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Chapter 14
Luke and Jocelyn were careful to enter the apartment quietly. It was late, far later than they had intended to stay out. ''Do you think Clary's still awake?'' Jocelyn asked, turning on the light in the living room.
''I doubt it,'' Luke replied honestly. He took Jocelyn's coat and bag and hung them up. When he turned back, he saw his wife's face etched with worry. How quickly she could go from enjoying herself to fretting. ''I'm sure she's fine.''
''Hasn't she seemed off these past couple days?'' Jocelyn asked as Luke urged her further into the house.
Luke shrugged. ''Maybe a little,'' he admitted.
''A little? She always looks so downcast. She spends hours in her room-'' Luke held up his hands placatingly. ''Sorry.''
''Clary's had a lot on her plate,'' Luke reminded Jocelyn. ''It's been a hell of a year for her.'' Jocelyn got that guilty look in her eyes and looked down the hallway. ''You want me to check on her?''
''No, I will.'' Jocelyn took a step forward before turning back. She kissed Luke. ''Did I say how much I enjoyed tonight?''
''No.'' Luke sniffed with feigned offense. ''You didn't.''
''Well, I did.''
Luke let out a small chuckle before kissing her again. ''God, you Fray women and your ability to get lost in your heads.''
Jocelyn made a face and pushed him away playfully. She then walked down the hallway to Clary's room.
Luke took his car keys out of his pocket and tossed them on the counter. He was just preparing to go down the hall to shower when he heard Jocelyn's sharp intake of breath. ''Luke!''
Luke was at her side in a minute. She was standing in the doorway to Clary's room, looking inside with horror on her face. Luke followed her gaze and felt his heart stop.
A few days ago, Luke had commented to Clary how well her new room was coming along. Now, it was impossible to tell that Clary had made any progress on organizing. The place was trashed. Everything from the clothes in the closet to the books she had put on the shelves were tossed about, thrown there in a fit of rage. Pages and pages of Clary's sketches were on the floor, crumpled and ripped. One sketchbook in particular had had all of it's paper torn out, and was now lying discarded on the unmade bed. But what was most disconcerting, and what Jocelyn was staring at in terror, was the red pool of liquid on the floor by the desk.
Swallowing his anxiety, Luke carefully entered the room. Paper crunched under his feet. He approached the spot on the floor, the smell already confirming it was blood. But is it Clary's blood?
The room smelled of Clary. Luke hoped against hope that he would catch a whiff of a stranger's scent so there something to go on and hunt for. His heart sank as no such moment came. He bent down to the puddle of blood. He couldn't be 100% certain, but as he didn't smell another person, in all likelihood it was Clary's blood.
''Call the Institute,'' Luke said to Jocelyn. ''Maybe Jace knows where she-'' he stopped as he noticed a piece of paper on the desk, strangely untouched amidst the chaos of the room.
''Luke?'' Jocelyn asked. Luke ignored her. He stood up and picked up the paper off the desk, studying the design. It looked like a rune. A rune he didn't recognize.
''Call Magnus,'' Luke amended. Strange runes meant magic, and magic was the High Warlock of Brooklyn's department.
…..
Alec rolled over in his sleep, his arm reaching for Magnus. There was nothing there. ''Hmm?''
He opened his eyes and blinked the sleep from them, focusing on his boyfriend who was standing by the window, the phone to his ear. He clicked it off as Alec sat up. ''Well, look who left their phone on this time,'' he said smugly. His expression fell as Magnus' somber face turned to look at him. ''What's wrong?''
''That was Jocelyn,'' Magnus answered.
''Clary's mother?''
''Yes. Clary's missing and she asked me to come with a locator spell.'' Alec gaped as Magnus began digging around for his supplies. ''She wants you to call Jace and ask if he's seen her. She doesn't have his number.''
Alec snapped out of his shock and sprung out of bed, throwing on his clothes and dialing his phone in record time. The phone rang three times before Jace answered. ''Yeah?''
Alec frowned at his voice. ''You sound breathless.'' Better not be doing what I think you are. ''What are you doing?''
''Training.''
Thank god, Alec thought with relief, then felt guilt for thinking so. If Jace had been doing what he thought, at least they'd know where Clary was. ''It's four o'clock in the freakin' morning,'' he continued, his angry big brother voice on.
''Which makes me curious as to why you're calling.''
Alec braced himself for the yelling. ''Do you know where Clary is?''
''Home?''
''No.''
''What the hell do you mean, no?''
