City of Shadows

Chapter 24: Looking to the Horizon

It couldn't be true. It wasn't possible.

Ember sagged back against the wall, all her strength evading her. She was still clutching the fire message filled with Jace's handwriting in her hand.

Jacob was Jace's brother, or so Clary and Jace suspected. A million images and words slammed into her head, dizzying her. She had to admit, the possibility was not unbelievable. In fact, it even made sense, and that just made it all the worse.

But...how to be sure?

Jace did not lie. Like Isabelle had once told her, he said horrible truths, but he never lied, and Rowan had no reason to either. He had risked everything by even being near an Institute—why would he lie? And how could he? He had overheard the Seelie Queen's conversation with Jacob. That meant the Queen had known, and she had told Jacob herself. The Seelie Queen was many unpleasant things; a liar was not one of them.

It was true, then. Jacob was Jace's brother. He was a Herondale.

Ember peeled herself off the wall and shoved the paper into the pocket of her skirt. Her mind felt as if a horde of bees was swarming inside it, making it impossible to think clearly, and she forced herself to walk back into Jia's office. She still had a job to do; this she could handle later.

Jia looked up from the papers she was poring over as soon as she walked in. It was a list of all Institutes who answered her call, and with it, an exact number of all those who would fight in the battle for Alicante. She knew some Institutes believed it was all a lie; there was no Jaakobah, no threat; it was all just a lie fabricated by the unworthy Angel's Chosen to cover up Sebastian Morgenstern's latest transgressions.

Thankfully, however, half of the Nephilim across the world believed the truth. All in all, Ember was pleased with the result, though the numbers weren't nearly as high as she had hoped. She knew that compared with Jacob's army, they were hilariously outnumbered. The Shadowhunters could not hope to win this fight alone, and they were still waiting on word from the Downworld community.

"Is everything all right, Ember?" Jia asked, taking in her expression.

"I'm not sure." She crossed the room. "I just received some—unexpected news. From New York."

The Consul laid down the papers at that and straightened in her chair. "Is it about Jaakobah?"

"Yes." She produced the slip of paper from her pocket. There was no direct mention of Rowan or the Seelie Queen in it; it was safe. She presented the message to her. Jia took it, and her face gradually paled as her eyes scanned the words written.

Her dark eyes were wide as she finally lifted her head to Ember's. "Is this true?"

"It is."

Jia slid the paper across the desk back to her, breathed out deeply through her nose, and leaned back in her chair. "This is an unfortunate turn of events. Still, it changes nothing."

Shock filled Ember's features. "It changes everything. Jia, until very recently it was believed that Jace was the last Herondale. Now Jacob has a claim to the name. Herondale is a powerful name among the Nephilim. It could very well help him rally those that do not join us to his side. And there are other things here—Jace...I can't even begin to think how he feels, and Jacob—how he'll feel at having his own brother fight against him. Jace is the only family he has now. I know him; I know how he thinks. He's afraid of being alone; he's desperate to have someone who understands him. He won't only be after me when he comes. He'll want Jace, too."

Jia's eyes were dark and solemn and trained directly on her, her fingers laced neatly atop her desk. "What do you plan to do?"

A heavy silence settled in the room as Ember's mind tried to find an answer to the question, and deep discomfort filled her as she found herself unable to. "I—don't know."