Chapter 16
Spring was getting closer and closer. The snow was almost completely gone and the days were getting warmer and warmer each day. The dead plants were even starting to come back to life. Every time the sun rose it just meant it was one more day until Sebastian's deadline. Clary couldn't help but feel anxious. She wanted this war to be over with and she wanted the Shadowhunters to have the victory and Sebastian put into a cell if he wasn't killed.
Clary was currently pacing in her room with a new letter from Sebastian lying on her desk. Much to her dismay, Sebastian had kept writing her since he had seen her last and the letters were coming more frequent now. Clary was just relieved that he hadn't made another surprise visit, she wasn't sure she would be able to act her way through another unnerving conversation with him. According to the letter he was in the process of forming a plan, there were just a few minor details to be finalized. It made Clary very nervous. She had been writing Jace every chance she got and made sure to include what little information, no matter how unimportant it seemed, she got from the letters Sebastian had written her. The first time she had gave Jace information they were able to find Sebastian's camp, but by the time they had arrived Sebastian and his rebels had packed up and moved again. With some help from some werewolves the Shadowhunters were able to pick up their trail and had been pursuing Sebastian ever since then. They were careful to not get too close seeing as they didn't have a plan either and didn't want Sebastian to catch on that he was being tracked.
"Miss Clary."
Clary was startled by the sound of her name and the knocking on her door. Coming back to reality, Clary made her way to her door and opened it.
"Marcus, what is it?"
"There is someone who wishes to see you, they are in the study."
"Thank you, Marcus." Clary said as she smoothed her skirts and stepped out of her room. Marcus nodded and accompanied Clary down the stairs and then went his own way as she continued to the study. She couldn't help but wonder who it was who had come to visit. Everyone was too busy with the war and its hopeful victory and the only person who had visited Clary recently was Jace, but Clary hadn't received a letter from in in several days now.
Clary opened the door and came to a standstill as she saw the long frame of the man sitting behind her father's desk.
"Hello, Clary." The man smiled with a spark in his eyes.
"Magnus." Clary said happily as she continued into the room and closed the door behind her. "I wasn't expecting you to make a visit anytime soon."
"Yes, well, with the war getting close to its wonderful finally I figured I had better make a visit just to make sure Sebastian doesn't try anything."
"What do you mean?" Clary looked at the cat-eyes warlock in confusion.
"The tea you sent me, it had some additives in it."
"Well, I obviously knew that. Why else would I want you to figure out how he had tampered with it?"
"You won't let me bask in my moment of glory even a minute will you." Magnus's face a mock expression of hurt.
"You are ridiculous, could you please just tell me what was in that tea?" Clary shook her head and crossed her arms as she fought back a smile.
"Yes, of course, after going through the tea I found traces of a couple different added potions. One was supposed to keep you from questioning his actions and following his will no matter what."
"And the other?" Clary took a step forward as Magnus paused.
"And the other was more or less a potion to make sure you were infatuated with him."
Clary's eyes hardened. "You mean a love potion."
"Yes," Magnus sighed. "The love potion to make him seem perfect in your eyes and the other to reinforce that you didn't try to defy him or leave him."
Clary felt rage and disgust whelm up within her. How could she have let that snake trick her like that? She should have realized that she wasn't really falling for him and that it was all just a ruse that benefited Sebastian. A hand touched her shoulder and Clary looked up to see Magnus standing in front of her. Just as sudden as the anger and repulsion had come it disappeared and was replaced with shame. He had played her just like he had everyone else, had toyed with her emotions and her future more so than anyone else and she had let him, even worse was she hadn't even put up a fight.
A soft chuckle came from Magnus as he looked down on her. "For such an independent strong headed girl you can be awful silly at times."
"I hate him." Clary's voice was soft and her stomach seemed to be twisting in on itself. She hated the fact that she felt weak, and she hated Sebastian even more for being the cause of it.
Magnus's cat eyes seemed to gain some sad knowing look that almost made him look old. "Trust me, Clary, we all do." Clary knew he was right, but it didn't make much of a difference to her. Sure Sebastian had been lying to everyone and no one had suspected a thing, but they weren't the one who had almost had to spend the rest of their life with him. Clary's stomach tightened again at the thought of being that snake's wife.
"But no need to worry, I'm sure this war will be over soon and that boy will be behind bars in Alicante." Magnus said his voice a little harder.
