Asmodues's eyebrows shot up. "What was that?"
Isabelle just seemed to catch on before anyone else. She paled and said, "No, Simon, no!" but Simon went on, his back straight, his chin lifted.
"I also have an immortal life," he said. "Magnus isn't the only one. Take mine; take my immortality."
"Ahhhh," breathed Asmodeus, his eyes suddenly shining. "Azazel told me of you. A vampire is not interesting, but a Daylighter! You carry the power of the world's Sun in your veins. Sunlight and eternal life, that is a power indeed."
"Yes," Simon said. "If you'll take my immortality instead of Magnus's, then I give it to you. I am-"
"Simon!" Isabelle said, but it was already too late.
"I am willing," he finished, and with a glance around at the rest of the group, he set his jaw, with a look that said, I've said it. It's done.
"God, Simon, no," Magnus said.
"I'm only seventeen," Simon said. "If he takes my immortality, I'll live out my life- I won't die here. I never wanted immortality, I never wanted to be a vampire, I never wanted any of it."
"You wont live out your life!" Isabelle screamed. There were tears in her eyes. "If Asmodeus takes your immortality, then you'll be a corpse, Simon. You're undead!"
Asmodeus made a rude noise. "You're a very stupid girl," he said. "I am a Prince of Hell. I can break down the walls between worlds. I can build worlds and destroy them. You think I can't reverse the transformation that Turns a human to a vampire? You think I can't make his heart beat again? Child's play."
"But why would you do that?" Alec said, bewildered. "Why would you make it so that he lived? You're a demon. You don't care-"
"I don't care." Asmodeus nodded in agreement, "But I want. There is one more thing I want from you. One more item to sweeten the deal." He grinned.
"What?" Magnus's voice shook. "What is it you want?"
"His memories."
"Azazel took a memory from each of us, as payment for a favor," Alec said. "What is it with you demons and memories?"
"Human memories, freely given, are like food to us," said Asmodeus. "Demons live on the cries and agony of the damned in torment. Imagine then, how nice a change of pace a feast of happy memories is. Mixed together, they are delicious, the sour and the sweet." He looked around, his cat's eyes glittering. "And I can already tell there will be many happy memories to take, little vampire, as well as the sad ones, like the loss of your little friend, Clary, yes? You are well loved, are you not?"
At the mention of Clary, Simon realised how much his unbeating heart had been hurting. He looked strained, but said, "But if you take my memories, who will I be? I don't-"
"Well," said Asmodeus, "I could take every memory you have and leave you a drooling idiot, I suppose, but really, who wants the memories of a baby? Dull, dull. The question is, what would be the most fun? Memories are delicious, but so is pain. What would cause the most pain to your friends, here?"
"I promised you my immortality, not my memories. You said, 'freely given'-"
"God in Hell, the banality," said Asmodeus, and he moved, as swift as a lick of flame, to seize Simon by the forearm. Isabelle darted forward, as if to catch hold of Simon, and then flinched back with a gasp. A red welt appeared across her cheek. She put her hand to it, looking shocked.
"Leave her alone," Simon snapped, and wrenched his arm out of the demon's grip.
"Downworlder," the demon breathed, and touched his long, spidery fingers to Simon's cheek. "You must have had a heart that beat so strong in you, when it still beat."
"Let him go."
Everyone turned, looking shocked, to see who had spoken. It was Jace. Jace, who had been silent this whole time, quietly grieving Clary. Jace, who had never even really liked Simon much, but now considered him a friend. Jace, who Simon thought still disliked him.
Jace drew his sword. "He is ours, not yours; the Nephilim protects what belongs to us-"
"No!" Simon said. He was shivering all over, but his back was straight. "Jace, don't. This is the only way."
"Indeed it is," said Asmodeus.
"No. It isn't." Jace replied.
Asmodeus laughed. "Oh and I suppose you have a better idea?"
