Jace was stretched across Clary's bed, knocked out from a sleeping potion a Silent Brother had given him.

Clary sat in a rocking chair in the corner of the room, rocking back and forth.

His hand twitched slightly. What was he dreaming about?

The door to the room opened slowly.

Luke beckoned her out into the hall. 

Clary stood up carefully, making sure the rocking chair didn't fly back and hit the wall.

Luke shut the door behind her.

"Good news," Luke said. "Ragnor Fell has turned himself in."

"No way," Clary said. She could almost smile.

"He's in the Gard on trial right now."

"Why aren't you there?"

"This is a matter of the Clave not of Downworlders. They asked me to sit out," Luke said. "But I'll keep you updated if you want to stay--"

"I should get out," Clary said. "Get some air."

It was nearly nine in the morning. 

"Well, alright," Luke shrugged. "I'll sit in there and make sure he doesn't get into any trouble."

"The Silent Brothers said it'd be at least another eight hours," Clary said, heading down the stairs.

"I'd be on the lookout for Isabelle," Luke said. 

Clary nodded.

..........

"Ragnor Fell is going to be after you," Charlie warned. Isabelle stood waist-deep in the water. He was still on land.

"I'd like to see him try," Isabelle said. "What does he want with me anyways?"

"He wants you dead or on his team," Charlie said. "You're the only competition for the Labyrinth."

"Are you sure it's not my good looks?" Isabelle asked, turning around. Charlie had once been impressed by such looks.

"You're going to wake up now," he said.

Isabelle sat up in bed, heart racing.

The house was quiet.

She crawled out of bed, dressing in a white sundress. She wasn't ready for black yet.

Isabelle wasn't hungry so she skipped breakfast, wandering outside, stopping on the front porch.

Standing at the end of the lane was Clary, her red hair blazing.

"Isabelle?" she called.

Izzy stepped down from the porch, carefully.

Clary began walking towards her. They met halfway down.

"Hello," Isabelle said.

"Hey," Clary said. There was an awkward pause.

"So did you hear?" Clary asked.

"Hear what?" Isabelle asked.

"Ragnor Fell is in the Gard. He just turned himself in, I guess," Clary said.

"Ragnor Fell?" Isabelle asked, voice panicked.

"Uh, yes. Is everything alright?"

Isabelle started running down the street.

She had to get to the Gard. She had to warn someone. It was all a trap.

"Izzy!"

"It's a trap!" Isabelle shouted. 

She reached the steps of the Gard, Clary close behind her.

She burst through the doors.

Ragnor Fell was standing in the middle of the round room.

He smiled when he saw her.

"Isabelle!" her father roared from across the room.

"It's all a trick," Isabelle said.

"Is it, dear?" Ragnor asked.

"You killed my brother!" Isabelle yelled.

"Okay, so maybe it is a trick," Ragnor admitted.

Isabelle froze.

"Surprise!" Ragnor shouted. "I'm going to watch the Shadowhunters burn soon. And you'll be at my side."

"What's going on?" Robert yelled.

Ragnor snapped his fingers and the world froze.

He stepped down off the circular dais and began walking towards Isabelle.

"Now it's just us," he said, grinning cheekily.

"What do you want?" Isabelle said.

"The great thing about this little spell is that I control the moment," Ragnor said. "I could resume time and every single person on earth could be dead. But that's tedious. Instead, I'll just kill the ones you love. Escape, with you of course. Then we'll resume. And see what happens. But no matter what, you're coming with me."

"Why do you need me?" Isabelle asked.

"You're the missing piece to my puzzle," Ragnor said. "And I've been working on this puzzle for a long time."

"You're insane," Isabelle said.

"I prefer the term 'dreamer,'" Ragnor said. He wandered over to the Inquisitor's seat. Her father was out of his chair, his face angry. In an instant, Ragnor had a knife to her father's throat. 

"But ultimately, Isabelle, the death toll is in your hands," Ragnor said. 

"I'll go," Isabelle said.

"I know you will," Ragnor said. He smiled. Then he snapped.

They were in a dark library, Charlie sitting alone at a table, a lamp on above him.

