Stone Circle Round and Round

One more post from each? <3

Even though she hadn't known Ezekiel beyond a meeting or two, Clary's memories of him weren't bad. They simply weren't much of anything. Yet for some reason, she still cared a surprising deal about what her mother would say to her now.

The shake of Valette's head brought instant relief, and Clary felt her shoulders unwind from the tension wrought by asking. Her face, however, remained thoughtful. "Okay." Her mother's answer brought speculation, but nothing concrete. For once, Clary realized Valette didn't have an answer - and the only one she proposed didn't settle well. Even if her mother hadn't loved him as before, surely she had still loved him, in some sort of way. And for the first time, she doubted Valette; maybe his leaving was all their faults. Steph hadn't been very nice to him, and though Clary had tried her hardest to welcome him in, she wondered now if there was more she could have done to have keep him around.

The thoughts were a maze at best, and wouldn't be sorted in a minute, or even a day. Overwhelmed enough, Clary leaned in to press her face against Valette's neck. She could reach higher on her mother now than ever before, and though that surprised her, she smiled, for that made her feel strong. "For the record, I don't think I've met anyone who loves like you. Maybe I'll find him on one of my travels, and then I can ask him why." A wave of genuine sorrow swelled within her. "He must be so sad, knowing how much good he left. I hope he's happy like you are, wherever he is."