Hello everyone and welcome back to another chapter. I'm sorry that it took me some more time to upload this but my first year at university started and I had a though time (I still have haha). Anyway, have fun with this. I would be happy if you left me a comment so I know what you think :)

Chapter 4 „Bad News"

We sat in the sports hall together. Isabelle, Alec, Jace and I settled on a blue training pad, all of us were armed with seraph blades. Between me and them was a gap of five feet. Hodge stood some meters in front of us while he questioned me about my previous training procedure. His suit as well as his hair had the same color as his eyes. It radiated quiet and I liked it.

„Well, Clary, tell me something about your training. What did you do? Do you remember what you did the last time?" He gave me a warm smile and I could tell that he'd give me time to answer.

Of course, I remembered my last training. Jonathan had almost killed me then. Then. It had happened two days ago. Now, it seemed like a lifetime ago. How could I lose track of time? I needed to clear my thoughts. My dreams were so vivid lately that sometimes, I wasn't sure if something had really happened or I'd just imagined it.

I led my thoughts to the uncountable amount of lessons Jonathan and I had spent learning about weapons and combat techniques as well as subjects as geography or biology. Valentine had taught us everything possible, even human psychology and the easiest ways to understand a human mind and how to manipulate it. I wasn't sure if I should really mention all those things. When I closed my eyes, I could already see the horrified and disgusted looks the others would give me.

With a sigh, I started to explain the past eighteen years as short as possible. "My father mostly taught us combat techniques with and without weapons. Then weaponry and survival in nature. These were the most important subjects in our schedule. But we also learned languages as French, German and Spanish and subjects like geography, mathematics and all the sciences." I didn't dare turning my head in their direction when I spoke. My eyes were fixed on the corner of Hodge's shoe. Still, I saw Jace's face-expression screw up.

For a couple of seconds, Hodge's eyes wandered through the hall. "Tell me more about the combat techniques. I'm pretty sure that you're very advanced for your age but I need to know some details, so I know exactly how much ahead you are", he said after some time of obvious thinking. Isabelle snorted at his remark.

"He taught us martial arts as karate, judo and aikido. We focused on different kinds of offensive and defensive attacks but also trained to control our mind. Concentration plays a very important role in sparring. When our mind is absent, the fight is already lost. I shouldn't have problems in those areas", I told Hodge. I tried to let my voice sound neutral, but I couldn't help to feel proud of the high standard my training had in comparison to theirs. I was aware that no other Shadowhunter could keep pace with my training achievements.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the concerned look Alec and Isabelle threw at me as if I was going to attack them at any moment. I knew that they shouldn't make me feel uncomfortable, but I couldn't help it. Never let them have power over your feelings.

"We?", asked Alec in a surprised and alarmed tone. Now, I turned my head in his direction. He seemed speechless.

I sighed and immediately knew that my following words would upset them even more. As if one Morgenstern wasn't enough. „I have an older brother, we were both taught by my father." Jonathan's face in my head caught my breath. My lungs screamed for air, but it felt like there was no oxygen left to breathe.

This revelation seemed to knock their socks off. I could see their faces darken in dismay when the meaning of my words reached their minds. They didn't like the thought of another Morgenstern child being somewhere outside the Institute, somewhere out of their reach. Only Hodge kept a straight face, he probably didn't want to offend me.

"You … have a brother?", Jace asked, his voice full of horror. He didn't raise his head though, he continued staring at the floor while balancing the seraph blade in his right hand.

"His name is Jonathan", I whispered and pressed my lips together. And your mother named you after him. A cold feeling spread in my veins. In front of my mind's eye, there was the forest again. His dark eyes, which were full of anger, rested on me and the sound of him baring his teeth resonated in my head.

Before Jonathan had changed, we had been one soul, one team. Nothing had been able to separate us. Not even my father could win a fight against the two of us. He'd always protected me, had always comforted me and had done everything imaginable to make me happy. Nevertheless, he had been an honorable worrier. And now he was gone. Now, these Shadowhunters would make fun of him and badmouth his name.

Jace hissed in disgust. He'd stopped balancing the blade and clutched its hilt instead. One could see the tendons under his skin as he tensed his arm. Like tightropes. Jace's cheeks turned red, and it looked as if he tried to hold back his emotions. "Your brother", he spat. "I'd like to get to know him. You know why?" I didn't answer but my eyes rested on him. "So I can stab this sword in his stomach, turn it around while it's still in his body and watch the blood escaping his dead corpus." It was the first time since we'd met today that he sounded satisfied.

