Authors Note:
So sorry for updating so late in the day! I was busy this morning and afternoon! But fear not, here is the next chapter! Ahhh! This chapter was so much fun to write! Only two more chapters left! Let me know what you think and leave a review! Thank you for everyone who followed, favorited, and reviewed! Means a lot! Have and awesome week! See ya next Tuesday! :)
Chapter Twenty One
Clary POV:
We got back to the Herondale Manor that night and I was exhausted. The trial took more out of me than I'd like to admit, and I just wanted it to be over. I wanted Jonathan to rot in the City of Bones, and I wanted to start living my life like a normal shadowhunter. Not murderous fathers, no creepy and demented brother. I just wanted to live my life out with Jace, and fight demons, and hopefully continue to populate the Shadow World.
"What are you thinking about?" I heard Jace ask me.
"About what life will be like after this trial is over." I said and he pulled me into him.
"And what does it look like?" He asked.
"It's us, kicking demon ass, and living our lives as normal shadowhunters, protecting the mundanes." I said and he smiled.
"Sounds like a perfect future." Jace said.
"Anything is going to be a perfect future with you." I said and I felt him kiss my head.
"Does this future happen to have little redheads running around the New York Institute?" He asked and I blushed. I was thankful it was dark.
"Possibly." I said and I felt him laugh a little.
"Only possibly?" He asked.
"Well, they could be blonde." I said and he pulled away and looked at me.
"It would be an honor to have your children Clarissa Morgenstern." He said and I scrunched my nose. "What's that look for?" He asked.
"I don't want to be a Morgenstern anymore." I said honestly. "I don't want to be associated with Valentine or Jonathan anymore. I want to put that behind me."
"Okay." He simply said.
"I just wish I knew my mothers maiden name." I said. "I could just go by that."
"Fairchild." We heard and our head wiped around the see Celine standing there. "Her maiden name was Fairchild."
"Clarissa Fairchild." Jace tested it out. "Doesn't sound too horrible." He said and I slapped his arm.
"Gee thanks." I said and he laughed. "Way to make me feel confident in my new name." I said.
"Come on, you're an amazing shadowhunter. It doesn't matter of your last name is Morgenstern, Fairchild, or Bloodstick. You're going to continue to be a brilliant shadowhunter no matter what." Jace said and I simply nodded.
"He's right." Celine said. "Jocelyn was a skilled shadowhunter. Even if Valentine hadn't experimented or tortured you in training, I think you would have always been a talented Shadowhunter."
"I wish I could have met her." I said and Jace wrapped his arms around me even tighter as I rested my head on his shoulder.
"You are so much like her." Celine said as she made her way over to us. "I still can't get past the resemblance." She said with a smile.
"What was she like?" I asked and she smiled.
"She was very independent." Celine said. "Stubborn as a mule, but she had a good head on her shoulders."
"Than why stay with Valentine?" I asked.
"I hate to admit it, but Valentine was very persuasive." She said. "He really had a vision, and he stuck to his guns, and people were so captivated by his plan. It was incredible. He could recruit you with his smile, and his charm."
"So she was just blinded by love?" I asked.
"I think that's the best way to put it." Celine said. "She believed in him so whole heartedly, and up until your brother was born, she was his right hand." Celine said. "She would give speeches, and pitch his plan to any shadowhunter willing to listen. She was good at it. I don't think Valentine would have had nearly as much of a following if it weren't for her."
"Did you and dad ever get roped in?" Jace asked.
"We did." She said as she looked at her hands. "Jocelyn was one of my best friends. Maryse and I believed in her, and if Jocelyn said it was going to be this amazing new world, who were we to not believe her?"
"What happened?" I asked. "Why didn't you stay loyal?"
"I wanted a family." Celine said she looked at Jace and smiled. "Valentine had told us that whatever children we had, we had to surrender to the cause." She explained. "I wasn't about to give up my child for him." She said and I nodded. "Stephan and I told Maryse about this, and we both decided to move to New York. It was in need of a new head, and Maryse was just pregnant with Alec. She could no longer go on hunts, so being the head of a institute was perfect for her." She said. "We tried to convince Jocelyn to come with us, but she wouldn't budge. Maryse and I felt so guilty leaving her behind, but she didn't want to leave Valentine, and we had to do what was best for out family."
