Hey guys! Sorry I didn't update yesterday. I was kinda feeling crappy. But I'm better now so here's chapter 25. Enjoy!

I sat down on Jace's bed and looked down at my hands. I should've been the one apologizing, not him. I mean, I did punch him in the face.

I forced myself to make eye contact with him. And when I did, I was glad to see that his black eye was gone.

I opened my mouth to speak but Jace put his hand up to stop me.

"Hold on," he said. "Let me get this out."

I nodded and let him talk.

"I know you're pissed at me," he said. "And I can understand why. I appreciate how much you care for Isabelle even after everything she did to you."

I wanted to tell him that Isabelle and I had a sort of understanding but I decided to wait until he was finished.

"But I'm a good brother. I love her like a brother should. And I didn't like the way you called me out on it."

I gave him an apologetic look.

"But I was scared. And in denial. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you. Because Isabelle really could have died out there."

"I know you were scared," I said. "I was scared too. And I know you're a good brother, Jace. I am so sorry for everything I said to you and for hitting you." I stood up and traced my fingers around his now healed eye. "I was just so worried about Isabelle."

"I know."

I wrapped my arms around his waist. For a second, I thought he wasn't going to hug me back. But he did.

"I don't like fighting with you, Jace."

"Neither do I," he said lightly.

I sighed. "But we seem to do it a lot."

He pulled away and looked me in the eye. "Then let's not fight anymore."

I smiled. "Deal." I leaned in and kissed him.

Jace pulled me close to him as I played with his hair.

When someone cleared their throat, we pulled away quickly.

I was shocked to see Maryse in the doorway.

It wasn't like Jace and I were trying to hide our relationship from his parents. We just never mentioned it.

I thought she was going to yell at us at first. But when she said calmly, "Doors were invented for a reason," and then she closed the door.

Jace looked at me as he laughed. "That was awkward."

"You think?"

Jace turned on the TV and we watched the last of the morning cartoons.

"Hey," Jace said.

I looked over at him.

"Look." He pointed to my arm. "You're building muscle."

I looked down. Then up at his arm. "Maybe some day I'll be as big as you."

He scrunched up his face. "Ew, no. That'd be gross."

When the cartoons were over. Jace and I were constantly changing the channel. And if there was nothing on, we entertained ourselves with each other.

My lips were glued to Jace's when my phone rang. I tried to ignore it but after the third ring, I had to pull myself away. And I was glad I did.

I quickly answered the phone. "Simon? It's quarter to one."

"I know," he said hoarsely.

"Go back to sleep."

"I can't," he said. "I need your help."

I looked at the time again to make sure I wasn't going crazy. Still quarter to one. "With what?"

He was silent.

"Si? You there?"

"I'm standing outside."

"Oh my God! Simon, get back inside before you kill yourself!"

"Nothings happening," he whispered. "I should be dying but nothings happening."

"Not at all?"

"Nothing," he repeated.

I ran a hand through my hair. "Ok, stay there. I'll come and get you."

I snapped my phone shut.

"What's going on?" Jace asked as he followed me out of the room.

"Something's wrong with Simon. He's out in the sun when he should be burning."

I stopped suddenly when I almost ran into Isabelle.

"It's probably your blood," she said.

I blinked. How had she known Simon bit and drank from me? But then I remembered how Maia had to carry me home that night. I guess it was pretty obvious.

I was about to thank Isabelle sincerely when my phone rang again.

Sighing, I answered it. "Give me a couple minutes. I'm not as fast as you."

"I'm here."

"Simon!" I whined miserably. "I told you to wait for me!"

"Sorry."

I rolled my eyes and hung up.

"Simon's here?" Isabelle asked.

I nodded.

"Isn't he a vamp?"

I was about to chastise her for her use of the word but then Jace interrupted me when he said, "He's also the one who brought you back here safely."

"But it's almost one!" she said ignoring Jace completely.

"Exactly."

Isabelle followed Jace and I downstairs and to the door. And when we opened it, not only was Simon standing in the bright sun, but he was standing on holy ground.

"Simon, can you step inside?" I asked.

"Isn't this a church?" he asked. "I'm a vampire."

"Technically, you're already standing on holy ground," Jace said. "Just try it."

Simon froze. And when I say froze, I really mean froze. He was perfectly still. As a rock. Didn't even breath.

But after a moment of me and Jace encouraging him, he took a hesitant step inside the church.

"Do you feel anything?" I asked when his whole body was inside.

He shook his head.

"It's your blood, Clary," Isabelle said, announcing her presence to Simon."

"What?"

I pulled Simon to a chair and Jace closed the door behind him.

It was only after he was inside that I noticed Simon's brown eyes were now a bright blue.

I guess that's what happens when you turn into a vampire.

Isabelle explained her theory to simon.

