"Yes, what is it, Blackwell?" Asked Camille- clearly annoyed that he had chosen to bother her while she was feeding.
"Mistress Belcourt," he bowed. "I have sighted something most intriguing."
"Is it urgent?" She took a sip of her blood out of her wine glass.
"I would say so, Mistress. I have sighted Clarissa Morgenstern in the city- unguarded."
Camille rolled her eyes. "And why should I care about this?"
"Because, Mistress," he said. "She opened a portal with her stele."
The hooded figure grabbed her shoulder and pulled her into an alley.
Clary screamed.
The figure grabbed both her shoulders and looked at her face. "Are you out of your mind?"
Clary's hood fell off and she stared wide eyed and gaping. "Jace?" Clary was vaguely aware of Simon standing a few feet away.
"What the hell were you thinking? You can't leave the Institute- much less alone!"
Clary didn't think she'd ever really seen Jace angry before now.
Clary took his hands off her shoulders. "You scared me to death! I thought you were-"
"And what if I would had been, Clary? You think this guy would have been able to protect you?" He jabbed a thumb in Simon's direction.
"This guy's name is Simon," said Simon.
"Well I couldn't stay in the Institute!" Clary said angrily. "I've been inside for three months! It was driving me insane!"
"The Institute or me?" Said Jace.
Clary felt her anger vanish. "I couldn't get sick of you," Clary's voice was soft- almost sad.
Jace's anger disappeared, too. "Why didn't you just tell me?" Jace's soft tone matched her's. "I would have taken you."
Clary shook her head. "No. You would've told me not to- to stay."
Jace sighed. Clary knew she was right.
"Plus, I didn't want to put you in danger just so I could walk around Manhattan," she said.
"Clary," Jace stepped forward and put his hands on her hips. "I don't want you to worry about me. All I want is to keep you safe," he bent down to kiss her.
Simon cleared his throat awkwardly.
Clary had forgotten he was there. "Jace, this is Simon. Simon, this is Jace."
"Is he the boyfriend?"
"Yes. I am," said Jace. "Got a problem with that?"
He shook his head. "Just checking."
Clary touched Jace's arm. "Simon was the one who rescued me from Maureen," she explained.
"Not really," Simon shrugged. "It was mostly Jordan."
"Never the less, thanks."
Simon nodded. "No problem. Anytime."
Clary looked back at Jace.
He stared at her for a long moment. "Alright. But I want to be here to protect you."
Clary nodded. "Okay," she looked back at Simon. "Is that okay with you?"
Simon shrugged. "Sure. As my mom used to say, 'the more the merrier'."
Jonathan walked down the hall towards Isabelle's room. He sucked in breath when he saw Maryse at Isabelle's doorway.
Maryse turned and looked at him. "Hello, Jonathan," she said suspiciously. "Where are you headed off to?"
"Clary's room," Jonathan lied.
Maryse kept her eyes on him as he walked- seeing Isabelle's apologetic look out of the corner of his eye.
He knocked on Clary's door. "Clary? Can I come in?" There was no answer. He opened the door and walked in.
Clary was nothing but a lump under her covers. Jonathan closed the door. "Clary? Are you awake?" There was, again, no answer.
He leaned against the door, hiding from Maryse. After a few minutes, there was a knock on the door. Jonathan opened it slowly.
It was Maryse. "Yes?" Said Jonathan.
Maryse gave him a tight smile. "I need to speak with Clary, alone."
Jonathan glanced over his shoulder. "Clary just fell asleep," he whispered. "Can it wait?"
Maryse sighed. "I guess. I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow."
He nodded and she left.
He waited until she was gone before going to Isabelle's. She opened the door. "Library," she whispered. "Meet you there."
He nodded and went to the library. Het sat on the couch and pretended to be very interested in a book titled 'Moby Dick'.
"Sorry about that," said Isabelle. She walked up to him. "Your mom told my mom about what we were doing in the courtyard... Are you reading Moby Dick?"
He frowned down at it, shrugged and tossed it aside.
Isabelle laughed and sat next to him.
"What did she say?" Asked Jonathan.
Isabelle looked down and pressed her lips into a line.
"... Oh..." Jonathan looked at the floor and blushed.
"Hey," Isabelle's tone changed.
He looked up at her.
