"Have you spoken with Lydia?" Alec asked Maryse as I was hidden in the hall, "No one's seen her since the wedding."

When Maryse doesn't reply, Alec sighs deeply, "Mom, come on."

Robert's voice followed, "Maryse."

Alec was considerate, "Mom, I understand you're upset, but this is-"

"Calling off the wedding would've been one thing but kissing her in front of the entire Institute?" Maryse spun to face her son when I peaked to look at them, "You've embarrassed all of us."

"Why?" Alec questioned, "What's the problem?"

"That you chose Zee Morgenstern!" Maryse bursted, "Valentine's daughter!"

"I understand that." Alec had his hands behind his back, "I still chose her."

"Why aren't you comprehending the difference between Zee and Lydia?" questioned Maryse, "Zee turned on us- she was in league with Valentine!"

"Unwillingly, and was." Alec defended me, "Being in league with Valentine wasn't her fault."

"She could have you fooled!" Maryse shook her head, "Alec, there's so much that you don't know about her."

"How is that true?" Alec snipped back at his mother, becoming slightly frustrated, "I grew up with her."

"That's exactly it!" Maryse busts, "She isn't the same person you fell in love with!"

This makes my heart stop.

"She's a completely different person- she doesn't know who she used to be!" Maryse continued, "You need to get that through your head and stop being so naive."

"Maybe not- but, I know despite what Valentine has done to her, she's still the Zee I knew deep down." Alec wouldn't let her convince him, "I won't give up on her like you have- none of us will."

"And if you have a problem with Zee and I, then- I suggest you deal with it." Alec told it to her straight, "Now, I have to go find Lydia."

"She's probably packing for Idris in your father's office." Maryse exhales deeply, "What she did-"

"Saved my life." Alec cut her off before she could finish, "So- I should go thank her."

I spun and walked further into the hall, making it seem like I wasn't listening.

Alec walked over to me, as I exhale deeply, pressing my hands together, "On a scale of one to ten?"

"Off the charts." Alec admits truthfully, sighing, "Yeah, I've never seen them so angry."

"I mean- maybe, they just need some time." I shrug lightly, "It was a big- shock."

Alec shook his head lightly, "After what I did- I don't think they'll ever forgive me."

"Don't say that." I hugged myself, "They will."

"No sarcastic comment from you?" Alec looks between my eyes, "It's almost like I'm talking to a different person-"

I gently hit his arm, a small smile on my lips.

"Hey, uhm-" I clear my throat, placing my hands on my hips, looking away as I said this as if I was embarrassed, "You don't regret it, do you?"

"No- it's just-" Alec sighs, "Everything happened so fast- I didn't have time to think."

I don't reply, keeping my stare away.

I felt Alec gently grab my face, caressing my cheek with his thumb, "I don't regret a thing."

Truthfully, I was so scared.

More afraid than I had been ever.

I had practically threw "to love is to destroy and to be loved is to be the one destroyed" out the window for Alec.

And having that engraved in my mind and still going through with whatever this was, was terrifying.

I stare at him, "You gotta stop doing that to me."

Alec gaped at me, "Doing what?"

"Making me feel things." I imply to the feeling in my chest, "It's weird."

Alec softly smiled and let go of my face, "Well, get used to it."

"Where is Lydia anyway?" I suddenly mentioned, genuinely curious, "I just ruined her wedding- you think she ran off?"

"No-" Alec walked with me down the hall to Lydia's office, "Let's make sure Lydia's okay-"

"Yeah, if we can find her." I opened the door of the office to see Lydia on the ground on an broken table, "Wow-"

"Lydia!" Alec rushed to her aid, as she was unconscious and hurt, as I followed him.

"Hey-" I was on my knees next to her as well, pulling Lydia onto her back, "Lydia-"

Alec pulled out his stele and waved it over her Iratze, as her eyes barely open.

"Hey- hey, what happened?" My hands were on her arms, "Who the hell did this to you?"

Lydia's voice was weak, "Hodge."

-

"How's Lydia?" asked Clary as Alec and I joined her, Isabelle and Jace in the Ops Center.

"Better." Alec exhales, "Magnus is doing what he can to help her, but- it's bad."

Alec adds in, "And the Cup is definitely missing."

"And guess what?" I snip, "So is Hodge."

Isabelle looked through the footage, "Maybe he was attacked, too."

I placed my hands on her chair, suspicious, "Maybe he's the one who attacked her."

