Chapter One ~ Tick Tock
Tick.
Tock.
Tick.
Tock.
Clary listened to the soothing sounds of silence, the only interruption being the tall, mahogany grandfather clock that sat in the corner of the large library. Stars gleamed magnificently onto the skylight above, the light fracturing off in many directions as it hit the glass. Tall stacks of books surrounded her, comforting her with their untold stories, whispering secrets in the dark silence. The threadbare, maroon coloured carpet that Clary lay on also held a plush golden sofa adorned with forest green cushions; probably the newest addition to the room in years. Fire licked the floor around Clary's head; beautiful, burning orange strands that created a halo around her small body, lit by the dim light provided by the sconces that hung on the dark purple walls. A dust-covered, marble fireplace was sat at the end of the room, the fire that burned inside it creating warmth for the room and casting a glow around the girl's porcelain skin.
Tick, tock. The grandfather clock seemed to mock her, counting down her minutes of silence, of peace, until none was left. Until she was back to the horrible sounds of reality, the hollow shell that was her life. Suddenly the air seemed cold. Two green emeralds searched the room, memorizing every single crevice and corner, wishing for the millionth time that she could just live away her days in this room, reading the adventures of others and their exciting, thrilling lives. A life that she did not have the pleasure of experiencing, imprisoned by the 'home' she had come to know after the last five years.
A loud bang sounded in the distance, most likely a door that will leave a mark on the wall like every other time. Heavy footsteps could be heard in the hallway, getting louder as the intruder came nearer. Clary sighed, her time was up. Technically she wasn't allowed to enter this room and if previous experiences hadn't warned her, this would come with consequences. She took one last look at the green pendant resting against her chest, the embers in the fire reflecting against it, making it seem alive in this seemingly dead house. She carefully tucked the necklace away inside her flowing white dress, the only precious thing she owned. The only thing she was allowed to keep when the monsters stole her away from her home in the middle of the night. The screams and cries of that fateful night were permanently burned into Clary's brain, and she yet again fought with the memories to keep them down. To not let those emotions resurface.
Clary sat up straight as the library doors flew open and the ghastly figure stepped forward. The darkness of the room cast a shadow across his face, but she knew all too well who it was. Her captor strode forward, grabbing Clary's arm with immense pressure and pulling her to her feet. She knew better than to cry out. That ended with more anguish and pain. "What have I told you about this room?" He growled. Clary still couldn't see his face properly, the darkness making her brain twist his features to look like the monster she first imagined when she was captured. He shook her from her thoughts roughly, trying to get her attention. "Well?" He bellowed, his voice loud in the large room.
"Considering you have no respect for my decisions, why should I have any respect for yours?" Years of practise made her voice hard, steady and emotionless. Clary narrowed her eyes at him, refusing to seem defeated. He laughed, the sound harsh and unnatural. "Have I not respected your privacy?"
"Not when you barged in here. Especially considering as the door was clearly closed," she said sarcastically, nodding her head at the door that was now stuck in the wall. A sharp pain across her cheek brought her head spinning back towards him and she stomped down the tears and shock before they could surface. The hand that had just hit her went back to creating bruises along her arm and she clenched her fists to stop her from retaliating. He spat in her face, a sure sign that he was enraged. "How dare you! I could have left you in a cellar to let your mind rot and your body be eaten by the diseased rats that live down there. You watch your tongue because it weren't for me you'd be dead already." Anger bubbled up inside of Clary at his words. His black eyes were spitting fire when Clary spoke again. "How dare I? How dare you! If it weren't for you, I would be at home living the life I want!" She tried to wrestle her arms from his grasp but that only led to him squeezing harder. He threw her to the floor, the harshness of it leaving her spluttering for air.
Clary dug her nails into the carpet, using all her strength to keep her upright. He grabbed a hand full of her hair and pulled her upright, crouching down low to put his face directly in her line of sight. "You will go to your room and you will stay there until it's time for dinner. Understood?" He spoke in a low, dangerous voice and then released her. She scrambled to her feet, heading to the door with her head held high and tears running down her face. "I heard it loud and clear, Valentine," and before he could pull her up for the malicious tone in her voice, she slammed the door shut, the sound echoing throughout the house.
So there is the first chapter! Hope you guys enjoyed it! Just so you know, I'm planning on doing weekly updates. I don't own any of the characters, they belong to Cassandra Clare.
Please leave a review! :) Thanks
~ GorgeousGeek42 ~