Clary pov.
I went into the living room of the cabin with my luggage and I see Jonathan there waiting for me.
"Ready, Clarissa?" He asked me and I nod. He holds out his arm for me and I take it to wrap both my hands around. He then twists his bracelet and I hear the magic in my ears. I close my eyes and open them again after a second. We are back in the apartment… in the hallway. Jonathan walks with me to my room to put my bags away and then I follow him to his room for his bags. His room is very messy, not organized at all. Maybe I can do that for him when I am bored inside here again. Jonathan walks back towards me and holds my hand. "Ready?" he whispers in my ear and I nod again. He gives me a kiss on my cheek, and we start walking towards the living room. To only meet Valentine. I frown and look around. No one else is in here. Valentine looks up at us and smiles. He smiles?
"Clarissa." He says and gives me full attention. "Come sit down next to me, we are going to study."
"I already did my studying today." I speak up. Jonathan squeezes my hand in his, making me watch my words.
"So? We need to hurry up a bit." Valentine explains. "We are behind schedule." I look up at Jonathan slowly and he gives me a small nod. I walk over and wanted to sit across from Valentine, but he stops me. "Come sit down over here." And he gestures for me to sit on the chair next to him. I just nod and sit down on that chair next to him. There are a few books on the dining table in front of us, but I do not feel comfortable enough to focus on them yet. What is going on? "Jonathan, please sit down to study The Mortal Cup for me please." Valentine tells Jonathan. I know my brother has studied numerous times about the cup, he knows everything about it. But still he does not protest.
"Of course, father." He nods and bows his head a bit submissive. I frown and Jonathan sits down across from me. He grabs the books and starts reading.
"Clarissa." Valentine says and I turn around. "What do you want to study today?" I frown even more. What is this?!
"Hold on." I say and Jonathan looks up at me. "What is all this about?" I ask Valentine and I feel Jonathan kicking me under the table.
"What do you mean?" Valentine asks me.
"I thought we had to come back to meet someone?" I ask and look straight in his eyes. "You are acting off." Valentine laughs. He seriously laughs. I look back at Jonathan and I see in his eyes that he also does not know what is going on. Then I look back at Valentine and frown.
"Oh, dear Clarissa…" He laughs. "You will meet this person in a few minutes, now please chose a book." I grab a random book and throw it right in front of him. Jonathan kicks me again from under the table without looking up from his book. "Ah, The Silent Brothers." Valentine says to me and I just nod. "I will read for you and then I will ask you questions." I nod again and try to focus. I stare at the dark wood table while Valentine is reading for me. What is going on? Why is he acting so weird? Am I dreaming? I hear the floor creak in the hallway and I slightly look up at Jonathan and he looks up at me too. His eyes are telling me not to worry. Then the sound went away, and I heard a door open and close. A bedroom door… Jonathan touches my legs with his feet and gesturing for me to listen to Valentine, so I do. "Did you listen, Clarissa?" Valentine asks me and I nod. "Who was the founder?" he asks me.
"David the Silent." I answer. What he doesn't know is that Jonathan already taught me this.
"Where do they live?" He asks.
"The Silent City." I answer while I keep staring at the table and keeping my ears open for any new sounds.
"I do hope you are teaching her well?" I hear a very familiar voice speak up. I look up and see it is her. It is mom… I feel my mouth open a little bit while I stare at my mother. Her red hair is wet as if she had just taken a shower, she is wearing some black leggings and a black sweater. Her sleeves are rolled up and show some runes. Mom is smiling softly and caring at us, then she lays her eyes on me. Something in her eyes change but she quickly looks away towards Valentine.
"Of course, I do my love." Valentine next to me answers. Mom smiles lovingly at him. I look at Jonathan in front of me and see he has not taken one glance at our mother. He is just staring at me. I slowly look back at my mom again and she is walking over towards us. I swallow and straighten my back. She looks back at me and I look back down. Is she disappointed? What is going on? I feel her soft fingers under my chin, and she raises my chin so that I have to look at her. I see her studying my eyes and then my hair.
"You look…. Good." She smiles but I see she does not mean it fully. She let go of my chin and sits down next to Jonathan which makes him stand up immediately and sit down on the couch with his book. He seems upset. Suddenly I remember what he had explained to me about our anger issues. He needs to calm down quick. I stand up, grab the book from Valentine's hands and sit down next to Jonathan. Pretending to be reading, I wrap my arm around my brother's and hold up my book before my face.
"Relax." I whisper as softly as possible. He nods at me and slowly I feel his muscles relax. I look up slightly to see mom sitting in front of Valentine and they are talking and laughing. I frown and look inside my book again.
"Want to leave the room?" Valentine asks harder and Jonathan looks up right away.
