Another week passed but really it was maybe only two hours. I had no way of knowing and now the Queen had forbidden me to know the outside time. This new order might've had something to do with the fact that the instant we were back inside the Court, I tracked her down and started shouting, even going so far as to throw Caelia's dagger at her. Caelia was just lucky I didn't throw her.
The Queen's words echoed in my mind. "Too much unnecessary knowledge has made you unruly. We will limit that knowledge."
Limit my knowledge. Like hell she would.
I was supposed to be sleeping. I'd finished my "cool down" training. That was another new implement of the Queen's in order to make me more "stable." She'd put me back on a physical training schedule along with the new, stupid magic training and the even more stupid diplomatic training. But all she'd managed to do was make me even more upset and determined to get out.
So I'd found the library.
It wasn't organized very well but at least there were books with information. All I needed was to find something stronger than blood.
I dropped the book I was holding.
Stronger than blood. A tie that was closer than family…
Weren't all of my ties closer than family since I didn't actually have a family? Technically? But if that was true, then why couldn't I leave?
"Jaelyn."
It was Caelia. Of course it was Caelia. I was so sick of Caelia.
"Yes?" I asked politely.
"You need your sleep."
And with that, I was sent off to bed.
Thud.
Magnus was sick of that sound.
Thud.
And the Shadowhunter making it.
Jace had only been there for six hours and already the warlock was regretting his decision. But he disliked the Inquisitor more than he disliked Jace and –
Thud.
-he still felt sorry for the broken boy.
Jace got up with a sigh from the large pink chair he was sitting in and went to retrieve the knives he'd sunk into the opposite wall. Where they had sunk into the dry wall made a perfectly straight line. He tugged them free and returned to his chair to start over. Again.
It'd only been six hours since leaving the cemetery and already Jace had searched through all of the not banned books in Magnus' apartment for a claim that was greater than blood. He hadn't really expected to find anything, but it had been a way to pass the time. His only hope now seemed to be Isabelle, searching at the Institute.
He aimed a knife at the wall but as he went to throw it, the weapon was plucked out of his hand.
"You can finish murdering my wall later," Magnus promised. "Right now, I need you to call darling Clarissa."
"Why?" Jace snapped, sinking into his moody teenager routine.
"Because the Inquisitor has called us to tea."
"I don't look any different," Clary announced, staring at the mirror in front of her.
The shimmering warlock sighed dramatically. "That's because I haven't started the magic yet."
Blue sparks danced from his fingers as he wiggled them. Across the room – in the same pink chair as before – Jace sighed.
"Then start it."
Magnus whirled on him. "Watch yourself."
Anxiously, Clary pulled out her phone to check the time. "He's right though. We need to hurry."
Looking slightly annoyed, Magnus went to work. A web of green sparks appeared to surround Clary. Through the magic, Clary could just see her reflection in the mirror. She watched in amazement as her red curls relaxed and lengthened into her sister's waist length, brown hair. Her skin tone darkened slightly and her freckles melted away. Gradually, the too-big clothing of Jaci's that she was wearing came to fit her perfectly.
Magnus snapped his fingers and the web of magic vanished. In the mirror where Clary had been before was now the noticeably taller reflection of Jaci.
"Wow," Clary murmured. She gasped in surprise. Even her voice was Jaci's.
"What do you think?" Magnus whirled Clary to face Jace with a flourish.
Clary felt uncomfortably hot while Jace's golden eyes raked up and down her borrowed body. She couldn't read his expression and wasn't sure how to react.
"She'll pass." And without another look at her, he stood and made his way towards the door. "We have to go."
Four weeks. It had been four weeks and not a glimpse of sun or chance of escape. No one had come to visit me except Taki who never had much to report since only an hour or two would pass between visits.
"Are you even paying any attention to me?" Caelia demanded.
"Nope," I admitted, sending a fake smile across the table to her. "Not even in the slightest."
"Well you should," she snapped, "because this is important."
"Isn't everything important?" I drawled, mimicking Jace's usual façade. I missed him. And the worst part was wondering if he had even begun to miss me yet. For all I knew, he could still be in the cemetery with all the others. They might not've even noticed I was gone.
"The sooner you understand this concept, the sooner the Queen will release you," she announced solemnly.
I froze. She was a faerie. She couldn't lie. "You have my undivided attention." All sarcasm and snark gone.
"Lady Aeval has been searching for explanations about what you can do, what language you speak when you use magic," Caelia paused, as if waiting for me to interrupt but I didn't. "Light magic is bound to the runes – the language of the angels. Not even the angels speak this language aloud, they don't need to.
"The magic is manifest within the language itself; it is what allows the angels to speak and be understood in any language. You lack the power of the angels to use this language silently but you have the ability to give it voice."
"Cool," I said unenthusiastically. "How does that help me get out of here? Also, what's the language called?"
"It doesn't have a name. The Queen wants you to master it. Since you can speak the runes, you won't need a stele and that sets you apart and above the other Shadowhunters."
"I fail to see how that sets me above them," I pointed out.
"It makes you different and it makes you powerful."
"Great," I said. "Can I go home now?"
Caelia shook her head. "Not to stay. But it is time for you to begin your duties as our ambassador to the Clave."
