Disclaimer: I do not own the Mortal Instruments series. Everything recognisable belongs to Cassandra Clare.
We are so close to an end to all this madness that I've created the past nine months, and I just want to thank all of you for being such amazing readers. Maybe you don't think that your reviews and PM's mean much, but every single one of you make everything a little bit easier. When I've been completely stuck, with no ideas for what to write next, you've helped with. And I want to thank you for that.
"A trial?" Clary asked confused.
"I know it's a lot to take in, and we'll do everything we can to make sure you're as ready as you can be when that time comes." Luke explained.
"No, that's not.. I'm just shocked they're even letting me have a trial." Clary answered. "What date is this trial set for?" she added, looking at the werewolf with curious eyes.
"Seeing as you are healing faster than we'd expected, four days." Jocelyn told her with a bitter tone attached to her voice.
Clary nodded calmly, sending her mother a reassuring smile.
"Why so soon?" Clary laughed dryly, her lungs aching from the sudden movement.
"Clary.." Jocelyn sat down next to the newly awoken girl, her heart beating faster as she knew what they'd all avoided telling her the past day was brought up to the surface again. "There was a note delivered to the Consul a few days ago, and.. and it was sent to him by your father. A direct treat towards the Consul and it is scaring the rest of the Nephilim, they are afraid of war." Jocelyn explained.
Clary laughed, "That's so typical of him."
"I'm not finished, Clary." Jocelyn placed her hand over her daughter's carefully. She felt her heart skip a beat when Clary let her hand rest on top of her own, not drawing back.
"Okay, tell me. I don't scare easily." Clary smiled, trying to calm her mother.
"The note was delivered with a body." Jocelyn spoke.
"What?" Clary looked towards Luke for some more explanations, "Whose body?"
"I am very sorry, Clary, we've understand that you two must've been close, but the note was delivered with the body of Sister Magdalena." Jocelyn managed to say, watching her daughter's stone cold face.
"Oh, okay." Clary nodded, her voice monotone. Clary looked away, "I think I want to be alone for a moment, is that okay?" Clary smiled, her voice as steady as a mountain.
"Of course, sweetheart." Jocelyn kissed her daughter's forehead lightly, she really didn't want to leave, but she knew protesting would only cause more problems for them all, "If you need anything, you only need to call."
xxxx
It felt like an hour before Luke and her mother had left the Infirmary. Clary's eyes burned fiercely, and angry tears started streaming down her eyes as soon as the door closed behind them.
It hadn't been a dream.
It really hadn't been a dream. Maggie had died protecting Clary, died for her.
Clary felt her ragged breaths burning in her lungs. "Oh god." Clary whispered, getting up from the bed, ignoring the pain that came with every step she took.
"This isn't happening." She whispered, walking over to one of the mirrors, looking at her freshened self. While she'd been her, slowly healing and being safe, Maggie had risked her life every minute she stayed in the manor. She'd basically sacrificed her own life for Clary's.
A loud sob escaped Clary's lips and she had to steady herself on the sink before her.
Everything that had happened the last week came crushing down on Clary all at once. Entering the manor. Killing those men. Being tortured for hours upon hours. Having everything and then losing it in a heartbeat. The trial. Maggie.
Clary looked back up at her own reflection. This wasn't her. Who the hell was she trying to convince. Clary didn't belong here and everybody knew that. She was only fooling herself. Playing with her own mind by believing she could actually fit in a world so normal, so perfect. Clary was destined for something different.
She looked at how her red hair fell so perfectly around her neck, how she'd dressed up in the most normal, mundane clothes there was. If she couldn't even fool herself, how did she expect to make the hundreds of Nephilim in the City of Glass believe her.
Clary grabbed one of the witchlights on the side of sink, the bright flash of light illuminated Clary's features. Making every tear, every red patch of skin ten times more visible.
Clary threw the rock as hard as she could possibly manage, her shoulder burning with the stinging pain of her healing wounds. The mirror shattered into a million tiny pieces across the floor, and it was like a trigger for Clary. She broke down, collapsing onto the cold floor.
She heard someone gasp shocked and turned around.
"I'm so sorry." The tiny voice called out before her.
She wiped her tears and fumbled panicked back up on two feet. "It's fine, I didn't- I didn't mean to break anything." Clary excused herself, but the boy just smiled carefully back at her.
"Sure, I won't tell." He answered, obviously not convinced by Clary's poor attempt to lie.
