Clary couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't even think. Everyone just stared at Sebastian. Simon couldn't believe what he had just heard, the choice Sebastian had given Clary. His unbeating heart broke for her.
"NO!" Jocelyn shouted, "she will never rule by your side."
"Oh do hush mother dearest." Sebastian said.
"Why?" Clary finally said. "Why me?"
"Because I love you." He looked uncomfortable. Tense and strained, as if he were reaching for something he couldn't quite touch. "I don't want to hurt you."
"You don't- You have hurt me. You tried to-"
"It doesn't matter if I hurt you, because you will belong to me."
"Like hell she will," Jocelyn spat.
"That's enough. Clary, it's time to make your decision. Go back to Alicante and watch your world burn, or stay here with me and rule. Choose me, and you will save millions, billions of lives, my sister. You could save a whole world by damning a single soul. Your own. I will seal the borders and your little friends can stay here are as...guests. So tell me, what is your decision?"
Clary closed her eyes for one heartbeat, and then another. The whole room was so silent you could hear a pin dropping. The remaining Endarkened warriors, including Amatis, who hadn't moved from beside the thrones at all, stared at Clary, as if waiting to hail their new queen.
She opened her eyes, and walked toward the throne. She heard Sebastian draw a sharp breath.
"Clary, no!" Jocelyn cried; Luke tugged her back, but she was paying attention to nothing but her daughter. "Don't do this-"
Clary turned and looked at her, tears filling her eyes. "I have to," she said. "I have to. Don't you understand? If I don't, he'll kill everyone in our world. Destroy everything. Millions, billions of people. He'll turn our world to this." She gestured toward the window that looked out onto the burned plains of Edom. "It's worth it. It has to be. I'll learn to love him. He won't hurt me. I believe it."
"You think you can change him, temper him, make him better, because you're the only thing he cares about," Jocelyn said. "I know Morgernstern men. It doesn't work. You'll regret-"
"You never held the life of a whole world in your hand, Mom," Clary said with infinite tenderness and infinite sorrow. "There's only so much advice you can give me." She looked at Sebastian. "I choose what he chooses. The gift he gave me. I accept it."
She started walking toward the throne again, but more slowly.
Simon and Isabelle were shouting for her to stop and stay where she is. Even Alec shouted at her to stay put. But she kept on walking. Behind the thrones the two windows flickered like video screens: one showing desolation, the other Alicante under attack. She caught a glimpse of the inside of the Accords Hall as she reached the steps and walked up them. She moved steadily. She had made her decision; there was no faltering now. She tried her best to tune out the voices from around her.
The throne was huge; it was like climbing up onto a platform. The gold of it was icy cold to her touch. She went up the last step, turned, and took her seat. She seemed to be looking down for miles from the top of a mountain peak. She saw the Council Hall spread out before her; all of her loved ones showing their pain through their facial expressions.
"Release Jace," Clary said to him. Sebastian nodded and threw Jace across the floor. He landed about a foot away from Isabelle. Isabelle and Simon rushed over to him. He was conscious after all, so they both helped him up.
Sebastian clicked his fingers, and looked up at Clary with a smile spreading over his face. "Well done," he said. "My sister. My queen."
The room started to tremble, and Clary knew that this was it. Sebastian was closing the borders.
"All of you. Kneel to your queen."
No! Clary thought, but she forced herself into stillness, silence. She watched as the last few Endarkened began to kneel, one by one, their heads bowed. Amatis finally stepped forward. Luke stared at his sister, his face flayed open. Her gaze caught on her brother's for just a moment; her lips curled. It was a vicious look. "Do it," she said. "Kneel, or I will kill you."
Magnus, who was propped against the wall, to weak to stand or even talk, knelt first. Clary would never have guessed that. Magnus was so proud, and right there and then, so weak and vulnerable, but he went down on his knees gracefully. Alec followed him down, then Isabelle, then Simon, then Luke, drawing Jocelyn down beside him. And finally Jace, who had only just been helped up off of his feet, bowed his blond head and went to his knees.
Clary heard the windows behind her shatter into pieces. It sounded like her heart breaking. Glass rained down; behind it was bare stone. There was no longer any window that lead to Alicante.
"It is done. The pathways between the worlds are closed." Sebastian wasn't smiling, but he looked - incandescent. As if he were blazing. He ran toward the platform, took the steps two at a time, and reached up to catch Clary's hands; she let him draw her down from the throne, until she stood in front of him. He was still holding her. His hands felt like bracelets of fire around her wrists. "You accept it," he said. "You accept your choice?"
"I accept it," she said, forcing herself to look at him with absolute directness. "I do."
"Then kiss me," he said. "Kiss me like you love me."
Her stomach tightened. She had been expecting this, but it was like expecting a blow to the face: Nothing could prepare you. She tried to smile. "In front of everyone? I don't think-"
"We have to show them," he said, and his face was as immovable as an angel pronouncing a sentencing. "That we are unified. Prove yourself, Clarissa."
"Do we have to do it now? Can we not Turn them first?"
Sebastian looked at her, trying to read her face, decide if she meant it or not.
"You- you want to turn them? Your family and friends?"
"They will be of no use to us like this. They won't abide by your rules, they won't worship us. They'll just continue to fight against us, and cause us more trouble than they'd be worth."
