2| M҉O҉R҉T҉A҉L҉A҉ - J҉. H҉E҉R҉O҉N҉D҉A҉L҉E҉

25

"Davina?"

Davina's eyes flutter open and she finds Clary, Jace, and Thomas hovering over her. Jace had a stele in his hand, indicating he had activated her healing rune.

"What happened?" Jace asks.

"Isabelle knocked me out," Davina says, rubbing her temples.

Jace, Davina, Thomas, and Clary are questioning Valentine.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, but it's so nice to see the both of you," Valentine says. "And Davina and Thomas too, of course"

"Azazel wouldn't leave Duduael on his own. Someone broke him out. Someone with access to the Mortal Cup" Davina says. "Which leaves either you or my father"

"Circle members. They released the Greater Demon to break you out of here" Jace says.

"I thought I raised you to have common sense. If the Greater Demon wanted to free me, how would I still be here, having this inane conversation with you four? I want to banish demon filth from our realm"

"If that's true, then tell your followers or my father to give back the Cup. We can force Azazel to give us Izzy"

"I don't know where the Mortal Cup is"

"If you're lying, so help the Angel-" Jace says.

"If you were smart, Jace, you'd use me as bait. The only way to control a Greater Demon is with the Mortal Cup. Azazel would do anything to destroy it. So summon him with your warlock friend, and tell him I have the Cup. Offer him a trade, me for Isabelle. Or if you were really smart, you'd reach out and try to dig Jackson up from whichever of my wormhole safehouses he's in by using Davina"

"No way are we risking losing Davina to her psycho father," Clary says. "But your original plan- That could work. Once we have Izzy, I can take him out with my sunlight rune"

"This is a trap. What could make you think that we could trust him?" Thomas asks Clary.

"I'm not sure I would trust me either if I were you, but the longer Azazel has Isabelle, the greater the chance she dies"

"See?" Thomas says. "He's just told us not to trust him!"

"We don't have a choice, Jace. This better not be a trap. Your life is on the line, too" Clary says.

"Clarissa, I would never do anything to hurt you. You're my daughter"

"Why would that stop you? Jace is your son. You've hurt him plenty" Davina asks.

Valentine looks at Jace and smiles.

"You didn't tell them"

"Tell us what?" Clary asks and Thomas and Jace stare at each other.

"You have feelings for her, huh? Now isn't that a pickle?" Valentine says to Thomas.

"Not another word," Jace says. "And leave Thomas out of this"

"What is he talking about?" Clary asks.

"You wanna do the honors, or shall I?"

Jace leaps forward and punches Valentine in the face.

"Jace!" Davina says.

"Shut up!"

"Jace, enough" Thomas says.

"It's rude to keep two girls waiting, Jace"

"Jace, what is going on?" Clary asks.

Jace sighs.

"Valentine's not my father. I'm not your brother, Clary"

Clary steps back, looking shocked.

The group of four is standing outside the cell, where Valentine cannot hear them.