"Hodge?" Isabelle looked back at me for a moment, "No way- we've known him our entire lives, he would never do that to us."

Isabelle replays the footage, stopping at where Lydia got attacked, Hodge being the one who had knocked her and held the Mortal Cup.

I hum, "Hm, would never do that to you guys, huh?"

A wounded look was on Jace's face when he saw the footage, "I led him right to the Cup."

"We treated him like family." A look filled with betrayal was on Alec's, "How could he do this to us?"

"Well," I stare at the footage, "Clearly, some people are in it for themselves."

Isabelle types and switches to a different camera to where Hodge stood over Jocelyn, "That's how."

Clary questions, "What is that ring?"

Isabelle clicks on the keyboard, "Looks like he's talking to someone."

I scoff, "And I can bet who it is."

Clary crosses her arms, "Valentine."

Alec inhales, "Well, that explains how he deactivated the Punishment rune, but- it doesn't explain where he got the ring."

Clary looks at him, "You think someone smuggled it past the wards?"

"Maybe." Jace responded to her, "Hodge wasn't the only ex-Circle member around here."

Isabelle looked back at him, "Look, I know I don't always see eye to eye with my parents, but- I know they're not traitors."

"Really?" Jace snapped back at her, "Isn't that what you just said about Hodge?"

Jace adds in, "It'd have to be someone we trusted, but if there was an intruder inside the Institute, we would have found them by now."

I tear away from my thoughts and looked at him, "What about the Forsaken attack?"

"No." Alec shook his head, looking at me as I was stood next to him, "We killed that thing, and I didn't see a ring."

"Yeah, neither did I." I shot him a look, "What if Hodge snagged it off before we could see it? We were distracted by your injury to pay attention to him."

"He didn't have one during the autopsy, but- maybe there's something in the footage." Isabelle pulled up the footage and fast forwarded it.

Alec instructs, "Go to the other camera."

Jace points, "There."

There it was, the evidence of Hodge pulling off the ring from the Forsaken as Isabelle and I were hunched over Alec in the frame.

"I always knew there was something off about that son of a bitch." I scoff deeply in disbelief.

Clary scoffs as well, "So, it wasn't a random attack."

Jace's teeth gritted, "He was just the delivery boy."

"If he gives that Cup to Valentine, he'll create an army of Shadowhunters." Alec stares, "With that kind of power behind him, he'll kill thousands."

"He'll kill thousands just creating the army." Isabelle sighs, "Most mundanes won't survive that."

"Like hell will I let that happen." I backed up, spinning around and walking away from them.

-

"What are you doing?" Clary questioned after rushing over to us, noticing how Alec, Jace and I had changed out of our wedding attire and were gearing up.

I had let my hair down, as it was in wavy curls, while I had changed into black jeans that had small rips here and there, a yale blue t- shirt that was tucked into the jeans, a black leather jacket and black combat boots.

Jace grabbed his seraph blade, "Every second we waste here, Hodge gets closer to Valentine."

"Hey, we're a team, all right?" Clary stammered, "I know you're mad right now, but- Hodge could be dangerous."

I grabbed my kindjals off the table, flipping them in my hands, "Three of us, one of him- check the math, but- I'm pretty sure he's outnumbered."

"What is with you guys?" Clary looks between Jace and I, then looks at Jace, "Would you just talk to me for a second?"

Jace stops, "Lydia, Hodge- all this is happening because I didn't stop Valentine."

"Jace, you cannot let emotions cloud your judgment." Clary reminds, "Your words, remember?"

"When I first wanted to find my mom, I didn't care about anyone else." Clary persuaded, "But- you were the one that taught me that it's about a world that's bigger than us."

"That's why you need to wake her up- she was his prisoner and his wife." Jace looked at her, "If anyone can stop him, she can."

I shot them both a look, then shove my kindjals in their thigh sheaths, "Sure."

"Jace, listen to me-" Clary began.

Jace cut her off, "You can do this."

"Does she always need a pep talk?" I questioned, handing Alec his bow, Alec and I already all geared up as Alec simply sighs in annoyance with Clary as well.

"Maybe I can." Clary said, "But- it's not about me, it's you I'm worried about, you cannot let Valentine's evil poison you!"

Jace shot back at her, "He's my father."

Clary corrected him, "Actually he's our father."

Jace stares at her, "You don't get it."

"I can't believe I'm related to those two." I muttered, walking down the steps and heading for the doors, Alec right next to me.

When Jace finally caught up to us, Alec questioned, "Jace- how are we gonna find Hodge? He didn't leave anything we can track."

