building," said Anna. "As for who runs it, you will see soon enough."

"Where are we going?”

"Berwick Street," said Anna, and dropped a wink. "In Soho." 

It had been a while since Delilah had been to Hell Rulle. The last time she had entered was the night her and Matthew had woken up together in bed with no memory of the night. Delilah had missed going however, but with her attending sessions at The House more and more gradually became more and more frequent. 

When Matthew had originally approached her about why she wasn’t joining him and Anna on their nights out, she had shut him down many times to the point where Matthew believed she had a secret lover and told the rest of the Merry Thieves. It was the moment she had come clean to Christopher about her whereabouts at night. Despite Christopher not being a confrontational person, he demanded to know who this ‘secret lover’ of Delilah’s was. He was more accepting of her attending the mundane parties than he was over her having a lover. Delilah would never forgive Matthew for thrusting her in the centre of a huge gossip session amongst their friends. 

“We’re here,” Anna announced as the carriage stopped. 

Delilah was snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of Anna, opening the carriage door. Cordelia eagerly exited and began to look around, wonder etched upon her face. Matthew held back as he looked over Delilah.

“Are you okay?” Matthew asked. “You are strangely silent.”

“Of course I am, I’m just thinking,” Delilah said, offering him a smile. “I’m glad to be back here, even if it is for some sort of business. And with my favourite people.”

Matthew smiled. “I’m one of your favourite people?”

“I was talking about Anna and Cordelia,” Delilah teased.

“You wound me, Lila,” Matthew chuckled. 

“Of course you are on my list of favourite people,” Delilah said. “Right behind Anna, Christopher, Alexander, my parents, James, Thomas, Lucie, your parents–”

Matthew rolled his eyes playfully. “I’m going to stop you there before you say my brother’s name.”

Delilah chuckled before slipping out of the carriage and stood by Cordelia’s side. The girl looked around and couldn’t focus on something long enough to take it in fully. Everything was clearly new to her. A thought flashed across Delilah’s mind of her taking Cordelia to The House just to see her reactions to that. If Cordelia stared wide-eyed at the people kissing in the alley she wondered how she would look if she witnessed any of the goings on in The House. 

Whenever Delilah indulged in The House, it would strictly be with a sighted mundane who knew of the shadow world to not raise suspicions for all of the runes decorating her body. Many at the house just thought she had a few tattoos from the runes visible on her hand and arms and the one visible on her chest. She would never indulge whenever anyone was around, though that never stopped the mundanes as some, though not many, would strip and have their way with one another in the hallways or dark corners of the rooms. Though she was bold, Delilah would never be that bold to be with someone in a shadowed corner of a room. 

“Where did Anna go?” Delilah asked, noticing the absence of her elder sister. 

Matthew didn’t answer as he studied Cordelia carefully. Delilah couldn’t tell the exact emotion behind his eyes. He looked as if he were calculating Cordelia, trying to figure her out. 

"What are you thinking?" Matthew asked.

"What's a lapidary?" she asked, not because she actually wanted to know, but because the sign opposite her said A. JONES, LAPIDARY and Matthew was making Cordelia nervous, Delilah noticed. 

"A lapidary phrase is one that is worth carving into stone," said Matthew, "and preserving forever- a wise saying such as we are dust and shadows,' or alternately, any words that come out of my mouth."

Cordelia pointed at the sign. "They sell phrases there?"

"They sell objects with phrases carved into them," Matthew said. "For instance, if you wished words of love to be etched into your wedding band. Or words of regret and sorrow on your grave. For my own headstone, I was hoping for something a bit grand."

"You surprise me," said Cordelia. "I am all astonishment."

Matthew threw his arms up in the air, his face glowing in the naphtha beacons. "Perhaps a simple; 'O grave, where is thy victory? O Death, where is thy sting? But does that truly capture the light I brought to the lives of friends and acquaintances, the sorrow they will feel when it is extinguished? Perhaps:

"Shed not for him the bitter tear

Nor give the heart to vain regret;

‘Tis but the casket that lies here, The gem that filled it sparkles yet."

Matthew's voice had risen; applause rose from the crowd outside the Blue Posts when he was finished. He lowered his arms.

“You are one for dramatics aren’t you, Matthew,” Delilah smiled.

Matthew flashed her a cheesy grin. “I live to impress.”

“Consider me, as well as everyone in this alley, impressed,” Delilah replied. 

"Do stop babbling rot, Matthew," Anna said, as she emerged from the alley. "And sister, not everyone was impressed. Now come along, the both of you, they're expecting us."

