Chapter 5: Freeing Angels
Jace_
I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding when Clarissa opened her eyes. Her beautiful emerald eyes met mine. "Why did you go after it…" I whispered to her.
"I knew where it was. I had too," she replied as her lips quirked up to a sly smile. I shook my head and hugged her loosely.
"You should of taken me with you." I could feel all of her blood seeping into my shirt then finally hitting my skin. I felt Clarissa burry her face in the crick of my neck. I smiled and gently rubbed the placed of her back that hadn't been scarred. I was curious where she was going, but I though just for some air. Not to go after the cup. I held Clarissa a little tighter and I felt her flinch. I loosened my grip and gently picked her up like a bride. I began carrying her to the infirmary as everyone followed very close behind me.
I carefully placed her on the bright white sheets of the white bed. Some of the cuts were so bad they were at least 2 ½ to 3 inches wide. Isabelle ran out of the room and across the hall. She came back with multiple bandages, creams, and a couple different bottles of pills. She pushed me out of the way so I jogged to the other side of the bed. I took Clarissa's hand in mine and stroked my thumb across her smooth skin. I gulped hoping she was ok.
I watched Isabelle rub a white cream all over each cut and could fell how tensed Clarissa was. She gritted her teeth as Isabelle touched all the wounds. It was painful to watch, but I had seen very bad, worse than this.
Clary_
Each time Isabelle had touched a wound on my body it stung, but cream isn't going to get rid of the scars that will be left either. I was calmer than I would have been if Jace wasn't with me. If he wasn't there I would be screaming my head off. Isabelle had finally finished with the 6 tubes of cream and began to wrap me all in bandages. I flinched a couple more times and felt Jace tighten his grip on my hand. Isabelle finally finished and everyone surrounded the now red, bloody bed. Maryse pushed her way through everybody and motioned them to get out of the room. She closed the door when everyone was out. "Sephina, or should I say…Clarissa Morgenstern," she started. "I'm going to need you to leave. When you heal I want you out. I will not tell anybody you were here and I will not mention you to anybody, but I want you out. I do not want my family to be put in danger because you live here…and by the looks of it, Jace would do anything for you."
"Fine. I'll be out in the next 10-30 minutes," I responded kindly even though I wanted to rip her head off. After all, I did get the Mortal Cup for them and it almost killed me. She's lucky I've been through stuff like this before or I'd be dead. Maryse nods and walks out of the room without another word. I sit up and a sharp pain goes through my back. I grit my teeth and slowly stand up. At the corner of my eye I saw the cup. I limped over to it and took it off of it's stand. I peered out of the door and saw nobody. I quickly limped to my room as fast as I could.
I started to peel the wraps off from me and it stung, but I didn't care. I took a dark brown leather bag, put the cup inside it and grabbed a stele. I walked out of my no longer room and limped downstairs. I noticed everybody in the kitchen, everybody except Jace. I took a big breathe and slowly let it out. I turned to the door and pulled on the handle when someone put their hand on my shoulder.
"Where are you going? You can't leave in that condition," the voice said and I knew it was Jace.
I turned and looked at him. "Well, I kinda have to leave," I replied with a fake smirk. Jace took my hand," and why is that?" I wasn't that shocked that Maryse hadn't mentioned our discussion to anybody else. "Maryse didn't tell you? She told me to leave Jace. She said I would put all of you in danger." He shook his head in disagreement. "She wouldn't do that."
"Well, she did. So, I'm obeying her and leaving." I turned back to open the door and Jace pulled me back. He cupped my face in his hand and our faces only had a small gap between us. Jace quickly closed the gap pressing his lips forcefully onto mine. He moved his other hand to my back pressing us closer together. His lips were soft and warm which was unexpected. I ran my hands up to his hair and tugged a little on each golden strand and listened to him moan low in his throat. Jace pushed me back and I hit the door, but without breaking the kiss. All of the whip lashes in my back started to burn, but I ignored it.
He began to move his hands on the inside of my shirt and then someone screamed. I pushed Jace away and met Maryse's gaze. She stomped over to us and pushed Jace out of the way. She got right in my face and angrily whispered," I want you out now! No if and or buts about it, get out…" I gently pushed Maryse out of my face. "Fine. I was leaving anyway," I smirked to her. I got off of the wall and blood was smeared all over.
"Jace, clean this up!" Maryse yelled pointing to the blood covered wall. I opened the door and slowly limped out with a wave to Jace. 'Wow, I just kissed Jace?! Well, he kissed me, but still. I just ugh.' I had no idea where I was going. I had been wondering around about 6 hours and I finally came to an old abandon house about 2 miles out from the city. I slowly opened the door. Torn up pieces of furniture and stuffing from the couch scattered the floor.
