Hello again! Round two. Enjoy!
I would love to have a beta. Not really sure how to find one. So, I guess if you're a reader who qualifies I would love to have you. I would really love if you had a open schedule, because mine is crammed tight so I'll be updating at all sorts of hours and times.
I do not own the bold text, that's Cassie's, the characters, Cassie's too, or anything that could possibly be Cassie's. I do however own the somewhat witty and sarcastic remarks her characters make. ;)
.o.O.o.
Beep. Beep! BEEP! I smashed the alarm clock hoping to silence it. I've never been a morning person. I would much rather sleep in or just rest personally, but the Lightwood's were coming back today, so, that's a no go. I groaned and sat up looking at the clock. 5:30! I did NOT set my clock for 5:30! I fell back down and rubbed my face. Who on Earth would be that mean to me! Everyone knows I can't go back to sleep once I'm awake. The cogs slowly started turning in my head. Magnus. Bane. Oh I'm going to kill him when I find him.
I got out of bed furious and went about my normal morning routine. Brushed my teeth, washed my face, pulled back my hair in a way where it seemed the least horrible, put on some clothes and left my room. Only this time I left my room with a blade and my stele out and ready to be used. Magnus was going to pay… somehow.
I decided to start towards the kitchen, other than the fact I needed a meal to start off my obnoxiously early day I was hoping he would be there waiting for me. I drew a rune on the kitchen door and saw Magnus entertaining Church with kitty treats. I smirked. He was gonna get it. I just didn't know what it was. Oh well, now is better than any other time I guess.
I kicked the doors open with a look of vehemence on my face that no one had ever seen the likes of before, glaring at Magnus, blade and stele (which I believe to be worse if I'm the one wielding it) at the ready.
Magnus didn't even glance up. "Good. Now that you're up we can start getting the party ready," Magnus said, still playing with Church.
I blanched. "What?"
He looked to me and smiled, "We're having a 'Welcome Back Lightwoods' party!"
"No, Magnus. We are not."
"Oh Clary dear, yes you're right. We aren't. We plus Luke, your mother, Simon and Maia are though." I dropped my blade and stele into my belt. I knew better than to try to talk him out of this, it didn't go so well when Izzy tried.
"Fine, BUT I want it on the record that I had absolutely nothing to do with this when it blows up in your face. Got it?"
"Fine, fine Clary. All the more fame for the Magnificent Magnus!" Magnus clapped to himself and drug me to the library.
.o.O.o.
I was apparently not the only person Magnus pissed off this morning. The aforementioned list of people were sitting in the chairs looking ready to kill Magnus. Wait a minute. WHY do they all have coffee! I didn't get coffee!
"Hey! Why didn't I get coffee!" I protested at Magnus.
"Well dear, I woke you up last. Consider it their prize for getting here so early!" I groaned and slid next to Simon while Magnus started his longwinded speech about his 'perfect party' and his 'perfect party plan.'
"So when did Magnus collect you?" I whispered to Simon, acting like I was paying attention to Magnus.
"It's not really the 'when' that mattered it's the 'how'" Simon corrected.
"That's got to be a good story."
"You don't know the half of it. He not only woke me up at 3:38 A.M. He did so by pouring slime on me."
"When you say slime…"
"I mean classic Nickelodeon TV show slime." I snickered. At least he was smart enough not to try that with me. Maybe he didn't have a death wish after all.
"Clary!" Apparently my snicker was loud enough to catch Magnus' attention.
"Yes?" I prayed to the Angel he wouldn't make me do anything too drastic.
"Your task is to clean the library. We will be holding the affair here, and frankly right now it looks downright dreary. I refuse to welcome them home in such a place, and it is not 'perfect'" He looked at me expectantly and smiled.
Shit. "Of course Magnus." I knew better than to piss him off when he had one of his 'perfect plans going.
He clapped and dismissed everyone to do their chores. He ran out the door to do something and everyone else started to get moving after grumbling about sparkly warlocks.
.o.O.o.
HA! DONE! Magnus had underestimated me. I made a cleaning rune that banished all the filth the library had been holding. I smiled to myself as I looked around. It looked 'perfect.' Maybe I could sell the use of that rune… I'd certainly be rich enough. But I don't really think that's aloud so…
I bit my lip, Magnus had allotted me two hours extra to do this, and I was to find him at the end of that time. All I had to do now was stay in the library until my two hours were up. Now what…
I decided to look back in the secret compartment that I found the book in to see if there was anything else left there. I mean, I might as well, I've got two hours to kill… I walked across the library and took the bookless book, as I had named it, off of the shelf placing it on top of another stack of books. I opened the compartment and couldn't see anything.