"You're right," he said, after what seemed like forever. She felt herself relax a little. She had a bit more time. She didn't have to kiss him just yet. "Amatis, fetch the Infernal Cup. My warriors, seize our guests."
The Dark Shadowhunters moved swiftly, too fast for any of them to react. There was one Endarkened for each person, but the spare decided to help control Jocelyn. Amatis then walked over to the demon Jace had slayed earlier. She took out her sword, and sliced its lifeless body down the middle. The demon's flesh sizzled away, and there, in her hands, was the Infernal Cup. She held it tightly in both hands and walked towards the thrones.
Clary leaned in toward Sebastian and felt him shiver. "Please," she said. "Put your arms around me."
She caught a flash of something in his eyes- vulnerability, surprise at being asked- before his arms came up around her. He drew her close; she laid one hand on his shoulder. Her other hand slid to her waist, where Heosphoros rested with its scabbard tucked into the belt of her gear. Her fingers curled around the back of his neck. His eyes were wide; it was like she could see his heartbeat, his throat pulsing like mad.
"Now, Clary," he said, meaning 'kiss me'. She leaned up, touching her lips to his face. She felt him shudder against her as she whispered, her lips moving against his cheek.
"Hail, master," she said, and saw his eyes widen, just as she pulled Heosphoros free and brought it up in a bright arc, the blade slamming through his rib cage, the tip positioned to pierce his heart. Sebastian gasped as his whole body filled with flames. His eyes moved down to Heosphoros and could not believe what he saw; the last remnants of heavenly fire. Concealed, inside her blade. The blade which had just gone right through his skin in to his body.
"Clary," he gasped.
"And I will give him the Morning Star," Clary said, just as he started to glow as the flames coursed through his body. Clary didn't have time to get out of the way as his body exploded. The force of the explosion sent Clary flying, and she landed on the floor near Jace. Everything turned in to a panicked frenzy as the Shadowhunters broke free of their grips, drew their weapons, and attacked the Endarkened warriors.
Luke noticed Amatis trying to run from the hall. He quickly turned in to wolf form and was upon her in seconds. She didn't have a weapon, her hands both occupied by the Infernal Cup. Luke jumped on her, knocking her to the ground. The Infernal Cup left her hands and rolled away. Luke growled. Jocelyn turned and noticed the cup, rolling in her direction. She dived for it.
As soon as the cup left Amatis's hand, she went for her weapon. Luke had her pinned down, growling in her face. She managed to get a hand to a dagger, and stabbed him in the side. He yelped and backed off. She got up, and just as she advanced on him, her skin started melting from her body. All of the remaining Endarkened started to stagger backwards, holding their faces. Everyone looked around, and noticed Jocelyn. She was stood looking down at the ground, where there was nothing but a small pool of black liquid. She had destroyed the cup. The Endarkened carry on melting before finally turning to piles of ashes.
Jocelyn looked at Luke and noticed he had been stabbed. She ran to his aid. She turned back to look just as Jace shouted Clary.
Clary was lying on her side on the floor, her hair covering her face. Jace ran to her. He knelt down and moved the hair out of her eyes. Her skin had all been badly burnt, the result of being so close to Sebastian when the fire inside of him caused his body to explode. As he lifted her head, his heart began to sink. A pool of blood had formed around her, coming from a large crack at the back of her head. "No" was all he managed to say in a low, hushed tone.
"Clary? Clary, please. Please don't be dead," he said, cradling her body. "Talk to me, come on, talk to me. Say something, anything. Clary." He was rocking back and forth, trying to get a response from her. "Magnus! Magnus do something. Please, please do something. Help her." he begged, almost choking on the tears streaming down his face.
Alec looked down at his parabatai, his heart aching for him. He had never seen Jace cry like that. Infact, he couldn't recall ever seeing Jace cry. It made him feel uncomfortable, like he was intruding on a private moment, so he averted his eyes. Magnus managed to come over, but even stood up looking down at her, he knew it was no use. There was nothing he could do. The heavenly fire had burnt her too badly, plus the force she was blasted away with and the force of the impact that caused the crack in her skull... "Jace...Jace I'm sorry, there's-"
"Move!" Jocelyn screamed, pushing everyone aside. "What's going on? Where's-"
She stopped abruptly, and looked down at Jace, who was holding her daughter's lifeless body. She shook her head, "No. No. She's not...She isn't. Heal her Magnus. Someone put a healing rune on her. SOMEONE HEAL HER." She fell to the floor and pushed Jace away, taking Clary's body in her own hands. She buried her head next to her daughter's. "No. My baby, my sweet, sweet baby. No. No. No." she sobbed. Luke just stood there, unable to move, unable to speak, unable to breathe.
Simon moved around to the other side of Clary and dropped to his knees. He stared at her, tears filling his eyes and streaming down his face. Clary. His Clary. He reached out and stroked her face with the back of his hand, and bent down to kiss her on the cheek. He buried his head on the other side of Clary's neck and put an arm over Jocelyn. They both sobbed endlessly as they silently said goodbye to her.
Isabelle and Alec knelt down to join them, followed by Magnus and Luke. Jace stood way back, staring into space. He couldn't bare to huddle around her body with the others. He needed to stand back and suffer his heartbreak on his own. Valentine's words popped in to his head. To love is to destroy.
Yeah, destroy my heart.