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City of Heavenly Fire is the sixth, and final, novel in The Mortal Instruments series.

Description

In the long-awaited conclusion to the acclaimed Mortal Instruments series, Clary and her friends fight the greatest evil they have ever faced: Clary's own brother.

Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Dark Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.

The embattled Shadowhunters withdraw to Idris—but not even the famed demon towers of Alicante can keep Sebastian at bay. And with the Nephilim trapped in Idris, who will guard the world against demons?

When one of the greatest betrayals the Nephilim have ever known is revealed, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, and Alec must flee — even if their journey takes them deep into the demon realms, where no Shadowhunter has set foot before, and from which no human being has ever returned . . .

Love will be sacrificed and lives lost in the terrible battle for the fate of the world in the thrilling final installment of the classic urban fantasy series The Mortal Instruments!

Plot

SPOILERS AHEAD!
CJ Jem 01
“I cannot be sure, though I think it has something to do with
the clarity of them.”

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Prologue: Fall like Rain

In December 2007, Emma Carstairs is dropped off by her parents at the Los Angeles Institute to train with the other Blackthorn children and their tutor, Katerina, as the Carstairs have been called to investigate demonic activity, while a meeting among the local Conclave takes place at the Institute. In the training room, Emma meets up with her childhood best friend Julian Blackthorn. He is in the midst of annoying his brother Mark, making fun of the latter's name. Ty then throws a knife at Mark, angry that his brother removed the bees he was studying from his room. While Mark tries to appease Ty, Emma and Julian get into a scuffle over her stele. Emma starts to notice his features that have grown more handsome with age, as she lies on top of him. The doorbell to the Institute rings, and a few seconds later the Institute lights up from outside, as if it were on fire. The floor heaves and Emma slides forward, accompanied by a chilling scream. Mark and Katerina go to investigate, leaving Emma and Julian to take care of the twins.

After hearing another scream, Julian decides that it is much too dangerous to remain in the training room. Julian takes Ty and Livvy to the office to send a distress call to the Clave for backup, while Emma goes to fetch the youngest of the Blackthorn siblings - Dru and Tavvy, and bring them to the office. At the nursery, she finds eight-year-old Dru wielding a sword way too heavy to protect Tavvy, who is just two years old, and defenseless. She ushers them out, but in her panic, she takes a wrong turn and ends up at the grand staircase. There, she sees several Shadowhunters, both Conclave members, and Endarkened. In the midst of them all is Sebastian Morgenstern, carrying the Infernal Cup. Sebastian hasn't yet noticed her, and orders Julian's father - who is now Endarkened - to bring forward Katerina. Emma witnesses Katerina drink from the Infernal Cup, and she too turns Endarkened. Katerina brings forward Mark, and Sebastian decides he doesn't want him, and asks Mr. Blackthorn to wound him. Emma tells Dru and Tavvy to flee to the office, and she throws a knife at Sebastian. Though the aim is true - it hits his heart - he doesn't die; instead he laughs, and sets his warriors on her. Emma turns and sprints towards the office, where Julian is waiting for her besides an open Portal. The pair jump through just as the door bursts open an the Endarkened flood the room, and the Portal closes behind them.

Part One: Bring Forth a Fire

Jace Lightwood meets with Jordan Kyle in Central Park so that Jordan can help him learn to meditate, in an effort to help control his heightened emotions resulting from the heavenly fire in his veins. It doesn't work very well, as Jace's life has been brought up a warrior and war is what brings him peace. After Jordan leaves to meet Maia, Jace joins Clary, Simon, Isabelle, and Alec, who were hanging out nearby for moral support. Alec is staring at his phone, pining over Magnus as it is the warlock's birthday. Jace breaks his phone to prevent Alec from texting Magnus anymore, making Alec frustrated and annoyed. Isabelle informs the group of the Clave meetings that have occured since the Battle of the Burren; the Shadowhunters wanting to know everything about Sebastian. They discuss the Claves refusal to believe that Sebastian and his Endarkened are a threat, and the efforts being made to track Sebastian, and reverse the effects of the Infernal Cup, while the Iron Sisters are making weapons by the dozen. Isabelle gets a call from her mother, instructing her and Alec to return to the Institute for a meeting; she then convinces Jace to go to Magnus's apartment to talk to him about Alec, while Clary and Simon go Christmas shopping.

While shopping, Clary and Simon reminisce about the times when they were unaware of the Shadow World, and discuss the state of Simon's relationship with Isabelle, and she encourages Simon to make things official with her. Clary says that she can never forgive Sebastian, and Simon worries about his future as a vampire, and Clary urges him to talk to Raphael Santiago. They are found by Jocelyn and Luke, who-after fussing over Clary-drags her away to attend the emergency meeting at the Institute.

Meanwhile, Jace tries to get Magnus to get back together with Alec. He argues that Alec is miserable, and Magnus is too, evident by the sorry state of his apartment. When Magnus disagrees, he interrogates Magnus about his life, which Magnus doesn't answer. Jace is about to settle down-trying to prove he has all the time in the world-when Izzy calls, asking him to return to the Institute for the meeting, which has something to do with Sebastian. Magnus is worried is Alec is all right, and Jace asks him why he cares, and leaves.

At the Institute, the New York conclave have a meeting in the library. Maryse reveals that six institutes have been attacked over six days, with all the Shadowhunters either killed or Turned, with the exception of the Blackthorn children, who made it safely to Idris. Jace arrives and Maryse confirms that the attacks were Sebastian's doing. Jace accuses the Conclave of not listening to his warnings to ready more soldiers. Maryse instructs them all to pack their bags, as all the Shadowhunters in the city would be Portalling to Idris that night, after which the wards around Idris would be doubled, allowing no one to enter or leave.

In Idris, Emma wakes up in a bed in the attic of the Penhallow's home, where Helen Blackthorn is checking on her. She immediately asks where her parents are, but Helen ignores the question in favor of filling her in on the rest of the details she missed while she was unconscious; that all the Blackthorn children made it to safety, and that Sebastian was behind the attacks of six Institutes. Emma tells her what happened to Helen's father, Mark, and Katerina, and a visibly distressed Helen informs Emma of her parent's death. A shocked Emma begins to scream, and is only able to stop when Julian rushes in with Cortana. Emma hugs Cortana close to her, seeking comfort from the blade and uncaring that it is cutting her arm.

