City Of Bones

Chapter 24

It was almost strange to her how she could recognize Jace in a crowd of people. How she could recognize his voice in a melee of sounds. Watching him stare out the window, his back to her, her heart skipped a beat. The golden curls of his hair and the structure of his back felt familiar to her but so dangerous.She has held back all feelings for him, pushing them away out of fear of being hurt. She was scared he couldn't be trusted but now, she knew he could. The solid brick wall she placed between them for safety came storming down as she finally allowed herself to feel something for him. The weight on her shoulders from worry of him being dead or tortured seemed to evaporate.Jace, sensing someone's presence, turned away from the window. There was no light where Clary was standing so he squinted his eyes to try and distinguish her figure."Jace!" She called and sprinted into the room. He caught her in his arms as she flung herself at him, pressing her face in his warm chest. She felt comfort."Clary" he whispered her name softly, holding her tightly. She pulled away from him, the situation sinking in "How did you get here? What are you doing here?""I came to save you; you have to come with me. We have to get out before Valentine comes back." Clary grabbed his hand and tried to pull him. He resisted."All of this was created by you?" Jace asked in surprise, indicating the battle outside the building. Clary leaned towards the closed window.There were forsaken crowding the lot, dead and alive. It was a gruesome disgusting sight of limbs thrown everywhere. Clary looked closer and her breath caught as she recognized the body of wolves lying by the chained fence, torn and bleeding. She looked away quickly, afraid that she would recognize one of them as Gretel or Alaric.'Do you see Isabelle or Alec down there?" Clary asked Jace, looking away. His eyebrows rose in surprise."They are here? Fighting out there?" Jace demanded, peering out the window again. "I don't see any of them.""It's Luke's clan, we came here to rescue you and my mom," Clary explained to him. He shook his head."No, you have it wrong. You need to call this off and get Isabelle and Alec to safety," he told her sternly."What are you talking about? We just have to get out, help Luke and get out." Clary tried to reason with him, she tried to pull him again with no result. "Jace, come on." She begged, suddenly feeling worried. Why wasn't he leaving?"I'm not leaving here Clarissa," Jace stated, his tone of voice final. He gripped her wrist and pulled her closer to him so that they were inches apart. "This is all a misunderstanding.""Misunderstanding? I'm sorry; did Valentine wipe your memory of the last twenty four hours? Don't you remember that whole scene with Hodge and the Cup? Do you not remember everything I told you about Valentine?" Clary was astonished at his attitude, a feeling of nausea appeared in the pit of her stomach. Jace nodded his head."Yeah, I remember everything Clary but you don't understand. Valentine isn't the bad guy; it's been Hodge all a long." At this, she blanched."They are both the bad guys Jace, don't be stupid. Now please," she begged, her voice becoming desperate. Something about what he was telling her felt wrong to her, something about the way he was acting was sending her into hysterical panic. She pulled his sleeve. "Please let's just go.""I can't, and you don't have to either." Jace told her, stepping in front of her. He placed his hand behind her head, smiling sweetly at her. She felt herself melt at his touch. She let herself get closer and closer to him, anticipating the moment their lips would touch so she could relive the moment in the garden but this time, without ruining it.That's when the door opened. They sprang apart but remained side by side. Clary spun to face the door to see a man standing in the doorway. He was dressed in plain jeans and jacket that set off a light to his pale blond hair. A sheath wound around his waist with a long deadly sword. His black eyes raked the scene and Clary nearly stumbled back at the realization of who stood in front of her, in arms distance.Valentine."I didn't know we had a guest," Valentine spoke softly, watching Clary as she stared at him."This is my friend," Jace told Valentine, gesturing to her. Her eyes glinted in anger at the sight of her father. She began calculating the moment she could thrust her weapon out of her belt and at his chest. Since she first found out about what Valentine had done to her family, she's been waiting for this moment to be able make him experience the misery he threw her mother into. Now, standing in the position finally, she felt herself freeze."One of the Lightwood kids I presume?" Valentine asked with a smile that said he knew more than they thought."No, her mother is Jocelyn Fairchild." Jace revealed and Clary's head whipped around to look at him. Valentine already knew who she was, she could tell, but for some reason, Jace telling him this detail irritated