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."
"May I ask why he calls himself that?" It sounded like Sebastian's real name was Jonathan. So why the second name?
Jace shrugged. "Like hell if I know. He always was a weird one. When he was found by the Waylands . . . They tried to be good to him. They had lost their son years ago in a fire, and since then Aria Wayland wasn't willing to have more dragonets. So Sebastian was supposed to fill that gap in their hearts. But I don't think he ever was."
She thought about how terrible the replacement must have went. Two new parents, attempting to care for a traumatized young dragon . . . they certainly sounded out of their depth. I can't tell who had it worse there. Her heart ached with sympathy. I wish she could have saved him too. How different things might have been for Jonathan had her mother saved him during her escape? But what if's were pointless to ponder over. Because at a certain point it became your own choice, the path you chose. And he chose wrong.
He had defended their monster of a Father after all.
Luke's my Father now. The only Dad I need.
She would have to thank him for his sacrifices, the next time she saw him.
And with that, an idea sparked in her mind.
"Hmm. Well, I think there's only one thing we can do now." She had made up her mind.
"And what would that be?" Jace asked.
"Go home." Clary murmured.
The golden dragon nodded. "Yes. The King should know about this."
He gestured at her with a flippant claw, a smile returning as he took her in. Clary ducked her head down at that thoughtful, desiring gaze. Their relationship had only grown stronger since leaving that cave.
"No no. I mean to see my Mom. And Luke."
Jace sighed. "Clary, we already talked about this. We can't take you there if you can't shift. It's not safe. The hunters . . ." He trailed off, glancing at his claws. They stretched out reflexively, showing off their dangerous pinprick points. Clary flexed her claws, wondering how they would measure up. "if they saw you they wouldn't hesitate."
"Okay. So I need to learn how to shift. Right? And then we can go?"
"Well. Maybe. But we also really need to—"
"Jace! Who's that with you?"
The sound of wingbeats overhead caught her attention. She and Jace both looked up in time to see a figure getting closer and closer. Izzy was in the sky, the starry pattern in her wings was glittering. It was a mesmerizing against the mostly red scales on her body. Clary noted how much darker those scales were from her own fiery ones.
"This is Clary!" Jace gestured to her with an outstretched wing.
"Wait. What!?"
"No way!"
"It really is me. Izzy! And Simon! What are you doing here?" She asked.
Her friend's smaller form had been harder to spot up until the point where the pair landed safely on the ground. Apparently no one was listening to Alec's rule now, Simon nestled neatly between the spine's on Isabelle's back.
When they landed Simon was sliding off Izzy's smooth back and rushing over to her, a shocked expression on his face. He stumbled to a stop right in front of her. Widened brown eyes gazed up at her, head craning back to meet her gaze. "Clary?"
"Yeah. Good to see you Si." She murmured.
If only she was human she would wrap her arms around him in a heartbeat. But this newer, bigger form required her to be cautious, lest she hurt her friend on accident. Luckily, the same caution need not apply to Izzy.
"Clary! I can't believe it!" The ruby dragon tackled her in a hug, wings enveloping her tightly. Clary sagged against her friend. Her limbs relaxed in the comforting hold.
"Believe it. It's so good to see you both." Clary smiled at them both, unable to contain the happiness she felt.
"I'm surprised you're both here. I didn't exactly say where we'd be." Jace chimed in.
"Well maybe we're just that smart." Izzy flared her wings out proudly.
Clary cast an inquisitive glance Simon's way. Her friend whispered, "The king and Queen told us where you went. Said we needed to come get you."
"Come get us? Why?"
Simon and Izzy shared a glance.
"Because a lot of things have happened since you left."
"Like what?"
"Oh, you wouldn't believe us if we told you."
****Alec's POV****
It was strange being here.
Though to be fair, Alec had never been to a human household this big before.
Magnus held his hand, giving him a reassuring squeeze whenever his thoughts began to wander off. The stones that made up the pathway here were covered in dirt, making their footprints visible as they left their mark. From past experience he knew leaving traces of your movements could be harmful, but Magnus's pressing pace kept him from dragging his feet to mess up the trail. The atmosphere felt so utterly chilled despite the warmth from moments before.
"Are you sure this is the place?"
Magnus cocked his head, frowning at him. "Yes. This is Malcolm's. Why do you ask?"
"I . . ."
Alec swallowed back a shudder. Despite Ragnor's recommendation to come here, saying that if there was anyone else beside Magnus who could convince the king of their plight it would be Malcolm, there was this eerie feeling. It shrouded over him like a storm cloud. And everyone knew a cloud this heavy promised rain. Fat, acidic drops that ruined writing in stone. Change was an important thing, but sometimes people took things way too far.
"Spit it out Alexander. We don't have all day."
Alec leaned back, hand sliding out of Magnus's. "For someone who said they trust my judgement more than anyone else's you sure don't seem to be patient."
Magnus huffed. "You know I don't mean to be rushed. Don't want to be rushed. But if what Omni said is true we don't have a lot of time. I just want to keep everyone safe." There was a desperate honesty about Magnus, eyes shining.
Alec nodded. "Alright. I guess I'll just set it aside."
A dragon was meant to trust their instincts.
But Magnus was his predestined.
What kind of dragon would he be if he had no faith in his judgment?
"Set what aside?" Magnus asked.
They were at the front door now, no turning back.
Still, Alec answered. "This feeling of foreboding."
"Alec . . ." Magnus trailed off. The Hunter bit his lip, the hand previously holding his own twitching as though it wanted to reach out, bridge the distance between them.
But there was no time.
Because the door swung open and a man with purple eyes stepped out, recognition all over his face as he stared at Magnus and then Alec with what could only be described as exuberant glee.
"I knew you would come."
*******
A/N: Yes, I know this is waaaaay late. But, to be honest I haven't been feeling all that motivated to write this story lately. But never fear! I will get it finished (hopefully before midsummer). So stay tuned.