Son of the Dawn is a short story in Ghosts of the Shadow Market, co-written by Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan. It was the first story to be released during the anthology's initial e-book run, however it is the sixth story in the print edition.
Description[]
The Lightwoods, the Shadowhunters who run the New York Institute, are expecting a new addition to their family: the orphaned son of their father's friend, Jace Wayland. Alec and Isabelle aren't too sure they want a new brother, and their parents are not assuaging their fears, too occupied with the dark news that Raphael Santiago, second-in-command of the New York vampire clan, has brought from the Shadow Market.[1]
Plot[]
New York, 2000
Raphael Santiago and Lily Chen approach Brother Zachariah about werewolves smuggling yin fen into the city. He is unwilling to displease the Brotherhood by handling the mission in secrecy from the Clave, risking being prohibited from his annual meeting with Tessa, but also unwilling to allow another child to suffer the fate of yin fen addiction. He agrees to accompany Raphael in requesting assistance from the New York Institute.
At the Institute, the young Lightwood children Isabelle and Alec listen in on the meeting. Isabelle worries about the arrival of a child their parents were taking in: nine-year-old Jonathan Wayland, apparently the son of her father Robert's recently-deceased parabatai, who was being brought in from Idris aboard the ship with the smuggled yin fen. Though she is excited, she is worried about how his arrival might affect their family.
Isabelle notices Alec's fixation on the guests, but specifically on the vampire Raphael and, in her head, she compares it to the times she'd observed her brother's attraction to men but has yet to fully grasp what it means. Alec approaches Raphael to introduce himself, and their mother, Maryse, calls Raphael out for being near her children. Raphael was about to leave when Robert tells them that he will help.
Robert, Zachariah, Raphael, and Lily take a Shadowhunter boat and board the ship before it reaches the docks. Their plan to quietly perform the task of apprehending the smugglers and disposing the yin fen fails and leads to a fight with the werewolves. Jonathan's guardian on the ship, Catherine Ashdown, is killed instantly, and Jonathan joins the battle and holds his own, striking down werewolves using Zachariah's fallen staff. His skill with the unfamiliar weapon and ensuing laughter, which sounded "young, and defiant, and joyful, and a little mad," reminds Zachariah of Will. Once all the werewolves are dead or unconscious, they find the yin fen and Zachariah sets it on a runic fire.
That night, 'Jonathan' is taken to the Institute and introduced to the Lightwoods. Isabelle and Alec later catch him sneaking into the kitchen to tend to the cut up his side. Jace begs them not to tell their parents, scared that they would reject him if they thought he was a poor fighter. Isabelle is surprised when Alec reaches out to Jonathan, noting Alec's general aversion towards strangers. Alec gets equipment from the infirmary and the siblings proceed with taking care of the cut for him, despite Jonathan's reluctance to let them help.
Their parents arrive after they'd bandaged him up, and Maryse checks on Jonathan's wounds herself, reassuring him that, as a warrior, being injured is expected. They all witness Jonathan's wit, aloofness, and his fear of rejection. Despite Maryse's previous arguments against adopting him and coldly compromising on a 'trial period', Isabelle sees how she quickly warms up to him in that moment and acknowledges that the boy will be staying with no trial period. Maryse suggests that they could call him by a nickname "Jace", and the boy agrees.
Characters[]
- Brother Zachariah
- Raphael Santiago
- Lily Chen
- Isabelle Lightwood
- Alec Lightwood
- Jonathan Wayland
- Robert Lightwood
- Maryse Lightwood
- Catherine Ashdown
- Max Lightwood
- Ragnor Fell
- Mother Hawthorn
Gallery[]
Art[]
Editions[]
International covers[]
Trivia[]
- This installment is told from the POVs of Brother Zachariah and Isabelle Lightwood.
- The title of the story is a reference to Lucifer.[2] In the Book of Isaiah's Hebrew text, Lucifer is at times referred to as "son of the dawn"—or son of the morning—next to his more known title הילל בן שחר, "morning star".[3]
- It is somehow connected to Forever Fallen, both installments with titles referencing Lucifer and both featuring Jace Herondale as a prominent character.[2]