Chapter Text

With her arm linked through Cordelia's, Delilah guided her down the alleyway as the Carstairs girl still gawked at her surroundings. Matthew walked just a few steps in front of Delilah and Cordelia and Anna just a few paces ahead of him. The group were only a short distance down the alleyway before a door rose up before them. Cordelia's eyes sparkled as she watched the entrance become visible. Delilah smiled at her reaction. After all, when Anna first brought Delilah here, she was sure that she would have had the same expression as Cordelia. 

"When this place is not home to the salon, it is a gaming house," Matthew said, stepping closer to Delilah and Cordelia. His explanation was focused on Cordelia as Delilah already knew the information. The three approached the door. "There is even a trapdoor in the roof, so that if they are raided by police, the gamesters can escape over the eaves."

The door was flung suddenly open. Lounging in the space it revealed was a tall man in an iron-grey jacket and trousers. 

"That's Malcom Fade," Delilah whispered to Cordelia. 

"Four of you this time?" he said to Anna.

She nodded. "Four."

"We try to limit the number of Shadowhunters in the salon," said Malcolm. "I prefer Nephilim to feel outnumbered among Downworlders, as it is so often the other way around." A woman's voice called from behind him. Malcolm smiled. "You do enliven the place, though, as Hypatia reminds me." He thrust the door wide and stood aside to allow them to enter. "Come in. Are you armed? Never mind, of course you are. You're Shadowhunters." 

Malcolm opened the door wide enough for the four Shadowhunters to enter. Delilah pulled her arm away from Cordelia's as she stepped forward. Anna was the first to pass through the doorway, then Delilah, who was eager to enter the establishment for the first time in a while. Matthew followed quickly behind her, leaving behind Cordelia to enter last. 

"There's no Blackthorn blood in your family, is there?" Malcom asked suddenly, his gaze fixated on Cordelia. 

"No— none, I don't think," said Cordelia.

Once Cordelia stood next to the group once more, Delilah finally allowed herself to relax. Everything was just as it had been the last time she was here. Downworlders walked about the room freely, not hiding who they were at all. Delilah missed the place. As she turned to look at Cordelia's reaction, she found the girl's gaze fixated on the walls, more specifically, the paintings situated upon them. Delilah smirked. 

"Admiring the art?" Delilah asked. 

"They are rather interesting," Cordelia commented. 

Delilah cast her gaze to the images of nude men and women upon the walls. She had only ever drawn nude people before, but she always wanted to paint them. Delilah remembered trying before she began attending the live drawing sessions and all of her proportions were off. She took great pride in burning each and every one of them. 

"Perhaps you could paint a nude model, Lila," Matthew said, joining in the conversation. "Perhaps expand that sketchbook of yours?"

The teasing tone in his voice made Delilah send him a playful glare to which he only responded with an attractive wink. Delilah rolled her eyes before deciding to get one up on him. 

"Only if you'll be my model, Matthew," Delilah said innocently. 

Matthew coughed in surprise, which in turn caused Delilah to laugh. "You jest, Lila."

"Of course I jest," Delilah said. "Cordelia would make a much more attractive model. I mean look at that hair, it's much more interesting to paint."

Delilah turned her attention to Cordelia. She looked surprised for a brief moment before noticing the joking shine in Delilah's eyes, immediately knowing that this was all a ruse to simply tease Matthew 

"I would be honoured to be captured in your art, Delilah," Cordelia said. 

"Great, so what shall it be first? A picnic in the heat of summer or a battle scene with a huge serpent," Delilah said.

"Clearly it would need to be a battle scene with a huge serpent, I simply cannot see why one would wish to picnic in the nude," Cordelia said. "There would be ants in dreadful places."

Delilah tilted her head back as she laughed loudly with the Carstairs girl, leaving Matthew to fold his arms across his chest. Though as Delilah's eyes met his, she could see him try to fight the smile threatening to appear. 

"Yes, yes, tease all you want, Lila," Matthew muttered, waving his hand in the air. 

Anna still laughed quietly next to them, after silently listening to the conversation. "Cordelia, you are a breath of fresh air."

A woman approached the group carrying a tray. "Champagne?" she said, and as she smiled, the glimmer of fangs appeared against her lower lip. 

"Thank you, Lily," said Anna as she took a glass. 

Matthew reached forward and plucked two from the tray, offering one to Delilah who took it gracefully and took a sip. Cordelia hesitated for a moment before reaching for a glass of her own. Her dark eyes darted around as if she were doing something wrong. 

