The bed feels so empty for Seraphina without Jonah in it. Sure, she has J.R. there, of course, but it isn't enough. Her soul craves Jonah. More so than she had craved anything in her entire world. And even before they'd started sharing a room, she'd always had the solace of knowing he was right across the hall. She could tiptoe into his room in the morning and be comforted by the rise and fall of his chest. The way his silver-blonde hair splayed out on the pillow. Not this morning though. There is no mischievous smile across cups of coffee in the kitchen, or a sleepy brother to pry out of bed well past noon if he doesn't care to wake up any sooner. No, today, Jonah is gone. And he isn't just down the road at the Herondale's place, helping Jace with his bitch work (cuz Jace is just that lazy), no, Jonah is in hell.
Not just in hell, but ruling it. Today, is Jonah's first day as a prince of hell and the ruler of all Elysium. At least for a decade or two. So for the first time, in a very looooong time. Jonah, her brother, her lover, is too busy for her. What a concept!
Aside from Seraphina, ruling Elysium is the quickest love Jonah has ever known. He loves it like he loves her: one day he was alone and the next it was imbedded into him.
Power is a spark in him. It makes him forget he ever hated any part of himself. He can feel the self-resentment going limp, as his heart tries to crawl through the spaces between his ribs.
Jonah turns to the demon beside him. "Kuri," he gravels. "Find Hecate and bring her to me."
The pathetic, spider-like demon leaves wordlessly to do his bidding. He knows Hecate will help him. He saw the lustful look in her eyes when he her passed by. He isn't sure how Seraphina will feel about it, but he is sure that she will understand why he needs Hecate's help in ruling Elysium. She was ruling alongside the previous prince, and it is unlikely that she will be willing to give up the position so easily. Jonah will need her help.
Several moments pass in eerie silence before Hecate enters the throne room, her long black dress trailing out behind her. "You summoned me, my King?" she says in a singsong voice.
Jonah nods. "If I'm going to rule Elysium, I will need minions."
"I am no ones minion, Jonathan," she growls.
"I didn't mean you," Jonah assures her. "I need your help, though."
She cocks her head to the side, letting her long black hair fall over her shoulder. "Anything for you, my King."
"He will never be my king!"
Hecate's hand slaps loudly against the back of the Eluthied's head. "He is your king, you pathetic twat."
Jonah leans back in his throne, letting Hecate take care of this one. It doesn't take much for her to have the Eluthied running from the room with nothing but a fearful howl. The day is going better than he expected, but he misses Seraphina.
There is a loud noise coming from somewhere on the other side of the large, wooden doors that lead into the throne room. It sounds like several demons in a scuffle. "Kuri," Jonah called to the demon he'd sent to find Hecate, before. "Bring me whoever is making all of that noise."
"Yes, sir," the Kuri says as he hurriedly obeys. The doors slam shut behind him, leaving Jonah alone with Hecate.
"You will make an excellent ruler," she tells him.
"I would feel much better about it if I had my queen by my side," he mutters.
"Am I not your queen?" Hecate demands. "I was in charge long before you set foot in Elysium."
"I am in charge now," he says sternly. "Seraphina will be my queen. At best, you will stand in her place when she is unable to leave Idris."
Jonah can see in Hecate's eyes that she will not accept this, but she still says, "Fair enough."
Jonah's whip sends a deafening crack through the air, as it collides with the demons back. He snaps his wrist again, lashing him, leaving an angry red gash crossing over the previous cut. "Are you going to cooperate?" he asks calmly.
"Never," the demon spits venomously.
"Very well," Jonah says, letting his lips turn cruelly up at the edges. He pulls back and cracks the whip forward harder than before. An ichorous liquid sprays across his face, and he wipes it away with the back of his rune swirled hand.
"Okay! Okay!" the demon resigns. "You win. I am yours."
Maniacal laughter comes from the corner. "They always succumb to you so easily, my king," Hecate declares in a seductive tone.
He holds back a groan at the sound of her voice. It has been less than a day and he's grown tired of her advances. Jonah turns away from her without another word, leaving the two demons alone. There are more pressing matters at hand than Hecate's sexual frustration. He has a realm of hell to rule, but for the time being he wants nothing more than to return to his beloved Seraphina.
After a long night of putting things in order for his rule in hell, Jonah steps through the portal, ready to face his mother. She won't be happy. After everything that happened to her in Elysium, this would feel like a betrayal from her two children.
He looks around the room for her, finding her in the middle of a discussion with Seraphina.
