Everyone in the institute was on high alert for Jace and I. They knew if they could find us, we would lead them to Valentine. Magnus and Alec walked into the main room with one of Jace's t-shirts and one of my flannels. Magnus tried a locator spell on my shirt and focused with eyes closed, but there was nothing. He tried Jace's shirt, but also got nothing.
"Find anything?" Alec asked with crossed arms and a worried expression. He was fidgeting and playing with the sleeve of his sweater.
"They must be over water. I can't find a link," Magnus explained.
"Then you aren't trying hard enough," Alec muttered.
Magnus was hurt by his comment, but tried to stay calm. "Alec, I'm trying my best."
Without looking back, Alec stormed out of the room. Clary grabbed hold of Magnus' arm, and he turned to face her with teary eyes. Magnus was strong and had been alive for a long time, but Alec's opinion meant a lot to him. When Alec disapproved or belittled him, it hurt more than he was willing to admit.
"He's just worried about Jace. He didn't mean to chew your head off. He really likes you, Magnus," Clary reassured him, giving Magnus' arm a squeeze.
"Yeah, well, if he truly likes me, he can come to apologize at my apartment. Where I will be doing anything but this," Magnus muttered, storming out of the front door.
"Everyone, I have an announcement to make!" Isabelle's mother yelled as those wandering about stopped what they were doing.
"What's going on?" Isabelle asked, coming up beside Clary.
Clary shrugged. "Your mother has an announcement."
"That's never good."
"I have some important news. Because the Mortal Cup is in the hands of Valentine and he has two of our hunters, the Clave has sent in a new advisor. Lydia is not trusted to be an advisor after everything that has happened, so Mr. Aldertree will take her place," Mrs. Lightwood explained, stepping aside to let another shadowhunter step forward.
"Who's he?" Alec whispered, coming to stand beside Izzy.
"The new advisor," Isabelle whispered back.
"Hello, everyone. The Clave sent me here to keep order. Valentine has the Mortal Cup and is starting an army. Last night, Carly Fray and Jace Wayland were taken by this madman. We must find them as quickly as we can before things get out of hand. I will be starting interviews with the last people to see them shortly," Mr. Aldertree announced as everyone dispersed.
"Alec, Magnus went home," Clary said as Alec turned to leave.
"Why'd he leave?" Alec snapped.
"He cares about your opinion, Alec, and you mistreated him. He's at his loft if you want to see him," Clary explained as Alec's expression changed to worry.
"I'll be back," Alec murmured, running out of the room.
A man came up behind Clary and tapped her on the shoulder. "Clary?"
"Yes, that's me," Clary said, turning to face the unnamed shadowhunter.
"Your mother's waking up," The man said as he motioned Clary to follow.
She followed the man down a corridor and a set of steps. When they turned the corner, Luke was holding our mother as her eyes fluttered open. She woke up smiling as she saw Luke's chocolate brown eyes. They hugged as Clary got closer.
"Mom?" Clary breathily whispered as Jocelyn's smile grew larger.
"Clary," Jocelyn said as Luke helped her to her feet. Once standing, Clary jumped on her, giving the tightest hug she could manage.
"Can't breathe," Jocelyn gasped.
"I'm sorry. I'm just glad you're awake," Clary said, tightly hugging her again. "I really missed you."
Simon walked into the room, and as he turned the corner, he found them all hugging. "Hey Clary, I just … Jocelyn."
"Hello to you too, Simon," Jocelyn said as she walked up to Simon to give him a hug.
"Jocelyn, that's not a good idea," Luke warned.
"I'm having a hard time controlling my thirst, and getting close to me … is a risk. I'm getting better, but I'm not used to smelling your blood, so I don't want to take the chance," Simon said, taking a step back.
"Thirst? Blood?" Jocelyn questioned with a confused look.
"I'm a vampire," Simon admitted, extending his fangs so she could see.
Jocelyn wasn't scared, she was just sad. "I'm so sorry, Simon. I'd never have wished that upon anyone, especially you. But it does get better, okay?"
"Okay," Simon said, retracting his fangs with smile. It was kind of forced, but he wanted to believe her.
"Now, where is Carly? I thought I'd at least get a hug from her," Jocelyn said, looking around the room.
"Clary, you wanna tell her," Luke said, causing Jocelyn to become worried.
"Tell me, what?" Jocelyn asked as she turned toward Clary with her hands on her hips.
When I opened my eyes, I was in a cell with Jace. I pulled myself up and sat against the wall, staring into space as my thoughts consumed me. A few minutes later, Jace's eyes fluttered open, and he jumped back when he realized he was behind bars. He searched around with scared but interested eyes as he spotted me on the other end of the cell.