Matthew downed his champagne in one swallow, placed the empty glass back on Lily's tray, and took another. Delilah still observed Cordelia over the rim of her champagne glass. She couldn't keep her focus on one place for more than a few seconds, a small smile was present on her face. 

"What's that little smile of yours?" Matthew inquired. "You look as if you're about to laugh."

"What of it?" Cordelia asked. 

"Most girls would be afraid," he said. "I mean, neither Lila nor Anna. Or Lucie. But most."

"I don't frighten easily," said Cordelia.

"I'm beginning to sense that." He glanced over at Anna and Lily: the vampire girl was laughing, her head close to Anna's. "Anna can seduce anyone," Matthew said to Cordelia, in a low voice. "Anyone at all. It's her talent."

"Not my only talent, I hope," said Anna, looking up as Malcolm Fade reappeared. He gestured to Lily with a dismissive wave.

"Hypatia wishes to see you, Anna," said Malcolm. "She has a friend visiting from out of town who has requested to meet you." Anna gave a curling smile. "And this friend is visiting from where?"

"The seaside," said Malcolm. "Do come, you know how Hypatia gets."

Anna winked at Delilah, Cordelia and Matthew and turned to follow Malcolm down a passageway. They were quickly out of view.

"She's so beautiful," said Cordelia. "Anna, I mean."

"Anna has a quality." Matthew raised a thoughtful eyebrow. "The French would call it jolie laide."

Cordelia frowned. "Pretty-ugly? She's not ugly!"

"I hope you are not calling my sister ugly, Matthew," Delilah chimed in. "Otherwise I will bury your body somewhere nobody will find it."

Matthew rolled his eyes. "It doesn't mean that. It means unusually pretty. Oddly beautiful. It denotes having a face with character." His gaze travelled from the top of Cordelia's hair to the tips of her shoes. "Like you have."

Delilah watched Cordelia's expression change. She could tell that the Carstairs girl did not know whether Matthew was paying her a compliment or not. After all, Matthew did call her 'pretty ugly'. If Delilah were in Cordelia's position, she would definitely feel the same.

"And you, my dear, Lila," Matthew said, taking another glass of champagne from a tray a werewolf was carrying. "You are too are quite–"

"If the next words to come out of your mouth are 'pretty' and 'ugly', so help you, Matthew," Delilah said. 

Matthew held her gaze for a brief moment longer as he took a sip of his champagne. He never broke her gaze. "Of course I would never call you those words, Lila. At least not one of them."

"Ah, so you are calling me ugly?" Delilah teased.

"I shouldn't have been so obvious in my speech," Matthew replied with a playful roll of his eyes. The green so dark in the dim lighting that the colour was barely noticeable at all. 

"Perhaps you shouldn't have," Delilah replied. 

"Matthew," Cordelia's voice interrupted Delilah and Matthew from their jesting fest. "Do you remember how I asked you about your mother at the ball?"

"I always enjoy thinking about my mother at these sorts of parties," Matthew replied. 

Cordelia ignored him. "Your mother is the Consul."

"I had noticed that, yes," said Matthew, leaning against the wall behind him.

"And she is currently in Idris, where they are preparing to try my father," Cordelia continued. 

"I thought—" He shook his head. "Never mind. I think too much and I drink too much. That is always my problem."

"There is something I don't understand," said Cordelia. "Why haven't they tried my father with the Mortal Sword yet? Then they would have proof he's innocent."

Matthew looked surprised. "Indeed. It makes little sense to possess a magical object that forces the holder to tell the truth if you aren't going to use it in criminal trials."

"We have very little information, but my brother does have school friends in Idris. He has heard they do not plan to use the Mortal Sword in the trial. Do you think you could convince your mother that they must?" Cordelia said.

"You are very upset about this, aren't you?" he said, looking at her over the rim of his glass, which was nearly empty.

"It is my family," she said. "If my father is found guilty, we will not just lose him, we will be as the Lightwoods were after Benedict's death. Everything we have will be stripped from us. Our name will be disgraced."

"Do you care that much? About disgrace?"

"No," said Cordelia. "But my mother and brother do, and I do not know if they would survive."

Matthew set his glass down on a marquetry side table. "All right," he said. "I will write to my mother in Idris."

"Thank you," said Cordelia. "But have her write back to Lucie, please, at the Institute. I don't want my mother to see the reply before I do, in case she says no." 

