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City of Jewels
--- 9. Reign of Evil ---
Sebastian's chuckle sent an unsettling cold vibe through Jace's body as it echoed though the cave.
He thought he had killed him, but there he was standing in the shadows before him. Jace wondered if it was a silhouette of glamour deceiving his vision but then again, there had been no physical evidence of Sebastian's body recovered so it was possible.
Sebastian crept closer pacing silently, his poise almost cat-like. He happened to be wearing the exact same clothes that Jace had witnessed him in when he had killed him, well when he thought he had killed him.
A seraph blade seized on the side of his belt with the glow of the city's jewels shimmering over his pale blonde hair making it look like a colorful halo, but the expression on his face told a different story.
More menacing almost like he was the devil's advocate ready to kill anyone that got in his way and Jace just so happened to be one of them. Jace's expression however, looked agitated. disdained, regardless of the stinging pain in his shoulder.
Several tactics weighed inside his thoughts as he ruled out an escape plan, but reluctantly pushed them aside; one thing he did think out thoroughly was how he planned to wipe that annoying smirk off Sebastian's face.
"What's the matter Wayland? Cat got your tongue?" Sebastian retorted as a smirk played up in his lips.
Jace regarded him with a similar look, but rage seemed to have trumped the rest of his feelings.
He managed to bite back the exhaustion he had been enduring since landing in a place which just so happened to be sucking the life out of him. Jace's fists were clenched to his sides with dried up blood staining the sides of his temples.
Stumbling to his feet he realized Sebastian was close enough to shake his hands, but clearly that was the last thing on his mind. Jace mirrored his expression, they almost looked like brothers.
The tension between the two of them was mind-boggling, so much testosterone flying in the air as their gazes had locked them in their own little world of revenge. Hand them a gun, and it would've looked like a game of Russian roulette. Jace managed to break the ice.
"Why aren't you dead yet? I thought I killed you!" Jace muttered through gritted teeth.
Sebastian cocked his head to the side and grimaced.
"More like wishful thinking my little angel brother, surely you didn't think it was that easy to get rid of me!" he said and then his mouth twitched askew. "And besides, I told you, you're too weak to be able to defeat me Wayland! I'm stronger and we both know it!" Sebastian exclaimed.
Jace narrowed his eyes "I beg to differ" he paused making Sebastian slightly irate then added, "Your jealousy weakens you! I've seen it before hand, you're jealous. Jealous of me!" Jace said wryly.
He knew this was an exaggeration but by the looks of things he was not far off, and the way Sebastian flinched was all he needed. Jace smiled as he saw Sebastian's jaw tighten.
"Jealous?" he shrieked. "Why in the name of the devil would I be jealous of you?" Sebastian snapped as if he were disgusted of the thought.
"Because, because Valentine loves me more than you! And you can't help knowing that you'll always be second best, he's ashamed of you! He's ashamed of what kind of monster he created! Why do you think he hasn't come looking for you? Because he wanted you dead! To stay dead!" Jace exclaimed.
He was silently fuming underneath it all and part of that anger was built up with several years of hatred toward Valentine, because he knew that he had been jealous of Sebastian, not the other way around.
Jace had always carried this hole of resentment toward Sebastian, because he always knew that Valentine didn't love him the way that he loved his real son and two years ago Jace had found out that he was certainly not Valentine's son. Sebastian's color from his face faded to pale white.
"You don't. Know. What you're talking about Wayland!" he muttered emphasizing each word. Jace pushed his thoughts aside and kept taunting him.
"Oh yeah? Then why does he look so surprised to see you?" Jace hissed. "Shut up Wayland!" Sebastian shouted with his fist clenched to his sides.
"Make me!" Jace retorted with a smirk playing on his lips.
"SILENCE!" Clary exclaimed making their gazes flinch toward her. Clary placed her fingers on the side of her temple rubbing it in a circular motion as if she were getting a head ache and then said.
"Both of you shut up! You're both acting like spoilt little brats, I'm getting a headache" Clary said wearily.
"What is it Jonathan? You better have a good excuse for delaying my ceremony!" Clary warned.