her. Valentine nodded."So you must be…Clary….Short forClarissa," he said to her, dragging her name as if he was tasting it. His face twisted in distaste. "Not a name I would've chosen.""I don't care what you would've chosen you sick bastard," Clary growled, her hand moving to her sheath."Clary!" Jace yelled in dismay and her hand froze. Why was he defending him?"Watch your language in front of elders Clarissa," Valentine ordered her, making his way to the table where a wine bottle and wineglass sat. "I'm sure Jocelyn taught you that much at least." Clary felt her body tremble in anger, how dare he talk about her mother."Clary, you don't understand. Hodge was the one who wanted the Cup and tried to summon the demons." Jace announced, looking at her in all seriousness. She didn't move her eyes away from Valentine who had now poured himself a cup of wine."I don't care about that Jace, I don't care if that's true or not. That's not why I'm going to kill this son of a bitch," Clary revealed. The wineglass was at Valentine's lips when he smirked."Language," he commented, taking a sip of the blood red wine."He doesn't want to hurt the Clave, it's all a misunderstanding." Jace exclaimed, reaching to touch her shoulder in a gesture of trying to calm her down. She didn't move."What have you been telling him?" Clary hissed at Valentine. He held the wineglass in his left hand and shrugged."Nothing but the truth.""You liar! If you were telling him the truth he would be trying to rip your throat out! He would be handing me the blade that would end your life!" Clary screamed at him, finally having enough. She whipped out the dagger from her sheath. She thrust her arm backwards with hatred boiling in her body and whipped it forward—Only to be intercepted by Jace's own dagger slicing through the air and knocking it down to the floor. Clary stared at him incredulously before diving for the dagger again and sprinting forward towards Valentine who hadn't moved an inch the whole time. She made it to him and attempted to swipe the blade across his chest. The wineglass shattered to the floor, the red liquid staining the white carpet. Jace advanced forward. He wound his arm around her waist before she could connect the blade to Valentine's body. He pulled her back and pinned her arms behind her back, causing the dagger to drop to his feet."Jace!" She screeched in utter astonishment."Stop this Clary, listen to him. He's telling the truth," he murmured roughly in her ear, his hands gripping her wrists to her back. It didn't hurt but it wasn't comfortable."Let me go."'I'll only let you go if you promise not to attack my father.""Do you know what you're asking me to do? He deserves to-," Clary started then cut herself off as she processed Jace's words. . I'll only let you go if you promise not to attack my father. The words slowly sunk in. She stopped struggling and turned her face to look at him fully."What did you just say?" She whispered. Jace had a nervous expression on his face. He let go one of her arms, assured that she wasn't going to attack."Sit down Clary," he ordered her in a soft voice. "This might not be easy." Clary ripped her second arm out of his grip and looked him in shock."No. What the hell do you mean by attackyour father?" Clary demanded, stumbling back. She didn't look at Valentine but she was sure he was standing in the same position, looking at the shattered wineglass. "Jace…Your father is dead."Jace gave her a small smile. "No, he's alive and he's right there." He pointed to Valentine who was now sitting at the table, watching her with calculating eyes. Clary followed his finger and narrowed her eyes at Valentine. Jace was expecting either denial from Clary or perhaps a shed of joy for him. Surprising all of them, Clary broke out into laughter."So that was your trick? You're telling him you're his father to make him do what you want? That's low, even for you." Clary sneered"Clary," Jace breathed."I've had enough of this nonsense Jonathan," Valentine stood up from the table, shoving his chair back roughly. "She is clearly too stubborn to listen to you, I thought you could keep her calm but clearly I was wrong. "'Trust me; I'm not going to listen to you either."""I'm not the person you think I am. Your mother has been feeding you lies all these years, distorting the truth about me," Valentine explained and Clary didn't say a word. "Now that we are both in a room together, why don't we settle things and you can hear the truth about all these years?""I already know the truth about you; I know everything you've done to my family." At this, Valentine's eyebrows rose and he smiled as if he knew something no else did."Your family?" Valentine repeated. Clary's fingers twitched, she knew then that he was implying he knew that Jocelyn wasn't just her family."You aren't Jace's father. Michael Wayland is.""On the contrary, I am. I can explain if you would be such a kind spirit and shut your mouth," Valentine urged, his mouth a straight line. He gestured to the wooden chair near