"What are you doing in here anyway?" She asked, her voice a little bit harsher than she planned.
"I was looking for a.. well.. it doesn't really matter. But I heard you accidentally break the mirror, so I thought I should check it you were hurt." Iwan walked a little closer to Clary, watching her calm down.
"I'm fine and you don't need to worry about me." Clary told him, a sad laugh hanging at her words.
"You don't really look fine." He said honestly, which made Clary laugh.
"Oh? Don't I?" She asked, sitting down on the bed.
"No, but I don't really blame you." Iwan answered, his face growing more concerned.
"Thanks, but you really do not need to worry about me." Clary repeated, meeting the younger boy's eyes. They were the only thing separating him from his older brother.
"Why not? Sometimes there's got to be somebody worrying about you too." Iwan answered, "When my grandpa died, Jace always was there for me, maybe you don't realise it, but you do need someone there for you too." Iwan explained matter-of-factly.
"What happened to you? When did you become so smart?" She laughed, her sadness leaving for just a millisecond.
"I was always smart." Iwan answered a bit offended, but a shy smile tugged at his lips.
"If you say so, Iwan, if you say so."
xxxx
FOUR DAYS LATER
Clary walked inside, wasting no time, just as she had been ordered to. The room was larger than Clary had imagined; the curtains had been drawn before the windows, letting little sunlight inside. She could see shadows moving behind the shimmering yellow veil hanging down. People were gathering outside, probably ready to step inside the Gard to witness Clary get her final sentence.
She sat down in one of the empty chairs at the end of the table. Dressed in black gear, she'd managed to fix the broken, bloodied gear she wore that day. When Jace and the other's had gotten her out. It was nice being in her clothes again. Clary could hear voices grow louder on the other side of the closed door. Isabelle and her brother walked inside the room with poorly hidden grim expressions on their faces.
"My chances are that slim, huh?" Clary laughed, hiding her own dismay.
"We don't know yet, but thinks aren't looking too good for you out there, Clary." Isabelle sighed as she dragged out one of the chairs, sitting down on it with a loud thump.
"Have they ever?" Clary chuckled, grinning back at the girl who seemed to find Clary's joking mood a bit annoying.
"I guess not." Izzy smiled a loop-sided smile as Alec sat down next to her.
"The others had to check out something with the Consul, but they'll be here as soon as possible." Alec reassured Clary.
As if on cue, Jace and Jonathan opened the door, stepping inside the room. They spoke quietly, ignoring the other teens in the room until they had finished talking.
Clary saw Jace cast a worried glance her way, but he brushed it off with a careless grin. Jon on the other side was not too concerned with hiding his feelings. When he sat down on Clary's right, he met her green orbs with a great distress.
"Can you stop acting like this is my last day on earth?" Clary mumbled to the gang as they all sat quietly watching either her, or the moving shadows of the people outside on Angel Square.
"Sorry." Jace mumbled, "We know it's not, but I don't think you understand the seriousness of this whole trial, Clary. You're on trial for a shitload of unforgivable things. You can't just smile and pretend like it's all going to be okay, if the Conclave doesn't figure something out, and we don't have a goddamn backup plan, what are you going to do?"
"I don't know. I never said I didn't take any of this seriously, I just think you worry too much, it's not like they're going to turn me into a Forsaken." Clary laughed, her voice dying slowly out as she watched the pale faces of her friends, "Stop, it's not going to happen!" Clary shouted a bit angry.
"Glad you're such a confident soul, Clarissa." A voice from the other side of the room rang inside the room. Maryse stepped inside first, followed by the rest of the New York Conclave, or that's what Clary thought, before she noticed both Jocelyn and Luke were not with them.
Clary sent an over-the-top cheerful smile in the Lightwood mother's way.
"Always." Clary replied sarcastically.
Before anyone else could either join or continue the conversation, Jonathan asked, "So what's the news?"
"Nothing. We couldn't move the trial back, and Dieudonne wasn't exactly in the right mood for us to be asking for more than that." Stephen sighed.
"Oh." Jon sounded sad, "And, where's mom and Luke?"
Celine walked over to Clary's brother with a motherly look covering her beautiful face. She was the only female Shadowhunter in the room wearing her hair down, the rest of them, Isabelle, Maryse and Clary, had tightened their long hair up into high ponytails.
"They are following protocol; family is not allowed to be in contact with the accused until after the trial." Celine explained.
"What? Since when?" Jon asked upset.