The next day, Catarina Loss, who is filling in for Magnus so he wouldn't have to see Alec, helps the New York Conclave create a Portal to Alicante for the emergency Clave session. Clary and Simon say their goodbyes, with Clary urging Simon to talk to Izzy and Simon reassuring her that he would be safe with Jordan. Clary leaves Simon to say bye to Izzy. Magnus also arrives to talk to Alec, who is so nervous that he is speechless. They share a kiss, which Magnus regrets, and Alec reminds him that their breakup was both their faults. Magnus leaves after telling Alec to stay safe and alive.

Simon and Isabelle talk across the courtyard, with Simon wishing that he was accompanying her to Idris and Izzy telling him he is safer in New York. They indirectly admit their love for each other. Izzy, after giving him her ruby necklace to protect him, leaves to enter the portal.

Clary, Jocelyn, and Luke arrive at Amatis's house in Idris, where CLary heads up to the spare room. She looks through Amatis's chest of clothes and stumbles on a white mourning dress, which Jocelyn encourages her to wear as a show of solidarity for the killed Shadowhunters. She sleeps fitfully for a few hours, and then wakes to get a glass of water. She ends up eavesdropping on Jocelyn and Luke, the former telling Luke that she found the box in which she had kept Sebastian's photos and clothes. Jocelyn confesses that she wishes she had killed him when she had the chance.

The next morning, on the way to the meeting Clary tells Jace about the conversation she overheard. Jace replies that he thinks Sebastian left the box as a message when he took Amatis from her house. The meeting begins on the topic of the Endarkened, and whether they can be turned back to normal. Jia asks Helen to bring out Julian and the rest of the Blackthorn children to give testimony to the events at the Los Angeles Institute. Julian takes the Mortal Sword and recounts the events of the previous day. Emma, seeing that remembering his brother Mark and his father hurts him, begs them to stop and takes the sword herself. She tells them her side of events and Sebastian's messages, and then runs away, hurt that they're torturing them. Clary runs after her and meets Aline, who tells her that Emma doesn't have a family left. Clary talks to Emma, and compliments her sword and her friendship with Julian, which reassures the young girl. When Jace arrives, Emma recognizes Clary for who she is, and tells her to get a better sword.

At the Lightwoods' new home in the city, they discuss the next course of action for the Shadowhunters, Alec believing they will win seeing that they have the Downworlders at their side, despite Clary and Jace being skeptical. Jace fills in Clary on the events of the meeting, which spoke about him and his heavenly fire. When Alec brings up their parents' separation and Max's death Isabelle storms off, leaving Jace to walk Clary back home.

Back in New York, Maia, Jordan, and Simon are hanging out at Jordan's apartment, waiting for their take out. They discuss Simon's life, and the state of the city's downworld. The take-out arrives, and just before Simon opens the door, Izzy's necklace pulses, giving him a second to jump away from the Endarkened who storm the apartment. Simon escapes down the fire escape as Maia and Jordan fight them. He ends up in the midst of vampires, led by Lily and Zeke, who capture him.

In Alicante, as Jace walks Clary back to the house, they discuss Emma, Clary stating she likes the girl because she reminds her of Jace. They end up in an alley, where despite Jace's hesitation, they make-out. It escalates, Jace losing control of the Heavenly Fire and burning handprints into the brick wall. He panics and pulls away from Clary out of fear from hurting her.

In the Seelie Court, the Seelie Queen and Sebastian lay in bed after spending the night together. Kaelie Whitewillow brings news of Meliorn's arrival. He brings news that Sebastian's Endarkened wait in Edom for their next mission, that Mark has been claimed by the Wild Hunt, and that the Blackthorn children have conveyed to the Clave that Sebastian is behind the attacks. Sebastian wants Jace and Clary at his side, but for the time being settles with the plan of capturing the London Institute after securing the Queen's blessing. In Alicante, Clary and Jace make plans to have a date the next day, shopping for weapons.

After killing the Endarkened, Jordan goes out to search for Simon while Maia and the pack deal with the dead bodies. Jordan returns with nothing more than Simon's smashed phone, and laments that the vampire was lost under his watch, while Maia comforts him, saying that he asked for extra help but the Praetor denied it. Just then, Jordan receives a call from Teal Waxelbaum, the second-in-command of the Praetor Lupus, who instructs him to come to headquarters as soon as possible. Maia agrees to tag along, knowing they can help find Simon.

Simon awakens in a cage barely big enough to fit him, and realizes he is dressed in leather pants and a gauzy white blouse. Maureen comes in wearing a ball gown just as he wonders where he is, and informs him that he is in the Hotel Dumort. Maureen proclaims that she is a queen, and that Simon will fall in love with her and rule by her side. Simon is overcome with guilt that Camille and Lilith have corrupted her, and Maureen leaves saying she has things to do.

Maia and Jordan drive to the Praetor headquarters in awkward silence. What appears to be flakes of snow fall from the sky, which Jordan realizes are ashes. They drive further and find the building on fire. They come across the bodies of murdered lycanthropes on the ground, including Praetor Scott. Before he can comment further, Jordan is stabbed from the back by Sebastian and Phaesphoros. Maia clutches his body and asks Sebastian why he did this, and he replies that it is a long story, saying that his plans to capture the London Institute were thwarted. He gives Maia a message for the Nephilim, quoting Shakespeare, and says that Jordan is dead.

At the Hunter's Moon, Magnus and Catarina share a few drinks. Catarina brings up Alec when Magnus is spacy, saying that Magnus has never been happier in a relationship than he was with the Shadowhunter. Magnus admits that his problem is that he can feel the world changing. Catarina is skeptical that the Nephilim will be wiped out and puts down his dreams to his father. She sees that Magnus is trying to shield Alec from his past, and tells him to go to Alicante as the warlock representative to the Clave, and hands over a dinner invitation sent by Meliorn. Magnus senses something is wrong and approaches Bat, who tells him that the Praetor has burned down and Praetor Scott, Jordan, and at least a hundred werewolves have died at Sebastian's hands, bringing the fight to the Downworld.

