A/N: Hope you like the chapter!

Chapter 22

(Evangeline POV)

My mouth felt abruptly very dry as I dropped Jace's hand and watched the man stepping out from the shadowy corner.

"Well," said the figure in a deep, masculine voice, "I'm more than a mundane man, but I suppose your description will have to do for now. And it is… mainly accurate, anyway."

"Right, of course," said Aunt Maryse, looking flustered.

I, meanwhile, was staring at the man who was supposedly my father. He was tall and middle aged, with a slight paunch and a bald spot. I was puzzled. I looked nothing like this man, with his deep brown eyes and auburn hair. Then again, I was practically my Mama's clone… but still. One would expect to at least have a slight resemblance to one's father.

Aunt Maryse continued the introduction. "Evangeline, I'd like you to meet Issachar Windspear." I noticed that she wasn't making eye contact with anyone, including me. That seemed suspicious.

"Are you two familiar with one another?" I inquired, glancing between the two adults.

Mr. Windspear, my… father… smiled tightly and said, "We were in the Circle together once."

The Circle? I vaguely recalled hearing the term a few days before. When Isabelle explained everything to me… "You were one of Valentine's followers, too?" I asked as politely as I could.

Aunt Maryse looked even more uncomfortable, but Mr. Windspear kept smiling. "That is correct."

I watched him as he grinned, trying to find any resemblance to myself. I came up empty. Surely there must be something? I couldn't have inherited all my looks from my mother… But his smile was all wrong. I didn't look anything like him. And yet he was my father.

He spoke then. "Word of your mother's death went all throughout Idris. I can't even explain how heartbroken I was to hear the news. And then I heard someone mention a daughter, left behind and led to believe she was an orphan. It made me remember how, years ago, your mother and I were in love. We kept our relationship a secret, of course, but we were together for several months until I had to go into hiding from the Clave for my previous associations with Valentine, and we never saw one another again. All of that happened about seventeen or eighteen years ago."

Could it be true? Did Mama once love this man? Was I the product of their union? I looked at the floor, experiencing many emotions that I couldn't even put into words. "Oh."

"And… you are about seventeen or eighteen years old, are you not?" said Mr. Windspear. I nodded. "The timeline does match up."

Jace seemed to be following the conversation and thinking more coherently than I was, because he said, "But what does this mean for Evangeline? If you are her father, does that change anything?"

"Of course. Evangeline is not an orphan after all, so she has no need to stay here with all of you. Although, I can only assume that it won't be too difficult. After all, how long has she been here? A few days, maybe?"

I didn't like how he was talking about me as if I wasn't there. "But I like it here," I protested. "Do I have to live with you?"

"Yeah," cut in Isabelle helpfully. "You just came into the picture. She doesn't know you yet. Isn't it a bit extreme to have her move in with you already?"

My father looked at Isabelle through calculative brown eyes. "Is that not what happened with Evangeline moving in here? She has adjusted remarkably well already, so I can only assume that she would do the same with her own father. Besides, the Clave has already said that if she were to live with me, we could stay in the old mansion she grew up in with her mother." He addressed me suddenly. "Don't you miss your home, all of your servants? This is your chance to have it all back."

"I…" my voice quavered, and then faltered completely. I glanced around at everyone, Isabelle and Aunt Maryse and Alec. I really hadn't been at the Institute for long, but it already felt like these people were my family. And then I turned around and saw Jace looking sweet and sensitive and I knew that I couldn't leave already. Tears sprung to my eyes, but even despite them I saw Jace shake his head subtly. No, he seemed to be saying. Don't go.

I felt so overwhelmed. The tears began pouring from my eyes and I brought my hands up to shield them, still sobbing. I heard footsteps of many people and soon realized that all the Lightwoods had moved in to comfort me, even Maryse. Opening my eyes slightly to wipe away some tears, I noticed that Mr. Windspear was still standing across the room looking irritated. That only made me cry harder.

Arms went around me from two sides, one pair strong and masculine and the other feminine but still athletic. Jace and Isabelle. I sobbed into both of their shoulders as they rubbed my back soothingly. All of the mental pain surrounding Mama's death was resurfacing, along with my desire to stay at the Institute and my overall confusion about everything. I couldn't even say anything, I was beyond words.

I heard my aunt speak up again, probably addressing Mr. Windspear. "I think that this is enough of an answer for you, Issachar. Evangeline wants to stay here."

"For now," he said. I gave another cry and sobbed into Jace's chest, and Isabelle and Alec patted my back sympathetically. "We'll see what the Clave has to say about all of this."

"In due time," said Aunt Maryse. "For the time being, she will remain here. And if you don't mind, I'd like to show you the door." I heard her lead him away then, punctuated by the clicking of her high heels.

I closed my eyes and tried to stabilize my breathing again, tears still leaking from my eyes. Alec and Isabelle moved back and just let Jace hold me for awhile, rubbing my back. How different this was from what was happening before, with all of our kissing. Even so… this was perhaps an even more intimate experience.

"It's okay," he whispered into my hair. "I've had daddy issues too. I understand."

I laughed slightly, which nonetheless turned into more tears. "Thank you," I murmured. Then I felt a light kiss against the top of my head.

After a few minutes, I heard Aunt Maryse reenter the room we were in. I looked up, silently seeking answers. She smiled ruefully and came over, putting a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry, Evangeline. You won't have to live with him if you don't want to."

"But what if the C-Clave rules that I do?" I said, my voice shaking.

"Then we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. But for now, we won't just let him take you away, alright?" she said.

I leaned more into Jace, and his grasp tightened calmingly as I addressed my aunt. "Thank you. It's nice to have a family."

Everyone made appreciative noises and crowded in again, until I was in the middle of a group hug. I smiled and held them all tightly, feeling more loved than I had since Mama died. Family.

A/N: Will Evangeline be forced to live with her "father"? Stay tuned! :3 xoxo