"You found her," Charlie said, his voice deeper and more gravely than the one Isabelle had known.

"He blackmailed me," Isabelle corrected. "So now what?"

"So now," Ragnor said. "We began."

..........

One second, Isabelle was there. The next, she was gone alone with Ragnor. A trickle of blood ran from a small puncture wound on Robert's neck.

"Wha--" Robert choked. His hand flew to his neck.

There was murmuring throughout the crowd.

"Isabelle!" Maryse cried from somewhere else.

Clary wanted to run but she knew that would only look bad. And she wanted to see what happened next.

"Find them!" Robert shouted. 

People began standing up, rushing around. 

Clary felt a hand on her back. She turned around.

Ragnor Fell stood there. He put a finger to his lips. She didn't scream even though she wanted to.

"Follow me, deary," he whispered. He began moving towards a hallway.

Why did no one else notice him?

Clary followed him down the hallway anyways.

"What do you want from me?" Clary asked when Ragnor finally came to a stop. They were in no place in particular.

"I want you to be my liaison," he said, emphasizing the French word.

"No," Clary said.

"So stubborn," Ragnor said. "But I've already proved to you that I can and will take the things you love from you. Just look at Jace."

Clary straightened up.

"I'm going to give the Shadowhunters a chance to lay down their arms, because I'm a fair man."

"In exchange for what?" Clary asked.

"If they agree to a peace treaty with me, I can resume my spell harvesting the Labyrinth's power without fear of them. Then when I have taken the Labyrinth's power, I will return Isabelle and Charles in full working order to them."

"They won't do that."

"Ah, but they will," Ragnor said. "I've managed to hit home for multiple Council members."

Clary stared down at her feet.

"I'll give you time though," Ragnor said. "Sundown. Then I want them to swear to leave me alone."

"And when do we get Isabelle?"

"When I'm finished," Ragnor said, almost like a growl. Then he was gone.

Clary stumbled back. A scroll was on the ground where Ragnor had stood.

Clary picked it up, unrolling it. The words written inside outlined a deal between Ragnor and the Shadowhunters. 

As soon as it was signed, it would bind the Shadowhunters to their word.

She rolled it back up, entering the main section of the Gard. A debate was in full swing. Clary walked straight up to Robert Lightwood, handing him the scroll.

"Where did you get this?" Robert asked after he had finished reading it. The conversation continued around them, no one noticing Clary and Robert.

"I found it," Clary said.

"Where?" His eyes looked accusing.

"There was a tap on my shoulder and when I turned around it was on the ground," Clary said.

"You're not even supposed to be in here," Robert said. 

"I'm 18 in a week," Clary said. "I'm certain there is an exception."

He looked at her one last time before rising from his chair.

"Ragnor Fell has offered us a deal," Robert said, his voice silencing all others. Clary noticed her mother across the room. "In exchange for a cease-fire, he will give us my daughter back within 48 hours."

"And what happens after 48 hours?" someone asked. "What does Ragnor gain from 48 hours with your daughter?"

Robert grimaced.

"I do not know. But if we do not, he'll most likely kill her," he said.

"So what do you proposed, Inquisitor Lightwood?" asked the Consul.

"We find Ragnor Fell and kill him. No doubt Charles Fairchild is with him. He shall stand trial for his crimes against the Shadowhunter community."

"Does anyone know where Ragnor Fell is?"

Robert glanced over at Clary.

She shrugged.

"I'm sure he could be found," Robert said.

"I think it would be for the better of the Clave and Shadowhunter community that we sign Ragnor Fell's deal," the Consul said. "We will continue the search for Charles Fairchild and Ragnor Fell for their crimes."

"He killed my son!" Maryse shouted. Jocelyn, who was right beside her, placed an arm around the other woman. Maryse began sobbing. 

"We shall, of course, vote on the matter," the Consul said. "All those in favor of signing the treaty with Ragnor Fell?"

There was a small number of those who raised their hands including Jocelyn, Robert, and Maryse.

"All those who wish not to sign the treaty?" The number was far more overwhelming.

"It's decided then," the Consul said. "We shall pursue Ragnor Fell as planned without signing the treatise."