"I'm so sorry." I said. "That must have been horrible."
"If I knew what her fate was going to be. I would have tried harder to get her to run away with us." Celine said. "But we did get you out of it." She said and I smiled. "So it wasn't all bad."
"I'm sorry you lost such a great friend." I said and she smiled.
"And I'm sorry you never got to meet what I can only assume would have been one hell of a mother." She said and I smiled. "It's getting late." She said. "I'm going to head to bed. Don't stay up too late."
"Goodnight mom." Jace said and she kissed his forehead.
"Night Jace." She said. "Goodnight Clary." She said as she kissed my forehead as well.
"Goodnight Celine." I said and she walked away but before she left I needed her to know one thing. "Celine." I said and she turned around. "I might not have gotten the chance to have a real mom, but I think I got pretty lucky with you." I said and she smiled.
"I love you kids." She said and I could tell she was fighting back tears.
"We love you too mom." Jace said and she walked out of the room. "You think of her as a mom?" He asked and I smiled.
"I'd like to think so." I said and he kissed me.
"Come on, it's late, I'm tired, and the trial will probably continue tomorrow." He said and I nodded. Instead of letting me get up, he scooped me into his arms and carried me out of the room and up to the bedroom. I rested my head on his chest and closed my eyes. I gained something so wonderful when I escaped that hellhole, and I would forever be grateful for that.
Time Jump – Second Day of Trial
Jace POV:
Today was the second day of the trial, and I was sitting next to Clary in the Accords Hall, her hand tightly in mine, and my free arm wrapped around her shoulder. I refused to let Jonathan intimidate her anymore. She was free of him, and he no longer held any hold over her.
When the doors opened, everyone's attention shifted. Jonathan was being escorted in by four Silent Brothers. He was led to the front where he took the mortal sword in his hands once again, and Robert wasted no time.
"What was the bigger plan your father had?" Robert asked.
"He wanted to recreate the Shadow World." Jonathan said.
"So he didn't want to just take out the Downworlders, he wanted to take out Shadowhunters as well?" Robert asked.
"Yes." Jonathan said. "Why would we want a world with mediocre Shadowhunters when we had the power to make them even better? More lethal?" Jonathon said.
"Mundanes rarely get through ascension. How was Valentine planning on doing it?" Robert asked.
"We had a couple failed test subjects." Jonathan admitted. "But we figured out that if you pumped them with demon blood first, and than put them through the process they make it through." Jonathan said.
"That's impossible." Robert said.
"Haven't you learned by now Robert, nothing is impossible when you have a dream, and the means to fulfill that dream." Jonathan said, and you could tell he was taunting everyone shadowhunter in this room.
"What's going to happen with all the followers that are still out there?" Robert asked.
"They'll go into hiding." Jonathan said. "They know what to do if my father and I were killed or captured." Jonathan said.
"And what is the plan?" Robert asked. Jonathan was holding back, and you could see the mortal sword affecting him. He was trying his hardest not to reveal the plan. "What was the plan Jonathan!?" Robert nearly shouted.
"The abandoned Institute in Russia." Jonathan finally said. "They were to meet at the abandoned Institute in Russia and wait it out."
"Wait what out?" Robert asked.
"For us to make our escape." Jonathan said.
"And how were you planning on escaping?" Robert asked. Jonathon looked out into the crowd of shadowhunters and locked eyes with mine. My head started to pound. I could vaguely hear Clary calling my name but I was in so much pain I couldn't focus on her.
"With me!" I heard and I turned my attention to where the voice came from. There in the Accords Hall stood a demon, but not just any demon, a greater demon. "Come my son." She said. I looked back and Jonathan broke out of his chains and started walking towards the demon, but he stopped next to where Clary and I were standing.
"Ave Atque Vale my dear sister." Jonathan said to Clary before he slit her throat.
"Clary!" I screamed but she was on the floor dead. The love of my life dead. I looked up at Jonathon and he had a smirk on his lips. Fury filed me; Jonathan Morgenstern was going to die. And it was going to be at my hands.
Sneak Peak For Chapter Twenty Two:
"I must be dreaming." I said and she laughed.
"You're awake Jace." She said.
"You died." I said. "Right in front of me. Jonathan slit your throat." I said frantically.