Present


They took one of Magnus' cars – of course they did, as the two Lightwoods didn't know how to drive one and even if they did Magnus would have rather died than be seen in those ugly white vans the Institute had in its garage en masse.

Instead they were sitting in his black Audi TT, a brand new addition to his extensive car park and were slowly making their way towards where his locations spell indicated Clary and Jace to be.

"What do you think they discovered in the City of Bones?" Isabelle asked from the middle seat behind them, lazily playing with one strand of her glossy black hair. Magnus had to hand it to the Lightwoods, they knew how to produce deadly beautiful offspring, more than aptly shown by the brooding young man sitting next to him in the passenger seat.

"I have an inkling," Magnus replied as he drove the car past a curve with way too much speed, making Alec grip the door handle even tighter than he already did.

"Do tell," Isabelle urged. Magnus sighed. He had a pretty damn good notion of what the Silent Brothers had lured out of young Clary´s mind. He had taken not all of her memories, not erased all traces of the Shadow World in her mind. He could have not, lest he would have damaged her mind for good. But should he truly share such a secret with the two young Shadowhunters in his car he barely knew? Was it his right? Or was it even theirs as Clary´s secret was so intimately interwoven with what had happened and what was yet to come? Morality, Magnus had found out, was a slippery slope to walk on.

"It isn´t really my secret to share," he evaded, his gaze locked on the street before him.

"All this," Alec began, making an encompassing hand gesture that conveyed exactly what he meant, "started with that girl. So, obviously whatever she knows – or doesn't know – affects us as much as it does her. I´d say that´s a rather strong point for telling us what you know." He sent Magnus a pointed stare. The Warlock just sighed.

"You´re right," he finally conceded, "there´s a reason why all this is happening around Clary. It´s also the reason why her mother had me modify her memories." He stopped at a red light, watching the traffic pass by in front of him. "It has to do with her father."

"Why all that commotion about that?" Isabelle wanted to know. "It isn't as if her father was, I don't know, Valentine or the like." She leaned back. Magnus didn't say anything. The light changed back to green and he continued driving.

"What the fuck!" Isabelle shouted as she finally connected Magnus uneasy silence with what she so jokingly had said. "You can´t be serious!"

"Wait, wait, wait," Alec interrupted. "Are you claiming that the girl is Valentine´s daughter?" He scoffed. "That's ridiculous."

"Her mother´s name is Jocelyn Fairchild," Magnus started to explain, "and if you look her up in the Clave´s records you´ll find out that she was married to Valentine Morgenstern. She fled him, came to me and begged me to modify her daughter´s memories so that she would never find out about the Shadow World and the terrible legacy it brought with it."

"That changes so much," Isabelle whispered. "Whatever is coming, the girl will be right in the middle of it." Magnus just nodded.

"All more the reason to ditch her," Alec said tensely.

"Alec!" Isabelle exclaimed shocked. "She cannot help who her father is."

"She is a danger, that´s what she is," Alec countered, turning his head to look directly at his sister. "Valentine won´t stop coming for her. She´s putting us all in jeopardy."

"And what´s your solution then?" Isabelle challenged her older brother. "Abandoning her? I know you, Alec, and I know that you couldn't live with yourself if an innocent girl dies because of you." Alec didn't reply to her assessment, instead staring on the road before them.

"We´re there," Magnus said and slowed down the car until it stood still right in front of the beginning of the pier. Right in time, for suddenly a pain so unbearable shot through his whole body. Panicked, he fumbled on the door handle until it opened. As he tumbled out of the car Magnus wasn't even able to stand on his own two feet, instead falling on the ground, wheezing.

"A pity," a figure in front of her sneered, "cooperating would have spared you so much pain." She barred her teeth at the man – Valentine. "This is your last chance to tell me what you know."

"I´d rather die," she spat at him. Her body may be giving out, but her spirit was still strong. Her only regret was that she would never have the chance to say proper goodbyes, but that was something she could live with.

"As you wish," Valentine replied and before she even had the chance to react he had pricked her with a syringe, emptying its whole content into her bloodstream. She fell to the ground, pain as if liquid fire cursed through her veins wracking her whole body. She wanted to scream, but no sound would make it past her lips.

"That´s the fate your whole degenerate race will experience, Dot," Valentine jeered at her. Then there was nothing but darkness.