"Nephilim have blood of an angel running through them. An Archangel to be specific. His name is Raziel.

"What does this have to do with me?" Simon asked.

"Just listen," Isabelle said.

I couldn't help but give her a weird look. If anyone else interrupted her like that, we would've gotten our heads chopped off. But with Simon she actually seemed patient.

"When you were first changed, you attacked Clary." Isabelle was speaking slowly and calmly. That was so unfair. What made Simon so friggin' special?

"I did?" He looked at me with wide eyes.

"It's ok," I said. "I'm still living and breathing."

Simon turned back to Isabelle.

"So now Raziel's blood is running through you. And seeing you're not dead, He seems to approve."

"So, that's why I can walk in the sun and on holy ground?"

She nodded. "He's protecting you. For a reason."

"And what reason might that be?" Jace asked.

Isabelle looked at Jace and I. You could tell there was a difference in the way she was looking at us and the way she looked at Simon. A little less cooperative and a whole lot less patient. "That's what we'll find out."

At this point, I was extremely jealous. Isabelle has never been that nice to me. She came close while she was thanking me for saving her life.

Although, now that I think about it, Simon actually did the saving part.

I looked at Simon and Isabelle. Simon was wearing that goofy grin when he did something with Maia and Isabelle seemed a little too…free, I guess.

"Well, why don't you hang out with Clary and Jace for a bit?" Isabelle said as she stood up. "I'm just gonna go upstairs to grab something from my room. I'll be right back."

I glared at Isabelle's back as she left the room. "How are you and Maia doing?" The question came out a little too harshly than I intended but I didn't want Simon to get involved with Isabelle. Even though we've learned to tolerate each other, I knew she could attract trouble. And that's my nice way of saying that she's probably the one who starts most of it.

"Who's Maia?" Jace asked.

"His girlfriend," is said it to inform Jace and to remind Simon.

"We're fine."

I raised a brow. "Just fine?"

Simon didn't glare at me but the look he gave was firm enough to tell me he didn't want to talk about it. "We're fine."

As we talked we tried to stay away from subjects like Maia, Valentine and Jonathan. Which was everything I could talk about at that time. I hadn't exactly been socializing. So, we let Simon do the talking.

Mostly he complained about how strict Camille was being. But when he finally got off the topic, he started talking about his band. When he said he was having trouble trying to figure out what to tell his mother and his band members about his immortality, I told him to just say it. It was a big secret and he would lose them if he kept it secret for too long.

But then Simon got mad again and we had to put vampirism on the "No Talking List" too.

And just when I thought we weren't going to be able to talk about anything at all, Isabelle came back downstairs. She had taken out her braid and straightened her hair. Her eyelashes were darker and her lips looked very shiny. She ditched her loose-fitting button up shirt for a tight Aeropostale shirt and shorts.

Simon and I used to make fun of the girls who dressed like that at Pandemonium. And I expected him to do the same here. But he didn't. He did the exact opposite actually.

I saw him straighten his back. He made eye contact, greeted her and then looked back and Jace and I and pretended to finish a conversation that we weren't having.

That was a trick that I taught him. Don't stare at the girl but don't ignore her either.

My God, I couldn't believe he was actually falling for Isabelle's little act. She didn't care about him. She just wanted to repay him to make things "even" again. I knew how girls like her worked. She swears that she does everything for the best of others but in reality she only cares for herself. Maybe she doesn't know it or maybe she does and she tries to make up for it by fighting demons. But either way, I wasn't happy with Isabelle at the moment.

All of us were actually attempting to have a casual conversation. It was going well. Sort of. But after a while, Isabelle and Simon started talking about music. Simon boasted about how "great" of a guitarist he was. But even Isabelle knew he was tone deaf. You could tell by how many times his voice cracked in one sentence.

I couldn't believe he was actually flirting with her. And Isabelle was flirting back! This seemed like a little much for just a thank you.

Rolling my eyes, I left with Jace as he pretended to puke over his shoulder.

We hung out in the study because if we holed ourselves up in our rooms any longer, we were sure to go crazy.

We made jokes about Simon and Isabelle. How long they would last if they got together. Jace said seven days. I said seven hours.

We ended up going downstairs every fifteen minutes to spy on the two. By lunch, Isabelle was practically in his lap.

"God," Jace whispered. "When will they pull their heads out of their asses?"

I laughed into my hands.

"Simon, you should totally get back with your band."

I had no idea Isabelle was capable of talking like that.

"Your band would get so much more attention if you told them you were a vampire. I mean, it's not like they would believe you. The mundane, I mean."

"I don't even think Camille would let me," Simon said regretfully.

Good, Si, I thought. Don't let her control everything in your life.

"Camille isn't your mother."

"I guess your right."

Spoke too soon.

