Chapter one
The sun shone through the stained glass window of the library of Wayland Manor, the reflection of patches of green and blues shards of the glass arranged themselves around the room in pools of coloured light. A huge oak grandfather clock ticked in a usual dull tone in the corner of the room, it produced sounds which made you think it was waiting, counting down to your death. It struck every hour with a loud clang that sounded like a megaphone stuck up a bell tower. It waits for it's for its victims to cross its path, then strikes. It could scare them half to death if they aren't prepared for its battle cry.
A solemn silence cast the room it set an uneasy mood. A silence so silent it was screaming to be released. It didn't belong in a library it was an unnerving silence like one you'd find on a battle field full of deceased warriors and a sense of destruction and devastation.
A raspy knock came from the other side of the heavy oak library door, it echoed for a few seconds out in the hallway. One of the two male occupants that sat in the library immediately picked his head up like a guard dog and stood to attention."Enter" he called in an authoritative tone he placed down the pen he'd been fiddling with for the past hour.
The door opened with a swing
A tall slim black haired girl stood up straight with her arms folded tightly against her chest. Isabelle Lightwood wouldn't describe herself as a 'girl' she was wise and had a good sense. A young independent woman with skills, strength and sense would best fit her title.
Her dark brown eyes smouldered like ash from a recently put out fire, thick lines outlined her eye shape and flicked out cat like at the ends. Her eyelashes were thick and extended and her eyelids we decorated with smoky tones of eyeshadows. The rest of her face was just as heavily made up with makeup, her cheekbones were highlighted and her jaw bone was bronzed. Her lips were a dark mate red and her crystal white teeth gleamed when she smiled.
Isabelle lightwood can often be identified in a room full of people by her long raven black hair that either cascaded down her back or was pulled back in a high ponytail. In this occasion her hair was pulled back and was cradled with a Dutch braid that wrapped around her head like a crown. It kept every strand of her soft long waterfall of hair neatly in place.
A tight black dress clung to the skin of her thin frame, it ended just above her knees exposing the rest of her legs down to her small dainty feet that were covered with black high heeled shoes. To say the least Isabelle was comfortable with her body and wasn't scared to show it off, but because her dress was longer than she'd usually wear and her hair was arranged in such a way it suggested her appearance had some importance.
It was extreme importance to Isabelle that she looked picture perfect and preened to perfection whatever the occasion, it was her opinion that this was what separated male and female shadow hunters. Woman could do the same job as the men but they looked presentable whilst they did so.
The boy who had invited her in relaxed back in his chair staring at her with a cold hard stare. He was tall and thin, he had muddy blonde hair that had bits of brown in places. It was messy and arranged across his face shadowing his dark eyes. Evil and menace contorted his face twisting it into a permanent scowl where his thick eyebrows arched completing his viscous look. All of his facial bones stuck out without the aid of makeup, his sharp pointed features sketched in a way that made him look rightfully spiteful and evil.
Jealousy and vengeance riddled through him twisting turning and curdling making is impossible for him to love and care for anyone else but himself and the person who made him this way.
"Oh that's funny I don't remember ordering a stripper" He snarled his lips thinned straightening as he stared nastily in repulse at the girl.
"Lucky for you Jonathan, I'm not here for you. Not that I ever would be" She responded laughing a little smirking with a little evil grin of her own.
She looked over at the other male in the room and away from him allowing him to glare at her. Isabelle didn't make a habit of engaging in conversation with Jonathan she couldn't despise anyone more. Demon child was describing him lightly, but Izzy knew him well enough to know rejection and the suggestion that he wasn't good enough was the only thing that hurt him.
"Jace your whores calling" Jonathan spat distastefully slamming his hand down on the table. Evil flashed in his eyes and his face went red a little from anger, or maybe embarrassment Izzy couldn't tell. He wouldn't be spoken to like that by a female, especially one who deserves the same respect as road kill Jonathan thought.
Jace jumped a little when Jonathan made his anger known. He knew he didn't have to jump to Isabelle's defence she could handle herself and would definitely give as good as she got. Unlike his brother Jace thought the fact that women could easily defend themselves was somewhat intriguing. It also contributed a sense of empowerment to the world that they live in.
Jonathan glared over at his brother who sat silently on the seat under the window doing exactly as their father had asked of him. From a distance Jace and Jonathan looked somewhat similar but exactly like their view of woman they couldn't be more different.
Jace and Jonathan were complete polar opposites.
Jace took his cool blue trusting eyes away from the old tattered book his father had assigned for him to read, it rested carefully in his scrunched up knees. He turned to look at Isabelle who was still stood arms folded and a look of confidence. He looked at her with immediate ease; he was calm and collected with a placid smile upon his face unlike his easily angered brother. "Hey Izzy" Jace said in a soft expression.
Jace had gleaming white blonde hair that looked crystallised under a permanent white light that shone down from the heavens. He was born with this hair, Isabelle always told him it was a gift from the angels themselves.