her."I can stand." She refused, crossing her arms in front of her. Valentine sighed."As you please," he shrugged. "The fact is, Michael Wayland is not and has never been Jace's father. Wayland was killed during the Uprising. I assumed Michael's name and place when I fled the Glass city with my son. I lived his life with my son. I received a letter ten years later that the writer knew my true identity therefore I had to stage my own death. That's why Jace thought I was dead this whole time." Clary didn't even consider the possibility of him telling the truth.'"The Wayland Ring-.""Ah yes," Valentine observed, pulling out the ring from his pocket. "Funny how an M can look so easily like a W.""That's a really well thought lie Valentine and maybe if you didn't have my mom trapped downstairs and sent an army of demons after me, I might actually believe you. We both know that's not true." She pointed out. Jace, realizing her emphasis on the word we, jumped in."What are you getting at Clary?" He questioned, glancing between the two. Valentine's frown slowly curved into a smile."Go ahead Clarissa," Valentine encouraged her, his smile deepening. She wanted to smack it right off his face. "Tell him why you think I can't be his father. Tell him how I already knew your name before I heard Jace say it." At this point, Jace was beyond confused. Clary hated Valentine, hated him with every bone in her body but she knew she had to say something or else Jace would still believe Valentine is his father. She turned to look at Jace, her eyes sad. Licking her chapped lips, she spoke."He can't be your father…" She started and looked down to Jace's chest, unable to meet his eyes. "Because he's my father."There was a deep, absolute silence in the room, only the drowned out cries of the battle could be heard softly through a crack in the window. The words hung in the air for what felt like a century. Jace stared at Clary in shock, the words sinking in."What?" Was all Jace could get out and for once in his life, he was speechless. "You're lying.""I wish I was," Clary whispered, clenching and unclenching her fists."Meet your sister Jace, Clarissa Morgenstern." Valentine announced and Clary whirled on him."I told him the truth about you being my father; you can drop the act of him being your son!" She shouted at him and Valentine put on a false expression of confusion."You are siblings," he repeated. "After the Uprising, Jocelyn was pregnant with a girl, Clarissa, and fled to New York. I stayed with Jonathan." Clary's eyes flashed at these words because they werethe truth. Her mind started racing. Yes baby, you did have a brother, Jocelyn had once revealed to Clary when she was fifteen. He's gone now."Stop this," Clary commanded, breathing hard. "You're a sick bastard you know that? I know you're capable of messing with people's emotions without pity but this is crossing a limit." Clary looked at Jace at this point to see his expression had completely altered. He was leaning against the wall, looking nauseous. His face was sheer white like a ghost. She realized with a pang of despair that he actually believed this information."Jace! It's not true! We aren't siblings," Clary tried to assure him. He looked at her, his eyes broken."Valentine is telling the truth." Jace chocked out."We look nothing alike, "Clary retaliated but as she spoke those words, she realized that no, they didn't look alike but him and Valentine did. They carried the same assertive leadership behavior, the same blonde hair, the same facial structure and they were both left handed."Is that really the real reason why you don't think you are siblings?" Valentine questioned her, his eyes glinting with a devious look as if he was testing the waters. Clary realized now that he had seen more of their embrace earlier than she would've liked him too. Suddenly, a strong eruption of anger exploded within her."No, you're right. There is another reason why I won't believe we are siblings," Clary paused for a moment, watching the man who ruined her family. "I did have a brother. I know what you did to my realbrother. Jace isn't him." Clary watched as Valentine's amused look shattered into shock. He didn't expect Jocelyn to have told her."I see life in Jace, he's alive. He feels and he cares. He loves the Lightwoods and he would give up his life to save Alec's or Isabelle's. Now, does that sound like the monster you created then murdered?" Clary snapped at him.:"Your mother had it wrong, she has everything wrong." Valentine shouted at her, his patience breaking. "I never did anything to Jonathan; he's well and beside you right now. She was delusional and imagining things-.""How could she imagine seeing her son's ashes along with her mother and father's in front of her burned home?" Clary screamed at him, feeling tears well up in her eyes. "You don't imagine those things! You can't imagine those things! You BURNED her family! Your child!""I didn't kill any of them! They died in the Uprising except your brother!" Valentine hissed, his