CHAPTER 17
Hello Pals, sorry - it's been a while. Hope you enjoy the next chapter.
I see a lake and a forest. The sun is setting, making everything appear in a sort of golden light. It's beautiful. I breathe in the fresh air and close my eyes. I hear a woodpecker from far away, yet the sound is so near that I can distinguish it. I lie down on the lush grass. The peace around me is infatuating, I can feel myself drifting off.
"Clary." I hear a mellow deep voice call my name and involuntarily I open my eyes to see who the beautiful voice belongs to. I gasp at the sight. In front of me is the most magnificent being I have ever laid eyes on. His wings span two arm lengths on either side of his back. The sun makes his white feathers shimmer, giving them a dusted effect. He has a lovely face, so open and inviting. "Clary." He repeats.
"Am I dreaming?"
He smiles at me beautifully. "You are and you aren't"
"But Angels aren't real," I say.
He laughs out loud. So loud that I hear the animals surrounding us, scattering away in panic.
"I have encountered many creatures, but never an angel," I mutter slightly annoyed. "It's not so far-fetched to think that your kind is a myth."
"Here I am Clary. All real in my angel form."
"Do you have a name?" I mutter in disbelief.
"You can call me Raziel."
" Raziel? The Raziel?!" I stare at him in utter confusion. It can't be. "Raziel, the angel of God, the bearer of mortal instruments? The one who created the first Shadowhunter?" It can't be, I must be going is a dream. An illusion.
"Ah yes, that's me alright. I guess my name precedes me." He grins at me and it gives him a sort of youthful look. "Clary, listen. We do not have much time. You don't have much time. You're dying."
I look down at my body and see it losing its corporal shape, I can see myself turning see-through . I start to panic. "What is happening to me?!" I exclaim in utter horror.
"You're dying, Clary." I look up at the angel and see him pitying me.
I can feel myself panicking. I'm not ready. "Clary, listen. Listen to me. You can save yourself. It's within you to save yourself."
"How?" I shriek. "How do I do that?" I look down at my ghostly form. I pat down my pockets, but my stele is nowhere to be found. "My stele, I can't find it." I scream. "I don't want to die. I want to live. I want to live. Please Raziel." I look up at him. I hate the sound of my begging. But I'm too young to die. I've not experienced everything. I've not even been in love yet. I'm not a fully grown adult yet. I haven't achieved anything in my short life. It's too soon. There is so much more for me to do.
"Concentrate on your inner light." He sits down in front of me and takes my hand. "It's within you Clary. There is great power within you. Find that thread and pull it."
"How?" What great power?
"Look inwards little Shadowhunter. You will feel the right thread as soon as it presents itself. It's like that time, when the rune appeared to you out of nowhere."
"How do you know about that?" I demand.
"I've been watching my little prodigy." He winks. "Now concentrate."
I close my eyes and do what the angel told me to. I look inwards and search for the elusive thread. Nothing happens. I'm staring at darkness. There is nothing within my mind to find. Then, I see something. There is a shimmer, hidden in a corner of my mind. I follow it and imagine it to look like a string. I delicately snap it between my forefinger and thumb and I pull. I open my eyes and notice that the green around us has disappeared. We are suspended in the air and golden dust covers everything around us.
"Good Clary. Very good. Now find your way home. You can do it. Think of home. Think of someone you love. Think about how much you want to return to them. Find your anchor."
I close my eyes. I think of my anchor. Jon's face appears in front of me. I picture his face, his beautiful blonde hair, his scarred skin and all the pain he's endured, the pain I want to save him from. I picture his strong form and how right his arms felt wrapped around me. Lastly, I picture his deep dark chocolate eyes, then his black eyes. I see him looking at me, the look he had when he called me 'His.' I open my eyes. "I see it. I'm seeing my way back." I smile as I say it. I can feel myself being pulled back. I'm not going to die.
Suddenly Raziel grabs hold of my arm in a sort of desperation. "Clary. Listen. Don't forget the power you just felt within you. You will need it. Dark things are coming."
