CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: Drevak Demons

RECAP:

-I was twelve. Sitting across from my father, competing against him in a chess game. And he never went easy on me. He always won.

-"Staying with these shadowhunters, gaining their trust and friendship, so they will protect you with their lives."

-He glanced at the ring one last time before looking back at me. "Clary," he said softly. "I think I know how we can find your father."

-The small fragment of light that came through the window reflected off the ring in my hand. The letter M was carved into it. The Morgenstern ring.

-"Drevak? But their-"

"I know," he nodded, cutting me off. "Their servants."

"Where were they?"

"Around that Renwick's warehouse. It was the place the portal took me, from that chapel."

CLARY POV

"What do you mean we can track him?" Maryse's eyebrows formed a frown. "With what?"

Jace looked to me, unsure if he should answer. So instead I spoke up. "With this," I said, holding up the Morgenstern ring, now hanging from a length of thin rope, since I had snapped the chain. "It was my father's," I explained. "It'll work."

Maryse's eyes landed on the ring,. "Why didn't you speak of this before, Clary?" she asked.

Jace seemed to tense slightly beside me. He definitely wasn't going to answer for me this time. Perhaps he was thinking what I was. Maryse had come up with plenty of cover stories before this. Maybe she knew when someone else was telling one.

"I didn't realise I had it with my things," I said, "and when I found it, Jace got the idea that we could track him."

"So... it is Valentine's?" Maryse leaned forward in her chair.

I nodded, "yes."

"Okay, then. I'll notify the Clave," she said.

I took a step towards her desk and set the ring gently down on the wood, feeling it's weight leave my hand. For a moment I thought the ring's touch would burn through the wood. I looked away from it and back up to Maryse. "Shouldn't you be calling Magnus?" I asked. "So he can use a tracking spell?"

"That won't be necessary. We'll be using tracking runes instead."

I felt myself frown. "But I thought Magnus would help."

"He would," Maryse said, "but the Clave is not happy with his involvement in this situation already."

That didn't feel right. Magnus had helped us, me more than anyone, so I assumed he would still play a part in this.

"Okay," I said reluctantly. "When do we start?"

Maryse looked from the paper she had just pulled from a drawer and begun writing on. "Clary," she said, setting her pen down. "You must understand, this is something that the Clave must handle."

"But he's my father," I protested, already hating what was happening as it is. None of it seemed right. I felt twists of pain in my stomach. After all the hurt and pain my father had caused me and my mother, even Jonathan, it felt wrong that I wouldn't be there to fight him at the end.

"Yes, and the rest of the Clave don't know that. They don't even know your here at the Institute," she said, her eyes steady. For someone who can warm and caring some of the time, she did have the high commanding authority around her.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, thinking over what Maryse had said. She was right, the Clave had no idea that I was here. And I didn't know what they would do if they found out. But then again, wouldn't they ask questions about the ring.

"What about the ring?" I asked.

"What do you mean?"

"The Clave, surely they would want to know how you have it," I said.

She smiled at me, which added a little bit of fuel to my anger. "I'll think of something to tell them."

Somewhere in my mind I laughed.

"Come on Clary," I felt Jace's hand of my shoulder.

I nodded, and we both left the library. Once outside, I heard Jace say, "It will work."

"I know, but I should be there."

"Clary," he said as he reached his own hand out to clasp mine. "Let the Clave handle it, just this once."

I looked up at him, searching his eyes. Did he not know how much catching my father would mean to me. "How can you say that?"

"I want to see you safe," he said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. I let Jace put his arms around me and hold me close to him. But none of it seemed right. All of what my father said was making sense now. I was letting other shadowhunters put themselves at risk, just so I could be safe. Isn't that what my father said, that I'm using them? That they will protect me with their lives?

And for what? Just so a little girl can sleep peacefully at night, so she can get her mother back. And what about Jonathan? Were they going to get him as well? I know one thing for sure, catching my father... it's never been this easy.

And I was right. But I can't explain why straight away.

All of us were in the library. Me, Jace, Alec, and Izzy. All waiting. Maryse had left hours ago, and evening was coming. She had called us before to say the Clave had agreed to the plan, and agreed to use tracking runes. Valentine was at our old manor house, just like we thought. But since that call, we haven't heard anything.

The entire time I was aware of my stele in my back pocket. I could easily pretend to be browsing books, head to the back of the library and open a portal. I could join the fight against my father, and help get my mother back.