eyes flashing in anger. "You don't know what I went through because of your backstabbing mother. The things she did to me. I trusted her, she led me to believe that she was with me, in love with me, but all she ever did was use me! All she ever did was betray me and she's telling you lies." Valentine's voice was cracking and his expression filled with blind rage but she could see grief. He's lying Clary she told herself, he's trying to manipulate you."She left Jonathan and I because of you, "Valentine continued, taking a step forward. "It's your entire fault." Clary's jaw tightened. Valentine's voice had morphed into something different, something unfamiliar and scary. The calm chalet attitude was gone now."My mother warned me about you, she told me all about how you're manipulative and heartless. You're lying. Everything you say is a lie and all you do is hurt other people." She felt her tears well up in her eyes. "You killed my brother and my grandparents, you sicken me " She felt herself snap, her eyes had been watching the dagger that had fallen when Jace twisted her arm. She whirled around, grabbed it and flung it forward before Jace could register what she was doing. The blade sliced through the air but Valentine, already calculating her actions, threw himself to the side, knocking the wineglass over. The dagger dug into the wall opposite of Clary. She sprinted for it as Valentine stood up, reaching for his own weapon.Clary gripped the blade and tore it out of the wall just as the door behind her opened. She didn't turn around to check who it was. She was sure it was Luke, coming to help her. She watched Valentine's expression, waiting for the reaction that would confirm her prediction. Instead, his body relaxed from his tense crouch and he stood straight with a relieved smile."I didn't think you would return," Valentine admitted. Clary, confused, turned her head to the door to see a dark cloaked figure.Clary's heart fell to the pit of her stomach, her eyes wild. She felt her breathing stop as she recognized Pangborn standing at the doorway. He was dirty and there was blood covering his clothes but that's not what caught her attention. In his right hand was a dagger covered in blood. The dagger glinted from the light seeping through the window so that Clary could make out the carving etched on the dagger she had seen recently. It readLucian Graymark.In Clary's life, it was always the adults worrying about her. When she went to the park, her mother and Luke's eyes trail after her. If she tripped, they would rush to her side, searching for the worst possible wound. When she had a cold, her mother was so worried that she rushed her to the emergency room out of concern. When Luke left for his farm house every summer, she would say bye to him without a hesitation, not a doubt in her mind that he would return in a month.Now, she really experienced the worry that blinded her and froze her body. The type of worry that makes you want to scream."I would've been here earlier," Pang born explained with a grim look. "But I ran into some complications on the way." He held up the blade and Clary broke."What did you do to him?!" She screeched, gripping her own blade forcefully. Pangborn's eye shifted from Valentine's to look at her."You're still alive." Pangborn stated in surprise, one of his eyebrows cocking up. He glanced at Valentine with a frown. "Keeping her for any good reason?""I was hoping I could convince her to believe the truth and perhaps join Jonathan and me," Valentine told him, playing with his seraph blade. Clary didn't bother contradicting him; her eyes were trained on Luke's blade."Get a hold of your sister Jace," Valentine ordered calmly."Yes father," Jace obeyed and walked across the room. He reached to touch Clary's arm but she flinched away from him."Don't touch me," she hissed. He watched her with sad eyes."Stop it Clary, it would be so much easier if you just stopped fighting," Jace expressed."Easier?" Clary breathed. She shook her head at him before turning to Pangborn. "I swear if you hurt Luke, I will end you," she threatened. Pangborn rolled his eyes."She's just like her mother, lover of downworlders. Listen to me you uneducated child, they are filth-"Pangborn tried to tell Clary but he was cut off by his own chocking noise. Clary had whipped her blade forward, letting it slice through the dusty air and sink straight into his chest. Pangborn's eyes flew wide open, blood trickling from his mouth as he slowly fell to his knees. He stared forward blindly before dropping face first to the floor with a loud bang in front of Clary. Her hands shook. Usually, killing a human would send her into hysteria but the worry about Luke seemed to numb her conscious.She started towards the door but Jace caught her arm, pulling her back."Let me go!' She screamed wildly, trashing in his grip but Jace wound both arms around her in a vice like grip."I'm not going to let you leave our father," Jace stated, immobilizing her whole body. Anger and annoyance pulsed through her that he still believed that crap."He's not our father, he's my father!" She snapped at him then froze as her words sunk in. She opened her mouth in shock. "Jace, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it like that-." But she knew the damage was done."I think you've spoken enough," Jace whispered coldly, pulling her away from the door."You can't seriously believe him," Clary whispered back to him, her voice faltering. She was starting to truly get scared that he would refuse to ever believe her.