The Hunter and His Dragon

Return

A/N: Izzy is in the pic above! Like Alec and the other Lightwood dragons her wings have a starry pattern to them where their power supposedly comes from. Who do y'all want to see next? If I recall someone suggested Alec but he's on the cover already (in human and dragon form).

****Clary's POV****

Clary gaped at him, her flame-colored wings fluttering in a gesture she was sure had to be the same sadness pinging in her chest. Hearing that Valentine was her Father was a whole can of awful, but something about Jace's story just made the whole situation feel more awful. By the time he finished, Jace was staring at the ground. There was a distance in his eyes. It was a desolation she had never seen from the golden dragon before.

She shivered at what it meant.

"Jace. I . . ."

What to say in the midst of all that brokenness?

Clary found herself thankful for being lied to now. Because if this had helped keep her away from an abusive father . . . Then it was worth everything. All the discomfort of now could be gotten over. But trauma like that is different. I don't envy Jace for it.

"It's okay Clary, you don't have to say anything." Jace told her.

Oh, and how small his voice was. The explanation that started out with his normal pitch had dwindled into this isolated strand of volume. It was weak, shy in its reveal. So small, so sad as it pronounced each syllable. The wind rivaled the noise produced from his vocal cords, almost as though it would rather the story be forgotten with endless crescendo of time.

Suddenly, it made too much sense why Jace did not go with Alec into the cave, why he let his brother go into a fight alone. To go against your tormentor, someone who kidnapped you from your real family and tried to force you to be something you weren't. Valentine is a monster. A manipulative monster.

And, also her father.

Guilt crashed down with its moaning screech in her mind.

"But I should. You had to endure him. M-my f-father in my place." Clary protested.

At this, Jace shook his head vehemently. "No. Dealing with the likes of that cretin should not be anyone's burden. It doesn't matter that you share blood. He's incapable of the love a father is supposed to show their children."

"He hurt you Jace." Clary murmured.

If she had been in her human body —the one she was most accustomed to— Clary knew she would be hugging one of his arms tightly, trying to will her apology into him. But this new form —while sleek— was strange to her. So she kept a small space between them.

"I know. He hurt your brother too."

At that she flinched. To think an absolute jerk like him would be her brother.

"Yes, but still. Why did he even take you in the first place?" She asked him. There was little she knew of Jace's actual parents, just that the Lightwood's had taken part in bringing him up.

Jace shook his head, muttering, "From what I know, he wanted to replace the kid he lost. That, and he hated my parents."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Anything he could mold in his image . . . Valentine wanted. If it hadn't been for King Robert he would still be here, terrorizing other dragons. His violent nature would've likely meant an end to all the dragons living here."

"That sounds horrible. I'm glad he's gone." Clary told him.

"I am too, but I have a feeling he's lurking somewhere. Sebastian seems to think so."