Seraphina slides a drawing of an unfamiliar rune to her mother. Jonah steps closer to get a better look. "It came to me the second that J.R. told me about what had been happening back here, in our absence. I immediately knew what it was for. Sure, it's true that most Shadowhunters in your situation give birth to stillborn warlocks, but one didn't—one lived, and the only difference between you and Adele Starkweather is that you have runes, and she did not. The rune that I just slid you is a temporary rune wipe. It takes every rune and even the scars from your skin. For the duration of a day, you will be a mundane, if you choose to have the baby."
Jocelyn wipes furiously at her eyes, snatching the paper from the counter. "I'm not clean anymore. I'm not a Shadowhunter anymore. I couldn't stop him from hurting me, from degrading me! Having everything done to me is the problem because I couldn't stop it." She fell back onto the stool, hugging herself. Jonah wanted to reach out for her, but it felt too foreign, too eccentric, so he held his ground.
He hadn't slept yet—he was busy ruling Elysium, and he was too tired to deal with this, but it seemed to be more important than his desire to take Seraphina to their bed, and go to sleep.
"Mom, being a Shadowhunter doesn't mean you are able to stop every demon in the world from doing the bad things that they do," Seraphina says sternly. "Even Jonathan Shadowhunter himself or the Angel Raziel couldn't have done that. Otherwise, they would have, and there would be no need for us. You're a Shadowhunter, not a superhero. Besides he took your stele and your weapons, right? That's like Superman on Kryptonite. He took away your power. He did it, not you. He's the one you should be mad at."
"I still...can't, can't get what he did to me out of my head," Jocelyn whispers, shaking her head. Jonah can tell by her posture that her body still aches. She needs at least an iratze.
"Here, give me your arm," Seraphina says. She draws an iratze, followed by a tranquility rune.
Jocelyn takes a shuddering breath, letting the relief hit her, the tranquility rune settling her mind. "Thank you," she whispers.
"You're welcome, Mom. I want you to eventually be alright with Jonah and I ruling Elysium. I know it's going to take time. So, in the meantime, we'll all be here to help you." Seraphina pauses. "How about I make us some coffee, Mom? Would you like that?"
Jocelyn nods wordlessly, clasping her hands in her lap.
Seraphina leaves and comes back with coffee a few moments later. "By the time your due, my baby will already be born. So, there shouldn't be any trouble with me giving you that rune. I think I've figured out why my rune magic keeps messing up. I have it because of being an Angel Baby, and since I'm carrying Jonah's baby, it will have part demon's blood, so it's messing with my mojo, I think. I guess I'm probably the first person ever to have a kid with two Shadowhunter parents that is also part Angel and part Demon, hey? I'm guessing this pregnancy is sort of uncharted territory. Not to mention the whole shared gene pool thing too, right? Oh well, I've been blessed so far. Everything's gone fine."
Jocelyn nods, wrapping her fingers around the mug.
"Mom, do you want a hug?" Seraphina asks quietly. "I know I could sure use one."
Jocelyn shakes her head. "No, sweetheart," she says, her voice quiet. "I—I don't want to be touched, but thank you."
"Okay Mom, but just know that when you are ready for hugs again, I want to be the first person who gets one, okay?"
Jocelyn calls Seraphina over to her.
"Hey Mom," Seraphina says coming to stand at her mothers side.
"Are you alright Roxanne?" she asks almost frantically, snapping out of the daze she's been in since returning from Elysium. "Is the baby alright? Where's J.R.? Jonah?"
"J.R. texted that he is in Brocelind Forest with Sky, and Jonah is establishing his rule in Elysium right now."
Jocelyn takes a step back, clearly shocked. "Excuse me? Establishing his what where?"
"Oh right, you haven't heard about any of that. You might want to sit down then."
She crosses her arms over her chest. "I'm perfectly fine standing."
"Okay, well, since you managed to kill the ruler of Elysium, it left a vacant spot on the throne, and Jonah wanted it. So, he's there now getting things set up, and we're going to rule it until our little warlock sibling comes of age, because he or she is the rightful heir." Seraphina sighs with exhaustion and trepidation over the immediate fallout that is inevitably coming now.
"No," is Jocelyn's only response.
"You don't have to worry though. We're going to commute. I can Portal us to and from," Seraphina tries to say reassuringly.
Jonah speaks from the doorway. They hadn't heard him come in. "Mother," he sighs. "I would like your approval, but I don't need it."
"You're back!" Seraphina exclaims, throwing her thin arms around his broad shoulders. "How are things in hell?"
"So good," he says happily.
"No," Jocelyn demands. "I want you to think for a second. Think about what this means to me, having my children retire to live in the realm I was raped in," she says calmly. "Think what it will mean to your husband. Have you even considered J.R. in your decision making? Do you realize that he left because he's hurt you're essentially leaving him solely for your brother?" There is no anger in her voice, just disappointment.