\ "He's telling the truth," was the only response Jace gave to her."Why are you doing this to yourself?" She demanded desperately but he didn't respond, simply looked at the man he believed to be his father."Jocelyn trained you didn't she?" Valentine observed, his eyes trained on his fellow shadowhunter's dead body. "That move you just did, it was the same move Jocelyn used in the Uprising. It was like watching her fight all over again. The same prepared stance, the same throw to the same target." His eyes flashed."Stop talking about like you care," she spat at him."Shut her up Jonathan Morgenstern before I-," Valentine's threat was cut short as the deep rumble of an explosion filled the room. Immediately after, the door to the room they were all standing in flew off its hinges. The blast knocked Clary and Jace off their feet causing them to skid across the floor towards the window. Valentine was thrown backwards towards a large item hidden behind a cloth.A cloud of dust covered the entryway, blinding all three of them from viewing what lay beneath it. Clary coughed roughly and with Jace's help, they managed to stand. Clary watched the cloud of dust as it thinned out and a figure stumbled through the doorway, a bow in hand."Alec!" Jace called. Alec entered the room, his bow poised and ready for any threat. He scanned the area, his eyes passing over Jace with a look of relief, passing over Clary all together and rested on Valentine. He shifted his position to face him, pulling back his arrow."Give me one reason why I shouldn't," he demanded, his voice was a threatening scary tone. Valentine stood in the corner, his seraph blade laying a few feet away from his feet as an effect of the explosion. His jacket was covered in dust. He watched Alec with a sort of interested bemused expression, as if he wasn't holding a sharp arrow targeted to his chest."Alexander Lightwood," Valentine spoke in almost a sort of awe. "How are Robert and Maryse? I don't suppose they've told you this but I watched you grow up. "Alec continued to watch Valentine but Clary could tell he was wondering what kind of trick Valentine was playing."The Clave are on their way, your Forsaken are being taken over and your men are gone," Alec informed him, pulling the arrow further. "It's done Valentine, give yourself up." Valentine nodded slowly."I see," he mumbled and moved towards the large object that was covered by a black cloth.""Don't move or I'll shoot," Alec threatened in a loud voice, gripping the bow, prepared to shoot."Don't Alec!" Jace suddenly shouted, moving towards him. Alec lifted his eyes away from Valentine to glance at Jace in confusion."What?" He demanded, his bow still targeted at Valentine's chest. Valentine didn't watch them; instead he pulled the cloth off the object. A massive glass pane was beneath it, a swirl of colors decorating the glass. The colors shifted and fidgeted before setting into place revealing a large valley. There were vibrant green rolling hills and a few houses could be seen. Clary's mouth opened slightly. It was a portal. It was leading to the Glass City, to every shadowhunter's home."Let's go Jonathan," Valentine whispered, touching the glass pane. He turned to look at Jace and pointed to the portal. "We are going home.'""His name isn't Jonathan," Alec interrupted in confusion and moved closer to Valentine, his bow remaining firm in his hands. "And you aren't leaving.""Alec…." Jace started and placed his hand on his shoulder. "He's my father." There was a moment of silence in the room, a thickened silence. Alec, who barely ever became unfocused was now utterly and absolutely stunned. He was so surprised that he let his bow falter slightly and turned to look at Jace fully.The next events that occurred happened so quickly, Clary barely had time to register anything. Valentine swooped down for his seraph blade and prepared to use it. Alec turned and raised his bow to his target a few feet away from him. Just as he pulled back, there was another explosion. This time, the rumble of the building seemed to be ten times worse. Clary pressed her hands against her ears. It sounded like two trains colliding together. She fell to her knees and gripped the floorboards, trying desperately to stable herself. The room seemed to slant towards one side, away from Valentine."Jonathan!" Valentine screamed. Jace was leaned against the wall, trying to keep himself up as the ceiling started to break down, ruble filling the room. Valentine stood beside the