Chapter 13- Revelations
"Easy, Max. Clary is still recovering." the warlock scolded.
The young boy nodded his head and positioned himself to the side of the bed; off the woman's lap.
"Drink this. It will help you get back your energy." Magnus instructed.
Clary took the bowl of soup into her hands, taking in the scent. It had been a while since she had something to eat other than fish, berries, or bread.
"Thank you. I do feel really hungry," she replied.
"Naturally. It is a wonder that you are still alive." Alec stated, firmly.
Magnus shot him a disapproving look. Clary ignored him and gave Alec a smile.
"Yes, I am grateful to all of you for looking after me," Clary replied meekly.
"We saved you the second time they attempted to control you and prevented a third attempt. However, I believe you saved yourself the first time. Thus, why your magic became depleted." Magnus explained, twisting a lock of her hair lovingly.
"Do you really think my magic was powerful enough to do that? I mean, I have no training." she inquired.
"Yes, and about that. I believe it is necessary for you to now have training. A power such as yours could be a great weapon in the wrong hands." Magnus warned, giving Jace a meaningful stare.
Jace frowned but Clary could see a look of guilt in his eyes.
"I don't want to be a weapon." Clary countered.
"Of course, you don't but if you keep wandering around untrained you will lend yourself to becoming one," Alec answered, also shoot Jace a look.
"Fine." Jace relented. "I will talk to the guardian about letting her go to the village but I want one of you with her at all times in case the king tries something."
"Do you think that is why the king wants me? For my magic?" Clay begged, eager to find the reason she had to be in hiding for so long. "I have only seen the king once and while he did take an unusual interest in me…I don't think he would have known just by looking at me that I was gifted. Could he?"
Magnus' cat eyes examined her closely.
"No, not from a distance. The king has mastered his magic and though I would argue that I think his son Prince Jonathan is more powerful, even warlocks of his calabar can sense those able to wield magic if they touch them. From a distance would be difficult and even then he wouldn't waste this much time and resources just to access a common magic wielder." the warlock explained.
"But you mentioned before that you don't think my magic is common?" Clary questioned.
"No. Jace and I possess unique magic. However, yours Clary…Your gift is very powerful and especially rare … I knew of only one other person able to wield such power." he explained. At that, he had all of the group's attention.
"Who was that?" Max was the first to ask.
"I will not, or rather, I CANNOT say until I can confirm it. It is too risky and I made a blood oath long ago never to speak of it. I would have to choose my words carefully and be absolutely sure before I am willing to reveal such information." Magnus explained, addressing Clary.
Frowning, Clary looked back down at her empty bowl. She wished Magnus would be more forthcoming with information. It was her life at stake after all. Shouldn't she have more of a say in how it is going?
"Fear not, Clary. If I know my husband, he is just being cautious." Alec spoke, coming out from behind the kitchen with another bowl of soup.
"Did you cook this on the wood stove?" Clary asked him.
Alec gave a tentative smile in response.
"I did. Why? Is it not good? I thought I followed Magnus' recipe correctly." Alec replied, looking at his husband.
"No, it's not that," Clary giggled. "It is just that every time I try to cook on that flame, soot gets all over me and I got tired of my clothes getting dirty," she explained.
Alec smiled cheerfully, "What can I say? I am pure at heart. Repels the dirt."
Clay gasped and her eyes opened wide. She had heard that line a hundred times from her best friend.
"What is wrong?" Max asked, looking at Clary.
"Isabelle," Clary replied. The group looked at her in confusion.
"Max signed the note he gave me as "Max Lightwood," she explained.
Alec's eyes narrowed as he shot his younger brother a look. Max's eyes immediately looked toward the floor.
"And your comment about being pure at heart. My best friend Isabelle would tell me that all the time." she rushed on.
"You know my sister?" Max gasped, shooting forward to get closer to the redhead.
"If your sister is Isabelle Lightwood then, yes. I know her very well." Clary smiled. "She has brown eyes, long thick black hair, wears a red ruby necklace around her neck, and has an enchanted bracelet that doubles as a whip."
"That is Isabelle! That is my older sister!" Max cheered. "Alec! Alec! Did you hear that, Clary knows Izzy!"
Alec gave Clary a soft smile. She could tell that this news brought him both joy and sorrow.
"Alec?" Clary asked, turning to look at the startled young man. "Isabelle is fine. Lady Imogene took her in with us five years ago. She is safe." Alec smiled again, his eyes tearing up.
"I'm sorry Clary...it is just for so long I have wondered what happened to her."
Magnus wrapped his arm around his partner. Though, even his eyes hid unshed tears.
"She is safe." Clary smiled. She didn't want to tell him that she didn't know where Isabelle was now. It wasn't the time for that. For so long these brothers just wondered if their darling sister was alive.
"Is Imogene Herondale Jace's grandmother or something?" Max asked. "I think that was who the old lady who visited from Ignis was right? The one who told the king he wasn't going to marry a duchess."
"Max, enough!" Magnus whispered.
Max's face dropped in an expression that meant he just said something he wasn't supposed to. Clary looked at Max and then at Jace who was as stone-faced as she had ever seen him. His eyes briefly met hers, before he turned to look away. Clary couldn't help but smile.
"Is something wrong, Clary?" Max asked.
"I am not sure how to answer that question. Perhaps, you should ask Lord Herondale?" The redhead spoke.
Jace met her gaze once more and although he was uncomfortable that she had learned his identity, the playful smile she gave him helped ease his temper.
"I thought Max was too young to remember but apparently he remembers my grandmother arguing with the king about my betrothal to the Duchess of the Spiral Labyrinth," Jace explained, addressing the young man and eyeing him curiously.
"I do! No one really stands up to the king. Dad would always joke about asking Lady Imogen if he ever needed help convincing the king."