"Are you talking to me or him?" Jace said dryly making Sebastian slightly annoyed.
"Who do you think little weakling? He's talking to me! You don't have any right to that name!" Sebastian finished.
Clary's face looked wistful. "I suppose it was a mistake to have named you both Jonathan." Clary murmured to herself then she creased her eyebrows together as if realizing something and turned her attention to Sebastian.
"You've been alive all this time? How is that possible?" asked Clary with an incredulous stare.
Sebastian stood near the altar as his eyes danced from Jace to Clary studying each of their expressions. "Anything's possible father, clearly you would know that." Sebastian stated as if to avoid elaborating on the topic.
"Don't patronize me Jonathan! Now tell me why you're here, and make it snappy!" Clary demanded.
"I thought you would be glad to see me father, at least thank me." Sebastian complained as his head slung into his shoulders and for a moment both were slightly ignoring the existence of Jace's presence.
" So I should thank you? Thank you for what exactly?" Clary asked curiously.
"For bringing you back to life, even if it meant using Clary's pathetic garment." Sebastian chuckled lightly as he sized Clary's body up. The mention of Clary's name felt like a knife stabbing through Jace's heart, especially coming from Sebastian's mouth.
Clary rolled her eyes. "What do you mean? Bring me back to life? You're taking credit for resurrecting me?" Clary asked, her face looked slightly amused as if that was a ridiculous concept. Sebastian's eyes expanded realizing as if she was accusing him for lying.
"Why is that impossible for you to believe father?" Sebastian asked with a little anger fuming in his tone.
Clary ignored him and walked toward his fellow worshippers. "I don't have time for your tantrums Jonathan," she said as if to dismiss the matter and walked toward the demons.
"Caliath! Have you got what I asked of you?" Clary demanded.
The Demon's Caliath and Lucifix moved swiftly across the ground dragging the three Downworlder children by their legs. No longer were they chained up against the wall, instead they were knocked out cold and dumped right next to the altar. Jace noticed the vampire child Demetrius was lying limp on the ground with a deep slit in his throat. The first sacrifice of the ceremony. Clearly he was dead and Jace couldn't help but feel disgusted as he seen Clary filling the Mortal Cup with the child's blood.
"Clary...NO!" Jace demanded trying to get her attention.
He was tugging at his chain that was attached to his ankle hoping it will break off. Clary had once tried to cut through it, but to no avail. It did however, create a little chip into it to make it a lot easier to break. Jace stopped struggling and turned his attention toward Clary. He noticed that the more blood she drained out of the boy, the more his features discolored, almost a pale ashy blue.
"CLARY! YOU'RE KILLING HIM!" Jace shouted again.
But Clary continued to fill the cup up with blood, draining the vampire's life to death. When she was done filling the cup she placed it back on the altar. A ray of light shone down from the crystal dangling straight above the Mortal Cup. The cup shook a little as Clary started chanting in a language Jace couldn't understand. Her voice sounded menacing and evil almost like three other voices trailing behind her, she sounded like the devil. A drop of liquid seeped out of the crystal gem and landed in the cup turning the color of blood to a pale blue substance. It almost looked like pool water, no longer thick and bloody. Clary took the cup into her grasp and raised it toward her mouth to sip from it. Sebastian interrupted her before she could.
"Father? I've got something for you," he said as he pointed behind him.
Clary was beginning to get frustrated with Sebastian. "What?" she hissed.
A faint squirm sounded in the distance breaking the silence in the cave. Jace noticed something struggling, no it was someone. There was a body lying on the ground that looked like a woman. She was struggling behind Sebastian with a black cloth laced over her face. Her hands and feet were bound together behind her back which was covered in blood, and her dress smudged with grime and ripped to shreds. Sebastian turned his gaze toward the body and smiled.
"I brought you a present; I thought you could do with a treat." Sebastian added.
He pulled the black cloth off over her face. A shock escaped Jace's expression as he seen her face come into view. Her fiery red hair fell to the sides framing her pale features. Her expression looked stricken. The color of scarlet smudged against her cheeks and her emerald eyes filled with tears. She had a silver tape across her mouth and she was staring right toward Jace. He noticed that her eyes were screaming help.
