𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

                                    

                                          



                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          

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With her arm linked through Cordelia's, Delilah guided her down the alleyway as the Carstairs girl still gawked at her surroundings. Matthew walked just a few steps in front of Delilah and Cordelia and Anna just a few paces ahead of him. The group were only a short distance down the alleyway before a door rose up before them. Cordelia's eyes sparkled as she watched the entrance become visible. Delilah smiled at her reaction. After all, when Anna first brought Delilah here, she was sure that she would have had the same expression as Cordelia. 
"When this place is not home to the salon, it is a gaming house," Matthew said, stepping closer to Delilah and Cordelia. His explanation was focused on Cordelia as Delilah already knew the information. The three approached the door. "There is even a trapdoor in the roof, so that if they are raided by police, the gamesters can escape over the eaves."
The door was flung suddenly open. Lounging in the space it revealed was a tall man in an iron-grey jacket and trousers. 
"That's Malcom Fade," Delilah whispered to Cordelia. 
"Four of you this time?" he said to Anna.
She nodded. "Four."
"We try to limit the number of Shadowhunters in the salon," said Malcolm. "I prefer Nephilim to feel outnumbered among Downworlders, as it is so often the other way around." A woman's voice called from behind him. Malcolm smiled. "You do enliven the place, though, as Hypatia reminds me." He thrust the door wide and stood aside to allow them to enter. "Come in. Are you armed? Never mind, of course you are. You're Shadowhunters." 
Malcolm opened the door wide enough for the four Shadowhunters to enter. Delilah pulled her arm away from Cordelia's as she stepped forward. Anna was the first to pass through the doorway, then Delilah, who was eager to enter the establishment for the first time in a while. Matthew followed quickly behind her, leaving behind Cordelia to enter last. 
"There's no Blackthorn blood in your family, is there?" Malcom asked suddenly, his gaze fixated on Cordelia. 
"No— none, I don't think," said Cordelia.
Once Cordelia stood next to the group once more, Delilah finally allowed herself to relax. Everything was just as it had been the last time she was here. Downworlders walked about the room freely, not hiding who they were at all. Delilah missed the place. As she turned to look at Cordelia's reaction, she found the girl's gaze fixated on the walls, more specifically, the paintings situated upon them. Delilah smirked. 
"Admiring the art?" Delilah asked. 
"They are rather interesting," Cordelia commented. 
Delilah cast her gaze to the images of nude men and women upon the walls. She had only ever drawn nude people before, but she always wanted to paint them. Delilah remembered trying before she began attending the live drawing sessions and all of her proportions were off. She took great pride in burning each and every one of them.