Hey guys,

I know it's been a really long time since I've posted but I went on a week-long vacation and I couldn't edit my story. This isn't an action-packed chapter, just an informational one. The next will be better.

Hope you like it!

Chapter 7: Jace

I want to murder Zara. I want to set her on fire and stab her over and over again. And if I see her in Hell, I'll do it again.

Alec said that it didn't bother him but he's my parabatai - I can tell when something's wrong. He's quiet (he always is, but this is different) and his shoulders are slumped more than they usually are.

Even though I argued, he insisted that we go back to the library. I only hope for Zara's life - Nah, I hope she's there. Then I can strangle her.

To my mixed relief and disappointment, she's not in the room but neither are Izzy or Aline. However, a new figure is chatting with Jon and Seb. He's tall, maybe about my height, and slim. He has glasses and he's constantly flicking his dark brown hair out of the way. I know who this is - it's Simon Lovelace.

The boys turn to us and quiet down. Alec grimaces at being in the center of attention. He's never liked it and probably never will.

The others don't make a move to start up a conversation so I have to do it.

"Where are Aline and Izzy?" I ask.

Seb shrugs. "My dad came by about half an hour ago, saying that the girls went to the Adamant Citadel. They were probably in Clary's studio beforehand."

Simon confirms it. "Yeah. Isabelle came bursting into the room and her first words were, 'That bitch!' It was quite a showing."

We chat for a few minutes until our fathers enter. General Morgenstern, Robert, and Dad walk over.

"The girls should be back soon. In the meantime, we're going to have a...meeting," Valentine says. "There are going to be some adjustments to some things."

I really hope that means that Zara is going home. If not, then I'm jumping into Lake Lyn and won't try to resurface.

"Are you ready to see Ms. Dearborn again?" Dad asks

I clench my fists at the sound of her name. "No, but I don't think I have a choice."

"Perfect answer."

The doors to the library fly open and I roll my eyes, expecting Zara. To my surprise, it's the girls. Clary stalks in first, looking pissed, and Jocelyn looks scared almost. Izzy and Aline are trying to contain their laughter.

"Dad, next time Mom brings me somewhere, make her tell me what the hell will happen!" she exclaims. A few stray giggles erupt from the two other girls behind her.

"Why?" Mr. Morgenstern looks extremely confused.

"Because the Iron Sisters set me on fire!" With that statement, Aline and Izzy's masks break, which lets laughter fill the room.

"What? How? Why?" He looks faintly angry now.

"Why don't we explain what happened at the Citadel during the meeting?" Jocelyn suggests passively but no can miss the earnest desire to escape this whole problem with her daughter alive.

"What meeting?" Clary has had enough at this point. She's ready to explode.

"Clarissa, calm down," her father orders. "It's only to make adjustments and telling stories, according to your mother." His eyes zero in on a sword that's strapped across her back. I can't see much from this point but it has a gold hilt and the adamas is brighter than a seraph blade's. "What is that?"

"We will answer questions later." Jocelyn sends her daughter a stern look before sitting next to her husband.

At last, we're all seated. Zara arrived a few minutes after the girls, to my luck. I really want to know what happened at the Citadel.

I'm in between Alec and Jon with Clary and the other girls - Zara's in her own chair - directly across.

"Let's start the meeting," the general booms. "Ladies, I would appreciate it if you told us your little tale about what occurred at the Adamant Citadel."

Jocelyn starts, "We went for many reasons. There were some rings needed for a mission, the weapons room needed to be restocked, the twins are growing out of their gear, I mean, we had a lot to pick up. But there was one cause, one that was very important. We entered the Citadel, which most women don't do. There, Clary claimed the sword Calohaya."

"Calohaya?" Max asks. I'm kind of glad he asked because I don't know that much and I didn't want to seem like an idiot.

Zara perks up at the mention of the sword. "Calohaya is the Sword of Light. It was gifted to Matthew Fairchild in the early 1900s from an angel. It's the bright counterpart of the Awibada pair. Calohaya is a rapier and very powerful, having five times the power of an aegis. It's like Cortana in the sense that it's insanely powerful and chooses its owners but unlike it, since this is a rapier and was directly from an angel."

Our parents look impressed. "Did you study it at the Scholomance?" Mom asks.

She nods. "We had to memorize all of the weapons like that." She immediately goes back to her obnoxious state. "How did you claim it? It hasn't been claimed since Matthew Fairchild died."

"Clarissa is a Fairchild. She had the ability to be chosen," Jocelyn answers.

"Do we have the ability?" Jon gestures between him and Seb.

"Jon has Phaesphoros, so no, and Seb could've had a chance but the Iron Sisters already confirmed that the rapier's allegiance lies in Clarissa." She pauses and turns to her daughter. "Can you take it out?"