Magnus came back to himself with a scream that made Alec and Isabelle jump back in fright.

"What happened?" Isabelle wanted to know. Alec, meanwhile, slung one of Magnus' arms over his shoulder and heaved the Warlock from the ground. Magnus, not possessing the strength to stand on his own leaned heavily on the Shadowhunter as he replied: "She´s dead."

"Who?" Alec asked with worry in his voice.

"Dot," Magnus replied. "The Warlock that I had watching Clary and her mother. Valentine killed her, I saw it happen through her eyes." Alec stopped walking.

"I´m sorry," he said and as Magnus looked into the other´s eyes he saw nothing but sincerity there.

"You are?" It would be one of the few times a Shadowhunter was actually sorry for one of Magnus' own dying. They usually saw Warlocks as barely a step above demons, using and discarding them whenever it pleased them.

"Why shouldn't I be?" Alec asked confused. "She was a, well not quite human, being just like me or my sister. She didn't deserve to die."

"That´s nice of you to say," Magnus replied, looking at the Shadowhunter in a new light.

"Alec!" They all turned their heads to see Jace walking towards them, Clary following behind them. "What are you all doing here?"

"What were you thinking, vanishing like that?" Alec snapped at the blonde.

"Clary needed my help," Jace replied as if that explained everything. Alec, dumbfounded by that answer, just gaped at Jace like his Parabatai had lost his mind.

"You could have told us," Isabelle pointed out, probably trying to delay her brother erupting in righteous anger.

"Someone took my memories," Clary interjected, "Jace offered me his help in regaining them."

"Did it work?" Isabelle asked.

"No," Clary replied downtrodden.

"Of course not," Magnus chipped in. "Even the Silent Brothers can´t restore something that isn't even there."

"So," Clary said, her gaze full of suspicion and anger, "not only were you the secret Simon kept from me until now, you´re also the one who stole my memory."

"At your mother´s request," Magnus pointed out. "She knew the risks."

"Why would my mother do that to me?" Clary wanted to know, her voice suddenly sounding less sure. She probably felt so conflicted, suddenly getting to know a side of her mother – the person she loved the most in her life – she hadn't even thought could exist.

"I think you already know that," Magnus replied. "She did it to protect you; from the Downworld, the Clave and from Valentine himself." He sighed. "I wish I could retrieve your memories, but I no longer have them."

"What?!" Clary exclaimed aghast. "Where are they?"

"I fed them to a memory demon for safekeeping," Magnus answered.

"And why the hell would you do that?" Jace demanded to know, his whole posture straightened and rigid, probably trying to appear imposing, but Magnus had seen much more intimidating sights, so he didn't let himself be deterred by the testosterone-driven blonde.

"If Valentine ever captured me, he could torture Clary´s memories out of me," Magnus explained. Centuries of living had taught him that humility above all was the most important thing in order to survive. Magnus knew that he could take one most of the supernatural community, but he was also well aware that its heavy hitters – and Valentine definitely was one of them – had all a decent shot at besting him should they set their mind to the task. And he had heard more than a few tales of Valentine´s sordid talents when it came to extracting secrets from his enemies. "Just like he tortured Dot."

"Tortured?" Isabelle spoke up.

"Wait," Clary interrupted, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Is Dot okay?" Magnus looked at her with sorrow and pity.

"You don't know?" he asked. "Dot is dead."

"What?" Clary gasped, clinging to Jace as she processed the news. "H…How do you know?"

"I have a connection with every warlock under my protection," Magnus explained. "I cannot feel hers any longer." He locked his gaze with Clary´s. "Valentine killed her because she would not betray your mother." It was not an accusation, rather a factual statement, and yet Magnus couldn't help but feel bad when he saw Clary´s eyes tearing up.

"Oh, my God," she cried.

"Come with me, Clary," Magnus urged her. "Until we have Simon back and a plan as to how to proceed from here on my lair can offer you protection no Shadowhunter ever could."

"No," Clary scoffed. "No, I´m not going anywhere with you."

"Don´t be a fool," Magnus snapped at her, "I can´t keep you safe while you gallivant with them and get Simon back simultaneously."

"How well is that working out for you, hm?" Clary sneered. "Simon´s still missing!" Instead of taking her bait, Magnus took a deep breath.

"Your mother would want you to live," he tried to reason with the agitated girl.