His words are starting to sound like they're being shouted from far away. I'm being pulled away. "I can't hear you." I shout towards the angel.
Through the distance, I hear his muffled words a little clearer."Clary. The cup. I need you to save the mortal cup from him." Then everything goes dark and quiet. Through a fog I can feel a weight on me. A familiar scent assaults me. I breathe it in. Home.
JON POV
Soft hands are stroking the side of my face."Jon" A croaky whisper that sounds too familiar. I open my eyes and for a second I feel disorientated. The hands are continuing to stroke through my hair and the side of my face with such care. It's heaven. I nuzzle her neck and breathe her in. I press my lips against her neck and place a wet kiss there. I can hear myself grumble in satisfaction. Her hair is all over a part of my face and the scent is making me hunger for more. I bolt back with force. I bloody fell asleep, making a cushion out of Clary's shoulder- Did I just assault her neck in my sleep? I look up and see Clary staring back at me. Thank fuck she's ok.
"Clary!" I watch her smile at me with such warmth in her eyes. She's tapping her throat and I'm confused for a second. "Drink?" I ask her. She nods in response. I get up and pour her a drink. I sit back down and tip her head back to help her take a sip. She gobbles the water down greedily. "More," she croakes. I get more water and do the same again. I lean forward and move her long tresses away from her face. When she finally quenches her thirst, I move the glass away.
I look up at her. I feel so much guilt at what I did to her. She must hate me. She must despise me. She almost died. I still don't understand what happened. One second she was losing vast amounts of blood and none of our healing techniques were working. The next minute a kind of shimmer encompassed her. She was glowing like an angel and her wounds started healing on their own. Simon, Raphael and I were looking at her in utter disbelief. No one understood what was happening. I made them promise to keep it quiet. I didn't kill Raphael, as much as I wanted to. Clary made clear that she wanted him to live.
After all her wounds had healed, she fell into a slumber. I carried her up to one of the guest rooms in Raph's mansion and she's slept ever since. I must have fallen asleep at one point, too. For long hours, I couldn't find any quiet. I kept thinking back to the scene I came upon. I was worried for Clary alone with the vampires, so I disregarded my instructions and followed my sister regardless. I found Raphael and Clary in a half embrace. I watched the whispered argument they were having, then I smelled her blood and saw the teeth marks on her. The hot rage I felt at the thought that someone else had tasted her blood drove me to the border of madness. The possessiveness I felt towards her at that moment felt so incredibly raw. All I could think was that Raphael had to die. I didn't even stop to think. I didn't see Clary move in front of him to protect him. It wasn't until I felt softness instead of hard rock, that I saw what I did and then the absolute terror. I believed I killed her and I was ready to follow her death.
I look away from Clary to hide my guilt. "Jon. I don't blame you. Promise me you'll forgive yourself. Promise me that you won't leave." My heart stutters in response. I feel her hand on my arm. "Jon? Please. Please stop being so hard on yourself."
Slowly I turn towards her. "Come here," she whispers. I see her trying to pull me towards her, but she's too weak to move me. I give in and lean forward. She pulls me into an embrace. "Jon. You saved me." I hear her words, but they don't make any sense. I can feel her pulling me closer towards her still. Her arms wrap around my neck, my head lands beside her face. We're so close. I could kiss her. "You saved me." She says again and suddenly I feel her lips on my neck and a hot shudder moves straight to my groin. I want to pull away, but she places another and another kiss on my neck. Every time her lips land on my skin I can feel myself shake from the need to consume her. Slowly she's moving up my neck, to my jaw, continuously repeating "You saved me." I'm drawn towards the sound of her voice and the feel of her lips on me. I want her everywhere. I force myself away from her. She's bewitched me, right?
I look up and see hurt in Clary's eyes. "What is it?" I ask hesitantly.
"You always do that."
"Do what?"