Matthew frowned. "My mother would not—" 

Delilah focused her gaze to the other end of the room where Lily waved at the small group. The Lightwood girl turned to her other two companions, interrupting their conversation. "That is Anna's signal. We must go now."

"Go where?" Cordelia asked.

"Into the heart of it all," said Matthew. "Brace yourself. Warlocks can be as tricky as faeries if they set their minds to it."

Matthew offered his arm to Delilah though she ignored it in favour of linking her arm with Cordelia's. The Carstairs girl smiled gratefully. There was a small huff from Matthew and his gaze lingered on Delilah for a brief moment and her linked atm through Cordelia's. His gaze seemed to darken. 

"Come on, Matthew," Delilah said, noticing his gaze upon her and Cordelia's linked arms. "Lead us down the hall."

Matthew walked ahead of them and Delilah dragged Cordelia along. Despite Cordelia presenting a calm and confident demeanour, Delilah didn't miss the tightening grip she had on her arm as they walked down the hallway. Delilah squeezed her arm in reassurance. 

"How long has it been since you have been here, Delilah?" Cordelia asked.

Delilah sighed. "I honestly cannot remember. It must have been a while ago now."

"Five months and two weeks," Matthew said nonchalantly. 

Delilah raised a brow. "Now how did you remember that?"

"I only remember because–" Matthew cut himself off for a moment, thinking better of his words. "Because I needed to carry you home by the end of the night as you had to fall asleep on me."

Delilah rolled her eyes. "Such a travesty."

As they made it to the very end of the passage, Matthew tapped one of the glasses playfully and the cabinet before them swung open revealing a beautiful golden grotto.  As Delilah began to step forward into the room, the grip Cordelia had on her arm blackened as the Carstairs girl looked around the room, hesitation to step past the threshold. 

Anna lounged on the settee, her legs swung over the arm as she lazily sipped from a glass. Delilah always admired her sister's beauty but right now Delilah was only jealous of how effortless she made it look. 

Malcolm Fade smiled at the group. "Welcome, little Shadowhunters. Few of your kind ever see the inner chambers of Hypatia Vex."

"Is she welcome, I wonder?" asked Hypatia, with a catlike smile.

"Let her approach."

Cordelia advanced into the room, seeming to be mindful not to accidentally bump into anything as she stepped carefully. Delilah stood next to Matthew, her arm instantly locking around his. 

"I cannot say I care for the idea of so many Nephilim infesting my salon. Are you interesting, Cordelia Carstairs?" Hypatia asked. 

Cordelia hesitated.

"If you have to think about it," said Hypatia, "then you're not."

Just as Delilah began to open her mouth to defend her friend, Cordelia spoke up. 

"That hardly makes sense," said Cordelia. "Surely if you do not think, you cannot be interesting."

Hypatia blinked then she smiled. "I suppose you may stay for a moment."

"Good work, Cordelia," said Anna, swinging her legs off the edge of the settee. "Arabella, how are the drinks coming on?" 

"Just ready, darling!" Arabella said, and walked over to distribute drinks. 

Matthew accepted a drink before passing it to Delilah and took another for himself. Delilah thanked him before removing her arm from his and sat down on the armchair and got comfortable just as her sister pulled Arabella down into her lap. 

"My lovely, your hair is like a beautiful stream," murmured Anna. "Because there are fish in it."

Delilah rolled her eyes playfully at her sister as Matthew took a seat to the armchair opposite hers, crossing his legs. He only offered Delilah an amused look as she sipped from his glass. 

"We know why Anna brought you, Matthew," Malcolm spoke up. "You are amusing. And Delilah, you are rarely ever seen without him on your arm." Delilah blushed a little at the comment. It was true, anytime Delilah had been here was when her arm was linked through Matthew's, and they rarely ever separated. "But is there a reason this young Carstairs girl is accompanying you tonight?"

"Because we need your help," said Cordelia.

"Magnus Bane would help them," said Hypatia. "That is why they have come. Magnus has made them believe a warlock will always help them."

"Magnus is not here," said Malcolm. "I bear you no ill will, child, but I loved a Shadowhunter once and it brought me only sorrow."

"She became an Iron Sister, and broke his heart," said Hypatia.

"Oh," said Cordelia, surprised. "That seems very sad."

"Indeed," said Malcolm. "Our kind and yours are best apart, whatever Bane might say."

"I have not met Bane," said Hypatia. "Before he last left London he helped the Nephilim, but do they recall his graciousness, or do they only expect help at the first sign of trouble? I let you come to my salon because you amuse me, Matthew Fairchild. Because you are a child— a silly and beautiful child, who touches the fire because it is lovely, and forgets that it will burn him. Do not presume that means you can ask for favours."

