I stood behind the wall that begun the hallway into the living space, as Alec walked over to Maryse, "Have you spoken with Lydia? No one's seen her since the wedding."
When Maryse doesn't say a word, Alec sighs, "Mom, come on."
Robert joins in, "Maryse."
"Mom, I understand you're upset, but this is-" Alec began to speak, but Maryse had cut him off.
"Calling off the wedding would've been one thing but kissing her in front of the entire Institute?" Maryse's tone was laced with disapproval, "You've embarrassed all of us."
"Why?" Alec questioned, "What's the problem?"
"That you chose Zee Young." Maryse was giving him crap for it, making me feel even more guilty for Alec, "She is the daughter of our biggest threat, do you know how that makes us look? One of the most respected, choosing one who could be a traitor?"
"I know what type of woman Zee is." Alec defended me, "Just because Valentine is her father, does not mean she's anything like him, or is aiding him. I plan on growing a relationship with her, and if you have a problem with that, then I suggest you deal with it."
My heart warmed at his words, then he steps back, "Now, I have to go find Lydia."
"She's probably packing for Idris in your father's office." Maryse stares at him, "What she did-"
"Saved my life." Alec cuts her off, "So I should go thank her."
Alec leaves Robert and Maryse, walking over to me, now out of their sight.
"On a scale of one to ten how unpleasant do you think that was?" I instantly question, my eyes scanning his face for any signs of hurt or regret.
"Off the charts." Alec exhales, "I've never seen them so angry."
"I'm so sorry-" I push myself up to my tippy toes and engulf him into a hug, sighing deeply, "Just give them some time."
Alec held onto me for a few seconds, then pulled away, "After what I did- I don't think they'll ever forgive me."
"Don't say that-" I sympathetically say, crossing my arms, "They're your parents- it'll take time, but they will forgive you."
Alec sighed, starting to walk down the hall with me, "I can only hope."
"Alec-" I swallow, "You don't uhm-"
"Don't what?" Alec looks at me, stopping.
I begged the question that was burning in my mind, "You don't regret it, do you?"
Alec shook his head, "No- I don't, not at all."
I don't push it further, nodding in acceptance of his answer.
"I feel really guilty-" I inhale deeply, walking down the hall with him towards Robert's office, "I mean- I ruined her wedding. I mean- of course- good did come out of that- cause I mean, us- but I just wanna make sure Lydia's okay."
"Yeah- me too-" Alec's nod in agreement, "I owe her so much."
"We owe her." I correct him, "Whatever's between us- I feel like it's finally here, you know? When you got engaged to Lydia, it was like I lost my chance. But- it's here. And it's because of her."
Alec nods, gently smiling at me, "Why don't we start with that date?"
"Yeah, let's do that-" I exhale, giving him a hopeful smile, opening the door of Robert's office, my eyes instantly landing on Lydia, who was on the ground, the table crushed beneath her.
"Lydia!" Alec calls out, running over to her, as we both crouched over her, to see if she was okay.
"Hey-" I turned Lydia onto her back gently, "Lydia- what happened?"
Alec was activating her Iratze rune, as she weakly responded to me, "Hodge."
My eyes grow slightly wide, Alec's movements freezing.
Alec and I exchanged looks.
This wasn't good.
-
Clary questions the minute Alec and I walk over to her, Jace and Isabelle, "How's Lydia?"
"Better." I stood behind Jace and Alec, sighing, pushing all my hair back, "Magnus is doing what he can to help her, but it's bad."
Alec nods, adding in, "And the Cup is definitely missing."
Jace inhales deeply, "So is Hodge."
"Maybe he was attacked, too." Isabelle suggests, seated in front of the monitor already, as she pulled up the footage.
Clary shrugs, "Maybe he's the one who attacked her."
"Hodge?" Isabelle responds to the accusation, "No way, we've known him our entire lives. He would never do that to us."
As Isabelle pulled up the footage, she sped it up and narrowed on the specific moment Lydia was attacked.
