*edited*
"Who attacked her?" Clary asked.
"The mole in the institute," Jace shook his head.
"She said it was Hodge," Alec said.
He was leaning on me slightly our arms touching. I was in my gear once more while he was still in his dress clothes. They suited him well, the white made his hair look even darker. If that was possible.
"It can't be we've known him our whole lives," Isabelle shook her head. "No. It can't be."
The video showed Hodge smacking Lydia as she flew into the table. He had the mortal cup in his hands. She changed screens to see him standing by Jocelyn.
"Look he's touching the ring," Clary pointed at the screen.
"He's talking to someone," I muttered.
"Where did he get that ring?"
"The forsaken, maybe?" Clary asked. I looked at her and nodded.
"Pull it up, that would make sense," I added.
Isabelle pulled up the footage. I saw Alec get hit my body moving back slightly as I grimaced.
"Switch to the other one," He said. I looped our arms together as I rested my head on his shoulder. I was so tired.
"There," Clary pointed. Hodge took the ring off the forsaken. He had looked around suspiciously and slid it onto his finger.
"Damn it," Jace snapped. "He can't be the only one working with Valentine. He's not the only ex-circle member."
"My parents wouldn't," Isabelle said.
"You just said that about Hodge," He pointed at the screen. He glanced at me again as he walked off.
"I'm going to talk to him," Clary moved, but I grabbed her arm.
"Don't," I loosened my grip on Alec. Clary gave me an odd look. She looked annoyed with me, but I just trying to help.
"Why?"
"He's uncomfortable with you, everything you've told him only makes his hate worse," I said. "I'll go. Keep me updated please." I told the others as I walked after Jace. "Jace. Jace!"
"What?" He looked past me.
"What are you going to do?" I asked.
"I'm going after him, the longer we wait the more time Valentine has with the cup," He walked into his room to change.
I stayed outside his door watching the others walk past. They were getting rid of the wedding decorations now. I was a wedding crasher, but it worked out in my favor. A part of me was grateful to Lydia for letting Alec go, but the other part loved to see her get attacked. It was horrible I knew that, but I couldn't help it.
"Walk with me." He adjusted his leather jacket.
"Why aren't you involving the others?"
"They won't understand," he shook his head. He thought I understood the rage he had inside of him. "They are dangerous so I need the best of the best with me."
"Thanks for the compliment," I laughed.
We walked back onto the weapons platform grabbing our gear. My handle was in my back pocket. I grabbed a few more blades sticking them into the sheaths at my hips.
"What are you two doing?" Alec asked.
"Great, I need you to come with us?" Jace motioned for him to join. "We are going to hunt Hodge."
"Lena, I already said no. You can't leave." Alec shook his head. "The clave—."
"I need her with us," Jace reasoned.
"Why?"
"I could use her abilities. We can take down Valentine," Jace said. I watched him as he pulled out more weapons. Alec groaned but started grabbing his bow and arrows. A blade or two. At least he knew his parabatai.
"This is so stupid," Alec shook his head as he looked at me. "We don't need three."
"You can stay," Jace added. I glared at him until he relaxed. "Look I'm sorry everything is just—I'm angry."
"Listen I understand that, but don't go sacrificing others for your hate blaze," Alec spoke in a hushed voice as he looked over at me.
"What are you doing?" Clary asked.
"Going after Hodge, waiting only means Valentine has more time with the cup." Jace strapped on his blades.
"Are you joking?" She looked at me. "Hey don't let your emotion cloud your judgment. You told me that. You helped me see that."
"He's my father Clary. It's different." Jace turned away from her.
His eyes were on me now. I hated that he was trying to use me as a block between the both of them. It was unfortunate that we were related, yes, but they were going to have to get over this.
"He's my father too," Clary shot back.
"Why don't we all pull up a family tree." I joked. "Let's go." I walked past Clary.
"Lena, why are you going with?"
"I'm keeping an eye on Alec who's keeping an eye on Jace who is out for blood," I said. She let out a sigh as we left.
"How are we going to track him?" Alec asked. "He didn't leave anything behind."
"There's more than one way to track. Stop thinking with your stele," Jace pulled his phone out. I saw him scroll through his contacts clicking on Luke's as he dialed him.
"I will hit him I don't care what kind of emotional struggles he has," Alec scoffed as our arms grazed one another every so often.
"Yeah, well he's hot headed that's for sure," I breathed.