Clary wraps a hand around the golden hilt. She pulls it out and I stare. Calohaya is one of the most beautiful swords I've ever seen. The hilt is pure gold with faerie wings engraved all over. There's only one rune, a bonding rune, on the tip of the blade. An inscription runs down the middle.

"What does it say?" Alec questions.

"'Benedicite lux et tenebrae non differences,'" Clary replies. "'Light and shadows have no differences.'"

Zara is gaping at the sword. "Do you have Dombra?"

Clary nods. She leaves Calohaya resting on her knees while her hands pull out another rapier, a darker one. This sword is just as beautiful.

To my immense shock, the Herondale family symbol, flying birds, circle the black hilt. The same bonding rune on Clary's sword is engraved on the end of this weapon's dark grey blade. An identical inscription runs up the blade.

"The Iron Sisters told me that I'm the carrier of Dombra until it has chosen its new owner." Clary had been previously skirting eye contact with me; she's staring me full force now. "Jace, you're needed at the Silent City so this sword can claim you."

There is no word to describe how stunned I am. "How? Why?"

"Dombra belonged to James Herondale, the parabatai of Matthew Fairchild. He is your great-great-grandfather, which means you have the ability to be chosen. And since you're an only child, I have a feeling you already have been."

"Where did it come from?" I breathe. This experience seems so surreal.

"James's mother was a special type of warlock," a new voice speaks up. A man - excuse me, a sparkle bomb - walks into the firelight. I would've called him a Shadowhunter because of his tall and semi-broad frame had his cat eyes not caught my attention.

"Mr. Bane," General Morgenstern greets, nodding his head. Magnus greets him in return.

So this is Magnus Bane, the High Warlock of New York. I don't know why he's here or how he's here but I'm too entranced in his tale to care.

"Tessa Herondale was half-unmarked Shadowhunter and half-Greater Demon. While in most cases, she would've been a still-born, her mother had been in the ownership of a clockwork angel necklace, which contained part of an angel's soul. This angel was sworn to protect Tessa," Magnus continues. "Tessa married William Herondale and they had two children, even though most warlocks are sterile. James was the first; he was named after Will's parabatai, James Carstairs, who had become a Silent Brother. Next was Lucie, who eventually married Jesse Blackthorn." He pauses. "Because of Tessa's demon heritage, James had the ability to turn into a shadow. It's hard to describe what he did but it freaked people out." Again, he stops. "A few years after James and Matthew became parabatai, they were caught in a freak demon incident that resulted in both of their deaths. Here, I will continue from the second-hand story I heard from Catarina Loss.

"James fell into a pit of darkness, no light anywhere. He stayed there for a good amount of time until a light did appear. This light was held by Azazel, a Prince of Hell. He was leading James's grandfather to him.

"James disliked his grandfather as much as Azazel did. His grandfather was slimy and disgusting, both physically and mentally. Eventually, Azazel sent him away and talked to James. He explained the balance between light and dark and gifted the Shadowhunter a weapon. This weapon is Dombra, the Sword of Darkness.

"As you all must be thinking, that sword is evil," Magnus proceeds. "But it's not. Much to Azazel's dismay, his magic backfired, turning Dombra to the side of good. No one - absolutely no one - knows how or what happened. There are several theories but none of them contain concrete evidence." Magnus looks around the room, his gaze lingering on Alec in particular. "At least one person in this room reminds me of them."

"Who's them?" Clary asks. Her voice is oddly fond which makes me think that they've had business before.

Magnus turns to my fiancée (I love saying that) and smiles. "I knew your ancestors quite well. The Herondales in particular. Will was quite the character and I can't say that Cecily was any different."

"Magnus, stop talking like that. You know it confuses people," Clary warns.

He laughs. "My bad, biscuit. William Herondale is Jace's great-great-great-grandfather and Cecily is his sister who married Gabriel Lightwood."

"What were James and Matthew like?" Zara blurts.

Magnus pretends to stroke his non-existent beard. "James was...very much like his mother. He was quite knowledgeable in the field of literature. Very responsible and kind until there was an, er, incident that caused him to change until he was...fixed if you will." Magnus said the whole description rather slowly, choosing his words carefully. It makes me wonder why. "Matthew was quite the socializer. Most adored him and James was one of the only exceptions. Mr. Fairchild was also very concerned for those around him, including his father Henry Branwell, who needed to be looked after quite a bit. I'm grateful to Matthew for that. Henry was the one who introduced me to glitter after all."

Clary laughs. "Henry needs his own statue, then. The world wouldn't be the same without him. Maybe they should place it in Peru."

Magnus snorts. "That could be arranged." Devious glints of mischief sparkle in his yellow cat eyes.

"What did they look like?" Izzy asks. I roll my eyes because she's most likely wondering if they were hot. Why, Izzy?