And there it was. Hodge knocked Lydia to the ground the minute she got her hands on the Cup, and grabbing it.
Isabelle pauses the footage, staring at Hodge who stood tall and held the Mortal Cup in his hands.
Jace stares at the footage in betrayal, "I led him right to the Cup."
"We treated him like family." Alec scoffs, betrayal threaded in his tone, "How could he do this to us?"
Isabelle forwarded the footage and switched cameras, showing us the footage of Hodge standing over Jocelyn, speaking to someone on the other side, his Circle rune disappearing.
"That's how." Clary points out, "What is that ring?"
I looked closer, "Looks like he's talking to someone."
Jace's voice only held anger, "And I can bet who it is."
"Valentine." Clary spoke out what we all knew.
"Well, that explains how he deactivated the Punishment rune, but it doesn't explain where he got the ring." Alec crosses his arms, his eyes glued to the screen.
I looked at him, "You think someone smuggled it past the wards?"
"Maybe." Jace considered the possibility, "Hodge wasn't the only ex-Circle member around here."
Isabelle looks at him briefly, "Look, I know I don't always see eye to eye with my parents, but I know they're not traitors."
"Really? Isn't that what you just said about Hodge?" Jace sneered, "It'd have to be someone we trusted, but if there was an intruder inside the Institute, we would have found them by now."
I brought up a possibility running through my mind, "What about the Forsaken attack?"
"No-" Alec looked at me, "We killed that thing, and I didn't see a ring."
"He didn't have one during the autopsy, but maybe there's something in the footage-" Isabelle faced the monitor again and went back to footage of that day.
She fast-forwarded the video, showing the attack, then me kneeling next to Alec, eyeing his wound.
Alec watched, "Go to the other camera."
The keyboard clicks as Isabelle did what he said, Hodge crouching over the dead Forsaken.
"There." Jace points, as Isabelle stopped the footage, rewinded, as we watched Hodge pull off the ring from the Forsaken and shove it into his pocket.
I scoff in dismay, "So, it wasn't a random attack."
"He was just the delivery boy." Jace crosses his arms.
"If he gives that Cup to Valentine, he'll create an army of Shadowhunters." Alec inhales sharply, "With that kind of power behind him, he'll kill thousands."
"He'll kill thousands just creating the army." Isabelle sighed, "Most mundanes won't survive that."
Clary shook her head, "We won't let that happen."
"I'm gonna make sure of it." Jace walked away from us.
-
"Jace, what are you doing?" Clary questioned immediately when we noticed him, Alec and I gearing up in the training room, walking over to us.
Jace, Alec and I had changed out of the formal clothes and into our usual attire.
I slipped on my leather jacket over the tucked burgundy t shirt I wore, pulling my hair out from between the shirt and leather jacket.
"Every second we waste here, Hodge gets closer to Valentine." Jace responded, handing me by kindjals and Alec his bow.
"Hey, we're a team, all right?" Clary stammered for a second, "I know you're mad right now, but Hodge could be dangerous."
"Three of us, one of him." Jace wouldn't even look at her, "Check the math, but I'm pretty sure he's outnumbered."
I place my kindjals in their scabbards, already having my seraph blade.
"What is with you?" Clary huffs, "Would you just talk to me for a second?"
"Lydia, Hodge-" Jace looked at her, "All this is happening because I didn't stop Valentine."
"Jace, you cannot let emotions cloud your judgment. Your words, remember?" She spoke, "When I first wanted to find my mom, I didn't care about anyone else. But you were the one that taught me that it's about a world that's bigger than us."
"That's why you need to wake her up." Jace geared up, "She was his prisoner and his wife. If anyone can stop him, she can."
Clary sighs, "Jace, listen to me-"
"You can do this." Jace cut her off.
I glance between them, rubbing my lips together as I had put on a coat of chapstick on my lips, then spreading it according my bottom lip with the tip of my middle finger.
"Maybe I can." Clary stared at him, "But it's not about me, it's you I'm worried about. You cannot let Valentine's evil poison you!"