Alec gave me a small smile as we both looked around the streets. We were out hunting, but things could still be hunting us. Jace hung up the phone with Luke as they tracked him.
It was an abandoned warehouse. That's where he was hiding. Each of us moved through checking to see if anyone was there. We assumed it would be packed, but it wasn't. Jace came out first spotting Hodge. It was only him.
"You forget Jace, I've taught you everything you know," Hodge smirked.
"Not me," I said. His smile fell. We sparred earlier, but I barely showed him anything I knew or taught myself over the years.
"Let me have this," Jace pulled one of his blades free.
I held up my hands and took a step back. Hodge moved away from me and closer to Jace. He was scared of me. I don't think they've seen me use the demon blood yet. I've only shown Clary and Luke. They've seen me draw strength, but nothing more.
"Yeah, have at it," I leaned against one of the pillars.
Alec emerged looking annoyed. I gave him a smile as the two of them went after it. It was a personal encounter. Jace was too angry though. He cut Hodge's hand off letting out a yell. Alec lunged tackling him to the ground.
"Get off me!" Jace yelled.
"You're going to kill him," Alec said.
I grabbed my stele moving it over Hodge's rune. He screamed and screamed as his hand bled. I grabbed the back of his shirt pulling him against a pillar before he passed out.
"He deserves it."
"Do our parents deserve it too?" Alec asked.
"They aren't my parents," Jace shoved him.
"Shove him again Jace," I warned. He smiled slightly walking over to us. "Get a fucking grip. I understand you have daddy issues, but this is just wrong. You're throwing a tantrum to get your daddy's attention."
"He's your father too," Jace pointed out.
"Oh, you finally realized that, did you?" I glared.
"Linny," Alec muttered.
I threw my hands in the air and turned away from both of them. Alec knelt next to Hodge as Jace moved a little far off.
"I'm gonna call Luke," Alec said. My hand dragged across his shoulders as I moved toward Jace. He was talking to someone. He was touching his hand, his ring finger.
"Touch my shoulder," He said. I did and suddenly an image of Valentine was there.
"Ah, my children. My greatest accomplishments. I knew I would be seeing the two of you soon." He smiled.
"We will be coming for you," Jace hissed.
"I expect nothing less from my children. You will see. I am on the right side of things." Valentine disappeared as Jace moved the ring off his finger.
"Hey," Alec called. We walked back over to him. "What was that?"
"Needed to send a message," Jace muttered. Alec looked at me for a moment and then back to Jace.
"We need to talk," Jace moved with Alec away from me as I looked at Hodge. He was staring at his stub of an arm. I wanted to laugh in his face, but I restrained myself. In the distance, I heard the screech of tires. Luke was here.
"Why are you scared of me?" I asked. He looked up at me.
"You'll know soon enough. When you find your father you'll understand." He grimaced. "A piece of advice. Stay as far away from Valentine as you can."
I chewed the inside of my lip seeing the two of them walking back over. The car pulled up behind us. Luke came over seeing his missing hand and looking between me and Jace.
"Linny," Alec pulled me away as Luke made a call. "I don't like this. You shouldn't be here."
"Why not?" I asked. "He needs to be kept in check and apparently he's on a family rampage." I rubbed my forehead. There was going to be a red spot from the amount of pressure I put on my skin.
"I don't want you to get hurt as collateral." He added. I let out a long sigh looking up at him.
"I know, but he's my family now too," I said. Alec nodded and pulled me close to him.
"I'm going to check on Luke," He walked away. I turned seeing that Jace was gone.
"Son of a bitch!" I ran forward looking around the empty warehouse. He'd taken him and left. That bitch.
"Where did he go?" Luke asked. I rolled my eyes.
"I'm going to fucking kill him, I swear."
***
"Camille, why do you live in Dumort and not here?" Clary asked.
They had broken Camille out to lead them to the book of the white which would wake up Jocelyn. We walked into her library looking at the books on the walls. It was like a grand library. Does she even read?
"Well, at least you kind of read," I said.
"I'm going to look around the perimeter," Alec nodded as he walked off.
I was going to go with him, but he left too fast. I started searching as Clary and Simon spoke. Camile had made some kind of deal with them. Something about Simon. Poor Simon is always the bargaining chip. He's just a baby vampire.
"You might want to get looking. I have five more rooms like this one." Camille smiled. She leaned on the edge of her desk and opened a book. I looked over at Clary.
