"Yeah, I'm not seeing it in the Gray Book." Jace sighed and shut the book as we stood in my room.
"Jace, it has to be in there." I set my sketchbook down and stood up straight, "Every rune is supposed to be in there-"
"Some of them are removed." Jace reminds me, "They're reserved for the most elite members of the Clave."
"You and I both know I'm no where near elite." I argued back, "Why would I know an elite rune?"
"Maybe- you saw it somewhere and you don't remember." Jace lightly shrugged toward me.
"I've never seen the rune before my entire life, Jace." I shot back at him, "It appeared, like a vision, in front of me- it was like someone or something was trying to send me a message- I don't know how to explain it."
When Jace doesn't reply, I rip the drawing of the rune out of my sketchbook, "Look, I'll just go ask Izzy and Alec- maybe, they'll know something we don't-"
"No-" Jace stopped in front of me and grabbed my arms, "Absolutely not."
I looked at him in argument, "Jace-"
"If you tell anyone else, they could be in danger, too." Jace tried to persuade, "The Clave is quick to persecute anyone or anything they don't understand."
"Jace, I need to know how I did what I did-" I argued back, staring right at him.
"We will forgive it out." Jace emphasized majorly, "Just you and me."
I stared at him, then huffed, "Fine."
-
"Holy crap-" The words left Clary's mouth before she could process them when her, Isabelle and I came out the other side of the portal on mission, gaping at what was the Citadel.
"This is more amazing than I imagined-" Isabelle was completely ecstatic, as we began making our way up the path and slowly onto the land, "I can't believe I'm actually going inside."
"The inner kiddo in you is probably freaking right now-" I softly laughed at my parabatai as I walked next to her, knowing that this had been her dream ever since she was younger.
Isabelle scoffed playfully, "You have no idea-"
Before I could reply, a high pitched ringing filled the air, making Clary, Isabelle and I's hands go right to our ears in pain.
Suddenly, we were surrounded by Iron Sisters, pointing their swords at us, "Speak your names."
"Isabelle Lightwood." Isabelle stood straight.
Clary inhales, "Clary Fairchild."
I exhale deeply, "Zee Young."
"Valentine's daughters." Sister Cleophas spoke up my identity, her sword aimed toward me.
"Your father killed the Silent Brothers." Sister Magdalena said, her sword aimed for Clary, "He's taken our most valuable weapon- you must leave immediately."
Isabelle stepped up, "Zee and Clary have done nothing wrong."
"Allow me." Sister Cleophas offered, speaking up, "What answers do you seek?"
"Why did Valentine go to all that trouble to steal the Soul-Sword?" Isabelle questioned.
Silence followed Isabelle's words, as all their stares looked toward me, as if I would know.
"I know, you may not trust us because Valentine's our father." I cleared my throat, looking between everyone, "But- I want to stop him more than anyone. I mean- he's the reason my mother's and hers are dead- he experimented on my brother. And if we have any chance at defeating him- we need your help, so- what do ya say?"
-
"Sister Cleophas, how long have you been in the order?" Isabelle asked Sister Cleophas, as Clary, her and I followed them.
"Fourteen beautiful years." She answered, "I never planned on following in my mother's footsteps- I was happy living in Idris with my sister Amatis, when my brother Lucian was scratched in a werewolf attack. I did what I had to do to restore our family's honor."
"Do you mean Luke?" Clary mentioned, looking at her, "Are you Luke's sister?"
"I am." Sister Cleophas confirmed.
Sister Magdalena ended the conversation by cutting in, "We must begin the purity trial."
Clary was confused, "What's that?-"
"For the answers you seek, we must go inside the Citadel." Sister Cleophas began, "But- we cannot allow any demonic impurities to pass, the adamas is too fragile."
"So, the heavenly energy in the water will help us determine if you may enter." Sister Magdalena said, "It will destroy any contaminant upon contact."
-
"Clary, you can't do this." Isabelle said to Clary when we all stood on the bridge over the water, changed in white dresses.
Clary looked back, "Why not?"
"You heard her." Isabelle said, "It's dangerous."
"The water only affects demonic energy." I reminded Isabelle, "We'll be fine-"
Isabelle swallows, "But- what if it's not fine?"
"You think I have demon blood." Clary stares at her, "Like Jace."
Then Clary scoffs, getting into the water before we could stop her, "There's only one way to find out."
"Ignis aurum probat." Sister Magdalena said, the water around Clary shining white, having no other reaction than that, "Clary Fairchild, you are deemed clear of all demonic impurities."
Clary got out of the water and climbed back up the steps, looking at me to go next.
I walked down the steps and laid in the water, staring up at the sky.
For some reason, I had a bad feeling in my gut.
"Ignis aurum probat." Sister Magdalena said once more, the water around me starting to shine.
But that water quickly turned back, along with my eyes, a gasp of pain leaving my lips when I felt like I couldn't breathe, the water around me burning my skin at the mere touch of it and I was surrounded.
Then, realization struck in my mind.
While your brother is out searching for that wolf, you'll be getting used to your new blood
What Valentine has injected in me when I first arrived onto his ship.
It was demon blood.
"Zee, no!-" Isabelle shriek filled my ears as she jumped into the water, along with Clary, the two of them grabbing my hands and pulling me to the surface of the water I was drowning in, my eyes going back to normal when they stood me up.
"Zee, are you okay?" Isabelle held me up, tears filling my eyes at the mere thought of having demon blood in my system.
Clary held me up as well, "What happened?"
I stammered out a lie, "I have no idea-"
Magdalena looks at me, exhaling, "The water does not lie but- perhaps you do."
I stutter, "I- I don't know what you're talking about."
Sister Magdalena stares right at me, calling me out, "You are tainted with demonic impurities."
"I'm sorry, Zee." Sister Cleophas sighed, "We can't let you inside the Citadel."
Clary spoke up, "No, this has to be a mistake-"
"Clary, just- stop." I gripped the bar, breathing heavily, "Just go-"
"You go ahead- we need answers." Isabelle still kept a hold on me, "I'll stay with Zee."
"No, no-" I looked at my parabatai, guilt filling within me, "This is your dream-"
"It's okay." Isabelle pulled me into her chest, nodding toward Clary as more tears filled my eyes at the thought of playing clueless.
authors note:
okay, i know this is such a short and sucky chapter, i'm sorry !!
there wasn't much i could write with this chapter because it didn't fit the ideas i had :(
so i'm sorry !!!
there was barely any zace moments , but hey , a little zee and izzy moment is sufficient
thank you for 8k !!
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