The Clave's council chamber in Idris was a monument to power, its marble walls soaring to a domed ceiling painted with angelic runes that glowed like stars. Rows of Shadowhunters filled the tiered seats, their black gear a stark contrast to the chamber's radiance, their eyes fixed on me with a mix of curiosity and suspicion. I stood at the center, my hands bound by rune-etched cuffs that hummed with restraint, the pendant around my neck a heavy weight. The Binding Rune on my arm pulsed faintly, a reminder of the power that had brought me here—and the danger it posed. Mira's face lingered in my mind, her laughter a distant echo, and I clung to it, a lifeline against the fear threatening to swallow me.
Inquisitor Aldertree presided from a raised dais, his silver hair gleaming under the rune-light, his smile as sharp as a seraph blade. "Lilia Thorn," he said, his voice carrying through the chamber, "you stand accused of wielding a forbidden Binding Rune, endangering the Shadow World, and colluding with demonic forces. How do you plead?"
My heart pounded, but I lifted my chin, meeting his gaze. "Not guilty," I said, my voice clear despite the tremor in my hands. "I've fought demons, weakened portals, and exposed a traitor in your Institute. I'm not your enemy—I'm trying to stop the Capitol and Asmodeus."
A murmur rippled through the crowd, but Aldertree's expression didn't waver. "Bold claims," he said, leaning forward. "Yet your rune, a relic of the First Accords, has triggered breaches and drawn Asmodeus's gaze. Your mother, Elara Thorn, was a fugitive who tampered with this magic. Why should we trust you?"
The mention of my mother stung, her vision—her defiance against Asmodeus—fresh in my mind. "She hid me to protect me," I said, my voice fierce. "From him, and from you. If you want to stop Asmodeus, you need me, not chains."
Aldertree's smile tightened, but before he could respond, Maryse stood from the council's ranks, her presence commanding. "Lilia has proven her loyalty," she said, her voice steady. "She destroyed a demonic enclave and uncovered a Capitol spy. The real threat is the lab in Idris, not her."
Kyle, seated near Maryse, met my eyes, his jaw tight but his gaze unwavering. Isabelle, Alec, and Catarina were there too, their support a quiet strength. Even Magnus Bane, lounging in a velvet coat that clashed with the chamber's austerity, gave me a subtle nod, his cat-like eyes glinting with mischief.
Aldertree raised a hand, silencing the room. "The Clave will decide her fate," he said. "But first, evidence. Catarina Loss, present your findings."
Catarina stepped forward, a scroll in her hands. "The Binding Rune is angelic in origin but tainted by demonic influence," she said, her voice calm but firm. "It can link worlds, as we've seen with the Capitol's portals. Lilia's control over it has weakened Asmodeus's hold, not strengthened it. Punishing her would be a mistake."
Aldertree's eyes narrowed, but he gestured for her to continue. Catarina unrolled the scroll, revealing diagrams of red runes—the same ones on the Peacekeeper armor and in the sewer enclave. "These demonic runes were found in Idris, near Lake Lyn," she said. "A lab is operating under our noses, and it's tied to the Capitol's experiments. Lilia's rune is the key to stopping it."
The council erupted in whispers, and I caught Aldertree's flicker of unease. "Lake Lyn is sacred," he said, his voice sharp. "You suggest treason within Idris itself?"
"I suggest you investigate," Magnus interjected, his tone playful but cutting. "Unless the Clave prefers to ignore a demonic lab in its backyard."
Aldertree's face reddened, but he composed himself. "Very well," he said. "Lilia Thorn, you'll lead a mission to this lab, under Clave supervision. Succeed, and your charges may be reconsidered. Fail, and you'll face exile—or worse."
The cuffs fell away, their runes fading, and I rubbed my wrists, my resolve hardening. Exile or not, I'd find that lab—for Mira, for my mother, for the worlds hanging in the balance.
---
The Institute's portal room was a whirl of light and energy, its arched frame etched with runes that shimmered like liquid gold. Kyle, Isabelle, Alec, and I prepared for the Idris mission, our gear reinforced with new runes—Protection, Stealth, Endurance. Catarina had given me a new stele, its handle carved with my Binding Rune, a symbol of trust I didn't take lightly. Magnus joined us, his magic a necessary edge against the lab's wards, and Maryse assigned a Clave escort, a stern Shadowhunter named Lydia Branwell, whose loyalty to Aldertree made Kyle's eyes narrow.