Well, that sucks. I grabbed the witchlight Jace had given me out of my pocket and held it near the opening. The space wasn't too big, however I couldn't see that much of it. I was about to give up and go find Magnus but I saw a glimmer out of the corner of my eye.
Darned shortness! I couldn't see what it was. I put the witchlight down and ran to get a chair to stand in. I jumped into the chair and snatched the witchlight again, causing it to glow. I pushed my hand into the space and looked for whatever the source of the glimmer was. I switched my hands to see from a different angle, but found nothing.
Angel! There was something in there and I knew it. I slammed my fist against the shelf and plopped into the chair. I decided that it was probably the lack of sleep playing tricks on my mind; I mean there was a soft ticking noise, almost like a small heart beating, but that had to be in my mind too. Or I was just numb to the clock in the library and it seemed softer now.
I sighed and closed to compartment, placed the bookless book into its spot and returned the chair to its place. I checked the clock, 7:49, almost time to go find Magnus. Might as well go now. I heard the ticking again. Confused I looked towards the clock. It wasn't that clock…
Figuring it was the fact I had gotten basically no sleep the previous night I shrugged it off and went to find Magnus.
.o.O.o.
"Magnus!" I turned again at the ticking noise but found nothing. That was getting annoying fast.
"Clary!" Magnus looked as if someone had beaten him with a wooden board.
"Magnus? You okay?"
"What? Oh, yes, yes perfectly fine little shadowhunter." He smirked, "I thought I wouldn't be seeing you for a while. Is the library clean?"
It was my turn to smirk. "Yes, it's 'perfect.'"
"Oh, well then." He looked saddened. He had most likely wanted me to suffer more than I did. "I guess you can go get ready. They should be here in an hour or two…"
"Alright." I turned and walked out the door closing it swiftly behind me so he wouldn't change his mind.
Thunk.
What was that?
I opened the door again to find Magnus looking highly uncomfortable. "Did you throw something at the door?" I asked slightly astonished.
"Yes, yes I did. I did not like that streamer one bit, it would have ruined everything."
I gave him an unsure glance, I could tell he was lying, "Oh kay…?" and left again. There was not a streamer on the ground… What the heck Magnus?
.o.O.o.
We were all sitting in the library waiting for our friends to get back just talking amongst ourselves promptly at nine 'o clock when Magnus entered and pulled me away from the group to talk.
"Clary." He whispered a short, clipped tone.
"Yes." I whispered back the same way.
"There is no need for rude tones here little girl!" I rolled my eyes. "I helped you! Look," he revealed a small figure to me. It was an angel with eyes like crescent moons. It wore a willowy dress and held a sword. Through its wings wove a chain, so as to wear it as a necklace. I thought I heard the ticking again.
"Magnus, what is that?" I asked intrigued and confused.
"This is a piece of clockwork. I saw it following you around earlier and decided to see if it meant any harm. It seems to be perfectly fine though. So I thought you should have it seeing as it particularly likes you." He said handing it to me while walking back towards the others.
"Wait!" I spat and jogged to meet him. "How can this thing 'like' me?"
"Clary you of all people should know not to ask questions; just let it be. It is no danger to you alright." He said in a voice mixed with finality and exasperation walking back towards the party.
"Alright then, thank you Magnus. It's quite beautiful." I said as I followed him placing it around my neck. He didn't reply.
.o.O.o.
The Lightwoods had arrived hours ago; it had taken them forever to realize that there were people there. They were quite intrigued about how clean the library was. Turns out, they had never seen it that clean. I'll admit. I was smug about that. Robert and Maryse and Luke and Jocelyn had left long ago leaving the 'younger ones' alone. That earned them a rather snarky comment from Magnus. Which earned him one from Jocelyn.
I had been waiting to share the book with the rest of the gang, but I felt the need to wait for Magnus to leave. I felt sure that he had reacted strangely because of the little Clockwork Angel. Oh. My. Angel! How stupid am I? This is what the book is about! My hand reached to feel the angel as I had my small epiphany. Now I was even antsier about getting the gang to read the book. I felt a hand slide across my back stopping as it wrapped around my waist. Looking up I saw my favorite thing on the planet.
Jace Lightwood, I still firmly believed that was the best last name for him, was the best thing to ever happen to me for so many reasons. He had pissed me off and hurt me more than any other person on this planet had or could ever, but he made up for it by being my joy in life. I realized I had been staring when I saw the smirk form on his lips.
"Take a picture, it'll last longer." He jested.
"Well that wasn't original Jace. I had expected better of you." Full on knowing if I said I hadn't been staring all hell would break loose. Then everyone would know I had been staring at my boyfriend, not that this wasn't old news or anything. I often got caught. Somehow I wasn't too embarrassed.
