Hope you have enjoyed the past chapters.

In the next ones I will be focusing on building relationships between characters

Chapter 24…

{Clary's POV}

I realised that if I was going to die, then this wasn't a bad way to go.

My back was torturing me with pain, and I could feel the blood loss beginning to affect me.

But the only thing I could seem to think about is that he had his arms around me.

Not even having blades surrounding my body had made me feel as safe as he did.

Was this the blood loss talking?

I could hear fighting surrounding me and Jace, I tried to turn my head to loom but I gasped as the pain shot through my neck.

"Hey, hey don't move. You're badly hurt Clary."

I obeyed him, and his face was crumpled,

"Hey, its going to be fine you know"

I tried to sound reassuring, I don't think it worked very well.

"Clary, you… You should be dead right now"

"I know, but don't worry blondie, you won't be getting rid of me that easily. I enjoy being a pain in your ass too much to give that up so soon"

I smirked, receiving a genuine laugh out of him.

"You do know you can call me Jace now?"

He joked with me,

"I'll remember that blondie"

I had meant it to come out lighthearted but I doubled over and raked my throat for air.

The runes on the whip had started to burn through, they had now reached my lungs.

{Jon's POV}

The guy I was fighting was an average at best, but he was too cocky.

I noticed he always struck with his right leg lunging forwards.

So I spun around his sword as he stepped forwards for a drive and stabbed him in the abdomen with a small blade.

He fell down onto one knee, but I didn't stay long enough to find out what happened next.

I had seen Clary lying in Jace's lap from across the courtyard.

I ran over to them and knelt down beside Clary.

She looked awful. No, she looked like crap.

Sweat had plastered her hair to her face. And I could see immeasurable amounts of blood leaking out below her, it looked bad.

"Jace, what are we gonna do?"

"Right here you know"

Clary remarked to me, I was shocked she was still alive. Let alone conscious.

"Oh um, sister?"

"Do not call me that"

Her words stung, what would make her say that?

I decided to ignore it, our sibling drama was not the most important issue currently.

"Have you tried amisso's?"

"Of course I have, nothing's working!"

I had never seen Jace so panicked in my life.

It made me wonder, did Jace care about this girl in some way?

"Hey, Clary! Clary! Keep your eyes open, okay?"

Jace spoke out to her, I could see her eyes were beginning to flutter shut.

"Mhm"

Clary managed to mumble.

I then saw Jace reach for his finger and seemed to be twisting something.

I was about to ask when I realised what it really was.

Seelie Rings.

{Jace's POV}

I fiddled with the ring on my finger, willing it to make communication.

Magnus? Magnus, are you there?

It felt like something just clicked, then I heard his voice.

Herondale, stop shouting. I'll get a headache

I was relieved at Magnus' irritated voice - I had doubted whether the seelie rings were going to work.

But I did not understand how I could shout with my mind?

Magnus, I need you to portal me to your apartment now!

I tried to put stress on the 'now' , but I had no idea whether it had worked.

Why the rush shadowhunter - you can't have already caught the girl?

Well, we didn't catch her exactly. Magnus she's in pretty bad shape.

Herondale, my back has been in bad shape for 500 years and I am still here

I could practically scream, Clary was dying in my arms and Magnus was telling me about his back problems.

Magnus I do not care. She is dying, Magnus we need to get her to you now!

It felt like I had just been hung up on, I no longer felt a connection to Magnus.

Then out of nowhere a fizzing portal appeared next to me.

I grinned, he had done it!

I was in the process of trying to lift Clary up again.

But I had absentmindedly touched her back and I heard her inhale sharply.

"Sorry, Clary. But I need to take you away now"

I told her as gently as I could.

She looked up at me and said,

"No. No, Jace they will kill me, please don't let them take me. I haven't done anything"

She pleaded, obviously not getting the idea that I was taking her away from the ones who wanted her dead.

"I know. I am taking you away from them"

Her eyes flashed with hope for a split-second - then were dimmed out.

"Your, lying. Please don't lie to me."

I felt a strong pull of anguish. All her life the only thing this girl had known was betrayal and deceit - I wanted to show her there was more than that. But I was doubting she would give me the chance.

Before I could reply a grim noise filled the air.

It was my father running a seraph blade through a man's heart.

As the man's body fell to the ground I saw my father whisper something over his body,

"Ave Atque Vale"

Then I noticed his attention had turned to me, Jon and the Clary's limp body in my arms.

"Jace, put her down!"

He called out over the commotion, but actually there was no more fighting.

It seemed all of the Circle members had just vanished, leaving all of the others staring at me with Clary.

"Jace, you need to walk away."

My father's voice came again.

I felt Clary tense against me, she felt scared. Not because of my family, but because she was vulnerable in front of a threat.

{Clary's POV}

When Jace's father called out to him I anticipated him to leave my side, sons and daughters were supposed to obey their fathers.

But instead I just felt him pull me an inch closer.

"Look at her!"

He boomed across to the other Nephilim,

"Does she look like this demon-blooded monster you all paint her to be?"

They were all silent,

"We need to help her."

He looked down at me before continuing,

"She's dying"

My eyes widened, not at the notion of my death.

But at the emotion that broke through Jace's voice as he spoke, I had never heard anyone speak of me with such feeling - not even my own father.

"Jace, she is Lilith's child. She holds the power to destroy us all"

My expression remained blank, nothing they were saying was wrong.

I was seeing myself through their eyes, I was the demon-blooded daughter of Valentine Morgenstern. Maybe they were right to want me dead? Only a few minutes ago I had been prepared to die hadn't I?

"Oi, blondie"

I whispered over to him, keeping my tone light.

"It's ok. They're right"

His face became a blur of confusion and anger.

I pushed myself out of his arms and managed to stumble up onto my knees.

"Come on then, take your best shot"

I dared, looking into the faces of the startled shadowhunters before me.

They seemed surprised by my sudden outburst - shocked to know that I would offer myself as a sacrificial lamb.

{Jon's POV}

I looked at Jace in astonishment, my sister had just offered herself up for execution.

She was balancing on her knees, I saw blood trickling out of the corners of her mouth.

If it was possible to look so very weak, yet extremely brave at the same time - then this was it.

Clary was wearing her wounds with pride, they defined her.

Each one telling a different story from her past, I looked at my little sister in awe.

Then I wondered, how easily this could have been the other way round.

And I hoped Clary would do the same thing for me in which I did for her.

{Clary's POV}

Alec handed his bow and arrow to Stephen, who slotted the arrow in position, aiming it at my heart.

"Clarissa Morgenstern, by the order of the Clave I sentence you to death"

Then he let the arrow fly, aimed straight at my heart.

But I felt no pain, only shock.

I am so so sorry - I have a thing for cliffhangers.

Leave a review of what you think is going to happen.

I love you all so so much !

Song 2 ~ Ember - Kat Mcnamara