Emma to Dru

Dear Dru,

Hey, baby bat! So how’s Shadowhunter Academy? Still having a good time? How’s the roommate — Thais, isn’t that her name? How’s having a roommate? I always kinda wished I’d gotten to go to SA, although obviously the weather was better in California. But you like things dark and gloomy! Just, you know – try to get some sun sometimes, okay? While I know you love your ghostly pallor, vitamin D is a real thing.

Not that we’re getting any sun here in Chiswick, where England is being fully England with the weather. I guess it goes with the house, though. You’re going to love this place when you see it, by the way. It’s the most goth building you’ve ever seen. The whole place is full of crumbling statues and faded wallpaper with creepy stains and a LOT of these dark brambles—

Huh, I guess it makes sense there are a lot of black thorns at Blackthorn Manor. Still, they’re a huge pain to cut back. Why didn’t your ancestors go with something less pointy? This was owned by Lightwoods for years, why no light woods? We may never know.

(I always forget about the Lightwoods because I think of it as Blackthorn Manor but I found a diary of a girl who grew up here, hidden under one of the floorboards. Like way back in the 1870s. She’s just a normal Shadowhunter teenager of the time, complaining about boring history lessons and obnoxious older brothers. Normal stuff! She’s about 13 in the part I’m reading but it goes for a few years. Her name was Tatiana Lightwood, I wonder if Isabelle and Alec have heard of her?)

Anyway, Jules is working hard on de-spookying the place, but trust me, it’ll still be gothier than a ripped fishnet whenever you get to see it. It’s going to be ages before we’re done with all the hallways full of empty birdcages and decaying books. This house is big. And extremely busted.

Also . . . haunted. At first I think we were both in denial. It was just weird moving shadows, cold spots in places — if this was one of your mundane movies, we’d still be arguing about what was going on. But we’re Shadowhunters. We know ghosts exist. And we finally broke down and admitted to each other that there’s definitely one in this house. Somebody’s moving small objects around and playing the piano off in the distance… low, haunting bits of sweet music we can both hear. But here’s the thing — the only piano here isn’t even playable. It rotted through a long time ago.

So, we have a ghost. But they don’t seem definitely or even particularly hostile. It could just be a bitty poltergeist, or a passing unquiet spirit. I’ve just started going through papers and it’s obvious Some Stuff Went Down Here at some point, lots of weird references to demons and bindings. (Oh, I’m putting a thing aside for you, it’s a taxidermied raven covered in flowers, I think it used to be part of a really extra hat.) So the potential for unquiet spirits is definitely there. One more thing to deal with along with the need for all new drains. (What, exactly, are drains?)

Anyway, I can’t wait to see you and oh no, I spent most of the letter telling you about the house but I really do want to hear about the Academy and your roommate and teachers, like is Catarina there? What about Ragnor? Have you seen Jaime lately? Tell me everything!

XOXO

Emma

PS I just found out who Tatiana Lightwood thought was the cutest boy in London. Will Herondale. Wasn’t that the guy Tessa was married to, a long time ago? Would she think this was funny? I mean, it’s kind of funny. Always a Herondale, you know?

Jem is literally the chillest character ever i mean he finds out Will loves Tessa and hes just like lol same

*wills phone ringing*

Tessa: wow you still call your father daddy? What are you, three?

Will, making direct eye contact with Tessa: Hey Jem

Wills Ghost telling Kit

Kit about Demon

Pox at 3am

Okay but when James legit thought he was the serial killer and was being possessed by Belial and then 2.5 seconds later started making out with Cordelia while experimenting with light bondage????

Well, it’s not Will’s birthday, but it is the anniversary of the day he died…which is extremely sad! But one of the wonderful things about fictional characters, is that they live forever on the pages and in our hearts — we can always pick up the book they’re in and find them there, just the way they always were. So here’s a birthday portrait of Will, by Cassandra Jean, from the tenth anniversary edition of Clockwork Angel — coming in November!

I want Mina’s personality to be so unlike Jem’s

Mina, at 2 AM: I would die for you, father.

Jem: What?

Mina: *quietly slides away*

Mina, looking at portraits of James and Lucie: All my siblings are so pretty

Mina, turning to Kit: And then there is you.

lmao I’m just trying to imagine the mental state Magnus is in after spending a week in a carriage with two Herondales, searching for a third Herondale…

Well I wasn’t planning on doing modern Will, but that was definitely a good idea so I couldn’t resist.

William Herondale William Herondale William Herondale William Herondale William Owen Herondale Oh pretty girl?? William Herondale William Herondale Tessa Gray William Herondale Tessa Gray CLOCKWORK ROBOTS?!William Herondale Tessa Gray William Herondale Tessa Gray Oh no I’m dying Tessa Gray William Herondale Tessa Gray William Herondale Tessa Gray William Herondale Tessa Gray William Herondale I’m a Silent Brother now I guess :/ Tessa Gray William Herondale Tessa Gray William Herondale Tessa Gray William Herondale Tessa Gray William Herondale James Herondale Tessa Gray William Herondale Tessa Gray William Herondale James Herondale Lucie Herondale Cordelia Carstairs Tessa Gray William Herondale God when will I see Tessa Gray and William Herondale again Tessa Gray William Herondale Tessa Gray William Herondale WILL I MISS YOU Tessa Gray William Herondale Tessa Gray William Herondale Tessa Gray William Herondale Tessa Gray William Herondale JACE HERONDALE?! Tessa Gray William Herondale Tessa Gray William Herondale Tessa Gray William Herondale OH WOW I’m cured now! Tessa Gray William Herondale Tessa Gray William Herondale Tessa Gray William Herondale Tessa is my wife now that’s so cool!! William Herondale Tessa Gray Emma Carstairs William Herondale Tessa Gray LOST HERONDALE?? Tessa Gray William Herondale Tessa Gray William Herondale Oh no Tessa’s sick :( Tessa Gray William Herondale Tessa Gray William Herondale Tessa Gray Tessa is pregnant omg William Herondale Oh wow there’s a lot going on rn Tessa Gray William Herondale Tessa Gray William He—

Will Herondale be like “I know a spot” and takes you to the Silent City to meet Jem