Hayley, Jace and Clary were currently walking through the woods, no one said a word as they followed Meliorn to god knows where, until Clary decided to speak up
"Well, were not in Kansas anymore Toto."
Meliorn smiles "welcome to the Seelie Glade, Clary Fairchild. The remotest edges of it."
"How did we even get here?" I ask
"There are entrances all through the mundane world." Jace explains watching the surroundings as we go deeper into the woods
"You just have to know where to look," Meliorn adds turning his head slightly to look at Clary
"Why did we have to come here to find my father?" Clary asks him as i hold a bench out of the way so she can pass easily
"Because of your necklaces." Meliorn says pointing to our necks "They're portal shards"
"Tell us something we dont know." Jace scowls, probably pissed that we've had to walk all the way here and we dont know what for yet.
"How does it work?" Meliorn continues ignoring Jaces comment
"When I touch the crystal and think of someone, i can see where they are" Clary informs
"I'm curious, shadowhunter who knows so much about portals," Meliorn mocks "Did you never wonder why these portal shards dont behave the way normal portals do"
Jace speaks up when me and Clary just stand there for a couple of seconds no saying anything "Normal portals can only take you places you've been. I guess i never really thought about it."
"I see Isabelle is the smart one in the family." Meliorn states smiling "Your portal shards work the way they do because they're pieces of a portal from another dimension."
"Another dimension?" Clary repeats her eyes widening
"You're saying there's a portal in some other universe that can take us to anyone if we just think of them?" Jace says uncertainly
"If you can find the only portal still standing in that dimension, it will take you to your father Clary." he says looking at her before continuing "these trees are where the alternate dimensions intercept the Seelie World," he tells us as we reach our destination
"How is it possible that the Clave doesnt know about your dimensional doorways?" Blondy asks
"They are our most guarded secrets." He states turning to look at the trees "we are their protectors. Only seelies know the exist"
"Then why are you telling us?" Clary asks
"I owe you a life debt and I dont like being indebted," He explains
"What would happen if..." I start, but Meliorn cuts me off knowing what i am going to say
"If the Seelie Queen finds out that I've shared this with you," he pauses and stares emotionlessly at us "i could be executed."
"Well we'll be extra carful then." Jace says sarcastically, Clary sighs at him, but Meliorn snaps his head up to look at him smirking
"There's no 'we' in this situation not for you Jace Wayland. Only Clary and Hayley will go in to find the portal. My debt is to them because they are the ones that planed to save me and they are the ones with the portal shards."
"You've given us no reason to trust you Seelie." Jace remarks sourly
"He brought us here" Cary says calmly shrugging
Meliorn smirks at Jace before turning to start opening the portal
"I knew seelies were one with nature but..." Clary trails off, the portal Meliorn is making looks beautiful
"This will establish the connection to the other dimension." Meliorn explains to us
"What's it like... the other dimension? Is it like this one?" Clary asks anxiously
"It is, but it isn't" He responds cryptically
"Thats very helpful" I scoff
"Could you be more vague?" Jace rolls his eyes
"Its an alternate timeline in a sense. There, shadowhunters and demons no longer exist."
"what?" Jace asks dumbfounded
"Downworlders have conformed to the mundane way of life to avoid detection." Meliorn continues explaining
"What happened to the shadowhunters?" I ask, interested in what he has to say know
"Their services were no longer required because they won the war against the demons. Centuries ago, once they sealed the riffs between the worlds, their culture faded away. Once you arrive in the alternate dimension you will assume the body of yourselves in that world. You will think ad feel just like them." He tells me and Clary
"But we'll still know were us, right?" Clary says, i can tell that she is trying not to panic "We'll know we have to find the portal?"
"There's a catch" Jace sighs "With seelies there's always a catch."
"Your alternate self could consume you." Meliorn shrugs "If you let it"
"Is there a way to to let it?" i ask raising my eyebrows
Meliron nods his head looking between me and Clary "focus on the differences between that world and ours. Find something of someone to keep you grounded to this one"
Clary looks to Jace "Easy enough"
"Yeah sounds so friggen easy" i state sarcastically
Meliron smiles and shakes his head at my reaction. "It'll be more difficult than you think, if you dont hurry you could cease to be this worlds Clary Fairchild" He warns Red
"And be stuck in that world forever" she finishes for him
While Meliorn continues to craft the doorway, Clary goes over to Jace and gives him the tarot card with the Mortal Cup still in it. "Just in case" i hear her tell him but before he can respond Meliorn turns to us
"Its time"
"Meliorn, i appreciate the risk you're taking, but a life debt requires you ensure my safety," Clar starts as we walk towards the portal "ill agree to go with just Hayley-"
"Your always so cautious Clar" i announce, knowing what she is going to say next.
"But if we find this alternate portal we wont be able to face Valentine on our own," Clar continues, ignoring what I just said.
"They'll need back up" Jace says not being able to keep quiet for 5minutes.
Meliorn sighs "if you find the portal you may come back for him. Shadowhunters need seelie permission to go through. Only demons can pass through unaided." He turns and faces the entryway one final time uttering something in a foreign language, the doors open to reveal an abyss of blues, purples and greens.
Meliorn nods to me and Clary so we start to walk towards the doorway, before we walk through i turn to look at Clary "we might wake up in different places, if we do ill meet you at your house, hopefully you still live there but if you dont head to the Brooklyn Academy as fast as you can." She nods at me before we turn back to the portal and walk inside.