(Jace's POV)
I didn't know who she was, but she was too familiar for me to ignore. The girl had met my gaze and held it, then jumped up and ran when I had started towards her. There was no other choice other than to follow her.
Behind me, Clary and Izzy were shouting protests and telling me to stop. As much as I wanted to, I was too focused on figuring who that girl was. There was something about her.
I couldn't tell if it was her fair blonde hair like mine that had been pulled back into a ponytail, her dual eyes that matched mine, or the large and plenty Runes on her skin. I could tell that she tried to hide them by the fact it was spring and she had on jeans and a hoodie on. My feet ran up the staircase quickly, and I looked around at the sidewalks and people in search for her.
I spotted her small figure pushing people to the side, weaving and trying to run as fast as possible. I took off after her, following her exact path. No doubt about it, whenever this was all over and Izzy caught up to me, she'd slap me for making her run in her stiletto platform boots.
The girl turned a corner down an alleyway, and I flew around the turn after her. She was fast like me. If I wasn't so proud, I'd admit that she was actually faster than me.
Her old black leather boots hit the dirty ground, my own boots adding along to the noise. Reaching down in my jacket pocket, I struggled slightly to trace a Speed Rune on my arm. Finished, I put my stele away and felt my feet fly across the ground.
Even with the Rune, she was still a yard or two ahead of me. I finally moved my legs as fast as they could go, got as close as possible, then lunged forward with my arms out. The girl screamed and wheezed as I tackled her to the ground.
One elbow flew back and hit me straight in the jaw. I grunted, wrapping my arms around her tightly, taking the hit of the fall. We wiggled on the ground as both of us struggled, and I slowly managed to get her on her back and pin her down.
She began to hiss vulgar words in Latin at me. I laughed at her, understanding each spoken word and insult. She hesitated, confused at my chuckling.
"You don't scare me, you know," I smirked.
"Die in hell," she growled, screaming through her teeth as she gave another fit of struggles and attempt to get away from me. "Let me go!"
"No," I pinned her wrists down to the floor and smirked at her, meeting her gaze.
She froze completely.
"You know why I'm doing this. Don't even deny it," I snapped, studying her brown and blue eyes.
"Just let me go," she weakly curled her knees and fingers.
"What's your name?" I demanded. "Your real name?"
"Birth or the name I go by normally?" she stopped moving, now just staring up at me as if she had never seen another person before in her life.
"Both," I mumbled, loosening my grip on her.
"I normally go by Prin, but my birth name is Haven Wayland-Herondale," she spoke under her breath, glancing around above my head and beyond me.
"Then why go by Prin if you're name's Haven?" I blurted in confusion.
"I was adopted by a family when I was two years old, and they didn't know my name since I was so young," she shrugged. "They called me 'Princess' for a long time. Prin just kind of clung to me afterwards."
"I'm Jace Wayland," I stood up, her wrists still in my hands, and I stepped back as I helped her up. "Sorry about tackling you."
One of Prin's fist suddenly shot out and hit me hard in the nose. I shouted, stumbling back, holding my now bleeding nose. Tears threatened to spill out of my eyes.
"Now I forgive you," she simply said.
I opened my eyes just barely to see her shaking her head for a second, then tucking both of them in her pockets. I moved my hand to see large droplets of blood on my hand. Cursing, I held my hand under my nose.
"Damn, you hit hard," I chuckled. "I don't think I've ever gotten a bloody nose from anyone before."
"That's because I'm not anyone," Prin smirked lazily. "Well, it was nice meeting you, Jace. Sorry but not sorry for giving you a bloody nose. I think it's time for me to be on my way."
"What?" I watched her as she dusted her backside off, sighed, and looked at me again.
"I'm going to leave. I have to get a move on so that tonight can go by quickly," she shrugged.
"What do you mean 'so tonight can go by quickly?'" I asked curiously.
"You don't know me enough to understand, but I'll tell you this much, my bleeding friend," she turned on her heel, then looked at me over her shoulder. "I'm homeless. I sleep in Central Park or the beach during the day. I'm tired, but I don't trust sleeping at night in some random place where I can get kidnapped or raped or killed. This is a big town. A big town filled with predators and hunters that prey on the predators. Eat or get eaten."
"Then how about you come back with me to the Manhattan Institute?" I offered, almost desperate for her to not leave.
"Shadowhunters destroyed everything in my life," she slowly turned back straight and stared at something in the distance, her body shaking. "I can't stand being one myself, so what makes you think I want to be around others?"
"I just. . ." I carried off, watching her as her entire body shook, especially her shoulders and back. "I just thought you would be safer if you were there."
"Not everyone wants to be part of the Shadow World, Jace," her voice was choked and cracked, but she still nearly yelled at me. "I'm one of those people. Physically I cannot stand being what I am."