"Carly? Where are we, and how long have I been out?" Jace asked, rubbing the back of his head with his hand.
"I have no idea where we are. I know we're in some kind of containment room for downworlders Valentine's collected, but I can't find anything to tell us where. And it's morning now, so you've been out for at least a few hours," I said, scooting farther from Jace.
"Are you okay?" Jace asked, noticing the oddness of my body language. "You seem different."
"So now you're interested in how I am?!" I snapped, noticing him flinch. With a deep breath, I explained. "Sorry … when we arrived I woke up pretty quickly. I was trying to find a way out when Valentine came into the room. He told me that you and I were test experiments."
"Test experiments?" Jace repeated with worry.
"Yeah, he injected us with demon blood when we were kids. He was trying to make us super soldiers so when he got his war, we'd fight by his side. Jocelyn got me away before I could be trained, and Clary wasn't injected because she was "too weak". I guess that makes us the monsters," I explained as Jace shrunk down.
"How come I've never shown any signs?" he asked.
"Valentine says it's because mom took us to Magnus, and he locked it away with magic. Once the lock is broken, the darkness will seep in," I said, putting my head in my hands.
"Are you sure he was telling the truth?" Jace asked.
"I'm sure," I said with teary eyes.
"You're not a monster, okay? If he's telling the truth, then I'm just as tainted as you are. Even if we do have demon blood coursing through our veins, that means we're still part human. And humans can fight darkness. As long as the lock isn't broken, we'll be fine," Jace reassured me.
Suddenly, there was a clicking sound as Jace, and I looked over to find Clary flipping the switch to unlock the cage. The door swung open, and Jace quickly got to his feet. There was no way she got here this fast, but a rescue was a rescue. We ran through the open cage door as Jace gave Clary a hug.
"How'd you find us?" Jace asked.
"We used your clothes for a tracking spell. But that doesn't matter right now, we have to go. Magnus is going to open a portal, and we can't miss our chance," Clary said as Jace walked up the steps and out the door. I followed close behind with an uneasy feeling; something wasn't right.
I wanted to get away from Valentine, so I ignored my feelings and followed them up and out. Once out in the open air, I realized that we were on a giant cargo ship in the middle of the river. There was no way she could have followed a tracking spell, they dissipate over water.
"Jace, it's a trap!" I yelled as two burly men came up behind me. I had gotten some training at the Institute, so I knew how to fight.
I kicked one in the nether region, and the other I punched in the gut. It didn't really do anything, but it gave me a chance to sidekick him in the face, dazing him long enough for me to knock him to the ground. I turned to notice Jace had been defeated. I was about to go help him, but a guy came up beside me, grabbing my arms. He walked me forward so I'd be next to Jace.
"Clary?" Jace asked.
"Loyalty goes both ways," Clary said as she took a steele to a rune on her arm. After it lit up, she morphed into Valentine. "Running off with Clary is not being loyal."
"We'll never be loyal to you," I spat.
"I'm the only one who understands you. The Institute will think you're monsters and so will your family. Would you trust someone who had demon blood in their veins? You are fighters, so fight for the side that cares about you. After some re-enforcement, you'll want to be on my side. They already treat you differently. After they find out this secret, there's no telling how they'll react," Valentine explained as Jace and I were taken back into the bowels of the ship.
"Magnus?" Alec asked, pushing through Magnus' front door. He looked right, then left, and then walked into the living room. Once there, he noticed Magnus on his balcony practicing magic. "Magnus, I've come here to apologize. I'm sorry about earlier."
"Keep going," Magnus muttered, moving around a ball of energy.
"I was a total jerk," Alec said, but Magnus did not respond. "Magnus?"
Magnus threw his energy ball, barely missing Alec's head. It bounced and knocked over his lamp, but it didn't seem to phase him. Magnus walked over to the edge of the balcony and grabbed his sleeveless sweatshirt.
Alec walked onto the balcony as Magnus turned around, abs showing. This was the first time Alec had seen Magnus shirtless, and Alec was liking what he saw. Magnus zipped up his sweatshirt as he started to walk past Alec, but Alec grabbed Magnus' arm before he could get far.
"Magnus, I'm sorry about snapping at you. I'm just worried about Jace. He's my parabatai, and he's a part of me. If I lose him, I lose a part of myself. I'm terrified of losing my best friend," Alec apologized, letting go of Magnus' arm.
"Alec, I know you're afraid," Magnus said, fixing Alec's collar. "But there are many challenges we'll go through in our lives. So don't push me away."
"Never again."