I shrug, "I might be able to ask Magnus for help."

"You both need to stop thinking with your stele." Jace pulled out his phone, "There's more than one way to track."

-

"Where is it?" I threw Hodge against the wall, my kindjals at his neck as I had went ahead from the others, "Did you give it to him?"

I had caught him completely off guard as he was hiding from the wolves that were scouring the city for him.

"Zee- I'm afraid you're too late." Hodge exhaled deeply in regret, "Valentine already has the Cup."

"You gave it to him?" I raise my voice.

Hodge shoves me back, as I was quick, spinning kicking him in the face, as we both circled around, staring at each other.

"You son of a bitch!" I threw my kindjal at him, one he quickly dodged as it landed in a pillar, "You've screwed us all!"

"Oh, Zee." Hodge scoffs deeply, "You're Valentine's daughter- I only completed what was your beginning ultimatum!"

"Yeah- but, that changed when I realized how wrong his goal was and how he screwed me over." I stepped closer to him, "You handed over the Cup despite that!"

"You know what else I did?" questioned Hodge, "Your father wasn't pleased to hear that you sided against him."

Valentine had assumed I had been captured the entire time, he didn't know it was my choice to stay.

This made my blood boil, "What?"

Hodge stares at me, "He'll be coming for you."

Before I could reply, Jace skidded to a stop next to me, "Does he have it?"

"No- he already gave it to him." I stared at Hodge, as Jace grunted and tackled Hodge to the ground.

I stepped back and pulled my kindjal from my pillar, putting them both in their thigh sheaths.

Hodge and Jace began yelling at each other, as I bolted the other way to find Alec and Luke to let them know we had found Hodge.

I was out of breath by the time I reached them, grabbing Alec's hand without realizing it, gesturing my head towards the way I came, signaling I wanted them to come with me.

"We found Hodge-" I breathe deeply, already pulling Alec along with me as Luke ran after us.

When we returned, Jace had cut off Hodge's hand, ready to kill him right then and there.

I let go of Alec's hand, as him and I tackled Jace to the ground in unison as Luke rushed over to Hodge.

I yelled to a struggling Jace, "It's over!"

"It's not over." Jace tried to push Alec and I off as we held him down, "He's a traitor- he deserves to pay!"

Alec yelled as well, "You nearly killed him!"

"Maybe I should've killed him!" Jace shouted back st us, "He sided with Valentine- the Clave let him go once before and look where that got us."

"I sided with Valentine, you gonna kill me?" I questioned, this making Jace go silent, "Exactly, so- cut it out."

"Just calm down." Alec pat his chest, as he and I let go of Jace, him laying there, breathing heavily.

Luke places a hand on Hodge's shoulder, "There's a dungeon in Idris with your name written all over it."

Alec and I joined him, as we crouched in front of him, Alec pulling out his stele and running it over Hodge's Iratze.

Hodge screams in pain, as I rolled my eyes, shoving me back lightly as he leaned toward me, "Oh- shut up, you deserved it."

-

I stare at Jace from the pillar I stood at, my arms crossed, my back against it, an uneasy look on my face.

Jace had his back to me Alec with him, Hodge on the ground, his handless arm wrapped as his eyes were closed, trying to endure the pain he felt.

Luke stood a few feet away from us, on the phone with Alaric so he can arrange a pickup.

Alec notices me staring and leaves Jace, walking over to me, his voice quiet when he reached me, "Hey, you okay?"

"I've got a bad feeling about Jace." I came clean, my voice dangerously low as I kept my stare on Jace, "I haven't known him for very long- but, I know he's not himself."

Alec put a strand of my hair behind my ear, "Look at you- worried about us now."

"You know what?" I looked at him, "Saying that out loud was unneeded."

"It's comforting how much you're melting back in with everything here." Alec held my face with his hand, "Especially with how long you've been gone."

"There's been improvement, I admit." I hesitantly wrapped my arms around his middle, not being the one who usually initiated things like this, "But, I kinda like the improvement- don't you think?"

Alec wraps his arms around me, my heart leaping out of my chest as I couldn't deny how much I loved this feeling.

But, loving one of the many feelings he made me feel was just the beginning of my fear.

Alec leans down and kissed me softly, a soft smile forming on my lips when he does, his hand gently in my hair, holding my head as he kissed me.

I pulled away slowly and couldn't help but smile at him lightly, mesmerized by him.

How was he even real?