"You always pull away from me, Jon." What do I say to that? I can't tell her that I make myself put a physical distance between us, because I'm afraid that I'll never let go of her otherwise, so I stay quiet.
"Jon?" I hear her whisper. I shift my eyes and see her watching me carefully. "I thought I would die. You pulled me back to life. I pictured you and you anchored me back. Only you could do that. I love you." She takes my hand. "I love you." She reiterates. It's too much. I don't deserve it. I swallow to get rid of the dryness in my throat. "I love you too, Lily. And I'm so sorry for hurting you."
"I forgive you. I do want something in return." She nudges me lightly.
"Anything." I breathe out in desperation.
"Forgive yourself, too." Forgive myself? Sometimes, all I seem to be doing is hurting her. This is the second time within a week that she's escaped death by a hair length.
I can feel Clary still holding my hand. I take her arm in mine and stroke my thumb across it. I feel a lot of uneven skin there. What the fuck. I take her arm in both hands and move it into the light. "Jon! No! " Clary shrieks at me and tries to pull her arm away from me. She's too weak after the injuries. I'm holding her arm in place.
The light illuminates her whole forearm. I can see many scars. Too many. Her forearm is a roadmark of various aging scars. Some are close to disappearing, some are as fresh as from last week. Then I notice the bite mark on her forearm and the rage within me gets a second feeding. I grab her other arm with force, and start pulling up her sleeve. There are multiple scars covering the inside of that arm, too - including old bite marks. Eventually, they'll all disappear. But for now, it's a sight of horror. All the scars that form lines are almost identical in width, depth and length. Too identical. "Clary, what are these scars?" She's quiet. "Tell me about these," I plead and stroke one scar and then another. Clary shivers at my touch before pulling her arms back and I let her.
"They're just scars, Jon." I finally look up at her and study her carefully. She's hiding something from me. "What did Raphael do to you? I know he did something!" I whisper-shout at her. We're not alone in this house.
She ignores my questions. Instead, I see her sitting up with care. Surely, she's not leaving?"
"You're not going anywhere until you've answered my questions. I need answers!"
"You won't get them. Ever!" She looks angry.
"Would you tell Jace?" I ask with hurt.
"Of course not."
"What are they?" I repeat desperately. Instead of answering me, I see her getting up and muttering, "I'm going to have a shower first." With that I watch her carefully, stumbling across the room to the en-suite. I'm too shaken to stop her, a hundred various reasons for those scars are rushing through my mind. None of them make any sense.
Clary POV
First thing first I decided to shower. I look down at my clothes and see that I'm still wearing slightly bloodied garments. The last few days haven't been great for me physically, my body has endured too much pain. I start undressing and get into the shower. That's all I could do to escape that conversation. What can I tell my brother? What will appease him? I bask in the feel of the hot water, trying really hard not to think about what truth I should share with him. I'm working on sorting my thoughts into an organised mess, processing how not to be too obvious about my feelings towards him. I want to cringe at my behaviour. Kissing his neck like that? Like some lunatic. I need to get a grip on myself. I think back to how I like fitting into his lean body, how I love basking in his scent…how he washed me with such care, just the other day. Abruptly, I decide that taking a shower isn't the best idea. I dry myself and notice I don't have anything clean to wear. My bra is ruined, and so is the top. I can still wear the panties, so I wrap the towel around me, and step out of the bathroom in search of actual clothing. As I step into the darkened room, I bump into a hard wall.
What the fuck.
I look up and see pitch black eyes staring back at me. My brother. Too late, I realise that I'm literally half naked. And that in all my thinking, I forgot that he'd still be here.
He's grabbed my waist to stop the collision and he's still holding me there. Staring at me. His touch is scorching my sides.
I see his eyes dipping down my body and it makes me feel really subconscious about whether he likes what he sees. I'm angry at myself for having these thoughts, so I reach towards him, trying to untangle myself from his grip.
"What are these, Clary?!" He asks in anger.
