Sprinkle says hi…again.

Icecreams for all reviewers, people who have added my story to favourites, alerts and author. Sorry for the delay, currently screaming in a plastic bag to relieve off stress from studying. :D Enjoy!…sadly though at first, I was review deprived…review after reading please?

Chapter 2

Clary's POV

'Spying is punishable by Clave law you know,' the boy said.

Just like Alec, his voice hadn't broken yet. He was only slightly taller than me – the top of my head reached his eyebrows and his face…as weird as it sounds from an eleven year old…was beautiful. But his eyes – they had the most unsettling colour; unlike his, face which showed a slight childlike quality, was devoid of emotion, as if his childhood past had no consoling comfort. Oh…and ye, they were staring at me.

'Hello? Are you mute?' he harshly whispered, 'what were you doing?'

I wasn't looking at him because I was staring down at the mechanical claw that was now cutting painfully into my skin. Glancing up, I briefly saw that he was holding the device's controller in his left hand. The boy mouthed an O and he reached for the brace but my hand was already there, my tiny fingers undoing the clasp. I looked back up. Ha! Now it was his turn to look dumb…founded.

'No girl has ever…that claw,' he whispered.

'I can talk you know and no, boys aren't the only ones who may be interested in mechanics.' I retorted.

The left side of his mouth twitched.

'Why didn't you file the claws? It'll tear through anything,' I looked at my arm, which had three puncture wounds, and winced. I stared directly into his eyes, his disarming blue eyes, 'especially wood if you're deciding to climb onto the Gard.' I finished.

We elapsed into a tense silence and I glared at him, daring him to answer. There was no doubt in his mind that he felt defeated – eavesdropping on a Clave meeting was a serious matter but climbing on the roof to do who-knows-what? That was just unspeakable.

'Look, I know it seems that I have no right to ask what you were doing, but the truth is that I wasn't planning anything,' he whispered, not trusting himself to look up at her, 'all I wanted was to see the view beyond Idris and the Gard was the highest point I could think of.'

'Oh.'

For some strange reason, I felt suddenly timid.

'Well, I was looking for my mum and I didn't want to be noticed.' I said.

For a moment, his face was blank, unreadable and then he smiled.

It was a warm and small smile but it made you wish that you knew him. I gave one in return.

'I guess we're even then.' he said and he looked at me curiously.

'What?'

'Aren't you going to introduce yourself?' he asked, 'as they say, it's ladies first.'

'Clary,' I said, 'Clary Fairchild and I'm not a lady, I'm only eleven and starting school tomorrow.'

'Well, Clary Fairchild-and-I'm-not-a-lady-I'm-only-ele-, you have an awfully long name,' he trailed off.

I glared at him.

'Okay! So call me Jace Lightwood and I'm starting school tomorrow too.' he grinned but at the astonishment on my face he dropped his smile. 'Huh?'

He must have been the 's' on Izzy's word 'brothers'. He certainly didn't look like he was part Alec's and Izzy's family. I tilted my head to the side and studied his face. Where Jace had a halo, gold complexion, Izzy and Alec had fair skin and dark hair. Alec had eyes the colour of bottle glass. Jace's though, were a darker shade of blue and seemed almost unnatural…

'Hello? Earth to Clary! A penny for your thoughts?' Jace was waving his left hand in front of my face and I blinked, my vision resurfacing.

'You're Izzy and Alec's brother and you must feel really different for you to come out here on your own,' I said quietly.

For a moment Jace seemed very vulnerable, and he was looking at me with a mixture of openness and perhaps something else before replying,

'I am,' he said, nodding, 'I do.'

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After discreetly emerging from the dense shrubs, we hurried along the narrow alley and into the open courtyard. The double doors of the Gard with its ornate carving of the Angel Raziel and his gilded wings remained closed to the world. Personally, I thought that the courtyard evoked a sense of unwelcoming, eerie silence and with that thought, I walked just a little closer to Jace. Once we were out of the courtyard, we broke into a run, laughing, and we headed back to Lightwood Manor.

Well, technically, Jace headed back and I followed since I 'thoughtlessly sped off and followed a random road'; Jace's words, not mine.

We rounded a corner; walking now, and he was pointing out the spectacles of the mainland region of Idris. To me, it was like walking through history because every main road had an engraved pavement of an array of pictures. There were carvings of the Mortal Cup, Jonathon Shadowhunter – the founder of the Nephilim and consequently Idris and Lake Lyn, which I considered as my favourite. Also, I thought dreamily, they had a steam-punk style to it.

Great, my mind wandered off again.

Ignoring the amused and not to mention pathetic expression on Jace's face, I continued to walk…but I was stopped by a chalk-white statue…no you can't even call it one. It was deformed!

'What the freak?' I shouted. This earned me a snort from Jace and my cheeks burned.

'Hmm,'

He went up and prodded it. The surface dimpled as if it was flesh.

'Jace, what are you doing?' I whispered even though nobody was around to hear us.

