The Other Wayland

Families and Pain

 Joe's POV 

I burst into the room  Clary quick on my tail, where shockingly Valentine and the two Wayland children were eating a family dinner. My eyes locked onto Liza immediately, she was sat in a chair beside Valentine with perfect posture pushing food around her plate. It was hard to believe that she had been here under our noses this entire time. She was deathly pale and the white dress she was wearing did nothing but highlight the grey tone her skin had taken and sickeningly the dark, blackish veins that crawled up her arms close to the skin. I'd never her seen her this sick and conscious at the same time. She dropped the knife and fork in her hands when she saw me standing in the room, she moved to stand but Valentine waved her back into her chair with a hand. Jace, however, was already out of his chair and moving towards me. Liza remained seated but she seemed more alert and was watching the whole event unfolding in front of her. It was quite clear by just the way she looked that she was too weak to fight, that was if I didn't have to carry her out of the building, she looked like she was fighting to stay conscious. Seeing her like that broke my heart, 

"Jace?" Clary called out confused by the situation in front of us. 

"Son, would you care to tell me who this is?" Valentine asked Jace, standing up. "You see, I know the boy, Elizabeth's pathetic lapdog of a partner but this one?" He pointed to Clary. "Is a new face." Clary looked terrified while Elizabeth looked bored, cleverly masking every emotion she was feeling. She even rolled her eyes at the spectacle happening in front of her. 

"Clary, Clarissa Fray, she's a friend," Jace answered continuing to walk towards her. Valentine had an amused look on his face while Liza grew even paler if that was even possible, it was almost as if she knew something we didn't. 

"Dad..." She warned now standing, she swayed slightly but walked calmly to stand next to her brother. 

"Dad? Liza, do you know who that is?" I was astonished at the fact that she had just addressed him as her father. She turned and glared at me, fire in her eyes, and I knew she was telling me to shut up. 

"Dad, this isn't a good idea. It's not going to end well," She warned him again, she knew something, she was trying to protect her brother and I thought I knew why. She laid a hand on Jace's arm. "Please, Jace, come sit down," She pleaded with him, he brushed her hand aside and wrapped Clary in a hug.

"Elizabeth, darling," Valentine started, "You should sit down, you aren't well. Please, you need to take it easy." 

"And who's fault is that?" She hissed at him. "This is no way to make them feel any more sympathetic towards you." She told him sternly glancing over at the ever more panicked Clary and a confused looking Jace. "If you won't tell them, I will." She warned. 

"You are in no place to make demands daughter," Valentine shot back at her, she rolled her eyes.

"You were the one who wanted me to take a more active role," She told him and my mouth dropped. What on earth had he done to her? "Okay, well, are you going to tell them?" She prompted.

"Go ahead darling, I'm impressed that you are willing to pop their little bubble," Valentine looked delighted. Liza rolled her eyes in response. Valentine sighed, "We must work on your manners Elizabeth." 

She rolled her eyes again but turned to address her brother and Clary. "Jace, Clary, you might want to sit down," She told them before taking a chair as well, "I hate to be the bearer of bad news but it turns out that Clary isn't an only child she's actually our sister, well your sister Jace. Isn't that fun?" Clary paled, Jace looked horrified. 

"What are you talking about?" Jace hissed glaring at Liza. "What do you mean Clary is my sister?" 

"Well, you see, our Father has been lying to us since we were born. He's actually Valentine Morgenstern, which means that not only is he Clary's father which we all already knew but he is also yours. Jocelyn is your biological mother." She smiled looking a little crazy and sad. "She's my half-sister. Can I go now?" She looked up at Valentine. She looked drained, her skin looked translucent. "I'm tired, I want to go back to bed."