Alec looked at Jace before turning his eyes to Clary wondering where this conversation was going. He knew his friend had feelings for this woman, so why bring up another woman unless…
Alec couldn't help the giant grin that lit up his face.
"I take it Clary was the young maiden your grandmother insisted you marry instead?" the archer guessed.
"It would seem fate has a sense of humor." Jace retorted, taking his leave of the cave wall and making his way over to the bed.
"So, Clary is Jace's betrothed?" Max asked curiously.
"Almost. It was never official." the young woman added.
"I wouldn't say that," Jace argued. "When my grandmother decides something it rarely doesn't happen."
"I will concede your point on that one." she smiled, giving him an affectionate look.
Jace gave her a searing gaze and his brightest smile. While he had wished to be the one to tell her, he was happy that she was taking the news so well.
"While I would love for Jace to share more secret revelations with us, it is almost sundown," Magnus interjected. "And I believe the Guardian is waiting."
Alec looked at his husband curiously trying to read his tense expression. Yet, the warlock's gaze remained firmly planted on the blonde before him. Max sensing the change in mood went to speak but Alec grabbed him off the bed and began to lead him towards the water basin to freshen up for bed.
"Yes," Jace replied, meeting Magnus' gaze head-on. "The Guardian is waiting for me. Do try to prevent little Max from revealing too many of my secrets while I am out. I would like to be the one to tell Clary the rest of them myself."
"You should probably think on how best to do that promptly…while you are out." Magnus countered.
Clary, unsure what was going on, watched on curiously. Clearly, Magnus wanted Jace to tell her something that he wasn't willing to share yet. Though, she had no idea regarding what.
"I am sure Jace will divulge all his secrets to me when he is ready." the redhead spoke, giving Jace a sincere smile.
Jace looked at her with an expression of love and guilt. It caught her off guard for a moment but she quickly concealed her frustration.
"Be safe, MY lord." the redhead smiled.
Jace leaned forward, taking Clary's outstretched hand in his own. He brought her delicate hand to his lips and softly littered it with kisses.
"As you wish, MY bride-to-be," he replied.
Clary's eyes went wide and a bright blush littered her cheeks.
Seeing her reaction, Jace smiled before turning on his heel and leaving the room. She could feel everyone's eyes on her. Max was the first to break the silence.
"Clary, are you going to marry Jace?" the little boy asked.
"Max!" Alec, hissed.
"But I wanted to marry her…"
Clary laughed.
"I wouldn't think about marriage yet. You have quite a few years before you have to worry about such matters." Magnus purred, bringing his fingers to the boy's temples.
Max released a big yawn.
"Come now, time for all of us to sleep."
Max came back to the bed and quickly snuggled up to her. Alec gave him a disgruntled look but Clary smiled motioning that it was fine. Alec and Magnus made their way to the other side of the cave where Magnus had created a large bed in the open space. She guessed that he had teleported it with magic. She wanted to stay up and listen to what the two were saying but her eyes felt heavy. Her body was still exhausted and she fell asleep as soon as her eyes closed.
Clary thankfully awoke the next day feeling much better. Jace however, was nowhere to be seen. Magnus said that he had sent her a fire message stating he would be back by midday after he inspected the wall to ensure that it was still properly enforced.
The group decided to take advantage of the nice weather by going swimming. Clary was still learning and stuck to the shallows. Max, however, was a pro. He would jump off of the giant boulders and cannonball into the water. Alec had fun putting his little brother on his shoulders while Magnus preferred to watch from atop a large rock. It was midday when they returned back to the tree cave.
The redhead was a bit relieved. She had worried about where her blonde companion was and kept looking up at trees, hoping he would emerge. He never did and although Clary knew he wasn't due to be back until that afternoon, a part of her hoped he would be back early. Not having Jace around made her feel uneasy as if a part of her was missing.
Making their way into the cave the group dispersed. Alec, having caught some trout went to cook it, Max, tired from the sun, wanted a nap, and Magnus insisted that Clary try on the new creation that he made her after lunch. Which, she was fine with as it gave her a chance to finally corner him. Before she had the chance to speak, Magnus had thrust a lavish dress into her arms and demanded that she put it on.
"This dress is more for a ball than living in the forest," Clary announced holding up the large garment.
"She does have a point, Magnus. Lace in the forest?" Alec agreed, washing the dishes with water. The warlock gave his husband a glare.
"Don't you start! This dress is dazzling and Clary looks beautiful in it!"
"I never said she doesn't look beautiful," Alec defended. "I just don't think it is practical."
Magnus shrugged. "Sometimes one must give up comfort to look stunning." the warlock replied.
"And…" he added. "If someone wants magic lessons from Uncle Magnus they will not complain." the warlock warned, giving Clary a stern look.
The redhead shrugged in defeat. She had learned early on that Magnus always seemed to get what he wanted.
"If you insist." she sighed.
Magnus' green eyes fixated on her. Then a grin came to his lips before he leaned forward and whispered.
"Jace will appreciate this look. It will make him go crazy."
Clary's cheeks grew red.
"Enough to divulge all of his secrets?" she asked.
Magnus' bright green eyes shone with mischief.
"It just might."
"Might what?" Jace spoke, making his way into the cave.
"Seduce you into revealing all your innermost darkest secrets." Clary teased, giving Jace a sly look.
The blonde grinned, meeting her gaze.
"If you want to try to seduce my secrets out of me, far be it for me to resist such a beautiful temptress and in such a dress."
"I think it might be time for us to leave if you two plan on… sharing secrets." Alec quipped playfully, reminding the two that Max was present.
Jace chuckled and Clary lightly blushed.
"We shall have to wait for that confessional until after our guests leave." the blonde spoke, giving Clary a wink.