portal, seraph blade in hand, while indicating Jonathan to enter the portal with him. Jace's eyes met Clary's and she had no answer for him, she simply stared at his face."Get in Jonathan, leave her. Let's go." Valentine bellowed louder. He was barely audible, over the sounds of glass shattering and ruble crashing to the floor.Clary looked up to see the ceiling above her start to crack and she closed her eyes, waiting for the impact of the rumble to crush her body. She knew she couldn't move, she could barely get herself to stand.She heard the ceiling crack and implodes on itself, falling. Strangely, she felt no pain but she heard it hit the floor. She opened her eyes and observed her surroundings to see, in absolute astonishment, she was in Alec's arms. He ducked under the rumble and raced out of the room with her. Clary didn't know if it was just the adrenaline and shock coursing through her veins but she suddenly felt very hot, a sort of burning sensation eased itself up her arms. Alec started towards the staircase but stopped when he caught sight of an orange path. He turned around and sprinted down the hallway towards a large glass window. He let go of Clary and let her stand."Where's Jace" She asked him, trying to talk as loudly as she could so that he could hear him. Alec glanced outside the window. They were a few stories up/"Give me your arm." Alec ordered roughly and grabbed Clary's arm without her permission. He whipped out his blade and began to trace runes along her arms. She watched him work hastily, trying to finish them before they were caught in the explosion. Then, he moved back and aimed his arrow to the center of the window. He pulled back and released, shattering the glass into a million pieces leaving a large gaping hole in the window."I have to go back," Clary mumbled and turned towards the side they just came from. Alec grabbed her arm."He's not going to be back there.""I'm not looking for Jace," she corrected him. "I'll be okay." Clary told him but he wasn't looking at her anymore. He was watching the window. She ignored him and ran down the hallway, the feeling of heat getting worse. She turned the corner-And froze. She understands now what stopped Alec from taking the stairs. She watched, her body frozen, as deep flames licked the corridor, scorching the ceiling and floor. She watched as the thick red and orange flames crawled down the hall towards her, almost to the room she just left.Out of nowhere, Jace's figure flew out of a room and sprinted down the corridor towards her. She continued to watch the flames dance and burn. Without a hesitation, he continued running and wrapped his arm around Clary's wrist when he got to her. He yanked her the other way, towards Alec. Clary regained thought and feeling through her body and ran with Jace. They made it to Alec who was watching the broken window."Let's go," Jace ordered sternly. Clary began to refuse when suddenly, Jace yanked her wrist and all three of them fell from the building. Clary didn't get a chance to scream, the rushing air made its way into her open mouth, chocking her. She fell quickly from the building but as she neared the hard grass beneath them; she seemed to drift right to her feet. She coughed rigorously, smoke trapped in her throat. Alec started sprinting away from the building towards the parking lot hundreds of feet away."Come on," Jace called to Clary, holding out his hand. She glanced at his face for only a brief moment; there was a gash along his cheek. He looked beautiful but deadly, as if he had just fought a war. He was beaten up and bruised but Clary assumed they all were. She took his hand and they flew towards Alec, both of their training kicking in. They sprinted alongside and finally, when they were a safe distance away from the building, they stopped. Alec and Jace turned around to face the burning building they exited.Clary breathed hard, supporting herself against an oak tree near them. She clearly didn't have anywhere close to Jace and Alec's training. She watched them as they stared at the building with sheer white faces. Clary turned and followed their gaze.Her eyes widened at the sight in front of her. The four story building, once belonging to a shadowhunter years ago, seemed to collapse on itself. The bottom floors were being licked by flames, taking apart each level. Half of the building already fell on itself, leaving a large gap. The sky was clear only hours ago. Now, the smoke and dust from the burning building sent deadly clouds to color the sky a menacing black. ."Oh…my…" Clary voice trailed off as she watched the remaining portion of the building tremble uncontrollably. It burst into bright flames dancing along the skyline and finally… falling... into… nothing.Hey Guys! SO glad I got to update! Only about two or three more chapters till the story is over! I really hope I haven't lost readers even though I feel like I did! I really thank you guys for bearing with me and thank you so much for Reading it it really meand allot!! Thanks