I look down and see that he's indicating the scars on my forearm again. I automatically hide the other arm behind my back, so he doesn't see any more evidence...yet why does it matter, he's seen it all. Stupid Clary.
"Those are healed scars," I say dumbly.
"I can see that," he snaps.
"Why are they all the same thickness, length and depth? They're almost all exact." He growls.
I'm quiet, trying to think of a way out of this. "I don't know Jon. It must be a coincidence," I mutter.
He studies me. "Show me your other arm."
"No!"
"Show me." He implores me.
"I won't."
Suddenly he pounces at me, but I can be quick, too. After a few tackles, he finally manages to trap me beneath him on the floor. Fighting in a towel - not the best move!
"Show me before I'll force you to." He growls.
" You've seen it. Why do you need to see it again?" I snap.
He stares me down with determination as he forces my arm towards him and turns it over. A sharp hiss escapes him. Raphael's bite mark from the other night has almost fully healed, but the evidence that earlier today wasn't a one off situation, is still recognisable. A roar comes out of my brother. "I'm going to kill him. I don't care what you have to say to protect him!"
He's about to run off. To kill him I'm sure of it, which would start a war! What was I thinking?! I wrap my legs around his hips and wrap my arms around his torso. "You can't! You can't go! I wanted him to do it!"
"You what?"
"I've been asking him to bite me, ok? I begged him for it even. You can't kill him for breaking the law without killing me, too! You know the Clave would take action against me, too!"
Jonathan looks angry and then hurt. "Why Clare? Why would you ask him to do that? You're better than this." He forces my arms to untangle from around him. "Why? Why would you do that?" He repeats, shaking his head in desperation. All of a sudden, I can feel my towel loosening from our fight. I try to grab it in time, but it merely drops away from my chest. Jonathan freezes at the sight of my bare breasts. His eyes take on a 'hungry' look. Is it hungry? 'Stop your wishful thinking' I chastise myself.
I breathe in slowly. I've not moved to cover myself. I act confidently, but I'm feeling the complete opposite. I can distract him with this. I need to choose my words carefully. He'll sense the lie. I have to be honest or as honest as I can be. "I enjoy the pain. It gives me release." I say quietly. "Ok? It's something I started after you left. I guess the blood exchange thingy between us did something to me. Now I want it all the time."
Jon has been studying me for a long time. "I'm sorry, I did that. "
"I wasn't asking for an apology. Besides, it felt good."
"It felt good?" I see his eyes studying me and then moving back to my chest. He moves to wrap me in the towel, but I stop him.
"You can. You know. Do it again."
"Do what?"
"Bite me. Touch me. If your demon side still wants to." Fuck what am I doing? Almost dying has driven me mad. "If you promise not to feel guilty and leave again," I added hastily.
He watches me, unraveling me with his eyes. I take his hand and move it to my breast. I watch his eyes widening in horror. What the fuck am I doing. Stop! Stop! A little voice within me screams at me. His large hand covers my breast. I can feel him wanting to pull it away. But I've got him pressed into place. I want to groan at the sensation of his skin against one of my most sensitive parts, but I manage to swallow it. The ache for him consumes every particle of me. I feel hot all over. "What are you doing?" He demands.
"It's alright Jonathan." I nudge his hand, and he ends up slowly rubbing his thumb across my nipple. I whimper in response
"Clary!" He calls my name huskily. "What are you doing?"
I don't say anything, as I lean back and extend my neck to him. "Go on. It's ok. You can have it. All of it." I feel his hand wrapping itself around my neck. A moan escapes me. "You want me to bite you, little one?" He whispers into my neck, dropping kisses up and down my side. "Yes," I breathe. He squeezes my neck in response. My legs are still wrapped around his hips, with the sensation of him all over me. I shift my hips forward and feel his cock against my pussy. By the angel, I want him so desperately. The need for him is excruciating. Hot want rushes through me. I want more. So much more. Slowly I rub myself against his hardness, from the bottom, all the way up. I can't help the moan that escapes my lips. He wants me, too...