In the attic of the Penhallow's home in Idris, Jules and Emma try to feed Tavvy, who isn't eating enough because he misses their dad and Mark. Emma is about to check on Dru and the twins, when Helen informs them of the unsuccessful attempt on the London Institute. Helen promises them that Sebastian will soon be captured, and Emma hopes for his horrific public death.

Jace and Clary go to Diana's Arrow, a shop run by Diana Wrayburn to look for a new sword for Clary. Diana shows her a shortsword after they discuss some famous swords, which turns out to be Heosphoros, a Morgenstern Family sword made by Wayland the Smith. She reveals that the sword was sold to her by Jocelyn. Clary initially refuses, but agrees to take it when Diana says that she should use it to restore honour to her family name. Jace takes her to bless the sword at the Accords Hall fountain.

Simon is met by Raphael at the hotel, who wishes to be leader of the clan and fears for their future under Maureen's reign. In return for testifying in front of the Inquisitor on the clan's behalf, Raphael frees Simon and Catarina sends them to Idris via portal.

Clary blesses Heosphoros in the fountain. Jace, despite Clary's reassurances, fears that he is becoming like Sebastian. The demon towers light up to signal an oncoming battle, and Jace and Clary race to the Gard where they find Robert and Jia sending ill-prepared Shadowhunters to fight the Endarkened at the Adamant Citadel. Robert refuses to let them through, despite them telling the Inquisitor that they are no match for the Endarkened. With their usual disregard for rules, the run through the portal together, just before it closes on them.

At the battle, Jace and Clary quickly discover that the Shadowhunters are no match for the Endarkened, and Clary runs to make a Portal to get them to safety. She is apprehended by Amatis, who attempts to take her to Sebastian. Jace, across the battlefield, cuts down Endarkened effortlessly, though the Nephilim are clearly outmatched. Amatis loses concentration for a moment, and Clary takes her down. Back at the Gard, Isabelle attempts to follow the others to the Citadel, but is stopped by her father. Furious with him, she shouts that Max's death was his fault, and tells him, and Alec and Maryse, that she knows about how he had an affair before Max was born, and accuses him of being happy about Max's death, as it frees him of responsibilities. She then flees. Jace faces off with Sebastian, who was yet to make an appearance. Sebastian taunts him, and Jace attacks, however he is thrown down in a second. Sebastian drives his sword into Jace, but due to the Heavenly Fire he is forced to let go. The Iron Sisters warn him to leave, and he opens a rift in the ground into which the Endarkened jump.

Alec feels his parabatai rune burn and asks Jia to open a Portal. Amatis jumps into the rift along with the Endarkened, and Clary runs to help Jace. Brother Zachariah tries to draw a rune on Jace to save him, but the fire runs up his hand to his body and he collapses. Clary resorts to her power, and draws an Iratze on Jace, putting all her effort into it before falling unconscious.

On arriving in Alicante, Raphael and Simon discover it to be deserted. Simon concludes that the Shadowhunters would be at the Gard. Just as Raphael is about to lead them to the house granted to the vampire representative, Izzy approaches and embraces Simon, distraught from her argument with her parents.

Magnus, meanwhile, checks the silver box that Sebastian left with Jocelyn and Luke, and finds it bearing no sinister enchantments. He informs the couple of Jordan's death and Sebastian's message, affirming his loyalty to downworlders. Helen Blackthorn then arrives with a message, calling them to the Gard as Clary had returned.

Back in New York, Maia wakes to find herself back with the rest of her pack, and with Bat watching over her. He tells her that Rufus Hastings is gearing up to challenge Luke's leadership since the Praetor had been slaughtered, and advises her to get ready for the mass funeral that afternoon.

In Alicante, Izzy roots through Alec's clothes to find a replacement for Simon's outfit. The two exchange news, about the battle of the Citadel and Maureen's capture of Simon. They end up kissing, roleplaying as if they were characters in a fairytale, when Alec walks in on them. He informs them that Clary and Jace went through the Portal to the Citadel, and reprimands Izzy for using Simon as a means of forgetting her worries, which sparks an argument between her and Simon. As Jace and Clary come back to Alicante, Alec's parabatai rune hurts him, and they rush to the Basilias. Alec and Izzy attempt to find Jace, while Simon is met by Raphael, who once more warns him against mingling with Shadowhunters, and mutters dire warnings of Ley lines which the Citadel is built on. Clary is found with Magnus, having depleted her energy, and Simon is informed of Jordan's untimely death.

Clary wakes in Amatis's spare room, concerned about Jace. Her mother reassures her that he is doing well, and scolds her for running headfirst into danger. Clary tells Luke about Amatis, and is delighted to retrieve Heosphoros from her mother, who had sold it years ago. Luke then informs Clary about the massacre at the Praetor house, leading Clary to worry about Simon, who appears then. They two friends reconcile, exchange information, and head to the vampire representative's house to get some blood for Simon.

At Rockaway beach, while the werewolves scatter the ashes of the dead Praetors, Maia tells Bat that she had planned to breakup with Jordan. Bat encourages her to stop punishing herself, and that the best gift she could have given Jordan was the gift of knowing he had died loved.

At the Basilias, Jace is led by a reluctant Brother Enoch to Brother Zachariah, who is recovered. Jace learns that Brother Zachariah's reaction with the Heavenly Fire has resulted in his transformation back into a Shadowhunter. Brother Zachariah reminisces about his parabatai, and the love of the Herondales.

On the way to where Raphael is staying, Clary tries to reassure Simon that Jordan's death was not his fault. Simon retrieves the blood and realises Raphael is jealous of what he has, later discovering that the blood was spiked, enticing a drunken reaction in the vampire. Simon starts shouting out his feelings about Isabelle under her window at the Inquisitor's house, waking up the whole street. Robert confronts Simon, leading Izzy to vouch for him. Clary takes Simon back to Amatis's house, where he falls asleep on the couch, and heads up to her room, only to find Sebastian waiting for her.