"Since we tried to push the trial back a few hours." Stephen explained bitterly.
"That's bullshit!" Jon exclaimed, followed by a few muttering voices of people agreeing with him.
"Yes, but I think you should do as Dieudonne is requesting, we wouldn't want to cause any other reasons as for why he would not acquit Clary." Celine smiled back in her constant, calm voice.
Jon pushed his chair back with twice the force the action really needed, getting up, but showing everyone in the room just how reluctant he was. Clary felt like smiling, and if the air around her hadn't been so tense, she would've. But as for now, she just stood up, following Jon towards the door.
"Can I speak with you for just a few seconds?" She asked, sending Stephen a glance, wanting him to confirm her question. And he did, nodding briefly.
Clary took her brother's hand, guiding him outside. "I just wanted to tell you, I'm not making a joke out of this. I know how serious everything is, and that the odds aren't exactly in my favour at the moment, but please, I want you to know, I do have a backup plan." She smiled at him.
"And what is that?" He asked, more curious than accusing.
"I can't say, let's have it be a backup plan, okay?" Clary touched his arm gently.
Jon seemed to be deep inside his own head for a moment, but his eyes slowly found hers, and he nodded. "Just be careful." He whispered before pulling her into a warm hug. His strong arms closing around her neck painstakingly softly.
"I promise." She replied, her voice barely above a breath.
xxxx
Back inside the room, everyone had found a seat, and they were speaking with each other again. Clary closed the door behind her, letting out a forced exhale, letting them know she entered the room.
"Good, you're back." Stephen said, "We need to go over a few rules with you." He added, seemingly taking the role of leader of the meeting.
"What rules? I thought we had already gone through all the rules in the whole damn Covenant." Clary muttered irritated as she found her own seat.
"We have." Maryse confirmed.
"So what can there possibly be left to discuss?" Clary snapped vexed.
"Your attitude." Jace was the one who answered, biting his lip to hide an amused smirk.
Clary's expression grew darker, "My what?" she had heard them of course, but she really hoped it had been a joke.
"There is no secret you have a few problems with your temperament, and it is understandable if you want to speak up against the people at your trial later, Clary, but we really cannot afford it." Celine explained, "You need to let them explain things the way they see it, answer the questions they ask without making it sound like you're about to kill someone and try to remain calm throughout the whole meeting." Jace's mother smiled warmly at her as if she'd just explained how to get from A to B with the underground. Clary had noticed Celine had this effect on people, she never appeared angry. Even when Clary had been at her worst, she'd acted calmly.
"Yeah, if you say so. I'm not going to threaten to kill anyone." Clary agreed.
"I'm not saying we think you're goi-" Celine began, but Clary brushed her off with a laugh, "I know, I was only joking."
xxxx
The room emptied after a few hours. Clary had to be alone when they escorted her to the meeting room. Even though Clary usually didn't mind being alone, sitting there like she was awaiting her death sentence wasn't exactly the way she wanted to spend her last hours as a free individual.
Because, even as optimistic as Clary tried to appear, there were nothing in this world she could do. No backup plan, no help, and certainly no chances of Clary getting out of this without some sort of punishment.
If they didn't kill her, or worse, made her a Forsaken, they were going to send her somewhere. The Silent City really didn't sound very comforting.
Clary rested her elbows on the wooden table top and rubbed her hands over her face, resting her head carefully in a pair of shaking hands.
Clary remembered the cold, dark cell she'd spent a night inside. She didn't like admitting to be scared, but the emptiness and complete darkness of the lower floor in the Silent City, it would scare even the bravest.
"Hey." Someone called out to Clary, and she heard his footsteps sweep over the floor. Clary lifted her head, meeting the gentle gold eyes belonging to Jace.
"I thought you had to leave?" Clary asked bemused, shifting her position in the chair to face him.
"I do, I have." He smiled, sitting down next to her.
"I feel like there's a 'but' in there?" Clary replied with a hint of a smile playing on her lips.
"But, I think some rules are made to be broken." Jace answered, "How are you?" he asked before Clary could answer him.
"I'm fine." She smiled.
"You don't seem fine." Jace told her with low voice.
"I don't? How do I seem then?" Clary asked a bit too harsh.
Jace noticed her changing voice, but like he'd always done whenever Clary started to shut him off, he continued like he didn't have time for her stupidity.
"You seem like someone who's given up a fight that's barely begun." Jace answered, reaching out for Clary's cheek, making her look up at him.