My hands grazed the cold edge of it and I felt my legs pull my body to stand from my chair. I could do this. Just like I said, pretend to be browsing books. I walked towards the back of the library, out of sight from the others. I was almost there when my hand began to lift the stele from my pocket.

I could already see the rune shaping itself in the air. The stele left my pocket. But that was when someone's phone rang. Perhaps then could have been a good time to leave, when the ringing sounded over the portal.

But I froze when I heard Alec's voice.

"Mum?" he said. So it was his phone ringing. I reached behind me to put my stele back.

But someone else's hand wrapped around mine and slid it into my pocket. I gasped and spun around, shocked that someone was behind me. But it was only Jace, which made me more relieved -a little angry as well since he didn't trust me to walk to step steps away from him- it was him and not one of the others.

He was most likely to understand. But when I met his face, I wasn't so sure. He looked calm, but behind that calmness, he didn't seem to like the idea that I was going to leave.

"Yeah, okay," I heard one side of Alec's conversation.

"Come on," I said quietly to Jace, lacing my fingers through his. As we walked back to the others, I felt his hand squeeze mine and I remembered what Jace wanted. He wanted to keep me safe. And he couldn't do that if I ran off through a portal. That was why he was worried.

But thinking of that, made me think of what my father said again. That I was using them to protect me. If that was true, as much as I didn't want it to be, then they'll all be hurt, Jace most of all. So would it be so bad if I left before that happened?

I looked up as we made our way back, emerging from the columns of books, and met the blue eyes of Alec. "Yeah, yeah. I'll tell her," he said into the phone. "Bye mum."

I watched as he ended the call. Isabelle got up from her nearby seat asking, "what did mum say?"

"They um... they got to the house," Alec said as he rubbed his chin. Any bit of hope I felt in my heart slowly faded. This wasn't right. If they had gotten my father, Alec would've said that straight away. He wouldn't be looking so glum. "And..."

"And what?" I almost snapped and felt Jace's hand squeeze mine again. He was right, I shouldn't be angry at Alec, but it was frustrating not knowing.

"And Valentine wasn't there. Neither was your brother or mother," Alec said. " The house was completely empty. The only thing there was a small horde of Drevak demons."

"But didn't they use the ring to track him?" I asked.

"They did" Alec said. "And it's telling them that Valentine is there. But no one was in sight."

I ran a hand through my hair, trying to avoid getting fingers tangled in my curls. "This makes no sense," I said through clenched teeth. "Why is he doing this?"

"Clary," Jace said as he came towards me. But was he to do? Wrap his arms around me and say everything is going to be okay? He didn't know that. And why should he try to calm me down? My mother was missing with the two psychopaths of my family. I think I had a right to freaking out a little.

"He is playing with everything. Making everyone move to his moves."

"What are you talking about?" Jace said, causing me to realise what I had actually said.

I replayed to words in my head, making everyone move to his moves. "By the angel," I breathed, my voice was quiet. "He's turning everything into a chess game... that son of bi-"

"Clary!" Jace cut me off, not because of my language though. "Tell us what is going on."

"When I was a child, he... he would make me play against him in chess, everyday. I would end up focusing on where he moved a piece and move to that," I said, feeling a rage of realisation flood my mind. "That's what he's doing. He's turning this whole thing into a chess game. And so far, we're losing."

"Life is a game," I heard Jace say, only loud enough that I heard. He met eyes and I nodded gently. I knew he was remembering the day that I got angry with him, how I told him life was a game. It seems like a forever has been between then and now. Somehow, I don't think I believe that anymore.

The only way you survive is by winning, I had said. And only now I said we're losing. This just keeps getting better and better.

"And what does this has to do with anything?" Isabelle piped up. I suppose she did have a point, that this had none.

"I... don't know," I pouted my lips and shrugged.

She sighed and muttered, "oh... great."

I gave up, thinking the same as Izzy, and dumped myself on a nearby chair. Today wasn't the best day, I thought. Maryse and a whole bunch of shadowhunters were scratching their heads, confused about Valentine's whereabouts, no doubt Maryse coping the Clave's anger. And meanwhile, we're here, also confused out of our minds.

Nothing was really running through my mind, just my previous thoughts, over and over again. And that was when Magnus arrived. He walked casually into the library after none of us heard the elevator. I heard Alec quietly explaining to Magnus the current situation, as if speaking about it loudly would make it worse.