"Then help me get my memories back from whatever demon you gave them to," she demanded.

"Valentine is hunting you, too," Jace pointed out. "If he´s going after Warlock you´re the obvious choice."

"And every moment we´re outside my lair´s protection, is a moment Valentine gets closer to finding us!" Clary wanted to say something, but Jace laid one hand atop her shoulder so she swallowed whatever she wanted to say.

"Look, Clary," he said, "he´s the only one who can get your memories back. Maybe we should heed him?"

"Fine," Clary huffed. "But I still gotta get some of my stuff from my home."

"That´s fine with me," Magnus shrugged. He snipped with his fingers and a calling card appeared between his ring and index finger in a cloud of lilac smoke. "Meet me here." He held the card towards Alec who reluctantly took it.

"See ya," Magnus mock-saluted and then stalked away.


Walking over the threshold of their apartment Clary had to supress the urge to just break down and cry. This had been her mother´s and her safe house, their place of happiness and seeing it desecrated like this made her want to throw up. The countless paintings created by either her or her mother had been slashed, their frames broken, the countless knickknacks they had gathered over the years carelessly scattered all over the floor. Clary felt violated, a slick, disgusting film on her skin that she just couldn't get off.

"Take only what you need," Alec instructed her, "we don't have much time." He threw her a duffle bag which she was barely able to catch. Clary didn't know why, but the black-haired Shadowhunter didn't seem to like her very much. The other Clary – the one she had been before all this, before her mother´s abduction, before Simon´s secrets – would have been bothered by it, but right now she didn't really care. All that mattered was finding her mother. Everything else was only secondary.

Mindlessly Clary went through the destroyed flat, stuffing whatever she needed in the bag. She was glad that she had never been much of a neat freak because then all of her clothes would have burnt with her room, but now there were enough pieces lying around that she didn't need to worry about having something to wear.

"I have everything," she said when she was finished collecting everything she needed. Jace nodded and then he and Alec made their way towards the door. Clary followed. When she stood in the doorway, she turned around one last time. She took in the apartment, the unnatural silence of it, the flakes of ashes that covered some of its surfaces, the dark stain where Jace had slain the demon that had tried to kill her and felt like she was a stranger watching a place she had never been before. The apartment symbolized her old life – her old self – so it was probably quite fitting that it had been destroyed in almost the same way.

When Clary turned around she knew that she would never view the place as home ever again. Then she walked down the stairs, every step she took more difficult than the previous one. On the first floor the familiar green door, now hanging loosely on its angles, caught her gaze.

"You can wait outside," she told Alec and Jace. "There´s something I need to do." Alec opened his mouth to protest, but Jace just touched his arm and he closed it again.

"Don´t take too long," Alec just said and then he turned around and left with Jace.

Walking into Dot´s apartment was a surreal experience. It was silent for once, which it had never been before. There had been always a teapot hissing, dreamcatchers jingling softly, Dot chatting animatedly. Now the teapot laid broken on the floor, shattered in thousand pieces, the dreamcatchers were torn apart and Dot…Dot was dead.

Tears ran down Clary´s cheeks as she slowly sank down on the ground, curling into a ball and just letting her grief flow freely. She couldn't let the others see her like this – weak, frail, broken – but right now she could allow herself to be weak, to mourn for her friend who had died for her and her mother. Who had gifted Clary her first bike, who had shown her how to brew tea and how to just sit down and listen. Even when others had ridiculed and joked about Dot, Clary had never once doubted her friend. To her Dot had always been magic and mystery and it hurt so much to know that the other woman would never read her Tarot cards for Clary.

Still shaking and crying Clary stood up. She just needed one thing to remember Dot by. Her gaze fell upon the box in which Dot kept her Tarot cards. They had been a gift from her mother to Dot and Clary remembered well the many hours that had been spent on the detailed illustrations. Without thinking Clary took the box and stuffed it away in her duffle bag.

Maybe she would never see Dot again ('Or your mother,' a traitorous voice whispered in her mind but Clary squashed it ruthlessly) but at least she would have something to remember her friend by.

"Goodbye Dot," she whispered into the silent room. "I´ll avenge you."

The silence continued.


"Magnus lives in a warehouse?" Clary asked with raised eyebrows. "I expected something, you know, flashier?"