"And you're not a quitter." He added, gold sparkling in his eyes.
"Maybe I've just realised it's for the best." Clary replied, receiving a glare from the boy next to her.
"Well it's not!" Jace raised his voice, as if he tried to make the words hit Clary physically.
"I said 'maybe'." Clary told him with an indifferent voice.
"What happened to you?" He asked accusingly, meeting Clary angry green eyes.
"Nothing, I just don't want to fight for something that's obviously already lost. It's stupid and humiliating. Do you know how many people are going to be there? Ready to watch me go down?" Clary threw the questions at him, her eyes never leaving his, watching all the emotions running through him. Jace closed his eyes for a second, shaking his head in an answer.
"If you were in my shoes, would you really still be fighting?" Clary added.
"Yes, I would. Because, Clary, there are still things worth fighting for." His words hit her with the force of a small truck.
"Like wha-"
Before Clary could even finish her question, his lips were on hers. Hard. Like he wanted to prove a point. They were worth fighting for.
Clary closed her eyes, and whatever shreds of anger Clary had showed him a few seconds ago had now disappeared into thin air. She fell into his kiss like he was her only life source, craving his touch, feeling her skin burn under his cold fingers. He too must have felt the change in Clary, as he wrapped his arms frantically around her waist, pulling her hard against him, closing the space between their bodies. His lips never leaving hers. Clary let out a gasp as her back hit the wall behind them, and her head turned clear.
"Stop." She whispered out of breath, and he did. She could see the still burning fire in his eyes, the lust of continuing whatever they were about to do, but he had stopped.
"I can't do this!" Clary exhaled.
"What do you mean?" he asked confused, his words rolling off his tongue so fast, they sounding more like, "Whayumean?" than a real question.
"Us, I can't do this anymore, Jace." She whispered back at him, her back gliding down the wall.
Jace watched her with intense eyes, "You can't do this?"
"Exactly, I am about to be stripped of all my marks, possibly even Forsakened, who knows, and what am I doing? You!" Clary hissed at him from where she was sitting.
"Well," Jace sat down next to her with a sly grin playing on his mouth, "Technically you've not-" Clary sent him a warning glare, resulting in a quick smile shooting her way.
"Jace, stop making jokes about everything I'm saying!" She dragged her fingers through her hair nervously.
"Okay, sorry." He whispered, "I just think what you're saying is stupid." He added honestly.
"It's not stupid, it's reality." Clary uttered, "How big of a chance do you think I have of walking out after that trial without having my hands behind my back, escorted to the nearest cell?" she looked up at him, sitting on his knees before her.
Jace avoided her gaze, his light brown, crossing to gold eyes flickering down to the cold floor. Clary let him stay that way, waiting for him to look back up at her.
"Exactly." She replied.
She closed her eyes, listening to Jace's quiet, but strong breath. She could feel his eyes lingering on her, but she didn't dare open her eyes to meet his. Not now. Not when she knew what she was about to tell him.
"Clary." He said.
"Mhm.." her green eyes met him, and his golden eyes spoke every word she'd wanted him not to say out loud.
"I have to." She whispered, "There's no point in holding on."
"So you're going to break up with me?" Clary could see the bitter smile on his lips, like he didn't really want to smile, but couldn't stop himself.
"You make it sound like I want to…" Clary replied, resting her head on her knees.
"Do you?" he asked quickly.
"No." Clary protested.
"So why are you doing it?" His voice sounded hurt, like he wanted to keep on speaking, but his emotions stopped him from continuing.
"Because," Clary paused, trying to come up with the right words, "I've told you before; I'm not good for you, and you deserve a thousand times better." Clary smiled sad smile.
"I see." Jace shook his head, "Last time you told me that, it was because you thought you would always be the enemy, and you're not, not anymore." Jace begged her to stop making up excuses.
A short laugh escaped her lips, "Not the enemy?" Clary asked sarcastically, "I am on trial for being the goddamn enemy; I am nothing but the enemy!" She raised her voice for him to understand her.
She saw his eyes sharpen, like he wanted to snap back at her, but somewhere in his eyes swam the truth, he knew she was right.
"You should go." Clary smiled, pulling herself back up to her feet.
"Yeah, you're right." He answered monotonous as he met her green eyes one last time. Jace got up too, walking towards the door. He stopped himself before he left, turning to look at her. "I don't want this, Clary." His voice shook.
