Authors Note: Does anyone know how to edit/photoshop pictures? I wanna edit my OC Elena with runes on her body where they would be so you guys would be able to see it but I don't have the apps/software to do it and I was wondering if any of you wonderful readers did or if you knew someone who would be willing to help me. It would mean a lot if you could help me out. Let me know what you think of this chapter.
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When I had made it back to the Institute I was planning on taking a warm shower and going to bed. I could only hope Clary wouldn't push everyone to go out again for her. Not that I'm saying finding the Mortal Cup or her mother not important but sometimes people needed one night to be selfish for themselves.
That wasn't what I walked in on instead I walked in on Clary pouting like a little child because Alec locked away her portal shard necklace. I all but rolled my eyes at Clary.
"There is probably a good reason why Alec locked it up." I looked at Jace hoping he would support his parabatai but instead, he just shook his head at me. "Look, Clary, he put it away because your father Valentine could see you through the shard. That means it's not safe, hell he could one day walk right into the Institute because he is a Shadowhunter. It's not safe for you to use it."
"What you're following the Claves rules now? You have only been here just as long as I have and yet you're some sort of robot like Alec is." She huffed out at me. I could only glare at her in return.
"Listen, Clary, I see you as my little sister but I'm also logical about it. I've known the rules since I was a child. I was raised to respect them. I have known who I was and spent my life hiding from it and now I can't do that. You have only just been brought into this world and yes I know it can be daunting and challenging but Clary, Valentine will manipulate your emotions for Jocelyn to get the cup from you. So you should spend your time training and understand this world and not let emotions cloud your judgment it will be your downfall as it will be Valentines one day. We will get your mother back but it may take some time you just have to respect that." My voice eerily calm even though all I wanted to do was blow up at her.
Clary just glared at me before turning around. Of course, she would ignore me. Sure the Claves rules can be a bit outdated but there are rules for a reason and in the last several days we broke so many of them. My shoulders sagged in defeat. It wouldn't matter how much I spoke sense into the girl, in the end, she would be selfish and do what she wanted anyways and probably drag us all with her. It would only be a matter of time before the Clave would come and stop her.
I took a shower and got dressed in casual workout clothes. I just wanted to be comfy and possibly get a workout in to help with the rage I was feeling. I found Alec when I left my room and we both walked in silence for a while until he told me that his mother was here.
When we walked in I could see a dark-haired woman embrace Jace while Clary and Izzy weren't far behind her.
"Mother, Welcome back. We didn't expect you." Alec half hugged his mother and she kissed his cheek.
"You should be prepared. Whether you expect me or not." Her face stern. Her eyes glanced at me.
"I am. We are." Alec folded his arms behind him.
"We'll talk about the Institute later. Right now we have a bigger problem. The Seelies have stopped communicating with the Clave and we don't know why. My guess is they are still upset that we asked them to send scouts to look for Valentine but no one in their realm will talk. " She circled around all of us watching our reactions. I kept my face stone. Izzy spoke up.
"I have Seelie friends." She spoke with confidence.
"Yes, I know all about your friends. Isabelle, we stay separate from the Downworld for good reasons. The wrong move the wrong word..." I felt a rage in the pit of my stomach but I held my tongue. I slightly zoned out after that. I saw Jace try and take some of the blame off Izzy but I knew that wouldn't happen.
"I'd rather Jace go this time. Alec, you stay with the Fairchild girl. I want her under control shes caused enough trouble already." She still has said nothing about me.
"Maybe that's because I wasn't a Shadowhunter until a few days ago." Clary all but yelled at Mrs. Lightwood.
"And what an exciting few days it has been. The Clave counts on us Lightwoods to maintain order here."
"You don't have to tell me that. The mission is important to the Clave I would prefer to be the one that goes with Isabelle."
"You're also eager to do what you prefer. Life is not about what you want to do it's about what needs to be done. I have given you your assignments now carry them out. Except you, Elena I would like to see you in my office apparently the Clave needs to sort out your bloodline as we were told your mother died in the Uprising. I see you wear the Herondale weapon so figuring out shouldn't be too hard. You and you with me now." Her dark eyes bore into mine as she pointed to Jace and Izzy.
I stayed behind with Alec and Clary. I was planning on asking Alec where her office was so I could meet her there.
"So what finding our your family is more important to the Clave then finding my mother or Valentine?" Clary scoffed at me. Could she not see how selfish that was? Maybe I have family left in Idris, a family I had no idea about so yes it was important. I didn't even bother Clary with a response.
"Where is your mother's office? I don't want to make her wait for more than I have to." He told me where to go and I left him with Clary. At least I wasn't tasked with dealing with her right now I wouldn't be able to handle it. I preach about controlling your emotions and I still have a hard time doing just that. "When I'm done maybe we could train?" He nodded his head at me before turning towards Clary.
I made my way to Mrs. Lightwoods office and knocked before I entered. I was trying to be polite.
"Come in."
I entered the rather large looking office and saw her sitting at a desk overlooking papers that probably had to do with the Institute.
"So I'm told that you were raised in the Shadowhunter ways but was raised by a Warlock after your father died. Is that correct?" Her strong voice spoke.