She had a feisty look on her face. "I really don't care what my mother thinks."
Jonathan smirked. He shifted toward her, put his hand on the side of her neck and kissed her lips.
Jace and Clary portaled back into the Institute. They took off their hoods and looked at each other.
"Thanks," said Clary. "For coming with me. That was fun."
"However dangerous, I agree," said Jace. He bent down to kiss her.
"We should get to bed," said Clary.
Jace raised his eyebrows. "How forward."
Clary blushed. "Not what I meant. I'm tired, and it's three in the morning."
Jace put his hands on her hips and smiled slyly. "Quite," he kissed her.
Clary kissed his back for a second before pulling away. "Goodnight," she slipped away from him and left the room.
"Where's Jace?" Asked Maryse. "I understand Clary sleeping until ten, but not him."
"I'll get him up," said Alec, standing up and leaving the dining room.
"I'll get Clary," said Isabelle and Jonathan is unison. Both standing up.
"Ah ah ah," said Maryse. "Isabelle, you stay here."
Isabelle sat back down.
Jonathan walked down the hall to Clary's room. He opened the door and saw Clary sprawled out on her bed. Jonathan walked up to her and sat down on her bed next to her. "Clary. Clary, it's ten, you should-" He stopped talking when he noticed the edges of runes around the low cut collar of her shirt.
He pushed her sleeve up her arm and his eyes widened. Her arms were covered with runes.
She stirred and looked up at him. "Jonathan?"
"Why are you covered with runes?"
She yanked her sleeve down and sat up. "I was- training late last night."
"With Jace?" He asked. "Is that why he's still asleep?" His voice carried a hint of anger- presumably from what he assumed.
Clary got out of bed. "I'll get ready now," she disappeared into the bathroom.
Jonathan went back to the dining room. Jace was there, and also wearing a long sleeved shirt. Maryse was not in the room.
"How was rune testing?" Asked Jonathan.
Jace looked up at him and frowned. "What?"
"Clary said you two stayed up late testing runes," he lied. He sat back down next to Isabelle.
"Oh. Good," said Jace.
Jonathan glared at him. "Nothing destroyed, I assume."
Jace shook his head.
Clary walked in. "Morning."
Jace smiled when he saw her. "How'd you sleep?"
"Well," She sat down next to him and noticed Jonathan glaring. "You okay?" She asked.
"What were you two really doing last night?"
Clary blinked. "We were training," she said at the same time as Jace said-
"Testing runes."
They looked at each other.
"I knew it," said Jonathan. "What is it really?"
"Both," said Clary, looking back at him.
They both held glares for several seconds before Jonathan said-
"If you say so."
Clary briefly considered not going out that night- because of Jonathan's suspicion- but decided against it. She pulled her hair back into it's bun and left her room.
She entered the weapons room. Jace was already there. "Hey."
He turned and smiled. "Hey. Ready to go?"
"Just about. Still need weapons."
Jace nodded.
Clary took her usual weapons and tucked the into her boots and belt. She glanced over her shoulder at him. He was watching her, smiling. Clary stood up. "Thanks again for accompanying me."
"Not at all," he quickly kissed her the lips. "Lets go."
Clary pulled her stele out of her belt and drew the portal rune on the wall. It swirled and shifted until it was a portal.
Clary and Jace pulled up their hoods, held each other's hands and stepped through.
Jonathan walked down the hall to Clary's room. He opened her door slowly and looked in. She was asleep under a mound of covers again.
He closed the door and slowly walked over. He pulled the blanket back and didn't see red hair, but white pillows. He yanked the blanket the rest of the way. It was all pillows. "Damn it," he muttered.
He swiftly exited the room and went to Jace's room. He opened the door and saw the bed made and empty.
He looked in the training room, then the library, then the weapons room. There were weapons missing- enough for two.
"Son of a-" Jonathan growled and stormed off to Isabelle's room.
Isabelle opened the door. She was in a short red silk nightgown, but Jonathan was too mad to care.
"Oh. Hi," Isabelle looked a little surprised to see him. She frowned. "Are you okay?"
"Clary and Jace went out," he couldn't hide the anger in his voice.
Isabelle's eyes widened. "What?"
"They're gone. I think they've been doing this for awhile."
Isabelle opened her mouth, but no words came out.