Clary could feel her tears press on from behind her eyes, "Me neither." She replied.
"And, I don't want there to be any bad blood between us, you know, if this actually works out." He smiled cheekily, one last glimpse of Jace's careless act.
Despite herself, Clary laughed. "It won't." She didn't really know what she answered, they would be fine, or it wouldn't work out? Probably both.
Jace left. An empty feeling lingering in the air.
'No bad blood.' Clary turned around, "OH MY GOD!"
xxxx
Jace sat with Alec and Isabelle on either side of him. He watched Jocelyn, Luke and Jon at the other side of the room; they had entered the room a few minutes before them, so there were no seats left where they were sitting.
"You okay?" Isabelle whispered as she puffed his shoulder carefully.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Jace replied with a fake smile.
"Hey, what happened in there?" Alec asked, joining the conversation.
"Nothing, it was nothing." He lied.
"You're such a terrible liar, Jace." Isabelle sighed.
"I am not. I've told a bunch of great lies, people believe my lies all the time." He answered, meeting Izzy's dark eyes.
She smiled, "Yeah, but we're your best friends. You can't lie to us."
"No, everything about you is screaming 'I'm lying guys, please help.'" Alec replied, sending his parabatai a weak smile.
"Fine, I don't know what happened. I kissed her, and, well, she kind of ended everything." He blurted out, turning a shade of pink.
"Clary?" Alec asked.
"No, the other girl I've been seeing, yes of course it was Clary." Jace snapped, looking at his parabatai with a frustrated gaze.
"Okay, sorry, just making sure." Alec replied innocently, biting his lip.
"Why?" Isabelle asked Jace, tightening her high ponytail.
"Because she thinks she's going to die." Jace laughed coldly.
"She's probably just scared, Jace, just let the trial pass, and talk to her." Izzy smiled reassuringly.
"Mhm.." Jace nodded, but his eyes were fixed on the floor before them, or rather on the redheaded girl stepping out before everyone. Her head held high, like she couldn't see any of them, or didn't want to see them.
Clary was escorted to a chair in the middle of the room and asked harshly to sit down, which she did, her eyes meeting the guard with the same abhor she'd shown towards them back before she got to know them.
Come on Clary, don't make things harder for yourself than they already are.
He felt Isabelle's hand close over his, squeezing it gently. "She's going to be okay." She whispered, not only to him, but to herself as well.
xxxx
Jocelyn sat watching her daughter with horror smeared across her face . She looked so calm, like she had the Inquisitor and Consul twisted around her little finger. Something she absolutely did not have.
"Clarissa Adele Morgenstern." the voice of Dieudonne rang through the Gard's Council Hall.
Clary looked up, her eyes meeting the man's. She didn't show any emotions, only raising her head a few inches, so she looked right at him.
There was a long pause, or at least Jocelyn felt like it was. She looked around the room. It was full of people, Shadowhunters from all around the world. Enclave representatives. Everyone gathering to watch Clary, Valentine Morgenstern's daughter, get the final rightful sentence they'd all wanted for such a long time. If they couldn't get the father, the daughter had to be the second best.
Jocelyn felt her hands tighten into fists, her nails dug into her cold skin. "God, I hate this." She whispered. Luke, sitting next to her, took her hand in his, nodding in agreement.
"You are brought before the Clave today for these following crimes; assisting in Valentine Morgenstern's plans of stealing the three Mortal Instruments, the Sword, the Cup and the Mirror, as well as killing a fellow Nephilim, Isaac Ashwood." Jocelyn saw Clary shift in her chair, annoyance shining bright in her green eyes as Dieudonne listed her crimes.
"You have also, as told from our sources, killed two Nephilim with the names," The Consul looked down at his papers, "Brian Crowstone and Jeremy Stark."
"You escaped the Silent City while you were under arrest, resulting in five dead Silent Brothers, as well as a robbery of the Mortal Sword."
Jocelyn looked away; she couldn't take it, hearing the crimes of her daughter like that. They were taken out of context, looked at from the view of someone wanting her locked behind bars.
"Don't say anything." Luke whispered, "Not yet."
Jocelyn nodded angry, "If they continue like this, I can't promise anything."
"Do you want to deny any of these allegations, Clarissa?" Imogen asked from where she was sitting, next to the Consul.
Clary looked up at the Herondale woman, avoiding everyone else in the room, "No." she replied unruffled.
