PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE GOING ON TO THE REST OF THE STORY. Dear Readers, I am very sorry for the mistake I made about vampires drinking shadow hunter blood and the daylight powers. Please excuse any minor errors I make in trying to correct the overall story line.
Chapter 6
Clary awoke to bright beams of sunlight gently brushing her eyelids. She found herself in one of the plain, twin beds of the institute. Putting on a fresh shirt, she got up and padded down the stairs. The sound of stressed voices increased in volume as she drew near the kitchen.
Jace, Isabelle, Simon and Magnus were huddled around the kitchen table. It was Magnus who first noticed Clary's presence.
"Rise and shine, biscuit. Did you have a nice rest?"
Clary smiled half-heartedly, slightly embarrassed that she'd lost consciousness at an important meeting. She went to sit next to Jace, who ruffled her hair.
"Is Alec feeling any better?" Clary asked Isabelle.
"Yeah, he woke up in the middle of the night." Isabelle said. "Nightmares."
Magnus nodded sadly. His attempt at pretending not to care was pitiful, Clary thought.
"Is he still sleeping?"
As if on cue, Alec strode in. Magnus averted his eyes, while Alec poured himself some black coffee.
"Feeling better?" asked Jace.
"Yeah."
Instead of going to sit next to Magnus, Alec plopped down next to Simon, who raised an eyebrow.
As Alec explained the events of the night before, Magnus listened intently, but put on a mask of apathy when Alec was done.
The doorbell rang, and Isabelle disappeared to answer the door.
Jace interjected, "But that wouldn't work, right? The only reason it worked on Simon was because he drank my blood specifically."
"What's so special about your blood?"
Maia strode into the kitchen with Isabelle. She pulled up a chair and looked at Jace.
"I was born with extra angel blood from Valentine's experiments on me while I was still in the womb."
"So it wouldn't work with other Shadow hunters." finished Magnus. "Maureen and Benjamin are still the way they used to be."
Clary poured herself some coffee and forced in down. She didn't know how Alec could tolerate it, but she knew that today she'd need a boost.
Jocelyn and Luke marched into the kitchen, hands intertwined.
"Good morning! How are you guys doing?" Jocelyn asked.
Jocelyn seemed unusually happy, almost giddy. At this moment, with a grin that almost covered her whole face, she seemed so unlike the strict, no-nonsense mother Clary had always known.
No one answered Jocelyn, probably out of surprise, Clary thought.
"I've decided to expand the wedding!" Jocelyn exclaimed. "Come on, let's try on some outfits."
In Clary's old life, she would have dreaded something like this. But in the midst of all of the chaos, she yearned for something remotely normal. Alec, Jace and Simon groaned in unison.
"That sounds like great fun, but I can't go today." said Magnus.
"Why not?" asked Jocelyn. "I want you to be a part of this."
"I'm not too excited about it either," Luke commented, receiving a light punch in the arm from Jocelyn.
"I'll come later," said Magnus, who exited the room quite hastily.
"Okay, let's go." said Clary.
Today was just full of surprises.
As Luke drove to the dress shop, he couldn't help but let his mind wander. While Simon and Clary chattered endlessly in the back, his memories took him to the events of around 7:00 the night before.
He was sitting with Jocelyn, watching a mediocre romantic comedy when his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. He took it out and examined it closely.
Maryse.
"What is it?" Jocelyn asked.
Lightwoods. Whatever Maryse has to complain about, surely it can wait, Luke thought. A few minutes later, it buzzed again, and Luke glanced down at his phone.
You have received one new message.
Come to the institute NOW. This is urgent.
"Jocelyn, I'm going to step out for a minute." Luke said.
"What for?" Jocelyn asked.
"I'm going to run an errand."
When he arrived at the sanctuary, Luke was able to hear hushed, agitated voices through the door.
"We can't keep this from them forever, Maryse." Robert Lightwood said.
"We can keep it from them long enough," Maryse countered. "These children are always meddling in matters that should be addressed by the Clave. The have enough to worry about and many of them should still be in training."
Luke firmly knocked on the door.
"What is it you think we need to keep from them?" he asked when Robert beckoned him inside.
The soundless words of Brother Zachariah crept into Luke's mind. These are no ordinary Shadow hunters. Jace Herondale—
"Lightwood," Maryse interjected.
-and Clarissa Fairchild have powers greater than most people of their kind; more than the average amount of Angel blood flows through their veins, and that could be useful to us against Clary's demon tainted brother. And Simon Lewis is a strange type as well.