Sebastian tries to broker a truce with Clary, reminding her that she has a dark heart in her. He promises her mercy in exchange for her loyalty. Meanwhile, at the representative's dinner, Magnus realises that the Fair Folk and Sebastian are allied. However, the wine served to them was drugged, and they all fall unconscious. Back at the house, Clary refuses Sebastian's offer, resulting in her being pinned to the wall by him. Jace appears, accusing him of wanting Clary's approval. The Clave barges into the room, and Sebastian vanishes.

Rufus argues with Maia in New York about the loyalty of the pack, resulting in him challenging Bat for the leadership of the pack, with a date set for the next night. Bat urges Maia to get out of town before the fight, to protect herself, and that he will handle the park.

At the Gard, Clary and Jace are recovering from the encounter with Sebastian. Clary reveals that Sebastian nearly raped her, leading Jace to blame himself, and for not being able to do anything despite Sebastian's fear of the Heavenly fire in him. Clary comforts him, and the fall asleep together.

Jia wakes them up, after nearly forgetting their presence. She summons them to the Council meeting, which has begun, and informs them that the Downworld representatives and Jocelyn have been kidnapped, with Sebastian leaving a message for them in the Council room: "Veni" - I have come, in ichor. The couple reunites with their friends, everyone worrying over the missing representatives and the meaning of the message. While Jia tries her best to calm everyone down, Matthias Gonzales, an Endarkened warrior seizes Jia and threatens to slit her throat. He delivers a message from Sebastian, saying that peace will be granted in exchange for Clary and Jace. Jace volunteers himself, causing a commotion, and Alec takes the chance to an arrow at the knife held at Jia's throat. Jace attempts to run down to kill Matthias, and is stopped by Alec in time, as the dias goes up in flames. Matthias escapes, proclaiming they have two days to decide.

In New York, Maia returns to Jordan's apartment. Lily arrives there, after being summoned by Maia, who proposes an alliance between the werewolves and vampires in order to handle Maureen. Lily brushes her off, saying that Maia should call her once she's pack leader.

In one of the meeting rooms at the Gard, Alec heals Jace with an Iratze. Jace is impressed by Alec's skills, and offers to go to Sebastian in order to get Magnus back. Alec asks him to consider if he wants to barter Clary also, which puts Jace off. Alec reminds them that they have to stick together against Sebastian. In another room, Jia is discussing Sebastian's terms with the Lightwood parents, who agree that Clary and Jace would be killed if they were delivered to Sebastian. Jace and Alec arrive, just as Simon reasons that the Downworlders are already untrustworthy of the Shadowhunters, and that the representatives need to be retrieved. Jia then says that she agrees with them, but cannot go against the wishes of the Clave as a whole. Brothers Zachariah and Enoch arrive, saying that Almaric Kriegsmesser is dead after drinking from the Mortal Cup. He suggests that the Council gather for the last rites of the Citadel dead and that the fates of Clary and Jace be decided at another meeting, meanwhile, they remain at the Inquisitor's house.

Walking among the burning pyres set up at Brocelind Forest, Jia remembers the old Shadowhunter nursery rhyme, when the now mortal Brother Zachariah approaches her. Jia offers to let him go to the Spiral Labyrinth to meet with Tessa, but he refuses, wanting to keep her out of the war. He goes to pay his respect to Edward Longford, admiring his strength.

Meanwhile, Isabelle and Clary talk in the latter's room. They talk about the oncoming war, and how Shadowhunters are being forced to kill their own, while Izzy braids Clary's hair. Clary accidentally cuts herself holding a hairpin too tight, when Izzy spies a face at the window, only for it to be young Emma Carstairs.

Back in New York, the downtown pack gathers in Prospect Pack to watch the fight between Bat and Rufus. Leia explains the rules of the challenge, and the fight starts, with Bat holding the advantage in the beginning. However, he loses this advantage quickly when Rufus draws first blood, and continues to weaken Bat. Just before the killing blow, Maia steps in and issues a challenge of her own, despite Leia trying to stop her. Rufus draws first blood once more, but Maia claws his eyes out and wins, killing Rufus and becoming leader of the pack.

Jace and Alec joke around with Simon in their attic room, when Izzy and Clary walk in with Emma. Emma reveals her theory that Edom could be a real place, and Alec leaves to grab a book on information on Edom while Jace distracts Emma. Emma expresses her distaste for the Clave for using the Mortal Sword on the Blackthorn siblings, and when Alec returns, Emma climbs out the window once more. Alec reveals that Edom is a demon realm, with all entrances to it lost over time but for the one through the Seelie Realm.

Clary shuts down Jace's idea for her to experiment and try to make an inter-dimensional portal as that she would not risk everyone. Jace tells her to make him a Portal to the Seelie Court and that he would go alone. Everyone fights him on this, that they are going as a group. Jace argues that he had the heavenly fire, so he would be safe as he is the only weapon that works against Sebastian. Clary explains that it's more than their lives on the line and it is a rescue mission first and foremost, so they go together. They all disperse to pack their bags for overland travel and meet in ten minutes to Portal to the Seelie Court.

The Portal drops them outside the throne room in a corridor covered in moss. The curtain that parts the corridor from the throne room is made of thorns. They part the curtain to peer inside and hide themselves as to not be seen. The room is decorated like a winter wonderland, everything is white or in a shade of white. The Queen herself reclines on her white divan wearing a white dress. She is talking to a faerie knight wearing brown armor with a helmet tucked under his arm whom she calls Gwyn, leader of the Wild Hunt. They are discussing the battle at the Adamant Citadel and Gwyn says the Wild Hunt had not been there to reap the dead. The Queen is disappointed in him, saying that she had hoped for his council. She adds that she had given him Mark Blackthorn as a gift from herself and Sebastian to the Wild Hunt; unintentionally revealing to the Shadowhunters that she and Sebastian were allies. The Queen informs Gwyn that he owes her for Mark and requests his presence at the next battle. Gwyn begins to protest when Meliorn enters and the Queen dismisses Gwyn.

