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I personally really enjoyed writing this chapter - I hope you guys enjoy reading !
Chapter 21…
{Clary's POV}
"Amatis, what are you doing?"
I hissed at her as I was pulled behind a massive oak tree in the front lawn of the Manor.
She covered my mouth with her hand to silence me.
I didn't make a sound - something was definitely up. This was very unlike Amatis.
When she removed her hand from my mouth I then noticed the panic painted across her face.
"Amatis, what's going on?"
I whispered.
She finally looked into my eyes and I saw something that deeply worried me.
Amatis was scared.
"Clary, you need to go."
I was astounded - what did she mean go?
"No, I just got here. Father summoned me"
I informed her quickly - thinking there must have been some miscommunication.
"Your father is furious, Clary."
"What? Why, I don't understand"
I spoke so quickly I wasn't even sure that the words had even left my mouth.
"Clary he knows"
Amatis responded solemnly - like I was supposed to know what she was talking about.
"Knows what Amatis? I haven't done anything"
"Clary, he knows what you did to Maetarllach, you have made it redundant. When you held it, your demonic origins countered the powers so much that you overpowered all of its effects"
The second Amatis explained I understood, all those times my father had told me about the exceptional sword.
I had always assumed he had been discussing the long lost Morning Star Sword, partner to Glorious.
I had only now realised he had been making reference to the Mortal Sword.
"But, Amatis… I will talk to him, I didn't know how powerful my blood would be. Surely he can see reason in that?"
I noticed how stupid I had sounded the second the words had left my mouth.
Valentine Morgenstern was not one to be reasoned with once he had been pissed off.
"Clary, I love you like a daughter. So you must go. I could not bear to witness the awful things he may force you to endure."
I saw her eyes were brimming with tears, Amatis was the only motherly figure I had ever known.
Ironic how she was here saving me from the fate of my own father.
"Thank you Amatis"
And at that I spun on my heel and walked straight into a man's chest.
"Ah Clarissa, leaving so soon?"
{Jace's POV}
After I had unveiled my trackable stele to everyone, the mood in the room had shifted.
The Nephilim in the room were moving with more purpose.
We had decided to leave at first light.
We decided taking a big team was necessary. This team included,
Robert, Maryse, Stephen, Celine, Myself, Izzy, Alec and Jon.
Jocelyn and Luke had decided it best that them two sat this one out.
We were planning on taking Michael Wayland also, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Better to keep it in the family I thought.
I felt surges of adrenaline surge through my veins whenever I thought of Clary - felt more like shoots of electricity though.
I knew I should despise her for what she just pulled off in the centre of the New York Institute, and as much as I could kill anyone who would lay a hand on Max. She was the exception.
I couldn't stop thinking there was something I was missing from her story.
The whole 'born to be the devil' act didn't sit right with me.
Her whole life she had only had Valentine to nurture her, maybe if we could show her a different path…
When I say 'we' I really meant 'I'.
But I so wanted to believe that she could change, I had never felt this strongly about anything before. It worried me and excited me at the same time - if that were even possible.
"Earth to Jace..."
Alec's voice snapped me out of my reverie.
"Oh, sorry Alec I was just thinking"
"I could tell, you were thinking about her weren't you?"
No matter how hard I tried to hide the truth from Alec, he would always be able to sense when something was wrong.
"I just can't help thinking Alec, what if we could help her? What if we co-"
"Jace stop."
He interrupted me,
"You have to stop. She is Valentine's daughter. And if that's not enough for you then the fact that she has the blood of The Queen of Edom running through her veins"
His words felt like poison burning me, how could he say something like that.
"So you think Jon doesn't deserve a second chance. Or did you forget that he is Valentine's Son?"
Using his own words against him was always a tactic I used in arguments with Alec.
"Jace, that's different and you know it is. Jon had Jocelyn and Luke. And he had us. Clary has only ever known Valentine"
"And you think that she should suffer because of who she grew up with?"
I knew I was fighting a lost battle, but the need to defend Clary shot through me.
"Of course I don't want it to be that way. But Jace surely you can understand the destruction this girl could cause. She has already tarnished one of the Mortal Instruments."
"Alec, she didn't KNOW"
I hadn't realised how angry I had grown until I shouted at Alec.
"How do you know that? How do you know this wasn't her plan all along? To get inside the Institute - pretend to be Valentine's rag doll when she really was his best warrior?"
At my silence, he continued.
"Because that's what happened isn't it? And now she's inside your mind."
I wanted to retort and scream at him that he was wrong.
But everything he had said was right - I had let Clary get inside my head.
"Look Jace, we are parabatai. I don't want to fight, but we have to see eye to eye on this. Going into a mission divided will weaken us."
And there it was - the sensible 'What's best for the mission' Alec.
It had always been this way with Alec - the mission always came first.
I had learned from experience that just agreeing with Alec made sense - even if it made my blood boil.
"Yes Alec I know. I just wish it were different."
"I know you want to see the best in people, but when we are discussing the devil. You can't"
I just nodded in submission - even if it hurt my pride to back down from this argument.
"Let's just get suited up. It will be dawn soon."
"Besides I need to go and talk to Magnus Bane about the portal"
"Uh, I can do that"
Alec replied, with a flush spreading across his face.
"Mmm, ok Lightwood"
I grinned back at him.
{Clary's POV}
I was stunned into silence.
"Dear Amatis, you were always predictable. You think I wouldn't have been able to guess that you were going to warn Clarissa and try to send her away?"
Amatis just glared back at him, I had never seen such defiance in her eyes.
"Valentine, you know that this was not the fault of Clary's. The mortal sword reaction could not have been predicted. Even by you."
She said the last words harshly, damaging my father's most prized possession - his pride.
"I am glad however. I now know where your loyalties truly lie"
His teeth flashed malevolently.
I felt a sudden presence of more Nephilim - me and Amatis were surrounded.
"Leave Amatis out of this father, she has done nothing wrong. I am the one who has wronged you"
I stared directly into his eyes, demanding Amatis' freedom.
"I wish that were the case Clarissa. But you see I have a fun little game planned, I am certain you will enjoy it"
His eyes burned through me, I could feel them boring into my soul. If I even had one.
"Well get on with it then"
I dared him.
"Always the impatient one aren't you daughter."
He said it as a question rather than a statement.
I saw him beckon towards some shadowhunters behind me, and as I felt them grip my upper arms.
I figured I would have been able to fight them off and escape.
But I was no longer just gambling with my life - Amatis.
The light of dawn was just peaking over the edge of Roosevelt Island.
The damaging thought that it was the last sunrise I would ever see crossed my mind, but I brushed it off.
This would not be the last dawn I witnessed - I was Clarissa Morgenstern. It would take much more than my father to get rid of me.
As strong as I sounded in my head I didn't fully believe in those words.
Taking in my surroundings I noticed that we were surrounded by the statues in the backyard of the manor.
I had always hated this place as a child.
I felt someone kick the back of my knees forcing me to collapse to the cold concrete alongside Amatis.
"Let us get started shall we?"
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter !
Very sorry for the cliff-hanger, but I think it adds to the suspense.
Leave a review of what you think ;)