Happy (late) New Years! I hope you all had a great holiday and 2013. I can't believe break is almost over! I still have to do an English project that I only did like a third of so far. Whoops.

Thank you guys for already 60 follows in 5 chapters! I hope you guys like this one. I will make the next chapter longer (because I have some ideas but I don't have to put them in there) if I get 5 or more reviews!

LuminousFishy: I got that quote from Paper Towns.

Chapter 6

(Jace's pov)

"THEY WHAT!"

Yup. That was my wake up call for the day. I was sleeping sound fully when a shriek vibrated through the walls. It was the queen of course. Realizing I would not be able to fall back asleep, I got up.

Now, at breakfast, the queen was having a rant. Where as I, just wanted to eat my pancakes in peace. "I can not believe this. I just can't. How dare they? I need extra security around here or else heads will roll."

To make her point more dramatic she stabbed a grape that was on her plate with a knife. Many, including me, winced at the gesture. Apparently, last night the village was saved by some secret do-gooders. During the night someone gave back the money that was supposed to go to the queen from taxes. Now, while the village people rejoiced, we had to listen to the queen yell her head off.

To be honest I didn't like it either. With every word the queen said I got more ticked off. At the people and the queen. Then it clicked.

(a) The gold was taken by bandits. (b) the bandits are the only people who could have said gold. (c) they must've returned it. For reasons, I'm not sure. And (d) I have a feeling I know the culprit.

"Ahem," I said to get her attention. "I believe I know who did this."

"You do?" one of the queens officials said.

"Well it's quite obvious. The money was taken by thieves, so they are the only ones who must have it. These thieves are the only ones who could have given it back."

"Do you think they are the same people who mugged us and raided the party?" Magnus asked.

I smirked. "I don't think. I know. It's The Midnight Bandits."

"What do you suspect we do then?" someone asked, as if questioning if I really had a plan. Which I did.

"I say I lead a small army into the woods, where I believe the thieves are hiding. They always attack first, so we can seem like a group traveling but we actually plan on infiltrating them. We'll bring them in for punishment," I said with authority. I even pounded my fist on the table for effect.

"How do we know you wont fail? We've never been able to capture them before."

"Ah but this time we'll be ready. The other attacks were surprises, but this time. We'll. Be. Ready."

I noticed the queen hadn't said anything yet. Everyone turned to her in suspense. "I suppose that's good plan," she lazily said.

Everyone started discussing the plan. It was decided that I will led a group of 14 men (15 including me) into the woods. I suspected their hideout was about two miles into the woods, so the trek wouldn't take long. We were to capture them and bring them back to the castle to be punished.

Smirking at our brilliant plan, I walked towards the door to get ready. Then the queen stopped me, a fiery look in her eyes. "Do not fail me, Mr. Herondale."

I walked away without another word. This made me worry. I hadn't been able to defeat the red head before, what makes me think I will this time? I shook my head. No use thinking like that, I thought. I just need to focus. I was slightly giddy. I'll get to see her again. Clary looked beautiful in her dress the night of the party. Her red hair seemed to pop out of her black dress. And the way her green eyes contrasted with the gold mask-

"JACE!" I was snapped out of my reverie when Magnus yelled my name. "Look I know you're excited, but can you at least pay attention?"

"Yes, yes," I waved my hand.

"I don't think I'm coming." I opened my mouth to protest, but he cut me off. "I've never been the fighter. You have always been. I'm more of the plan maker and you know it."

I gave him a sad smile. I knew he was right. "Okay, I'll be back by sun down. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get ready." I dressed myself in the clothes the servants left for me and attached my trustee sword to my belt.

There was a knock at my door. A servant pocked her head through the door. "They're ready for you sir."

Upon exiting the castle, I was immediately blasted by the heat. The queen said the men she was giving me were her top fighters. I hope their enough for Clary and her "friends" or whatever she calls them.

I heard a twig snap. My senses turned up. "Did you hear that? Get ready."

Another snap. I turned in the direction of the sound. Snap. It's getting closer, my heart is pounding in my chest. Snap.

"Show yourself!" I yelled into the trees. Sweat rolled down my forehead to my chin.

A rabbit jumped into the clearing. I heard a few chuckles, but mostly sounds of relief. Along with me.

Everything was eerily silent. It was like the world turned the volume on mute. The only thing I could hear was my heartbeat in my chest.