Jace stops, "He's my father."
"Actually he's our father." Clary glances at me, correcting him.
Jace shook his head, walking away from us, "You don't get it."
Hurt crosses over Clary's face, causing sympathy to cross over mine.
"I'll keep an eye on him, okay?" I assure her, before following Alec behind Jace.
"Jace-" Alec calls out, "How are we gonna find Hodge?"
"He didn't leave anything we can track." I walked with him, "I might be able to ask Magnus for help?"
"You need to stop thinking with your stele." Jace pulled out his phone, dialing someone's number, "There's more than one way to track."
-
Hodge was hidden behind a wall. He was hiding himself from the wolves that were searching for him.
The wolves Jace had Luke send to track him down.
I was on the other side of the wall, holding my kindjal tight in my hand.
Right as he pressed his back against the wall, I turned, standing directly in front of him, my kindjal stabbing through his jacket and into the wall behind him, trapping him.
Hodge lets out a gasp in fear and surprise, breathing heavily, his eyes wide as he stared at me.
I gave him a look, "Where is it?"
"Zee-" Hodge exhales, "I'm afraid you're too late. Valentine already has the Cup."
Anger chose my next action as I pulled my kindjal out and impaled it into his shoulder, a small scream of pain leaving his lips.
"How could you?" I felt angry and betrayed, "You're supposed to be on our side!"
Hodge pants, slight fear in his eyes, "You truly are that monsters daughter."
"Is that what you called him when you willingly gave him the Cup?" The words slip through my teeth, as I pulled out my kindjal, using my stele to heal him.
"It was the only way to earn my freedom." Hodge told me, "I'd been caged long enough."
"Caged?" I was moved to the side, Jace grabbing Hodge and throwing him to the ground, "You were our teacher- we treated you like family, we loved you!"
"Family?" Hodge forced himself up, "Family?"
"The Lightwoods cut a deal, Jace, to have me punished for crimes that they themselves committed." Hodge raises his voice as I stepped back, the two of them moving in a circle, "Don't you see? I was their prisoner!"
"And besides let's be real for a moment." Hodge stopped, pulling out his weapons, "You can't win. I taught you everything you know."
"Not everything, Hodge." Jace pulled out his seraph blade as they fought, grunts and yells falling out of their lips as they hurt each other.
But then Jace had the upper hand. When he got Hodge unarmed and on the ground, he did what I least expected.
Jace yelled and cut off his hand. Hodge screamed, a gasp leaving my lips in dismay, shoving my kindjal in it's scabbard and starting to run towards them.
As Jace swung his sword back, ready to kill Hodge, I shoved him to the ground, trying to hold him down, "Stop!"
"Get off me, Zee!" Jace shouts, trying to push me off with all his strength as I struggled to keep him down, "He deserves to pay!"
"Jace!" I shrieked, trying my best to keep him held down by he was pushing me off so easily, but I refused to let go of his jacket, "Stop it, you've done enough!"
Jace stood back up, despite me trying to pull him, my grip on his collar tightening as I tried to pull him back.
On time, Alec ran over, grabbing Jace and pushed him to the ground, bringing me with him.
Luke walked over to Hodge, crouching by him, his eyes scanning the situation.
I was on my knees, holding Jace down with Alec, as he shouted at Jace while he was straining against us, "It's over!"
"It's not over." Jace shouted back, "He's a traitor- be deserves to pay!"
"You nearly killed him!" Alec exhales loudly.
"Maybe I should've killed him!" Jace shot back, "He sided with Valentine, Alec. The Clave let him go once before and look where that got us."
"What are you gonna do?" Alec questioned, "You're gonna kill every ex-Circle member, even our parents?"
Jace breathes heavily, "Robert and Maryse aren't my parents."
"You said it yourself." Alec reminded him, "They raised you- they are your parents!"
"Just calm down." I stop them both, standing up.
Alec got off Jace, Jace sitting up, his eyes falling onto the hand that was detached from Hodge's wrist.
