Alec almost sighed in relief when he spotted them.
"Are you okay?"
Jace produced his stele, his fingers locking around Clary's wrist as he began to burn an iratze over the scrape on her arm.
Neither said a thing. Clary merely winced as the pain began to subside.
"What happened?" Alec demanded, growing impatient. "What did you find out?"
"It was definitely a Warlock." Jace said, his lips forming a thin line. "And if we want to get Clary's memories back, we're going to have to find out which one it was..."
"We'll need to pay them a visit." He finished. "Is that all you found out?"
Jace and Clary shared a look, one that didn't go unnoticed by the eldest Lightwood.
"What happened?"
"I..." She clasped Jace's hand, and he pulled her close to him. "I don't know who took my memories, but I think I know who was behind it all."
Alec raised an eye brow. "Who?"
"Jocelyn." The two said together.
His jaw tightened.
It seemed as if he were deep in thought.
"Alec-"
"She wasn't at the Right of Mourning." He raked a hand through his hair. "I thought it was strange at the time, but..."
"There were more important things to worry about." Jace said, his eyes faraway.
"I don't understand." Clary muttered. "Why would my own mother-"
Alec threw a hand upward to cut her off.
The gesture was so familiar.
"She was never exactly a mother to you, Clary."
She may be your blood, she might even carry your last name, but she is ours.
She is my daughter.
She opened her mouth to reply, but Isabelle reappearing from around the corner seemed to register something inside of her.
"Where's Simon?" She demanded.
No one answered.
"Where's Simon?" Clary repeated, her tone urgent.
Isabelle sighed. "I told him to stay in the van. I've searched everywhere.
"He's gone?"
"I can't find him."
"You were supposed to protect him!" Clary hissed as she took off running. "Simon!"
Jace groaned, following after her. "These mundanes are killing me."
The van door was open, no Simon in sight.
"Simon!"
"Is that the mundane's name?"
She turned, her eyes widening as she caught sight of her best friend being dangled by his sneakers.
A man was grinning at her, but it was cold, calculated. "I'm afraid Simon's coming with us."
"No!" Clary shouted, starting towards them. Jace caught her around the waist. "No! He's not a part of this!"
"And it'll be my pleasure to kill you unless you return him."
She blinked in surprise.
Jace hated mundanes, Simon in particular.
"Careful." Alec warned. "We'd be violating the Accords."
The man's smile grew. "I'm afraid your sidekick's quite right. The Night Children have broken no laws. We're negotiating. The mundane, unharmed, in exchange for the Mortal Cup."
Clary gasped.
"And the clock is ticking. Tick-tock, people."
"Clary!" Simon called.
