JACE POV

Church laid curled up at the library door and purred when he saw me. Voices echoed in the hallway. I knocked and peeked through the crack of the door.

Maryse looked up "Jace!"

I glanced at Alec and Isabelle and raised a brow "You called me."

Alec looked like he wanted to punch me. He would have but Izzy interrupted "Let's talk outside!"

The door closed with a thud and hands pushed at me.

Isabelle snarled "What the hell were you thinking?"

I straightened myself and kept my face blank "I was thinking we should order Chinese tonight."

She pursed her lips, looking exactly like Maryse "Jace, you went on hunt, alone, and without telling anyone. Without telling Alec."

"I forgot."

She threw a halfhearted glare my way "Be prepared to have answers…"

"Umm…What?"

"Alec knows you went to find out about Valentine."

I paused and my heart skipped a beat "Why does he-"

The door creaked open and a grey-haired woman made her way out.

Her eyes met mine and we stared at each other for a moment. Her frown deepened and she turned towards Maryse "This time the clave will show no mercy. Be prepared."

Maryse's face paled and she nodded, leading the women out.

Isabelle whispered, "That was the inquisitor."

My blood ran cold "What was she doing here?"

Alec stepped in front of me "She thinks that the New York institute has something to do with Valentine's return."

My eyes widened "Why would she think that?"

I knew why.

Isabelle sighed "Our parents were in the Circle and because the word about him being alive has started nearby, they think it has something to do with us."

I rolled my eyes. Right! Logical as ever.

Alec furrowed his brow "We have to prove ourselves innocent and soon or we'll be locked up at the Silent City."

I ran my fingers through my hair. He was not going to like this but I went on anyways "So… I went on hunt, investigated a bit… and I know what to do."

Alec rolled his eyes "Yes and does this have anything to do with finding the warlock girl."

I gawked at him "Yes! No… Yes! Wait. How do you know that?"

"We are not going after the girl Jace! We don't have time to waste."

"Look, the girl is the only lead we have on Valentine, we don't have anything else to do."

Isabelle stepped in "Actually… we do. We can go around the Shadow market and I am sure we'll find someone connected to Valentine."

I shook my head "Yeah lets prove the Clave that we are innocent by associating with criminals. Genius Izzy!"

She narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth to speak when Alec interrupted "We can't all go to the market, that will attract too much attention."

"You are agreeing to this!"

"Yes! Anyways, that is your job Izzy. Jace and I will go on hunt and find what the demons know."

She nodded and sauntered away.

I let out an exasperated sigh "I literally just went out on hunt and do you want to know what the demons said-"

Alec cut me off "What are you not telling me Jace?"

My breathe caught in my throat. Alec was my Parabatai. Keeping things from him wasn't easy but it was required.

I exhaled "A lot with you constantly interrupting me."

His eyes searched mine and he sighed "Why are you obsessing about the girl? You felt her magic, you know she is trouble."

"We are already in trouble. She just might be the key, to get us out of it."

"How sure are you?"

"Completely sure."

Alec rubbed his neck and started walking "You go find her. I have to talk to mom about this."

My footsteps echoed down the street towards Clary's house. I sighed. My secrets were all going to come out. It had never been over. Far from it, actually. I had done a lot of research on Valentine and there was no doubt that his return would cost me. My eyes travelled up the street and the sound of my heart pounding filled my ears as I stepped closer and closer to her. My sister.

There were people gathered around the house. Was I at the right place? I checked the address again. The ringing of sirens was deafening and a burnt smell tickled my nose. The smell of smoke. Smoke. I pushed through the dispersing crowd and the sensor flashed. Demons! There were demons here. My body stiffened and my eyes caught the slug like creatures. No! I shook my head and grabbed my Steele to draw an invisibility rune. I neared the burnt house and heard the police talking to a boy. I paused. It was the mundane from the pandemonium.

The boy's voice cracked "You have to hear me! This is not an accident. Clary called me and she was panicking. She can't be dead!"

Moments went by till I finally realized that he was talking about her. Clary. The conversation went on but all I heard was blurred voices yelling. She was dead? My body remained frozen but my head spun. My hands trembled and my throat closed up. I swallowed and rubbed my face. Focus! I shook my head and stepped inside the charred remains of the house with a seraph blade gripped in my hand.

Darkness surrounded me. I coughed and covered my nose to avoid the stench in the air. My eyes squinted as the witchlight illuminated the house. The sight that greeted me made me swallow my dread. My feet stomped at the singed wood as I searched for anything that would lead us to Valentine. Nothing. I looked around and my eyes caught a scorched… paint brush? I picked it up from the floor and examined it. Sliding it in the pocket of my jeans, I stood up. I rolled my shoulders and walked back out.

Time went by and the streets emptied but my eyes never left the house, or the remains of it. I didn't know Clary but I thought that I would get the chance. She was my sister. And now she was dead. I rolled my eyes. What was I hoping for? A happy family reunion? I scoffed and turned away only to be faced with the sight of the mundane sobbing. I took in another shaky breathe. This was a mess.

Alec paced across the room "A day after being at the pandemonium, she dies."

Isabelle swallowed "So, it is true…"

He shook his head and looked at her "Too convenient to not be. Did you hear something at the Shadow market?"

Isabelle shuddered "I heard something about the girl."

Alec's eyes widened "What about her?"

"She is Valentine's daughter."

Dread filled my chest and I rubbed my hands. How? The word about her was out. What about me? Did they know about me?

Alec's mouth dropped "Valentine's daughter is a Downworlder?"

My heart skipped a beat. I hadn't thought of that. All I knew was that she was being hidden by Jocelyn Fairchild, our mother, Valentine's wife. How could she be a warlock? Did she have a different father? I thought back to the day at the pandemonium. Of how her green eyes widened when she saw the smoke coming out of her hands. My heart froze. Smoke out of her hands!

"Jace…" Isabelle's voice shook me out of my thoughts.

Her concerned gaze met mine.

"Are you okay?"

"She isn't dead!"

Alec halted "What do you mean?"

My knees shook with relief as I paced back and forth "She is a warlock. A weird one, considering her magic. Remember the smoke?"

They both nodded and Isabelle's jaw dropped in realization.

I smirked at her "Well, her house was burnt and there were demons surrounding it. I am guessing that the fire was produced by her which means she was either kidnapped or she ran to save herself."

Alec rubbed his jaw "But… how would we find her?"

I took the paint brush, or whatever it was, out and held it up. "We are going to track her."

"And what if she went willingly and this was to throw us off?"

"I heard her friend talk. She did not go willingly."

Alec and I stared at each other. He sighed in defeat and we turned towards Izzy.

Her lips curled up "Then let's go find ourselves a warlock."