"I can't believe this." Clary shook her head.
"I can start looking," I laughed to myself as we searched. The two of them moved off to the side as we searched. Dot had put it somewhere in here.
"Wait," Clary muttered.
She pulled a cookbook off the shelves on the balcony. I saw a bookmark in it. She opened the page showing the other half of the bookmark to the book of white. I set it on the page watching it rejoin itself. The book turned from cooking into white and then slowly filled in the spells.
"That's awesome," I laughed.
"Okay, we've gotta go," Simon said. I looked over the railing. It was too quiet.
"Where the hell is Alec and Isabelle?" I asked. I stepped forward, but a portal opened up to my right. Valentine stepped out first. Two other men followed after him.
"My children." He smiled. "Where is your brother?"
"You should ask him that," I snapped. He smiled.
"Ah my little Lena," He smiled. "You look so normal. It's remarkable." I pulled my handle free watching the blade form. "I wouldn't." He looked to the door Isabelle and Alec were being walked in blades to their necks. "So," He sighed. "This can go many ways."
"No, it won't," Jace walked in his sword raised.
"Ah there you are Johnathan," He smiled. "Just in time." He looked at me. I blinked feeling the surge go through me.
"Careful, you don't want to get too carried away. You are fast I'll give that to you, but you aren't fast enough to kill everyone before we kill your friends." I let out a deep breath. He was right. "How do you feel? Is it a rush? Just a switch to turn it on and off?"
"Shut up," Jace snapped.
"I'll give you the book of the white if you just let us go," Clary said.
"Ah, Clarrissa. You are so much like your mother willing to give up anything for others." He smiled. "But I want you to wake your mother up. You both will join me eventually. It's fated." He turned to me. "Lena. I actually need you." I blinked again. The shift was just on the other side of my subconscious. "That is spectacular." He tried to come closer to me, but I held up my blade. "Your decision my dear."
"Let her go and take me instead," Jace reasoned. Valentine smiled.
"This is heartwarming," He smiled. His eyes going to me. "Your choice Lena. I can take you both or just one of you. Are you more like your mother or your father?"
"Why can't you just take me instead?" Jace asked. Valentine turned to him.
"You are a trained killer, that is true. But Lena. She is a made killer. Have you seen her other form yet? I've worked hard on her for years." Valentine asked looking around the group. "No? It's horrifying." He walked closer and closer to me. "You all made her weak. Love is weakness." My eyes slid to Alec for a moment. He shook his head slightly. "They are your weakness. Leave them behind. You are good at that."
"Lena, don't." Alec pleaded.
Isabelle too. They were pleading for me not to go with him, but I had to. There wasn't any other choice. I stuck the handle into my back pocket.
"If I go with you, you promise not to hurt them?" I asked. He put his hand over his heart.
"You have my word," He assured me.
"What? No, Lena, you can't," Clary shook her head. "Valentine is wrong."
"It's not about right or wrong Clary. It's about keeping you safe. Wake Mom," I barely looked at her. My eyes moved to the others as they struggled against the other circle members.
"Lena, please," Alec muttered. I looked over to him.
"Alec I'm sorry," I swallowed the lump in my throat.
"Let them go," Valentine demanded. His guards let go of him as they moved toward the portal.
"Let me come with," Jace offered. He stared at me. He wanted to be with me so we weren't alone with him. So that we had each other. It was comforting in a small way. Valentine looked from me to Jace.
"Why not? You both can lead this revolution with me." He smiled. He touched my shoulder as he moved me back into the portal. Jace followed behind me.
"No!" Clary yelled.
"Lena, Linny," Alec muttered as he moved toward me.
"I'm sorry." The room disappeared.
***
Magnus had summed up my childhood in a single word. Pain. I think I was feeling that pain now. My arms, legs, and head were strapped down. A gag in my mouth. Now and then he would come in to inject demon blood into my veins. He wanted to know my limits. Build up my tolerance. Each time he injected it into me it was a rush of adrenaline, but then it came crashing down and my veins felt like they were tearing apart.
My bones were cracking and my body shook uncontrollably. It was like withdrawals. That was only when he pushed my limits. I haven't seen Jace since being on this ship, but I've heard him yell a few times. My mind would go back to a few fun memories I had before all of this. Ones with Alec. With Isabelle. A few even with Clary. I tried to go there every time, tried to be there in the moment not suffering through this.