Distractions

Fifty-Three: The Accused

Everest stood waiting to be called in for what felt like ages, dressed in dirty clothes and her hands handcuffed in front of her. They weren't normal handcuffs either. They were rune-activated. She had tried to pick them with the bobby pins from her hair like Luke had taught her, but there was no keyhole.

"Bring in the accused," a Silent Brother called.

Everest stepped through the doorway at last. She was guided onto a stage where a Shadowhunter ran a stele over the handcuffs, unlocking them. The Silent Brother stepped forward then and placed the Soul Sword on a stand.

"Place your hands on the Sword," the Silent Brother commanded.

She did so, not in the mood to argue with people. It lit up, sending a bolt of energy through her arms. Everest shivered.

"Why did you come to Alicante?" Consul Penhallow asked.

Everest felt a tugging in her chest and knew then that the sword would draw the truth from her regardless of how hard she fought against it. So instead of fighting, she allowed it to draw the truth from her. "To steal the Malachi Configuration."

"Why were you digging up your father's body?"

She scoffed. "I wasn't."

"Then who was?"

"It was Jace," she bit out.

"Jace Herondale? Then why did we find you in the cemetery?"

"Because my sister and I helped him escape."

The Consul's face darkened. "Why was Jace digging up Valentine?"

"I don't know."

"Did Jace kill Imogen?"

Everest's eyes went wide. She didn't know that the Inquisitor had been killed. No one ever told her anything. "Probably."

The Consul tilted her head. "Why would Jace kill the only true family he has?"

She bristed. The Lightwoods were just as much Jace's family as the Inquisitor, maybe even more so. "He's not in control of what he's doing," she spat.

"Why?" When Everest said nothing, instead wrestling with the truth, the Consul repeated, "Why?"

Finally she could fight it no longer. "Because he's been possessed by the Queen of Edom."

"How did that happen? How did Jace become possessed by Lilith?" The Consul was furious.

"He was vulnerable."

"Why?"

"Because he died at Lake Lyn."

"You mean he almost died?" The Consul sounded puzzled now.

"No." She shook her head, her now faded hair falling into her face. "He was dead."

"If Jace was dead, how is he alive now?"

She fought for a moment, not wanting to give them anything to use against Clary, but the truth was pulled from her tongue anyway. "Valentine killed Jace at Lake Lyn, then he summoned Raziel. Clary killed Valentine and used the Angel's wish to bring Jace back to life."

No one had anything to say to that, and instead she was handcuffed again and brought back to her cell.

"Do you have anything you'd like to say before receiving your sentence?" the Consul asked, having followed her and the guards.

"What would you have done if it was your daughter?"

Consul Penhallow began to seethe. "I know your mother raised you as a mundane with the idealistic belief that love comes above all. If I'd been at Lake Lyn, we'd still have Raziel's wish. Because being a Shadowhunter is about sacrifice. That's the one thing you've never understood. But maybe now you will. Everest Fairchild you are hereby sentenced to death for aiding in covering up your sister's use of Raziel's wish."