With a roll of my eyes, I dragged Jace back upstairs with me. I knew Isabelle was going to find a way to get Simon into trouble.

Right after dinner, I was about to get myself comfortable in my bed when the church bells rang. It must've been Magnus.

Groaning, I got back up and went to answer the door. "Hey, Magnus."

"Hey, girlie." Magnus almost skipped inside. "Here're the vitamins you asked for."

I took them. "Thanks. I'll wait for you in my room."

"Won't I be the one waiting for you?"

I shook my head. "Go visit Alec. I know you don't get to see each other a lot."

His eyes lightened. "You're the best."

I shrugged. "So I've heard."

As Magnus took the elevator, I went to find Isabelle.

I found her in her room, putting on a coat of black nail polish on her toes. No matter how mad I was, I needed her fully healed so she could help find Jonathan, wherever he was.

I knocked on the door.

"Hey, Clary," she said without looking up. "What's up?"

"I got you some vitamins." I placed them on her dresser. "Take three a day."

"What'd you get them for?" she asked.

"It's vitamin B," I said. "It'll help replace the blood you lost."

"I'm sure I'm ok now," she said.

"Just take them."

She looked up. "That actually sounded a bit like me."

That comment scared me more than anything. So, without saying anything more, I went to my room and waited for Magnus.

I read the Codex as I waited.

About an hour later, Magnus walked in.

"You two have fun?" I asked.

"You know it." Magnus closed the door behind him. "So, what was it you wanted to ask me?"

I took out the drawing of the ring. "So there's this prophecy. At the end it says the Herondales will prevail. And whenever I think of Herondale, I think of this. What is it and who are the Herondales?"

"The Herondales…" Magnus gently picked up my sketchbook and sat down next to me, deep in thought. "I remember them very clearly."

"How long ago was it?" I asked.

"One hundred and thirty-four years ago."

I tried to do the math in my head but I was useless without a calculator.

"The year was 1878. Camille and I were still together."

That made me smile.

"She was the only person I cared about. She was so damaged and fragile. But so strong and independent at the same time. She never failed to amaze me every day. But enough about Camille." He cleared his throat and continued the story. "I had never paid a whole lot of attention to the Herondales. I was familiar with them but only saw them as the usual Nephilim. But 1878 was the year that changed. It was the year Therese Gray came into the picture."

"Who's that?" I asked.

"She was the one who saved us all. She was your average heroine. You actually remind me of her."

I rolled my eyes, knowing he was only trying to boost my confidence.

"The two of her share latent power. You have no idea how important the two of you are." Magnus gave me a serious look. I looked at him back, waiting for him to continue. "With the help of Miss Gray, the Herondales defeated DeQuincey."

I was about to ask who he was but Magnus was already on it.

"DeQuincey, basically, was the bad guy. That's all you need to know. A very bad guy. A bad guy that not even the Clave could catch."

"Yeesh."

Magnus chuckled. "Exactly. But the Herondales were very powerful. I was actually very close to one. He was the one who changed me."

I had no idea what he meant by the term "changed" but I didn't say anything.

"His name was William Herondale. He had dark black hair and the brightest blue eyes I've ever seen. Very handsome, and he knew it. The boy invented arrogance. I was sure he could never love anyone more than himself. But again, this was the year Theresa Gray came in and changed everything. Somehow, she managed to steal William's heart."

This was supposed to be a serious matter but I kept getting lost in the romance. God, when did I become such a girl?

"Magnus, as much as I'm enjoying this story," I said politely, "but where does the ring come in all this?"

"Oh, right!" He smiled. "My apologies, Madame. This was the family crest. The whole family wore it. They passed this ring on and on. I had never seen such an old heirloom make it so far in time. But eventually, it was lost."

"Who was the last person who had it?" I asked.

"I honestly have no idea."

"Do you think there are still Herondales out there today?" I asked.

"Oh, of course. If you find one, they'll be a good ally."

I nodded. "Thanks, Magnus."

"Surely, darlin'. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"No, you helped me a great deal, Magnus."

"Alrighty. I'm gonna go see Alec before I go. But I'll see you later sweet-cheeks."

He kissed the knuckles on my hand and then went after Alec.

I grabbed my pencil and wrote down the names Magnus mentioned in case I needed them again.

DeQuincey.

William Herondale.

Theresa Gray.

Magnus seemed to know a lot of the Herondales. And Magnus was seeing Camille. Maybe I'd talk to her too.

Every day I got closer to solving both prophecies. But one day, I'd have the answer.

And there ya have it. Did you like it? Yes? No? Maybe? Lol leave me a review! But no flames. I got sort of a flaming review a couple days ago so I'd appreciate it if you didn't flame. Only constructive critisism.

Review plz! (but gently. I'm a sensitive person :)

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