Meliorn begins speaking of the Downworld prisoners which surprises Alec into a gasp, giving them away. The Shadowhunters and Simon then enter the room and take up defensive stances, weapons drawn. They confront the Queen and say that she would pay for her betrayal. Jace asks how she could do it since Meliorn swore that she was on the side of the Shadowhunters. The Queen replies that he is half-faerie and could lie, making Clary recall that the Queen had asked her specifically to make Meliorn the fey's representative. A betrayal long-planned. It is discovered that the reason Sebastian could attack the Citadel so easily was that it lay on ley lines—a province of the fey—and she had assisted him. Meliorn observes that if they were killed before they could get back to tell the Clave, no one would ever know of their betrayal. Alec, in a state of fury, shoots him in the leg and demands to know where Magnus is. When Meliorn refuses to tell him, Alec shoots another arrow into his heart and kills him.

The Queen cries out in her grief, signaling other faeries to come running. Clary, with Simon's help, draws a rune for closing and locking over the doorway leading into the throne room, blocking them from getting in. She notices that Meliorn had pitch on his shoes and, as it was said "the streams of Edom shall be turned into pitch", she concludes that he had arrived from the demon realm. When they demand that the Queen return the hostages, she voices that she does not have any jurisdiction over where they are and as such cannot help them. Jace then demands that she show them the road to Edom and grant them safe passage in exchange for her life. She agrees and leads them into the tunnel; Simon and Clary are conscious of the fact that the Queen agreed too easily.

After about half an hour of walking, they emerge from the shadows into a lighted space. The Queen asks them to guess the right road of the three in front of them. According to the tale of the Three Roads: the one with thorns and briars is the path of righteousness which led to the mundane world (Jace speculates that this is how Sebastian got to the Adamant Citadel with hidden back up the Clave could not see). Alec continues that the leafy tunnel on the left leads deeper into Faerie while the path straight ahead is the road to hell. Jace then makes the Queen swear that she, nor any of her people, would say anything to Sebastian that they had come there. Jace threatened her one last time and, once satisfied, they set off down the path straight ahead, the Queen's eyes burning as she watched them go.

Some time later, the corridor starts to dim and Alec draws out his witchlight to illuminate the surroundings. Simon alerts everyone to the presence of something moving in front of them. Alec douses the light on a signal from Izzy and she goes in front to attack whatever is there. At the sound of human pain, Simon yells at them to stop. Jace raises his witchlight and it is revealed that they have come across a Shadowhunter boy. Clary recognizes his fine features as a resemblance to Helen and the Blackthorn ring he is wearing and declares him to be Mark Blackthorn. He tells them that he had been with the Hunters underground when he heard Gwyn talking about how the Shadowhunters had shown up in the Queen's chamber. He snuck away and, while looking for them, ended up in the passage to Edom. He asks them about his family whom he had been told by the faeries were all dead. Realizing that they are alive, he goes white with shock. When checking to see if he had eaten or drank anything recently, Jace notices that his eyes are mismatched—one Blackthorn blue and one gold—marking him as one of the Wild Hunt. Mark informs them that he had been whipped by Meliorn, who told him that he would stop if he ate faerie food. Thinking it did not matter since he believed his family dead, Mark had done so. He asks if it's true that he could not leave the Hunt unless they give him permission. He asks them to take him with them regardless but they refuse, stating that they were going to hell and he would die if he tried to leave Faerie. Jace offers him a reason to continue on, saying that he needed to show the faeries what a Shadowhunter is made of. Jace asks him to send a message to the Clave warning them that the Fair Folk are not their allies. Before they part ways, Jace gives him his witchlight and Mark runs back into the darkness.

Simon then notices something at the end of the tunnel. They move ahead and see that it ends in a swirling vortex of darkness. They promise to remain together, join hands, and walk into the shadows.

Back in the Seelie Court, the Seelie Queen contacts Sebastian using an enchanted mirror. She tells him that Clary and Jace had left the Courts and would be arriving in Edom. She proves that she's broken no promise as she had sworn not to tell Sebastian about the Shadowhunters' arrival; however, they had stated nothing about their departure. She asks Sebastian to take revenge for her for Meliorn and their treatment of her, though he simply responds that he will serve her interests and she can do as she wishes when they rule the world. She comments that she adores him and he expresses his excitement that the group is coming.

Part Two: That World Inverted

Clary finds herself on stonewalk facing a manor set in the slope of a hill as its background. A voice in her mind tells her that it is the Fairchild manor, which has stood for four hundred years and will stand four hundred more. While standing there, she hears her mother calling for her from the balcony of the building, wearing an elegant champagne-colored dress with runes visible on her arms, and inquires whether it looks gorgeous. Clary following her mother’s gazes and notices the lawn leads to an archway of roses set up at the end of an aisle with scattered white flowers that grew only in Idris, and rows of wooden benches arranged on each side. Looking back at the balcony, Clary sees that her mother is joined by Luke who is apparently still a Shadowhunter. They asked her whether she was ready, and disappears back to the house. Though she replies, they do not seem to hear her. When Clary takes a few steps along the path, Sebastian dressed in formal black approaches her with visible dirt on his cheek, and apparently has green eyes. The voice in her mind says that he has always had green eyes and people often marvel at how much they looked alike to their mother. The voice also assures that his name is Jonathan, her brother who has always protected her. When he was about to talk to her, a small girl with red hair wearing a green lace dress reaches Jonathan. She held up her arms and he bent down to swing her up into the air and then held her over his head. The girl immediately starts pulling his hair; Jonathan calling her Val threatens that he will hold her upside down. The voice in Clary's mind says that she was named after Valentine, a great hero of the war and when Luke married her mother, they honored his memory in the name of their daughter. She soon learns that the dirt on Jonathan's face was actually chocolate from the wedding cake, which her little sister had eaten half of the roses from, and he was trying to cover it up. He also points out that she might want to wear some shoes before the wedding. Much to her surprise, she finds that the wedding is between her and Jace, which Jonathan remarks as being inevitable. But before she could ask anything more, Jonathan concerned asks whether she has cold feet, in which case he is ready to take her to France even if it means that he won't get to see Isabelle in a strapless dress. Clary is astonished by this comment and esquires if he likes Isabelle, but he doges the question, and asks Clary if Isabelle will go out with him if he asks. She is shocked by this and asks about Simon, whom Jonathan does not seem to know. Clary then feels the ground give away and reaches out as if to catch at her brother but her hand went through him. The illusion broke and Clary finds herself lying on the bleak ground of Edom.

