it has some important info about BOOK 2!

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"You might wanna pick up the pace"

"You do not want to be on my bad side right now"

I smother my smirk at Jace and Izzy's bickering as I re-enter the training room, silently thanking Magnus for his tonic to help with the nausea - it had been working wonders as of late.

"Are you gonna be okay?" I ask, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Stealthy as she is - or maybe it was just the obnoxious clicking of the heels - she doesn't jump but smiles considerately at me before shaking my hand off.

"The whole world is turning upside down" Izzy sighs, "Simon turned into a vampire. Now Meliorn might die because of some-"

"Nothing you did caused any of that" I interrupt, forcing her to look at me, "Simon's...change, that's on me and Clary and as for Meliorn...you tried to protect him."

"The Clave just put a bunch of unrelated facts together, and came up with a big lie" Jace adds

"Which" I continue, glowering "Seems to be a popular tactic of theirs."

"I wish any of that made me feel better"

Izzy's statement echoes through the air, a closing statement. There was no way to comfort her, to tell her she is innocent in all this and I knew that.

After all, I felt as bad as she did.

"Where do you think you're going?" the voice of Hodge ripples through the room as we turn to leave and I repress the urge to glare at him, still having not forgiven him for what he made Alec think when it came to Jace.

There was something off about him, something I couldn't place...but I just knew I couldn't trust him.

"It's a very dangerous time, and no one is supposed to leave the premises without express orders. Especially..." Hodge's eyes meet mine and I can't contain my glare, "You."

"Hodge we were just about to-"

"Lie to me?" Hodge cuts Izzy off, his expression wounded

"Clary needs us, Hodge" Jace speaks up, a note of shielded disrespect ringing through his tone that I never expected from Jace, "The Clave is looking for her. She could be in serious danger."

The mention of Clary's endangerment makes me involuntarily tense up. Ever since drifting from Alec, my sleeper bond to Clary seemed to have ramped up a notch. Whether that was because things were getting more dangerous around here or the fact that I now had no reason to be away from her was unclear.

"Well, in that case..." Hodge's eyes dart around anxiously, "I'd make a timely exit before anyone of importance notices you're gone."

I pick up on the resentment hidden in the words and frown minisculey. There is something really off about him...

"We won't forget this"

***

By the time we reach the Hotel DuMort for Simon and Clary, it's hit nightfall and Luke has joined us. Raphael appears within minutes of our arrival, escorting Clary and a pale and sickly-looking Simon in his wake.

"Cami" Clary breathes, wrapping herself in my arms. I sigh into her hair, my heart beating a little lighter now that she was close by me again

Her warmth disappears from me as she reaches for Jace and I turn to Simon and, without thinking, grab him in a hug.

I feel his breathing stop with one harsh inhale and his body go rigid. I freeze and take a few small steps back, being cautious with my movements.

"Sorry" I whisper, "I...forgot about..."

"It's okay" Simon smiles weakly and I see a hint of the Simon I know behind his eyes, but only a small sparkle, "Still getting used to it."

"So this is your safe hideout?" I chuckle, glancing at Clary

"What? You think the Clave was gonna look for me here?" Clary chuckles

"Can we please focus on the matter at hand?" Izzy snaps and everyones looks at her, surprised. She had never been this nasty before, "Unless no one cares that the Clave are planning on murdering Meliorn."

"What?" Simon and Clary echo

"They think Meliorn has more information on our father and the attack then he's saying" I explain, "They're taking him to the Silent Brothers..."

"We have to stop them!"

"That's the plan, Clary" Jace assures her, "Rescue and recovery."

"We get him from the guard, in and out, no one gets hurt" Izzy drills and I take the information in - this was the first I'd heard of the plan post-theft from Alec.

"You want us to go up against the Silent Brothers, and an elite Shadowhunter guard unit?" I scoff

"Without any backup?" Luke chimes in

"Huh! Seems likely."

"Is Alec coming?" Clary asks and my heart sinks a little as she says it. I divert my eyes from her face, feeling her eyes burn into the back of my skull and allow Jace to answer

"No. Not this time."

"If they're doing this to Seelies, no Downworlder is safe" Clary exclaims, "But we can't go in alone, not if we don't want to be detected."

"My pack will track the unit" Luke offers, "Create a distraction."

"I would suggest vampires, but..." Simon winces lightly on the word 'vampire', "I doubt they'll cooperate."

"As much as I hate to agree with Simon" Jace huffs, I roll my eyes, "Vamps aren't exactly team players."

"Let me talk to Raphael" I smirk, "I think I can persuade him."

***

"We're offering an alliance with the Seelies" I announce, looking back at Luke pointedly

"And the werewolves" Luke sighs

"Why should we believe you?" Raphael questions, "You killed our people. You violated our home."

