I led the way to the portal in the library. From here we could portal directly into Idris. Due to the time differences, and our attire nobody should think twice about us. I hoped. I began to draw a few ruins on everybody. Alec opened the door and Jace told Isabelle and Alec quickly what was going on. Despite the looks on their faces they didn't say one word as they followed quickly behind Jace. Jonathan and I followed right on their heels since everybody now knew we were leaving. Portalling in the Institute isn't a quiet way to make an escape.
I was partially right, people looked, but nobody said anything since others were portaling in from other Institutes. Robert himself would arrive this morning to begin work on the Accords with the council.
"And where are you from?" A man with a ledger asked.
"New York Institute." Alec said walking up in front of us.
"Names." He continued bored. If it wasn't for the log he wouldn't give a rats behind about us.
"Alec and Isabelle Lightwood, Clary and Jonathan Morgenstern, and Jace Herondale. Our father will be arriving this morning as well." He said honestly.
I grimaced as he gave our real names. After we followed him a bit down the path did he speak. "The quill detects lies and false truths. By the time our father arrives he will be several pages past us." He said slowing down and letting Jace take the lead. "It's not normally so busy. You picked a real good time to come." Alec said nodding his head in approval.
I didn't want to point out how I really didn't know that, but Alec complimented me so rarely…A girl has to take what she can get.
"Have any of you rode horses?" Jace asked grinning as he spotted the Idris stable.
"We have no horses." Alec said tightly.
"They will be returned." Jace said raising both his eyebrows and bouncing them a few times in excitement. We rarely got to ride since we left Idris the last time. Even I was on board with this idea quickly. We wouldn't be exhausted when we got there, or if we had to make a quick getaway. Also, the less time we were gone the less trouble we would be in.
Jonathan didn't argue, and Isabelle turned to look at the scenery. Alec stared moodily at Jace until Jace cracked a grin and began walking towards the stables.
"Look for horses in the back stable at least. It means their owners are stationed elsewhere or ride very infrequently." Alec said exasperated.
"Oh my!" I said as we began walking through the stable. "Uriel!" I said. "Can it be?"
"Must be. Here is Malik. And there's father's Jonathan. His name is Adriel." Jace said pointing.
Jonathan walked to take Adriel, but decided not to. He was going to take a horse in the next stall. And with good point. Father's horse looked angry from being penned up for so long, or he knew how we betrayed his owner. Isabelle decided to ride with Jonathan since he was a stronger rider.
Again nobody looked twice when we left the holding pen and locked up behind. We rode on around the outskirts of Idris and towards Wayland Manor. We tied the horses off a bit away from the house and walked the rest of the way up the hill. We all had to hold onto Jace as he led us through the wards. When we finally made it in the house it was dusty and unkempt, as if it hadn't been used since we left.
"Now, after we are done we have to high tail it out of here." I said.
"Why?" Isabelle asked.
"Trust us." Jonathan said as he took in his surroundings and sighed. I knew he was comparing Jace's childhood home to the one he shared with me and father. I took his hand and began to lead him towards the basement entrance.
The door was a bit stuck, but opened after a few tries. I led them down the stairs with Jace pulling up the rear. Ithuriel looked a lot worse than the last time we've met. I guess father didn't bother to even visit him after we left.
Never seeing an Angel before had Alec and Isabelle stop in their movements. They knew what we came to do, but seeing even a weaken angel was still a sight to behold. Ithuriel was extremely thin, and I think that the binding of him to the house was the only thing keeping him alive. When I went to move towards him they came in further allowing Jace to come up beside me and Jonathan.
"I see you've done it." Ithuriel spoke quietly.
"Yes. And now it is time to release you." I said in sadness at his physical state.
"I've done my part. The rest is up to you the three of you." He said.
Jace and Jonathan got their seraph blades out as they looked for ways to release him.
"Open." I said forcefully as I scrawled on the markings on the floor with my steele.
We felt the house tremble. Jace looked around as dust started to flake off from the ceiling. Quick as lightening Ithuriel took Jace's blade and impaled himself. Alec and Isabelle were in shock at the sight. Jonathan grabbed Isabelle's hand while I grabbed Alec's leading them out of the house. Jace ran ahead opening doors as we knew it'd come down any moment and he didn't want any stuck shut. When we were almost to the front door the walls started to fold in onto themselves. As we exited the front door I made sure the steele was firmly in my grasp when the explosion propelled me forwards. I began rolling down the hill and I heard both my brother and Jace laughing as they continued on. Alec and Isabelle screamed as they ungraceful tossed, turned and bumped down the hill.
Once at the bottom, Jonathan and I were laughing as Jace told them that was what a good rolling hill is, and how you are supposed to tuck your arms in and keep your legs locked and together. Alec finally getting it began to laugh too. It reminded all of us when we first met each other.
"I prefer the jump thanks. You guys can keep your damn rolling hills." Isabelle said as she was brushing herself off.
"It's time to go." My brother said urgenty. There on the top of the hill behind was a figure dressed all in black. It was father. He made no move to follow us, but we could feel his eyes on us as we ran to the horses.
Jonathan cut the ropes to all the horses in our haste as we scurried to mount. I kicked it off and got the horse up to a full gallop. Jace and Alec were following close behind while Jonathan with Isabelle brought up the rear.
After a bit the horses slowed and we kept glancing nervously behind us. We didn't see father, but we heard crows on and off all the way to the stables. 'They were following us the whole time.' I thought as I led the horse back into his stall in the stable. 'They would know where we went by the ledger. We had to make a pit stop. But to where…'
"No use hiding it." Jonathan said as if he read my mind. "It's already in the books. I'm sure they could turn pages, or father could get somebody to look later."