Simon was watching a beautiful view of Manhattan. His life has been busy with promotion, touring, signings, and appearances, that it is sometimes hard to remember that his main job was making music. There was a vase of hydrangeas on the kitchen island, a gift from his mother, congratulating him on playing a gig with Stepping Razor the week before, with a note: I love you, I’m proud of you. It was odd since his mother knew that his favorite flowers were roses, and not hydrangeas. Turning away from the window, he looked more closely and realized it was indeed white roses. He hears the rattle of keys and sees Clary enter his apartment who complains about the rush in the lobby. She comes to give a brief kiss to Simon, who teases Clary to wear heels because of her height. After making some small talk about Simon's band members, she kisses him again, more heated this time, murmuring that she had always loved him. When he replies he says "I love you, Isabelle" instead of Clary. Simon feels felt her stiffen in his arms and then the world around him seemed to sprout black lines like shattered glass. He heard a high-pitched whine in his ears and staggers back before the illusion gives away.

Isabelle and Simon were shuffling forward together as he held his hands over her eyes for a surprise. Isabelle was in the apartment that she and Simon shared, which according to her was small and cozy, a hodgepodge of their interests: guitars and katanas, vintage posters, and hot-pink bedspreads. Simon had brought his cat, Yossarian, when they had moved in together, which Isabelle had protested against. but secretly liked since she had missed Church after she left the Institute. Simon led her into the kitchen where many people had gathered to celebrate her birthday: her mother and father, Alec, nine-year-old Max, and Jace along with Clary, Jordan, Maia, and Simons band members Kirk, Matt, and Eric. Magnus was holding a silver sparkler and winking, waving it back and forth as the sparkles flew everywhere. Clary was holding a sign that read: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ISABELLE. Isabelle whirled on Simon accusing that he had planned this. He pulls her towards him and says that Shadowhunters may not care about birthdays, but he does and that she should have everything. There was a whirl of hugs, presents, and birthday cake, baked by Eric and decorated by Magnus that according to her, tasted better than it looked. Robert had his arms around Maryse, who was leaning back against him, looking on proudly at Magnus. Max claimed that he had made the sign, but after seeing Clary wink at her, she knew otherwise. Max said that he was going to put what birthday it was on the sign but Jace said that after twenty, people are just old and so it does not matter. Simon joked about making everyone feel ancient. Isabelle felt a sweet pain inside her chest, she could not remember a time when she had not loved him or trusted him. She then asked whether Max knew how old she was, to which he replied that she was twenty-two. She swallowed, as she realized that it meant her brother should be fifteen and not nine years old. Everyone was still talking and laughing around her but it sounded distant and echoing as if it came from very far away. Isabelle asks him how old he was and her surroundings start wavering when he replies that he was nine and would always be, and then he touched her face but his fingers passed through her as the voices fainted. Isabelle felt her knees give and she sank to the ground. She wasn't in the kitchen anymore, but surrounded by gray, powdery ash and blackened rock.

Alec was in the Hall of Accords, which was hung with blue banners, each gilded with the flaming symbol of the Lightwood family. Four tables had been arranged facing each other, with a raised speaker's lectern in the center. Alec sat at the longest table in the highest chair, with Magnus at his left, and his family stretched out on his right. His father kept boasting to everyone that Alec had won the battle and that his family has always been fighters. Then, Robert Lightwood rose to his feet and tapped the side of his fork against his glass. The room fell silent as the Shadowhunters looked up expectantly to Robert. He delivered a speech to honor Alec, who had apparently single-handedly destroyed the Endarkened army and defeated Sebastian Morgenstern. Robert goes on to say that he had also saved the life of his brother, Max, and was the greatest warrior he had ever known. Alec's father then announces that his son had gotten engaged to Magnus Bane, to which a chorus of cheers broke out. After Alec was congratulated, Jace admits that he knew that Alec used to have a crush on him and that he returned the feeling. Jace tells Alec that the Clave would probably let him do anything he wanted, since everybody loved him. He gestured out at the room full of Shadowhunters, who were all cheering or wiping tears as Robert spoke. A girl at one of the smaller tables held up a sign that said, "Alec Lightwood, we love you." Isabelle suggests that Alec and Magnus should have a winter wedding with five or six hundred people. As Alec rejects the idea, Magnus snapped his fingers in front of Alec's face and told him that the entire event was not happening. He explained to him that it was a hallucination brought on by their entry into the demon realms. A demon near the entrance that feeds on the dreams of travelers might have induced the dream, which is supposedly the deepest wish of the traveler's heart. Alec's deepest wish was that his father was proud of him, Magnus loved him, and everyone accepted him. The hallucination seemed real, but Alec couldn't remember defeating Sebastian, or winning a war, or saving Max. Magnus explains that demons don't understand human hearts, and they see as through a distorted glass and show you what you desire, but warped and wrong. Alec pushed himself out of the demons using Magnus's advice. He felt the world around him crack, as if he were tapping his way out of a shell. The voices around him vanished, along with the feel of the chair, the smell of the food, the clamor of applause, and the touch of Magnus's hand on his face. His knees hit the ground. His eyes opened to a gray landscape and the stink of garbage hit his nose. Alec spotted a mass of smoke with glittering yellow eyes in the darkness. Alec shot the demon with an arrow and it vanished.

work in progress

Desperate, Magnus agrees to call on his father, revealed to be the Prince of Hell Asmodeus and the ruler of Edom. Asmodeus agrees to help them return safely to their world get back home, in exchange for Magnus—his immortality, and thus his life. Magnus agrees, though the process, seeing his whole life flash before his eyes, will kill him. Simon, not wanting to sacrifice Magnus but willing to sacrifice what he sees is his damned life as a vampire, volunteers to take his place. Asmodeus agrees, eager for the power of a Daylighter. To match Magnus' almost 400 years of life, Asmodeus tells him that he will also take Simon and his friends' memories of the Shadow World, including Clary and the rest of them, and, in exchange, he will give Simon back his life as a mundane. Simon agrees, much to the horror of the others, and as Asmodeus takes Simon's immortality and memories, he sends them back to their world, to Alicante. The group return just as the battle has begun to die down, and in the midst of the confusion, Clary breaks down and grieves for Simon. In the days following, A council meeting is held to discuss the matter of the faeries. Kalie, the fay waitress from Taki's steps forward to represent the fey in the meeting. She argues that the "treaty" between the Nephilim and the Seelie court is too strict, and begs for leniency. Magnus agrees with her, saying that the strictness will only create harsher feelings. However, the council forces Kaylie to accept the terms. They then decide that Helen should be banished to the institute at Wade Island. They then go further and decide to cease the search for Mark.