"You kidnapped a mundane. You tried to kill us." I fire back, levelling my gaze on him, "Look...I know you were just following Camille's orders. She violated the Accords, not you. You...You are a different kind of leader. Or, at least, I hope you are. For peace's sake."

Raphael's gaze does not leave me but I spot a hint of growing respect in his eyes.

"We are a new generation of Shadowhunters" Clary rallies, "We believe everyone can be equal."

"But we have to work together to stop Valentine" I continue, "And to ensure the Clave doesn't repeat past mistakes. So...what do you say?"

"This decision requires a consensus" Raphael ponders

"I vote yes" Simon speak up, drifting closer to Raphael

"Well, well, well. Baby's first words" taunts Raphael

"Don't make me regret them"

"If our newest member pledges his loyalty to his new leader" Raphael considers, "And joins our clan...we'll all stand beside you."

"Simon's not a pawn for you to leverage" I hiss, standing up straighter

"No...I'm not" Simon declares with a steely resolve, "But I accept your deal."

"Simon, what are you doing?" Clary gapes and I give her a warning look.

This has to be his decision.

"Whatever it takes to protect the Downworld" Simon answers, "It's my world now."

I see Clary recoil slightly and I wince internally. We put him in this position and now...he has to deal with it whichever way he can.

Raphael glance behind to his posse of vampires and they all nod infinitesimally, "Then we're in."

***

"This does not look like the City of Bones" Clary notes as we walk down the spacious alleyway

"This is the Downworlder's entrance" Jace explains

"The City of Bones has a service entrance?" I scoff, "Brilliant."

"I hope I have better luck here then I did last time" Simon notes

"Same here" I remember, "Speaking of which, let me know where to stop before I start dying, will you?"

"You'll be fine" Jace assures me, "The basement entrance doesn't get to the City of Bones close enough to affect you...I don't think. Just don't get further underground and you should be alright."

"Everyone knows what to do then?" I call out

"Text when you're in position" Jace announces

As Luke moves, Raphael whistles short and quick, as if calling a dog, "Stay. Good dog."

"Bite me" Luke snarks

"Roll over."

"Play dead"

"Really?" I snark, interrupting their pissing contest, "Species puns? What are you, 3?"

Luke continues on again but when one of the more burly werewolves knocks into Simon, the vampire react instantly, hissing long and low, warning him to back off. Though I'm glad their protecting him, something tells me it would've taken a lot less than that to get this reaction.

"Woah woah woah" I warn, sliding deftly in between the two, my face uncomfortably close to Raphael's, but I keep my voice calm and purposeful, "Stop. All of our lives are at stake. For this to work, we need to put differences aside and work together. Am I making myself clear? Luke?"

Luke nods, a kind of awed reverence echoing behind his eyes as I work my way through negotiations. It feels natural, despite having never taken control of anything in my life.

"Raphael?"

I raise an eyebrow at him, silently questioning him as we stare eye-to-eye. That same respect glimmers behind his eye and he raises his head high before stopping it a tiny bit lower, a minute agreement.

The vampires and werewolves drift to opposite sides, eyeing each other wearily. Eventually, Simon is the only of either group to remain.

"I guess I should expect people to hate me for who I am now" Simon sighs and my heart pangs, "I'll get used to it."

"Never get used to it" I lament, "Ever. Expect it? Sure, that seems to be the way this world works but accept it? No. Don't ever take it lying down."

"Was that another dog joke?" Simon eyes me, smirking and I see that same glimpse of the old Simon behind his eyes

"No" I chuckle, "It wouldn't fit anyway. You're the opposite species."

"Let's do this."

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sorry the parts are super short and segmented but it seems to be working for me at the minute.

Little update I JUST finished writing this book and there's 15 chapters left till the end of this book! Omg!

I'm starting the chapters of Book 2 (which I'm calling Unraveled) now so by the time this books chapters are all uploaded, I'll probably be through half of it if I keep going the way I'm going 😂

Are you guys enjoying this so far?

What's your favourite aspect of Cami's character?

ALSO, thank you so much for 17k reads! The support you guys give this book is incredible and I hope it carries to Book 2!

I have also added to the title The Camille Fairchild Trilogy Book 1. I'm making this a trilogy considering there is only going to be the 3 seasons (fuck you freeform) but if we, by some miracle, get picked up for more seasons, I will start up a Book 4 but by the time i finish book 2, i assume we'll know more news about a 4th seasons.

As for my imagines, I've been working so hard and have so many ideas for this book so I'm uploading more on here than my imagines but I'm sure I'll get to my imagines soon!

Happy Reading! Xxx