"True." I agreed. Followers everywhere. "We are going to be in so much trouble."
"Yep." My brother nodded behind me.
"But worth it." Jace chimed in.
"How is it worth it? That angel." Alec started, but was slapped in the arm by Isabelle.
"Not here!" She commanded.
We walked up the hill and left via the portal and made our way back to the Institute to a bunch of angry and disappointed faces.
"No! Not one word. Jace, to the kitchen. Clary to your room. Jonathan to the training room. Isabelle to your room. Alec you stay right here. I'm going to the truth out of you all whether you like it or not." Imogen said taking the reins and was not corrected by a livid Maryse. Luke led my brother and Jace out while Mom grabbed my arm none too gently, and Maryse took Isabelle.
"Have a seat Alec." He heard her say before the door shut.
Apparently they each questioned us separately and then made their rounds on us. They must have met up afterwards to discuss because we were all brought back into the library together.
"What you all did was reckless, foolish, and headstrong!" Maryse roared.
"You all know better than that!" My mom added in there.
"You could have died!" Imogen chimed in.
"What were you thinking?" Maryse continued.
"We had to free Ithuriel." I said stiffening my back and taking the consequences. The rest followed suit.
"And why did it have to be you?" She said tilting her head sideways.
"Jace was the only one who could get through the wards. And I had to bring Jonathan before him, and I had to do the ruin." I stated calmly.
"Then why did Alec and Isabelle go?" She said through gritted teeth.
"They said they were going." I said strongly.
"They said they were going?" She repeated in that mother is so angry her voice is deathly calm tone.
For the first time that night I was scared and merely nodded once in response.
"Yes, that makes perfect sense." She continued sarcastically.
I thought it did, but apparently to them, not so much.
"And then once you freed him he killed himself, and the house collapsed, right?" She asked quietly. And her voice was still making me nervous as if she was still trying to gauge just how much trouble we were actually in.
"Yes." I said.
"Alec, what did the Angel say?" Luke said breaking the tennis match between Maryse and I.
"He told Clary that his part was done and she said it was time to release him. He said the rest was up to the three of them. I don't know what he was talking about, but they obviously did." He answered.
"Clary, do you?" Her mother asked sadly.
"Our blood is from him." I said. "Father had him prisoner."
Imogen gasped in shock. "For that many years!? That is a sin so abhorrent!"
Even Maryse couldn't detract from how wicked of an act it was.
"Go to your rooms." Imogen said. "We will discuss your punishments and let you know."
Jace squeezed my hand as we made our way back to our respected rooms.
Luke came to me first. He took me for a walk to the side of the building. I renewed my untraceable charm. When I draw it I only thought of Father and his followers. I figured the normal wards would keep the demons and everything else they worry about away. If Luke wasn't born Nephilim he couldn't have stayed no matter what they thought.
"Were you seen?" He asked.
"Yeah. After the house collapsed and we were laughing we saw a dark figure on the higher hill behind the Manor." I confessed.
"Your father?" He asked nodding.
"Yeah." I said putting a hand to my completed ruin. "His crows followed us the whole way back."
"Come on. Let's go find out what your judge, jury, and future prison guard decided for you." He said pushing my shoulder lightly.
"Luke, does this look like it's faded already?" I asked shrewdly as I stood back and stared at the ruin once more.
"Probably the lighting. It normally stays pretty steady for about a month, doesn't it?" He asked looking at it too.
I had to stay back in my room until we were called on for sentencing. Depending on whose voice you paid more attention to we were either banned from field duty for three months, or grounded until we were fifty and were being sent to our rooms to think over the severity of what we've done. It was a big contrast to the previous years. Normally when we were being rowdy, loud, or broke something they usually gave us an extra assignment. I always thought it was to get us to stay seated and shut up for an hour or two. Big difference. Hell, we got in less trouble when that stupid chakram broke a couple of the glass displays in the museum when Alec tried to make Jace take it back.
"No holding hands young lady. You are grounded." My mom said seeing Jace's hand in mine as we made our way back to our rooms. I sighed as I let go feeling more alone than I should have. My brother bumped his shoulder against mine casually as he turned to go into his room. I heard their door shut and my mom's footsteps still behind mine. I threw myself on my bed in defeat.
"Clary. What made you go free that Angel? Why now?" She said laying down on the bed beside me.
"We were finally ready. I had to. I gave my word. He couldn't stay there forever!" I said exasperated as I raised my onto my elbows to use my hands to hold my face off the bed
"Why did it have to be you?" She said running her hand down my hair.
"I told you I gave him my word." I said rolling on my side to look at her.
"To save Jonathan." She said nodding.
"Yes." I agreed.
"We've been trying so hard to keep you guys hidden and today ruined all of that. You do know that, right?" She said shaking her head in disappointment.
"I know." I said with furrowed brows as I sat up. "But it's almost time." I said imploringly. "The Accords will be here before we know it and."
"What about the Accords Clary?" My mom said cutting me off.
"Father will move against the Clave." I said confidently.
"And how do you know that?" She said getting angry. I know she wasn't angry at me, but scared.
"I just do." I said ending this conversation.
"Well the Accords always happen in Idris. I am sure the whole Clave can handle Valentine." She said standing.
"Yeah, that worked out well the last time." I muttered rolling on to my stomach.
"You are still a child! This fight is for the adults and that's the way it will stay!" She said as she turned to leave slamming the door behind her.