Clary cocked her head to the side in interest toward Sebastian. "You brought Jocelyn? What would I need from her?" Clary asked, her face a little thoughtful as her fingers drummed on the neck of the cup.
Sebastian created an evil smirk. "I thought you could do the honors of killing the unfaithful bitch!" Sebastian retorted.
--- 0o0o0o0o0o ---
Luke rushed back into the Hall of Accords in panic as he pushed his way through the crowd heading toward the Dais. Worry and angst clouding his thoughts as he realized Jocelyn was missing.
Shadowhunter's and Downworlder's reluctantly moved out of his way with bemused expressions on their faces. By the looks of things, people started noticing the panic that was building up in the air. Luke felt a hand on his arm making him come to an abrupt halt. He twisted around to see who it was. It was Amatis.
"Lucian? What's wrong? Is everything alright?" Amatis asked curiously. Luke hesitated and then spoke with a slight hint of panic.
"No Amatis, I can't find Jocelyn, I have this feeling that she's in trouble, and she's silently screaming for help" Luke finished.
Amatis's expression contorted into a incredulous stare. "Are you sure? I mean, I thought she was fine, she seemed fine a few minutes ago."
"I can't explain it; I just know there's something wrong, Jocelyn will never have disappeared so suddenly, it's just not like her." Luke stated with a worried expression on his face.
"I agree, but what do you suggest we do?" Amatis asked.
"I'll inform everyone and send out a search party to go looking for her, meanwhile you round up all the parents and tell them to keep a safe guard on their children."
Amatis nodded and disappeared as he made his way up to the Dais. He tried to get everyone's attention by clearing his throat, but no one seemed to listen.
"May I have everyone's attention please?" Luke asked in the midst of the murmurs. He was rewarded with multiple stares and confused expressions as the Hall fell silent to listen to their new leader. Luke gestured for them to take a seat.
"Thank you, I appreciate each and every one of you for trusting my judgments and for allowing me to become your new leader, but there's a slight problem at the moment." Luke hesitated and then added,
"I have discovered that my wife Jocelyn is nowhere to be seen, and I was wondering if anyone has any information to her whereabouts." Luke stated.
His eyes trickled across the crowd in front of him. A few moments later a familiar woman stood up from her seat. She must have been hiding in the shadows because nobody was aware of her presence. Her hair flowering out like scarlet silk clearly emphasizing her pale features and a green velvet gown that accentuated her slender figure. It was The Seelie Queen. Luke noticed her and pointed her out, making all heads turn toward her.
"My lady? What brings you here?" Luke asked curiously.
The Seelie Queen smiled. "I ask for a favor from you Lucian," she stated as if she would take no for an answer, "and of course I will grant you with a favor in return." The Queen paused tilting her head as if she were thinking and then added. "Say, like finding Jocelyn?"
Luke narrowed his eyes and studied her for a second. His face looked a little wistful.
"And you would know exactly where to find her?" She nodded.
Luke knew how cunning and cruel the Fairfolk could be, but he had no choice. He hesitated a bit and then added.
"What did you have in mind?" Luke said warily.
The Queens mouth twitched up in the corners to smile. "I admire your wise decision. I would like to make a trade. I hear you have kept one of my children hostage. You give me her, and I will lead you to Jocelyn."
Luke creased his eyebrows in bewilderment. He thought she had lost her mind, he didn't know what she was talking about. Luke opened his mouth ready to protest but the Queen gestured her hand up as if to shut him up.
"I trust that you will bring her back in one piece, and of course Jocelyn will be taken care of" she finished and then sat back down as if to dismiss the matter.
A/N:
"Ugh! That queen is such a bitch!" Isabelle shrieked.
"Yeah, I agree..." Simon said.
"Guys I'm going to be sick!" Clary groaned and rushed out of the room.
"What's up with her?" Simon asked worryingly.
"Jace kissed Aline, and the reviewers too..." Isabelle stated with disgust.
"Whoa that's GOT to burn!" Simon admitted. "Although I dig him for kissing the reviewers." he added thoughtfully.
"Don't say it Simon, or else we'll have TWO damsels in distress!" Author warned.