After a moment of silence I heard a bird whistle. A simple three noted sound. I looked down as a some sort of dirt clump came to a stop at my feet. Before I was able to make any thing of it erupted into a sea of smoke with a tiny poof.

(Clary's pov)

I was sitting in the kitchen with everyone, talking about random things, when Max showed up out of nowhere.

"Jeez, Max! Don't do that!" I yelled. I hate it when he snuck up on me.

"Shhh! Listen there are about 15 men out there wearing royal guard clothing. What should we do?" Max said sounding out of breath.

"Calm down. Let's think about this," I said.

"Yeah, I think we should stay hidden and wait till they leave," Simon said.

"I don't know. It sounds like a good opportunity to me."

"No! You always do things without thinking," Alec yelled.

"You just want to go because that cute blonde is probably there," Izzy said.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah okay Izzy," I said sarcastically. "Max said there's only 15. We can take them!" I even gave them a puppy dog face.

I turned to Luke, he was pretty much our leader since he's the oldest. He sighed, "I agree with Clary. Suit up everyone."

"Yes!" I exclaimed.

Once suited up we assumed our positions. Simon stepped on a twig and I heard the group gasp and a familiar voice said to get ready. The one and only Jace Herondale. I smirked, time to play.

Just to tease them, I broke a twig in two. Another gasp. I saw Simon pick up my game. He broke another stick.

"Show yourself!" I heard him yell.

I snapped one more for suspense. Then we were absolutely silent. We bandits knew how to control our breathing, but the small army didn't. The only thing I heard was their sharp intakes of breaths.

Max gave the signal from the trees. A three noted whistle. To my right Luke rolled a smoke bomb into the clearing.

Then a small poof! was heard and chaos was everywhere. The men were yelling to another and coughing from the smoke. I guess it was like cheating to do this, but hey we do what we have to do to survive. I ran in knocking anyone I saw into unconsciousness. It was really easy, actually. Since they were disoriented I just slammed the hilt of my sword into their head.

I should probably feel bad, but I don't. The woman that sent them here was the one that wanted me dead. Again.

The smoke went down and now it was only up to my calves. I surveyed what was happening. There were three men left. Everyone was fighting someone in pairs, so it wouldn't take long. The only one not in battle was Jace.

(3rd person pov)

Jace was looking around frantically at his fast dwindling numbers. Clary decided that now would be a good time to attack. Jace saw Clary running towards him and barely had enough time to block her first strike.

Simon and Max was having difficulty with this guy. But right when he laughed at Max for being just a child, Max got mad. Like a whirlwind he ran in a circle until he was behind him. Max slammed the flat of his sword onto the man head, causing him to collapse.

"Nice one," Simon said. Of course, they shared a high five.

Alec just wanted to take this guy down with an arrow already. It would be easy to just shoot an arrow through his heart, but noooo. Izzy doesn't want to kill our victim, only knock him unconscious. At least he was able to inflict some cuts with his sword.

When Izzy kicked him the chest, he was done. He fell to the dirt and didn't get up. Alec turned to his sister and they smiled at each other.

Jocelyn thought Luke and her made a good team. One of us would take a strike and then another. They were both surprised that this guy was still holding up. They looked at each other and made a silent agreement. The only way to take him down is together. They both slashed at his legs, but not so much that they were severed.

He clutched his bleeding legs and fell to the ground. "Well that was fun," Jocelyn said. Luke laughed. Luke look around him all of them were unconscious except the blonde one. He and Clary were fighting.

"Do you think we should help her?" Simon said. They all watched as Jace ran towards Clary, at the last moment she tripped him. Making him fall right on his face.

"Nah, I think she's good."

Jace quickly got up from the ground. His nose was bleeding. "Had enough, Herondale?" Clary said mockingly. Jace didn't answer her, he charged again. The rest of them watched in awe as Clary slashed him in the cheek, then the arm and finally his leg. He fell to his knees.

She knew he wouldn't be able to put up a fight anymore. "Stand up and fight, royal," I spat anyway.

Jace knew he was almost beaten, so he took one last desperate swing, which she lazily blocked. He fell to his knees again in exhaustion.

"Why do you have to be so darn cute?" Clary said before kicking him in the back.

On his face, the last thing he heard was the sound of cheering.

Yay long chapter! Well long compared to my other chapters. That was actually the longest chapter I've written XD

After writing like half of that last part I realized I was writing a kind of mix of the first PJO movie and Mirror Mirror fighting scene. Hahah. Sorry if Alec seems a little OOC with being so mad and stuff. That will go away.