And then it occurred to me that I now had my very own, personal bargaining chip. Me.
This seemed like a bad idea. At least, in Clary's opinion it was a bad idea.
A very bad idea.
She still was having trouble believing that they were really going to see the Inquisitor and try to pass her off as Jaci. There was no way it would ever work, even if she did look the part.
"Now remember," Jace was saying, "leave the talking to me. This isn't an interview, she just wants to make sure Magnus still has you."
"Which is really a slap in the face," Magnus noted. "I've kept Shadowhunters for the Clave before."
"But you don't have Jaci," Clary pointed out in Jaci's voice.
Magnus glowered down at her, his cat eyes narrowed threateningly. "And was that my fault?"
Clary decided not to answer that. It was good timing, too, because at that moment, the Institute doors swung open to reveal Isabelle waiting for them.
The dark haired girl gasped at the sight of Clary. "Jaci? You're back!"
"No," Clary said quietly. "I'm Clary."
She tried not to be hurt by the look of disappointment on Isabelle's face. "Oh, right. I didn't think the disguise would be that good. Well, you'd better come up. The Inquisitor's waiting in the library and I really don't think she's happy."
Jace scoffed. "Is she ever?"
"Jace!" Isabelle cried. "You look awful."
"That's a strange way to say hello."
"Let's move along," Magnus said crisply. "I do have more obligations than catering to your every whim."
"You need to get some sleep," Isabelle scolded Jace as she led the group to the elevator. "You look awful."
"You mentioned that once," Jace said testily.
Isabelle crossed her arms and tapped her foot unhappily as the elevator rattled to a stop. "I meant it both times." Without waiting for instructions, she took Jace's arm and began leading him in the direction of the kitchen. Naturally, he protested. "Relax. Alec has something for you."
"So," Clary said in a shaky voice, "to the library?"
Magnus winked at her. "You ready for this?"
"Yes," she lied.
He frowned. Clary didn't seem to be up for the job and she might say something entirely unlike her sister. "Maybe you just shouldn't talk."
She opened her mouth to protest but Magnus snapped his fingers and she found her voice was gone.
"Better."
"Have you found anything that might work?" Jace asked the instant Isabelle led him in the kitchen.
"Tea first," she instructed. "Then we can talk."
"Tea?"
"Go sit by Alec."
Jace pulled out a stool next to his parabatai and took a tentative sip from the large cup of tea that was sitting on the counter. "It's not bad," he said with surprise.
"Mom made it," Alec explained.
"So have you found any way to free Jaci?" Jace asked again.
Isabelle refused to answer him until he took a long draught of tea. "It'll make you feel less tired."
"And we might have," Alec admitted.
Jace didn't notice that Alec's voice sounded strained, almost as if he was speaking against his will. "What is it?"
Both he and Isabelle looked expectantly at Alec, who shot a panicked glance to his sister.
She sighed heavily. "Marriage."
"You're joking," Jace said flatly.
Isabelle slouched against the counter. "I don't even know if it would work, but it makes sense in a way. Once people get married they stop living with their families, almost as if the ties made in a marriage ceremony are stronger than blood."
"Marriage?" Jace repeated. It sounded like the most insane plan he'd ever heard. "You can't be serious."
"You're not old enough to get married anyway," Alec pointed out, sounding almost hopeful.
"You don't want to marry Jaci?" Isabelle asked.
Jace spluttered. "It's not- I've never even- this isn't some faery tale where you marry someone you just met."
"You haven't just met Jaci," Isabelle argued. "And it's just an option, I'm not saying it's the only one. It's just that we haven't found a different one."
"Yet," Alec interjected.
Jace finished off his tea so that he could buy a few moments to think. Marriage? But he was only seventeen. So was Jaci! Shadowhunters got married young, but not that young. It was crazy to even consider. But if it was the only way to save her…
"I'm going to go see her," he announced.
"Oh no you're not." Magnus had entered the room with Clary in tow. "The Inquisitor is satisfied that I still have Jaci in my custody and so we will be going. Back to my apartment," he added for clarification. "The Fey have already taken one of my Shadowhunters, I'm not giving them my spare."
Even though Magnus had removed whatever magic was keeping Clary silent, she didn't say a word as they left the Institute and got on the subway. She'd overheard the conversation in the kitchen before she'd walked in. Was Jace really going to marry Jaci? Even though Jace never spared her a second glance, she'd still held on to the smallest hope that maybe in some impossible way they weren't related and that there was a chance for them to be together. And she was disgusted by her own thoughts.
He's your brother! She mentally scolded herself.
"Magnus, can you change me back?" she asked suddenly, realizing where she was.
"The magic wore off almost as soon as we left the Institute," Jace snapped.
He was right, of course. She was back to her usual, red haired self. "Oh, thanks," she said softly. "I think I'm just going to go to Luke's."
Magnus nodded to show he'd heard her and then proceeded to ignore her presence entirely.
Feeling terribly alone, Clary turned away from them and pulled out her phone.
"Hi, Luke," she said. "Are you at the hospital?... I'll meet you there… Okay, bye." She snapped it shut and looked around. The warlock and the Shadowhunter had vanished, leaving her on her own.