Alec and I walked over to Hodge and Luke.
Alec crouched, waving his stele over Hodge's healing rune as Hodge screamed in pain.
I looked down, blinking hard.
Luke exhales, "There's a dungeon in Idris with your name written all over it."
-
My eyes scan over Hodge, who sat on the ground, leaned against the pillar, his handless arm wrapped, in complete and utter pain.
Jace stood by him, looking around, messing with his glove.
I looked towards Alec, gesturing my head to signal that I need to talk to him.
He took the hint and followed me a few feet away from Jace, his eyes looking at my features, trying to figure out how I was feeling about this.
"Alec-" My voice was gentle as I looked right past him and at what we had just stepped away from, "I'm worried about Jace."
"So am I." Alec sighs, looking down, "There's something wrong with him. I can feel it."
My head turns towards Luke, who was on the phone, "Alaric, we've got Hodge, call off the rest of the pack. We're gonna need a pickup."
I walked over to Luke, Alec following behind me, as Luke continued, "We're at the subway station near Bergen. Yeah- I'll see you in five."
I reach up, standing on my tippy toes, using my hand to brush the hair out of Alec's eyes, and more to the side so it didn't bother him.
Alec carefully watched me, his eyes lingering, and I could see the small hint of a smile on his lips.
Luke looks at us after getting off the phone, "How's Hodge doing?"
"He'll live." I drop my hand and down to my normal height, "He deserved it, anyway."
"It's Jace we're worried about." Alec mentions, "Valentine really messed with his head."
Luke's eyebrows furrow, "What, at Renwick's?"
"Yeah." Alec places his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket, one that I loved on him, "He went through a lot recently. I thought we had settled it, but something's killing him inside. I don't know what it is."
"This is all too familiar." Luke inhales sharply, "I saw a similar thing with Valentine 18 years ago."
"Luke-" I stepped closer, getting defensive, "Jace isn't Valentine- he's not like that."
"Not yet." Luke looked at me, "We gotta keep an eye on him."
I sigh, "Okay."
Luke looks behind Alec, "Where'd they go?"
"What?" My eyebrows furrow as I looked back.
"What do you mean?" Alec turned, and when there was no Jace or Hodge, we were running, in hope to seek the two.
-
I pace back and forth as Alec called Jace, his phone on speaker so I could hear the conversation.
The bell continued, as I was anxious and worried.
The minute Jace answered, I jerk to a stop and move next to Alec, as Alec was speaking, "Where the hell are you?"
"I'm going after Valentine." Jace's voice was low and dangerous, "Go help Clary."
Alec huffs in frustration and worry, "You're acting crazy, all right? Whatever Valentine's telling you, it's not true."
"That's just it, Alec." Jace didn't believe a word, "It is true. He's my father- he taught me how to fight. Not to be weak."
I interject, "And how is going after Valentine make you any stronger? We're a team, Jace. We're doing this together."
Alec was in agreement, "You can't let him control you like this. This isn't you!"
"It is me." Jace shot back, "It's always been me. He raised me to be a killer. Now I'm gonna make him regret it."
"He raised me the same way!" I panic, "I know what you feel- but you can't just-"
"Go help Clary." Jace cuts me off, "She needs you."
"No-" Alec denied, "You don't have to do this. All right? You're not a-"
The call had ended, Alec stuttering, "Jace?"
-
I walk into Magnus' apartment with Alec and Isabelle, our eyes instantly landing on Camille, her lips locked with Magnus'.
Magnus pushes her away right when she connected their lips and looked at us, "Well, this is awkward."
I was barley phased as I walked right towards Camille, "Where's the book?"
"It's complicated." Magnus exhales, chuckling nervously.
Camille smiles deviously, "I have it."
"And she's graciously offered it in exchange for her freedom." Magnus sarcastically said, looking at us.
Alec shook his head, "We don't negotiate with prisoners."
