Kit was woken by the sound of Livvy's door being slammed shut. He sat up, aware he was aching all over, as Ty left the room first, Lila second and wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

"You're on the floor," Ty said, looking at him.

Kit couldn't deny it. He and Alec had come to Livvy's room once they'd finished in the infirmary. Then Alec had gone off to check on the children, and it had just been Magnus, quietly sitting with Livvy, occasionally checking to see if she was healing. And Ty, leaning against the wall, staring unblinking at his sister. Lila had sat on the bed with her sister and held her hand, falling asleep against the headboard. It had felt wrong to be with the triplets while Livvy was so ill, so he'd left.

He's gone outside of Livvy's room, sitting on the floor, remembering how Ty had slept in front of his own door his first days in Los Angeles, and he'd curled up on the worn carpeted floor, not expecting to get much sleep. He didn't even remember passing out, but he must have.

Kit struggled up into a sitting position. "Lila, wait a second—"

But she walked off down the hall like she didn't hear Kit speak. Ty was going in the direction of the main hallway, his hands closing into fists and opening again. He heard Ty speaking to someone then; it sounded like Mark.

So Kit scrambled to his feet and followed Lila. He wasn't sure why. But he still wanted to talk to her. He realised he didn't know the Blackthorns at all, not Lila or her triplets. And yet she was sort of his friend.

He followed her as she pushed open the door to the roof of he Institute. Cold air blew into the building. He frowned. Lila was wearing a dress which seemed to be from the 1940's, sky-blue and knee-length; she looked freezing cold.

It was early morning, Kit noticed when he looked up. The sky was grey and cloudy and the sounds of the city were around them.

Lila had walked over to the railings and leaned against them, looking down at the city, her arms crossed to push her hands up and down them in the hopes of getting warm.

"Are you alright?" Kit asked, stopping beside her. He glanced at her.

"Just cold," she replied. Her teeth were chattering slightly.

"Then maybe we should go back downstairs," Kit said. "It's warmer inside."

"I'm not going in there until Livvy's better." She was adamant.

"Livvy's going to be fine," Said Kit. "She'll be alright by tomorrow."

"If Livvy had a parabatai," Said Lila quickly, "then she'd be okay. But she doesn't. Because Ty wants to go to the Scholomance and I don't want a parabatai."

"She'll be okay," Kit told her again. "I promise."

Lila shook her head. "What if Livvy dies, Kit? What if she doesn't wake up?"

She'd reached out and grabbed hold of his wrist, her hand tight on it, eyes brimming with tears. Kit didn't know what to do.

"What can I do?" He asked.

Lila moved then, wrapped her arms right around his middle and rested her head on his chest. Her hands tightened into fists, holding his knitted sweater tightly. She didn't say anything.

So Kit just her her, awkwardly at first but then he adjusted his arms around her shoulders and held her tight, under the brightening sky.

—

Instead of sitting with Kit, she decided to sit next to Livvy and Ty instead that morning at breakfast, which happened to be late. Kit looked slightly confused when he saw the empty seat beside him, and he thought has she moved because of last night? but then looked at Livvy and realised that she wanted to be with her triplets, the people she was connected to the most.

Livvy looked entirely healthy though tired, and Ty had his earphones in his ears playing music, Lila had eaten her breakfast and was leaning her head on Ty's shoulder with her eyes closed. That was the only indication that they'd been on the roof: she had dark lines beneath her eyes.

"What we found at Blackthorn Hall was an aletheia crystal," Ty was saying as Kit sat down. "In the past the crystals were used by the Clave to hold evidence. The evidence of memories."

There was a mess of interested voices. Cristina's rose above the others—it was an impressive talent of hers, to make herself heard without ever shouting. "Memories of what?"

"A sort of trial," said Livvy. "In Idris, with the Inquisitor there. Lots of familiar families—Herondales, Blackthorns, of course, Dearborns."

"Any Lightwoods?" asked Alec.

"One or two looked like they might be." Livvy frowned.

"The Herondales have always been famous for their good looks," said Bridget, "but if you ask me, the Lightwoods are the more sexually charismatic of the bunch."

Alec spit out his tea. Magnus seemed to be keeping a straight face, but with an effort.

"I should look at the memories," Magnus said. "See if there's anyone I recognize from that era."

"If Annabel is angry at Shadowhunters," said Livvy, "it seems to me she has good reason."

Lila sat up and looked around the table. She'd actually fallen asleep judging from her fluttering lashes and weary expression. Kit noticed she slept a lot; he envied her.

"If Annabel is angry at Shadowhunters," Livvy spoke. Lila frowned and dropped her head onto her arms on the table. "It seems to me she has good reason."

"Many have good reason to be angry with the Nephilim," said Mark. "Malcolm did as well. But those who harmed her are dead, and their descendants blameless. That is the problem with revenge—you wind up destroying the innocent as well as the guilty."

"But does she know that?" Ty frowned. "We don't understand her. We don't know what she thinks or feels."

He looked anxious. Kit felt protective of the other boy, in a way that was strange and unnerving. He'd cared about people before, mostly his father, but he'd never wanted to protect them. He believed Ty was becoming his friend.

"Everyone should watch the memories in the crystal," Said Magnus. "In the meantime, Alec and I have news."

"You're getting married?" Livvy asked excitedly. "I love weddings."

"Nope, still not getting married," Alec shook his head.

"Evelyn has left us," Said Magnus after Alec spoke. "According to Jia Penhallow, the Institute is temporarily owned by Alec."

"They've been trying to drop an Institute with me for years," said Alec moodily.

Lila looked up just as Dru said, "Evelyn has left us? She's died?!"

Magnus coughed. "Of course not," he said. "She went to visit your great-aunt Marjorie, actually, in the countryside."

"Is this like when the family dog dies and they say he's living on a farm now?" Kit asked, curious. Lila tried not to laugh but failed. Kit breathed a laugh.

Alec laughed then, covered it with a cough. Kit suspected he was laughing and trying not to show it.

"Not at all," said Magnus. "She just decided she'd prefer to miss the excitement."

"She is with Marjorie," Mark confirmed. "I got a fire-message about it this morning. She left Bridget, obviously, to help around the house."

"God, I can't stand Aunt Marjorie. She's a fan of telling me I need to be more like Helen," Lila said, scrunching her nose. Livvy said something to her and she laughed.

"Does that mean we don't have to eat our porridge?" Tavvy asked, looking at his porridge with distaste.

Magnus grinned. "In fact . . ."

He clicked his fingers and a bag from the Primrose Bakery appeared in the middle of the table. It tipped over, spilling muffins, croissants, and iced cakes for grabs.

There was a great shout of happiness and everyone lunged for the pastries. A small war over the chocolate cookies was won by Ty, who shared them with Livvy and Lila.

Max crawled onto the table, reaching for a muffin. Magnus leaned on his elbows, his cat eyes watchful. "And after breakfast maybe we can go into the library and discuss what we know about the current situation."

Mark looked at Magnus with a slightly narrowed gaze. Kit knew Magnus was conning them—buying breakfast and then wanting information in return.

And looking at the happy faces around the table, the triplets laughing over something together, Tavvy munching happily on his breakfast, Dru talking to Julian quietly about something—for a moment he hated his own father for believing somebody might be willing to give something for nothing.