CHAPTER FOUR

The walk to Simon's was a quiet one. Jace had come to the conclusion not to kill Clary yet. And Clary had decided to go talk to this Hodge person to get some answers, but not without Simon.

"Clarissa I still think we should go to Hodge alone. He won't like me bringing a mundane to the Institute."

"I understood half of that. And from our last few encounters I suspect Hog won't like you bringing me to him alive. So, I don't put much weight in what he likes." Jace rolled his eyes but kept up with her. She was tiny in stature but an angry fast walker. Her scarlet hair blew in the wind and her arms were crossed around her due to the cold. She hadn't thought about grabbing a jacket. "And I told you to call me Clary."

"And I told you his name was Hodge not Hog." Clary snorted.

"That's not much better."

"He is a very respected scholar in our world Clarissa." She stopped abruptly to look at him.

"We are not from the same world. I know that much. Your world took my mother from me." She then continued walking towards the middle of the sidewalk so Jace would have to walk behind her.

It didn't take her, she ran away from it. She ran away from you.

Jace wouldn't say it out loud though. Not to spare her feelings. The girl may not be the killing machine he thought she was, but that didn't mean she was just another mundie girl. There was no room to trust her yet. He didn't say it outloud because he needed to talk about what he saw with Hodge first. He had barely become conscious when he saw Jocelyn leaning over Clary. She looked at Clary with a softness he hadn't seen in any of the pictures. The way she brushed Clary's face reminded him of his own mom. And what did she mean "when you find yourself, come find me"? What did Clarissa not know? Whatever it was, he needed to make sure she never found out. "We're here." Clary bounded up the steps and knocked on the door. Simon opened it on the third knock in sweats looking half asleep.

"Clary? You know the day doesn't start till noon on the weekends!" Simon squinted when he saw the stranger behind her. "Who are you? Clary are you okay?" Seeing Simon made Clary sad. He was part of the life she had before her mother left her, the warlock showed up, blondie kept popping up beating the crap out of her, and she didn't know what to do with that. Her eyes started watering and before any of the boys could see, she buried her head inside Simon's sweatshirt in a big hug. Both guys looked surprised. "What did you do to her?! You better get out of here dude."

"No Simon." Clary released him to stand by Jace. "It's not like that. I actually need you to come with us."

"You think I should help her?" Drale and Magnus were laying in bed enjoying the morning when Drale decided to bring up Clary.

"Yes my little Warlock." Magnus continued to play with the blue man's hair trying to keep the tiredness out of his voice. The moment Drale had poofed back last night he went to Magnus. Drale was lucky. Magnus had just finished posing nude for an upcoming artist when he had arrived at his place so the rest of his night was free. They had stood up for hours recounting the encounter and debating what Drale's next move was. There was no conclusion made. And after the early mornings events, Magnus was more worn out than ever. "This is clearly weighing on you. Go help her if you feel you must." Drale shot up a wild look in his eyes.

"Magnus come with me!" Cat eyes snorted in response taking this as his cue to get up and on with the day.

"Dear, I haven't done that kind of work with mundanes or shadowhunters in years. They are all too human for me. I prefer the company of well," he motioned to Drale's naked body, "of others like me. Like us. The fabulous freak shows we are." He winked heading to the shower.

"Please Magnus this makes sense actually. You knew the mother right? Jocelyn?" Drale followed him in, clearly insistent.

"Unfortunately."

"Well then maybe you can help Clarissa too. Probably more than me! C'mon Magpie." Magnus slitted his eyes feeling himself giving in.

"Nooo. They are emotional and needy creatures. You get all involved and tangled in their lives. It's all a real messy business."

"Is that a yes?"

"Ugh fine. But not before you make me breakfast."

"Thank you!" Drale hugged him tight and walked out of the shower still naked and a little wet. "I'll make pancakes! And you're not dressing me this time!" He called over his shoulder.

"Hey I loved that suit on you!" Magnus called back as he started shampooing.

