Alec Lightwood

Prologue

6 years ago

"Jocelyn, I know you think that you are protecting her but there is only so much that you and I can both do. She goes to school, she has friends, and she interacts with the mundane world every day. We aren't able to be with her every second of the day."

"I know but I feel like there is more that I should be doing. She had an encounter with a young warlock today and didn't even know. She can't befriend people from the downworld or else he will find her, he will find us."

Jocelyn Fray ran a shaking hand through her signature red Fray locks as she looked wide eyed and worried at the man before her. "What if he finds her because we can't monitor who she is talking to… a simple encounter could cause everything we've worked for to be exposed, Luke. Maybe I should pull her out of school, we can teach her everything she needs here."

Luke nodded his head at the woman before him, and he sympathized with her. It was more than just the normal maternal instinct that was causing this worry in the woman that he loved, it was the fact that their world could come crashing down at any moment and the little girl in the next room would never know why.

"We can… but Jocelyn that is no way for Clary to live. She loves Simon, we can't just pull her away from him and her other friends. She is a rebel and an artist, just like her mother, and will find a way to do what she wants in the end."

"It's just so dangerous out there, especially when Magnus' treatments aren't as strong as they used to be… her mind is stronger and it is harder to keep her safe than ever."

"And it will only get harder, but I think I might have a solution."

Jocelyn looked up at the man before her with a questioning look on her face. Luke did not say anything for a second, and instead pulled out his wallet. The confusion on Jocelyn's face only deepened, if the frown lines between her eyes were anything to go by, as Luke pulled a small picture from his wallet and handed it over to the red headed woman. Pale hands clashed with dark as she took the picture from his grasp.

On the little polaroid was the image of a young girl. The girl was probably the age of her Clary or maybe older, but no older than fifteen. Her dark hair almost impossible to distinguish against the equally dark background of the picture, was long enough to be lightly noticeable against the black jacket that she was wearing. Her skin, however, looked almost iridescent in the dark photo, and her blue eyes seemed to almost glow like the demons that she was afraid of her daughter encountering. However, what stood out the most were the runes that contrasted against her light skin.

"Why are you showing me this girl, Luke?" Jocelyn stated, thoroughly confused, as her eyes flickered back down to the image of the beautiful girl in her hands.

"She's about Clary's age, and she can protect her when we can't. You say the words, and she will be Clary's best friend and watching out for her in a weeks time."

Jocelyn glanced down at the image of the young girl, once again. She was conflicted…

"We can't afford to pay a little girl when we are still in debt to Magnus, Dot, and all the others… and it would be wrong to pay for Clary's friends… wouldn't it?"

Luke sighed as he ran a tired hand down his face. They were both tired; tired of running, tired of hiding, tired of worrying. "It would protect her. Clary would be safe, have a friend, and we wouldn't have to worry about her when she wants to distance herself from us. You have seen it, and so I have I, Jocelyn. Clary is twelve, and entering her teens, and as much as she loves both of us she is not going to want to be with us all the time like she used to… she is growing up, and we need someone who can grow with her, who can protect her."

Jocelyn took one last hard look at the emotionless girl in the picture before handing it back to Luke. They were both silent for a moment as they thought about their options, what would keep Clary safe and how they should go about doing it.

Letting out an exhausted breath Jocelyn's tired eyes locked on Luke's. "How do we know that she will do this, what is in it for her?"

A small, sheepish, small graced Luke's face. "She is Helena's daughter…."

"You've been the one training her, haven't you?"

Jocelyn sounded slightly bitter, jealous, and incredulous all at once and Luke knew that this would be what happened if she ever found out about Helena's daughter.

"I was the only one who would, she doesn't want to leave the people that she thinks are her family… that to her are her family. It's her life, but I couldn't let her be naïve to our world like Clary is, Jocelyn. She doesn't have people who know looking out for her like Clary do-"

Jocelyn cut him off, her tired eyes showing how the excuse meant little at the moment, but the look in those tired eyes told him that the conversation would be brought up at a later time.

"Okay… But how do you know she will be good for Clary? How do you know she will do this at all?"

"She'll do it. She is just like you, Jocelyn; She'll do anything for her family."