"It might be amusing for you to find out what it is they want," suggested Anna.

"As if you don't already know," said Hypatia.

"What if we did something for you?" Cordelia said. "What if I saved your lives?"

Hypatia said. "But we are not in any danger."

"I disagree," said Cordelia.

Delilah watched as she drew Cortana and Delilah stopped sipping from her glass and watched with wide eyes. She looked at Anna and she too had the same expression. What shocked Delilah even more was when Cordelia swung her sword and pointed it directly at Arabella. The mermaid let out a loud scream. 

"It's a pity," Cordelia said. "I've never met a mermaid before. I wish you hadn't turned out to be a poisoner."

Delilah spat her mouthful of wine back into the glass. "What?"

"Poison?" Matthew said, placing his empty glass on the table with a loud thump. 

"Only for the warlocks," said Cordelia. "It was them she was trying to kill."

"May I ask where you came to this wild conclusion?" Hypatia asked, anger laced in her tone. 

"My mother knows a great deal about medicinal plants, and she shared her knowledge with me," said Cordelia. "There is a plant cultivated by the mermaids, an underwater variety of deadly night-shade, which they will not sell even at the Shadow Markets. One taste is death. I saw her sprinkle those blossoms in your cups." 

"I was a child in Cornwall long ago, where Atropa belladonna grows wild," said Malcolm quietly. "I am an expert in the use of deadly nightshade, and I have seen its cousin deadly nightsea before. Miss Carstairs is right. She has saved our lives."

"Seize the mermaid," Hypatia said between her teeth.

Delilah offered Cordelia an impressed look, placing her half-full glass on the table. Meanwhile Anna was up and out of her seat with her dagger in hand as she caught Arabella's wrist. The mermaid hissed in pain. 

"Let me end my life," Arabella hissed. "Let me die with honour as sea people do."

"Honour? There is no honour in poison. It is a coward's trick," said Hypatia. "You intended to poison me and Malcolm Fade. And to what end? What power do you seek?"

"She seeks revenge," said Malcolm. "I have heard of you, Arabella. You considered yourself insulted by the Nephilim years ago. It must have been a much greater matter than any of us realised, for when Hypatia told you they were here tonight you sought to pay them back. Hypatia and I would have been dead-warlocks poisoned by Shadowhunters, you would claim. Every Downworlder in London would have been after Nephilim blood."

Hypatia rang a small bell and a blue skinned faerie girl appeared. "You rang, mistress?"

"Hyacinth. Have the guards take this mermaid away and put her in the wine cellar," Hypatia said.

"Please reconsider putting a poisoner in the wine cellar," said Matthew. "I beg of you, for the sake of my future visits."

Delilah slowly walked to where the blonde Fairchild stood and lightly brushed her arm against his. Not the time, her nudge seemed to suggest. Matthew looked down at her, a small glint in his eye. 

"What happens when she puts a poison for Shadowhunters in the wine next?" Matthew whispered. "You will find me a dead heap on the floor and you'll be sad."

Delilah rolled her eyes. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Matthew."

Hypatia waved a hand. "Put her in the Whispering Room, then. She shouldn't be able to cause any trouble there; we'll take her to the Spiral Labyrinth shortly."

"And then?" said Cordelia as two trolls entered the room and escorted the hissing mermaid out of the room. "What happens to her?"

"A trial," said Hypatia. "A Downworlder matter of no interest to you. It will be fair. Downworlders are always fair."

"Then you should have little issue with offering Cordelia assistance," said Anna. "As she saved your life."

"Anna is right," said Malcolm. "A debt is a debt. What is it you wish for help with, Nephilim?"

Cordelia gestured to Matthew to tell the tale of the picnic and James's vision of the shadow realm and everything else Cordelia couldn't seem to put into words as eloquently as Matthew. Despite the events happening in reality, the way he spoke made it seem like a story with his descriptions. Delilah always enjoyed the way he described things in rather great detail. It sometimes helped her imagine things in her head for inspiration for her small sketches– not that she would ever tell Matthew that. 

"Your friend saw a shadow land nobody else can see?" said Hypatia. "Is he the child of the shape-changing warlock girl, and the Shadowhunter mad enough to marry her? I knew that would be trouble."

Delilah frowned but she didn't look as furious as Matthew who looked as if he were about to lunge at Hypatia if she insulted any of the people Matthew considered his family again. 

