➰Chapter ten➰
"Wait... You're saying Valentine actually spoke to you?" I asked Clary with a frown, while Jace held her necklace, standing a considerable distance away from us.
She nodded. "He said my name. He said, your mother for the Cup."
"It's like in my visions, only they can never see me like I can see them," I said, making Jace raise an eyebrow.
"How often do you get these visions?"
"They don't exactly have a pattern," I said with a shrug.
He picked my hand up and scanned the bracelet on my wrist with a concerned frown. "Leah, this is no ordinary bracelet. Where did you get it?"
"My mom gave it to me when she told me I was adopted. I guess she was trying to ease my reaction as much as possible."
"These are both Portal shards. That's why he could see you and tell you to give him the Cup." Jace explained.
"Who said that?" Alec asked from the doorframe.
"Valentine." The three of us answered in unison.
"He's with my mother," Clary stated, clearly frightened.
"And he can speak to you through that necklace? Here in the Institute?"
"It's like when I saw my mom in the visions. Jace says my bracelet and Clary's necklace are portal shards." I said.
"That's why their mothers made sure they had them." Jace told Alec.
"Where are they, then?" Alec questioned Clary.
"I-I don't know." She whispered, stammering.
"You said you saw them. Where there any identifying characteristics? Equipment, weapons, photographs?" He kept questioning her.
"I don't remember! It was awful!" She cried.
I sighed. "Alec, lighten up a bit."
"I'm trying to get something we can use from this," Alec snapped at me. "Clary, what exactly did you see?"
"Valentine has my mother, that's what I saw!" Clary hissed back at him.
"Emotions are nothing but a distraction. You're ruled by them. We're taught to control them."
"Is that why you're so freaking repressed?" I spat at him, making him glare at me. If looks could kill, Alec would have murdered me already and I would be keeping Mrs. Milligan company.
"It is my job to protect the Institute. If Valentine can see in, that's a door I have to shut." He then extended his hand towards Jace. "Now, let me take a look at those."
Jace didn't flinch at first, but reluctantly handed both the necklace and my bracelet to him. Alec stared at them thoroughly, before turning around and leaving. "Now it's in the proper hands."
Clary turned to me and then to Jace, before hurrying towards Alec, the both of us close behind. "Hey!"
We got to the Ops room and followed Alec back to that safe I saw before. He outlined the rune with his stele and placed both items there. "I'm putting these somewhere safe. Where no one could be tempted to use them."
Jace tried to reason with him. "We should use them! Alec, we should use them to get to Valentine!"
"If I were Valentine, I'd make you think that you could rescue Jocelyn. And then I'd lure Clary to me and leverage her life for the Cup." Alec retorted.
"But we saved Simon that way, didn't we?" I suggested, making Alec turn on his heels and loom over me in defiance.
"Yeah, but Valentine is a real threat and can't be handled by four-and-a-half Shadowhunters." He snapped.
"Five! Like it or not, Leah is a Shadowhunter too." Clary said.
"I wasn't suggesting otherwise," he smiled sarcastically. "Leave them there."
➰➰➰
I sat down in the corridor, staring blankly at my empty wrist. I saw Clary and Isabelle walk up to me from the corner of my eye, making me gasp in surprise.
"There you are!" Isabelle said with a smile. "Are you okay?"
"How did negotiating with Alec go?" I asked, changing the subject.
"He wouldn't budge. He's made up his mind." Clary sighed.
"Believe me, there have been many times where I wanted to kill Alec," Isabelle sat down next to me. "Look, I know my brother can be a real pain in the ass, but he means well."
"How can a necklace pose a threat? It's ridiculous," Clary snorted. "I'll take the risk on my own."
"That's the thing, you're not on your own, Clary," Isabelle said patiently. "You're part of us now."
"My mom would have probably known what to do," I smiled sadly, remembering her smiling as always. "I would have done anything to save her."
"I get it. You loved her." Isabelle said, trying to comfort me.
I cleared my throat, so that I wouldn't break down and cry again. "Uh... I only met Jocelyn once or twice. What's she like?"
Clary smiled sadly, too. "She's kind. Fun. Uh... the kind of person you always want to be around."
"She sounds more like a friend than a mom," Isabelle observed. "What about yours, Leah?"
"What was Dot like as a mom?" Clary asked.
I sighed heavily, looked down and smiled. "She was caring. A little sarcastic sometimes, but she could always make me smile, no matter how blue I felt. When I learned I was adopted, she was so patient with my moodiness and encouraged me to let it all out. It took me two years to get over those news. Never thought I'd regret treating her that way for so long like I do now."
Clary hugged me. "She would be proud of you and the person you've become."
"I get you Clary. I can tell Jocelyn's willing to sacrifice everything for you and I know you'd do the same for her." I said, slowly pulling away.
"And just because you can't have that necklace, doesn't mean you won't see her again." Isabelle continued with a smile.
Clary sighed sadly, and I stood up, offering both my hands to either of them. "Come on. Let me tell you about the time I changed Magnus's shampoo for hair remover."
➰➰➰
"And that's why he never let me used his bathroom ever again," I laughed together with Isabelle and Clary. We walked up to the Institute's elevator and waited patiently.
"I was thinking... Alec kept asking me if I saw anything that could help identify where Valentine was," Clary started.
"Did you?" Izzy asked curiously.
"No, but I think I might have another idea." She replied, before we were interrupted by a flash of light at the end of the corridor, and a woman that resembled the Lightwood siblings walked in.
She walked up to us, scanning us from head to toe. "Isabelle. Dressed to impress, I see. And you've been playing with the family heirlooms."
"Hi, I'm Clary Fray—" Clary started introducing herself, but she was abruptly interrupted.