There's a sudden shift in his body. He's all tensed up. "Fuck. Clary. What the fuck was that?" He moves away from me with such force that I fall back to the floor. His hand drops away from my chest and instantly my breast feels cold. "You!" He points at me. He's still hovering above me."I'm your brother. Why did you do that? Why did you make me touch you like that?"
"I…" I stammer in response. Get a grip. Don't be a coward.
"You think that's funny Clarissa." He growls at me. He's never called me that. Fuck fuck fuck.
"You think I like having no control over that side of me?!" He stares me down in utter disbelief and anger and…hurt. He's hurt. I hurt his feelings. I can feel tears gathering in my eyes. I want to say something. Anything. But it's all getting stuck in my throat. "I'm not a fucking experience." He snaps.
I stay quiet. I avert my eyes. I'm so ashamed. What have I done? Suddenly I hear him exhale loudly. "Come on, Clary. Let's forget this. Okay? We're both tired. Obviously." He mutters quietly, as he gets off me and picks me up, then carries me across the room to the bed. When he deposits me, he says carefully. "We're still going to discuss the scars. Not now. But don't think, you'll get off so easily. I'll send Jace to pick you up in the morning, in case you're still feeling weak." He leans forward and places a kiss on my forehead.
"You're not staying?" I rush out before he makes it to the door.
My brother seems taken aback. "I was going to." He says quietly. "But it's better I go. Amanda...she'll wonder where I am." With that, I see him leave the room. What have I done?
Jon Pov
It's been a week since I've almost killed Clary. It's been a week since she told me "You can have it. All of it." By the angel, all week I've been avoiding her. Drawn back to her door at night, wanting to go in, but stopping myself just in time. I've been doing odd jobs for Val to keep me occupied. All week, I've been persuading myself that she was taking pity on me and my demon side. Torn between the idea that maybe, maybe she could want me. ME. Stop being fucking stupid. She would have despised you for it. Clary was half delirious. She could never want me for me. NEVER. She'd only do it out of some weird obligation to me. Fuck, she needs to stop sacrificing herself for me like that. Is she not worried what people will think? So yeh, staying away from her and not giving into that voice at the back of my head that tries to tell me that in some weird reality, she might actually have the same feelings towards me, it's been incredibly hard.
I'm downing my fifth bourbon - yep, alcohol is the way to go. I look up and green eyes gaze down at me. There's no anger in those eyes. She looks healthy and beautiful and I want her so badly to be mine. It's so hard to stay away from her. I've bloody missed her.
"Jon." She says carefully and sits down. "Where have you been?" She asks accusingly.
"Here."
A choked laughing sound escaped her. "Funny. Why didn't you come to see me? I was afraid, that you-"
"You have Jace. He must be enough for you." I have to interrupt her.
She leans across the table and takes my hand. Her touch burns my skin. I never want to let go of her. "Jon. I'm so sorry. I-"
"Why did you do that?" I cut in. I hear the desperation lacing my voice and it makes me cringe.
"I…"
"Did you think it would be funny to see how I would react to your body? What possessed you to be so mean to me? You know what happened before. I fucking forced myself onto you. This thing in me wanted to possess you. Do you know what that means? It wanted to fuck you and devour you. All of you. It wanted you so badly, I had to leave. I had to leave, because if I stayed - By the Angel Clary, if I stayed I would have done awful things to you. I would do awful things to you. Is that what you want? For me to be so horrific to you, that I would have to leave again? To forever stay away, dragging that fucking demon inside of me away from you?"
"No!" She exhales. "Jon. Never. I'm...so sorry. I...don't... I wasn't thinking straight. Please forgive me. I would never want to upset you like that. You seemed better, so I just thought-"
"So you thought to fucking test me?" I hissed at her. "You know, I have to medicate myself to keep straight laced. To be able to think straight and not have that fucking evilness within me control every aspect in my life. You're the only good thing I have, Clary. Please. Please don't take that away from me."
