***************** Chapter 8 *******************
"He has her!" The warlock paced back and forth across the room.
"He has who?" Alec replied.
"He has Madame Dorothea."
Clary and Johnathan gasped. Isabelle and Alec looked confused.
"Who is Madame Dorothea?" Isabelle asked.
Johnathan looked at her but it was Clary who answered.
"She is the person that my father has been looking for. She has the mortal cup." She replied softly.
"So, that is why everyone has been looking for a witch? Because she has the Mortal cup?"
"Yes" Alec answered.
"That means Valentine has the cup now." Isabelle tried to hide her disappointment. "You both must be so happy for your father."
Clary looked her in the eyes.
"I know we don't know each other well and I hope that we can be friends. However, you should know that my brother and I do not share our father's beliefs. We want him to fail."
Isabelle's mouth dropped upon hearing this. She looked at Clary and then to her brother. Johnathan looked at her and nodded in agreement.
"It is true Isabelle. They do not support their father, just like their mother and yours I might add, do not." Magnus said turning to look at the Morgenstern siblings.
"Your mother Jocelyn and I have been working together to make sure that Dorothea was safe. I just got word that she was captured this morning."
"That is probably where father and Jace are now. That is why he was in such a rush to leave this morning." Clary said to her brother. Johnathan nodded still looking at the floor.
"Well, now what are we going to do?" Isabelle asked.
"I think we need to find our mother and talk to her before Valentine gets to her." Johnathan spoke.
"I agree. If she is the one that hid it in the first place than it only makes sense to talk to her first." Alec said.
"Then it is decided." Clary said. "Johnathan, I think it is time to go home."
He nodded and they began to head for the door. They had reached the sidewalk outside before Alec came running after them.
"Wait!" he called. Clary and Johnathan stopped.
"How are we going to stay in contact?" he gasped. Clary thought for a moment before grabbing her phone out of her hand.
"We live outside of Alicante so mundane technology still works. Give me your number and I will text you."
Alec put his and his sister's information in her phone. He handed the phone back to her and looked at Johnathan.
"Keep in touch friend." Alec said intently.
"Will do!" Johnathan smiled.
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"Who are you and why are you doing this to me?" the old woman pleaded.
Valentine looked down at her unfazed.
"You have something I want. Something my wife was foolish enough to give to you. Where is it?" he grinned wickedly.
"I don't know what you are talking about! Please! I honestly don't!" she cried.
Valentine's face was impassive as stone. He nodded to the man with the whip and turned to leave.
"No please!" she screamed as the whip split her skin. Jace could her the crack before she let out another cry.
"Please! I'll tell you anything you want to know. Why won't you believe me?"
Crack! Followed by another scream filled the room as Jace followed his father down the hall and out of the building.
"A few more days and that women will tell us where the Mortal cup is Jace." He smiled. Jace nodded in silence.
"Where are we going now father?" Jace asked after a few minutes of silence.
"We are going home to see your sister. It is her birthday." His father said as grabbed the reins of his horse. Jace knew that he had to tread cautiously. Valentine turned around to face his son.
"Let's not bring up what happened in there. We wouldn't want to ruin your sister's day." His father put his hand on his shoulder. Jace nodded once more, not trusting his voice.
"Good." His father replied.
Jace took the reins of his own horse and began to follow his father. If they hurried they would make it home by night fall. He had to talk to Clary and Johnathan as soon as possible.
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Jocelyn stood in the kitchen. The servant was showing her the birthday cake for her daughter. Another year had passed and she couldn't help but feel guilty. She wasn't able to save her kids from her husband. All she could do was prolong the inevitable. She just hoped that the kids would be strong enough to resist their father when the time came. After a few more preparations she heard the front door open.
"Mom!" Clary called out.
Something didn't sound right. Her daughter's voice sounded frantic. Jocelyn headed to the foyer to see what was wrong. The sun was setting outside and dinner was almost ready.
"Mom!" Clary shouted once more before she saw her mother turn the corner.
"Clarissa! What is wrong darling?" she asked. Clary ran to her and threw her arms around her. Jocelyn looked up at her son looking for an answer. Johnathan just looked at her.
"Darling. Everything is going to be alright." She whispered.
"No it's not." Johnathan replied. Jocelyn looked at him once more.
"Johnathan is right mom." Clary whispered.
"Father found her." Johnathan finished impatiently.
"Who?" she whispered.
"Madame Dorthea." Clary whispered pulling away from her mother.
Jocelyn paused. She was about to say something but struggled to find the words. Whatever her mother was going to say she would never know because at that minuet their father and Jace walked through the door. If their father was startled to see everyone in the foyer he hid it well.
"Why hello family!" Valentine smiled. Jocelyn composed herself quickly.
"Welcome home darling! Dinner is almost ready." She smiled her usual lack luster smile.
Clary looked at Jace trying desperately to meet his eyes. She needed to talk to him. Regardless what happened this morning; this was important. Jace finally looked up and meet her gaze. It was brief and she had to cut it off because her father pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead.
"I hope you and Johnathan had fun this afternoon my daughter."
Clary nodded.
"Thank you again for letting us use the apartment to go out today." She answered using the fake smile that Johnathan had showed her in order to hide her expressions. This seemed to please him.
