Chapter Two
Invictus
"It matters not how strait the gate,How charged with punishments the scroll,I am the master of my fate:I am the captain of my soul."
-William Ernest Henley 1875
Jace admired the wild beast for all of its stubborn nature and refusal to bow down. It was going to fight with all its had before he was broken. He appreciated qualities such as this, but it was all too rare to find it somewhere other than an animal. People were too afraid to act on how they felt, worried of what people's reactions would be. They lacked the freedom of being themselves and were easily molded into someone else's idea of proper. To Jace, it was an endless cycle of morons trying to impress other morons.
Jace had managed to get the saddle on the horse, but it was already heaving with vexation. "Easy boy," he whispered. Out of everyone in the Lightwood mansion, Jace was best with the horses. Something about them made him feel...calm and vice versa, but he seemed to have no affect on this creature. Daringly, he mounted the stocky animal. For a week now, he'd been trying to tame the horse. He had no idea how it arrived on their land but last Friday after school, the stallion had been waiting for him.
He could tell instantly that the horse was wild. By its clipped mane and husky frame Jace had determined the beast as an Asian wild horse. They were shorter than domesticated breeds and if he wasn't mistaken, extremely endangered.
For a moment Jace thought he had conquered the animal for it stood still and calm but it wasn't a second later before the animal bucked back, nearly unseating released a proud war cry as it hauled ass towards the stables, careening and tossing violently in hopes of removing Jace from his back.
Fuck me, this won't end well at all! Jace thought to himself.
They were fast approaching the stables when Jace heard Alec call his name. He could see him now, running towards Jace, along with Magnus trailing close behind him.
Great, if I survive this,I know to expect an earful. Alec can be such a-, but Jace had lost all train of thought. A sudden flash of red welcomely invaded his attention. He trained his eyes hungrily onto the girl charging fiercely towards him, quickly outrunning Alec and Magnus. She didn't seem to notice as her eyes refused to waver from his. They were like green neon lights in the dark, helping him find his way home. He'd never seen anything so beautiful and brave. His heart was already hammering inside his chest but the look she gave him caused it to increase the speed.
If he wasn't so consumed by the sensational distraction the girl had provided he might not have fallen so easily from the horse as it reared back. The little air that had not already been removed at the sight of the beautiful stranger was ripped from his lungs as he landed harshly on his back. He watched as the stallion lifted its hooves to stomp Jace to death, but a whip of crimson flashed before him and the horse was gone.
He shifted his gaze and there the girl stood with her palm against the horse.
If he had not experienced the calming effect the girl possessed for himself, he would've thought it impossible. She had soothed the horse into peacefulness and it trotted away with ease.
Alec was at his side scolding him but Jace did not pay attention.
" Keep your hair on, Alec."
He closed the gap between himself and the girl. She stared up at him with wide and confused eyes.
By the angel she's tiny. How can someone so small be so fierce?
"Who are you?"He asked with utter astonishment.
Clary had been rendered speechless. Jocelyn would have called it a miracle if she'd been there to witness it. She was arrested by the deep pools of honey tinted irises that swept over.
"Clary?" A vaguely familiar voice shrilled. It was Rebecca, Clary realized as she tore her eyes from the boy named Jace. "Are you okay?" She said sounding extremely worried.
"Are you insane?" Simon added as he stood on Clary's other side. The golden haired boy stood in front of her, seemingly oblivious to the anxious siblings.
"Clary," he said her name like it was the password to heaven.
Ugh, what's wrong with me? Get it together, Fray! Um, I mean Fairchild.
"I owe you my life. Thank you, Clary." And with that, he leaned in and swiftly propelled his lips onto hers. All rational thought was erased as Clary's lips responded to Jace's. Instinct set in as she embraced him with a passion that did not exist inside her until now. He tasted sweet like apples and a low moan of desire escaped her. She felt his tongue roll over her bottom lip and that's when reason came barging through the front door of her bliss.
She began to remember that they weren't alone and that Simon and Rebecca were standing right next to her. She was surprised at how reluctant she was to pull away from the kiss, but she summoned all her will power to do so.
Jace didn't want to let her go but he abided when she gave a light push.
Holy cow I just kissed a complete stranger. A gorgeous golden stranger. And I moaned! Out loud! What. The. Hell?
She imagined her cheeks were matching the color of her hair as a sobering wave of embarrassment slapped cruelly across her face.
I should be offended not embarrassed. But that kiss, who can be mad at that kiss?
