Chapter 41…

{Clary's POV}

We had been standing around the centre table in the Guard for about 2 hours and were getting nowhere.

I had begun to play with one of my throwing knives, I was flicking it up and making it spin wildly then catching it.

Watching the gleam of the blade as the light hit it was the only moderately interesting thing going on in the room.

Throwing it up for about the gazillionth time a hand whipped out from my left and snatched up the knife.

Glaring daggers to my left I was met with a soft smiling expression from Jace.

A tingling feeling echoed through my body, that shivering you got when you knew there were eyes on you.

"Clarissa, have you been listening to a word I have said? Or is your knife more important?"

The Consul scolded me, squeezing my eyes shut I swivelled around to face the others.

Being reprimanded in front of people was something I loathed with my whole being.

"Yes it is. Considering that your pathetic excuse for a 'plan' is complete bullshi-"

"What Clary is saying is that she believes a different plan would be more effective."

Jace cut in, finishing my sentence much more politely than I would have phrased it.

"The floor is yours."

Consul Penhallow spoke in a clipped tone.

"You are all assuming that we have weeks to plan for this, we have days. Right now the Clave is no match for the battalion my father will assemble against you-"

"Clarissa I think you underestimate the Covenant's abilities-"

I slammed my fist down on the table, causing many to jerk away from me and the Consul stopped speaking mid sentence.

"No Consul."

I began walking around the circumference of the round table towards the Consul - my gaze never leaving hers.

"Valentine holds the Mortal Cup. He can summon any demon any time. Which means every time you use a runed blade to banish them back to their realm they can come straight back."

I was now standing directly in front of the Consul, daring her with my eyes.

"They will keep coming, over and over. Until everyone and everything you love is dead."

Expectantly the other's had fallen silent under my ultimatum, all except one.

"Well sister, I bloody hope there is a 'but' coming soon."

I turned back to the table to meet Jonathan's gaze, his eyes full of faith and confidence.

"Yes. There is only one way to destroy a Mortal Instrument, by using another."

Twisting to Jace I saw him realise what I was about to ask of him, though he did not seem fearful, rather he looked understanding of it.

Seeing this made it much easier to say it out loud,

"Jace will have to wield Mataellarch and destroy the Cup, it is the only way."

{Celine's POV}

When Clary had explained that Jace was to be the one to destroy the Cup I froze, my hands stiffening by my side.

"No."

I spoke aloud, Jace put a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"Mum, i-"

"No Jace, you are just a boy. How could you ask this of my son? To go up against the most notorious enemy known to Nephilim. He could be killed,"

I shouted at Clary, who's expression remained still.

"Jace is more than qualified to drive a sword through a cup. Besides, I will be with him."

Her voice was crisp, crisp like a fresh autumn morning, but without the satisfying crunch of the leaves.

"That, that is supposed to make me feel better?"

I thought I saw a shimmer of amusement flicker in her eyes, but it was gone so fast I couldn't tell if it was ever really there.

"Yes it should, I am most qualified to protect your son."

Her words hung in the air, issuing a challenge - and as much as I wished to retort, I knew she was right. Clary's abilities could not be matched.

{Jace's POV}

I could have cut the tension in the air with a knife, I feared my mother might begin attacking Clary.

Yet she simply turned on her heel and left the room.

"Clarissa, how long do you estimate we have until Valentine will arrive?"

The Consul's voice penetrated the empty air.

"We will have tonight. I suggest you recall all available shadowhunter to Alicante, you will need all the numbers you can get. Jace and I will have to leave at noon tomorrow."

The clarity in Clary's voice made me shudder slightly.

"Why noon?"

I asked.

"Because he will be waiting for us at Lake Lyn, and it's a day's journey at least."

At that the Consul and Imogen left the room speaking in hushed voices about which Institutes to call first.

The adults soon followed suit, leaving myself, Clary, Jon, Izzy and Alec left in the room alone.

Clary placed both hands on the edge of the table and let out a large sigh.

"Bloody hell that was stressful."

She spoke tiredly.

Izzy suddenly burst out giggling, causing a smile to crack across Clary's face.

"What?"

"It's just…"

Izzy had to take a moment to compose herself.

"You haven't been around people much. Yet you still know exactly how to piss them off!"

Izzy explained between giggles, a small smirk tugged at my lips - for I knew Izzy was 100% accurate.

Clary let out a noise halfway between a laugh and a sigh.

"I've just never had to deal with adults before really, they do seem like such a drag though,"

She explained,

"Were there no adults there at the Manor with you then?"

Jon asked curiously.

I tensed ever so slightly, I knew that Clary was not a big fan of discussing her previous home - specifically her father.

"Uh, well yeah there was loads. But they all took orders from me, rather than giving me orders."