"Good, then I think we can continue the trial. This will be a trial like any other," the Consul told them, "You can request a chance to speak up for or against the accused, and the accused will get a chance to explain herself if she wishes to do so." Imogen nodded as she listened to the man's words.
"This trial will be run by the Consul, Malachi Dieudonne, as highest appointed official of the Clave, I, Imogen Herondale, as his assistant, Jia Penhallow and Arthur Wayland will also assist in the final verdict of the trial of Clarissa Adele Morgenstern." Imogen Herondale explained, her voice ringing through the whole Council Hall.
"Seeing as the accused has already confessed to being guilty of the crimes listed earlier, I believe we can move forward to the outcome of her crimes." Dieudonne said, "Any suggestions?"
A man stood up, awaiting a sign indicating he was allowed to speak.
"A normal punishment would be removing of marks and imprisonment." He explained.
"You are right, that would be the standard punishment." Dieudonne replied with a nod, "but we have already witnessed that a imprisoning will not keep Miss Morgenstern behind bars." He finished, mumbling voices following his words.
Another man stood up, Tomas Rosales, delegate from the Mexico City Enclave. "But the only other option we would have would be stripping her marks and turning her Forsaken." He said.
Jocelyn watched her daughter's head follow the man's voice, her anger turned towards him. Jocelyn was about to stand up next, to speak up for Clary, but stopped. Clary had moved out of her chair, standing before the dozens of people sitting before her.
"I want to say something." Clary's strong voice echoed in the walls.
"Please sit down, Morgenstern." Dieudonne motioned for the guards to force her back in her seat. "You will get your chance to speak, but you will have to wait."
"Until you've already decided my faith?" Clary asked sharply.
Jocelyn covered her mouth with her hand, "Oh god, she's not doing what I think she's doing?" she whispered scared. If Clary managed to anger the Consul, she could just dream of ever getting out of this alive.
"We'll see, just wait until you are told to speak." Imogen explained.
Clary laughed, "I just want to explain something." She said.
The room was quiet for a moment, the four people representing the Council speaking with each other in hushed voices.
"Fine, you can speak, Clarissa." Jia Penhallow nodded.
Clary looked around the room, her eyes sweeping across the people sitting around her. Jocelyn noticed Clary's green eyes lingering on the boy sitting between the two Lightwood children.
"My father always told me," Clary said loudly for everyone to hear her, "That I had to be careful when I walked outside the manor, because the Clave would not hesitate to kill me, I was under constant protection because my life was threatened every minute of every day. I have a question for you Consul Dieudonne," Clary told them, "Is it not true that you called for a 'kill on sight' for every remaining Circle member on September 15th 2005?" Clary asked with a barely hidden smirk on her lips.
The Consul met Clary's eyes, his anger matching hers.
"You are not here to ask questions Morgenstern! We are." Imogen told Clary harshly.
"I think I have the right to ask such a simple question, Inquisitor Herondale." Clary stated.
"Yes. That is true." The Consul answered harshly, "Why would that be important in this case?" he asked her.
"Because I don't think you can deny the fact that every death I have caused has been the life of a Circle member." Clary explained fast, before anyone could stop her, "Which means I have not really done anything wrong, seeing as you already wanted these men dead." Clary's dark smirk tugged at her lips.
"I also think it would we very comical if you decided to kill me for escaping the Silent City, not only did I help improve your security, but you had the chance to punish me for that crime months ago, and you chose to lock me up in the New York Institute."
"Do you seriously believe you can excuse yourself with that, Miss Morgenstern?" The Consul asked with a cold laughter in his voice.
"I don't see why I can't?"
"Even if you could, there are plenty of accusations that go against the laws of the Nephilim." Dieudonne told the red-haired girl sitting before him.
"I am not stupid, Mr. Consul." Clary laughed, "I am not trying to excuse myself. I have been a part of everything you listed earlier; I just don't see how you can kill me for doing them. They are not exactly deadly sins." Clary ignored every other Shadowhunter, looking directly at the leader of the meeting.
"Did you know," Clary focused on Dieudonne again, "That the only proven way wards can be taken down is through the use of demon blood from the inside of its protected boundary?" Clary asked the Consul.
"What are you talking about?" Imogen asked.
"I was locked up in the New York Institute for almost three months, and none of you ever thought about checking my blood. You never thought I might have been lying?" A grin spread across Clary's face, "You blindly believed the daughter of your most wanted criminal to tell the truth, that, Mr Consul, is stupid." Clary exhaled, watching all the loud voices that followed her speech.