Jace looked at the demon, his eyes completely blank. "Take Simon's immortality as payment for our return to Idris, but as payment for turning Simon back mortal, take my memories instead."
"No!" All of them shouted at once.
"Don't be stupid, Jace," Alec said.
"I'm not. It's better for us all this way. Demons love Shadowhunter memories more than anything, right? Have his immortality and my memories."
"You would really give up your precious memories, Jace Herondale?" Asmodeus said. He sounded as though he didn't quite believe Jace.
"My memories, my life, whatever, it's yours. I give you them freely. I am willing."
"You can't be serious?" Simon said. Isabelle remained silent. She was too distraught to say anything. She just stood, shaking her head. First Clary's death, now the choice between Jace and Simon's memories, it was all too much for her.
"Deal." Asmodeus said with a grin so vile, it sent shivers down their spines, and made Magnus's stomach twist. He let go of Simon, and, just as swiftly as before, grabbed hold of Jace's arm. Jace didn't fight back.
"Please Jace, no," Isabelle finally said. The pain and anger and sorrow in her voice made Jace feel even worse, but for him, this way was the only way. "What would Clary think of this?"
He would not be able to live out a life burdened with the pain he would always be feeling over Clary. He would rather have no memories at all. He couldn't face looking at her, at any of them, so he put his head down.
"Clary isn't here," he said.
Asmodeus clicked his fingers and mist began to circle around Jace and the demon like a small tornado, half-blocking them from view. Shapes began to appear in the mist as it thickened. Images appeared, from different times. Jace with Valentine when he was a child, his first day at the Institute, the day he and Alec became parabatai, meeting Clary for the first time, their first kiss, the moment they found out they were brother and sister, the night he spent in Clary's bed in Alicante, the moment he found out they weren't brother and sister, being brought back to life. Other, darker, memories from his time with Sebastian, his and Clary's first time which had only happened just over 24 hours ago.
All of his memories, his memories of magic, the Shadow World, his family, friends, being drawn out and spun into a skein. It shimmered, as white-gold as daylight. Jace fell to the floor.
Asmodeus clicked his fingers once more. The ground started to shake, and then crack. In seconds, the world went black and they all felt like they had been sucked up the nose of a hoover.
When Isabelle opened her eyes, she saw the floor the Accords Hall, hard marble veined with gold, and then she hit it. The collision was hard, rattling her teeth; she rolled automatically, as she'd been taught, and came to a stop at the side of the mermaid fountain in the center of the room. She stood up and looked around. The room was filled with Shadowhunters staring at her in shock. She ignored them and searched the crowd for the others.
Alec, Magnus and Simon were all stood up too, close by. She strode over to them.
"Gods, are you alright?" she said.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Alec said.
"Me too," Magnus said, in disbelief.
"I'm mortal again," Simon said, his eyes shone with delight. He turned his head and opened his mouth, "Clary I'm-"
He stopped as soon as he realized what he'd said. His head went down as tears started to fill his eyes. He couldn't remember a time when Clary wasn't there for him. Every time he'd had good news, she was the first person to know. Every time he'd been given bad news, she was the first person to know. And now...now he had the best news of his life, and she was gone. Forever.
"Guys.. where is Jace?" Isabelle said. They all looked around, frantic, but Jace was nowhere to be soon.
"I don't know," Alec said, and as soon as he shut his mouth, he fell to his knees, crippled with pain. His shoulder was burning and throbbing like it had never done before. The pain was so immense it brought tears to his eyes, which then proceeded to stream down his face.
"What's happening? What's wrong?" Izzy shouted.
The sharp pains stopped and relaxed in to a slow, less painful, throb. Alec ripped his top off, and Izzy gasped. "Oh, Alec, no..."
The look on his sister's face confirmed his suspicions. Alec craned his neck so that he could see his shoulder. His parabatai rune was glowing, and then, slowly, began to fade.
Alec looked back up at Izzy.
"He's dead."