Ichor was smeared all over the walls and lashes of demon claws were ripped into the bright yellow wallpaper. I smelled the air, but there were no smells of demon anywhere. I silently walked up the wooden staircase without making a creek. I could hear voices in one of the rooms. I pressed my ear against all the doors until I finally got the right one. "…I think we should just take it by force," a scratchy nasally voice stammered.
"No, we must have this planned out. Now, Jonathan. You know the institute inside and out. Am I right?" another voice came, that sounded like Valentine. My eyes widened and I began listening closer to the conversation. "Of course father," yep, there's Jonathan's voice. 'Just peachy' I mouthed to myself sarcastically. "Now, Jonathan. It will be tricky getting back into the institute. I suggest when everyone is asleep sneak through the back door, or climb into Clarissa's room. I'm sure she will put up a fight to keep the cup, but your stronger than her. Grab the cup and hurry back. We need to do the ritual quickly. I have already sent men to retrieve the Mortal Sword and Mortal Mirror, but most likely will not succeed," Valentine stated with confidence.
"Should I gather the cup tonight father?" Jonathan asked, I could just imagine him smirking with his dark tunnel eyes. I shuttered. I herd footsteps getting closer and closer, but I couldn't tell if they were coming from behind me or if they were coming from the other side of the door. So I slid into the door behind me quietly. I turned around and a faint object was in a dark shadow. I began to walk closer and if became more clear. On the ground held down by manacles attached into the side of the wall and the floor, was an Angel. I gulped. Angel's clothing is usually bright white and glowing with a perfect amount of golden light representing their purity and that they were sent from heaven, but this Angel's clothing was ragged. Dull white pieces ripped and shredded. Dirt, mud, and blood smeared and powdered all over the dull white. Not one bright white glowing splotch anywhere.
I turned around, back to the Angel and saw a white cabinet. I slowly walked to it and opened it up. A key was inside. I took the key and slowly walked back to the Angel. I knelt by him and unlocked his hands. I heard mumbling in the hallway so I hurriedly unlocked his ankles and I stood back up. The Angel looked up at me, "Clarissa Morgenstern," the Angel muffled out almost breathless. "Thank you." He smiled and I smiled back, and with that he was gone. There was no window in the room so I couldn't jump out. I placed my ear against the door. I heard nothing, no mumbling, no footsteps. Absolute silence. I looked under the gap from the door and the floor. I saw nobody. I looked around the small room and saw a long black cloak. I jogged over to it and wrapped it around me then snapped the button for the hood.
I draped the hood over my head and it was enough so you couldn't see my face. I tucked my hair into the cloak so my hair wouldn't show and if someone saw me they wouldn't know who I was. I took a deep breath walked to the door and slowly opened it a smidge. I peeked out and saw nobody. I checked to make sure I still had the cup in my bag. It was still there thankfully. I quietly stepped out of the room and I didn't even bother shutting the door. Just in case it would creek or anything. I began heading downstairs. I was careful not to get caught by any of the other circle members wandering around. I peered around the corner at the end of the stairs and saw nobody, then I felt a hand wrap around my stomach. The touch burnt my skin from the lashes I still had. "You shouldn't be here," the voice said slyly, I could tell it was obviously a man. I pushed his arm off of me, but them he wrapped both around me. My arm and back were burning even more as he pressed my back against him. Luckily my bag hung low enough though, so he didn't wrap his arms around the bag and feel the cup inside.
"I'm gonna have to take you to Mr. Morgenstern kid," he hissed in my ear. I smirked to myself and flipped him over my back throwing him to the ground. 'Never stand on higher ground than your opponent when rapping around them or they have the advantage.' When I had flipped him I could feel the gashes in my back stretch out which made them burn like fire. I gritted my teeth as he fell with a hard thump to the matted carpet. I heard footsteps coming down the stairs and I rushed to the door. I felt a tug at my ankle and I turned back around. The guy I had thrown down was pulling at me where the marks on my ankles had been made from the whip. I kicked his nose hard and he let go. I saw Jonathan at the staircase. His hair was once again snow white and his eyebrows were back to a light almost white, blonde. He looked straight at me," Who are you?" he asked suspicious.
"…I'm your worst nightmare," I responded then left without saying another word. I limped back into the main city and went to a random coffee shop. I sat down, took the hood off, and a bleach blonde haired waitress with dull brown eyes took my order. I ordered a black cup of coffee. She was back in the next 5 minutes and I quickly drank it. Coffee always calmed me down. I sat there for a couple more minutes. Just thinking where I was going to go and how am I going to keep Jonathan away from the institute.