Then, Luke joins us, making us pull apart from each other, "Alaric's on his way."

"All right, that's good." I cross my arms again, glancing at Jace, making sure they were still there, "Let's get this over with."

Luke looks as well, "How's Hodge doing?"

"He'll live." Alec slips his hands into his leather jacket pockets, "It's Jace- we're worried about, Valentine really messed with his head."

Luke looks at us, "What, at Renwick's?"

"Yeah." Alec nods slightly, "He went through a lot recently- I thought we had settled it, but- something's killing him inside, I don't know what it is."

"This is all too familiar." Luke recalled, "I saw a similar thing with Valentine 18 years ago."

I looked at him with my eyebrows furrowed, calling my father by his name, "Jace isn't Valentine."

"Not yet." Luke corrects me, "We gotta keep an eye on him."

When I looked back to Jace and Hodge, they were gone, as I immediately stood straight, panic stretching my expression.

Alec notices right away, "What?"

"Where the hell did they go?" I walked past them, to where Jace and Hodge once were.

"What do you mean?" Alec asked as he and Luke followed my gaze, then rushing after me, as we tried to find Jace and Hodge.

-

"Where the hell are you?" Alec immediately asked his parabatai when he finally answered the phone, putting it on speaker for me to listen in.

"I'm going after Valentine." Jace's raspy voice filled the line, "You and Zee need to help Clary."

"Alone?" I emphasized, "Are you stupid?"

"You're acting crazy." Alec adds in, "Whatever Valentine's telling you, it's not true."

"That's just it, Alec- it is true." Jace replied, "He's my father- he taught me how to fight, not to be weak."

"What does that have to do with this?" I questioned, "He's brainwashed you- you don't think this is what he wants? He probably has an entire army waiting for you to storm in defenseless!"

"Zee's right- you can't let him control you like this." Alec backed me up as we were both desperately trying to convince him otherwise, "This isn't you!"

"It is me- it's always been me." Jace exhales deeply, "He raised me to be a killer- now, I'm gonna make him regret it."

"Go help Clary." Jace told us, "She needs you guys."

I pinch the bridge of my nose, "Are you kidding me right now?"

"You don't have to do this- all right?" Alec was stuttering, "You're not a- Jace?"

Jace had hung up.

-

"Well, this is awkward." Magnus mustered out when he pushed Camille off from coming onto him as Alec, Isabelle and I walked right into it.

Alec ignores it and walks straight for Camille, "Where's the book?"

Magnus stammers, "It's complicated."

Camille looks at us, "I have it."

Magnus adds in, "And she's graciously offered it in exchange for her freedom."

Alec steps closer to Camille, his tone straight as he was against this, "We don't negotiate with prisoners."

"Prisoner? I beg to disagree." Camille smirked cockily, "You see, I'm your only chance at saving the world- you need me."

"To save your world." I stood next to Alec, crossing my arms, snapping back at her quick, seething through my gritted teeth, "My father already has his hands on the Cup- if I'm recalling correctly- your kind is about to go extinct."

Camille's face went slightly gray at my words.

I looked at Magnus, "Where's Clary?"

Magnus exhales and points at a room, as I jerked my head towards the door for Alec to see, as he followed me into the room where Clary and Simon sat on the bed.

Clary got up when she saw us immediately, "Zee, Alec, did you find Hodge?"

Alec exhales, "Yeah, but- Valentine has the Cup."

"What?" Clary's eyes widen, looking back at Simon who got up, "We're too late."

"Where's Jace?" asked Clary, "Is he okay?"

"Yeah, the idiot went after our father himself." I remark and crossed my arms, "He's totally lost it."

Alec adds in, "We tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen to us."

"We need to find Jace." Clary began walking past me, "He's in a dark place- we don't know what he's gonna do."

I grabbed her arm and stopped her, closing my eyes, "I already have a headache from Captain America going on a wild goose chase- don't make it worse."

"Luke is out looking for him." Alec explained, "Jace wants us to stay on mission- that means we have to find the book."

"He's right." Simon nods, "We have to wake up your mom."

Clary sighs, "It's our only way to stop Valentine."

Camille walked in with a smile wide on her lips, "Ready to sign?"

"Not so fast, sunshine." I looked at her, placing my hands on hips as Isabelle had already filled Alec and I in, "Take us to the apartment, give us the book, then you can have your damn pardon."

Camille inhales, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

-

"Wow." Alec gaped as we walked into Camille's apartment, "You've got a lot of books."

Camille comments, "I've got a lot of time on my hands."

