City of Secrets

Chapter 6: The Law Is Hard

"You already are," Ember whispered.

Jonathan's arms wrapped around her. His chin rested on the top of her head. "It's done. I've chosen what I have to do," he murmured.

"It's too risky," Ember insisted.

"If my sister doesn't take me down, the whole world is in danger," Jonathan said firmly. "I need to be stopped. If no one stops me, then I don't think any world can ever survive in my control."

"None of this is truly your fault, you know," she said. "This is your father's fault."

"And yet I never did anything to fight against my nature," he replied. He looked down at Ember, and his eyes softened. "My beautiful one, I don't know what love is, and I don't know how to explain how I feel, but I can promise you that I've never felt about anyone like this before, not even for Clarissa. Father's experiments and Lillith's blood twisted my emotions and the way I see everything, but with you...I feel- I almost feel normal. I forget of the people I've hurt, of the things I have done. I see how you look at me, and I feel like I can be...good."

Jonathan stayed over that night, and as he held her while he slept, for once in her life, Ember finally felt complete. That night she dreamt of being held by a carefree boy with sparkling, elated green eyes and a joyous grin. He looked nothing like the forlorn boy that carried the burden of a million men on his shoulders, but she knew it was her Jonathan.

When she woke up the next morning he was gone, and the morning after that one, the Morgenstern ring found its way to Ember's bedside table, and her world came crashing down along with her hopes and dreams for their future.

A week or two later Ember sat on top of the toilet seat in the bathroom of her grandmother's house with a positive pregnancy test in her hand, and a spark of hope reignited in her heart.

"Ember Valenza." Jia Penhallow's voice echoed throughout the hall, and the hushed murmurs of voices around her ceased immediately.

Ember stood in front of every adult Shadowhunter willing enough to attend the meeting. There were so many that some even had to stand. Clary, Jace, Isabelle, and Alec sat in the first line in front of Ember's vision. Clary sent Ember a small smile, and Ember felt herself smile. They were not adults yet, at least not to the Clave's eyes, but the Clave was generous enough to make an exception, with a little persuasion from Robert Lightwood of course. He was the new Inquisitor, and he stood next to the elevated place where Jia sat. His face was taut, his lips pressed into a thin white line. His eyes showed exactly what Ember had seen in Alec, Isabelle, and Maryse's eyes the first time they knew who she was, and she felt her resolve crumble away slowly, as well as her courage. She might not have been in an actual combat, but  if runes sort of worked the way they did on a normal Shadowhunter on her, she felt like she could really use a Courage in Combat rune, or perhaps Clary's famous Fearless rune.

"You are here to be heard by the Clave regarding your relationship with Sebastian Morgenstern, and the...product of said relationship." Jia eyed Ember warily. Her gaze shifted towards Robert and she bowed her head in a subtle nod. Ember heard the stir of Robert's gray Inquisitor robes, and he stood directly in front of her in an instant. He assessed her with unmasked disdain, but his eyebrows lifted slightly at the sight of her wardrobe choice.

"Do you have any idea what the color you're wearing signifies, mundane?" he inquired in a cool tone.

"Flame for the birth of a Nephilim and to wash away our sins," Ember replied. "And I kindly ask of you to call me by my name with respect, as I do to you, Inquisitor Lightwood."