"Magnus, do you know anything about the battle plans?" Clary looked at him hopefully.
Magnus gave her a careful look before answering. "I know bits and pieces, but not much, at least not at the moment."
"Oh."
"Why?" Magnus raised his eyebrows at her.
"Well, it's just that-" Clary stopped. She knew she could trust Magnus but she wasn't sure if she should tell him.
"Just what?"
Clary looked at Magnus and made up her mind. "It's just that Sebastian had been sending me letters and I have been writing Jace what little information I thought would be helpful. I was just wondering if it was even helping."
Magnus just looked at her for a moment before he answered. "You are the one he's been getting information from!" Clary nodded. Magnus ran his hand through his hair. "Well I didn't expect that."
"So it has been helping." Clary looked at Magnus expectantly.
"Yes, a lot of the information you have been giving Jace has helped fill in some of the holes that the Shadowhunters kept running across. It especially helped when you gave away his location. Now we know where he is at all times." Magnus said, returning to the chair and sitting down.
"That's good." Clary said feeling a little relieved and happy inside that he information had helped some.
Magnus had his elbows on the desk and was resting his head in his hands. Suddenly he looked up and gave Clary an almost hard look. "Sebastian has been writing you?"
"Yes." Clary replied a little hesitantly, not sure of why Magnus seemed so alarmed all of a sudden.
"And all of his letters have been getting through to you?" Clary nodded feeling uneasy at the urgent tone in Magnus's voice. "Have you been writing him back?"
"Only twice because I had too." Clary's voice was weak even to hear own ears.
Magnus seemed to notice the change in Clary's voice and sighed. "I'm sorry, it is just that if he can get letters to you without anyone knowing, what else can he do?"
Clary had thought of that before but she had never really let herself dwell too long on it, until now. "He's capable of anything." Clary said a bit dryly as she gave Magnus an even look. "Even capable of having spies in our ranks." Magnus's eyes widened a bit and then they closed, with a sigh Magnus ran his hand down his face.
"If he does have a spy there is no telling who it could be. The only obvious people at the moment being your parents, Luke, and Jace. I mean, there are others that I don't have any doubts of, but there are still several I'm not sure of."
"Those making the decisions will just have to be more cautious. Don't tell any of the truly important things to those you're not certain of. When you leave here, you should go tell my father this. Tell him that he needs to have a solid proof plan with a band of people he trusts to be fully faithful to our cause, even if he doesn't always agree with them. My mother and Luke could help him."
Magnus gave her a smile. "When did you become such a Shadowhunter?"
"I was born a Shadowhunter, even if my father won't let me fight."
"Yes, well, Valentine is Valentine." Magnus said with an odd tone in his voice. Clary gave him a weird look, but Magnus smiled at her and said. "Sorry, your father and I haven't always seen eye to eye."
Clary sighed, she didn't doubt it. Her father was a very charismatic guy but not everyone agreed with everything he said and he father liked being a leader, meaning he didn't completely like it when people didn't share his views.
"Understandable, even he and Luke don't always see eye to eye." Clary smiled.
Magnus smiled at her and looked at his pocket watch as the clock in the hall started to chime the hour. "I'm afraid I must go now, my dear." He said looking back up at her.
"That's alright. Thank you for coming." Clary opened the door and followed Magnus to the front door.
"Anytime." Magnus bowed and started to go outside.
"Magnus," Clary said suddenly as a thought came to her.
He stopped and looked back at her, "Yes?"
"Do you know when my father is planning to go against Sebastian?"
"I not for sure when, and even if I did I wouldn't be able to tell you, but within the next week I do believe. If things go as we plan that is."
Clary let out a breath she hadn't known she had been holding. "Thank you," she nodded.
Magnus nodded his head at her and continued on his way.
"Safe travels, Magnus!" Clary called before he was to his horse. Magnus raised his hand up in the air in acknowledgement and Clary closed the door.
Clary brought her hand up to the ring that rested against her the nape of her neck as she leaned against the door and closed her eyes. A week, give or take a few days, that was all and then she could see Jace and her parents again and Sebastian would no longer be a worry. Finally.
I am deeply sorry that once again it took so long to get another chapter posted. I started this a while ago and never had a chance to finish it until just now. Hope you liked it! Please leave a review they are always appreciated.