A man walks over to us, standing in front of Camille, "Welcome home, Madame Belcourt."

Isabelle looks around, "This place creeps me out."

"Yeah, no kidding." I looked around as well.

Alec nodded, "Let's check the perimeter."

"Good idea." Magnus was in agreement, "If I know Camille, she'll have a trick or three up her sleeve."

We split into two, as I went with Alec, Magnus and Isabelle going together.

I scanned the perimeter with Alec, my arms crossed as I looked around, my mind elsewhere.

Alec touched my arm, "Hey- what's wrong?"

My head snaps toward him, "Nothing- I'm fine."

"Zee." Alec was more serious, knowing that my mind was lost in your thoughts and I wasn't completely focused, "What's going on?"

"When we caught Hodge- before Jace ran over- he said my Dad was- coming for me." I came to a stop, looking up at Alec, "He knows I sided against him."

"When I first got here- god, I hated my dad for what he did- but, I wanted to go back to him." I stare at my feet, swallowing hard at my own words.

"You could've- you had a choice." Alec reminded me, "Why did you stay?"

You.

"I mean- I found my mom, a sister- my parabatai, you and Jace- I wanted to stay around for a bit to understand what had really happened, but-" I lied and pinched the bridge of my nose, "I didn't think I'd love staying here- now, I just- I don't want to leave."

"Hey-" Alec grabbed my arms gently, "I am not going to let him take you from us- from me, again."

"You won't have a choice." My voice was surprisingly quiet as I felt soft, a deep fear and pain in my chest.

This time, I feared that my father would forcefully take me away, because I knew he would.

I didn't want to leave.

Footsteps filled our ears, as right as we turned our heads to see where they came from, a Circle Member was behind each of us, their seraph blades to our necks.

Alec and I exchange looks, my teeth gritted as they pulled us into the room we once were in, Magnus, Simon and Isabelle having blades to their necks as well, as Clary stood defenseless.

Valentine looked at me when we were pulled in, a smile on his face, "Hello Zee, it's so good to see you again."

My heart dropped to the deepest part of my stomach at the mer sight of him.

But, at the same time, I was also angry.

Valentine steps closer to me and looks between my eyes, "Not so happy to see me, hm?"

I pulled out my kindjals from my thigh sheaths and impacted them into the Circle Member that had a seraph blade to my neck, my eyes glued to my father's.

When his grip on his blade loosened, I turned and slit his throat, pushing him back, as he laid on the ground; dead.

I faced my father, holding the blood dripping kindjals in my hands as he simply smirked at me, "Come on, show me what you got."

My teeth grit, swinging both kindjals at him as he dodged all my attempts to hurt him, backing up as I moved towards him.

I spun kick, when we reached the center of the room, my back towards him when I land, one kindjal hitting against his dagger loudly as he blocked it with ease.

I grunt, my kindjal sharpened against his dagger as I pulled it back in a quick movement, kicking his dagger out of his hands and into the air, spinning kicking it to the side.

"I'm impressed, I admit." Valentine then pulled out a seraph blade, "But, you should know I don't just carry one blade."

"You should know that I'm not as oblivious as you may think!" I held my kindjals tighter, "What'd you think- that I wouldn't find out about how you took my memories?"

"I knew you would." Valentine gave me the benefit of the doubt, "I just didn't think it would be this soon."

I inched closer to him, opening my mouth to speak, wanting to force the Memory Demon's name out of him, but it was like he could read my mind.

He spoke before I could, "You can't get them back."

"What?" I questioned, stepping closer, anger threaded in my tone, "What did you do with them?"

"I killed the demon that had your memories." Valentine came clean, "All your memories are gone."

My heart stopped.

I could never my memories of my mother back.

Of Alec.

Isabelle.

Jace.

He had destroyed them all.

My hands were trembling in anger, feeling small tears burn in my eyes as I swung my kindjals at him, aiming right for his chest but froze right before my blade could pierce through it.

He was quick and took advantage of this, knocking his fist in my face, grabbing me and swinging me to the ground on my knees, his blade at the side of my neck.

I tensed on my knees, completely stiff, my body trembling with anger as I didn't have any will left to fight him any longer.

Even then, I wouldn't be able to kill him.

A small tear fell from my eye as I stared up at the man that was my father, who was letting his blade cut into the side of my neck lightly, blood beginning to slowly ooze out.

Valentine reaches and wiped that tear that fell before it even reached my cheek, "Time away from me has changed you- these people have made you soft. Coming home with do you some good."

