Chapter 5: Dreams

Clarissa fell asleep fitfully that night. Her thoughts started off on the way Jace had laughed at new name for Maryse. She replayed his small laugh over and over in her head. Every time her heart would beat fast and she would give a smile. She wonder if he liked her. She'd been slightly rude to him. She thought about ways to ask him to walk with her through Central Park. In all the books she'd read, the park was described beautifully. Sebastian, once, told her about an extremely gorgeous place where mundanes didn't go. He said that they sensed the presence of the fae and instinctively avoided.

That led her to thoughts of Sebastian. He was the only kind face she had growing up and, now, people were trying to kill him. She understood that what he has done is terrible and that the things he would do as he became more powerful would be even worse. She had no doubt in her mind that he would become more powerful. She knew he wouldn't stop until he'd reach his goal, whatever it was. She felt so sad thinking about him. She remembered when he'd killed the pet hawk Valentine had given him. That was the first time she realized there was something wrong with him. He'd graduated from birds to people, now. She wondered if she'd ever have her brother back. She recalled the way he was all his life and wondered if she even wanted him back. He'd always been demented. She wondered if she'd end up just like him.

These thoughts carried her off to sleep and leaded her into her dream. She was lying peacefully on the floor of a room she'd never seen before. She moved her hands in front of her eyes to block the stream of sunlight pouring in through the windows. She heard her brothers voice whispering her name and telling her that she needed to get up. She sat up slowly and realized to her left was a door. Standing next in the door frame was her brother. Behind him was a void of pure white. He stepped in and closed the door behind him.

"Hello, sister." he said quietly. He moved to sit next to her on the floor. He hugged her and held her there until he could force himself to let her go. " How are you?"

"I'm okay, brother." She voice sounded so strange to her. It had been years since she heard it. She wondered if it was really hers or a voice her brother had created for her.

Sebastian jumped up, pulling Clarissa with him. He yelled, "I told you I could make it work!" He laughed at his own cleverness. " I said I'd let you talk again and I DID!"

His high of jubilance faded immediately when he saw the look on his sisters face, "Why won't you look at me? Look what I've done for you. Look at this room. It's a haven for us. We can't be tracked here. Soon I'll make it into our own palace. Doesn't that make you happy?

She couldn't bring herself to look into his black eyes. She knew the things he gave her came with a price. She knew someone bought her voice. Someone bought it with their pain and anguish. Why does everything have to have a price?

She rested her head against his chest. "The shadow hunter talk about you. They talk about all the terrible things you've done."

"Don't worry about that, now. I'll explain myself to you soon enough. I have a favor to ask of you first. Watch this."

Sebastian took her hands and held them palms up in front of her. A small, electricity like spark floated up from her skin and came to a rest just above her palm. It tingled like her hands had gone sleep. She closed her eyes lightly, waiting for whatever Sebastian planned for these sparks to do. She heard him giggle at her. The tingle transformed into two different weights.

"Open your eyes. I want you to see your new presents, little sister."

In her left hand was a pad of art paper, and in her left was a pack of pencils.

"You can create wonderful things in this world, Clarissa. This place will be made just as you wish." He stroked her hair. "Do you remember, when you were little and you got mad at Father, and you would scribble those symbols on your coloring books. Do you remember how they just to glow and vibrate with your anger. Do you remember how those scribbles would change emotion based on how you were feeling when you drew them. Would you draw one for me, Clarissa? Draw for me."

She was so confused. She didn't understand why he would want her childish drawings. His grin was so menacing and evil. She stepped away from him and kneeled on the ground. She pressed one of her pencils to the pad of paper and scratched a crude design into it.

Sebastian's grin faded. "Not… No.. Not like that." He knelt down in front of her. "Think of some strong emotion. Something you want. Something you hate. Then draw me a symbol. Don't just move your hand. Make me something."

Clarissa nodded. She thought back to Jace's laugh and his bright smile and the way he took her hand and lifted her from her chair. When she lifted her pencil all the feeling drained from her. She felt so tired she could almost pass out. Sebastian turned the pad towards himself and smiled. "I love you, too"

Clarissa's head spun. Her vision blurred and the room seemed to scene, finally faded, leaving Clarissa alone in her bed in her bedroom.