"What is it you think we need to keep from them?" Luke asked again.
"Thank goodness, Lucian, you came," Maryse breathed, having just noticing him for the first time.
"Just get to the point,"
Maryse's face turned even graver than before. She'd delicately picked something up from a nearby table and showed them to Luke. He gasped with recognition.
In Maryse's hands was a pair of beautiful angel wings. Luke could tell that they had once been luminous, but since they'd been severed from their owner, their light had died. Luke's brow furrowed.
"How did this happen?"
"They were sent to us by Sebastian," Robert Lightwood said. "Along with this note."
Luke quickly translated the Greek script.
I am coming.
"We have to tell them," he said without hesitation.
"But—"
"I know Jocelyn's daughter as if she is my own." Luke asserted. "And I know that she has a way of knowing things. If we don't tell her, she will find out. And she'll do whatever her instincts tell her to do, no matter how reckless."
It is true, The Silent Brother remarked. Clary very much reminds me of someone I knew during my mortal life, one of her ancestors. She was a natural leader, the first female head of the London institute. The Silent voice sounded wistful. Clary is much the same. She will take matters into her own hands if no one comes to her aid.
"I don't know Clary very well," Robert said. "But I know that she's not the type to just sit back and let the Clave handle things. And her friends will come to her aid, especially Jace."
Maryse sighed in resignation. "When do we tell them?"
"I'll tell Jocelyn when I get home and the kids tomorrow." Luke decided.
But when he arrived at the door of Jocelyn's loft, and she greeted him with plans about dress fittings, he found himself fabricating a lie about how he'd just gone to get some gas but there'd been a hold up at the gas station.
Jocelyn had not seen a normal day since she'd awoken from her magically induced coma. And she deserved one day to be an average bride.
When Simon walked into Jodie's formalwear shop with Clary and Isabelle, he knew he wouldn't be having any fun. The rest of the gang arrived shortly after he did, having ridden in Jocelyn's car. Jocelyn went up to the front desk and said something to the lady behind it, who disappeared into the back.
"I didn't know what size you boys are, so I got you all of the same." Jocelyn said.
The lady from behind the desk, a brunette who looked to be about twenty, handed the boys black tuxedoes. Her eyes lingered on Jace before she left again.
Jace groaned. "May I have the opportunity to opt out of this whole ordeal?"
Clary elbowed him, who didn't even seem to feel it. "Jace."
"Alright boys, you go and change while I get the girls their dresses."
Simon took his suit to the dressing room. He knew that it wouldn't fit him, and only highlight his teenage lankiness. Once again he was reminded that for as long as he lived, which would probably be for a very long time, he'd never be able to order a drink at a bar without getting carded. Ever.
Stepping out, Simon realized with a sigh that his fears had come true. Where Jace and Alec's suits highlighted their muscular arms, Simon's suit hung embarrassingly past his hands. Alec's eyes looked shockingly blue against the black and white coloring of his garments.
Simon forgot his disgruntlement when his eyes landed on the Clary and Isabelle.
They stood side by side, wearing matching fuchsia dresses. Isabelle's stopped just at her knees, and Clary's hung to the middle of her calves. Where Clary looked delicate and feminine, Isabelle looked striking and tall. Both were breathtaking.
"You guys look nice," he said awkwardly.
Maia stood in the corner of the room, wearing the same dress, but not wanting to step forward.
"This is perfect!" said Jocelyn. But then her eyes landed on Simon. "Well, we might need to make some adjustments for you, Simon."
Clary giggled. She looked so girly, Simon thought. There was a tinkling noise as the shop door opened. After they all turned, Simon had to blink twice before believing what he saw.
Sebastian.
For one of the first times, Simon could read the exact expression on Jace's face. Simon had never seen so much hatred in a person's expression in his life. Behind Sebastian stood Luke's sister, Amatis, and an old man with clawed fingers.
The receptionist, not noticing the tension in the room, smiled and said, "Hello, how may—" she froze in the middle of her sentence. It took Simon a few moments to realize that she was literally frozen. Her features stayed unmoving in its friendly expression, her hand remaining outstretched.
In the midst of the confusion, Simon wondered why Sebastian picked a clothing store to make his dramatic entrance.
Amatis smiled. Instead of love and warmth, her smile was filled with menacing coldness. "Hello, little brother."
"What are you doing here?" Luke asked Sebastian.
Sebastian gave him that same, cold smile. "I've come to collect something."
An invisible hand pushed Luke aside. Sebastian moved toward Jace, who stood unflinching.
"How would you like to come with me?"
