Our Fate II ➰Shadowhunters➰ [Jace]

➰Chapter Twenty-nine➰

➰Chapter Twenty-nine➰

Leah gasped in horror, unable to believe what he had just said. She told herself he was playing with their minds, but there was an edge to his voice that made her question that would be too much wishful thinking.

"You experimented with demon blood?" Clary spat, and Leah feared she would charge at her with all the fury already boiling in her expression.

"I like to think I tried to evolve. The demon blood caused me to have terrible nightmares; I would see my loved ones being killed over and over."

"You're insane. You endangered your family just to prove your disgusting point." Leah sighed, fighting against the lump on her throat.

"I had no idea you were twins, at the time. When you were born, Abigail, you were terribly malnutritioned and we realized in horror that your brother had been priving you from food the entire time. Jonathan had attempted to starve you to death before you had even been born," Valentine smiled at the pained look Jace gave Leah, and she wanted more than anything to shut her father up with a punch on his face and grab Jace's hand to reassure him she didn't blame him for any of this. "You were, by many standards, dead. But Jocelyn wouldn't give up on you. She nurtured you desperately, praying constantly that you would survive. I don't know what happened, but her prayers were answered and one day, you were okay."

"Jace would never do that. He is not evil." Clary said, not a hint of doubt in her voice.

"I am not here to get you to believe me, Clarissa. I am here to let you know the truth. Whether you choose to believe it or not, that is your choice to make."

"Let us go. Now!" Clary demanded, and Leah suddenlynoticed how she had been the only one speaking.

It had affected her, what Valentine said. But not in the way he had hoped it would. No, if anything, her urge to defend Jace at all costs had only grown stronger. To think that Valentine had been capable of experimenting demonic blood... That was a new kind of low, even for him. Leah had been wanting to excuse his actions for mere insanity, but now she realized with a heavy heart that the man who had brought her to the world was nothing more at all but a soul-less monster trapped inside the ghost of the man he could have been.

"All in good time, Clarissa," Valentine set his wine glass down finally. "Now, let me talk about you—"

Suddenly, it all became too much for Leah. The lies, the secrets, the mind games... She was sick of all of this. Sick and tired. She stood up, glaring at Valentine. "I don't want to listen anymore. Tell me the real reason why we're here!"

"You are here because this is where I want you to be. Did you really think I would just leave that vampire alone?" There was a coldness in Valentine's voice that sent a shudder down her spine.

Clary tensed. "What have you done to Simon?"

"Nothing. Yet. But it is only a matter of time before I finally purify the world from his tainted kind."

"The only one who needs redemption here is you," Leah said, and then a symbol flashed before her eyes. It was only for a few seconds, but the golden design had been sewn into her mind like the tattooes on her skin. She reached for her stele, which was still in her belt, surprisingly enough. She immediately drew the rune on her wine glass and somehow knew exactly what to do. "By the way, my name's Leah." She then threw the contents of the glass on Valentine's face, and before he could complain, he fell fast asleep.

"How on Earth did you—" Clary started, standing up quickly next to her.

"I have no idea. But I am not looking forward to sticking around and seeing how long it takes for the effect to wear off." Leah stated, to which neither Jace nor Clary argued.