"Watch her," he muttered to me as we stepped through the portal, the world dissolving in a rush of light. "Aldertree's playing games."
I nodded, the pendant's hum grounding me as Idris materialized—a land of rolling hills, crystal lakes, and glass towers that gleamed under a twilight sky. Lake Lyn was a short trek, its waters unnaturally still, and the air grew heavier as we approached, my rune tingling like a warning.
The lab was hidden beneath a rune-cloaked cave, its entrance guarded by warlocks with red-rune tattoos. Magnus's glamour potion hid us, but the pendant's glow betrayed me, and a warlock's spell shattered our cover. "Intruders!" he shouted, and chaos erupted.
We fought, Isabelle's whip a streak of fire, Alec's arrows glowing with runes, Kyle's daggers a blur. I drew Speed and Strength, my sword slicing through a warlock's spell, but the lab's wards were strong, their red runes pulsing with demonic energy. Magnus countered with a burst of blue fire, clearing a path, and we stormed inside.
The lab was a nightmare—vats of glowing liquid, tables strewn with Peacekeeper armor, and a massive portal at its center, its edges crackling with red light. A Capitol warlock, her hair white and her eyes glowing, stood before it, her hands weaving runes. "You're too late," she said, her voice a hiss. "Asmodeus rises."
Before we could act, the pendant flared, and a vision hit me like a tidal wave. I saw Mira, cornered in a District 12 alley by Peacekeepers with red-rune armor, their eyes glowing like demons. She clutched a knife, her face fierce but terrified, and a portal flickered behind her, its light pulling her in. "Lilia!" she screamed, and the vision shattered, leaving me gasping.
"Mira," I whispered, my heart lurching. I drew the Binding Rune, its glow blinding, and the portal in the lab shuddered, its red light dimming. The warlock screamed, her runes faltering, and Kyle tackled her, pinning her to the ground.
"Close it!" he shouted, and I pressed the stele to my arm, drawing Defiance, its energy surging. The portal collapsed, its wards crumbling, but the backlash hit me, and I fell, my vision darkening.
When I came to, Kyle was beside me, his face pale. "You're gonna kill me with these stunts," he said, his voice rough but warm. The lab was in ruins, the warlock bound by Magnus's magic, and the team was securing the area.
Lydia approached, her expression unreadable. "You've proven your worth," she said. "But Aldertree won't be pleased."
Back in Idris, the Clave council was a storm of debate, but Magnus's evidence—the warlock's confession and the lab's runes—forced Aldertree to back down. "The charges are suspended," he said, his voice tight. "For now."
In the quiet of an Idris garden, Kyle found me, the stars above a reminder of District 12's skies. "You did it," he said, his voice soft. "You're changing everything."
I looked at him, my heart racing. "I'm scared," I admitted. "For Mira, for what's coming."
He stepped closer, his hand brushing mine. "You're not alone," he said, and when his lips met mine, the world fell away, the kiss fierce and tender, a promise in the dark. But a scream shattered the moment—Isabelle, her voice echoing from the council chamber.
We ran, finding her grappling with Alec, his eyes glowing red, a demonic rune on his neck. "Possession," Magnus said, his voice grim. "Asmodeus is fighting back."
As we restrained Alec, the pendant burned, and I knew the war was far from over. Mira was out there, and Asmodeus was closer than ever.
---
**Author's Note**
Shadowhunters and Tributes, you're LEGENDS for diving into Chapter 8! 😱 This one's a wild ride, and I'm LIVING for Lilia's trial, that KISS with Kyle, and Alec's possession—talk about a cliffhanger! 👀 What's your take on Mira's danger, the Idris lab, or Asmodeus's next move? Drop your theories and feels in the comments—I'm obsessed with your thoughts! If you're loving *Flames of the Shadows*, please smash that vote button and add it to your library. Next chapter's coming soon, and it's gonna be EPIC. Thanks for being the best readers in all the worlds! 💖