"Please, Prin," I whispered almost, walking towards her. "I don't know how to explain it, but I feel like I have to make sure you're safe and sound. I have to know that you're okay and not off in a park sleeping during the day. I can't explain any of it."
"Do you know Jia Penhallow?" she turned around to me fully, showing the tears that had fallen down her face, her big eyes staring into mine.
"Yes," I nodded. "What about Jia?"
"She's the reason why I can't go back," she whispered to me, shaking her head, more tears gathering in her eyes. "I just. . . I just can't. Not knowing she could find out and come back for me."
"Why? What's so bad that Jia would worry about you?" I gently set my hands on Prin's shoulders.
"She was my legal guardian," she kept shaking under my grasp. "Her and Patrick neglected me. Tried to make me the perfect little doll for them to show off. I was miserable at their house. When I popped and told them that I was sick of how they treated me, they hit me and kicked me out onto the streets."
I froze, feeling my gut twist with guilt at the pain in her eyes.
"I can't risk going through something like that again," she whispered hoarsely, more tears falling down her cheeks onto my sleeves and hands.
"Prin, I promise that I will never let anything bad happen to you," I swore, cupping both her cheeks and swiping away her cheeks.
"Are you seriously about to kiss me?" she asked, her eyes wide with disgust.
"No," I flared my nostrils at the thought of kissing Prin. "No offense, but you're not exactly my type. But I do feel very protective over you. As if I was your older brother or something."
"I can take care of myself," she rolled her eyes, frowning.
"Still," I shrugged. "So, will you please come to the Institute?"
"Under one condition," she stared up at me carefully.
"Anything," I nodded.
"I want to learn who my birth parents are," she said plainly.
"I can arrange that," I smiled. "Let's go. We have to get Clary and Izzy, then it's going to be a bit of a walk back to the Institute."
"Jace? Jace?" yelled Izzy as the two girls that had been chasing me finally skidded around the corner.
"Jace?" Clary asked in surprise, staring at me to Prin who was standing only a foot from me. "What's going on?"
"Long story," I sighed. "This is Prin. She's coming back with us."
"I'm Isabelle," Izzy said as she strode towards us. "I think you and I will be getting along quite well."
"What? Why?" Prin had a note of confusion and fear in her tone.
"Because you are the perfect little thing for me to test outfits and makeup and hairstyles on," Izzy clapped her hands together excitedly. "Sorry, but I tend to take a liking to other Shadowhunter girls."
"Jace, why are you bleeding?" Clary ran towards me, her small shoes loud against the walls. She began to study the blood and tilt my head as she took a closer look.
Izzy also stopped to look at me, her tar eyes filled with worry. I sighed through my mouth in annoyance. Maybe three feet from me and my chick friends was Prin, laughing powerfully into her hands and hoodie sleeve.
"Why is she laughing?" Clary pointed at Prin.
Prin suddenly lifted back her head and let out loud fits of giggles and laughter. I scowled at her but couldn't stop the smile climbing up my face. More tears, this time from joy and laughter, fell down her face.
"I had tackled Prin, and she punched me for it," I muttered, looking away from her.
"I've seen Hodge give his best blows at your face and not once give you a bruise," Izzy said, hands on her hips, eyes faced towards the giggling blonde. "And a blonde girl with a hoodie and torn up jeans manages to give you a freaking bloody nose?"
"She. . . I don't even know," I shook my head.
"Well, let's go back to the Institute," Izzy sighed as she turned around and started to walk out of the alleyway. "Think of what Hodge will say when he finds out you got a bloody nose from some stranger blonde girl."
"I have a name!" Prin called in annoyance.
"But I don't know your name," smirked Izzy as she turned to Prin.
"It's Prin," the small girl nipped.
"Whatever, guys, let's just leave," Clary had loud tones of annoyance in her voice as she marched ahead of everyone out of the alley.
Slowly, me and Izzy and Prin all left the area. Clary was a foot ahead of us, arms crossed, her long bright red curls bouncing on her shoulders. I kept my hands tucked in my pockets, reaching up to wipe away the blood falling down my upper lip every here and there.
Izzy was blabbing on to Prin about how much she loved the new girl's hair and eyes. Then the subject was changed to the similarities between me and Prin. Glancing at her, I saw that the blonde was hunched over uncomfortably.
I bit on my bottom lip and kept quiet despite my urge to shut Izzy up. I didn't like Prin being uncomfortable. I didn't like it when she wasn't happy.
It bothered me. Sometimes I thought that I was going mad, but I knew I wasn't because I was acting like Alec does when it came to Izzy. Perhaps it was because we looked so similar I took it as my job to protect her.
I could only guess.
