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A Long Conversation is a novella set between Lady Midnight and Lord of Shadows. Before the e-story's release on May 19, 2017, the short story was first included in special editions of Lady Midnight.

Description

What does it mean to be married? What do we commit to when we commit to each other for life? On a tense, hot summer night at the New York Institute, one couple will begin to find out as they celebrate their engagement. Another couple will explore that step, only to be thrown back by a violent emergency that calls them to duty before love.

When Simon Lewis spontaneously proposes to Isabelle Lightwood, Clary Fairchild has two days to plan a grand engagement party. With a lot of help from their Downworlder and mundane friends, Clary and Jace Herondale pull it off.

But it wouldn't be the Shadow World if trouble didn't arrive to threaten even the most joyous occasion. As the new co-head of the New York Institute, Clary must deal with an impending Downworlder civil war, all while trying to keep Isabelle away from a room suspiciously full of tulips, to which she is dangerously allergic.

Clary and Jace finally find a moment for themselves, but Magnus Bane interrupts them before they can have the conversation they really need to have – a conversation about that longest of conversations, marriage, that they may never get to have if they don't survive the night...[1]

Plot

SPOILERS AHEAD!
CJ Jem 01
“I cannot be sure, though I think it has something to do with
the clarity of them.”

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In August 2012, Clary Fairchild, head of the New York Institute, observes the decorated music room of the Institute and recalls the events leading up to her having to rush to arrange a party on two days notice.

Two days before, Clary's parabatai Simon Lewis had showed up breathless at the Institute during a training session and announced that he'd asked Isabelle Lightwood to marry him. After being teased for his less than romantic proposal Simon explained Isabelle's wish to have an engagement party in two days, which confused Clary until Jace Herondale pointed out that it would be Max Lightwood's birthday in two days. Simon asked to have the party at the Institute and Clary agreed to help.

Still observing the preparations for the party, Clary sadly recalls the room's similarity to the Seelie Court and feels a pang for the loss of faerie magic in the world, a result of the Cold Peace. While watching her friends move around the room Clary is approached by Beatriz Mendoza who alerts her to the recent delivery of tulips, which Isabelle is allergic to, as Alec Lightwood points out. He asks to speak to Clary alone and reveals his fear that the Clave will take his adopted son Rafael Lightwood-Bane away from him. She assures him everything will be fine.

After a conversation with Simon's sister Rebecca, Clary is sought out by Lily Chen and Maia Roberts, the heads of the New York vampire clan and werewolf pack, respectively. They ask for her help in settling a territorial dispute with the vampires and werewolves, and she reluctantly obliges, bluffing her way through a conversation with one of Maia's pack members and setting up a meeting. The two heads move on and Isabelle arrives, immediately having an allergic reaction to the tulips. She is happy despite this, and proceeds to join the party, accompanied by cheers from the guests.

While toasts are given and pictures shown, Jace pulls Clary aside to a private room and, after reminding her how she fixed his broken heart and made him a better man, he asks her to marry him. Clary freezes up and is unable to answer, and is saved from having to do so when Magnus Bane blasts open the door and reveals that something has happened in Los Angeles near the Institute. He explains that Malcolm Fade is not answering his calls, and, unwilling to ruin the party, he has only told Robert Lightwood. Robert appears in the doorway and reacts awkwardly upon seeing Clary and Jace's disheveled appearance. Magnus opens a Portal and Clary realizes she will have to give Jace an answer when they get back. Dreading it, she pushes it aside for now and steps through the Portal.

Characters

Mentioned only:

Trivia

References

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