"Not exactly. It´s a warlock glamour," Isabelle clarified.

"Something´s wrong," Alec suddenly said as they took another turn. "It´s far too easy to get this close." All of them pulled out their Seraph blades, even Clary which earned her another glare from Alec. Now that the Shadowhunter had pointed it out she noticed how unwelcome the very aura of the place was, making every hair on her skin stand up.

"His protective wards must be down," Jace deduced.

"You…" Alec turned towards Clary, "Don´t get in the way." The sound of a man grunting made them all turn around and what they saw made Clary´s heart grow cold. There was another man, wearing a black suit and a cold smile who slowly strode toward his defenceless victim. He raised his blade and without a warning he drove it down, cutting the other man right open. One last gasp and then the man fell down the crates until he laid lifeless on the ground, his blood slowly turning the ground around him red.

"Oh God!" Clary exclaimed. "Valentine found Magnus." That seemed to break the spell, all of them suddenly rushing forward. Isabelle and Jace turned left, while Alec vanished somewhere in the hallways and Clary made her way straight towards where the man – the Warlock from the gills at the side of his neck – was laying on the ground.

"Daddy!" a girl screamed. She ran towards the corpse on the ground. "Daddy!" Clary watched in terror as the Circle member stalked towards the girl kneeling next to her father, raising his blade in order to cleave her head right from her shoulders.

"Watch out!" she shouted as she threw herself at the Shadowhunter. The man stumbled forward but was able to catch himself soon after. He turned around and eyed her with something akin to greed in his cruel eyes. The girl, meanwhile, recognising the danger she was in, ran towards Clary and hid behind her.

"Clary Fairchild." Hearing her name spoken like that vile man made shivers of disgust running down her spine. "Valentine will be so pleased to meet you." He stalked towards her, assured of his own victory as Clary pushed the Warlock girl behind her and stepped backward until their back touched the crates which hindered them from fleeing any further.

In a feebly attempt to protect them, Clary raised her Seraph blade but before it could meet the Circle member´s there was a hissing sound and suddenly Isabelle´s whip slung itself around the Shadowhunter´s arm. The Lightwood scion pulled her whip back, making the man relinquish his hold on his Seraph blade. Before the Circle member could recover, though, Jace was suddenly upon him, having made his way to the level above them. He threw a dagger which sank into the Shadowhunter´s back. With a loud thud, the man´s body fell on the ground right next to the Warlock he had murdered.

"Thanks for that," Clary exhaled.

"Any time," Jace replied cheekily. Clary turned towards the terrified Warlock girl.

"Stick close," she told her. "It´s the safest if we stay together." Seeing that the girl was close to break down in hysterics, Clary took her by the shoulders and locked her gaze with the girl´s. "It´s okay. I won´t leave you alone, I promise." She offered her hand to the girl which it took after a short moment of hesitation.

Then they were on their way.


Magnus meanwhile was defending himself against another Circle member. Using his magic, he tore the shelves off the wall and tried to bury the rouge Shadowhungter underneath it. The man saw it coming, though, and evaded being struck down by the shelves with ease.

"Your magic´s strong, Warlock," the man taunted, "much stronger than that horned weakling I killed this morning."

"Elias?" Magnus gasped and then a primordial rage overtook him. Faster than he thought possible he conjured up lightning and sent one flash after another at the Circle member. The man parried each of Magnus attacks with his Seraph blades, but each time he did he had to take one step backwards, so strong were the attacks Magnus sent at him.

"That was his name," the Shadowhunter grinned. "Well, lucky for us, he sold you out before I too his Warlock mark." Magnus roared in fury and sent out a pure blast of energy at the Circle member. The man, though, ducked away underneath it, and before Magnus knew it he was crowding in his space, a maniac grin on his face.

"Cat´s eyes," he jeered. "Be a nice addition to my collection." He raised his blade and Magnus was already summoning what was left of his magic to block him (even though it would be too late; he would die here and neither Simon nor Raphael would ever know) when he could feel something flying past his head, nearly grazing his cheeks and embedding itself in the Cirlce member´s chest. For a split-second confusion and surprise was mirrored on each of their faces, then the Shadowhunter let out one last wheeze and fell to the ground, dead.

With disgust etched on his face, Magnus stepped around the corpse of the rouge Shadowhunter and walked towards Alec who was standing a few meters away, bow still raised.

