Hey, there, sorry it took me so long to update. I got pretty busy due to college/exams and the like. By the time I came home for summer, I sort of forgot I had this thing going. I actually wrote this a while ago, but forgot to update it. Sorry! Chapter 8 coming soon as well!

Jace slammed the door of his bedroom shut that night. Clary flopped down on Jace's bed and watched him pace back and forth across the room. Jace wanted to go after Valentine, but of course, the Lightwoods said "no."

"We'll lock you in if we have to," Robert had said sternly.

"But he's my father!" Jace had argued. "I have to go after him!"

"Jace, when will you grow up and stop being so selfish?" Maryse scolded harshly.

"I'm not doing this for me!" Jace yelled back. "I'm doing this for Imogen!"

"The Clave will handle it."

"No, they won't! They're all too afraid of Valentine!"

"I'm going to speak to the Clave in Alicante," Robert said. "I'll make sure the Clave takes care of this."

"I'll come with you," Jace declared.

"No. You'll stay at the Institute."

Clary rolled her eyes as Jace beat his fist on the wall. "There's nothing you can do, Jace," Clary said. "It's three in the morning, and you should sleep. Besides, Maryse and Robert said the Clave will take care of it."

"But they won't!" Jace cried. "There's so much I can do, but the Lightwoods won't let me." Jace continued pacing the room. "I'm just going to leave then."

"Leave?" Clary asked. "Where are you going to go? Idris?"

"Maybe. Valentine's looking for the Mortal Glass, so he might be somewhere in Idris."

"I want to come with you."

"No."

"What? You keep complaining that the Lightwoods won't let you go!"

Jace turned on his red-headed sister. "Clary, you're barely a Shadowhunter! You don't know anything about Idris, about our world."

"But I have to go! I have to find Ragnor Fell for my mom."

"The Lightwoods are already planning to go. Go with them. I'm going after Valentine by myself."

"Why do you have to go alone?"

"Because he's my father. I know him."

"He's my father too."

"But you don't know him."

"Jace, if you go, I'm going with you," Clary said stubbornly, her jaw set.

Jace sighed stressfully. "Fine. I won't go. Happy now?"

Clary frowned. "Why should I trust you?"

"I'm your brother."

Clary sighed and rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I'm going to bed." She stood up and headed for the door.

Jace grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards him. He held her close and kissed her, cradling the back of her neck in his hand. Clary shoved him away.

"Jace, what are you-" Clary's mouth kept moving, but no sound was made. She gaped incredulously at Jace as her body went rigid from an immobilization Rune.

"I'm sorry, Clary," Jace apologized and lifted the stele from her neck. He drew another Rune on Clary's forehead, and she immediately fell into a deep sleep. Jace laid her on the bed and began shoving clothes into a backpack. He grabbed his witchlight on the way out of the room and sprinted to Imogen's room down the hall. He quickly slipped into the room and went to wake Imogen. As if she could sense his presence, Imogen woke and sat up as Jace turned on the light. She gave him a confused look as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

"Up and at 'em, kid," Jace said breathlessly. "We're going to Idris."

Imogen's violet eyes widened. Jace picked up Imogen's backpack from where it lay in front of her closet and tossed it to her.

"Come on!" Jace urged. "We need to go." When Imogen didn't move, he added, "Now!"

Imogen gave Jace a questioning look as if asking, "Why?"

"The Lightwoods are asleep, and Clary's asleep. I'm sure even Church is sleeping. Look, I found out that Valentine, my father, is your master. We have to go after him."

Imogen shook her head violently.

"Why not? Don't you ever want to be free?"

Imogen stared at him with pity.

"Why are you giving me that look? I'm not stupid. I know I hardly stand a chance against Valentine, but I won't be alone, granted that you come with me. Together, we can take him."

Imogen shook her head again, but this time burst into tears. Jace took Imogen's trembling hands. "Imogen, you can't sit around and wait in hiding until Valentine dies. You can't live as a slave on the run for the rest of your life. And don't you want to avenge the murders of your family? Imogen, you're an Adaire. You're the last descendent of the greatest warrior clan known to Shadowhunters." Imogen covered Jace's mouth with her hand. Jace grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away.

"Stop that. Listen to me. I know you don't want to face Valentine. I almost don't want to either. But we have to. You won't be alone. I'll always be beside you. I'll never leave you alone, I promise. Imogen, are you with me?"

The seconds ticked by like hours as Imogen stared at the floor. Then finally, she lifted her face to meet Jaces eyes and nodded. Jace smiled.

'Then let's go."

Robert sat down on the edge of the king-sized bed and rubbed his temples. He still hadn't changed out of his day clothes. He'd been too stressed to do anything other than pace across the room, rubbing his chin. He was leaving for Alicante in the morning to speak to the Clave about Valentine and the slave, Imogen. He also couldn't help but think about Jace, who was almost like another son to Robert. Robert knew that letting Jace go after Valentine would be suicide, but at the same time, something didn't feel right. Jace didn't want to go after Valentine for selfish, personal reasons. Rather, he felt obligated to help a friend.

"Robert, you need to sleep," Maryse said from the other side of the bed.

"I know, but I can't stop thinking. There's too much to think about. I know we can't let Jace hunt down Valentine, but somehow I feel like we should."

"How could you say that?" Maryse exclaimed. "You know sending Jace after Valentine is absolutely out of the question. Jace doesn't stand a chance. Valentine will kill him. Or worse, he could turn Jace against us."

"Do you really have that little faith in Jace's loyalty?" Robert demanded.

"No, but I don't dare underestimate Valentine's power of persuasion, especially if he has leverage."

"What kind of leverage?"

"The fact that he's Jace's father. Also, Valentine has complete control over Imogen. We both know how much Jace cares for that girl. He'll do anything to save her."

"Yeah, I know." Robert signed. "I'm going to the library."

"Why?"

"Maybe some light reading will put my mind at ease so I can sleep," Robert said, standing up.

"Maybe you should go check on Jace and make sure he hasn't run off."

Robert shook his head. "Jace is too smart. He wouldn't dare run off while we're still suspicious that he might."

"You're right, Jace is too smart. What if he knows that we think he's too smart to run off while we still may be suspicious of him running off, so we won't bother checking on him, and he actually does run away tonight?"

Robert chuckled. "Fine, I'll go check on him if it makes you feel better."

"It would," Maryse smiled.

After kissing his wife on the forehead, Robert left the room and started walking toward Jace's room.