The Lost Book of the White (The Eldest Curses #2) - Cassandra Clare Page 0,103

but they would find some other solution, I’m sure. There’s a lot of dark magic in the world.”

“We still can’t just leave it with them,” Clary said. “Or leave things the way they are.”

“Okay,” said Alec. “So where do we find the Book? Or Sammael? And Sammael, rather?”

Tian looked uncertain. “He doesn’t really have a home base here. He wanders all over the realm.” He adopted a confidential air. “He’s kind of a micromanager.”

“Then what?” said Jace, frustrated. “Back to the iron bridge? Back to the courts? Demand to be taken to him?”

“We draw him out,” said Magnus. “Use me as bait.”

“No,” said Alec instantly.

“Shinyun has some weird thing about me and the thorn,” Magnus said. “She’s been taunting me since this whole thing started, telling me that in the end I would choose to take a third wound from the Svefnthorn rather than die. If I go somewhere and make a lot of noise, demand to speak to Shinyun, she’ll show up. From there we can get to Sammael. Or he’ll get to us.”

“No,” Alec said again.

“It can work!” Magnus said.

“Magnus,” said Alec, “what happens if she actually thorns you again? You’ll fall under Sammael’s control. And then it’s all over. For… everyone,” he added quietly.

“She won’t,” said Magnus. “She can’t. I have to choose the third wound, and I won’t do that.”

“But you’ll lie to her and say you will,” Alec said.

Magnus actually smiled a little, clearly pleased at how well Alec knew him. “Right. Then she’ll probably want to do some complicated ritual with a bunch of chanting, you know her. She’ll light a million candles. It’ll take forever. Plenty of time for our attack.”

Alec’s heart was beating too fast. “What if she doesn’t? What if it doesn’t?”

“Alec,” Jace said carefully. “I don’t think we have a better idea. Magnus is right. The rest of us, we can just stay in the cathedral until we die of starvation, as far as Sammael or his minions are concerned. They don’t think we can really do anything to disrupt their plan. We can kill some demons, sure, but two thorned warlocks and a Prince of Hell? We’re just some foot soldiers in the faceless infantry of the opposing army.”

“He’ll find out he’s wrong about that soon enough,” said Isabelle.

“I mean, yes,” said Jace. “Fine point from Isabelle. But when Sammael met Magnus, he tried to recruit him. He offered him Shinyun’s job! Magnus is the only one who can get their attention, who might be able to defend himself if one of our three buddies attacked.” He nodded toward Simon. “Sorry, no offense intended.”

“None taken,” Simon said with a weak smile. “I’m not really at a hundred percent right now.”

Alec didn’t know what to say. A terrible thing was going through his mind, an anxiety he had never really felt before, or allowed himself to feel. A conversation with Max, a horrible conversation, about how Magnus wasn’t going to be back, how it was just the two of them now. A risky plan, a long-shot plan, but we thought it would be fine.…

“We’ll all have eyes on Magnus while this is happening,” said Jace. As usual, he knew Alec well enough to read the trepidation in his eyes. “He’ll never be in any real danger. We’ve fought off Shinyun before, we can again, and Magnus is right—he’d have to choose the thorn this time. That’s why she hasn’t bothered to try thorning him since we’ve been in Diyu.”

Alec sighed. With an effort, he decided to wait on the morbid fantasizing and focus on the moment at hand. “Okay, okay. I agree it’s probably our best bet.”

“So now what?” Clary said.

Simon yawned. “I don’t know about anyone else, but I could use some sleep. It’s been a long day for me—dim sum, the Market, being hung from chains and lacerated with magic flying knives. I know that’s a normal weeknight for most of you, but I’m pretty worn-out.”

“Also, my foot bones need to knit,” said Jace. “And I don’t suppose you know where we could find some better weapons,” he added to Tian.

“Flame whip!” said Isabelle.

“More flame whips would be acceptable,” allowed Jace, “though they’re not my first choice.”

Tian said, “As a matter of fact…”

* * *

AT THE END OF ONE of the transepts was a small room. It was obviously a private chapel in the real cathedral, but here, of course, all signs of religious practice were missing, so it echoed emptily as Tian led Alec, Jace, and Clary