The door to the coffee shop rang and I turned my head in the direction to see who it was, but it was nobody I knew. He was very handsome though. A tall boy about 17 to 18 years old. He had dark brown chocolate hair and golden amber eyes. He had a navy blue v-neck tee and it hugged his body nicely, showing all of his muscles. He looked about to have the same amount of muscle maybe a little more than Jonathan, but he was gorgeous. I finally looked away from him and got back to my thoughts. I thought about just staying at that barn since Valentine had obviously left it, and about the institute I'll have to protect it. Jonathan will try to harm anyone there he can because he thinks I'm there with the cup. I was then pulled back away from my thoughts when a chair squeaked from being pulled out in front of me. I looked up and saw the boy that had walked in a couple minutes ago. "Hey, are you alright?" he asked as I watched him sit down. I sighed and looked down at the table putting my head into my hands.
"I'm fine," I mumbled. I heard him scoot his chair and the scooting got closer and closer so he must be beside me. I looked up at him. He was on the left side of me and the look in his eyes, was worry. He put his hands on the table and folded them together.
He had pianist hands, like Jace's. Not that I paid any attention though. "Your eyes are telling me different. What's wrong? Something is…and yes I know what you are." I jerked my head up I was surprised he could see behind my eyes, but what really shocked me is he said he knows what I am. "What do you mean by, "I know what you are"?" I questioned using quotations around I know what you are. He tipped back a little in his chair.
"You're a shadowhunter I believe…I can tell by the runes. I am also one."
I crossed my arms "Where are your runes I don't see them anywhere?" he turned his body towards mine and pulled down the collar of his shirt a little lower where there was a speed rune. I nodded. "Ok, now, will you tell me what's wrong?" He smirked
"Umm…don't freak out or anything, but my names Clarissa Morgenstern."
His smirk disappeared and he stopped tipping in his chair. He stood up and moved back to the other side of the table. "I thought Clarissa had red hair…"
"I do I was sent on a mission by my father and Jonathan and I dyed our hair. I'm waiting for it to come out. I like my red hair a lot better."
"Won't that blow your cover?" He crossed his arms over his chest, but I could see in his eyes he didn't care.
"Yeah so. I've already gone against my father from trying to get the Mortal Cup. I found out was his real plan was to do with it and I'm not going through with it. Jonathan thinks I'm at the New York institute so he's breaking in tonight, well, going to attempt too anyway." I smirked.
"Ok so your pretty much trying to do what exactly?" He still didn't seem convinced that I was telling the truth.
"Okaay, I was sent here to get the Mortal Cup for Valentine, but when I found out his actual plan I got the cup and am keeping it to myself for now. At least until I know it's safe to return it to Alicante. Jonathan right now thinks I'm staying at the New York institute and he's suppose to break in and take it when nobody else is awake, but I actually got kicked out this morning. Maryse Lightwood who runs the institute said she didn't want me to put her family in danger and I want to make sure I don't. So tonight I will go down there when everyone's asleep and make sure Jonathan stays away."
He uncrossed his arms and put his elbows on the table. "I'll only believe you, if you let me help you with this. Protecting the institute I mean and do you even have the Mortal Cup?"
"Of course." I lifted my leather bag up on the table. "In here."
"May I look?" he asked motioning his hand towards the bad. I nodded and he stood up, opened the bag, then his eyes began to widen. "I believe you," he smiled at me. I stood up," what's your name?" I questioned him taking the bag back around my shoulder.
" Thomas Baxler," he answered with confidence and put his hand out. I shook his hand with a smile. "Well, it's nice to meet you Thomas."
"As you too, Clary."
"Clary?" I was surprised he called me Clary. Everybody called me Clarissa, but Clary did have a nice ring to it.
"Yep, I think Clary, is a good name for you." Thomas pushed his chair in and so did I. We began to walk to the institute and got there after a couple of minutes. "Alright I'll take back, you take the front," I gestured pointing to each of our places.
He nodded and I walked to the back. I gave him the front for a reason, because I knew that Jonathan was taking the back door or a window into my room. I pulled the hood back over my head and sat in the swing by the back of the fence so I cold not only see the entire back, but the side where my old window was too. I had created a rune not to long ago that hidden things. If you put the hidden rune on an object only the person that put it there could see it. I took out my stele and applied the rune to the bag and the bottom of the cup just to be safe.