"Shut your mouth", I growled and clenched my fingers together. I felt the red wave of fury capturing me and I wasn't sure if I could control my emotions for any longer. "You have no right to talk about him like that. You wouldn't be able to defeat him anyway." Beyond us, the roof beams creaked and when I looked up, I saw a bird sitting on one of them. The training room was very large, probably to allow movements which otherwise would be possible only in the open.

Isabelle gave Alec a look I couldn't interpret. "I can start with you, if you like", said Jace and quickly jumped on his feet. He moved towards me and a second later I was up myself, balancing the seraph blade between my fingers like a toy.

"Stop it." Hodge's voice remained totally calm as if nothing was happening. He watched us while we stood in front of each other, both armed and both willing to end this conflict right now. I knew of course that I had no right to harm him, he wanted to kill me, but he had a reason to do so. I didn't. Slowly, the anger's heat left my body and I realized that this wasn't the time for us to behave like children. With a sigh, I dropped my blade, looked him in the eye and sat down again. If he decided to kill me now, I probably wouldn't be able to defend myself.

"Jace", Isabelle softly called him. "Leave her alone, she isn't worth it." Jace looked down on me with his golden eyes. I couldn't see any emotion in them. We stared at one another for a couple of minutes. Then, he actually turned around and went back to Alec and Isabelle.

Hodge continued as if nothing had happened. "So you have a brother", he carefully began. "Why isn't he here with you?"

Was it okay to tell them the truth? Was I even allowed to do so? I didn't know but I thought that it would be better for them to hear the truth out of my mouth. I didn't want them to hear it from a third source, I would stand there as a liar. "He isn't in the condition to separate good and bad anymore. My father made a lot of experiments, hoping a powerful worrier would be the outcome. For one of his experiments he received demonic blood from a very special demon. Valentine used the blood to change my brother, he poisoned him. My brother is dead now but the demon wearing his face still calls me his sister. Jonathan is evil now and driven by hatred. We had to escape him, otherwise we'd probably be dead by now."

For a long time, nobody said anything. Hodge had lowered his head and the others stared dead ahead. Then Alec rose to speak. "You escaped your brother because otherwise you'd be dead by now. Why?"

I didn't look at him when I answered. "Jonathan tried to kill me. My father was there and just watched as he stabbed me with a dagger. He'd let his own daughter die to study Jonathan's behavior. We couldn't stay."

"For all the things your father did, you only left him after he put your own life in danger. You seem very much in line with our morals," Isabelle scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"In fact, I didn't know anything about my father's crimes until yesterday", I deadpanned. "You think he went around bragging about his murder while he was raising two kids? No, my father made you look like the bad guys. My mother just yesterday found the courage to leave him and tell me the truth."

Jace raised his head and his eyes rested on me again. He still kept a straight face, but I could see a spark underneath his mask. "So your brother tried to kill you?" I nodded absently and in front of my inner eye, I saw the golden dagger.

"Your father- Valentine, he's a monster. He trained both of you to be killing machines. How are we supposed to know that you and your mother are telling the truth and are no longer on his side?" Isabelle fixed her eyes on me which were soaked in suspicion. Her lips twisted to a threatening mask. "I swear by the angels that I'll kill you if you try to lay a finger on any of us." This wasn't a threat, it was a statement.

"Enough now", Hodge said and clapped his hands. The bird dropped from the roof beam and for a second I thought it had fell but then its wings spread, and it landed on Hodge's shoulder. "It's time to start with today's training."

oOo

After the training, I followed Hodge into the library. Isabelle, Alec and Jace had ignored me the rest of the time. It had been better that way. Better than suffering under their hostile remarks. I wondered where my mother was right now. Half the day was over, and I hadn't seen her yet.

The Institute was huge. The walls were higher than in usual churches and the ceilings were full of mural paintings. As if we weren't in New York but in Versailles. The library was its own world. Its entrance consisted of two massive red double doors and it was situated in an own corridor, apart from the other rooms.

I entered the library behind Hodge and my eyes immediately fell on the large bookshelves, in which colorful books were lined up. The number of books was overwhelming. Once through the door, we stood on a small balcony overlooking every corner of the library. On both sides of the balcony were stairs that led to the actual area of the room. The library was divided into two equal parts, to the left and right of the balcony. On either side was a spiral staircase between the bookshelves that led up to two more balconies. Compared to the first floor, the second was relatively small. Straight across from our balcony was a wide desk with books, papers and other things on it. To its left was a birdcage that didn't seem to be used very often. A large and comfortable-looking armchair was situated behind the table, as well as two sofas, which, however, were at the end of the large room, just below the huge stained-glass window. It showed the Archangel Raziel.

