Nevermore 》 Shadowhunters

Four

Clary, Jace, and I walked into the training room.  A smile came to my face when we spotted Hodge training another one of his students. 

"Who is that guy?" Clary asked.

"That's Hodge Starkweather, our weapons trainer. And, more important to us, a former Circle member," Jace said with his arms crossed.

I explained further. "After the uprising, Hodge repented and was sent here and work to make amends. But, he's forbidden to leave the Institute."

Hodge managed to get the upper hand on the girl and sliced her wooden pole in two. She admitted defeat and left. I went pass Jace and Clary to hug Hodge. 

Let me explain, I have always seen Hodge as my second father after Jace and I were brought to the Institute. He treated me like his daughter. I even called him Dad when I was eleven, on accident, because of how much I look up to him.

When we let go he got a good look at Clary, like in recognition. "Jocelyn," he breathed.

Clary stood there awkwardly. "Um, I'm Clary. Uh, Jocelyn Fray is my mother."

"Well, she was Jocelyn Fairchild when I knew her. And she was one of my best friends."

"She's been kidnapped...by someone name Valentine and his men."

"By the Circle, Hodge," I clarified.

He gave me a confused look. "But, that's impossible. Valentine's dead and the Circle died with him." The rune on his neck started to burn. Hodge began choking and took a few steps away from us.

"What's happening?" Clary asked.

"I swore a vow to never speak of what we did. This is the Clave's way of making sure I keep that vow."

Clary gave us a worried look. "Jace, Sam, we can't torture him. Is there anyone else we can ask?"

Hodge continued anyway. "If the Circle really is back...and they've taken Jocelyn...our leader...our leader of the Circle was Valentine Morgenstern." His rune began burning again. We were about to reach out to him, but he held his hand up. "We thought he wanted to protect humans, like all Shadowhunters.  But we never realized what lengths which Valentine was willing to go...the people he was willing to sacrifice." His rune heated up and Hodge inhaled deeply. "Most of humanity would die if we carried out Valentine's plan."

"But...I still don't understand. How does my mother relate into any of this?"

"Jocelyn was a member of the Circle as well."

Clary shook her head. "No. I can't believe it. My mother, she -"

"The important thing is that Jocelyn left the Circle. And so none of this really matters because Valentine died in a fire years ago."

His Circle rune began burning again.  Hodge started to yell and I immediately went to his side. I grabbed ahold of his arms so he wouldn't fall down.

"I'm sorry, but we can't ask you to do this."

"Clary, we don't have a choice," Jace said.  He looked at Hodge. "You understand that right, Hodge?"

I shook my head at him. "Jace, we're hurting him."

"It's ok, Sam. Jace is right. Valentine nearly destroyed the Shadow World and humanity along with it. If he gotten the Cup -" Hodge panted.

Clary cut him off. "Wait a minute. My mother told me she hid something from someone. If it's this Cup -"

Jace interrupted her. "Clary, the Mortal Cup is the most important object in the Shadow World. Whoever possesses it could create more Shadowhunters."