The Other Morgenstern

(City Of Ashes) Chapter Eleven: Seelie Court

Skylar and Isabelle had been in the park waiting for Jace, Clary and Simon. Skylar agreed to come because Clary was willing to go. Both of the girls wore their gear, Isabelle wore her heel boots and a long black dress, Skylar wore some black jeans, with a red crop tight and a leather jacket.  "Izzy." Jace said, Isabelle turned around and hug him tightly.

"Jace!" She said and smiled, it was about time she saw him now. Isabelle pulled away and glanced at Skylar. 

"Skylar." Jace said, Skylar walked over to him and hugged Jace tightly, she was relieved that he was alright. She pulled away quickly and cleared her throat, Isabelle smiled brightly.

 "How did you get Magnus to let Jace leave?" Isabelle asked Clary

"Traded him for Alec."

"Not permanently right?"

"No," said Jace. "Just for a few hours. Unless I don't come back, In which case, maybe he does get to keep Alec. Think of it as a lease with an option to buy." 

"Are we ready to go?" Skylar asked, Isabelle led them towards the pond, she walked into the pond. Skylar followed Isabelle and gulped, they were going to be soaking wet. 

"For the love of the Angel, don't eat or drink anything while we're underground, any of you. Okay?" Isabelle said

"Underground, nobody said anything about underground." said Simon

"Come on, We only have until the moon moves." Isabelle said, she reached the center of the pond and smiled. "Go ahead Jace." Jace walked past Skylar sending shivers down her spine. Jace stepped backward into the reflection of the moon and vanished. Then Isabelle stepped through, Skylar did, Simon and then Clary. 

Skylar hugged herself tightly and sighed, her clothes clung onto her weighing her down. She stumbled lightly, Jace steady her and smiled lightly. "Cold?"

"I'm fine thank you." Skylar replied

"You don't look fine." He whispered into her ear, Skylar glance at Clary who watched them with an odd facial expression on her face. 

"Stop, she's watching us." Skylar whispered back, Jace looked at Clary who quickly looked away realizing she had been staring at her older siblings for a while now.   

"Can we go?" Simon asked, he wanted to break the tension between everyone.

"Y-Yeah."

~

"Four of these are Nephilim," The Queen said. "The other is a mundane." She stared at the mundane and then looked at Jace.

"Our apologizes, my lady." Jace replied "The mundane is our responsibility. We owe him protection. Therefore we keep him with us." 

"A blood debt?" she murmured. "To a mundane?"

"He saved my life," Jace said admitted, "Please, my lady. We had hoped you would understand. We had heard you were as kind as you were beautiful, and in that case—well," Jace said, "your kindness must be extreme indeed."

"You are as charming as your father, Jonathan Morgenstern," she said, and gestured at the cushions scattered around the floor. "Come, sit beside me. Eat something. Drink. Rest yourselves. Talk is better with wet lips."

"We can't." Skylar whispered to her parabatai, Isabelle opened her mouth to stop Jace from replying.

"It would be unwise to refuse the bounty of the Queen of the Seelie Court." Meliorn warned them, Isabelle shrugged.

"It won't hurt us just to sit down." said Isabelle, Meliorn led them over to the pile of cushions, Skylar sat down and sighed. Skylar zoned out as Jace began to speak to the Queen, she blinked slowly and looked around. Clary nudged Skylar lightly getting her attention. 

"Hm?" Was Skylar's response

"Who would have thought, that Valentine's experiments would turn on him?" The  Queen said, Jace's face lost color when she said that. Clary knew Jace had no idea what he was talking about, but Skylar's face said it all. 

"Experiments?" Isabelle repeated

"You know what I am talking about." The Queen said staring at Skylar.

"I rather not, Lady. It has nothing to do with that nor my knowledge of what he has done." She ignored what Skylar said and looked at the two other clueless Morgensterns.

"Our own, and others'. Ask your father, when next you see him, what blood runs in your veins, Jonathan." 

"I hadn't planned on asking him anything next time I see him," Jace said. "But if you desire it,my lady, it will be done." The Queen smiled.

"I think you are a liar. But what a charming one.Charming enough that I will swear you this: Ask your father that question, and I will promise you what aid is in my power, should you strike against Valentine." 

"Your generosity is as remarkable as your loveliness, Lady. And I think we're done here now," They all rose, The Queen rose as well with a smile on her face.

"A moment, One of you must remain."

"What do you mean?" Jace asked

"Once our food or drink passes mortal lips, the mortal is ours. You know that, Shadowhunter."

 "I'm afraid you're mistaken, Lady." 

"Look to her fingers and tell me she didn't lick them clean." Skylar crossed her arms and looked at Clary's hands. 

"One of the sprites bit my finger—it was bleeding—"  Clary figured it out, she had fallen for the trick.

"I suppose I should have expected a trick like that," Jace said "Why are you doing this? What do you want from us?"

 "Perhaps I am only curious," she said. "It is not often I have young Shadowhunters so close within my purview. Like us, you trace your ancestry to heaven; that intrigues me." 

"But unlike you," said Jace, "there is nothing of hell in us." 

"You are mortal; you age; you die, Thanks to the changes your father worked in you, you are not like other Shadowhunters. Your gifts are different as well Skylnn. You also have gifts beyond my knowledge."

"How can she be released?" Jace asked

"What if I told you she could be freed by a kiss?" Queen said

"You want Jace to kiss you?" Clary said, the Queen began to laugh at such a question.

"Despite his charms, that kiss will not free the girl."

"I could kiss Meliorn." Isabelle suggested

"Nor that. Nor any one of my court."

"Who is it then?" Skylar asked "What do you wish?"

"The kiss that will free the girl is the kiss that she most desires." They all looked at Simon, he walked over and kissed Clary. "No, not from him." The Queen said, she looked at Jace. "From him."

"I-I don't desire him!" Clary said, Jace's eyes widened not another sister in love with him. Jace walked over to Clary, he hated this so much. The moment he leaned in to kiss her quickly, Skylar grabbed Simon's hand and stormed off with him. She had to save him from possible heartache after all she knows the feeling to well.