work in progress

Epilogue: The Beauty of a Thousand Stars

Five months after the war, the Shadowhunters try to resume their life's normalcy. Isabelle, Magnus, and Clary seek out Simon. Though he does not fully remember, bits of memories haunt him, enough that he named their band "The Mortal Instruments", and he feels a hole in his life, though he cannot understand what it is. When Clary approaches him one morning in May outside his school, he is surprised and confused at the girl's seeming attachment to him. She invites him to her mother's wedding, and Simon gives her a brochure of his band's concert.

Clary, too hurt to look at the brochure, left. Isabelle, however, sees the band name on the brochure and immediately tells Magnus, who told her that even the slightest hint of Simon's recollection is enough for him to work with. Magnus approaches Simon, later followed by Isabelle, and further confuses the already bewildered Simon, who feels that he has lost his mind. Magnus immediately tells Simon about the Shadow World and his connection to it. He tells him that a way to help him off his curse, to help him regain his lost memories, is if he Ascends and becomes a Shadowhunter himself. Simon is partly fascinated and partly skeptical to believe them, though Magnus leaves the choice to Simon.

At Luke's farm, Luke and Jocelyn finally get married. The guests are happy for them, and several of them are resolving their own personal issues. Robert approaches Alec, and he tells him that he does love Maryse, even though they have decided to separate. Robert tells him that he has always been proud of him, and while he said some unforgivable things to him before, he does not see him as less a Shadowhunter just because he's gay. He explains to him that his old parabatai Michael Wayland once told him that he was in love with him, and he took it harshly, and they were no longer close since; he tells him that he is ashamed of himself, and he is proud of Alec for being a better man than him. Pleased and appreciative of his father's confiding in him, Alec thanks him, taking the first step towards possible forgiveness.

Magnus, who was busy with Simon and was unable to attend the ceremony, then arrives and takes Clary away from Jace to reunite her with Simon, who has agreed to Magnus' first spell and has regained a few of his memories. He remembers Clary, and his faerie ring on her finger, as his best friend, and Isabelle as someone whom he cared for and meant so much to her. He later dances with Isabelle and tells her that he wishes to work to once again become the man who deserves to be called a hero, and the man who deserves to be with her.

Alec goes to Magnus and tells him about Robert. Magnus tells him that if he chooses to forgive Robert, he should do it for himself. Alec asks him why he forgave him, and Magnus says it's because he loves him and wants to be with him. Alec makes it clear to Magnus that he does not want to be immortal, and that he will stay with Magnus until he grows old and dies; Magnus points out that he may not grow old, as the life of a Shadowhunter may be dangerous and brief. Alec decides that it won't matter as long as they are together until then.

Also at the wedding is the now mortal Zachariah and his fiancée, Tessa Gray. They discuss the past and the present, missing their shared love and worrying about Emma.

While Jace and Clary dance, Jocelyn asks Jace to play the piano, as Lily had gotten tired. He obliges, and Jocelyn takes Clary to meet Tessa, the warlock who performed the protection spell on her when she was young and from whom their surname Fray was derived from (F for Fairchild, and ray from Gray). Tessa and Clary talk about old friends and families, revealing to her that she is particularly attached to the Blackthorns, Herondales, and Carstairs. Tessa then gives Clary her old copy of the Codex, and asks her to pass on a Herondale ring, one that belonged to James Herondale, to Jace. Zachariah, who has just taken Church, arrives, and he and Tessa leave for Los Angeles.

Magnus is watching the others from afar when Catarina approaches him. Having seen Tessa earlier, Catarina inquires if he's bothered about the "past and future colliding." He reveals that the conundrum with the Clave and the Fair Folk scare him, and that he is worried for this and the next generations of his loved ones. Catarina reminds him that, especially to them as warlocks, it is "better to love and fear than feel nothing."

In the end, the group shares a view of the lakeside scenery. Magnus and Alec are happy and together once again, Simon is making Isabelle happier than she has been in months, Maia begins to welcome Bat's advances, and Clary shows Jace the gifts they received from Tessa.

Chapters

Prologue: Fall like Rain
Part One: Bring Forth a Fire

  1. The Portion of Their Cup
  2. Stand or Fall
  3. Birds to the Mountain
  4. Darker than Gold
  5. Measure of Revenge
  6. Brother Lead and Sister Steel
  7. Clash by Night
  8. Strength in What Remains
  9. The Arms You Bear
  10. These Violent Delights
  11. The Best Is Lost
  12. The Formal Nightmare
  1. Paved with Good Intentions

Part Two: That World Inverted

  1. The Sleep of Reason
  2. Brimstone and Salt
  3. The Terrors of the Earth
  4. Burnt Offerings
  5. By the Waters of Babylon
  6. Into the Silent Land
  7. The Serpents of the Dust
  8. The Keys of Death and Hell
  9. The Ashes of Our Fathers
  10. Judas Kiss
  11. Call It Peace

Epilogue: The Beauty of a Thousand Stars

Characters

Shadowhunters

  • Clary Fray - new to the Shadow World, Clary is now about to face her second war... while the first was against her father, this one is against her own brother. After spending time traveling with Jonathan and Jace, Clary, despite everything, finds herself strangely sympathizing with her brother.
  • Jace Herondale - the most skilled Shadowhunter of his generation and the boyfriend of Clary. After weeks being bound to Jonathan, Jace had just been brought back to New York—this time with heavenly fire running through his veins.
  • Sebastian Morgenstern - the evil brother of Clary, and the son of Valentine and Jocelyn, who started the new species of Dark Shadowhunters.
  • Alec Lightwood - the eldest Lightwood and Jace's parabatai who recently broke up with the warlock Magnus Bane.
  • Isabelle Lightwood - Alec's beautiful younger sister, Isabelle is a strong and fierce Shadowhunter, who finds herself falling for Clary's best friend, Simon.
  • Jocelyn Fray - Clary's mother who is soon to be wed to her old friend, Luke.
  • Maryse & Robert Lightwood - the parents of the Lightwood children and head of the New York Institute. Robert has recently been named the new Inquisitor.
  • Brother Zachariah - a Silent Brother the gang meets who, for some reason, is unlike his other Brothers.
  • Blackthorn family - a family from Los Angeles who, because of Sebastian, is suffering a loss in the family and is being questioned in Idris.