I finally looked up at her. "Please, Clary. You know I struggle. And ...I'm trying so hard to be good. To be good to you. I would never ever want to hurt you again. What I did last time - it haunts me. I just...Let's leave it at that." I stop myself, before I end up saying too much. Clary's eyes glaze over. I can't read her. Is she upset? Is she angry at me? Is she ashamed to be related to me?
I order her a bourbon and clink my glass against hers. "Truce?" I ask her and try to smile warmly.
"Truce." She smiles carefully. There's a shadow behind her meadow eyes. I wish I knew what was going on with her. I picture those scars on her arms again. I want to protect her from whatever it is that haunts her to have to do that. She hasn't told me what it is...but I'm not stupid. It's all self-inflicted. I know it.
I lean forward and take her in my arms. Having her so close is both equally pleasant and painful. If only I could be the brother she deserves and not have to chastise my thoughts every time I touch her. If only I was good enough and didn't lie awake at night picturing her exposed breasts, remembering how it felt to have her sex rub against my dick. I shake away the thoughts. Don't I scream at that inner projector. The thoughts always hurt and disgust and turn me on all at once. "I'm sorry Clary that you've got me. You deserve better. Not this broken brother. I'm so sorry." I whisper to her.
She pushes away from me. "Don't say that!" She stares at me. I am sorry. "Take it back!" I nod, it's all I have left to give.
"There's a meeting in an hour," she tells me. "I've volunteered to get you. Amanda seemed upset about your disappearing act this week." These days I can't even go sulking without being accountable to my fiancé. Being near her, means touching her and having sex with her. I just couldn't do it. I'll definitely have to deal with my father and bloody Hodge on this as well.
We have started heading back to the institute together. We're walking back, side by side. There isn't much of a gap between us and every now and again our hands brush against one another. I'm burning to just take her hand. To take it now and to never let go of her. Ever.
"Jon. There's something I need to tell you."
"Yeh?" I stop the direction of my thoughts.
"Raphael and I. We're...we're dating." She says that last part so quietly, I don't think I heard correctly.
"You're what?"
"We're a thing. You know. A couple."
I stop abruptly and step in front of her. "Is this a joke? It's not funny Clary, if it is."
"No. It's not. We are a thing."
"Fuck. Are you insane. Why the fuck would you put out for a disgusting demon?" I scream at her and start shaking her slightly by her shoulders.
"You're part demon, too Jon! You're not disgusting. Don't ever call yourself that." She pleads.
"We're not talking about me, because I would never fuck you." I roar at her.
Clary's form gets defensive and she forces herself away from me.
"Downworlders are our equals - I hate this Nephilim versus them divide. Jon, not all Downworlders are bad. There's plenty of good and bad Nephilim, too!"
"Stop being so fucking naive, Clary."
"I'm not. Stop being so fucking judgy all the time. Stop telling me what I can and cannot do."
"As long as you're letting a demon near you, that's how long I'll be telling you what to do. You can't be with him. Got it?! Break it off with him!" I shout.
"No! You can't tell me what to do!" She pushes me backwards, acting like an annoying little child with a temper. I push her right back. Her face takes on a red tint from her anger. I grin at her, taking in her pretty flushed face, but she must interpret my smile incorrectly, because suddenly she's screaming at me and full on fighting me. I dodge out of her way, but she keeps coming at me. "Fight me you coward," she hisses."
"Oh I will little, Clary."
I swiftly move behind her and lock her arms. She kicks back and swirls around me, managing to get me into an armlock. I tumble backwards, she loses her footing and falls to the ground. I use my advantage and land on top of her. I pin her arms above her head. Her legs are kicking out from beneath me. She's trying to wiggle herself out from under me. "No way you're getting out little sister." I pinch her nose and that annoys her. She starts kicking out in fury.
"Let me go Jackass."
"Not until you promise to break up with the vampire. And say please." I chided her.