"He can indeed see what others cannot. It is a rare talent," Cordelia spoke. 

"So this is a kind of demon that comes in daylight," said Malcolm. "And transmits a poison your scholars have never seen before."

"If such demons were free in London, it would not be good for anyone," said Anna.

"Of course, all demons come from other worlds," said Hypatia. "But if you think that as the children of demons we are intimately familiar with their geography and those who dwell in them, you are quite mistaken."

"We are not insulting you," Delilah spoke up. "But you out of anyone else knows what goes on in the Downworld. If someone strays from their path, you know about it the moment it happens. If there was any other word of these demons–"

"There is not," Hypatia said firmly, cutting Delilah off in her speech. "All discussion has been about the lack of demons in London, in fact, and how strange it is.

"Ragnor called it 'the calm before the storm,' but he is a doomsayer at the best of times," said Malcolm.

"Well, they seem to be returning," said Anna. "A cluster of Shax demons appeared in Seven Dials just the other day."

"And Deumas demons were encountered in the City," Matthew added. "Nasty, messy sorts of creatures."

"There was a rumour," said Malcolm, "though it was only a rumour, mind, that some sort of powerful individual-a warlock, perhaps— put out the word among the demon groups that London was to be avoided.”

"Since when have demons ever listened to anyone?" inquired Anna.

Malcolm shrugged. "As I said, a rumour. Besides, in such a situation, it seems wise to leave well enough alone."

"The time for leaving well enough alone has passed," said Cordelia. "These sunlight demons may be a harbinger of worse to come for us all; surely we should work together to discover if that is the case?"

"I detest it when Shadowhunters make sense." Hypatia sighed. "Ragnor Fell is back in London, and he has often worked with Shadowhunters in the past. He knows a great deal about demon worlds, having made himself a student of dimensional magic. If there is a dimension that breeds demons who can withstand sun-light, he would know about it." 

"It does seem a place to start. How do we find him?" said Matthew.

"I will send him an urgent message," said Hypatia. "He will contact you." She sank back into her chair. "Now go," she said, closing her eyes. "I find myself weary of angels."

Delilah, Matthew, Cordelia and Anna made their way back into the main room of the salon before out into the cool night air. Cordelia breathed in deeply. 

"That was certainly not where I thought my evening would go." Delilah was the first to speak up. "A mermaid with a proficiency for poisoning."

"Nephilim!" The blue skinned faerie, Hyacinth, called. "Fade wished you to have this." She handed Matthew a small bundle wrapped in velvet. "He is grateful for what you all did. What did you do?" she added curiously. "I've never heard of a warlock being grateful before.

Anna winked at her. "I'll tell you the story in a moment." Hyacinth blushed and giggled before leaving the group, Anna stared after her, a grin on her face. 

"I'm going to linger a bit longer," Anna said. "You three can take the carriage; I'll make my own way home."

"Well," Delilah said, gesturing to the small bundle in Matthew's hands. "Open it."

Matthew slowly unwrapped the bundle and revealed blades of fine and careful faerie workmanship. Matthew whistled. "A real gift."

"Shocking," Delilah said, picking up one of the blades gently. "I was expecting a bundle of leaves."

"You would have still found a way to incorporate them into a piece of artwork," Matthew commented, wrapping the blades back up. 

"Perhaps I would have," said Delilah, folding her arms across her chest, feeling the cold air sink into her bones. "Leaves would have matched your eye colour perfectly."

Matthew scoffed. "You've never made any artwork of me and the first time you suggest it is to make my eyes out of leaves."

"So ungrateful," Delilah said as she stepped up to the carriage. 

"I'm not ungrateful," Matthew said. "I just believe my hair should be captured in the most beautiful of mediums. Don't you agree, Cordelia?"

Cordela shared a look with Delilah and the two shared a laugh. Matthew scoffed. 

"I will paint you one day, Matthew," Delilah said. "The only reason why I haven't is because I find women significantly easier to paint and draw. I will paint a whole collection of portraits of Cordelia before I ever paint a portrait of you."

Matthew leaned back in the cushions of the carriage and folded his arms. "Fine. It isn't as if I have been asking you for years."

"Well, if I am to capture your likeness, I will need significant practice to make sure it is perfect," Delilah said. "After all, I must capture your beauty."

Cordelia let out a soft laugh as Matthew remained silent as the carriage began moving. Delilah turned to Cordelia, striking up a conversation, not noticing the slight blush dusting Matthew's cheeks.