"Please, father." He answers and Valentine nods. Jonathan stands up and walks off. He waits in the doorframe and looks back at me. Waving for me to come. I look back at my mother who gives me a smile and a wink. I stand up as well and follow Jonathan to his room. I close the door and when I turn around Jonathan is throwing his chair at the wall.
"Hey, stop it." I speak up but Jonathan does not look up or listen. His eyes are sparking with anger. He grabs his nightstand and throws it against the wall too. I walk up to him and grab his hands. "Hey, hey, it's okay." I tell him softly. He looks up at my eyes with fire in his eyes and I see he is about to push me away. I squeeze my eyes shut quickly preparing for the pain of me being pushed into the wall. Then he suddenly stops. I open my eyes and see two dark eyes full of regret. "You were about to…" push me. I whisper. Jonathan just stares at me with big dark eyes. Then he pulls me against his chest and holds me tightly in his arms.
"I am so sorry." He whispers to me over and over. "I am so, so, so sorry." He whispers again.
"It's fine." I whisper back once but he goes on with repeating. I wrap my arms around him as well and let him have his moment. "Please forgive me, Clarissa." He suddenly says and looks down at me into my eyes. His dark eyes are still full of regret.
"I forgive you." I whisper to him which makes him relax a bit against me.
"Thank you." He whispers back. We stand here for a few minutes until he kisses me on my head and whispers: "God Clarissa, what are you doing with me." Jonathan let go of me and smiles softly at me. I return the smile.
"What happened?" I ask him. He sighs and sits down on his bed. I sit down in front of him and take his hands in mine.
"Jocelyn happened." Jonathan says and I nod. "Acting as if she owns the place, put her spell on father, acting as if she knows me for years." He rants. "Is she always like that?" he asks me, and I shake my head.
"No, that is why I was so shocked." I tell him. "I thought you said mom hated Valentine?" I ask him.
"I thought she did, apparently she is a very easily convinced woman." Jonathan speaks up and I just keep thinking. Nothing about what had happened makes sense in my head. I shrug at him and stroke his knuckles. "If you want to talk to your mother you can go." I shake my head.
"I want to stay with you." I nod and he nods back.
We had relaxed a bit on his bed and eventually I fell asleep, I had just woken up in his bed and I see my brother is not here. I stretch out and stand up to grab myself some breakfast. I reach my hand out towards the doorknob when I hear faint footsteps. Not Jonathan's… Then I take a step back from the door when Valentine is in the doorway. I look up at him and he smiles at me. I am trying my best not to throw up…
"Good morning, Clarissa." Valentine speaks up and I just nod at him. "I just wanted to get you for breakfast." I frown a bit at him.
"You never woke me up for breakfast." I say. "You also don't have too; Jonathan will do that for me." I say while walking past him towards the living room. When I walk in I see my mom at the dinning table. She looks up at me with her bright green eyes and flashes a bright smile at me. I stand still and hear Jonathan's footsteps behind me. I turn around and see my older brother standing behind me. His hair all wet from his shower I suppose. Jonathan then looks past me at our mother and his eyes change a bit harder. I turn around again towards mom and sit down across from her. Jonathan sits down next to me and Valentine sits at the end of the table. Then we all start eating silently and awkwardly. I take a sip of my black coffee and look at my left towards Jonathan who is eating slowly and silent. Then I look up at my mom and see she is enjoying her sandwich that Valentine made for her. What is she doing here? Why is she acting this way? Why is she holding hands with Valentine? Why are they both acting like everything is normal? I put down my coffee and start eating again. I don't get any of this, she is not acting like my mom. But wait… Why did she never tell me about the Shadow world? Why did she lie to me? She lied to me my whole life! Made me believe my father has died. I never knew I had a brother, while she knew all too well I always wanted a brother! I feel my blood pumping through my veins as I think about it more. Why would she lie to me? Her own daughter! She shared every moment together, I told her about everything and I get this back? A life full of lies. I grab my coffee again and take a sip and then I just keep holding it. I am staring down at my cup in my hands while my heart goes harder and harder. I just don't understand, I would NEVER do this to my future daughter. NEVER! Why did she think this was a good idea? To let your own daughter, think her whole life is one big lie? I scoff and I notice six eyes looking up at me. I just keep staring at my cup while I feel their eyes burn into my face. Especially my mother's green eyes.
"What's wrong, Clarissa?" Valentine sighs annoyed already. I look up at Valentine who is rubbing his eyes. What is wrong? What isn't? I put down my cup slowly, put my elbows on the table and lean my chin on my hands. "Come on, just get it out before this escalates." Valentine says and opens his eyes, looking right at me. I turn my face towards my mother in front of me and she is watching me with big green eyes.
"So," I start with a sweet smile at my mom. "Why did you never tell me about all this, mother?" I spat out. Jonathan at my left puts his food down and I see him smirk. I start to smirk along. Let's do this.