"Like. I. Said. We. Will. Commute." Seraphina sighs. "Does anyone actually listen to a word I say? And I'm not planning on leaving anyone. J.R. knows that."
"Have you considered me, Mother?" Jonah spits angrily. "Half of me belongs there—the more dominant part of me. I've always felt out of place here, and I don't feel that way when I'm down there. Have you considered for one second that this is what I need? What I want? Phinny doesn't have to come with me, if J.R. doesn't approve, but I'm doing this. All my life my own blood has poisoned me, with nothing but Phinny to neutralize me. I don't need her to neutralize me in hell. It's where I belong."
"Jonah," Seraphina protests. "I would never not come with you. I've been following where you lead since we were kids, and that's not ever going to change. Besides, J.R. knew that when he took us both on. He gets it. He's only pissed because decisions were made without him, but it's not like you could have just been like 'hmm, listen demons, I might want this throne here but let me go check with my man first, okay?' No. We needed to act immediately and I'm sure he understands."
"Yes, Seraphina. I heard you, but commuting is not really living with your family. You will be largely inaccessible the majority of the time. You will be cut off from us, from me, your father, your husband. You will be living in a place that drains angelic abilities. Which for your brother is no problem, but it will weaken you considerably. You will not be able to use the runes the Angel had gifted you with, your communications with the angel will be cut off entirely. And you're still not thinking. I was taken prisoner there, raped there, debased there. Do you not think it will kill me to have my children living there? When I come to visit, you expect me to relive those horrid memories? And what of the demons? Do you wish to live surrounded by demons, your only human companion Jonah?"
"I think that, eventually, once enough time has passed, it will be time for you to take back all of the things he took from you. You are a Morgenstern, not a timid child, and I think one day you will need to face it head on. Otherwise, he wins and you'd be letting the torture he inflicted define you. Is that what you want?" Seraphina sighs dramatically. "Besides, spending a few hours a day in a place full of demons is no different than being a Shadowhunter. We would still be living here."
"Not Jonah," Jocelyn says. "Jonah needs to be in hell because of his demon blood. Once he gets a taste of real freedom, real relief, he won't want to come back and live in this realm. I'm well aware of his needs, and I've cursed every second that Jonah's had to live with his demon blood. Every second. And I'm well aware of who I am Seraphina. I know I'm a Morgenstern and I know I will recover, but do you expect me, not even twenty four hours after, to be fully recovered? Recovered enough to not only learn that I'm pregnant with another demon child, but that I'm losing at least one of my children, if not all of them? If you were in my place—if your son and daughter were going to live in hell immediately after your violation by the Prince of that very hell? Would you be okay with that? Would you be alright knowing, despite Jonah's demonic influence, that your children would be surrounded by darkness and evil constantly? That their health would be in danger? That you wouldn't get to see them or have access to them even if only for a short time because your son needed to be in hell." Jocelyn's eyes begin to water. "The very place where Shadowhunters should never set foot—where we're supposed to send all unholy things. We're not supposed to live there! Jonah is different because of what your father's done, yes, I admit that and I hate that he's been in pain his entire life because of it, but that doesn't mean I want my children living there. You're going to be a mother soon, Seraphina. Why don't you start thinking like one?"
"Yes, I'm going to be a mother soon, but my baby will be part demon as well. And no, I do not expect you to be recovered. I guess I also shouldn't expect you to understand this decision, but know that it has been made. This is what we want, and it has nothing to do with anything that happened to you there. You need to make that separation in your mind. I don't for a second want you to think we are doing any of this to hurt you. We don't want to hurt you, and I know you will need time to come to terms with this, but I do hope that eventually you will be able to, okay?"
"It's my child, Mother," Jonah pointed out, angrily. "It will need to be there, too. Why can't you see that? I'm through with this conversation. The decision has been made. As I said, I would like your approval but I do not need it. We're finished here. If you can't accept what I think is best for me, and for my child, you can bear it in silence."
With a hurt look on her face, Jocelyn sighs, "Do what you want," pressing a hand to her stomach where their little warlock sibling rests. "You're both grown and don't have to respect my opinion. I know you're not hurting me on purpose, neither of you are that cruel, but it hurts all the same." She says, turning on her heel and walking out of Wayland Manor.
It's been nearly a day of not having Jonah at home and Seraphina finds herself missing her brother terribly. She has done other things throughout the day to take her mind off of it, but it all comes back to the fact that he isn't here, and their house doesn't feel like a home without him. Usually when he is away, its because both of the boys are down the road at Herondale Manor, spending guy time with Jace.
