Drapetomania | Shadowhunters [Jace Wayland]

06; Of Men and Angels

After Luke had been rushed into Magnus' loft, he had a random transformation, but Magnus' magic kept him steady. The transformation was a side effect of the bite from the alpha. Magnus had placed a bark of wood in between Luke's fangs, so he wouldn't hurt anyone. Luke needed an anecdote that would stop the poison in his system, so he sent Jace and Simon off to get the ingredients. He also called for Alec, the need of virgin Shadowhunter energy.

Tris was sitting next to Tyler, holding up a cloth to her neck wound while Tyler helped with her arm. She exhaled quietly, but Tyler heard, and he looked up at her in concern. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing," she whispered. Talking also hurt, because of the three claw marks decorating her neck.

"She'll be fine," Magnus assured. "The claws didn't go too deep. Do you want me to heal you?"

"No, I'm fine," she sad, her voice wavering. She winced. Magnus looked at her, worried. "I'm fine, Magnus."

Magnus' head whipped to Luke when he growled loudly. He looked at Clary. "Your suitors need to hurry, the poison's spreading."

He seated himself in front of the Lewis girl, Clary beside her, so she was in between Clary and Tyler. Magnus handed Clary a sketchbook and a pencil, while he decided to tell her something. Magnus conjured up a gauze bandage and with a fick of his hand, Tris was bandaged, only stains of her own blood on hers and Tyler's hands.

Magnus began, "When I first heard about your father, around the time he and Jocelyn first got together, long before the Uprising and the Circle, Valentine elevated the Morgenstern name to be synonymous with virtue. And your mother was at his side. But by the time my people came to know him, barely two years later his name had become synonymous with devastation. Your mother told me it was then she first saw the signs. Valentine had killed many warlocks. They never found all the bodies. We'd all stood with the Clave for centuries."

"How could that not matter to him?" Clary asked. 

"He was obsessed with ensuring purity of blood. Convinced that the impurities were a threat to peace. He was the threat to peace. Mad men rarely make sense. Mostly, they just hate. And he hated the Downworlders, for the gifts that we possess that he could not have. He hated us enough to kill us all."

"Ever since my mother was kidnapped, and the Shadow World invaded my life, so many Downworlders have helped me, not even thinking about what it might cost them. How could Valentine not see good in any of them?" 

"He was blinded by his ambition."

"Why didn't the Clave stop him?" 

"He was clever. He and his followers, they managed to convince the Clave that the Downworlders they killed on their special missions had violated the Accords in some way. Complete fabrications."

"How could the Clave not see?" 

"Shadowhunters believe in the Law as absolute. They could never conceive of one of their own going astray."

"My father didn't go astray, Magnus. He went insane."

"What happened back then is happening again. The Clave refuses to believe that Valentine's a threat. Nineteen years ago, their lack of vision allowed the Circle to almost decimate the entire Shadow World."

"That was the Uprising?" 

"Yes. Valentine wanted to create a new Shadowhunter army. And for that, he needed the Mortal Cup. He knew it would be on display at the signing of the Accords as a show of the Clave's power. He seized the opportunity to accomplish everything he ever wanted. Destroy the Accords, murder Downworlders, and secure the Cup."

"How could my mom and Luke be a part of something like this?" 

"Jocelyn and Luke tried to prevent the Uprising. They tried to change Valentine's mind about Downworlders. Obviously, they didn't. Clary, if it wasn't for your mother and Luke, the Circle would have won."

"Ever since I found out Valentine was my father, I wondered how my mother could be married to someone like that and why she stayed."

"She had to stop him. And safeguard the Cup. Everything Jocelyn did, she did to save the people she'd sworn to protect. She took her oath as a Shadowhunter seriously."

"I understand," said Clary, "but how does that help me find the Cup?" 

"Maybe," Magnus took a deep breath, "Luke thinks if you know your mother better, you'll know where she hid it."

"Then tell me why she gave up being a Shadowhunter," Clary said, frowning.

"Because the one thing in the world she loved more is you. She had to protect you."

"From my father, the lunatic."

Suddenly, Luke started breathing heavily, making Clary and Magnus rush over to him. Tyler stay put, watching his best friend's skin turn paler as the minutes passed.

"Luke?" Said Clary, looking at Magnus, who frowned.

"The magic's wearing off," he said.

"It was our fault. It was our fault!" Luke shouted. 

"Luke!" Clary yelled. 

"It's worse," said Magnus. After some time, Alec rushed in the loft with someone else, catching Tris by surprise. It was Nick. Magnus used his magic to keep Luke steady, while Nick rushed over to Tris, concerned.

"I'm running out of magic," Magnus exclaimed.

"What do I do?" Clary asked. 

"I can't leave him, but the potion stock still needs Komodo scale," said Magnus. "Find it, add the rest when they get here. You'll have to feed it to Luke."

"What about you?" 

"I'll hold on as long as I can. Go!" Magnus extended his hand to Alec, asking for some strength, which Alec gave.

"Clary!" Magnus yelled, once the redhead returned. "Do you have it?" 

She nodded, feeding the potion to Luke, making him close his eyes slowly, before opening them. "Hey, Clary," he smiled a little, breathing heavily.

"You okay?" Nick asked the Lewis girl, who nodded weakly. 

"Yeah."

▪▪▪

Soundlessly, Tris washed off the blood from her hands, watching the clean water turn red under the tap. She had requested Tyler and Nick to leave, saying she could take care of herself. 

Truth was, she just wanted some time alone. She was in desperate need of sleep, and the bags under her eyes said so, very clearly. 

She didn't look at herself in the mirror, knowing she would just see a weak girl. A mundane. With a shaky breath, she turned off the tap, dried her hands and left the bathroom, only to come face to face with a blonde boy.

She looked away immediately, sitting down on the edge of the bed in the Institute. "What do you want?" She hated how she sounded right about now; pathetic.

"I just wanted to ask if you're okay."

"Well, I'm perfectly fine," she cleared her throat. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"You're not."

"Then why did you ask?" She snapped at him. "You know what? Leave. I want to be alone, so, please, Jace, leave."

"I-I'm sorry," he apologized, but left the room.

And then she let out a breath she didn't know she held.

▪▪▪