"Clary Fairchild. You look just like your mother. We know all about you in Idris."
"Idris?"
"The Shadowhunter homeland," Isabelle quickly explained. "If you think the Institute's well-hidden, wait until you see that place."
"Woah. That's kind of impressive," I remarked.
"Hows Max? We all miss him," she quickly turned to us. "Little brother. Cute, but clingy. Kind of Simon-ish."
"Robert's picking him up at the Mumbai Institute." The woman explained. "Leah Rollins. We know about you, too. Shadowhunter raised by a warlock. A miracle that you're still alive."
"Wait what—" she interrupted me as well.
"Where's Jace? We have a situation that has to be handled now." She then bumped past us, making the three of us turn around to watch her sashay through the Institute.
"Who does that bitch think she is?" I asked in annoyance.
"That would be my mom," Isabelle replied softly. I cleared my throat awkwardly, secretly feeling bad for Isabelle.
We followed the woman until she stopped, watching Jace train with a seraph blade doing who-knows-what.
"Is your mom always like that? She didn't even hug you," Clary asked in a soft whisper.
Izzy chuckled. "Shadowhunters aren't big huggers."
Just then, Jace finished and turned to us, his eyes falling on the woman and smiling. "Maryse!"
So, that was her name. Maryse. Straight to my most-hated list. He then hurried to her, embracing her in a hug. I felt Isabelle gasp beside me. WHAT A BITCH! "It's great to see you. How's everyone in Idris?"
"I just love how Shadowhunters share!" I interrupted sarcastically, making Jace's eyes fall on me, as we stepped forward, interrupting the little reunion. "A hidden brother, a secret country and a private portal?"
"Mother. Welcome back. We didn't expect you." Alec said, and I was pretty certain I could hear a little fear in his voice.
Maryse kissed his cheek and separated immediately. "You should be prepared, whether you expect me or not."
"I am. We are," Alec stuttered.
"We'll talk about the Institute later. Right now we have a bigger problem. The Seelies have stopped communicating with the Clave and won't explain why. My guess is they're still upset we asked them to send scouts to look for Valentine." Maryse said.
"Izzy's got Seelie friends! Maybe she could ask them what happened," I suggested, trying to make my friend look good to her mother.
"Yes. I am well aware of your... friends. Isabelle, stay separate from the Downworld for good reasons. The wrong move, the wrong word... Do you think there's such a thing as harmless rebellion? Who knows what offends these creatures?"
"Hey, don't be so hard on her." I interceded.
Maryse turned to me. "Maybe she told him... them something that upset their ridiculous customs?"
"I agree with Leah. Why are you laying this all on Izzy for having a friend in the Downworld?" Jace said, standing next to me.
"When someone upsets the natural order, everything falls apart." Maryse spat.
"I can help. I know how to talk to Seelies." Isabelle said.
Alec agreed, clearly defending his sister. "She could go to Meliorn and ask about the Seelies, I could go with her if you want."
"I'd rather Jace goes along this time," Maryse said, tapping him on the shoulder. "Alec, you stay with the the other girls. I want them under control, they've caused enough trouble already."
"Maybe because we didn't know we were Shadowhunters until a few days ago?!" I snapped, fed up with her.
Maryse looked down at me and sighed. "And what an exciting few days it has been," she then turned to all of us. "The Clave counts on us Lightwoods to maintain order around here."
"You don't have to tell me that," Alec said. "If the mission is important to the Clave then I'd prefer to be the one who goes with Isabelle."
"You are all so eager to do what you prefer!" Maryse said, having lost all her remaining patience. "It is time to face the truth: life is not about doing what you want, it is about doing what must be done! I have given you your assignments, now carry them out!"
She then left, calling Izzy and Jace to come with her. Clary snorted. "What did you do to piss off your mom?"
"I'm guessing all the unauthorized missions on your behalf didn't go big on the Clave."
➰➰➰
"Not fair. While we are locked in here, we are still a thousand miles away from finding the damn Cup," Clary complained.
"I know, but what can we do? Mama Lightwood went nuts," I shrugged.
We were training with wooden staffs in the Training Room, swinging at each other as best we could. Alec strolled in, observing us fight thoughtfully.
"I think your mom was too hard on you, for what it's worth," Clary said, while I blocked her attack.
"That's how mothers are," he replied simply.
"Mine's not. Why did you let your mom say all those awful things about Izzy?" Clary kept asking.
Alec walked up to me and fixed my grip on the staff. "Izzy was out of bounds. Sed lex dura lex."
"What?"
"The Law is hard, but it is the Law. It's Latin." I translated.
"So you're just gonna let Jace go with her instead of you?" Clary snapped.
"Besides, we still need to find the Cup. You're supposed to be a leader, Alec. Start making some decisions of your own," I said, swinging at Clary's head, but she dodged before I could hit her.
"How? We've done nothing but try to find it, with no luck."
"We can still find Valentine. I might know a way," we paused our fight. "My mother hid a lot from me, but I did see one thing. There's a box. She didn't think I knew about it, but she would open it once a year and cried."
"Because...?" Alec asked.
"It belonged to my father. It had his initials, JC, on top. The sides had a golden AS carved as well."
"I don't get it. What does this have to do with the Cup?" I asked in confusion.
"Because for eighteen years she told me my father's name was Jonathan Clark. That was obviously a lie, but whatever was in that box meant a lot to her."
"Maybe something inside could help us track him!" I suggested with a smile.
"Where's the box?"
"I think it's still back at the loft. Let's go get it," Clary said, and I nodded.
Alec shook his head immediately. "Absolutely not. Not without permission."
His phone beeped and me and Clary exchanged an agreement look. We then slithered away from him, left the staffs behind, while he still wasn't noticing.