"Yes, it is. My father hardly spoke of my mother all that I know is that she died either during childbirth or during the Uprising I was never fully certain. He was with me when I was younger and made me train often but one day he just left. Dot, that Warlock who took me in said he died but again I was never sure." She nodded.
"So your father never told you who your mother was? You don't have a last name?"
"Nope. I was always just Elena. I spent my day's training and going to a mundane school. Dot always told me the Shadowhunter world was a dangerous one and that I should stay out of it. It's why I never came to the Institute."
"Is that also why you don't have any runes? Normally Shadowhunters have runes to help them be a better Shadowhunter."
"I was always too scared to draw them myself and besides my father taught me that if I couldn't defend myself as a mundane would what type of Shadowhunter would I be if I only relied on runes. A weak one is what he would say." She looked mildly impressed by my answer.
"Well, we should change that. Now on to other matters, your bloodline. Alec mentioned that the weapon you wear reacted to you and if I remember correctly it was once spelled by a Warlock to only react to Herondale blood. I'll take a sample of your blood to be positive but I think it's safe to say you are a Herondale by blood and the Clave will be pleased in knowing the Herondale bloodline lives on through you. We thought we lost the remaining bloodlines in the Uprising." A sad expression on her face but only for a moment before her face went back to being expressionless. "Though I am in question about the man who claimed to be your father. I know for a fact that your mother Celine was married to Stephen Herondale and they both died during the Uprising. I'm just glad he brought you up strongly we can worry about who he was at a later time. Now its time for your first rune. I believe it should be strength as you have shown a lot since coming here. I hear you are quite the fighter."
She then stood up and I stood up with her. She took my arm and began the marking. It burned into my skin and I let out a small cry of pain but mostly stayed quiet during the process. She seemed to be impressed with my endurance for pain.
"If you handled that well maybe we should do a few more. Now as for the Angelic rune I am not allowed to bestow that upon you as that is meant to be done by a Silent Brother in a ceremony." She went on to draw a Deflect/Block on my neck similar to that of Izzy and Alec. I took off my shirt and stood in my sports bra as she drew several others on my body. By the time she was done I my skin felt like it was on fire but I held through the pain surprisingly.
The worry I had before about putting runes on my body was gone as I remembered what Alec had told me. That I was a Showdowhunter by blood and a Warlock and nothing would ever change that.
"You impress me Elena Herondale and that's not easy to do. Now go help Alec watch the Fairchild girl she is trouble and needs to be watched closely. I will be reporting to the Clave of who I believe you are. Expect to hear from the Clave and me soon."
"Thank you Mrs. Lightwood." I was sliding on my shirt as I was taking my leave when she spoke again.
"Please call me Maryse." I smiled at her for the first time since I had met her and walked out of her office.
When I couldn't find Alec or Clary I decided to call him but he didn't pick up. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. What was going on? When I tried to call Clary it had gone straight to voicemail.
I decided I was going to have to track her using my Warlock abilities. I went to her room and grabbed her jacket. I closed my eyes for a moment before letting my magic free as I scanned her jacket hoping to get a sense of where she was and once I figured out she was at the Jade Wolf I knew she was in trouble and that Alec was probably there too. Which also meant if Clary was in trouble Jace and Izzy weren't too far behind them.
I rolled my eyes before making my way to the Jade Wolf. This time I used a portal I couldn't be bothered to walk or even find a ride. With my new runes using the portal wasn't as draining as it used to be and for that I was happy. When I arrived though I found myself at the tail end of a fight and before I could even jump in and help a rather large black wolf jumped towards the Alpha and attacked him. I could only assume it was Luke protecting Clary.
When I finally got close to the group I could see them in a discussion on what to do about Luke and Clary said they should take him to Magnus and I couldn't help but agree. I was about to ask if they needed my help when Clary yelled at me at where I had been and why I wasn't there to help her and Simon. Which I noticed was looking rather sick and I couldn't help but think about him being stuck with Vampires a few days ago. Camille must have done something.
"I was with Maryse talking about my family and seeing who they were and then I was sitting through the endless runes she helped me put on my body so sorry I wasn't quick enough I'm in a small amount of pain right now," I stated tirelessly. I didn't have it in me to fight with her. The last few days have been draining. "That's beside the point he needs to get to Magnus soon an Alpha bite is deadly."
Jace went with Clary and Simon to help Luke and I stayed with Alec and Izzy.
"My mother put so many runes on you at once? Didn't that hurt?" Izzy asked me.
"The first one hurt a small amount but pain never really bothered me. My skin just burns a little bit but I should be okay soon." Alec's eyes looked at me to see if I was lying and I wasn't.
"I'm glad you decided to finally get runes, Elena. So what family are you from?" Izzy seemed to get excited as we made our way back towards the Institute.
"Apparently I'm a Herondale. Maryse seems almost positive but she took a bit of my blood to prove it but she seems to think the Clave will be elated to know that there is another Herondale to continue the bloodline." My eyes showed a bit of sadness at the fact that even though I was a Shadowhunter I was also a Warlock and because of that, I wouldn't be able to have children. Alec seeing my expression grabbed my hand in support. I gave it a squeeze and sent him a small smile.