She gazed up at Jace, afraid to look anywhere else and noticed his expression was twisted with surprise. Did he not mean to kiss her?
She risked a glance to her left and right and cringed at the reactions she was met with. Rebecca's mouth had fallen open in shock and Simon's face had tightened into a scowl as he looked anywhere but at Clary.
Great, he probably hates me, Clary thought.
Alec and Magnus displayed similar reactions as Rebecca.
"What on earth did I just walk in on?" A new voice asked, breaking the profound silence. Clary looked over Jace's shoulder and found a tall, slim girl standing with all of her weight shifted to her left foot and a hand on her hip.
She was out-right gorgeous so much so that Clary wanted to tuck her head in her shirt and go live in a dark cave. She had never been insecure and did not find herself ugly, but she never fooled herself into thinking she was beautiful. She was plain old, height challenged red headed and freckled Clary. But this girl who stood a short distance away was so glamorous it was soul crushing.
The girl was obviously Alec's sister. A sheet of pitch black hair cascaded down her back and her eyes matched the contrast of the deepest part the Atlantic ocean. She was looking Clary up and down with undisguised curiosity.
"I don't know who you are." Alec's sister admitted to Clary.
"Clary Fr- Fairchild."
At this, the girl lifted her eyebrows.
"Seriously?" She asked with a bit of excitement in her tone. She was acting as if Clary had revealed some top secret gossip. "Weren't you all killed off?" she asked with the tone one would use when engaging in small talk.
"Isabelle!" Alec scolded.
"Was that rude or something?"Isabelle asked innocently.
"Forgive my sister. She was born without a filter and tends to get inappropriate."
Inappropriate, like the kiss I just shared with the blond stud I just met five minutes ago.
She peeked a glance at Jace and saw that he was watching her very intently and she quickly averted her eyes back to Isabelle."No, my mother moved us away when my grandparents died." Clary explained. It felt weird using the term grandparents. She never really had any and her mother shied away from any talk of her father and his family."Bad memories, you know?" she added.
"Definitely. If I witnessed my parents tortured to death, I'd want to move far away too."
What? Tortured to death? This girl has her facts wrong. My grandparents weren't murdered...were they? Now that I think of it,I don't know how they died.
"Izzy!"
"I'm only saying." Isabelle protested.
"Hey, you're that Simeon guy, right? We go to school together." Isabelle changed the subject as she directed her pair of indigo eyes to Simon.
Clary gave a cautious glance at Simon and caught him giving Jace a death stare.
"It's Simon,"he muttered weakly.
"Oh, right." She replied. "So...aside from making out with my brother," Isabelle paused to smirk at Clary. Clary felt heat gush to her face as another coat of blush layered itself across her cheeks. "Why are y'all here?" Isabelle finished.
Simon sighed and turned his head towards Clary. "The Fairchild's want to make a purchase. They're in need of transportation."
Jace had not meant to kiss Clary, but those green eyes had compelled him. His body moved on its own accord and then the softest pair of lips were against his. He was so consumed by the kiss that the rest of the world vanished. It did not even matter if that nerdy guy was her boyfriend.
"Mmmmm"she moaned against his lips, causing a vibration to spread through him. That sound alone was enough to make him hard. It was the sexiest thing he'd ever heard and he wanted so badly to make that sound leave her lips again and again.
Who is this girl and what the hell is she doing to me? How am I this turned on from a simple kiss? There hasn't even been any tongue action!
The thought tempted him, causing him to slide his tongue across her lip. She pulled her head back but he followed, not allowing their lips to separate.
No, not yet. I need more of you, Clary.
She was so intoxicating like a hard drug and he was undoubtedly addicted from the very first Clary pushed him lightly away and pried her lips from his.
Idris came back into focus, but he was still dazed by Clary's touch. She was making him lose control in such a way no girl has ever made him feel.
Who the hell is this girl and why am I just meeting her now?
"Clary Fr- Fairchild."
Fairchild? That means she's our closest neighbor. Good.
He knew there hadn't been any Fairchild's in Idris for more than a decade. He'd heard rumors as the adults gossiped when they thought he wasn't listening. A gang called The Circle tried to steal one of the Fairchild heirlooms. Something one of their ancestors had invented. The daughter was married to the leader of The Circle but left when they threatened her parents. The psycho's name was Valentine Morgenstern. The worst criminal Idris ever 's all he could remember though.
Hmm, I wonder if that makes Clary-
"... mother moved us away when my grandparents died." Clary admitted. Her eyes locked onto his again. His heart his chest. Those big bright eyes of hers would be his undoing.
