Isabelle was in her room brushing her hair at her dresser. The mirror Magnus handed to her lay atop it. The sound of the elevator clanking made
its way down the hall. She quickly got to her feet and picked up one of the blades from off her bed. She moved slowly to her door and stood beside it.
Two pair of footsteps made its way down the quiet hall and stopped outside her door. She slowly went to turn the knob when a knock came from outside
her door.
"Isabelle," Clary said, "you there it's Cl--"
The door swung open. It was Clary and Jocelyn
"Clary you scared me," She said stepping outside, "Hi, Mrs. Garroway."
"Call me Jocelyn," she said.
"What are you guys doing here?" Isabelle said turning to Clary, "I wasn't expecting you back until tomorrow."
"What?"
"If you're looking for Jace, they took off half an hour ago."
"Isabelle you're not making any sense," Clary said with a knitted brow.
"You didn't send Clary a text message earlier?" Jocelyn exclaimed.
"No," Isabelle answered, "why what did it say?"
"That you were alone come to the institute." Clary said.
"Sorry Clary I never sent that, and I wouldn't take you away from your weekend off to come here unless I really needed you."
"Jace," Clary said through gritted teeth. She turned away to brace the wall.
"Thanks Isabelle," Jocelyn said, "if it was Jace I'm sure he just wanted his girls together under the protection of the institute. Well since we're
here why not make the most of it. It's just us girls anyway."
"Sounds like a plan," Isabelle, "what you guys up for."
"A little game," Jocelyn said as she looked at Clary then at Isabelle with
a sly look upon her face and simply said "tag."
***
Isabelle was "it." She was hidden behind a wall in the south corridor. Playing Shadowhunter tag was unlike the regular tag. Weapons were involved
so that a quick capture involved a little sparring.
She took the mirror Magnus gave her as he told her to keep it with her at all times. But what would she need it for it was only the three of them.
Maybe it would come in good us for seeing around tight corners. She was 'it' for an hour now but was almost caught by one of Jocelyn's
flying daggers. She retracted her whip and slapped it out of the way just in the nick of time sending it to the floor. Clary almost caught her too.
She sent two daggers at her that pinned her to the wall. She was able to rip herself free from the daggers before Clary could catch her. That was
too close to call.
Now she was alone. She decided to give a peek around the corner. No one was there in the long dimly lit hallway. There were some stairs that led higher
up the institute at the end. She placed her whip on her belt and edged slowly against the wall keeping tight to the shadows. The next step caused
the floor to creek. Isabelle swore under her breath and proceeded quickly to the dark staircase. She climbed it at a steady pace but a sound came
from the room that led to it that made her pause in stride.
She thought it was Clary or Jocelyn searching for her and was about to turn around when she heard the husky voice.
"I'm in," the voice said.
The voice sounded familiar but it was neither Clary nor Jocelyn's. Isabelle took out her whip and continued up the stairs. When she finally reached the
top landing the room was empty.
The long windows let in the light from the street lamps. The room was like an old attic full of dusty boxes and squeaky boards.
"Whose there show yourself," she said keeping a tight grip on her whip. No answer.
A cloaked figure stepped out from the shadows and slowly removed its hood. The first thing she recognized was the golden spools of hair ruffle under
the hood.
"Jace," she asked.
Jace smiled his crooked smile at her in a quiet reply.
"What are you doing up here?" She said returning her whip to her belt.
"Funny, I was going to ask you the same."
"Hiding," Isabelle simply said. Something seemed strange about him she didn't know what.
"What from?"
"Clary," she said but didn't want to say much, "I guess your trip didn't take as long as you thought it would."
"Yes, it was a pesky little problem that needed to be taken care of." He turned to look at her and slowly approached her. "You know the regular
demon sightings nothing out of the ordinary." He was now in front of her. Isabelle felt uneasy from his sudden closeness and instinctively took a
step back.
"Then what was the need for all of you: warlocks, nightchildren, Lykens. That doesn't make any sense."
"The clave doesn't make any sense," he yelled. Now Isabelle knew something was wrong Jace wouldn't talk down about the clave now that it
was integrated. "They are filled with a bunch of idiots that cannot make up their minds. First it was filled with bastard Shadowhunters. Add the
Nightchildren, filthy wolves and cocky Fey; no right decision can ever be met."
Isabelle slowly reached for her whip while he ranted on. She knew for a fact this wasn't Jace.
"What are you doing?" He asked as he caught her making a move.
"I'll ask once, who are you," she said to the impostor to reveal himself.
"I'm Jace," he said with a smile moving towards her. Before Isabelle could blink Jace attacked her with one hard blow to her face that sent her
sliding across the floor. The pain was jaw numbing. She coughed up a little blood as she wiped the rest from her mouth. He was fast she didn't even notice any movement when
he attacked her. She heard the sinister laughter behind her and quickly regained herself. Her whip was no longer in her hand and the mirror lay in
front of her. She quickly reached for it. Maybe knowing what or who it was would be easier to fight if in fact it wasn't her brother.
"This is hardly the time for you to fix your make up." Jace said. Isabelle had the mirror in front of her and angled it over her shoulder.
She saw the whip not to far from her then moved it to the approaching figure. Jace's eyes were no longer honey but a deep red sinister even. His
hair was white as snow. Then she saw who it was entirely.
"No," she whispered and turned quickly to retrieve a dagger. She flung it straight towards him. The dagger grazed his face. He stopped to feel the
wound giving her time to reach across for her whip. Isabelle yelled out in pain as he was now in front of her stepping on the
hand that was headed for her whip. He increased the pressure then let up. Isabelle cradled her hand she felt her bones in her fingers breaking and
turned over to face the laughing imposter who was unsheathing a sword that glowed ruby red. She dived for the whip once more and grabbing it. She
circled around quickly flinging the whip at Jace, who ducked just in time. Before she could raise it a second time, he was completely in front of her.
"What is it they say about revenge," he said, thrusting the sword forward
piercing Isabelle in her midsection without delay. Isabelle couldn't breathe her whip fell out of her hand and made a thud on
the floor. The immense pain in her midsection was surreal she looked down to see the hilt sticking out of her body as her mouth filled with the warm
taste of iron and copper. He pulled out the sword as quickly as he pierced her. Isabelle raised her head to look at his face as she staggered back. He
still had the sinister smile on his face. She mouthed something to him but the blood was choking her.
"Oh how sweet it is," Jace said.
Isabelle fell to the floor unable to feel anything. The laugh continued into complete darkness.
*******To be continued*******