'You look deformed Alec.' Jace said. Great minds think alike huh?

To my surprise, the 'statue' moved and it whirled on us.

'I knew you guys would be here,' he scoffed, ignoring his own flush, red against the white powder on his cheeks. 'Wait 'till mum hears of this.'

Before I could comprehend what was happening, he grabbed each of our ears – my left and Jace's right, and dragged us home; me somehow staring into Jace's blue, apologetic eyes all the way.

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It was as if dusk was holding its breath. Alec held onto our ears for the whole return trip and by the time we reached the Manor, I was feeling the strain on my neck. I could tell that Jace was feeling the same because he had an expression on his face that told you that he was going to put something slimy and squishy in Alec's bed tonight. If he asked me to help him, I would gladly say yes.

Thankfully, my ear was numb so I couldn't feel any pain.

I went into the house and found Isabel eating a banana. Fortunately, Maryse and Robert were away for a few Shadowhunter duties so Jace and I were temporarily excused. I hurried up the staircase, a few wooden steps protested, and I was in my room, rummaging through my luggage until I found my beloved sketchpad.

Looking now, out of my bedroom window, you could view Idris in a whole new scope. Dusk had finally let go of its breath and a torrent of darkness was washing over the land. I could see the free-flowing river directly below my window and the dying streaks of orange light ricocheting off the surface. I diverted my gaze to the wall opposite the window. There it was again, the picture of the lake that shone like a mirror.

I turned and faced the painting.

Up close, you could see the individual brush strokes. The painting looked almost pixelated.

'O great, you're in spacy mode again.'

I whirled at the speaker, instantly dropping my sketchpad in annoyance.

'Oh no, don't you go all koi fish on me.' Jace grinned crookedly, referring to the painting next to him. 'I'm pretty sure my right ear's going to be bigger than my left.'

'What's up with you? O actually, forget I said that. What's up with your family?' I said indignantly, 'you guys sure do know how to welcome new people in your life!' I picked up my sketchpad, struggling to keep my face composed.

Jace sucked in a breath, his previous humour was gone like a distinguished flame.

'Believe me, I'm different to my family.' he said quietly.

'Why? No matter what you do, you're still a Lightwood' I said.

Another round of silence. I distantly heard a faint chime coming from downstairs.

'That's Lake Lyn.' Jace said in a half whisper.

'What?'

'That painting, it's a picture of Lake Lyn.' Jace continued, 'and nobody really knows much about it but I heard from mum that they're going to transform it into a wharf, with fishing boats, jetties and stuff.'

I transported myself back to the conversation I overheard at the Gard meeting…something about disturbances and remoteness…

'Mum's home now and she wants to see you both.' Alec poked his head through the gap in the door and a mischievous smile was plastered on his face. Yep, probably there will be a frog in his bed tonight…a present from yours truly…

We followed Alec downstairs whilst Jace was staring at his back like daggers. Maryse was waiting for us in the kitchen, looking very much like a teacher. Firstly, she spoke to us very sternly, about leaving the house and not telling anyone when we'll come back. Then it started to heat up. Jace retorted with his customary wittiness earning a slap from Maryse.

Then we were sent outside in the dark for a quarter of an hour.

F-R-E-E-Z-I-N-G

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I was huddling on the bank of the river when Jace came up to me. I was feeling pretty miserable, since it was all Jace's fault that I was sent out here. He sat next to me, wrapping his arms around his legs.

'Go away,' I mumbled, 'I have a big urge to push you into the river.'

'I was thinking about what you said to me earlier, about being a Lightwood even if you think that you don't fit in.' Jace said warmly. The moon was reflected in a sea of blue – his eyes.

'I've never had a brother or sister and friends never last for me.' I said.

'Why not?' he asked. There was pity in his voice. I don't like people feeling sorry for me.

'Because I'm always left alone, and Fairchild Manor is not in mainland Idris so not many people live there. It's hard to communicate with them.'

'I know how you feel.' He said it so quietly, I wasn't sure if he had said it so I didn't reply.

'I've got a friend now don't I? I'll have more when I get to school.' I said instead.

'Who's your friend?' Jace asked.

'You…well, if you want me to be.' I replied biting my lip, doubting.

There it was again, the smile that made you wish that you knew him well. It was genuine too.

'Of course.' He said. I grinned in return.

'No deals? I don't have to pose for drawings, or play with your dolls right…well since you're a girl, not that I mind but…' He trailed off, looking at me with a mischievous expression.

I shrugged and let myself fall to the right, towards Jace. My shoulder hit the back of his and he lost balance, tumbling forward into, well…the river.

'No deals Jace,' I shouted, 'though I do enjoy…' I cut off with a squeal because at that moment, Jace decided to splash ice-cold water on me.

'I just want a friend!' he shouted back and he pushed me into the water.

AN: Nxt chapter: First day of Shadowhunter school for Clary, Jace and Isabel.

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