"Prisoner?" Camille repeats, smiling wider as if she had the upper hand, her eyes looking between everyone then falling onto me, "I beg to disagree. You see, I'm your only chance at saving the world- you need me."
"If I recall correctly-" I stepped closer, now directly in front of her, "Valentine wanted the Mortal Cup to create an army of Shadowhunters and murder the Downworlders."
Camille's smile dropped as she stared at me, and I swear I could see the littlest bit of fear flash in her eyes.
"Don't ever say that to me again." I smirked gently at how fast her expression dropped, "If anything, you need us to save you."
I stepped back, noticing Alec's eyes fixed on me, while he watched me in awe.
I looked at Magnus, "Where's Clary?"
Magnus points at a room, as I walked towards it, Alec right by my side, Clary and Simon seated on the bed.
Clary instantly got up when we entered, "Zee- Alec, did you find Hodge?"
"Yeah, but Valentine has the Cup." I cross my arms, exhaling deeply.
"What?" Clary's eyes widen, "We're too late."
"Where's Jace?" Clary questioned, "Is he okay?"
"He went after Valentine by himself." Alec told her, "It's like he's totally lost it. We tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen."
"We need to find Jace- he's in a dark place." Clary was starting to make her way out of the room, Simon getting up to stop her, "We don't know what he's gonna do."
"Okay- slow down." I stopped her by grabbing her arm, "Luke is out looking for him."
"Jace wants us to stay on mission." Alec adds in, "That means we have to find the book."
"He's right." Simon sides with us, "We have to wake up your mom."
Clary sighs, "It's our only way to stop Valentine."
Camille walks in gleefully and over to Simon, "Ready to sign?"
I let go of Clary and start to make my way over to her, only for Alec to grab me and hold me back.
Simon took notice of my reaction, then looks at Camille, "Take us to the apartment, give us the book, then you can have your pardon."
Camille's expression didn't falter, "I wouldn't have it any other way."
-
Simon's whispers when we entered Camille's apartment, "I thought the underground parking was nice."
"Wow-" Alec looks around, "You've got a lot of books."
Camille replied, "I've got a lot of time on my hands."
"Welcome home, Madame Belcourt." A man walked over, greeting Camille.
I eyed my surroundings, "I'm getting weird vibes."
"This place creeps me out." Isabelle nods in agreement.
"Yeah-" Alec agreed, "Let's check the perimeter."
"Good idea." Magnus nods, "If I know Camille, she'll have a trick or three up her sleeve."
I went ahead, Alec following right behind me, which showed me that Magnus went with Isabelle.
We were enjoying each other's presence at the most.
It remained silent between us, mainly because neither of us knew what to say at the moment.
There was just way too much going on.
I knew we were both upset about Jace.
And this search for the Book of the White was even more stressfully than I thought.
All I could do was hope that this would be over-with soon, so we could focus on getting Jace back.
Soon, Alec and I knew Valentine had caught up to us.
Because two Circle members had gotten the upper hand on us and had pulled us back into the room we left, seraph blades to our necks.
This is where we found Simon, Magnus and Isabelle with blades to their necks also, Clary stood back with the Book of the White.
"Oh, Zee-" Valentine sickly smiled, facing me, "Perhaps you could be a better help than your sister. Where's your brother?"
"I wish I knew." I simply said, my eyes glued to his, "I can't tell you what I don't know."
Valentine stares at me for a second, then waves over at the member holding me, "Bring her to me."
The man holding me obeys, dragging me over to Valentine despite my attempts to break free.
The minute I was let go, my leg flew up, as I kicked Valentine back, ducking when the Circle member behind me swung his blade at me.
I used this as my opportunity to use my kindjals, my body spinning towards the member, my blade piercing through him, killing him.
I was quick to turn back around, standing in a steady position, glaring up at my father.
"Always so tough." Valentine chuckled, who was now stood straight and watching me in admiration, "I've always admired that about you. I raised you well."
I don't respond, as he swung his dagger towards me, my kindjals blocking it as quick as I could.
