one night. that was all it took for kiara chase and clary fray to jump ship from thier mundane lives to a world much more strange, wonderful and terrifying. together they unravel their unique linage as they fight to keep their loved ones and the wor...
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"The Mortal Cup"
" 'It's like they know I'm looking from the outside. And creeping to the door, it's like they know' "
They entered the training room, a large, spacious room. Equipped with wooden staffs, punching bags, training dummies and other weapons. Two people were in combat in the center of the room. A woman handling a wooden staff and a man wielding chakrams.
"Who is that guy?" Clary nods at the man holding chakrams.
"That's Hodge Starkweather our weapons trainer." Jace informed. "And, more important for us, a former Circle member."
"So the training room is also known as Shadowhunter prison?" Kiara raises her eyebrows, questioningly.
"Not quite, after the Uprising, Hodge repented and he was sent to live and work here to make amends. But he's forbidden to ever leave the Institute." At that moment Hodge ended the fight by severing his opponent's staff in half. Spotting the trio, he walked over, Hodge's sight landed on Kiara and he seemed shocked for a split second. But he then turned to Clary.
"Jocelyn."
"Uh, 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." Kiara frowned, she was called Fairchild when the Circle member attacked them outside. Kiara's hand found the ring on her finger. The band was engraved with unfamiliar runes, a pair of wings cradled the initial 'F'. Jocelyn said it belonged to her mother but if the ring symbolized the Fairchilds that would mean...no it can't be. That woman was most certainly a mundane. Kiara blocked out her thoughts, she had to pay attention.
"She's been kidnapped...by someone named Valentine and his men." Clary briefed.
"By the Circle, Hodge." Jace added. Hodge frowned in confusion and something else Kiara couldn't make out.
"But that's impossible. Valentine's dead and the Circle died with him- argh! Kiara caught the scent of burning flesh as Hodge clutched the Circle rune on his neck.
"What's happening?" Clary cried out.
"I swore a vow never to speak of what we did. This is the Clave's way of making sure I keep that vow."
"That's just sick" Kiara stated. "We can't torture him, Jace. Is there anyone else we can ask?"
"If the Circle really is back..." Hodge grunted, "and they've taken Jocelyn...Our leader... our leader of the Circle-" Hodge doubled over and hissed in pain, Kiara and Jace rushed to help him up, while Clary simply watched in trepidation.
"--Was Valentine Morgenstern... We thought he wanted to protect humans, like all Shadowhunters. But we never realized the lengths which Valentine was willing to go..." Hodge grit his teeth in pain, he stumbled and fell to the floor. "The people he was willing to sacrifice. Most of humanity would die if we carried out Valentine's plan." The Circle rune continued to burn, the skin around it red and raw.