As we walked down the balcony's stairs, I noticed that two women were sitting on the sofas. When we came closer, I recognized Maryse and my mother. "Clary, darling, I'm happy to see you", said Jocelyn and raised her hand in my direction. She hugged me after I'd sat down next to her. Halfhearted, I hugged her back while I thought of the other Shadowhunters. How should I tell her about my day without making both of us feel uncomfortable?

"Glad to see you too", I whispered and tried to give her a smile. It failed and she saw it. "Clary", she sighed and turned to face me. "Tell me what happened." At first, I didn't want to tell her about the last couple of hours at all, but it made no sense. It was clear from the beginning that no one would welcome us with open arms.

I shrugged and leaned my head against the headrest pad while my eyes wandered around the ceiling. "Nothing special", I explained. "Just what we were expecting. It had been okay at first but after I told them my name, it was over."

"That doesn't sound too good", she tried to give me an encouraging smile, but seemed to be rather unhappy too. "Time will pass and if you're lucky, they might start to like you after a while. When they realize that you don't have a lot in common with your father." She stroke my hair in a comforting manner.

I nodded. Maybe she was right although it was hard to believe right now. Then, Jace appeared in front of my inner eye again. "Did you know that Jonathan Herondale lives here?"

My mother bit her lip and lowered her eyes. "Yes", she admitted. "He was adopted by Maryse and Robert, I told you the story." Of course, I remembered this part of her story, it had come to my mind earlier when I'd met him the first time. Although I knew the story, I somehow forgot that he would actually live here.

"Sorry that I have to interrupt", Maryse began to speak, and her eyes met mine. I totally forgot that she was sitting here with us. I looked through the room and found Hodge in his armchair. His back was turned on us as he was writing something. "Hodge brought you here for a reason. It's very important for you to hear this. Valentine took another step into the public's eye."

The moment I heard my father's name, my head snapped in her direction. "What happened?" Just now, I noticed another silhouette behind the sofa. According to its broad shoulders, the person was probably a man. When nobody answered my question, the shadow stood up and light fell on him. He was a man indeed, a young man actually.

Maryse must have seen his movement out of the corners of her eyes because she now turned to him with a serious look on her face. "This is Adam", she said and pointed at the young man who now stood some meters away from me. He was taller than her by a head and wore a black coat over his Shadowhunter gear. My gaze met a pair of dark-green eyes, and I almost opened my mouth in surprise because they were so similar to mine.

The boy, Adam, couldn't be much older than me. He smirked lightly but there was a sad expression in his eyes. "Hi", he greeted me and ruffled through his dark brown hair. "I'm Adam Demonhunter from the Toronto Institute." He put out his hand and I took it with some hesitation. His handshake was surprisingly cold as if there was no blood in his veins.

I sighed disillusioning because now would come the part where I had to tell him my name. In my mind, I already saw him taking a step back, disgusted. "Well, hello, my name is Clary Morgenstern." I didn't smile while I observed him. I wasn't the smiling kind of girl anyway.

But Adam surprised me. His smile grew bigger and he nodded. "Of course, I already know that", he responded, pleased. "I already had the pleasure to meet your mother, after all." Adam had a slight accent, which therefore must've been Canadian. "I'm actually doing an exchange year here, but I was visiting my family."

"But he had to return to New York because the Institute was attacked by Valentine and Jonathan Morgenstern", Maryse remarked, she was obviously in a hurry to end this conversation. "Toronto was lucky, its protection walls are very strong. They didn't succeed entering the Institute. So they changed their plan and killed lots of Downworlders instead who were living all around the city." Maryse stopped when she saw my face.

We were here in New York, safe for now, while Valentine and Jonathan marched through Canada, killing innocent living beings no matter if Shadowhunter or Downworlder. "We have to do something", I burst out. "We can't just sit here and do nothing! This is my family murdering innocent people!" I looked at my mother in despair. Deep in my heart, I knew that there was nothing we could do right now.

"Clary, darling", my mother said and stroked my shoulder. "You know your father. When he once sets his mind on doing something, he won't stop until he reaches his goal." The library was completely silent. Not even Hugo, who still sat on Hodge's shoulder, made a sound. Adam avoided any eye-contact with me.

I knew what she wanted to say: My father would go through hell to find us. He would turn every stone on earth if he had to. If he had to, he would burn down every single Institute, kill everyone, regardless if Nephilim or Downworlder, while we thought ourselves safe. But this safety wouldn't last forever. It was just a matter of time.