Downworlders

Demons

more...

Gallery

Art

Editions

International covers

Illustrations

Videos

Special content

  • Simon & Schuster first edition: First editions sold by Simon & Schuster in the US and Canada come with art by Cliff Nielsen on the inside of the dust jacket featuring Jace, Alec, Isabelle, Simon, and Maia and A Letter from the Faerie Court to the Los Angeles Institute which gives a sneak peak into Lady Midnight.[1]
  • Target edition: Target copies contain a deleted scene from the book of the Blackthorns Portaling home turned into a mini-comic drawn by Cassandra Jean.[2]
  • Walker Books edition: Printed in paperback, the book includes an exclusive comic strip of Tessa and Jem's wedding, also drawn by Cassandra Jean, and a full-color fold out poster of Cliff Nielsen's inside dust jacket art.[3]
  • Repackaged paperback edition: The repackaged and updated version of the books' paperback, released on September 1, 2015 in the US and Canada, features a new cover with spine art and includes minor corrections and changes, a map of Shadowhunter New York by Drew Willis and new exclusive content written by Cassandra Clare, including a new foreword, the letter from the faerie courts, and the deleted scene comic from previous editions.[4][5]
  • LitJoy Special Edition: A special edition box set of the series released in February 2022 as a part of the Cassandra Clare Collection. It features cover art by Carlos Quevedo with lettering by RJ Gualberto, symbol sprayed edges, endpaper artwork by Jorge Jacinto, 2 tip-in artworks by Sophia Volovik and Gonzalo Mendiverry, and all the books are in a slip case designed by Irina Shirokova featuring Clary's new Empathy rune by Valerie Freire created for the box set. Each book has Cassandra Clare's annotations and select chapters from The Shadowhunter's Codex. City of Heavenly Fire also has the map of Shadowhunter New York and the deleted scene comic from the repackaged edition.[6]
See all freely released additional content here

Trivia

  • The original (now hardbound) cover features Sebastian Morgenstern with Phaesphoros and wings (this time black, as opposed to the white ones in the cover of City of Glass) on his back, and Clary Fray holding Heosphoros and wearing a necklace, presumably the chain that holds Jace's Morgenstern family ring. The background is a skyline of an unknown, seemingly fictional, city with cracked and parched land in front, possibly depicting the war-ridden Alicante and/or Edom. The repackaged (paperback) cover again features Sebastian, this time with golden wings and on his knees, with the "Destined" rune behind him. He holds Phaesphoros in one hand and the Infernal Cup in the other.
  • The model for Clary (Halle Arbaugh) on the book cover also portrayed Clary on the trailer, as well on the last two book covers, City of Fallen Angels and City of Lost Souls. Judson Birza, who modeled for Jace in both the book cover and trailer for City of Lost Souls, also reprised his role as Jace for the trailer.
  • The book is told from several points of views, namely (in order): Emma, Jace, Clary, Simon, Alec, the Seelie Queen, Maia, Magnus, Isabelle, Luke, Jia, Jocelyn, and Julian's.
  • Chapter 23, entitled "Judas Kiss", was originally entitled "Simon's Sacrifice", as previously teased by Cassandra Clare in July 2013.[7][8]
  • The first ancient rune Clary had a vision of in City of Bones, in the chapter "High and Dry", was brought up, for the first time since its first mention, and was crucial to their success in this book.
  • The Russian translation was divided into two parts, published separately.[9]

References

Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunter Chronicles
The Mortal Instruments
City of Bones City of Ashes City of Glass
City of Fallen Angels City of Lost Souls City of Heavenly Fire
The Infernal Devices The Dark Artifices
Clockwork Angel Lady Midnight
Clockwork Prince Lord of Shadows
Clockwork Princess Queen of Air and Darkness
The Last Hours The Wicked Powers
Chain of Gold The Last King of Faerie
Chain of Iron The Last Prince of Hell
Chain of Thorns The Last Shadowhunter
The Eldest Curses
The Red Scrolls of Magic The Lost Book of the White The Black Volume of the Dead
The Bane Chronicles
What Really Happened in Peru Saving Raphael Santiago
The Runaway Queen The Fall of the Hotel Dumort
Vampires, Scones, and Edmund Herondale What to Buy the Shadowhunter Who Has Everything
The Midnight Heir The Last Stand of the New York Institute
The Rise of the Hotel Dumort The Course of True Love (And First Dates)
The Voicemail of Magnus Bane
Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy
Welcome to Shadowhunter Academy Pale Kings and Princes
The Lost Herondale Bitter of Tongue
The Whitechapel Fiend The Fiery Trial
Nothing but Shadows Born to Endless Night
The Evil We Love Angels Twice Descending
Ghosts of the Shadow Market
Cast Long Shadows Son of the Dawn
Every Exquisite Thing The Land I Lost
Learn About Loss Through Blood, Through Fire
A Deeper Love The Lost World
The Wicked Ones Forever Fallen
Companion books
Secrets of Blackthorn Hall
Better in Black: Tales of Romance
The Shadowhunter's Codex
A Long Conversation
An Illustrated History of Notable Shadowhunters & Denizens of Downworld
All the Stories are True: Classics Reimagined in the World of the Shadowhunters
Adaptations
The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novels
The Official Mortal Instruments Coloring Book
The Infernal Devices: Manga Series
City of Bones: The Graphic Novel
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones
Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments
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