Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Cassandra Clare's Mortal instrument series.


There was a moment of astonished silence before both clary and Jace began speaking at once. "Valentine had a wife? He was married? I thought-" "that's impossible! My mother would never – she was only ever married to my father! She didn't have an ex-husband!" Hodge raised his hands wearily. "Children-" "I'm not a child." Clary yelled as she spun away from the desk. "You knew her" Chris said to Hodge, making Jace and Clary jump, they had completely forgotten he was there. "Our Mom, why didn't you tell us to begin with?"

"I knew her as Jocelyn Fairchild, not Jocelyn Fray," said Hodge. "Your mother left the Circle. Once we realized how extreme Valentine's views had become – once we knew what he was prepared to do – many of us left. Lucian was the first to leave. That was a blow to Valentine. They had been very close." Hodge shook his head. "Then Michael Wayland, your father, Jace." Jace raised his eyebrows, but said nothing. "There were those who stayed loyal. Pangborn, Blackwell, The lightwoods-" "The lightwoods? You mean Robert and Maryse?" Jace looked thunderstruck. "What about you? When did you leave?" "I didn't," said Hodge softly. "Neither did they … We were afraid of what he might do. After the Uprising the loyalists like Blackwell and Pangborn fled. We stayed and cooperated with the Clave. Gave them names and helped them track down the ones who had run away. For that we received clemency."

"Clemency?" Jace's look was quick, but Hodge saw it. "You are thinking of the curse that binds me here, aren't you? You always assumed it was a vengeance spell cast by an angry demon or warlock. I let you think it, not the truth. The curse that binds me was cast by the Clave." Jace face was a mask of astonishment, "for being in the Circle? For not leaving it before the Uprising?" "But the Lightwoods weren't punished," Clary said. "Why not? They'd done the same thing you'd done." "There were extenuating circumstances in their case, they were married, and they had a child. Although it is not as if they reside in outpost, far from home, by their own choice. We were banished here, the three of us – the four of us, I should say; Alec was a squalling baby when we left the Glass City. They can return to Idris on official business only, and then only for short times. I can never return; I will never see the Glass City again."

Jace stared. It was as if he were looking at his tutor with new eyes, Clary thought, though it wasn't Jace who changed. "The law is hard, but it is the law" he said, "I taught you that," said Hodge with dry amusement in his voice. "And now you turn my lessons back at me. Rightly too." He looked as if he wanted to sink down into a nearest chair, but held himself upright nevertheless. In his rigid posture there was evidence of soldier he had once been, she thought. "Was our Mom a runner too?" "No, it was believed she was burned along Valentine and the cup to avoid punishment from the Clave." Then there was a loud crashing sound from Chris's chair hitting the floor; he looked like a terrified ghost. He started shaking as his hands turned to fists. "In a fire" he backed away hitting into the table behind him, "you were there?" Jace asked seriously. "Yeah …No … I remember a fire but don't …I don't know" he looked so fragile at that moment like he was going to break into a million pieces. "Were you?" he pressed. "Jace, just leave it" Clary angrily insisted as she lightly rubbed Chris's arm in order to try to calm him. "No, it's important if he was there, then he could know where the cup is or at least where your Mom first hid it" Jace argued. "It's pointless; all I remember is being in a room on fire, no details and no clues. Just the flames."

"Well there is a rune, called the recall rune it will allow you to relive this memory, but it may still be difficult for you. So it'll be up to you whether or not you do this." Hodge explained as he moved over to him. Every part of Chris's mind was yelling at him to say no, but instead he took a deep breath and nodded. He was determined to see what had happened and deep down he knew he also needed to know. "Ok, let's begin. I think it will be best for you to lie down" Hodge claimed leading them over to the sofa near the fire on the far side of the room. Chris laid down awkwardly on the sofa with Clary sitting next to him and Hodge and Jace behind him on the other side. "It will be ok, I will be right here to guide you if you need it" Hodge said lightly as he took Chris's arm. "I will be here too" Clary whispered taking his other hand.

It was like waking up from a long sleep, his eyes just saw blurriness. But after the blurriness stopped, Chris realised he wasn't in the library anymore. "Christopher" Hodge voice flooded the room "can you tell us what you see and what is happens". Chris looked around the small room. "It's so weird, I'm in this room, I think it a hallway, it's seems so familiar and safe but I can't remember ever being here before. Right, umm, I think I'm playing, hey Mr Hooty" Chris marvelled at the sight of his favourite childhood toy, a soft plush owl teddy. "This is ridiculous" Jace grumbled, "this isn't like scanning through a book, Jace, if we want details, he needs to relive the whole event. Now Chris is anyone with you, can you hear anything" Hodge asked. Chris watched as two elderly people came down the stairs. He knew them "Grandma and Pops" the sight of them made him feel so happy. "What are they like?" Clary voice whispered in his ear. "Like Mom, wait they're talking. What did she say to do again Adele. She said to pack up some of the little ones thing and wait for a friend to come and get him. She is talking to me now, Ok. Hey sweety, are you ready to go on an adventure."

"It's been quiet for await now, no wait, there someone new, she giving me a lolly pop. She's going into the other room. Their yelling, I can hear screaming, crying, someone pleading why? Why are you doing this to us? Dad, I can hear his voice in the other room. No … No there's smoke, it every where. There are flames coming in from under the door. I can't breathe, I can't BREATHE. LET ME OUT, LET ME OUT DADDY, LET ME OUT, LET ME OUT DADDY." A jerk ran through Chris's spine, the memory violently changed around him. He was in a small square being chase by his Mom through the fountains, he couldn't stop giggled. "What wrong with him" Jace shock voice asked, "his mind, it trying to protect him for the trauma, trying to make him feel safe be reliving a more pleasure memory." Hodge explain. "Clary do you think you could talk him back to the previous memory. I think your voice will be more soothing for him." Chris felt a light pressure on his hand, "Chris, I know, I know that place was terrifying. But you need to go back; it's the only way to find Mom. Remember, you're alive, so you're going to get out of there. Ok." Reluctantly Chris returned to the room on fire. "He screaming Where is it, Where is it, WHERE IS IT." Chris breaths became sharp and quick, his body started switching, then he instantly calm.

"Mom, she's here, she's hugging too tightly". Things started to get blurred after that, then the memory shifted to an unfamiliar room. Luke was there; it was weird to to see him through the eyes of the memory, he was a stranger to him. He lied on the hotel bed opposite Chris. Mom stood next to him holding Mr Hooty, she opened his back pulling out a tarot card. She sighed in relieve, then lent into Chris's ear and whispered "I knew my secret was safe with you, Jonathan." Chris's eyes jerked opened and away from this horrific dream. But the memory wasn't truly finish yet, words were whispering through his head. The memories they're returning, we need to go to Magus Bane's again. "Magus Bane" Chris repeated as he stood up from the sofa. The shock and stress finally overwhelmed him causing his to pass out.