Chapter 12: Secrets Unearthed

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Hodge's POV

The war room of the New York Institute was heavy with the weight of history, its stone walls echoing faintly with the memories of secrets spoken and alliances broken. Hodge Starkweather sat at the head of the long table, his fingers clasped tightly together. His usual calm had been replaced by a subtle tension. He had lived through too much to ignore the storm brewing around them.

The arrival of Clary Fairchild, the daughter of Jocelyn Fray, had set into motion events that Hodge had hoped would remain buried forever. And now, there was Orion—a figure shrouded in mystery, his presence stirring questions and suspicions even Hodge couldn't answer.

The door opened, and the group entered. Jace led them, his golden eyes sharp and calculating, the faint smirk on his lips doing little to mask his focus. Clary and Simon followed close behind, their expressions a mixture of confusion and unease. Orion walked at the back, his calm demeanor unshaken despite the tension radiating from Jace.

"You wanted to see us," Jace said, his voice clipped as he stopped just short of the table.

Hodge nodded, gesturing for them to sit. "Yes. There is much to discuss."

Clary hesitated but took a seat, placing the sealed box on the table in front of her. Simon lingered near her, his eyes darting around the room as though expecting danger to leap out from the shadows. Orion remained standing, his arms crossed, his unreadable gaze fixed on Hodge.

Before Hodge could speak, Jace turned toward Orion, his expression hard. "Before we start, there's something we need to settle."

Hodge raised an eyebrow. "Jace—"

Jace cut him off, pulling a stele from his belt. Its tip glowed faintly as he held it up, his gaze locking onto Orion. "If we're going to trust him, I need to know what he is."

The room went still.

Clary frowned. "Jace, what are you doing?"

Jace turned to her briefly, his voice steady. "It's simple. If he's a mundane, the stele will hurt him. If he's something else—like us—it won't."

Simon took a step forward, his voice rising. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Are you seriously planning to test that on him? What if it does hurt him?"

"I'll take the risk," Orion said calmly, stepping forward.

Jace's smirk returned, though it lacked its usual humor. "Brave of you."

Hodge watched the exchange with a sinking feeling. The stele test was standard among Shadowhunters, but it wasn't infallible. Still, he remained silent, curious to see what the outcome would reveal.

Jace approached Orion, his grip firm on the stele. He moved deliberately, pressing its glowing tip against the back of Orion's hand.

Nothing happened.

The light of the stele pulsed faintly, but Orion didn't flinch. No mark appeared, no sign of harm.

"Well," Jace said, his voice tight, "that answers one question."

Orion raised an eyebrow. "Satisfied?"

"Not even close," Jace muttered, turning to Clary.

"What? No way," Clary said, backing up a step.

"It's the only way to be sure," Jace insisted.

Clary looked to Hodge for reassurance, but the older man only nodded. "It's harmless if you are what we think you are," Hodge said gently.

Clary sighed, holding out her arm. Jace moved toward her, pressing the stele against her wrist. Again, nothing happened.

Jace stepped back, his expression unreadable. "That settles it. You're both Nephilim."

Clary stared at him, her voice rising. "What does that even mean?"

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Jace's POV

Jace's heart raced, though he kept his face calm. He had been right, of course. He usually was. Clary and Orion weren't mundane, and now the proof was undeniable. Still, the confirmation stirred more questions than answers.

He stepped away, returning the stele to his belt. "It means you're one of us," he said. "You have Shadowhunter blood."

Clary stared at him, her green eyes wide with disbelief. "But… how? My mom never told me anything about this."

"That's because she didn't want you to know," Hodge said, his voice steady but weary.

All eyes turned to the older man as he leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. There was a weight to his words, as though he were carrying a burden too heavy to bear.

"What are you talking about?" Clary demanded.

Hodge sighed. "To understand, you need to know about the Circle. The group your mother was once a part of."

"The Circle?" Simon asked, frowning. "What is that, some kind of cult?"

Jace shot him a look. "It's not a cult. It was a movement—a misguided one."