"Well done," Magnus complimented the young man, which earned him another blush on that beautiful face.

"It´s nothing," Alec mumbled, then more awkwardly he added: "Who´s Elias?" Magnus face fell.

"A dear friend of mine who I gave the task of getting our people to safety while I tried to gather more information," Magnus replied. "It seems that it costed him his life." Alec looked like he wanted to do something – laying an arm on his shoulder, say something therapeutic – but instead he just stammered: "Oh, uh…we should really…you know, probably get…"

"Right, we should join the party," Magnus finished. They left the room and the corpse of the Circle member behind and made their way through the maze of corridors that functioned as secondary layer of defence for his lair. Magnus led them single-mindedly, knowing that there were still Warlocks and Circle members in the complex. He couldn't let his people be slaughtered like sheep.

"Alec!" They both turned around and saw the others running towards them and with them was…

"Zoe!" Magnus exclaimed relieved. He sank down on the ground right in time for the girl to throw herself at him, hugging him as if her life depended on it. "You´re alright."

"They killed Dad," the girl cried in his shoulder.

"Sssshhh," Magnus mumbled. "You´re safe now. No one´s gonna hurt you." Zoe looked at him with tearstained cheeks and seeing the gratefulness and hope in her eyes made Magnus want to throw up. How could he promise such thing when the Circle had risen again and was actively hunting Warlocks?

"Can you show me what happened?" he asked. Zoe just nodded solemnly. She tapped with her index finger against her temple, a look of concentration on her face. Slowly a tendril of silver smoke coiled around her finger, a thread spun of the finest silver, which she then handed over to Magnus. The older Warlock took a deep breath and allowed Zoe´s memory to settle in his mind.

"You have to join the others, my dear," Magnus told Zoe when he was finished. "This is no place for a little girl." Summoning his magic, he sent a probe towards one of his other safe houses and let out a sigh of relief when it was answered by Anastasia, the Warlock he had instructed to safeguard this particular lair. They weren't compromised. He requested of Anastasia to open a portal and seconds after that it did, right in the middle of the room they were all standing in.

"Go," he ushered Zoe. The Warlock girl looked one last time back him, then to Clary before she walked through the portal. Standing up, Magnus turned towards Clary.

"I saw what you did for Zoe," he began, "you risked your life without hesitation to save a young Warlock child."

"She was just a girl and she was in trouble," Clary replied, apparently uncomfortable with the praise. "I had no choice."

"You always have a choice," Magnus disagreed with her. "You´re not like the others, Clay Fairchild. Most Shadowhunters protect Downworlders out of sense of duty – if they do it all – but you saved young Zoe because of what was inside your heart." He paused for a moment. "And that is what people look up to."

"Magnus, please," Clary pleaded, "I need my memories back." Magnus sighed.

"I can summon the demon, but you must make the demand," he finally conceded. "I have to warn you, though, that retrieving your memories will not be easy."

"I will do what I have to do," Clary replied and Magnus could see some of the strength shine through that the girl would need in the future that was yet to come.

"All right," Magnus said, "but we´re not safe here. This lair´s location has been compromised." He spread his arms. "Hold tight, everyone, we´re about to move." He knew that the Shadowhunters, especially Alec, weren't fond of this mode of transportation, but right now he couldn't care less. He just wanted to be at a safe place, away from any possible danger, so they just had to deal with him transporting them like this.

In a flash of light they all vanished, only the corpses of the Circle members bearing witness to what had occurred in the abandoned ware house.


They appeared in one of the many lofts Magnus possessed all over the City. This one was decorated in green and earth tones, very calming and relaxing, exactly what he needed right now. Taking his company into consideration, though, made Magnus doubt that this state of mind would be of long constancy.

"Ah, much better," he sighed deeply.

"Okay, so how do we summon the memory demon?" Ah, and there it was, the end of his calm and relaxation.

"Are you certain?" he asked again. Dealing with demons was dangerous business and he had seen more than one overconfident person getting literally eaten alive because they had gone into the whole thing unprepared. "Summoning such a powerful demon could be lethal."

"I´ll do anything to save my mother," Clary replied.

"Okay. Pretty boy, get your team ready," Magnus said.

"You know what to do," Jace started, but Magnus interrupted him.