Jonathan on the other hand didn't at all admire his little brother's angelic hair, and it definitely wasn't a gift from any angel for two reasons in his opinion.
One; what male wanted shimmering hair that glowed pristine white unless maybe a warlock and resembling a downworlder was nothing but repulsive and a disgrace.
Two; Jace didn't deserve a gift from the angels and not to insult them but if any of them thought he did was as stupid as he looked.
The differences in Jace and Jonathan were endless; there were only three factors they shared.
shared the same father Michael Wayland, he was a harsh authoritative person who raises trains and educates them alone.
share the same passion for killing demons; they train effectively with determination and accuracy. Each wanting to make their father proud, fighting for his attention.
was quite uncommon in most siblings but the pair of them shared the same name Jonathan Christopher. Michael Wayland named each son the same name without the intention of them ever meeting one another as they both had different biological mothers. Jonathan Shadow hunter was the first of their kind making Jonathan a popular name within shadow hunters and extremely important to their father.
When Jonathan was eleven and Jace was ten and the name became an issue, their father instructed them to battle for the name. He explained to them that the name Jonathan comes with great honour as it was the name of the first ever Shadowhunter. The winner of the battle would earn the right to be titled with that name and deserve to keep it. Even as a child Jonathan didn't care how he treated Jace if it meant he earned more respect in the eyes of his father. So with the intention of not wanting to hurt his brother Jace let his brother win the battle and take the name.
His father took attention to what Jace was doing, and he told him that was the difference between his two sons. Jace cared and loved his brother didn't. Even though Jonathan won the battle, Jonathan was allowed to keep the name because Jace didn't deserve it and wouldn't ever be deserving of that title if he didn't learn his affection was wrong.
The youngest Jonathan was nicknamed Jace which is another way of saying J C, Jonathan Christopher.
"Jace your father requests your presence in his study" Isabelle grinned down at him knowing who this would affect Jonathan. Isabelle solidly disagreed with their father Jace should be allowed to show affection weather he was called Jonathan or not.
Jonathan displayed a look of confusion and puzzlement as he glared viciously back and forth from Isabelle and Jace. "It's my day to train with father" Jonathan snapped defensively. "This is why a woman's place is next to a sink, they're useless even at skiving after us"Jonathan leapt to his feet knocking back the chair he was idly sat in with great force. He completely despised having to share his father and he wasn't prepared to it on the day he was supposed to be training with his father without Jace hanging around.
Admittedly he had most of his father's attention when he offered it because his father described him as fit for purpose because of the character trait of lack of compassion which he got from his father was completely only happened when Jace was being punished for slipping up and showing that he cared, allowing emotion to cloud his judgementThis had stopped happening as much recently so if this was his day to train with his father he wasn't going to let Jace ruin it. Jonathan couldn't understand why he even had to share his father's limited attention with Jace. He wasn't fit for purpose he resembled nothing of their father. He always let their Father down and made him angry.
He'd had to lie and scheme to get his father's attention recently. He'd told his father Jace had befriended a mundane after a he'd shoved a red-haired human girl into Jace and she'd knocked scolding coffee over him. Jonathan had taken a picture of the two as they sat down at a table to clean it off. He wasn't letting all this planning go to waste. Besides he liked watching Jace suffer at the hands of him, even if the lie was the worst thing imaginable to his father. Jace deserved it for trying to be the better son and raining on his parade. He should know his place Jonathan thought to himself smugly.
"I'd explain but I don't have time there's a meeting in session and your father doesn't wish to be kept waiting. Your father only requested Jace" Isabelle taunted him, as he clearly felt threatened at the fact Jace had been chosen.
Jace got to his feet closing the book shut, He also was as confused as Jonathan he didn't know why what his father wanted him there was only usually called to his study if he'd done something wrong, and he hadn't of what he could remember. And what did Isabelle mean a meeting? He was never allowed in any of the meetings between his father and his acquaintances. Neither of them was.
"No" Jonathan screeched marching towards Izzy and Jace as they began to walk out of the office together. He grabbed hold of Jace and Jace shoved him off. Just because he showed compassion and wasn't completely dead inside Jace wouldn't; be pushed around by Jonathan. He wasn't weak, he was younger but their strength matched perfectly.
They were also trained and taught the same lessons meaning now they were older their winnings of battles was completely even.
Jace was used to the rejection of his father he'd had enough of it to last him an immortal life time, but Jonathan not so much. He was the favourite and he completely and utterly idolised their also meant Jace was also used to Jonathan acting like a petulant child when Jace was for once the centre of attention.
"Excuse me the presence of a whorish useless woman is needed there also" Isabelle said through gritted teeth pulling Jace further towards the door by the sleeves of his black leather jacket.
"I'm speaking to father" Jonathan screeched, heading out of the door himself and hurrying up the corridor at the thought his father might actually be letting him down. Not that it was a surprise to Jace or Isabelle or anyone else who knew them. Isabelle's mouth curled into a little grin, she knew he'd have a little surprise when he arrived.