And as Parabatai, Jonah and J.R. are always together, unlike Seraphina and Isabelle who for the last few years have done better with a bit of distance, Jonah and J.R. are textbook Parabatai. Always side by side in everything. Even in love. They have both only ever loved and been loved by one woman, the same woman. And Seraphina has always been happy having her brother on one arm and her husband on the other.
So the fact that Jonah isn't home but J.R. has been, actually makes the separation even harder to bear. And that night, when she goes to bed, so many things roll through her mind. A playback of all her firsts. Her first kiss, which Jonah gave her. Her first movie date. Her first dance. Her first orgasm. The first time she ever gave oral, or received it. The day she finally lost her virginity. All of it with Jonah. And now this, her first pregnancy, yes that was Jonah too. She remembers the exact moment it happened.
When he came inside of her and they both remembered that they hadn't used a condom. He'd looked so worried, like he thought she'd be mad. Jonah has always been responsible and logical. Whereas she is more emotional. She'd looked him in the eyes, and stopped him when he tried to pull out, and said 'Brother, it's alright. I love you, and it's alright.' She'd smiled then and he'd relaxed into her touch, relieved that she wasn't disappointed in him.
Still, she'd had to reassure him, several more times that day, that yes it was okay and she was okay. That no matter what happened, they would be okay. And yet now, now that they've made the decision together to rule the demon realm, Elysium. She is finding, this time it is she who needs the reassurance. That she is the one who needs him to look her in the eyes and say that it is okay. That they'll be okay, and that whatever happens, everything will be okay.
He isn't here to do that tonight. He told her to stay home with J.R., thinking she would be wanting the comfort of home. But what Jonah doesn't realize is that home is where your heart is, and as Seraphina tosses and turns, trying to fall asleep, she knows that half of her heart is in Elysium. So, she does what she's always done, when she can't sleep. She draws two runes, the sleep inducing rune and the dream walking rune and she closes her eyes.
The room is dark as always, and open with fresh air pouring in. Her black nighty blows in the breeze, which chills her flesh in the places that remain bare. She searches through the darkness, looking for her prince. Knowing that somewhere soon she'll find him, just as she always does.
"Jonah? My Love?" She searches as black chiffon curtains billow around her. She pushes them aside searching beyond them as if she were swimming through a sea of cloth. Around the sides of the room there are mirrors reflecting her blazing red curls, delicately pulled back in a loose updo with fake black flowers adorning it like a crown. Her green eyes frantic as she does not find him.
"I need you!" she cries out. And they are the magic words for its all he needed to hear.
"Here I am, Sister!" he calls to her from across the room.
She runs to him then, tripping over curtains pushing them frantically aside to get to him. And finally! There he is. Sitting on the carved obsidian throne. That's when she knows she's in. The moment she sees him she has fully penetrated his psyche. She is in his dream now, just as he is in hers. It's one of her favorite things to do—visit her brother in their dreams. They've done it ever since she learned the rune for it.
It had come to her just before bedtime on the day she'd first given him her innocence so long ago. The dream-walking rune. She has always been instructed to document new runes as she discovers them. But this one? This one they've never told a soul about. Well, J.R. knows about it, of course, but he also knows better than to ask her to dream-walk him. No, it's strictly hers and Jonah's, theirs alone.
She leaps into his arms and he spins her. Round and round they twirl. And it is upon that first contact that the dream-scape changes, shifting into what Jonah wants her to see. He shows her his day. The grand palace with it's exquisite architecture and just like the Silent City, the marble there comes from the bones of the fallen. Except here it is the remains of mundanes that have built this palace, not Shadowhunters.
Mundanes who have been murdered, pillaged, and even raped by demons, just as their own mother was barely 24 hours earlier. Except thankfully she is alive, not decorating a hall somewhere. And she is anything but mundane like these people would have been. She is a Shadowhunter. Old family. Yet still, the comparison makes Seraphina shiver.
Jonah must sense her unease and he responds to it by wrapping his arms tighter around her in a protective barrier. She feels his strength and knows that even here nothing will hurt her with her brother by her side. Not even when she visits in the daylight hours in her corporeal form will anything dare to harm her in Elysium. Not now, with her Brother on the throne.
"So, Brother. You've been sitting there on your carved obsidian and no one has taken it from you. Does that mean that it's yours now, officially? Are you the reigning prince of hell?"
He smiles his contagious grin at her as he says, "So far so good, little Sister. I think that it's safe to assume I won't have very many problems with the locals." He walks backward, holding her hands in his, until he reaches the chair and sits down on the throne, pulling her up after him onto his lap.
She straddles his lap and twines her arms around his neck, holding him close to her. She purposefully grinds against him as their mouths crash together and she doesn't even bat an eye to the fact that there are several demons standing in the Shadows as she takes her brother into her, in the beautiful land of their shared dreams.