I grunt, holding ground until we were bent and pushing our blades against each other.
I abruptly pulled my blades back and kicked his dagger out of his hand, kicking him back with full force, as he hit the wall, my blade to his neck.
But this seemed too easy.
My suspicion grew.
It couldn't have been that easy.
I was proven right when I saw Valentine smirking, as if he had gotten me right where he wanted me.
He did.
Valentine pulled out a syringe from his pocket, one filled with a dark substance. Then, the needle broke into the skin of my neck, Valentine pushing down, injecting a small portion of it to weaken me.
A gasp leaves my lips, my eyes widening.
"Stop!" I heard Clary scream, "What're you doing?"
My kindjals slipped from my hands, as I fell back and onto the ground, and whatever he injected in me took a moment for me to realize what it was.
It was demon blood.
Valentine walked over to me, grabbing me by my hair, pulling me to the center of the room.
I felt weak, as I was on my knees, powerless.
"I thought I raised you not to be foolish." Valentine was pleased, as the needle came in contact with the side of my neck against, as he injected more into me.
The pain was excruciating. The blood oozing into me felt like it didn't belong, and it didn't.
But it remained.
My eyes were wide as I stiffened.
I screw my eyes shut and let out a small scream in pain, starting to tremble.
"Stop it!" I heard Alec shout in anger, and I could hear him grunt as he tried to fight off the man holding him, but was stopped when the blade was closer to his neck, "Stop hurting her-"
Right as the entire syringe was empty, Jace ran in, "Stop!"
Valentine's eyes fell onto Jace, still holding me by my hair, pulling the needle out my neck.
Jace stood his ground, holding his blade towards Valentine, "This time you're not getting away."
"Finally ready to kill your own father?" Valentine questioned, his attention fixed on Jace.
I felt weak, and the pain was increasing, but I kept my eyes on them, as they were barely open.
I was being held up by Valentine holding my hair.
"You abandoned me." Jace shot at him.
"I was protecting you." Valentine corrected him, "You weren't ready then, but you've grown. You've become the warrior I've trained you to be- while your sister is still foolish, reckless even."
Jace stared at him, "You trained me well."
"And yet, I still have so much to teach you." Valentine inhales sharply, "I brought you here for a reason."
Valentine tosses the syringe to the side, picking up his dagger that was on the ground a few inches away from me, "Look, fight me, and watch your friends die."
Valentine looks at Jace, "See, you are strong, but they make you weak."
"Let us go." Clary spoke up, "You can have the book. We won't be able to stop you without it."
"Ah, Clarissa." Valentine clicks his tongue, "So like your mother- willing to do anything for those that you love. I'm touched, but the book was never part of my plan. I want you to wake up your mother. I know that you'll both join me eventually."
Valentine crouches, putting an arm around me to hold me up, letting go of my hair and putting a strand of it behind my ear, "So will your sister and her mother. It's fated."
I fell back into him, not having energy left, my eyes barely open, the pain I was feeling being too much for me.
Valentine scooped me up into his arms, as I hopelessly hung, "You ready?"
Jace slowly let his guard down, "If I go with you promise me you won't hurt them."
"You have my word." Valentine has promised him, his eyes falling onto me, scanning my features.
"This is insane." Clary blurts out, her eyes widening.
Jace shook his head, stepping closer to Valentine, "I'm sorry, Clary."
"Jace what are you doing? You can't be serious!" Clary's voice broke as she tears up, Valentine is wrong. You're not like him."
"You don't know that, Clary-" Jace shook his head, "You don't know that."
Clary went silent, her eyes holding a tint of red as she watched in dismay.
Jace stayed faced to Valentine, his eyes falling onto me, "Put her down."
Valentine obeyed, setting me down on the ground where I could lay up against the wall, walking over to Jace, looking at the members that held everyone, "Let them go."
Alec's first instinct was to run to me, crouching in front of me, "Hey- you're going to be okay-"
"Jace-" I force out in a weak tone, trying to get up, "We have to stop him-"
Alec wrapped my arm around him, helping me up, staying slightly bent because if he stood to his full height, my feet wouldn't touch the ground.