Jocelyn, just as shocked as the rest of the Council members, watched her daughter with a mouth agape. Was she saying what Jocelyn thought she was saying? Had Valentine not injected demon blood into her daughter's veins?
Clary kept quiet, her green eyes masking any and all her emotions.
"Are you, Miss Morgenstern, trying to tell us you have been lying to the Clave and to the people of the New York Institute this whole time?" her voice suddenly angry, Imogen asked the question. If there was one thing no one in the Council Hall liked, it was being tricked, made to look like fools.
xxxx
"Yes." Clary looked at the Herondale grandmother, seeing the same anger she'd felt the day Imogen had interrogated her those months ago.
"I didn't have a reason to tell you the truth. If I couldn't guarantee my own safety while you were still afraid of what I was, how could I have survived while the Clave knew I was merely like you?" Clary asked.
Clary had never had a problem with lying. Truth was, she'd not even lied to them. Not directly. Clary had believed just as much as they had that she was born evil. That there was a certain amount of demon blood running in her veins. But she was not going to tell them she'd been tricked, just like them. That her father had used her powers for his own benefits, ignoring her wishes, using her like she was his own personal marionette.
"This is of course not something we will take your word for, Morgenstern." Dieudonne told her harshly, and Clary felt the urge to smile at him. It wasn't like Clary had thought they would.
"We could check it." Clary heard someone state loudly. She looked over to see who it had been, but the person the voice belonged to had become lost in a crowd of people.
She noticed someone familiar in the corner of her eyes, someone who shouldn't be here. The man met Clary's eyes, pressed a finger to his smirking lips and kept walking. Panic rose inside Clary, she wanted to go after him, but she couldn't be sure he was even real.
"A very good idea, my friend." Dieudonne replied, "Someone check her!" he yelled, and two of the guards stepped forward, taking hold of Clary's wrists.
"We're not going to hurt you, Clarissa, but this is the only procedure available at the moment." Jia Penhallow explained, more to calm down the people on the other side of the room.
"I know." Clary replied harshly.
"Good, then this won't be a problem." One of the guards drew his knife, cutting up Clary's palm. Clary looked over at Jocelyn, watching her mother close her eyes to keep form calling out.
The other person held out his stele and drew a rune on Clary's pale skin. The rune burned hot and she smiled from the calming effect it had on her.
"Seems like this is your lucky day." The one holding the stele told her as the other man yelled out "CLEAN."
Clary smirked as she saw the confused and shocked faces of the people around her, but most of all, the red, angry face of the Consul. "Ain't that the truth." Clary whispered back as she met Dieudonne's cold stare.
The four people before Clary started talking quietly with each other, casting short glances towards Clary from time to time. As they did, Clary noticed someone in the crowed again, a short man with blond hair. He looked right at Clary, eyes so cold she couldn't stare back at him. She was imagining them; there was no way any of her father's men could get inside the Council's Hall.
After what felt like half an hour, Jia Penhallow turned towards the other Nephilim in the room.
"Those in favour of forcefully taking the accused's marks, causing a transformation that will be fatal in the end, please raise your hand." Jia Penhallow spoke loudly. Clary looked around. Five, ten, fifteen, maybe adding up to thirty. It was hard to tell, the only thing Clary saw, was that it was a lot.
"Those in favour of clearing the accused of all charges, please raise your hand." Clary heard the woman speak, but she didn't dare look up at the people around her. She closed her eyes. In minutes now, she would be getting her final verdict. In minutes, she would know if she would be dead or not tomorrow.
"Then it's settled, the accused is cleared of all charges." Jia Penhallow's voice rang in Clary's ears.
Clary's head snapped up. What had just happened? Clary didn't dare smile, she must've heard wrong.
The guards backed away from Clary, which was another strange thing. The voices around Clary became louder as they neared her, and she felt someone embrace her. Her mother's arms around her in a tight hug, but the warm embrace was short, because someone started to yell.
"THEY'RE HERE!"
Clary looked around, meeting Jace's stare. He'd heard the same thing as her, but none of them had time to react. Something black flew over them, hitting a woman in the chest before it exploded. The woman fell over. Dead.
Demons. There were demons inside Alicante.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SHARE THE LAST CHAPTER OF THIS STORY AND CLARY'S CRAZY RIDE WITH YOU ALL. SEE YOU SOON!