Hodge nodded. "The Circle was a group of Shadowhunters led by a man named Valentine Morgenstern. Their goal was to purify the Shadowhunter world by eliminating all Downworlders—werewolves, vampires, faeries, warlocks. Valentine believed they were a stain on our society, a threat to our survival."

Clary's face paled. "And my mom… she was part of this?"

"Yes," Hodge said, his voice heavy with regret. "Jocelyn joined the Circle when she was young. She believed in Valentine's vision at first, as many of us did. He was charismatic, persuasive. He had a way of making his ideals seem… noble."

Simon snorted. "Noble? Sounds like a dictator to me."

"You're not wrong," Jace said, leaning against the wall. "Valentine wanted power, and he didn't care who got hurt in the process. The Circle was just a means to an end."

Hodge nodded. "Over time, Jocelyn realized the truth. She saw the darkness in Valentine, the lengths he was willing to go to achieve his goals. She turned against him, but not before… damage had been done."

Clary shook her head, her voice trembling. "I don't believe this. My mom would never hurt anyone."

"She didn't," Hodge assured her. "Jocelyn left the Circle before Valentine's plans reached their peak. She saw what he was becoming and chose to protect you instead of staying by his side."

Clary's eyes narrowed. "And what about you? Were you part of the Circle too?"

Hodge's expression darkened. "Yes. I was. So were Robert and Maryse Lightwood—Alec and Isabelle's parents. Even Luke, your mother's closest friend, was part of it once. He and Valentine were parabatai."

The room fell silent at the word.

"Parabatai?" Orion asked, his voice calm but curious.

Jace glanced at him, his golden eyes narrowing. "It's a sacred bond between two Shadowhunters. Closer than friendship, stronger than blood. Parabatai fight together, live together, and die together. Valentine and Luke swore that bond to each other."

Simon frowned. "So what happened?"

"Valentine betrayed him," Hodge said bitterly. "When Luke was turned into a werewolf, Valentine saw him as a monster. He abandoned him, cast him out, and turned the Circle against him. Luke survived, but their bond was broken."

Clary sat back in her chair, her expression a mixture of shock and anger. "Why didn't my mom tell me any of this?"

Hodge met her gaze, his voice softening. "She wanted to protect you. She thought if you didn't know, you'd be safe. But now that the Circle has resurfaced, there's no hiding from the truth."

"The Circle is back?" Jace asked sharply.

Hodge nodded. "Valentine is alive, and he's gathering his forces again. The attack on Clary's apartment, the interest in the Mortal Cup—it all points to him."

Jace's jaw tightened. "If Valentine wants the Cup, it means he's planning something big."

Clary looked between them, her voice rising. "What's the Mortal Cup? Why is it so important?"

"It's one of the Mortal Instruments," Hodge explained. "The Cup is what gives Shadowhunters their power. It can create new Shadowhunters from mundanes or control demons if it falls into the wrong hands. If Valentine gets it…"

"He could raise an army," Jace finished grimly.

The room fell into a heavy silence, the weight of the revelation settling over them. Clary looked down at the box in front of her, her fingers trembling. Simon placed a hand on her shoulder, offering silent support.

Orion, however, remained quiet, his gray eyes thoughtful. Hodge couldn't tell what the boy was thinking, but there was something in his expression—an understanding, a resolve—that made Hodge wonder if he knew more than he let on.

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Hodge's Final Thoughts

As the conversation ended and the group prepared to leave, Hodge sat back in his chair, his mind racing. The secrets of the past had resurfaced, and the fragile balance of the Shadowhunter world was beginning to crack.

He watched as Jace led the others out of the room, their voices fading into the distance. Only Orion lingered, his gaze meeting Hodge's for a moment.

"You know more than you're saying," Orion said quietly.

Hodge's lips pressed into a thin line. "Perhaps. But some truths must be earned."

Orion nodded, his expression unreadable, before turning to follow the others.

As the door closed behind them, Hodge let out a weary sigh. The Circle was rising, and the battles to come would test them all.

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