Simon had grabbed onto Clary, as Valentine opened up a portal, the Circle members siding with their leader.
"Get back, get back!" Jace raises his voice, demanding when we were all trying to get to him, "I mean it!"
"Jace-" I held onto Alec's arm to keep myself up, "No-"
Valentine grabbed Jace's arm, and walked into the portal, the two of them disappearing behind the Circle members.
"Jace!" Clary cried out and ran towards the portal, my eyes widening as I quickly reached and caught her wrist just in time, holding onto it as tight as I could, with the littlest bit of strength I had left.
"What are you doing?" Clary cries out, pulling her arm from me when the portal closed.
"She saved your life!" Alec told her, "If you enter a Portal not knowing where you're going, you'll be stuck in limbo forever."
His voice fades, as my eyes roll to the back of my head, everything going black.
-
My eyes slowly opened, a light flashing in my eyes instantly. I squint, my hand going to my eyes, adjusting my vision.
I looked around, noticing I was in the infirmary, in the same bed that Alec was on when he got treated for the Forsaken wound.
I slowly sat up, groaning lightly, my eyes falling onto Alec who was seated next to the bed, in a chair.
The moment he heard a sound from me, his head snapped up, his eyes slightly widening.
"Alec-" My voice came out quiet, my arms reaching for him, wanting to hug him almost right away.
Alec didn't hesitate, as he got up and sat on the bed, pulling me into his arms.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding onto him, as I could feel his racing heartbeat against my chest.
Alec exhales through his nose, "Thank god you're okay-"
We haven't even been on our first date yet and we're acting more of a couple than ever.
I pulled away gently, my hands on his shoulders, noticing my mother walking in with a cup of tea.
Relief crosses her face when she sees me awake, "How are you feeling?"
"I feel- okay." I trade looks with them, "Am I supposed to feel okay?"
"Zee-" My mother sat down in another chair, "Valentine- injected you with demon blood."
"I already knew that-" My hands dropped from Alec's shoulders, looking at my mother.
"At first the demon blood wasn't mixing with your blood-" She began, "It's like something was rejecting it- you almost died."
Alec's eyes instantly closed as if he couldn't bear hearing that.
"Magnus did what he can to keep you stable and then suddenly- everything just settled." She went on, "You- have demon blood in you now."
I went silent, not knowing what to say.
It didn't make much sense to me, but that wasn't what mattered to me right now.
I had demon blood coursing through my veins.
I was just like Valentine now.
I clear my throat, changing the subject, "Have they woken Jocelyn yet?"
"Not yet-" She shook her head, "They're just about to. They moved her into the Ops Center."
"Okay-" I slowly slipped out of bed, not even bothering to put on my shoes or jacket, almost slipping due to my socks.
"Hey-" Alec got up, "You need to rest."
"I wanna be there when it happens." I ran a hand through my hair, "I'm okay, Alec."
Alec shot me a unsure look, as I caught my mother smiling at us.
"You can be my support-" I offer, grabbing his hand and wrapping his arm around my shoulders, then wrapping my arms around him, "This way I won't just collapse. Even if- I'm completely fine."
Alec gave in, as we went into the Ops Center, my mother following us.
We surrounded Jocelyn, as Magnus held the Book of the White, reciting the spell and breaking it.
Luke was quick to catch Jocelyn, her eyes opening, "Luke-"
"I got you-" Luke slowly put her down, as she turned, her eyes landing on Clary.
"Mom-" Clary's voice broke, "Mom! I've missed you so much-"
Jocelyn threw her arms around her daughter, "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you about your past."
"No, not now." Clary held onto her, "I have had enough for one day- we can talk about all that later."
Clary sighs, "Right now, I just- I just really need my mom."
Mission accomplished.
authors note:
valentine injecting zee with demon blood with be explained soon js
lowkey sucky chapter but enjoy anyway?