''Get over to Jocelyn's. Now.''
''Alec-''
''Magnus and I are going there too. All I know is Clary's gone and Jocelyn asked us there. Now hurry up. Don't wake Max and Izzy.'' Alec hung up and joined Magnus in the other room.
Magnus glanced at him worriedly. ''Ready?''
Alec spread his hands. ''Guess so.''
…..
Contrary to Alec's orders, Jace did wake Isabelle and Max. He repeated Alec's explanation to them and soon they were on their way to Clary's house.
All the worst case scenarios were spinning in Jace's head. He tried to rationalize that they really didn't know anything yet, but the fact that Jocelyn had called Magnus in the middle of the night for a locater spell said it all really. Jace kept thinking of Jonathan. I'll kill him myself.
There was no way it could be a coincidence: Clary disappearing and that bastard being alive. They had to be connected. And yet, Jace wanted to be wrong. He didn't want to go another round with Jonathan Morgenstern.
They entered the apartment building moments after Magnus and Alec. ''I said don't wake them!'' Alec said to Jace as he saw all three of his siblings.
''Excuse me?'' Isabelle said, hands on her hips.
Jace gestured to Max. ''We weren't going to leave him home.''
''Yeah,'' Max said, making as though he were talking aloud to himself. ''It's not like I would want to be informed that a friend is missing.''
Alec had the decency to look ashamed. ''Sorry, Max.''
Magnus continued walking up the steps. ''Can we get a move on, please?''
When they got to Clary's apartment, Luke opened the door. He blinked as he saw them all. ''Uh-''
''Oh god,'' Magnus said bitterly. ''Yes, we all saw fit to come. Apparently we do everything together! Can we get on with this?'' Luke smartly kept all comments to himself and let them in.
''In her room,'' Luke said, showing Magnus the way. The rest of them followed, staying awkwardly in the hall as Luke spoke primarily to Magnus. Jace processed the sight of Clary's messed up room. It didn't look as if there had been a fight, but more as if it had been torn apart in anger.
Clary, what happened?
''Then there was this on the desk,'' Jocelyn was saying, handing Magnus a piece of paper. Magnus frowned at it.
''I don't know this rune.'' He studied it for a few more seconds before tossing it to Alec in the doorway. ''Have a look.'' He then went about preparing for a locator spell.
Alec studied the drawing. He wrinkled his nose at it. ''Not her best work,'' he commented before handing it to Isabelle.
''Rough draft?'' Isabelle guessed. She handed it to Jace. ''Did she ever mention a rune idea she wanted to try?''
Jace shook his head as he looked at the paper. Most of it was scribbles, as if Clary had lost her patience with the drawing. But darker lines ran along on the center of the page, making a faint outline against the shaded areas. Shapes danced inside it.
Max stood on tip toe next to Jace. ''My turn.''
Jace handed him the paper, his interest in it gone. The only person who would know how it could be helpful was Clary. And obviously, she wasn't here.
Jace turned his attention back to Clary's room and noticed Magnus getting frustrated. Just as he was about to excuse himself to go and see, he noticed Max. ''Max?'' He asked. The youngest Lightwood was looking at the paper in horror. ''Max, is there something-''
Magnus strode out of the room. ''Locator spell won't work,'' he announced. ''Something's keeping her from being tracked. Anyone got any bright ideas as to where she would go?''
Jace felt everyone look to him, but he was still looking at Max. ''Max, do you know this picture?''
Max looked at Jace uncomfortably. He noticed everyone else was watching them now too. He took a hesitant breath. ''I've seen it before. In my dreams…''
His dreams of Jonathan. Jace remembered Clary telling him that Max saw Jonathan in the Seelie Court. Any hope that Jonathan wasn't involved in this melted away.
But nobody else knew, and they all looked at Max expectantly. ''What did you dream about it, Max?'' Isabelle asked.
Max looked at Jace. He doesn't know I know, Jace remembered. He's trying to steel his nerves to tell me.
Max bit his lip and looked to Luke and Jocelyn. ''Do you think Clary's in danger?'' He asked.
Jocelyn looked at Max with gentleness. ''If you think you know something, Max,'' she said. ''Please tell me.''
Max took a deep breath. He looked to the floor. ''I dreamed about this mark because someone else was thinking about it. I don't know what it means, but he might.''
''Who?'' Alec asked.
Max paused before answering. His gaze went to Jace before settling on Clary's mother. ''Your son, Jonathan Morgenstern.''
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