Lost || Jace Herondale

SIX

Jace interjected, complete disbelief written on his face. "It is below the angels to murder a mundane. Besides, they haven't been present on earth for years. It doesn't fit into the timeframe."

Magnus shook his head, "The angels didn't directly kill her. It was rogue shadowhunters ordered by the angels who committed the crime."

"How do you know this?" My voice broke, all this talk of my mother's death bringing up memories I tried so hard to push down. Jace placed a hand on my thigh, squeezing it gently. 

"Your mother knew she was going to die eventually. That the angels would catch up to her. Her theory was confirmed when the rogue shadowhunter's dead bodies were discovered a week later - killed by angels to preserve their secret. Their runes had been stripped and their eyes were a haunting gold. Only an angel would have the power to do that." The warlock patiently explained - expecting the interrogation. 

"I don't understand." Alec stood, pacing the room. "The angels would never go through such trouble to kill a mundane. Unless . . . she wasn't a human."

Izzy turned to Magnus suspiciously, "what aren't you telling us?" 

"I-" Magnus started, he scrunched his eyes closed as though having a silent battle with himself. 

Alec knelt in front of the warlock. He grasped Magnus' hands in his, "Magnus, what is said in this room will stay between the five of us. We can't help Freya until we know the full story. Please Magnus. Don't shut us out. Don't shut me out."

His words tore through Magnus and he caved. "You've all heard of the war between heaven and hell? Angels who refused to choose a side were cast out of heaven - the fallen. Most of these fallen became demons as punishment. Amy rebelled and believed that all angels should have free will to decided to fight or not. She wanted the demons to be granted forgiveness and be changed back to their angel form."

My mouth gaped open, my mind trying to disregard the facts. "My mother . . . was an angel?" 

"Yes little bird. She was. As a consequence for her rebellion, she was cast out as a fallen. But instead of becoming a demon, she was protected. Protected by another angel - Ithuriel. Amy was pregnant with you already and only Ithuriel and his brother, Raziel, knew. So when you were born, Ithuriel crafted your necklace."

"So." I paused, my mouth dry. "Ithuriel is -"

"Your father." Magnus confirmed, "Yes. The necklace conceals you from the shadow world. Downworlders, demons and shadowhunters can't sense you while you wear it. Ithuriel made certain I was immune to the pendant, which is how I've managed to follow you." 

I thought about all the occasions when I needed my father. My mum only ever spoke good words about him, but she was killed by her own family and my father did nothing to stop it. If he knew she was going to get killed, why wouldn't he protect her too? If the angels watched over us then Ithuriel knows every struggle I went through after my mum's death. And he did nothing but hide me from the society which I belonged in. 

Jace piped up, all of a sudden connecting the dots. "Valentine injected me with Ithuriel's blood before I was born. The pendant doesn't work on me either. That's how I was able to find you, Freya, so easily."

Magnus nodded, confirming his theories. 

I muttered under my breath before I could stop myself. "The vampires." 

Jace straightened, "what? Freya, what vampires?"

"Um, On my way home from the institute, I had a run in with a vampire. He said I smelt of angel. I thought it was because I was wearing your clothes but -" I couldn't bare to look at Magnus and Jace's worried gazes. "I wasn't wearing the necklace."