"Then I'm sure if this will help or not," Magnus spoke up after Alec had finished. I jerked upright in my seat, feeling a shot of hope. Magnus had always helped, always saved me from slip ups in the past. Please, I thought, Please let Magnus have some genius plan that solves all our problems.

But like he said, I wasn't sure it was going to help or not. Magnus reached a hand into his dark blue coat and pulled out a slip of paper. "But," he continued, "I found this on your front step, with a very angry raven guarding it."

Raven. That time I did jump from my seat, hurrying over to Magnus and snatching it from his grasp. It was an envelope, neatly sealed. There was handwriting on the back that almost made me reluctant to open it. It was my name, written in the familiar writing of Jonathan's. I was sure of it, it was the same writing as the note that Hugin left in my kitchen all those weeks ago.

Finally summoning up the courage, I tore the envelope open, letting the torn pieces of paper fall to the ground as I clutched the letter that was inside. My eyes scanned over the words quickly. It was definitely from my brother.

"What does it say?" Jace said, catching my attention.

I took a deep breath and read over it once more, taking it all in, before I read it aloud.

"'Back to where it began. Mother is here.'" I said and continued, only I left out a certain part, "'Have fun with the the Drevak demons by the way' signed J.C Morgenstern."

Talk about life is a game. Obviously my father was behind the Drevak demons around the manor house. Although I couldn't keep my brain from thinking straight, all I kept seeing were the words that Jonathan wrote, the ones I didn't read to the others.

None of the others seemed to know what he was talking about. 'Back to where it began'. I tried to concentrate. All I thought of was our old manor house. But the Clave were there, it couldn't be. Then there was a church, but would Valentine take my mother there? It seemed irrelevant.

But I was considering this when Jace said, out of nowhere, "Renwick's."

I looked up at him and frowned. "What?"

"Renwicks," he said. "Think Clary. Drevak demons. Back to where it began."

I did think about it. Drevak demons, I had heard it a couple of times. When Jace came back that night from hunting, he said there were hordes of Drevaks near a Renwick's warehouse.

"You mean the warehouse?" I asked.

Jace nodded, "yes."

Renwick. There was something else I knew about that. Suddenly something in my brain clicked. My mother told me, she hardly mentioned it, it was about the circle. They used a place called Renwick s warehouse as a hideaway. And it was in New York.

"Of course," I said. "The circle used the warehouse. It used to belong to a Shadowhunter family."

"Valentine has got to be there," Jace said. "Remember? When I went after Jonathan in the portal, that was where I ended up."

"Well, then," I said. "Lets go."

"Wait," Alec said. "Shouldn't we get more help first. Only five of us against Valentine, Jonathan and no doubt the countless demons they have with them."

"Okay," I said, he had a point. I thought for a moment before looking up at them. "Call Luke, he's bound to have some werewolf friends."

Magnus nodded, "I'll do that."

"The rest of us will get our gear ready then," Isabelle said and they made their way out.

"Clary?" Jace stopped at the door, turning back to me, "coming?"

"Um... yeah," I smiled at him. "I'll catch up in a bit."

I watched as he nodded then disappeared down the corridor. I made my way to the fireplace, still blazing with fire, and unfolded the letter from my brother which had become crumpled under my grasp. I re-read the line that I had skipped over before.

Father says we'll all be a family again soon. You know he's right.

"Clary," I heard Magnus speak up, almost making me jump. I had forgotten he was there. Or maybe it was because he might know what I know. "Everything alright?"

I smiled, even though he couldn't see it with my back to him. "Yeah," I said, "why would you ask?"

"Because I know you," was all he said as he continued to contact Luke. I guess Maryse was wrong before, Magnus still has a part to play.

I glanced down once more at the crumpled paper in my hand. My father knows it. My brother knows it. My mother probably even knows the truth, though she may have hope that I'll make the right choice. But I even I know it as well. What my father says will become true. I'll be a Morgenstern again. A proper one.

Without saying anything to Magnus, I dropped the paper into the fire and headed to my room.

So... Sorry? (slowly dying scared laughter)

Honestly, I have no real reason why this is late. I could blame writer's block, or school exams. But to be honest, I just didn't feel like writing. And this time, I won't say I'll get the next chapter up soon. Cause you know what happened the last couple of times I said that.

Anyway, about the story. I still hoped you liked it even if it was late. And like I said last chp (though you probs don't remember) this story is getting towards it's close. Not too soon, but I have figured out the plan. hehehehe (don't take that evil laugh seriously)

So tell me what you think!

Au revoir! See ya next time!