"Johnathan! Jace! Come let's celebrate Clary's birthday." He commanded pulling his daughter to the dining room.
Dinner went by smoothly. Everyone ate in silence for the most part. Jace had taken his normal place next to Clary. He refused to make eye contact with her the entire meal. Johnathan had talked to their father briefly about the demon they encountered in New York. He left out the part about Magnus, Isabelle and Alec of course.
Finally it was time for dessert. Clary blew out the candles and Jocelyn cut the cake into pieces. After a few bites their mother placed a medium sized package in front of her. Clary opened it slowly and her jaw dropped. Inside the box was Heosphoros, her mother's prized sword. Her father had given Johnathan Phaesphoros on his last birthday and kindjal to Jace on his birthday. Clary held up the sword and looked at her mother in shock. Jocelyn giggled.
"I can tell you don't like it at all," she replied sarcastically. Clary was still stunned.
"Thank you mom!... I… love it!" Clary smiled.
Her mother wrapped her arms around her. Valentine rose and pulled his arm around his wife possessively. Joceyln knew he was growing impatient. He obviously would want more details concerning his new prisoner.
"I think it is time for bed." Valentine stated flatly.
Jace excused himself to his room while Johnathan walked Clary to hers. Valentine was following them and stopped in front of the door.
"Alright you two. I mean it, time for bed. Clary has a busy day tomorrow." He commanded. Johnathan and Clary nodded.
"Goodnight father." They said before heading into their rooms. Clearly their father was going to make sure that they were all in their own rooms tonight. If only he knew that they already knew what he was trying to hide. Clary heard the door lock from behind her from the outside. She knew that it would be too risky to leave her room the normal way tonight. She pulled out her phone and texted Jace.
Jace. Are you alone in your room? Please answer!
After a few minutes he replied.
Yes but don't come. Father locked me in. He will hear you leave the room.
Clary sighed. She didn't need to open her door to see Jace. She took out her new Stele and drew a portal rune. She concentrated and stepped through the portal. She felt a flying motion and braced herself for landing. She hit the floor and regained her balance. She was getting good at this, finally.
She was in Jace's room. He was sitting on his bed and staring at her in disbelief.
"Clary," he whispered. "You shouldn't be here."
Clary held her hand up to stop him.
"I'm not here to talk to you about this morning. I need to talk to you about something else. Something important Jace." She whispered.
Jace raised his eyebrows. What happened this morning seemed like so long ago. He didn't want to think about it right now but he couldn't help it. Here she was, in the middle of the night, in his room and wearing clothes that hugged her body. What boy wouldn't be thinking that? He pushed those thoughts away as best as he could. He also had news he needed to talk to her about too. He nodded his head and motioned for her to sit next to him. Clary couldn't help but blush at the thought of being next to him in such an intimate setting.
"Johnathan and I went to see Magnus Bane in New York today." She began. "He has been working with mom to help take the circle down. Apparently he was helping hide Madame Dorthea from father in order to protect the cup. He got word today that she had been captured."
"I know," Jace replied. Clary looked surprise.
"What do you mean you know? How could you possibly know that?" she asked.
"I know that because I saw her in the dungeons at the Blacks house. Father kept asking her for the cup and she kept telling him she didn't know what he was talking about." He replied.
Clary paused for a moment thinking. Jace felt the urge to touch her, hold her or do something to comfort her. He resisted the urge. After a few moments she looked up at him. He stared into her beautiful green eyes as she spoke.
"We have to save her before she tells them anything. Do you think there will be guards with her at this time of night?"
"No I think they will probably be sleeping but what difference does it make Clary. Father will still have a least two guards blocking the entrance to that cellar." He replied.
"But not likely in her cell right? We won't be going through the cellar entrance. We will teleport using my new portal rune." She answered flatly.
"How is that even possible?"
"You've been there before so all you have to do is picture it in your mind. You'll enter first and I'll follow behind you. We'll both go, release her and portal her back to Magnus's place. It is our only shot." She replied.
"Clary we can't do that. You could get hurt, I mean, Johnathan would kill me if anything happened to you." He argued. She paused for a moment. That was a risk she was going to just have to take.
"Are you scared because I might get hurt or because you are afraid of what Johnathan would do to you? Which is it?" she asked. Jace was taken aback for a moment.
"Both!" he replied.
"We'll he would probably kill you if he knew that you kissed me this morning. So if you don't want him to find out you will go with me through the portal and save the witch." Clary spoke sternly. This was important and if she had to result to blackmail she would. She was a Morgenstern and she could command attention just like her father if she wanted to. She wouldn't back down not when it came to this. Jace looked shocked for a few minutes before taking in a breath.
"Fine." He exhaled. "But put on a mask or something to hide your face at least."
Clary nodded. Jace grabbed two cloaks with hoods for them to put on. After securing both of their cloaks Clary leaned down and drew a portal rune. Jace concentrated and put one of his hand through while the other held Clary's. She could feel the electricity that his touch ignited in her. She was beginning to seriously get annoyed that he had this effect on her. She pushed the thought and raised Heosphoros in her hand.
"Let's hope they are all sleeping." Jace said before pulling her through the portal.