I am so, so, so, so, so sorry about the late update! Right now, I'm updating a few chapters at the same time, so be prepared! The finale is getting close!
The Shadow World
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Clary's POV
Let's assume that it would be an understatement that they had arrived just at the nick of time.
Clary and Jace had just burst into the room just as Valentine was about to slit Simon's throat. Valentine's sword clattered out of his grip in shock as he stared at the two new arrivals. Jace sprang up and was ready for action, but Clary was too busy staring in mute horror at the corpse bleeding over the carpet.
It was the warlock boy, the one Maia must have befriended.
Dimly, Clary could hear yells as Jace and Valentine fought... but she couldn't tear her eyes away from the corpse.
"Clary, you all right?" Simon stumbled up to her.
Without hesitating, Clary threw her arms over Simon and hugged him till his ribs broke. Oh, don't worry, Clary didn't really break his ribs. It was just an exaggeration.
"Let's get out of here! Jace!" Clary yelled.
"Coming!" Jace said as he ducked a swing from Valentine and positioned himself behind her.
"GO!" Clary ordered.
Without a second thought, Simon ran out the door. Clary followed, Jace behind her... Only to be pushed right back by two heavily scarred Shadowhunters.
"Thank you, Blackwell," Valentine said, panting as he picked up the Mortal Sword. Clary could see it now, the symbols on its handle and the runes on its blade.
"No problem," one of them grunted as he gave Simon a vicious kick.
"Don't!" Clary yelled, but Blackwell just laughed cruelly.
Suddenly, four more bodies thumped onto the carpet beside her. Isabelle and Alec were struggling against their captors, but the other two bodies were limp and unmoving.
The first was Kaelie, face pale and hair bloody. She was dead, for sure.
The second was Maia. Her face was pale, and hair even bloodier.
"Maia!" Clary scrambled over, fingers desperately scrabbling for a pulse.
For a brief moment, Clary was terrified, but then... There was a faint movement beneath the skin. The pulse was there, but it was weak, but it was there.
"The Fae child is dead, that is certain, but the Child of the Moon is alive, but not for long," Valentine said, deftly picking up Kaelie's body and dripping the blood into a bowl.
Isabelle and Alec fought free and scrambled to Clary, crouching beside her. Jace and Simon were there too.
"You've lost," Valentine said simply. "There is no hope for the Downworlders, but there is for you. All you need to do is to..."
"To give in? To beg for mercy?" Jace snarled, face furious.
"We'll do that when hell freezes over," Isabelle spat.
Alec didn't say anything, but the determination on his face answered for his silence.
Despite the current situation, Clary felt a warm glow in her stomach. As long as they fought, they would stay alive, and make it to freedom...
"Then you'd better say your good-byes," Valentine said.
All right, maybe they might not make it to freedom. Or stay alive, for that matter.
Blackwell and the other evil Shadowhunters moved in for the kill, but then, everything exploded.
The Clave swarmed into the boat, seraph blades flashing as they fought. Jocelyn was there, and even Hodge was there, knives glittering in their hands as they battled the evil ones. Clary briefly saw Jace's, Isabelle's and Alec's eyes light up with delight as they burst into battle.
"Simon! Can you get Maia to safety?" Clary asked.
"But I want to fight!" Simon protested.
"We'll take care of it," a familiar face grinned at Clary.
"Aline?" Clary asked, the corners of her mouth turning up. Oh yes, she remembered the quiet girl who sat with her on her first day in Kingsley.
"Got it right," Aline laughed as she carried Maia out of the action.
"Simon..." Clary began hesitantly. "No offense, but can you fight?"
Simon gave Clary a look of mock hurt. "Of course I can!"
With that, Simon bared his teeth, and Clary had to fight down a shudder as she saw Simon's razor sharp Vampire teeth.
"Right... You can definitely fight," Clary agreed.
Simon gave her another quick grin before bursting into battle.
For the next few moments, it was surreal. Maia was safe, Simon was safe (or as safe as you could get in battle) and they were turning the tide. Blackwell and a few other evil Shadowhunters were out of action, knocked out cold on the floor, while the others were being crushed under the weight of the Clave.
Slowly as Clary watched and fought, the evil Shadowhunters seemed to overcome their shock of being overwhelmed. They were regrouping. With horror, Clary saw a member of the Clave fall down, bleeding heavily, and another one cry out in pain as a gash opened on his face.
There was a flurry of movement, as Valentine burst free, the Mortal Sword dripping with Shadowhunter blood. Valentine charged out of the room, the bowls of blood and the Sword in his arms.
"Valentine," Clary growled. Without any hesitation, Clary followed in pursuit.
(((())))
For the next few moments, Clary's heartbeats were terrifyingly loud in her ears as she followed Valentine down the hallway. Valentine turned abruptly into another room, and Clary followed. She stood at the door, bracing herself. She forced herself to take a few deep breaths.
Then, she shoved the door open and went in.
"Valentine," Clary called, trying to sound brave.
"Yes?" Valentine asked silkily.
"You've lost. So don't make me fight you, OK?" Clary asked.
"No, I haven't lost," Valentine laughed, his laughter maniacal and insane. "I have two of the Mortal Instruments. Do you think you could ever possibly overcome me?"
Evil, evil Valentine. The next update's coming up...