"Will you help me look for them?"
Isabelle closed her mouth and nodded.
"Found her," said Magnus. "She's in the city."
Isabelle, Jonathan, Alec and Magnus were gathered around a map. They were tracking Clary.
"I'm going to get her," said Jonathan.
"I'm coming with you," said Isabelle.
"No, you're not."
"I'm coming, too," said Alec.
"We'll all go. We have a better chance or fighting off something if we all go," said Magnus.
Jonathan sighed. Magnus was right. "Fine. Can you portal us there? I can't remember the rune."
Magnus nodded.
Clary and Jace stepped out of the portal into an alley. There was a man outside it, runes down his arms, weapons in his hands.
The portal zapped shut behind and the man came at them.
Clary screamed and Jace shoved her out of the way. Clary got back to her feet and pulled out her sword. "Ariel!"
Jace fell to the ground and Clary called his name. The man fought her next, and she blocked his swift, hard attacks.
Clary's sword flew from her hand and she tripped on a bag of garbage and fell onto her back.
The man raised his sword and Clary screamed and shut her eyes.
She heard a cry of pain and opened her eyes again. The man had dropped his sword and trying to get someone off his back.
Clary picked up her discarded sword and got up. She used the butt of the sword to hit him on the head as hard as she could.
The man toppled to the ground and the person who was on his back got up and wiped the blood from his face. "Are you okay?"
"Simon?" She was surprised. An icy breeze came down the alley and nipped at Clary's nose and ears. She realized her hood had fallen off. "How did you know I was here?"
"I heard you scream," he said. "Fortunately and unfortunately, I know your scream."
Clary remembered. "Jace!" She ran to his side and dropped next to him. "Jace."
He had blood on his forehead, and he looked up at her, eyes only half focused. "I take back my earlier accusation about you, vampire."
"I appreciate it," said Simon.
"You're bleeding," Clary said. She pulled out her stele and moved aside his gold hair. She drew the iratze next to his cut and it healed instantly. He sat up and touched the blood on his forehead then looked at his hand. "I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't-"
"Don't worry about it," said Clary. "I'm just glad you're alright."
Jace used his sleeve to wipe off the blood from his face.
"Clary, he's waking up," said Simon.
Clary scrambled to her feet, picked up her sword, and pointed it at him. Jace did the same and Simon picked up the man's sword.
The man rolled over, felt at his neck and head and swore.
"Who are you?" Clary demanded.
The man chuckled. "Tiny but mighty," he said. "I didn't expect such a fight from you, girly."
Clary glared. "Don't underestimate me."
"Tell us who you are," said Jace. "And who sent you."
"Oh, I think you already know who sent me, boy."
"Was it Camille Belcourt?" Asked Simon.
The man smiled. "Clever vampire. Where'd you get him?"
Clary ignored him. "How did you know we'd be here?"
"You always portal into this alley, Miss Morgenstern," he said. "Then you portal out every night. We've seen you."
Clary swallowed. "I'll have to ask my warlock to choose a new location, then," she said weakly.
The man laughed then. There was a pool of blood forming around him. In the back of her mind, Clary wondered if it was bothering Simon. "Like I said, we've seen you. We know you open them yourself, Clarissa Morgenstern. And we know it was with your stele."
Jace sucked in a breath at her side.
"Wait, what?" Said Simon.
The man went silent and his eyes drooped closed.
"He's lost too much blood," said Jace.
Clary looked at him. "I'm sorry. You were right. This is bad."
He turned to her. "We have to go back to the Institute. I'm sorry."
Clary bit her bottom lip.
"Guys, there are more," said Simon
Clary saw three more men enter the alley.
"Oh, by the angel, enough!" Said Jace.
Three on three, each person faught.
Jace killed his and helped Simon once the blade was out of his hand.
Clary's opponent slashed her right forearm. She gripped it while she fought. She could feel hot blood on her palm- she'd forgotten her gloves at the Institute.
Something wrapped around his throat and he dropped his weapon, trying to get it off. Clary frowned in confusion for a second, then grasped the opportunity and stabbed him in the heart. He died instantly and fell to the ground. The thing around his throat slithered away and Clary looked up. Isabelle stood at the mouth of the alley with Magnus, Alec and Jonathan.