"I´m not talking to you," he admonished the blonde, enjoying the look of confusion on the Shadowhunter´s face. "I´m talking to you." He pointed towards Alec, who began to stutter and blush at him suddenly being the centre of attention.

"Come with me," Magnus ordered Clary and for once the girl did as she was told. Baby steps.

"Everyone wants the Mortal Cup," Magnus started as they walked towards the room where he usually summoned the demons he dealt with. "Don´t trust anyone, especially not the Clave."

"Then why should I trust you?" Clary asked, her voice tinted with suspicion. Magnus, resting his hands on the door handles, turned his face towards her and smiled.

"You shouldn't." Then he pushed the door open and led Clary into the room. "Only trust yourself." He rummaged through his supplies of goods one needed to summon a demon until he found the chalks Clary would need in order to draw the pentagram to summon the memory demon.

"These chalks are beautiful," Clary praised with awe as she opened the lid of the box he had handed her. "What are they for?"

"If a person wants their memories returned, they must draw the pentagram to summon the demon," Magnus explained. With a flourish of his hand a piece of paper appeared in his palm which he handed over to Clary. "You have to draw this on the ground. Take your time, because even the smallest mistake can spell your death." Clary swallowed hard. "I can walk you through, if you like."

"No," Clary shook her head energetically. "I got this."

"As you wish," Magnus complied.


An hour later found Magnus and the Shadowhunters back in his summoning room where a beautifully crafted pentagram now took half of the floor.

"Simon was right," Magnus commented, "your artistry is, indeed, beyond compare."

"I don't know about that," Clary replied.

"Oh, the only other person I´ve known who could draw as well was Michelangelo," Magnus told them, "who was excellent in bed, I might add." He winked at Alec, eliciting a strangled sound from the Shadowhunter.

"Shadowhunter," Magnus turned towards Jace," prepare Clary as best as you can." Jace nodded and then stepped forward.

"Memory demons usually are Greater Demons," he explained, "meaning that they possess intelligence and cunning beyond what Lesser Demons have and powers that come along with it. Their very presence can overwhelm you, which is why we have a rune to negate that effect." He paused, his gaze locking with Clary´s. "That rune will be far more powerful than anything you´ve every faces so far." There was only a short flash of uncertainty before the expression of determination settled back on Clary´s face.

"Do it," she told Jace. The blonde pulled out his Stele and began to sear the rune into Clary´s flesh. The whole room filled with the smell of burning flesh and the girl´s screams, making Magnus turn away in disgust. That Shadowhunters would do that to themselves he just couldn't comprehend. After a short while the smell and the screams finally abated.

"We´re ready," Jace said.

"Okay," Magnus said, taking a deep breath. "Everyone take your rightful place on the pentagram." The Shadowhunters shuffled around until everyone was in their place.

"We must initiate a bond," Magnus continued. "Once this bond is sealed, it must not be broken until the demon retreats." He looked in each of their faces, his own expression conveying the seriousness of the matter. "No matter what happens, we must not let go of each other´s hands." He stretched out his hands, his right one offered to Alec, his left one to Clary who took it with trepidation.

"I will lead the ceremony," Magnus explained, "and you all must do exactly as I say. The demon´s name is Valak and at some point he will ask for payment in exchange for Clary´s memories."

"What do you mean?" Clary asked wide-eyed. "What kind of payment?"

"We will see," Magnus replied. "So, let us begin." He began chanting, feeling the energy level around them rising with each word that left his lips. The lines of the pentagram began to glow, a storm beginning to form within its confinement. Magnus could feel the demon approaching, an oppressing, disgusting cloud of dark energy that became bigger and bigger. Dark smoke rose from the ground, growing denser and denser with each seconds. Forms began to form within the smoke, unrecognisable until they took the shape of a human male.

"You have summoned me," a voice boomed. The last wisps of smoke vanished, the pentagram now inhabited by a man who appeared barely older than Magnus himself. He looked like he was of European descend, white skin, black hair and deep blue eyes and high cheekbones that made him look aristocratic and sophisticated. He wore a silver-grey coat and underneath it a black three-piece suit.

"We have," Magnus replied, his voice steady and even, not betraying any emotions.

"Magnus," Valak smiled predatorily. "Such a pleasure to see you. Do you have another one of these exquisite memories you always use to pay for my favours?"