"But GOLD Magnus? Seriously?"

"It matched the ferret!"

The subway ride was a bit awkward. Simon looked and felt out of his element but if Clary needed him there, he would stay. Besides, he wasn't sure she was safe without him.

"So shadowhunters take the subway too?" Jace didn't seem to appreciate the attempt Simon made at sparking up a conversation. He rolled his eyes responding without looking his way.

"It's not my preferred method of travel but yes. We take the subway."

"And why the name shadowhunter?" When Clary spoke Jace met her gaze.

"It sounds better than demon hunter. We prefer a name that is vaguely threatening to all. Not just demons."

"You mean mundanes?" He frowned a bit at her starting to use his lingo. He should have explained less to her and especially the mundane. But Clarissa was a careful person and she refused to go anywhere with Jace until he had answered many questions. Too many?

"Them too."

"I'm not done asking questions."

"I'm not answering any more till after you talk with Hodge." The quiet resumed. Clary was sandwiched between the two boys on the bench and she could tell her fidgeting was annoying them. She was rubbing her ring around her finger letting the little symbol spin a couple times. It was a nervous habit but ever since her mother gave it to her for her 10th birthday it was what she'd done. Without her mom there though, it just made her sad.

"You're a little uptight Jake." She pivoted her body to see his reaction. She was still trying to get a read on the guy.

"You're bad with names Clarissa." He met her cool gaze with his fiery one. "It's Jace. Jace Morgenstern."

"Oh. Well, so are you. It's Clary. Clary Fray." She held out her hand and Jace took it cautiously. Neither pulled away. He couldn't help but stare. She looked so human. Frighteningly so. If there was some mistake and she really was just a mundane, then he was responsible for ruining her life. And if she really was the killing machine he was prepared to kill mere hours ago, then he wasn't sure he could now. No, sed lex dura lex. The law is hard, but it is the law.

He watched her with such intensity she knew he was lost in thought. Clary hadn't really looked at Jace before. She saw that he was younger, her age, before but now she saw his beauty. Not in a she-had-a-crush on him kind of way. In the artist way where she itched to get out her colored pencils. His hair was in between wavy and curly making the strands all the more interesting. His facial structure was all sharp and rigid matching his personality. And his eyes were always alive. Not with a fiery anger like you might expect with such a golden hue. No it was emotion that ignited them. Clary could tell he felt things passionately just by looking in them.

"Simon Lewis." Simon interjected awkwardly waving his hand their way. "Just thought I should put that out there." The train stopped causing Jace to jump up.

"Follow me. We are almost to the Institute."

"What happened here?" Drale and Magnus had just popped into Clary's room and immediately knew something was wrong. Broken glass littered the bed and the bedroom door was on the floor by the desk. A rune burned into the center of it.

"Drale," Magnus slowly turned around examining the room. It was just like he remembered. Well, despite all the damage. "Who did you say you were fighting the other night?" Drale paused from looking at the sketches on the desk.

"I didn't. I didn't even get his name actually."

"No. I mean what were you fighting the other night?"

"Oh a Shadowhunter." He resumed with the sketches. They were all well done but one in particular Drale folded into a neat little square and dropped into his pocket.

A memory came back to Magnus then. It was from years ago. He was talking to an old friend, Dorthea. She owed him more than he was asking of her but she was still being difficult.

"Magnus you know I don't like messing in the shadowhunters world."

"She isn't a shadowhunter anymore. She's been stripped and holds no weapons of the Iron Sisters. Not even a stele can be used by those hands anymore. Dorthea you are only a safety precaution. She would only need the portal if people found her here."

"People? Or Shadowhunters?"

"Dot she has a daughter. Well, she will in a couple months."

"Fine Magnus. But you know if they show up here they'll try to take them both."

"I know."

Magnus heaved a heavy sigh staring at the rune-bored door.

"Oh Drale. This just got a whole lot worse."