Clary let out a curse that came out a squeak.
The attackers were all on the ground, dead.
Jonathan was glaring at her.
"I suppose we should thank you," said Jace. "But we would regret it in about six seconds."
"... ARE YOU INSANE?!" Jonathan exploded.
Clary jumped.
"Told you," said Jace.
Jonathan marched up to Clary. "What would have happened if I hadn't discovered you weren't in bed?" He asked angrily. "You would have been taken again! And hell, since Jace is here, they could have taken him, too, then-"
"I don't want to hear it!" Clary yelled.
Jonathan looked slightly surprised that she yelled in his face.
"You think I don't know that? I'm planning on going back, but I'm sick of everyone being in danger all the time. I've stayed inside for three months! That's ninety days! Do you understand how trapped I feel? I can't take it!"
"I know exactly how you feel," said Jonathan angrily. "I've been inside as long as you have. And I was there last time you got kidnapped, too. I can't let something like that happen again."
Clary's jaw locked and she sucked in the icy air through flared nostrils. "No, you don't, Jonathan. I'm not like you. I can't not go out for that long. I'm not you! You never wanted any friends, but I did! You didn't want to leave home, but I did! You couldn't care less about staying inside because you grew up an isolated antisocial who wouldn't let the only person who'd go near him leave!"
The look that was on Jonathan's face was too much.
Clary ran past him, out of the alley and into the flood of New Yorkers. She heard her name being called behind her, but she didn't turn.
Simon felt extremely awkward. Clary ran out of the alley. Jace, the guy with black hair and the warlock ran after her. Isabelle ran to Jonathan and touched his shoulder.
"Jonathan? Jonathan, Clary just-"
"Let her go," he said.
"What?"
"She wants to go, let her," his voice sounded deflated and flat.
"Jonathan..."
Simon felt like he should leave, but didn't know to where.
Jace ran after the flashes of red hair he saw moving through the crowd. He called her name, but she didn't turn.
She ran across a busy street. Jace followed her. A taxi slammed on the brakes and honked beside him, but he didn't slow.
Clary's hair had come out of her bun, and her red curls flew behind her.
"Clary!" Jace called. She probably couldn't hear him over the sound of the honking horns of the cars he passed.
He reached the sidewalk and jetted past people after Clary. He ran into someone and tumbled to the ground.
"Watch it!" The woman on the ground snapped.
"Sorry," he said. He jumped up and looked ahead.
Clary's hair disappeared around the corner.
Clary had no idea where she was going. She turned the corner around a building and just kept going. She knew she could just use her stele to open a portal to go back later. She didn't even want to think about how much trouble she'd be in when she got back.
She didn't notice till the last second that someone had jumped out at her from the alley with a knife. She screamed and dove to the side. She hit the ground and grabbed for her sword- but it wasn't there. She'd left it in the alley. She pulled out a knife from her belt and jumped to her feet just in time to deflect the sword hitting her.
Clary knew a long sword versus a dagger wasn't likely to turn out well, but she would try.
The sword grazed the back of her hand and she realized how cold her hand had been when the hot blood came out.
The man abruptly stopped and ran off. Clary stared after him in confusion. She heard a clatter and looked down. She'd dropped her dagger and her hand was shaking hard. She grabbed her wrist with her other hand. She felt... Strange.
The world blurred for a second, then she was herself leaning against a wall- no, she'd fallen to the ground. Poison, she thought.
"Clary!" Jace was at her side.
"Poison," Clary managed. Speaking was hard. She was shaking.
"Don't worry, I'll get you back," he pulled out his stele. "Clary, what's the rune for opening portals?"
Clary felt her heartbeat slowing and her fingertips numbing. She couldn't move. She wasn't even blinking.
"Clary?" Jace's voice raised in panic.
Oh no, Clary thought.
"Clary!"
Jace fell to the ground beside her and a woman holding a pipe was behind him.
"There we are," she said, dropping the pipe. "Come along, Clarissa. Time to go," the woman aimed her hands at the wall and a portal opened.
Warlock, Clary thought. Clary felt blackness dawning on her, and she tried to fight it, but failed.
Another cliffhanger, I know.
Next chapter will be posted Sunday.
Sneak peeks on my website! I'm also answering questions on twitter (links to both in my profile)