"No," Magnus retorted, grabbing the hands of Alec and Clary tighter out of fear that they would let go otherwise. "We actually summoned you to demand them back." Valak looked at him as if he wanted to make certain that Magnus wasn't joking, then he threw back his head and let out a roaring laughter.

"What´s so funny?" Clary fumed from beside him. Magnus winced.

"Ah, Clary Fairchild," Valak purred. "It is as if I have known you your whole life. I probably know you better than you know yourself." He grinned. "After all, it is I who holds your real memories while your head is filled with nothing but pale forgeries." He paused, waiting for his words to sink in. "How do you even know who you really are when your whole self is moulded from memories that are not real? Maybe, if Magnus had not stolen what is rightly yours you could have saved your mother."

"I want my memories back," Clary spoke with conviction and strength, only the shaking of her hand in Magnus' betraying her fraying nerves.

"Alright, alright," Valak drawled. "You can have them back, but I want something in return."

"What?" Clary wanted to know.

"Each of you must relinquish a beloved memory of the one you love the most," Valak demanded. "Are you willing to pay my price, Clary Fairchild?" Clary met the demon´s gaze head on and nodded.

"Well, well," the demon purred. "With which of you shall I start?" He stalked on the edge of the pentagram until he stood right in front of Isabelle. "Yours is the first memory I want."

A ghostly white mist detached itself from Isabelle and flew towards the demon´s outstretched hand where it solidified into a cloud. The memory Isabelle held dearest appeared within the mist, a scene of Alec who smiled unguarded at his younger sister.

Then the Valak turned towards Clary, repeating the same procedure, only this time with a memory of her and her mother while they were drawing something.

And then it was Alec´s turn. The boy was unusually pale, his palms sweaty and he looked like he was ready to bolt. Magnus gripped his hand tighter, hoping to prevent that from happening.

It was Jace that appeared in Alec´s memory. Magnus recognised the room he was in as one of the training rooms in the Institute, weapons being displayed all over the walls. The blonde Shadowhunter was wearing nothing but slacks, his skin glistening with sweat, a few strands of hair hanging in his face. He looked at Alec and grinned, his expression completely free of sorrow.

"No, it´s not true!" Alec exclaimed. "The demon deceived me!"

"Oh, my dear boy," Valak jeered. "I have no need to deceive you when the truth is already so painful." He let the memory play forward, the ghost Jace smiling at them with mirth shining in his eyes. "Now they all know, and, oh, how they will despise you. Imagine the disgust he must feel now when he looks at you. All those years of friendship and you were nothing but lusting after him."

"Don´t break the circle!" Magnus shouted, but it was too late. Alec let go of their hands and scrambled backwards, desperately trying to get away from the demon and the memory he displayed to torment the Shadowhunter.

Magnus looked at Alec with horror.

"You broke the circle," Valak whispered. "Oh, you pathetic little boy, so full of self-loathing and denial. It´s quite the exquisite flavour. I would love to take your soul." Then, without any of them having a chance to react, Valak lunged towards Jace and pulled him into the circle with him. "But I think I shall enjoy taking the soul of the one you love the most to Hell more." His mouth was nearly touching Jace´s neck. "We shall have so much fun together."

"Leave him be!" Clary exclaimed, hand gripped tightly around her Seraph blade. Valak just laughed.

"What are you going to do, my little Shadowhunter?" he taunted, "I hold the memories you so covet. Killing me will make them unattainable to you." He grinned at her smugly.

"You miscalculate," Clary replied, "you think that I value my memories more than my friend." Then she dashed forward, plunging her blade right into the demon´s side, until it reached his heart. There was a short flash of confusion on Valak´s face before he let out a blood curling scream as he disintegrated into thousand flakes of gold like demons usually did.

Jace fell to the ground, wheezing, Clary and Isabelle immediately scrambling forward to reach the blonde. They were so occupied with making sure that their friend was okay that none of them was aware of Alec leaving the room, shame weighting down his shoulders heavily.

Only Magnus noticed.


AN: There (probably) won´t be any update before December 15th as I registered myself for a Big Bang in another fandom for which I have yet to start writing.

And no, I didn´t forget Clary telling the others who her father really is, it´s just that with all that was happening in between, it got pushed at the back of her mind. Next chapter will have some talks about that particular topic as well as some Simon and Raphael *winks*