Tainted Soul • Lightwood. [ON HOLD]

T H I R T E E N

The New York Institute has been quiet and somber for the last few days. The events that's transpired inside still plaguing everyone's mind. There was trouble adjusting to the new leadership, now that Victor Aldertree was being sent back to Idris, Inquisitor Herondale was to come put order once again in the Institute.

The training room has been empty pretty much since it happened, except for one person that spend his time there. Justin Morgenstern has spent his time alternating between his apartment and the training room, wanting to forget what happened.

Justin's thoughts have been plagued by the idea that he could've ended everything, he could've stopped his father from ever using the Soul-Sword. If only he would've separated himself from Magnus, this wouldn't have happened.

But now he has to deal with it. Because it happened and he can't change it.

Another thing to deal with? Jace Wayland was not his brother. They were led to believe that they were siblings, twins even, and that made them closer than they ever were since they met. Justin finally felt like he had someone to confer in, someone close enough that wasn't Clary. Because at the end of the day, Justin wasn't sure how much did Clary cared for him.

The feeling of the punching bag hitting his knuckles was almost refreshing. Justin was used to pain, either physically or emotionally, and the pain from the punching bag brought him a sense of calmness amidst the chaotic life he was currently living.

His knuckles were bruised from the amount of time he has punched the bag, to the point where not even the iratze was doing its job. He now kept them wrapped with a bandage to stop people from asking him what was wrong his hand. He didn't need those questions, especially if they're coming from Isabelle, Alec or Magnus.

When he finally stopped his intensive training, Justin changed his clothes to his usual Shadowhunter attire, black jeans, a grey t-shirt and his black leather jacket and some boots. He made his way to the sublevels of the Institute where Valentine was being kept and currently being tortured by Inquisitor Herondale.

He stood outside the cell, watching as the Inquisitor interrogated Valentine, asking about the missing Mortal Cup and talking about the Mortal Instruments. "Valentine, you and I both know the Cup can control demons," she said. At her statement, Justin wondered if him having demon blood affected his actions if commanded to while near the Cup. "In the wrong hands, it could be catastrophic."

Footsteps resonated behind him, and Justin turned to see his sister and Jace approach him. He sent a small smile to them before turning around again, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Nineteen Shadowhunters died on your assault on this Institute, along with hundred of Downworlders that you massacred with the Soul-Sword. Justice will be served."

When he didn't say anything, Imogen ran her stele over a rune, making Valentine scream in pain multiple times. The older woman exited the cell, coming closer to the Morgenstern children.

"How long can you keep torturing him?" Clary asked her, her face contorted into a confusing and painful expression. "As long as it takes," she answers, nonchalantly. "Keep doing it, he deserves it," Justin added, running a hand through his already messy hair.

"If you want the truth, why not just use the Souk-Sword?" Jace suggestion was the most logical thing to do, but sometimes Justin noticed that Shadowhunters lacked that skill and restored to ancient mechanisms of finding the truth.

"Are you telling me how to do my job?" Jace straighten his back, following after Inquisitor Herondale. "No. But you said you retrieved the Sword after the attack. I just don't understand why you wouldn't-"

"The rune your sister drew to deactivate the Sword ended up damaging it in the process. It's been sent to the Iron Sisters to be purified. You're Valentine's children. Tell me what you know."

Justin scoffed at the accusatory tone coming from the older woman. He was tired and done with people having him under a microscope and picking apart everything he did just because he was Valentine's son. It's not like he wanted that, he was a baby born to an unfortunate father.

"Nothing. Haven't we proven ourselves? Valentine attacked the Institute. We captured him," Clary said, objecting the treatment they were receiving from Imogen Herondale. "At what cost?" Justin shrugged his shoulders. "My sanity," he said simply.

"By taking maters into your own hands, you've planted the seeds for rebellion in the Downworld. The Accords will be near impossible to maintain now." With that she turned around, walking to the elevator. "Fall in line, or you'll end up like Aldertree, in Idris facing reprimand."

➰

The last thing Justin wanted to do was investigate demon attacks, but it basically came with the job description. That's exactly what being a Shadowhunter is, demons and protecting mundanes. So here he was, with Alec, Clary, Jace, Logan and Luke, inside a fancy looking restaurant where the attack was orchestrated.

Right, Logan. He may have come with Aldertree but he has shown he was an excellent warrior and was against numerous things Victor did that Inquisitor Herondale permanently assigned him to the New York Institute, to be a warrior there and to await future instructions and news about the new regimen.

"What's this sand on the floor?" Alec says as he moves the victim's head from side to side. "This looks like a demon attack." Justin gazes at the fallen man and then around him, noticing that most victims had blood coming from their ears.

"I've never seen a demon cause this kind of hemorrhaging," Jace said. "Is there any security footage?" Alec asks Luke. "Nothing in the bar. Maybe CCTV caught something outside on the street." Justin pushed himself from the counter and stood next to Alec. "We should get them back to the Institute," Alec stated.

"Yeah, that's a good idea."

Ollie, Luke's partner, came inside the restaurant, approaching the werewolf. "Detective Garroway. Who are you talking to?" Luke holds his phone up. "Just dictating some notes while they're still fresh. Something you should start doing."

The invisible men part ways to allow the woman to step closer to Luke. As she was a mundane, she couldn't see them thank to the Invisibility rune. They talked for a few more seconds before Luke sent her away to get the car. The Shadowhunters watched her leave before turning back to Luke. "New partner?" The almost mocking tone on Jace voice made Justin chuckle. "She's driving me crazy."

"A taste of fresh, young blood, Luke. Be grateful for it."

Justin's comment didn't sit well with anyone, as the consequences of their actions and the death of Alaric still hung the air around them. Justin understood it was not the time for his humor, or lack of it, but he couldn't help it. It was his way of coping and truth be told; he was doing just fine with his own way.

Was it dangerous? Sure. But no one needed to know that. If they did, they would ask him to talk about his feelings, and boy, Justin hated doing that more than anything.