My Queen

Chapter Ten

"Are you ready?" My mom asked. We were standing before a glimmering portal, ready to go to see the Iron Sisters. I gave her a glance, hoping she'd see my uneasiness before taking a deep breath.

"Yeah," I nodded. Portals had never been easy for me to go through, but that was the least of my concerns. I turned to Jace and he gave me a reassuring smile. I forced one back and he kissed me on the cheek.

My mom took my hand in her thin one, stepping forward with me into the portal. I felt the familiar feeling for just a moment before it faded, and once again I was thrown onto the ground. I let out a sigh of annoyance, blowing hair out of my face as I moved to my feet. My gaze shifted upwards toward the clouded sky. It was dark, but it still provided a stark contrast to the ground which was a covered with black rock. A layer of moss was growing on top of the rock, giving a sort of cushion in some areas.

I looked up again, seeing that my mom had already began to walk, leading the way, "It's a volcanic plain." She told me over her shoulder. I didn't respond, just quickened my pace to match her speed.

"I'd expect it to be a little warmer than this," I said after a few moments. I crossed my arms to provide myself of some warmth. She gave a quiet laugh.

"That's what Isabelle said," I took comfort in knowing that Isabelle came here too and made it out alright. It was a childish thought, but I could feel my palms beginning to sweat because of my nervousness.

I looked down when I nearly stumbled, and as soon as I lifted my gaze I was taken aback. A large structure—the fortress—was looming up in front of us, kissing the sky with its large build. My mind went back to when Sebastian, Jace and I had retrieved a sort of material from a demon. I recognized it as the same adamas. Seeing it in this large of an amount made me want to stand back and admire it, but there was no time.

The tips of the towers were made of electrum. I looked at the tall, protective walls guarding the fortress, noticing that they too were made of adamas, the same silvery-white color of the fortress itself. In the middle of the wall was a gate, the only entrance. Two knives were buried in the ground by their hilts, their sharp blades piercing the sky. They were positioned like scissors.

We kept walking until my mom paused, extending an arm out in front of me to hold me back. She peered down, leaning forward. I took another step and only then did I see the deep, fiery chasm filled with steaming lava. I sucked in a breath as she let her arm fall to her side. I could already feel the heat making my skin sticky, "Clary, I told you to bring a knife?" I opened up my jacket, reaching in the inner pocket and asking out the small, sharp object, "Cut your hand, let a few drops of your blood drop into it. Say Ignis aurum probat. It's the sister's motto."

I did as she told me, feeling a small searing pain in my palm. I winced, taking a step towards the gorge, "Ignis aurum probat." I repeated, facing my hand palm down, squeezing it to allow my blood to flow. Once it dropped in, the knives separated and a drawbridge lowered down in front of us. I put the knife in my pocket again, stealing a gaze at my mom. She had a stoic expression.

I knew that it bothered her that Sebastian was an issue, and even more now that we were married, "Mom?" I said, and she stopped to look at me, "Do you think they'll be able to remove it? Sever the marriage?"

My mom took a breath, "I hope so." She told me. I could see the doubt in her eyes. She faced forward and moved hesitantly across the bridge.

I didn't understand why she was using measured movements until I reached the bridge myself. Blades were facing upwards, scattered around at different intervals. I looked at where my mom was stepping before carefully making my way across.

I walked with much less grace than my mom. Every few seconds she'd speak from the other side of the bridge, telling me to be careful. I could hear the worry in her voice, and I could see the concern on her face. I regretted not putting on any type of rune before coming.

After a few moments, I met her on the other side and we walked into the fortress together.

Going inside, I noticed that the walls, made of adamas, seemed to glow the floors were made of Demon stone and in the center of the room was a black circle, "That's the symbol of the Iron Sisters." My mom told me. I looked at it, realizing that it was a heart with stab wounds throughout it, and a blade.

When my gaze shifted upwards I saw a shadow appearing behind the silver wall. The wall slid away to reveal a woman. She had gray hair that was twisted into one long braid. Her skin held no wrinkles but I could tell that she was old in the way that she held herself. I knew that I would never be able to capture that one element, but nevertheless I still found myself wanting to draw her. Her orange eyes, surrounded by a mask of runes, shifted to my mother, "We weren't expecting you to be back so soon." She said. I was glad that she could speak out loud instead of in my head like the silent brothers.

"Sister Delores, my daughter-" The woman's eyes shifted to me and my mother stopped speaking.

"Bears the marks of marriage, yes." Her eyes narrowed, "The matching one's belong to her brother, Valentine's son."

I wondered if my mom felt some sort of satisfaction in the fact that Sister Delores didn't associate Sebastian with her, but instead with Valentine. I took a breath in.

"Speak," She told me, her voice seeming to send shards of ice crackling throughout my veins. I licked my lips before responding.

"I didn't know that he did it." I realized that I held no formalities in the way that I spoke but I continued, "He took me with him while I was weak, and I think that I slept for a while. I don't know what he did, but I didn't see the mark until I was safe in the Institute, and Jace pointed them out."

Sister Delores nodded, "I heard that Jonathan Herondale survived, unharmed." I couldn't sense any emotion in her voice. She looked to my mom, "The two of you, come with me. I have something that will fix this."