Lord of Shadows (The Dark Artifices #2)(160)

"Odder that Malcolm disappeared from the Silent City after the first theft," said Mark, "and left Annabel to take the blame and the punishment."

"Why odd?" said Livvy. "He was a terrible person."

"But he did love Annabel," Cristina said. "Everything he did, the crimes, the murders, all his choices were made for love of her. And when he found out she hadn't become an Iron Sister, but had been murdered by her family, he went to the King of Faeries and asked for help in bringing her back. Don't you remember?"

Mark did remember, the story in the old book Tavvy had found, which had turned out to be true. "Which explains why Malcolm broke into the Los Angeles Institute to get the book five years ago," he said. "To bring Annabel back. But what did Malcolm want it for, two hundred years ago? Who was he planning to trade it to? Most necromancers couldn't help him with protection. And if it was a warlock, it would have to have been one stronger than Malcolm himself."

" 'Fade's powerful ally,' " Ty said, quoting the scene in the crystal.

"We don't think it could have been the Unseelie King?" Livvy said. "Both times?"

"The Unseelie King didn't hate Shadowhunters in 1812," said Magnus. "At least, not that much."

"And Malcolm told Emma that when he went to the Unseelie King after he found out that Annabel wasn't dead, he thought the King might kill him, because he disliked warlocks," said Cristina. "He wouldn't have a reason to dislike warlocks if he'd worked with Malcolm before, would he?"

Magnus stood up. "All right, enough guesswork," he said. "We have two duties to carry out today. First, we shouldn't lose sight of the binding spell on Mark and Cristina. It's more than just a nuisance, it's a danger to them both."

Mark couldn't help glancing at Cristina. She was looking down at the table, not at him. He remembered the night before, the warmth of her body beside him in bed, her breath in his ear.



       
         
       
        

He came back to reality with a start, realizing that a discussion of where they were going to get the ingredients for an anti-binding spell was underway. "Given what happened at the Shadow Market yesterday," Magnus added, "none of us will be welcomed back there again. There is, however, a shop here in London that sells what I need. If I give you the address, can Kit, Ty, and Livvy find it?"

Livvy and Ty clamored their agreement, clearly thrilled to have a mission. Kit was quieter, but the corner of his mouth quirked up. Somehow, this youngest Herondale had become so attached to the twins, even Magnus thought of them as a team.

"Do you really think it's wise for them to go?" Mark interrupted. "After what happened yesterday, with them sloping off to the Shadow Market and practically getting Livvy killed?"

"But, Mark-" Ty protested.

"Well," said Magnus, "you and Cristina should stay inside the Institute. Binding spells are dangerous, and you shouldn't be too far away from each other. Alec's the Institute head; he should stay here, and anyway-the owner of the shop has a certain, let's say, history with me. Better I don't go."

"I could go," said Dru, in a small voice.

"Not by yourself, Dru," said Mark. "And these three"-he indicated Kit, Ty, and Livvy-"will just get you in trouble."

"I can put a tracking spell on one of them," said Magnus. "If they wander off the path they're supposed to follow, it'll make an awful noise mundanes can hear."

"Delightful," said Mark as the twins protested. Kit didn't say anything-he rarely complained. Mark suspected he was silently plotting to get even instead, possibly with everyone he'd ever met.

Magnus examined a large blue ring on his finger. "We'll do library research. More about the history of the Black Volume. We don't know who created it, but perhaps who owned it in the past, what it was used for, anything that might point to who Malcolm was working with in 1812."

"And remember what Julian and Emma asked us for help with," said Cristina, tapping the phone in her pocket. "It should only take a few minutes to look it up . . . ."

Mark couldn't help staring at her. She was tucking her dark hair behind her ears, and as she did, the sleeve of her sweater slipped down and he saw the red mark on her wrist. He wanted to go to her, to kiss the mark, to take her pain onto himself.

He looked away from her, but not before he caught the edge of a glance from Kieran. Ty and Livvy and Kit were getting out of their chairs, excitedly chattering, eager to go on their trip. Dru was sitting with her arms crossed. And Magnus was looking between Cristina, Mark, and Kieran thoughtfully, his cat eyes slow and considering.