"Definitely. If I witnessed my parents tortured to death, I'd want to move far away too." He heard Isabelle say.
Did that girl ever pay attention to the things she said?
He watched as shock flared in the green flames of her eyes, but he also caught a flash of confusion and doubt.
How much does she know about her family?
"So...aside from making out with my brother...why are y'all here?" Izzy observed.
A blush colored Clary's fair skin at the mention of their kiss.
I wonder what else will make her blush?
"The Fairchild's want to make a purchase. They're in need of transportation."The geek answered as he glared murderously at Jace.
Jace returned the scowl at four eyes before returning his focus to Clary.
"I'm surprised you don't already have a stable filled with thoroughbreds." Jace said. "The way you just calmed a wild stallion as if it were an angry kitten was amazing."He praised.
"Don't underestimate the wrath of an angry kitty. Chairman Meow is openly viscous on a good day." Magnus offered.
Alec rolled his eyes at the comment and Magnus gave a small smile.
Couples.
"I've never even seen a horse in real life before today." Clary admitted.
The Lightwood's gawked at Clary in awe. They reacted as if she'd just transformed into a shark right before her eyes.
"What!" Jace hollered. "Are you insane?" He repeated Simon's question. "Why would you chase down a wild fucking horse for someone you'd never even met?" Jace yelled at her. "You could've been killed."
He was truly outraged at her for saving him.
It would've been sweet if his audacity did not piss her off. The New Yorker in her kicked in
"Well I'm sorry for saving your life, asshole. I promise not to do it again."
His eyes rounded, completely taken aback. The sound of clapping erupted behind him and she looked to find Isabelle applauding.
"Yes!"Isabelle cheered. "I like her!" she giggled before sauntering away.
Jace remained gaping at Clary. A slow smile began to trail over his lips.
"That was rude of me." He admitted.
"Agreed." Clary said in a clipped tone. She didn't like when people told her what and what not to do. She was her own person and damned anybody who judged her for it.
"So about those horses, Mr. Lightwood?" Rebecca asked.
Jace, Clary, Rebecca and Simon walked back to the stables as Alec and Magnus disappeared into the mansion.
"We just need two healthy horses,"Rebecca explained to Jace.
He nodded and motioned towards the left half of the stables. "These horses are the ones we have available for purchase." Jace told them. "They're certainly healthy and we'll trained. Pick any two that you would like."
Clary let her gaze pass over the horses that Jace had indicated, though she knew the effort was futile. She did not want any of the tamed and obediant horses that Jace ad offered. She looked out to the field behind them and rested her bright green eyes on the wild horse. It's coat was a dark, metallic gray. It seemed to shimmer in the sunlight as the horse fed on the plants. She had bonded with the wild animal the moment she lay her hand against its side. She could not fathom it at first, but she definitely felt tied to the horse. She felt just as tied and connected to Jace the moment he made his presence known. Yes, she wanted that stallion. Jace followed her gaze and guessed at what she was thinking.
"That horse is not an option," he explained quickly. "It's been in our possession for less than a week and I've yet to conquer it's wildness."
"That won't be an issue," Clary bluffed. "Name your price." She had yet to get used to being rich, but she was quickly discovering how simple it was."
"It's not for sale," he said with a tone of finality.
Simon and Rebecca shifted uncomfortably at the impending had narrowed her eyes and lifted her chin in a stubborn fashion. He matched her defiance and folded his arms with an air of arrogance.
"I saved your life," she whispered harshly. "You owe me and I can't even buy a horse from you?"
At this, Jace's stubborn demeanor had faltered. He narrowed his eyes and unfolded his arms. "That is so low," he accused, but relinquished a breathtaking smile on her. It was silent for a moment as Jace thought over his options. A minute had passed when he sighed and said, "Fine. You can have the horse, but under one condition."
Of course there's a but, Clary thought.
"I have to help you train him," he told her.
"That's my job." Simon all but roared between his clenched teeth.
"Simon," Clary started, an apology implied within her gentle tone, "I really want this horse. You can both help."she promised.
"You're the boss," Simon turned back to Jace to find a smug look on his face, but it was quickly replaced with an expectant expression.
"You have a deal."
They shared a smile and Simon walked towards the available horses. "I'll pick out your mother's horse." he called.
"What will you name your horse, Clary?" Rebecca asked.
A smile crept over Clary's face as she thought of his name. "Invictus," she declared.
Jace chuckled. "As in unconquerable?" he asked.
"Yes. I think it's fitting."