"Never!"
I pin her hands in my left hand and move my right arm to hold her legs in place to avoid getting kicked. I give her thigh a squeeze and she growls at me in response. I smile. This is pretty amusing considering how I'm still annoyed at her. Nothing makes sense to me anymore. What is she playing at?
"What about Jace?" I ask abruptly. I forgot about the idiot.
"What about him?"
"Last time I checked, he was still your BFF lover."
"Ever heard of an open relationship, Jonathan? I can fuck who I want, when I want. Hell, I'm sure they would even love a little sexy threesome with me...basically, it's none of your fucking business what I do and how many cocks I fuck." She screams in my face.
Fury eats me up like hot lava. I move my arm from her legs and without thinking, I pinch her chin and make her look at me. Her face is flushed. Her eyes are filled with green fury. She looks stunning. "You're not a whore, Clary." I want to shake some sense into her. This isn't like her.
"It's my body. Mine to do with as I please. Besides, why do you care? It's not like you'd ever want me. You're too good for me, right?" Tears suddenly shimmer in her eyes and the rage drops away from me in one big splash. What is she saying?
"Clary, you're a diamond. Stop talking bullshit. What is it you're trying to tell me?What is going on with you? You're cutting yourself. You're consorting with demons. Why would Jace agree to this?" I whisper. "What is going on, Lily." I move my hand through her hair. "I love you. Come back to me."
I can feel the fight leaving her. "Jon. I-"
"Well isn't this cosy." Someone chuckles behind us.
"Jon. Trouble." Clare whispers - she has a better vantage point. I get up from her and turn around. This conversation with her isn't over.
"Meliorn." I count six seelie court members in total. We're fucking outnumbered. Keep it cool. I move Clary behind me. "Run, when I tell you to." I whisper.
"No! I'm not leaving you."
"Don't fucking argue with me, Clary."
"What are you two whispering about? Please do share. Noone is leaving without me saying so anyway. Look behind you." The fairy grins.
I look behind me. "We're circled in, Jon." How did I not notice them? Because you were bloody distracted.
I put on my fake smile. I'm sure this is only a nice catch up.
"How can we help?" I smile
"The Seelie Queen summons you to her court."
"Oh well, such a shame we don't have time to take a visit with your established court." I fake smile warmly.
"Nephilim. Always pretending. Always lying. You never look out for us. Never! The treaty is bullshit!"
"Jon, they're getting closer. Be ready to fight." I grab Clary's hand and give it an assuring squeeze. I'm not going to let anything happen to her.
"What is it you want, Meliorn?"
"I told you, the Queen summons you."
"Well, she can't just summon us like that. There's a protocol to follow."
"Well, Jonathan Morgenstern."
"Fairchild," I growled at him.
"If you say so." He smiles. "You know, the Queen has eyes everywhere. Perhaps, you should think about that." Fuck. Has she been spying on me?!
"Fine. If the Queen summons me. I shall accept. Wouldn't want to upset your gracious monarch. " I turn to Clary. "I don't think I'll be gone long. Tell Amanda what has happened here. Okay?"
I hear a rasping behind me. "Yes, Meliorn?"
"Your sister has also been summoned." He grins.
"No fucking way!"
"I don't think you have much choice." He gives me a wink. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. What does she know? I can't possibly risk it, can I? Clary is more important, but what if it only is a short visit. That should be fine. They can't hold us or kill us without causing war.
"On one condition. We are both to be delivered back to the New York institute by tomorrow. Same year, same time zone, same planet, absolutely no changes. Got it?"
"The Queen requires you for three days. She wants you to partake in her birthday celebrations." Meliorn grins. There's no other choice. Three days should be fine?
"Ok, but those three days will take as long as they would in our time - no funny fairy business. Can you promise that?"
"Yes. You shall be returned in three days time in your mundane time. Unharmed. He adds."
"I'll message Izzy." Clary tells me from behind. What have we gotten ourselves into, I wonder?