Chapter 8:
Jace hit the earth with a thud, and caught his balance instantly. An image of Clary appeared in his head, the first time they had come here, he had to hold her steady from losing her balance. If she had been with him now, she would've balanced like a trained Shadowhunter. It pained him to even think of her, what Sebastian was doing to her. There was no words for how much Jace wanted to kill him. The hollowed out corridor, illuminated faintly by glowing moss, a tangle of dangling vines that formed a curtain at one end of the corridor and the long, hairy tendrils hung like dead snakes from the ceiling, did not bring back good memories to Jace. "I really, really hate this place." Simon mumbled, and Isabelle turned her neck to look at his kind face, and for some reason, she saddened, what if there was really a war? What if I lost Simon in it? Her thought was drowned out when the curtain was drawn aside and a faerie with hair that fell in blue-black sheets and eyes that were as green as vines. Meliorn. The name instantly appeared in Jace's head. Isabelle could barely remember that she was smitten by him, it seemed like so long ago. "Why would you hate such a place?" Meliorn spoke, his voice like sharp. His eyes traced from Jace, to Isabelle, to Simon. Simon swallowed and was engulfed in silence. If Simon had known he could hear him, he would've never said it. There was something about faeries he had always found intimidating. "Pleased to see you too Meliorn." Isabelle added with a smirk. Meliorn said nothing, just a roll of his eyes. Jace oddly ignored the comments, and would've said something that would start up another conversation, but he didn't. Jace pushed a tree root, Simon and Isabelle noticing he was leaving and rushed to meet by his side. They had moved from the dirt-walled corridor to one lined with smooth ones, and the occasional root snaking down between the stones from above. Jace walked upon the what looked like marble floor, but was really stone veined polished floor, flakes with lines shimmering material like powdered jewels. Jace walked pass the room full of faeries, and tried not to listen to the enchanting music. Then he thought of Clary once again, when she had almost been pulled into the trap of dancing until you die, he had saved her from that. There was countless times he had saved Clary from something she was vulnerable with, but he never wanted her to save him in return. Meliorn presided in front of Jace, and Jace stopped with a scoff. Meliorn drew the vines that blocked the chamber on the other side, and ushered the three of them in. Jace was surprised to see the chamber had changed, a beautiful throne set in the middle of the plain, brightly lit room. The seat was padded with white, and what seemed to set on the armchair part of it and the head had a glistening silver. The lovely woman sat on it. Her scarlet hair matched her long, flowing dress. Her blue eyes clear as glass, set on the three of them. Isabelle had a hint of jealously for the Queen, for she was amazingly gorgeous, but she did her best to hid it. The Queen tilted her head and smiled. "Hello, my dearest friends." She spoke, and she gave off that feeling of authority. Simon resisted the urge to bow to her feet. "Hello, my Queen. We have come for your help." Jace said, he gave off his most charming smile that always seemed to make the Queen blush. His voice echoed off the walls, and the Queen hesitated to speak until she heard the last faint echo. The Queen chuckled. "If you want my help, you must offer me something in return. You should know that, certainly your friend didn't." Her eyes fell on Simon. Then Simon had remembered, Clary had not given the rings to the Queen. Then she gave all of them a cold, hard stare. "We have to go. Like now." Simon mumbled to Isabelle. She could hear in his voice he was not kidding, this was a serious matter. "Jace, we have to get out of here." Isabelle passed it on to Jace. Jace glanced at her with his golden eyes and nodded. Simon spun on his heel to leave the chamber, but the Queen's voice startled him. "STOP THEM!" Then they all found themselves running, Jace held onto his seraph blade by his side. Isabelle had her whip coiled in her hand, Simon baring his fangs. Guards, to sprites, to her courtiers, charged after them like bulls. They passed the dancing faeries, they made it to the corridor leading to the park. The three of them jumping in the sparkling water.
Clary stopped before reaching the window, opening the dresser and pulling one of the blue, silk dresses that lay there. She searched for boots that would be good for running. She had found black, durable leather boots that stopped at her calf. She slowly headed for the window, clicking open the locks. It certainly couldn't be that easy, could it? This just might be a test. Sebastian was smarter than to leave me alone with an open window. Clary thought. She still lifted the window, barely making noise. Then a thought clicked in her head, if she could find a stele. Anywhere at all, she could certainly get away. She moved away from the glass rectangle. She rummaged through the desks, and after pulling out every single drawer, she was amazed to amuse her wishes. She saw a stele, enwrapped in a swirl of dark wood and the rest light, blending in with the dresser. Without even thinking, she brought the odd shaped stele to her wrist, quickly drawing the Soundless rune on her. Then came Angelic Power, Agility, Heightened Speed, Strength, and equilibrium. She sauntered over to the modernized bathroom, turning on the shower, so Sebastian wouldn't suspect anything. Clary looked over the window now the dirt and sand. It couldn't be this easy, she thought again, but she had to try. Even if she didn't succeed, at least she knew she did something about it. She moved on the windowsill, then took a deep breath, and jumped. The fall wasn't far down, but it seemed like she was in the air for hours to her. She landed flat on her feet, making absolutely no sound. Maybe... Just maybe Sebastian isn't all that smart, Clary thought. She started to move her feet, and then she bolted. Running so fast the wind was now as if she was caught in the middle of a tornado, making her skin prickle. Then she skidded to a halt. I knew it couldn't be that easy. She saw two beastly figures, hovering over her small body.