12

Clary debated trying more complex items, but ultimately decided that she was feeling too lazy. Within a couple hours she managed a mostly realistic eraser, candle, ball, and then drifted into doodling.

Hodge sat in his chair reading his response letter that the hawk had just delivered. He tucked it away then sent Church out to find the others. "Clary? Are you ready?"

Clary got up and walked over. She laid the new drawings on the desk, then turned to wait for the others. Her hands were sweating and she continued to play with the stele in her pocket. They all arrived together. Alec walked in first. "So what's going on?" He eyed Clary with a puzzled look before turned his gaze to Hodge.

Jace walked in and then dramatically turned around as soon as he spotted Clary. "Oh my god, Jace. Really?" Isabelle snapped at him. Jace stopped at the door frame but didn't walk back.

"Jace I need you in here." Hodge raised his voice. This brought him to the desk, although like any angry child, he made his annoyance known.

"Has Clarrisa rediscovered the wheel?" He asked.

"I might as well have." Clary frowned at him.

Alec muttered, "Exciting." Alec picked up the candle drawing on the desk.

Clary picked up the other two and passed them to Isabelle and Jace. "Okay, see this symbol on the mug? I need you to draw that on the drawings with your steele."

"Where's that from? and more importantly, What does it do?" Isabelle asked.

Before Clary could respond Hodge shh-ed her. "I want to see their reactions." He then sat back ready for his show.

All of them took their time trying to duplicate the rune in perfect form. Clary watched them in interest. They all had a careful but confident air to them. Clary could imagine them as children learning all the runes they knew effortlessly now. Their hands attempted to be as smooth as possible while drawing something completely unfamiliar. "Now what?" Alec asked.

Hodge smiled at him. "Touch it." Jace frowned at him, but did as he was told. Alec and Isabelle's eyes widened with shock. Jace simply reached in and grabbed it as if there were no problem. He handed Hodge a gray ball with no comment. Alec and Isabelle tried theirs as well. Alec could not get the candle out of the paper, which Clary half expected. It wasn't a fully realized drawing. It lacked real highlights and deep shading. Isabelle's eraser did come out, she stared at it in awe.

"How is this even remotely possible?" Isabelle asked as she put the eraser down off the paper.

"The Angel has blessed Clary." Hodge smiled wide and looked at his hawk. "and it seems at it works in reverse as well. You can draw something and place your object within it." All of the students looked at him.

Clary was confused. "Is that what your response letter said?" Did this mean it was common somewhere?

Hodge stood up. "Yes," He walked over to the library doors and shut them. Then locked them. "It's how they found the Mortal Cup." He stalked back over to his desk.

"Who found the Moral Cup?" Alec and Isabelle both practically screamed.

Hodge twisted a ring around one of his fingers three times. Then moved over to Hugo to pet it. "Valentine." He said softly. "I told him about Clary's discovery and it clicked for him where it was."

The Lightwoods and Jace became stone cold. Jace's face slowly turned angry as the betrayed set in. "You work for Valentine?!" The words said aloud set the Lightwoods into action as they got ready. For what they weren't sure. Jace knew what he wanted to do as he ran to attack Hodge.

Hodge wasted no time sending Hugo to attack him in defense. Jace screamed as a claws ripped and clawed at any available flesh. Blood scattered everywhere. The bird threw his blood around with no deterrent. Jace's hands could not ward off the creature. "Enough" Hodge commanded. His face stone cold. Jace fell to the floor unconscious. The bird had torn up all of his hands and despite his best efforts managed some blows on his face. His face was turning a crusted dark red as the blood dried.

Before Isabelle could make her move towards Jace, a golden light began to simmer behind Hodge. Alec stood silent, completely lost on what to do. The Golden light began to take form and Valentine was now standing in front of them all. Clary was sure it was him. His presence alone was all she needed. The man gave off a power and reverence. His white-blonde hair and deep scars only added to the effect. Clary instinctively took a step back from him. "Starkweather." He greeted indifferently. "I will be taking them both."

Valentine took a step forward to Jace. His face showed no compassion or interest Jace's condition. "I regret that you had to go to such lengths to calm him."

Hodge stood still in his place. "Do not harm them." He said in a vain attempt to assert his presence.

Valentine looked over to him, with a bewildered look. "You have already attacked him. What more can I do to him?" He then turned back to the children. "You must be Clarrisa." His eyes walked all over her just made no readable assessments. "You will come with me as well. We must be going soon. So come along." He gestured for her to follow as if she was an obedient child.

"I am not going anywhere!" Clary yelled. She stood her ground firm, not that it meant anything.

"You already have what you want. Don't destroy my family in your path." Alec chimed in.

Valentine sighed, then went to stand right by Jace. "Young Lightwood, I would like my family as well." He moved Jace's body to an up-right position. "And for the record, your family has never needed me to destruct. Your parents are more than capable of ruining their own lives."

In a snap Valentine grasped Clary's wrist and Jace's shoulder and they were gone.