"That would suck," Jace said before attempting to punch Sebastian in the face. The other boy moved aside with lighting speed, grabbing Jace's punching arm and wrenching it into an unnatural position. Jace grunted but didn't cry out and tried to kick Sebastian in the crotch.
"Don't you get it, Angel boy?" Sebastian mocked. "You are no match for me."
Simon could see everyone draw weapons, poised to fight. Meanwhile the warlock stood in the corner, chanting in words unbeknownst to Simon.
Luke's finger nails elongated, shaping into long claws. His eyes turned bright yellow, and he slashed Sebastian in the back. Sebastian yelped in surprise more than pain, and kneed Luke in the stomach. As Luke doubled over, Amatis pounced on top of him, wrestling him to the ground.
Everyone else was blown against the wall, shattering framed pictures and knocking over dress racks. Alec raised his head, took a dagger from his belt, and threw it at Amatis. The knife pierced her arm and she rolled off Luke, crying out in pain.
Simon took this as his opportunity to intervene. He ran towards Amatis, wrenched the knife from her arm and plunged it toward Sebastian, who was still fighting Jace. Sebastian whirled at the last minute and caught the dagger inches away from his face. He kicked Simon's ankles, and Simon fell to the ground.
Looking up, Simon noticed that Jace had somehow leapt to the ceiling and was dangling from a hanging light fixture. The lamp gave under his weight and detached from the ceiling, sending a shower of sparks everywhere. Jace landed on Sebastian who crumbled under his weight. Jace finally succeeded in punching Sebastian and rolled off him. Sebastian stood up and used the bloody knife he'd taken from Simon to slash Jace in the face, leaving a long gash from Jace's ear to his mouth. He took a different one from his belt continued to cut Jace in various places until Simon pulled Sebastian off him. Jace crumpled to the ground as Sebastian whirled, a wild look in his inhumanly black eyes. Sebastian kicked, and Simon dodged his first blow, only to be kicked backwards by his second one. While Simon was on the ground, he saw Sebastian rip the leg of a nearby wooden chair. Simon's eyes widened as he realized Sebastian's intentions. He rolled to the side as Sebastian drove the sharp point of the stick into the ground. Sebastian kicked Simon in the stomach. Spots clouded his vision and he could see Clary in the distance, reaching for her stele. Somehow, demons had materialized in the shop, and were wrestling with Alec and Isabelle. After his head hit the wall, Simon sank into darkness.
Time moved in slow motion when Clary was fighting. From her position on the ground, she could see Sebastian pull a wooden stake from the floor. An unconscious Simon lay beside him, and Clary stood up, ran towards them, and threw herself at Sebastian just as he tried to stab Simon. The both rolled on to the ground, Clary on top. Sebastian cried in frustration and pushed her, sending her flying across the room. His vampire prey forgotten, he picked up a shard of broken glass and sauntered forward.
Isabelle used her golden whip to hit one of the shax demons that the warlock had summoned. When he'd finally stopped chanting, four demons had appeared into the shop. The dress store was in ruins. Blood was splattered on the walls, the back windows were broken, and dresses were ripped. Isabelle's dress had a long tear down the front, and the flower adorning the front hung by a loose thread. During normal circumstances, she would have been embarrassed that her underwear was showing, but with so much at stake, that was the least of her worries.
Her brother battled one of the shax demons, while Maia and Luke dealt with Amatis. Clary had slammed against the wall, and was now trying to escape Sebastian. Isabelle lost focus with the demon and whipped Sebastian across the back. Clary lay on the ground, probably unconscious. Jace, bloodied and bruised with his shirt stained crimson, was crumpled on the other side of the room, a few feet away from a blacked out Simon.
Their numbers were dwindling.
They were losing.
Isabelle noticed all of this as Sebastian whirled, his eyes wide with rage, and quicker than Isabelle thought anyone could move, kicked her in the head.
Alec cried out as Isabelle fell to the ground. He wished he had his crossbow. The demon he he'd been fighting finally vaporized and he went to aid Jocelyn, who was battling the warlock. The warlock had been trying to make contact with her, but Jocelyn was so limber, he couldn't get a hand on her. She wasn't doing much better with hitting him either. The old man was quite agile for his age, and was dodging all of Jocelyn's blows. Alec went to help, but before he could get there, the man had gotten a hold of Jocelyn's head. At first she struggled, but her movements began to wane as she became more sedated. When the warlock released her, she collapsed. Alec took his remaining dagger and threw it at the warlock. Half way there, it turned in midair and flew towards him, penetrating his leg.