"Well…"
"Oh shush! You don't have a comeback and you know it." I pressed sticking out my tongue. He rolled his eyes and gave up. He pulled me closer to the others and we apparently came into a conversation regarding the two of us because they stopped when we arrived.
"I know I'm a God and all, but you may continue to talk in my presence, though I understand if you are speechless. I tend to do that to people." Jace said dryly. Resulting in glares and a slap from me.
"Clary," Isabelle muttered smirking, "I thought I told you to keep a muzzle on him!"
"I tried, however, it didn't go too well I…"
"OH MY GOODNESS! Just stop there please!" Simon interrupted looking distraught.
Magnus, Maia, and Jace snickered.
"It wasn't that bad of a story" I aimed at him.
"Well it was good enough for me." Said a sickened Simon.
"Well now Simon, you should be used to these things dating Isabelle and all. The party is boring me now." Magnus declared rising from his seat next to Alec, "Alec and I are leaving. Good night everyone!" Alec was dragged from his seat and out the room to Angel knows where by Magnus. I didn't envy him, whatever Magnus had planned could not go well.
I shuddered earning a look from Jace. "I'm worried for him too. Last time Magnus had to make up for his being away… I'll put it this way for Simon's sensitive ears."
"HEY!" Simon protested like a child.
Jace smirked continuing, "We didn't see him for a few days. Now what was wrong with that Simon?"
"Nothing, that's why I said 'HEY.'"
"Oh, I thought you were saying hello, my bad." Jace quipped.
"He is so annoying, how do you put up with him Clary?" Simon glared at her as if his pain was her fault. It pretty much was though, so, she couldn't blame him.
"Because I love him." Clary smiled. Jace smirked and placed his arms around her. Simon looked defeated. Izzy just snickered.
"Well," Maia said, "I have stuff I gotta do. Plus it's getting late. I'll catch you all later."
She earned several mutters of farewell and sure thing as she walked out the door. Clary took this as her opportunity to show them her discovery.
"I'll be right back!" she shouted as she ran out the door, leaving behind her three very shocked and confused people. She ran out the library door and through the Institute all the way to her room where she barreled through her door, her eyes searching the space for her book. "AH HA!" she muttered to herself reaching and grabbing it with her left hand. She ran back to the library, hurled herself through the door and locked it behind her. She was quite proud of herself; she wasn't even out of breath.
"I have something that I wasn't to show to you all." Clary stated.
"I couldn't tell, there's not anything in your hand you know." Jace retorted smirking.
"Oh just shut up and let me talk Jace." Clary snapped, earning a few 'ohs' from Isabelle and Simon. Jace's smirk vanished as signaled for her to continue.
"Unless anyone else has something to say I'll start now," she looked at the three of them pointedly daring one of them to speak. "Good, now yesterday, before Magnus took over the Institute, I was insanely bored and wondering about the library. I happened upon a bookless book."
"Wait, a book can't be bookless." Simon exclaimed. She shot him a glare and he shut up raising his arms in defeat.
"As I was saying, I happened upon a bookless book. I thought it was quite odd that we had a book with no title and no pages. So, I looked around the self behind it and found a secret compartment."
"Oh! What was in it? Treasure?"
"JACE! Shut. Up." Clary roared. Everyone looked slightly scared for their lives. "The next person that interrupts is going to be in a world of pain. Got it?" I looked at them with an expression of annoyance. "Good. In that compartment was this book." I said holding up her discovery. "I haven't ready it yet," I fibbed, she hadn't read almost all of it yet. But they didn't need to know that.
"Of course you have," Isabelle said. "You may not have finished, but you've read part of it. You're a horrid liar Clary."
I blanched, "Fine, I've read almost none of it. I didn't even get through the prologue. I thought you would all like to read it with me."
"Can't you read Clary?" Jace jovially asked?
"Yes, I can, but I figured you of all people would want to read it considering that one of the people I read about last night is named William Herondale?" Jace when white. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"
"No, Clary, you just one upped him, he isn't very used to this, though he should be. Give him a moment to provide a stupid comeback. But, we would love to read this book. Especially now. Is Jace anything like ol' William?" Simon piped up.
"Oh, I don't know Simon. You'll have to read to find out if I'm like my great… great great?" Jace trailed off slightly confused.
"How old is it Clary," Isabelle inquired looking at the book I held in my hands.
"1878."
"Well then, I… nosegoes reading first!" Simon yelled.
.o.O.o.
So the next one is going to be the four of them and the Prologue. Excited yet? :)
Review if you wish. I'm not gonna beg for them.
Any questions? Feel free to ask me. E-mail, PM, comment. Doesn't matter I'll answer you.
Mezza