"Where's Alec?" Jace quizzed as he and Isabelle walked up the corridors of the manor house. Hers shoes clicked against the floor swiftly as they walked, echoing in rhythm. Her hair swished from side to side, the thick band that held it in place at the back of her head was wrapped in thick strands of her hair.
"Sulking" Isabelle responded sharply. Taking the lead as they walked up the corridor. Something in her tone suggested she wanted Jace to ask why her brother was in a sulk. Jace was used his best friends moodiness, but if you'd just met Alec you could mistake his hurt feelings and over protectiveness as him being a complete arsehole. He wasn't he just didn't respond to things the same as most people, he wouldn't admit it but he takes everything to heart.
"Like usual?" Jace chided
"It's not like usual Jace; He thinks you've been ignoring him. Every time he calls and texts you don't answer"
Jace thought of Alec, Isabelle, and their little brother Max as his own siblings. Their parents treated him like he was their own when he went to stay at the institute with them when his father took Jonathan on business trips. Jace loved being at the institute with the lightwoods, the clave had ordered his father to chose one of his sons to work for the institute because of his involvement of the uprising. Jace didn't even mind when his father said it had to be him because he needed Jonathan for other purposes. Jace always knew he wouldn't ever beat Jonathan and he'd always come last in their family, but being with the Lightwoods reminded him how a family should act. He loved and protected them like they were his own.
When they were fifteen Alec and Jace became parabatai, It was an oath which bound them together with a bond no human could ever have. They had a connection which meant they could fight as one when they were in battle. They could make each other stronger and find and track individuals through their bond. But if the other parabatai was to die then the other would feel their life force leaving them and they'd live with their death.
Jace's father wasn't aware Alec was Jace's parabatai. He wasn't aware he had one at all. His father had warned both him and Jonathan that they weren't allowed to have one because they weren't supposed to trust anyone else but him. The parabatai bond had to be taken in front of the council but they didn't need their parents permission, which was lucky because Jace's father definitely wouldn't give it. Their father didn't share the same belief that it was an honour for a shadow hunter to find a parabatai, and be bonded to them in childhood.
Their father once had a parabatai, Robert Lightwood. Alec's father. Their bond had been estranged after the uprising of Valentine Morgenstern when Robert was exiled it severed their bond making it practically redundant. Their friendship was quite similar, Robert never came to the Wayland Manor only his Wife Maryse and their children came. So not only was the parabatai bond forbidden to Jace and Jonathan, Having a lightwood as one was completely out of the question
Jace had to hide the rune like a teenager hiding their first tattoo.
"My father..." Jace began
"Took your phone? Your stele? Your life?" Isabelle interrupted glancing at Jace and then holding her head up hatred in her tone.
"Don't Isabelle, It's just the way" Jace cut her off, he was grateful of Isabelle's sisterly compassion but Michael Wayland was his father and the way he chose to raise his sons was up to him, his father didn't waste time on compassion so there was no point dwelling on the what if's. Plus he didn't want to tell Izzy it would just upset her and enrage her and she could be pretty impulsive so if she yelled the odds to his father Jace would be in serious shit.
Besides Jace wasn't supposed to talk about his father to anyone else, especially not to the Lightwoods.
"It's not the way. He shouldn't treat you like an animal, Jonathan maybe because he is an animal but not you. You're a person with a heart, compassion and love..."
Jace grabbed her by the arm and stopped her in her tracks.
"And that's the problem. We aren't mundane Iz you know as well as I do there are lessons to be learnt. He needed to teach me a lesson, it's done now. I won't go near a mundane ever again"
"A mundane" Isabelle shrieked a little louder than she'd meant to, Jace clasped his hands around her mouth before she managed to tell the shadow hunters in Idris.
"What did you do with a Mundane, if you start hanging around with humans I swear I'll do worse than your father ever could" Even the thought of Jace talking to a mundane repulsed Izzy she knew her job was to protect them from demons but she didn't have to like them. She hated their dress sense, their stereotypical names for one another, their lack of intelligence and idiocy when they were stood inches from a demon that was about to eat their face. You can't get more plain, stupid and boring than a mundane human. She shuddered at the thought of them.
"I did nothing with a Mundane Jonathan set me up. But if I have a brain transplant in the next few days and decide to completely outrage my father then I'll let him know that you offer your assonating services" Jace stammered, his hand near Izzy's mouth in case she decided to have another screaming fit. He knew Isabelle wasn't just threatening him, he'd known her since they were ten and he knew there was nothing she loathed more than mundane.
"Swear by the angels" Isabelle challenged
"I swear" Jace said placing his hand on his heart.
"Good we better hurry the inquisitor is waiting" Isabelle murmured picking up speed in her high heeled shoes.
The inquisitor shit! Was the only thing Jace could come up with inside of his head? Why hadn't Izzy warned him sooner?