Here we are for another chapter - hope you enjoy and everyone is doing well during this time of crisis!

I just want to make a note that I have written this story to spread positivity and anyone can PM me if they need someone to talk to 3

Chapter 17…

{Jace's POV}

Soon after Clary had uttered those words to me, her eyes had rolled back into her head and I caught her just before she had hit the floor.

I immediately noticed the amount of blood I could feel on my hands as I scooped her up.

She had hit her head hard on the pillar. It was surprising she had managed to stay awake for that long.

Forgetting about everything else I jogged out of the hall with Clary in my arms and took her to my room.

I knew I had to be the only there when she woke, we needed to talk.

As I was heading down the corridor I was thankful that nobody had seen me leave the room with Clary.

I laid her on the bed, her skin was so cold, so I grabbed a blanket and smoothed it on her.

{Jocelyn's POV}

It was like all the air had been taken out of the room when Clary had admitted to being his prisoner all this time.

It all made sense now.

Her name was Clary because Valentine wanted a warrior.

And with Clarissa that was what he planned.

So it seemed plausible that he wanted a soldier to replace the one we had lost in that fire. So why not give his adopted prisoner the same name.

I must have been off balance, as I felt Luke place his hand on the small of my back for support.

And I could only watch as the Mortal Sword fizzed out of control.

The next thing I knew was that I had been shoved back by an invisible force - as had everyone else.

I was unable to peel my eyes of Maetellarch, as the sword began darkening.

It looked so surreal - even Imogen was stunned into silence.

But the words that began to form on the blade made my breath hitch.

I knew those words.

Those were his words to her.

When Clarissa was born, Valentine used to utter those words to her every day.

He would say to her,

"My darling Clarissa, do not fear, For if you cannot move heaven you will raise hell"

My eyes jumped straight to Clary.

It had to be her.

It was the last piece to the puzzle about Clary.

However, only a creature of demon-blooded origins mixed with the blood of a Morgenstern could have caused this destruction.

I looked up to where Clary and Jace had been before, but they were no longer there.

"SILENCE"

Imogen commanded around the hall.

"We are Nephilim, we must adapt to this new knowledge. Our once greatest enemy continues to walk upon this earth, so I want teams out on a constant basis. I have no doubt Valentine has something big planned. You have your duties - you are all dismissed."

Imogen's voice may have sounded calm and commanding, but I could sense a hint of fear in her underlying tone.

She was afraid, as we all were.

{Stephen's POV}

I remained in the hall as most of the other shadowhunters poured out - returning to their respective duties.

Leaving myself, Celine, Jocelyn, Luke and Maryse and Robert Lightwood in the hall.

I also saw Isabelle, Alec and Jonathan begin to join us in the centre of the room.

We all stood in a circle for what seemed like an age.

Until Jocelyn spoke first,

"We have to find him. I will not allow it to happen again."

She spoke in a bitter voice - I could only imagine how traumatic this must be for her.

"Jocelyn, we will all do everything in our power to assure Valentine's capture."

I responded - seeing others nod their heads in agreement.

"No offence to any of you. But if Valentine has managed to remain unnoticed for 14 years, then how do you propose we find him?"

Surprisingly the voice belonged to Isabelle - she sounded so much like her mother.

Nobody knew how to answer her question at first.

"Because this time there won't be any mercy. We cannot allow this man to live, or he will destroy everything and everyone in his path"

Spoke Luke.

I had always admired Luke, he always spoke the truth, no matter how hard it may be to hear.

And now we needed to face the truth.

The most dangerous man to have ever lived is still among us.

"There's, There's something I did not tell you"

Jocelyn was struggling to speak - silent tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Yes Jocelyn?" questioned Celine.

"You remember Clarissa? Your sister Jonathan" she addressed her son directly, and he nodded back.

"He… he…"

She took a deep breath before continuing her sentence.

"He experimented on Clarissa"

The room suddenly felt eerily quiet.

"Whilst I was pregnant he would inject me with demonic blood. At the time he told me it was just some remedies for the baby. But I know better now."

"Joc-"

"No Luke I need to finish" she cut off her husband.

"The blood belonged to Lilith, and by the time I had realised what had happened Clarissa was already born"

It felt like bile was rising up in my throat.

Experimenting on an unborn baby was disgusting even for Valentine.

But using the blood of Lilith took it too far, injecting demon blood from the mother of all demons into a child. I felt sick to my stomach.

"So you think because Valentine survived, Clarissa survived the fire also?"

Asked Maryse.

Jocelyn nodded, clearly in distress.

"Is this not a good thing? My sister being alive?" Jon stated

Jocelyn shook her head before speaking,

"When Clarissa was born I began to see things in her. Dismissing them at the time - but I later realised what I was really seeing."

"She has powers. The most frightening thing I can recall is looking into her eyes and they had turned black."

I saw Isabelle stiffen slightly beside Alec.

Jocelyn continued in a solemn tone - a mixture of anger, regret and most of all fear.

"Clarissa is alive. May the angel have mercy on our souls"

{Clary's POV}

I opened my eyes and felt a strong throbbing sensation in my head.

Then it all came back, the memories of what I last remembered.

I sat up sharply, my forehead coming into contact with something hard.

"Ow"

Came a voice with dripping sarcasm.

It was Jace's chest.

I looked around and saw I was sitting in a postered bed with plain furniture dotted around the room.

This must be his room.

I shuffled back and leaned against the headboard.

"What am I doing here?"

I demanded.

"Woah, easy tiger. If it weren't for me, I think you would be in the Silent City for what you just did"

So he did think I had done it.

But I had to ask the question I knew we were both contemplating,

"Jace, did you see what I saw?"

I asked in a foriegn voice which sounded small and weak.

His facial expression became one of seriousness,

"You mean, did I see some visions of a smaller version of you calling Valentine your father?"

He stressed on the word 'father', probably trying to see if what he saw was true.

"Then why bring me here. You know who I really am, well half of it, why not have them lock me up?"

He appeared to be considering what I was saying.

"Because, I do not believe that is the whole story."

His voice carried with such understanding, I frowned at it.

"I have seen you do the impossible Clary, you jumped off a 20 story building and disappeared, you drew a portal with a rune, and your eyes"

I paled when he said my eyes.

I was 6 when I first saw my real eyes and I hated them. No matter how hard I had tried to control them, they would appear whenever I was fighting or using my abilities - similar to a warlock mark.

"Jace there is so much you don't know. All of it I can't tell you-"

"-but why Clary? When will you open up?"

I sighed slightly,

"Because if I did you would be repelled by the sight of me. We all have our demons, yours are hidden. But mine walk on the surface of my soul, there for everyone to see when I open up."

I hoped you enjoyed this chapter - and the FIRST real Clace moment between the two.

Keep reviewing - I literally smile so wide and as an author all I want is for people to enjoy themselves reading my work.