ONCE THEY HAD SAVED Clary and Alec from the witch who claimed she could resurrect Jocelyn, they had returned to the Institute. And a couple of hours later, they bid farewell to Jocelyn. Kade had skipped the Rites, he didn't like to attend these things.

Isabelle and Clary went to see the Iron Sisters ages ago and Kade was lying in his bed. He wanted to know more about himself but he had no idea how. Surely, stuff like that wouldn't be lying around in the library. He wondered whether there was anything like that— what was happening to him— before. Maybe some other shadowhunter went through that. . . maybe a million years ago.

Kade didn't even know what questions to ask. But he wanted answers nonetheless. He realised that only one person could clear his mind; Magnus. That was how he found himself standing in front of his apartment, ready to knock when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned around, his brows raising when he saw Jace there.

The latter looked equally surprised to see him. "Kade?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I need a place to stay," Jace informed slowly, biting his tongue when Kade's expression turned into one that could easily be described as fury. He quickly put two and two together. "Aldertree is so dead. I'll deal with him the second I get back."

"Please don't," Jace shook his head, sighing. "It's fine. I. . . I'll figure something out. For now, this is the best thing for me. Just trust me on this." Kade shot him an unsure look but then he sighed. "I'll still make his life a living hell."

Jace smiled, "I support that a hundred percent." His eyes shifted to the door, "so, what are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to Magnus," was all he said. Jace only nodded as he brought his hand up and knocked on the door. Seconds later, it was opened, revealing Magnus and Alec. The four of them exchanged looks, the couple seeming both awkward and confused.

Silence settled between them until Kade broke with it a small, "are we interrupting something?"

"No," Alec was quick to say as he fixed his hair. "W-what are you guys doing here?"

"We came to join the fun, of course." Kade's answer earned him a small glare from Alec. He snickered as he walked in and strolled over to the small bar as he poured himself a drink as if he was at his own place. "I'll never get over how hard my ship sailed." The warlock rolled his eyes at the boy but he smiled nonetheless, he had missed him. But he knew he didn't come here to have a drink with him. He was dreading this moment.

"Don't you have anything better to do?" Alec's question earned him the middle finger which he dismissed with a shake of his head. He turned to Jace who flashed him a small, sheepish smile. "I need a place to crash. I was hoping Magnus had a free room. . ."

The warlock let out a loud exhale, as Alec pursed his lips and raised his brows but said nothing. "Come in," Magnus said after a while to Jace who shot him a thankful smile as he did as he was told.

**

"HOW ARE THINGS between you and Alec?" Kade asked as he sat on the railings on the balcony. His drink rested on the surface beside him while he faced the city below him. He liked Magnus's apartment, although he'd never admit that out loud. The Warlock had taste.

"Good," Magnus answered, "he's never been in a relationship before, did you know that?"

"Of course I knew that."

"Was I his first kiss?" Magnus asked, seeming to be worried now. He was really experienced when it came to things like that, and the thought of Alec being new to all this kind of scared him if he had to be honest.

"I think so, yes."

"That's. . . Nice." Magnus took a sip of his drink. He was also happy in a way, he felt special. But he shove all those thoughts away. He took a deep breath, "what is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"You know what."

The warlock sighed, choosing his words carefully. "What did he tell you?"

"He said he injected me with angel and demon blood while I was still. . ." Kade trailed off, the words failing him. He squeezed his eyes shut, biting his inner cheeks so hard he could taste blood. "Is it true?" He knew it was, he just hoped Magnus would call him crazy and tell him to not believe Valentine's lies.

"Yes." There went that hope.

"Why have you never told me?"

"It wasn't safe," Magnus replied, then added quickly, "it is not safe. Valentine's back. He will want you to join his cause because there's nothing like you. He has tried doing it on others—" he swallowed harshly, "mixing the bloods. . . it didn't work. It only worked on you. Trust me, he wasn't expecting it to. But it did. And he'll do anything to have you on his side, he'll go after the ones you care about. Use them as leverage. There is a war coming, Kade." He shot the shadowhunter a serious look, filled with both dread and concern, "and I'm afraid you're right in the middle of it."

"So what," Kade scoffed at he stared down at city, the lights, the streets. "I'm some sort of abomination?"

"No," Magnus immediately denied, "no, you're not. You're special. You have both pure angel and demon blood running through your veins, that makes you unique. That's why you have a bond with not only the shadowhunters but also the Downworlders as well. Deep down, you knew it. You just never wanted to acknowledge it."

"No, Magnus," Kade turned to look at him, he looked mad and it scared the Warlock. "I didn't know shit because you never told me. I had to find out from some stupid bald guy."

"What would you have done had I told you?"

"Nothing," Kade said simply. "I wouldn't have done anything. Maybe I would've tried to, I don't know, learn more?" He groaned, a hand going through his hair as he pulled at the strands in frustration. "I just. . . I feel so fucking lost right now and I hate it." A thought crossed his mind suddenly and he looked up at Magnus in question. "Does my grandmother know?"

"Know about what?"

"This whole experiment thing," Kade clarified, hoping she didn't. But all that went flying out the window when Magnus gave him a small nod, flashing him an apologetic look. "She did. She's the one who suggested we keep that side of yours dormant."

"Why?"

"She was. . ." Magnus bit his lip as he glanced away from Kade. "Terrified."

"Of me?"

"Of what you can do." Magnus corrected as he sat down on the armchair in front of him. "You don't remember it but even when you were just a baby, your powers were. . . uncontrollable. You'd set your crib on fire, but the flames wouldn't touch you. Your eyes. . . They were pitch black. Your grandmother found you like that and she was so scared. She called me, told me to fix you, and never speak a word of this to anyone else. She couldn't bear to lose you. Not when she had already lost your parents."

"She told you to fix me?" Kade couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Like I'm not right? Like—"

"You have to understand that she was freaking out, she didn't know what else to do," Magnus tried to explain. "She couldn't have anyone else finding out about this. It would ruin both her and you."

"Do you think there's something wrong with me?" Kade asked him, sounding genuinely curious as he dismissed his prior words. "Like, will I turn evil or some shit? If you were to. . . Get rid of that spell that's repressing my demon side?"

"No," Magnus shook his head, "I don't think so. Becoming evil is a choice but I'm afraid your powers will go out of control again."

"What if I want that barrier gone?"

Magnus's expressions morphed into surprise then fear all in a span of a few seconds. "It won't be safe for you— or those around you. We have no idea what will happen. We have suppressed that side of yours for far too long, it'll be too dangerous."

"Right," Kade clicked his tongue as he finished his drink. He didn't bother saying anything else as he jumped off the railings a few minutes later and head back inside.