"That will never be my home." I seethed through my teeth in hatred, "I'm not coming with you."

"Stop!" Jace ran in suddenly, catching us all off guard, "This time you're not getting away."

"Finally ready to kill your own father?" questioned Valentine, glancing down at me, "Your sister couldn't- what makes you think you can?"

Jace had his blade up, "You abandoned me."

"I was protecting you." Valentine corrected him, "You weren't ready then, but- you've grown."

"I made sure you both were here for a reason." Valentine began, stepping back from me, looking between Jace and I, "To watch your friends die."

Alec grunts in the grasps of the Circle Member that held him, his eyes glued to me.

"See, I trained you both- very well." Valentine continued, "You are strong, but- they make you weak, and weakness is never good."

"Let us go." Clary suddenly spoke, "You can have the book- we won't be able to stop you without it."

"Ah, Clarissa." Valentine clicked his tongue, and looked at her, "So like your mother- willing to do anything for those that you love."

"I'm touched, but- the book was never part of my plan." Valentine confessed to wanting no part in stopping Jocelyn's awakening, "I want you to wake up your mother."

"You ready?" Valentine looks down at me first, then looks at the Circle Member holding Alec, signaling at him.

Two Circle members grabbed Alec by his arms and pushed him down to his knees, the one that held him before holding his blade to Alec's neck.

"No, stop- what're you doing?" I gasped and jumped up to my feet, shoving my kindjals into their sheaths, tears of fear filling my eyes, Valentine immediately putting his blade at my neck when I tried to rush towards them, making me stumble back.

He swings back, ready to pierce his blade through Alec and kill him, my eyes widening with fright.

"No!" I shouted, swallowing hard, blurting out, "What if I came with you?"

Valentine held his hand out for him to stop and looks back at me, "Would you?"

"I'll come with you- just- don't hurt him." I inhale sharply, holding back the tears in my eyes, "If I go with you- promise me- that you won't hurt any of them."

"Your brother comes with us." Valentine proposed, "Then- you have my word."

Jace let down his guard, "Okay."

Clary's eyes were filling with tears, "This is insane."

Jace looked down, walking over to Valentine and I, "I'm so sorry, Clary."

Valentine opened a portal, then takes notice of the kindjals I still had, "Leave those."

I stare at him, not moving an inch to leave my kindjals, as they were now a part of me now.

"You're not that person anymore." Valentine brutally reminded me, "You never will be."

I inhale deeply, pulling out my kindjals and tossing them to the ground, my voice low, "Okay."

Valentine comes behind me and hands me his seraph blade, holding my hand between both of his, the blade in our hands, "This is who you are."

He was right.

Valentine stepped back and looked at his men, "Let them go."

When they do, Simon grabbed Clary, holding her back, Isabelle, Magnus and Alec already making their way towards us, wanting to stop Jace and I.

"Get back!" I held my seraph blade up, pointing mine right at Isabelle, "Don't come any closer."

Jace had his blade out as well, pointing it right at Alec and Magnus, "Stay back-"

Isabelle had a wounded look on her face as the Circle members went through the portal, "I can't lose you again."

"I'm sorry." I held myself together, but, the tears I held back in my eyes were clear, "This is how it has to be."

Clary tried to fight Simon's grip, "No- Zee, Jace!"

Valentine grabs Jace, as I stepped back, pointing my blade to Alec who was taking a step toward me, a slight pleading look on his face that I wouldn't go.

My tone was stern but slightly shaky with him as I felt Valentine grab my arm, "Alec, I mean it."

Then, Valentine pulls Jace and I through the portal, leaving everyone else behind.

-

"Join me and my children!" Valentine stood in front of the army he had created, holding up the Mortal Cup, "Pledge me your loyalty!"

Jace and I stood on either side of Valentine.

"Together we can preserve our race and rid the world of the demons who plague it." Valentine continued to announce, as Jace and I traded looks.

We shared the same look.

A look of forceful acceptance that we were stuck here, for the Angel knows how long.

"You are the chosen ones." Valentine shouted proudly, "The new breed of Shadowhunters!"

authors note:

what a plot twist

but- weren't we expecting this tho?

maybe NOT

but, my heart was aching for them but now it's breaking for them ahhhh

they barely started their relationship and she had to go, like omg my heart-

but, it's okayyyy

it'll all be okay

also, question- what's your favorite chapter of metanoia so far? it's been wild so far.

thank you for 3k !!!!!

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