She clarified, I willed the other's to stop asking questions; I could see that Clary's face was darkening slightly at the mention of her former home.

Yet of course, Izzy could not hold her tongue,

"You gave adults orders?"

Izzy questioned dramatically,

"That's just the way it was, everyone answered to my… Valentine. Therefore they answered to me also because I was his daughter."

The others finally stopped asking questions then, noticing how Clary spoke of being her father's daughter in the past tense.

{Clary's POV}

Recognising the awkward silence in the room, an idea popped into my head.

"Anyone fancy training? We still have half the day left,"

I smiled when I saw Izzy's face light up.

"I'm in. I will learn how to fall from 30 feet if it bloody kills me. Come on."

The determination in her voice made me laugh softly, Izzy grabbed my sleeve and walked toward the door - half dragging, half guiding me in the right directions.

I could hear 3 sets of footsteps behind me that let me know Jace, Alec and Jon would be joining us.

~ time skip ~

Once we had arrived at the training room I was obligated to jump off the 40 foot platform so Izzy could 'analyse'.

"Go on Clary, I need to watch you again."

She yelled at me from down below, I let out an exasperated groan in reply.

Closing my eyes I walked to the edge of the platform and exhaled calmly, then I leaped away from the surety of solid ground and was met with the comfort of fast moving air.

My eyes remained closed the entire time, I preferred to use my other sense rather than sight.

The second I felt the ground I threw my body forwards and connected with the ground smoothly, rolling from a crouched position to a standing one.

I looked over to Izzy once more,

"Your turn"

I spoke as sweetly as I could, causing her to frown and walk towards the stairs to the platform.

"I think you could've gone higher."

A soft yet taunting voice whispered in my ear, Jace.

"Oh yeah, off you go Blondie."

I whispered back, causing him to go silent. Only momentarily.

"Well, hand to hand combat is my speciality. Fancy a round?"

He countered, I turned around to meet his gaze this time.

"I hope you enjoy getting knocked on your ass."

I smirked back, so we jogged to the weapons wall.

"Jace, you should use Maellartach. Get used to the feel of it before tomorrow,"

I explained, Jace nodded and picked up the powerful sword.

I searched the stands for Heosphorus, and my heart did a little leap one I saw the blade sitting apart from the others - but still there.

Flicking it up I caught it in the other hand easily, feeling the perfect weight of the blade in my palm.

Facing Jace I smirked,

"Don't hurt yourself ok?"

{Jace's POV}

I crouched down low into my fighting stance, Clary began walking in a circle - I mirrored her every step so she was always in my view line.

She lazily swung her blade at head height, which I easily blocked with Maellartach.

"Not bad"

She gloated, I knew she was goading me so didn't respond.

In a fast set of movements I lashed out with my sword, carving through the air at her sides. Clary, now being forced to focus into the fight matched me blade for blade.

Grabbing my wrist suddenly she pulled me behind her roughly, taking advantage of suddenly being behind her I whipped Maellartach towards Clary's midsection. In complete awareness she snapped her sword behind her to block me with ease.

Placing two hands on the hilt of her sword and driving it into mine she grinned,

"Not bad...Not as fluent as me, but not bad."

I couldn't take it any longer, I knew Clary was taunting me but I didn't care if I was playing into her hands.

I was going to use the move she had used on me at the hotel when we first met.

Spinning I threw the blade from my right hand to my left and distracted Clary by swinging Maellartach blindly, leaving me enough time to catch at her sword and spin along it.

"Gotcha,"

I breathed into her face.

"Copycat."

She whispered back.

{Clary's POV}

Noticing that Jace had let his guard down I hooked my leg behind his and pushed him to the floor. Landing on top of him for a second I flipped off and pointed Heosphorus down at his neck.

"You give yourself way too much credit."

I taunted him, but allowed him to jump up and regain his weapon.

{Jace's POV}

I grabbed Clary's arm and pulled her close to me, preparing to knock her off balance, instead she flipped over me and began lashing out her blade at me.

Something was wrong.

Her sword was moving in a blur and I was only just able to block off her viscous sword movements.

I looked into her eyes and saw black.

"Clary?"

I called her name, but she didn't hear me. Her strikes were becoming ever more dangerous, and I could no longer meet them.

Maellartach was too late to meet Heosphorus and Clary sliced a deep cut into my shoulder.

A shivering pain sounded through my shoulder, the wound was a deep one.

Clary's eyes remained a fathomless black, she moved to strike at me again - this one closer to my heart.

Suddenly two familiar pairs of arms wrapped around Clary - Jon and Alec.

Dragging her backward they were just strong enough to get her away.

I felt Izzy begin an iratze on my upper arm, but my eyes didn't leave Clary.

Something was very very wrong with her.

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Song 19 ~ Do I wanna Know - Arctic Monkeys