“She’s my little biscuit. Who wouldn’t?” said Magnus, but he still seemed rather tense.

“I really don’t know Simon all that well,” Alec offered.

Alec didn’t know a lot of people. There was his family, Jace included, and Jace’s new girlfriend, and the vampire Jace was sneaking in as a package deal. He knew some other Shadowhunters. Aline Penhallow was Alec’s age and great with daggers, but Aline lived in Idris, so he wouldn’t be hanging out with her even if he was in New York.

It took Alec a few minutes as they prowled around the gardens to realize that Magnus might be worrying about what he might say to his family, his friends, almost all of whom were, of course, fellow Shadowhunters. None of whom would be as inclined to give Magnus the benefit of the doubt as Alec would.

Alec was worried about Magnus, the way he was trying just a little too hard to have a good time. Alec liked it when Magnus was actually having a good time, but he hated it when Magnus was pretending, and he could easily tell the difference by now. Alec wanted to say something, but Shinyun was here, he didn’t know what to say, and right then his phone rang in his pocket.

It was Isabelle.

“I was just thinking about you,” said Alec.

“And I was thinking about you,” said Isabelle cheerfully. “Enjoying yourself on vacation, or have you lapsed into work? Can you not help yourself?”

“We’re in the Boboli Gardens,” said Alec, which was entirely true. “How’s everyone in New York?” he added quickly. “Clary dragging Jace into any more trouble? Jace dragging Clary into any more trouble?”

“That’s the cornerstone of their relationship, but no, Jace is hanging out with Simon,” Isabelle reported. “He says they’re playing video games.”

“Do you think Simon invited Jace to hang out with him?” Alec asked skeptically.

“Bro,” said Isabelle, “I do not.”

“Has Jace ever played a video game before? I’ve never played a video game.”

“I’m sure he’ll get the hang of it,” said Isabelle. “Simon’s explained them to me and they do not sound difficult.”

“How are things going with you and Simon?”

“He’s taken a number and remains in the long line of men desperate for my attention,” Isabelle said firmly. “How are things between you and Magnus?”

“Well, I wondered if you could help me with that.”

“Yes!” Isabelle exclaimed with horrifying delight. “You are right to come to me with this. I am so much more subtle and skilled in the arts of seduction than Jace. Okay, here’s my first suggestion. You’re going to need a grapefruit—”

“Stop!” said Alec. He hurriedly strode away from Magnus and Shinyun and hid behind a high hedge. They watched him go with bemusement. “Please don’t finish that sentence. I meant, there’s still that small cult problem I asked you about. I’d really like to get it worked out, so that Magnus can be happier. On our vacation.”

And so demons could stop trying to kill Magnus, and Magnus would be free from dark rumors and the darker threat posed by the Clave. That too would make Magnus happier, Alec was sure.

“Right,” Isabelle said. “Actually, that’s why I called. I sent a carefully worded message to Aline Penhallow, but she’s not in Idris right now and she can’t help. So I haven’t been able to turn up much, but I did some digging around in the Institute archives. We don’t have a big section on cults. There aren’t that many in New York. Probably because of real estate prices. In any case, I did turn up a copy of an original manuscript that might help you. I took photos of some pages. I’ll e-mail them to you.”

“Thanks, Izzy,” said Alec.

Isabelle hesitated. “There was a frontispiece with a drawing of someone who looked awfully familiar.”

“Was there?” said Alec.

“Alec!”

“Do you tell me all your secrets, Izzy?”

Isabelle paused. “No,” she said in a softer voice. “But I’ll tell you one now. Of all the men standing in line for my attention, Simon may be my favorite.”

Alec looked across hedgerows, glowing green in the cool Italian evening, and white marble statues to Magnus, who was striking poses in imitation of the statues. Shinyun could not smile, but Alec thought she must want to. Nobody could help liking Magnus.

“All right,” Alec said. “Of all the men standing in line for my attention, Magnus is definitely my favorite.”

Isabelle squealed in outrage. Alec grinned.

“I’m so glad to hear you sound like this,” Isabelle said in a sudden rush. “And I won’t pry. I just want you to know that any secrets you have, I keep. You can trust me.”

Alec remembered the old days and the old fears, the way Isabelle had occasionally tried to start conversations about boys and let Alec shut them down. He had always snapped at her, terrified to speak and have someone hear, but sometimes at night when he thought about the possibility of being disowned by his parents, rejected by the Clave, hated by Jace and Max, his only comfort was that his sister knew, and she still loved him.

Alec closed his eyes and told her, “I always have.”

He had to tell Magnus, then, that he’d mentioned the Crimson Hand to Isabelle.