"James looked a lot like his father, Will. Unruly black hair, pale skin, usual male Shadowhunter physique. The only odd things were his gold eyes-"

"Like Jace's?" Alec interrupts.

Magnus shakes his head. "No. Two very different shades. James's were a bit brighter and more yellow."

"What about Matthew?" Aline leans forward eagerly, which I find odd. I don't know what interest she would have in a dead man.

"I'm barraged with questions!" the warlock exclaims before sighing. "Matthew didn't look like his parents from a stranger's point of view. He had blond hair and dark green eyes with the same physiology as James. His complexion was a little darker than his parabatai's."

The general stands up and everyone's attention snaps to him with no exceptions - well, Zara doesn't seem to care but that doesn't necessarily mean anything.

"Thank you for those explanations, Mr. Bane, but these violations of the law you claim to have witnessed must be discussed immediately," Valentine says. "If you would please follow me." He, Magnus, Robert, and my father all walk out. I swear, the three of them never go anywhere without each other.

Alec stares at Magnus as the party leaves, still looking at the door even after it closes. I nudge him so he doesn't make a fool of himself.

"Does someone have a crush?" I tease.

He hits the back of my head but a full-on blush crawls up his neck and onto his cheeks. I smirk. Alec can't hide anything from me.

"Magnus totally side-tracked the meeting," Jon says from my right. We turn. "Can't get rid of Zara soon enough."

The three of us glance over at the obnoxious priss in the leather armchair. She looks as aloof as always.

I really wish I could strangle her right now.

"Jace!" my mother calls from beside Jocelyn, who's sitting on the sofa next to the girls.

"Yeah?"

"Come here!" Mom beckons and I begrudgingly oblige. I was so comfortable.

"What's up?" I ask once I'm right in front of her. Both women have to crane their necks to meet my eyes.

"We need to go to the tailor," she states calmly but I don't miss the excited twitch of her fingers.

Why do I need to go to the tai-oh. For the wedding attire. Right. I sigh. "When?"

"After the Silent City. That's first on our priority list," Jocely answers.

Well, that is quite descriptive. "And when are we going to the Silent City?"

"After your father, Robert, and Valentine are done meeting with Mr. Bane and Valentine makes his announcement." Mom squeals, clearly unable to contain her enthusiasm. "I still can't believe my son is getting married so early!"

Jocelyn answers with a squeal of her own. I roll my eyes and walk away, leaving them to their little conversation. I don't need to hear about grandkids right now. I may have a crush on Clary but that doesn't mean I've thought that far already.

Speaking of my fiancée, Clary is currently talking with Izzy and Aline, Calohaya and Dombra in her lap. She looks so beautiful in the dim firelight, her red hair dark but her green eyes bright. The glint of light off Calohaya colors her skin gold. The urge to just go up and kiss her is stronger than ever before.

"Staring at my sister again? Is this becoming a habit for you?" Jon slings an arm over my shoulders in a joking way but his face holds an unspoken threat. Break her heart and I'll break you. I don't think Jon knows of my crush. Alec does but I believe he's the only one.

I chuckle. "You act like no one stares at me. Come on. For the number of stares I receive, I should be able to stare back." I jab him in the side. "Besides, I wasn't staring. I was studying."

Jon scoffs. "Stop lying, Jace."

I put a hand over my heart in mock hurt. "Lying? Who do you mistake me for? Zara?"

We both laugh at that and we laugh even harder when she doesn't even look up. And I said her name loud.

Jon and I continue to tease each other until the men come back. Magnus wasn't with them, so I assume he Portaled his way out.

Valentine coughs and as per usual, everyone's attention snaps to him. I continually argue that the general is a warlock with how magical it is and no one listens.

"I still have my announcement to make," he says. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Zara scowl before standing up and storming out of the room. With that, I know her engagement is being broken off. "As of today, Sebastian and Zara are no longer engaged. Due to her past behavior, the ordeal has been taken into reconsideration and we deemed her unfit to live this lifestyle."

A cry of triumph resounds from the teenagers in the room. It's like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders even though I know that Zara will try to get her revenge.

Sebastian looks visibly relieved and no one can blame him. Zara was a BITCH.

"Now, the meeting is dismissed." Valentine slips back to his office with Robert on his tale, as always. The general lives in that study.

My father approaches me. He claps me on the back. "Ready to go claim that sword?" His proud smile pushes me to go to the Silent City even though I was going to anyways. I know my dad has always been proud of me but he rarely shows it. And when he does, it makes everything worth it.

"Nah. I'd rather stay here," I joke. He laughs. He and I walk to my room so I can change in a comfortable silence. I have to say, my dad's pretty awesome.

I know this is really bad. If you have any suggestions, just message me or flat out review.

Bye!