He yelped and kneeled to rip out the knife. The only people who were still conscious were Maia and Luke, who were once again thrown against the wall by the warlock's magic.
Clary finally woke up after she'd fainted. She didn't know how long she'd been out, but looking around the ruined dress store, she guessed it had been a while. She gaped at what she saw: Isabelle knocked out in the middle of the floor, Jocelyn asleep against the wall, Alec painfully trying to remove a dagger from his leg, Luke and Maia levitated above everyone's heads, Simon slumped against the wall, and Jace.
Jace.
His tattered tuxedo was cut and stained with blood, and he moaned while Sebastian stood over him triumphantly.
"I have to admit, you guys put up more of a fight than I expected." he said. "It's been fun, but we're going to have to be on our way."
Sebastian smiled, reveling in the terrible destruction around him. Clary tried to think of something menacing to say, but her mind drew blank. He turned to the warlock.
"Garrick, Open the portal."
Garrick started to chant again and before she knew it, the room was filled with blinding light.
Clary tore her gaze from Jace to examine the portal. All Clary could see was a dark hallway with stone walls.
Sebastian kicked Jace in the side. "Get up."
Jace groaned and made a feeble attempt to stand. Sebastian grabbed the other boy's broken arm and pulled him upright, causing Jace to cry out. He pulled Jace towards the portal, who staggered backwards, struggling weakly. Amatis helped Sebastian force Jace into the five-dimensional door. They disappeared into the portal, the warlock following after.
"Jace!" Clary screamed.
She ran towards the magical door with all of her strength. She'd almost made it before she felt two strong arms holding her back.
Clary kicked and struggled to no avail. "What are you doing?! Let me go!"
"Clary." Alec said. "Clary, stop it. You can't just rush in there without a plan. You'll just get killed."
Clary looked up at Luke, who nodded from his place in midair.
"No!" she exclaimed. "We have to follow them, or else we'll—"
The portal shattered, and Luke and Maia dropped to the floor. Clary collapsed in a fit of sobs.
"—I help you?"
Clary had forgotten about the sales associate, who'd been frozen during the whole ordeal. The shop worker's eyes widened.
"Wha—what happened? How—why…." She looked around the dress shop, which was now in complete disrepair. Clary understood what it was like to blink and realize that everything around her was destroyed.
"What did you do? Are you going to pay for all of this? Where did the—your dresses—the pictures?" She stopped asking questions and put her head in her hands.
Clary got up, and wiped the tears from her eyes. She looked at Luke, who was dusting himself off. "What are we going to do?"
She heard someone groan in the background. Simon was positioned against the wall rubbing his head. He looked around and said, "Whoa."
Luke was the second to notice Simon's awareness. "Simon! Thank goodness you're awake! Could you…." He gestured to the dress shop worker, who was now cowering in the corner of the store.
Simon sighed, got up and walked to the lady. "What should I tell her?"
"Umm… tell her that… some mountain lions came in and trashed the place," Clary offered.
"Mountain lions?" Simon asked.
"Do you have a better idea?"
Clary was curious to see Simon's power of persuasion in action. He'd told her about what had happened with his mom, but she'd never fully believed him.
Simon knelt in front of the sales lady, who looked up at him with panicked eyes. Simon peaked back at Luke, who nodded.
"Hey," Simon said, turning back to the lady. "There's no need to be scared."
Clary gasped. The voice coming from Simon still sounded like him, but it was more velvety and sweet. She wanted to listen to everything he said and believe every word.
The sales lady visibly relaxed. She glanced around, this time looking more confused than frightened. "What happened in here?"
"You were in the back, taking inventory when some…." Simon's compulsion faltered for a moment. " mountain lions burst in and tore everything apart."
"Oh." she said.
"You just discovered that some of your clothing is missing." he continued. "But that's okay. You're not worried."
She nodded and smiled.
"Now, after we leave, you're going call your boss and tell her what happened. And as soon as we leave, you're going to forget that we even came."
She stood up and dusted herself off. "Okay. Well, see you later."
Clary couldn't believe what had just happened. As they left the Jodie's, Clary peaked through the glass door. Sure enough, the sales lady was talking into the phone on her desk.
"That was awesome." Clary commended Simon.
For a moment, she couldn't even remember why she'd been sad. But when she saw Simon cradling Isabelle in his arm, and Luke carrying Jocelyn, grief washed over her. Maia put her hand on Clary's shoulder as she wept.
Jace was gone. And it would be a long time before they saw him again.
