Deviator

Lies

2039
Clary

What the hell just happened?

With great effort I climb out of my bed, where my father has kept me on bedrest almost consistently ever since I returned to The City. He is afraid something will happen to my child. And honestly, so am I. I shouldn't even be able to get pregnant, so I think it's okay to be mildly concerned. Yet, here I am, defying the bedrest order because some woman mentioned Jace and then was dragged out of my room.

My first instinct is that I need to find Jace. I want to see him again, but then I start doubting. It can't possibly be true, can it? He is out in the wasteland, taking care of his society. He would never leave them behind, would he?

But then again, how would she know who Jace is unless she has met him? And won't that mean that it is true that he is in The City? But if Jace is in The City, then how does he know where to find me? And why did he send that woman?

My head is spinning with questions, and I'm getting dizzy and nauseous. I grab the back of the chair next to my bed to steady myself, while trying to maintain my balance. It feels like the room is spinning and I can hardly focus.

"Miss Morgenstern!" one of the servant's rushes to my side and catches me just as my legs give out from underneath me. She helps me back to the bed. "Miss, you have to stay in bed." She pulls the covers over me and tugs me in. Almost restraining my movements, so tight is she pulling the covers down around me. "If you need anything, then call me. I will find it for you."

"I was just thirsty." I lie.

"Then let me get you some water, miss." She says and leaves my room.

I still feel a little faint, but not as bad as before. Maybe I do need to stay on bedrest. Just to be safe.

"Here you go, miss." She hands me the glass of water and then I notice something odd. Maybe it's just because everything feels off today, but I could swear that she watches me intensely as I drink the water. Almost like she is making sure I drink it all. But that can't be. I must be imagining things... right?

***

"You lied to me!" A screaming voice wakes me up. At first, I think it is a part of my dream, but then it continues. "You promised me you would keep my family safe! You promised me!"

"Calm down." My father's voice answers the man. "This is old news, Robert. We told you that we unfortunately couldn't save your family. We have been through this before. Remember?"

I lean slightly over the side of my bed, just far enough for me to see my father through the crack off the slightly open door to my father's study. I can't see the man he is talking to, but I can see my father putting his hand comforting on the man's shoulder before he brushes it off with anger.

"That is exactly what I'm talking about! You are a liar! My family didn't die during the evacuations! You just didn't try to save them! And now I have to hear that my son is alive through gossip from my house servants!"

"Robert..." my father tries to calm him down, but the man continues.

"And then I find out that he is right here in The City! Being held captured nonetheless!"

"Robert, you need to take a deep breath. We all have to make sacrifices. We all knew that, back when we started this. You are not the only one who has suffered a loss. I had to sacrifice my daughter." He pauses for a second before he says the words that turns my blood to ice in my veins. "And not just once, but twice!"

Twice...  the word echoes through my mind and I gasp loudly. Before I know it, my father rushes into my room and grabs me by the wrists and I try to fight my way out of his grip.

"You weren't supposed to hear that." He says. His voice is back to the cold heartless voice I am so familiar with. How I could ever believe that this man had changed, I really don't know. I feel like a fool.

The servant from before rushes to his side with restraints, and I can barely believe it, as I watch him tie me to the bed while the servant who has claimed to look after me just stands by, watching. Doing nothing. Even the man my father was arguing with doesn't make a move to help me, but he at least looks very uncomfortable. On the verge of breaking down, even.  The more I look at him. The more I feel like I know him. That I have seen him somewhere before, and suddenly I notice the resemblance to Alec. He is Alec's and Jace's father. He must be!

I stop fighting against Valentine since it's pointless anyway and only making me feel even more dizzy and nauseous. Once he is satisfied with the restraints, he leads the man who I believe is Alec's father out of the room.

"ALEC IS STILL ALIVE!" I scream as loud as I can before my father closes the door to my room. I hear him swearing loudly followed by muffled sounds and a loud thump, indicating something – or someone- falling to the ground. I can only hope that it is Valentine who fell to the floor. I'm hoping and praying that any second now, the man will come in and untie me from the bed, but minutes pass by and nothing happens.

Then suddenly I hear footsteps. My heart starts racing. I'm being saved!

"I'm in here!" I scream "please, help me!"

But the man appearing in the doorway isn't a savior. It's one of the fertility doctors.

"No..." I mumble and start to fight against the restraints just as my father appear in the doorway behind the doctor.

"Hello, Miss Morgenstern. I am here to remove the fetus and place it in an incubator. Don't worry, the child will be perfectly safe."