Author: Frosy
Beta: Miles333

A Hidden World

Chapter 17

The past

"Why did you bring me up here?"

"Be quiet!" Jace hissed under his breath.

He had scared me for a second, down there with his blank expression, but now he was taking it too far.

He looked alarmed and his head was crooked at one side like the dogs do when they sense something.

"Nothing." He said to no one and then turned to me and grabbed me harder and dragged me to my room.

"What the hell are you doing?" I screamed at him, but he covered my mouth with his hand.

I tried to free myself but he was too strong. We entered my room and he closed the door still having me in his hands.

I quickly thought of possible ways to get me free. He may be strong but everyone has a weakness.

I carefully tried to aim the spot. It was difficult since I had my back to him.

He was still holding me while he did something on the door. I couldn't see what but I could feel the movement of his body.

I took the chance and kicked me as hard as I could.

He swore under his breath and fell down trying to hold on to something. I walked back a few steps searching my room to find something heavy. Something I could protect myself.

"Why in hell did you do that!" he sounded angry, from the floor.

"Why did you drag me up here?" I took one more step closer to my lamp. That would do.

He dragged his legs and got up, looking at me fiercely.

"I did it to protect you! If you had spoken before I could place the rune on the door they would have found us. There are demons all over the place."

"Demons?" I slightly laughed.

"Why are you laughing? This is serious. Do you prefer..."

"No, no. I just thought that you dragged me up here to..." I said, my laugh coming to a stop.

He looked at me wondering and then realising what I meant and his face was a mask of horror.

"Clary, I would never do that to you," he said calming down. "I am sorry but I didn't have time to explain. I didn't want you to think..."

"Yeah, but your hand over my mouth didn't help," I said looking down.

He moved towards me and he was standing in front of me. I could see his legs and I raised my head to him.

"I am so sorry." He said and I looked at his sad gold eyes and I hugged him with all my being.

I could feel him tense under my touch and after a couple of seconds he hugged me back.

"I don't want to make you feel afraid of me Clary. Ever. I want you to know that."

"I know." I said and took a deep breath inhaling his sent. Inside me I knew it; and coming from his lips made me feel safe.

Safe. What a strong word. All my life I thought I was safe. Safe from all those bad things out there as my mother said to me every night she tugged me in.

Safe isn't simple any more. I had to fight to be safe and I was glad I had Jace by my side.

I sighed and he placed a kiss on the top of my hair.

We stayed like that for a while before he broke the silence.

"Clary, we have to go," he said and looked down to me, "they are all over the place."

"What are they? Demons?"

"We have to get of here." He said and let go of me.

He went to the window and looked out.

"I can't see them."

"How are you sure that demons are here."

"I sensed them."

"You what?"

"I..." he starched his forehead, "I can hear demons."

"Like you know when they are close. Sense them?"

"No, Max can do that. I can hear their sounds." I raised my eyebrows at him and sat on the bed.

"Why can't I hear them?"

"Nobody but me can. I haven't encountered a shadowhunter so far that has the same ability with me."

He was still looking outside but now and then he would turn and look at me like he was calculating something.

"Do you hear them now?"

"No. And the weird thing was that a moment ago I could hear them clearly like they were next to me and now nothing. Like they disappeared."

"Maybe they left."

"It doesn't work like that. If they were leaving the sound would be fainting not getting stronger. It's like when a car passes you by. The sound of it it's really loud when the car is next to you; and when it's leaving the sound is gradually fainting."

"But..."

"But their sound just stopped, like you turned the radio off. It has never happened before." He said and made another rune on the window.

"What are you drawing?" I said and came closer to see.

"It's the same one as on the door. They are protection runes. They should keep them out."

"How long are we going to stay locked up?"

"Until the place is clear. If I knew where they are I could deal with them but since I can't hear them..."

"But you said you can't hear them, so they are not here anymore."

"I would like to believe that but I can't. So we are going to stay here for a while and then go to my house." He said sitting down on the floor, under the window and I joined him.

We stayed silence for a while, but I wanted so badly to talk to him. I wanted my explanation. I deserved it.

"Jace?" I started.

"Yes," he turned to me.

"While we wait, do you care to tell me," I didn't need to tell more.

He nodded and took a breath, "As you know Ragon was a warlock. He was powerful and people respected him. The Clave always trusted his opinion; they even had a spot for him in the council. People started trusting him as well. They thought if the Clave did, so they. Of course there were those who didn't like the fact that a downworlder was in the council. You see years ago we didn't like each other. Shadowhunters and Downworlders went almost on war. But eventually we overcame that and now..."

"Like each other?" I said to him.

"Almost. The hate we had for each can't go away like that but," he chuckled, "yes we are close in liking each other. So as I said Ragon had gain the trust of most of the shadowhunters and he took advantage of that. The reason he was so close to any shadowhunter was because he wanted to become one."

"Why? I mean being a warlock has so more potential." I said to him, thinking Magnus. He could do so many staff. Travel through Portals and appear things out of thin air. And I was sure he could do way more with magic. Things shadowhunters couldn't. They only had their runes and fighting skills. It didn't seem that much attractive to me.

"I know," he said as he could hear my thoughts, "but shadowhunters are those who get respect. We are the ones that were blessed from the Angels, not them. And to him it was all respect and power and to achieve that he thought he should be one of us."

"And he did terrible things to himself."

He nodded, "My parents were in those few who believed Ragon was too good to be true. Ragon was really helping in the council. He truly cared I can't doubt that. It's only that he wanted more. He wanted to be known as a shadowhunter that cared for the Clave, not a downwolder. He might helped a lot and was respected but even those shadowhunters that trusted him deep inside knew that he was just another downworlder. Ragon could see that and that's when he decided to take his theory into action."

"Did he actually become a shadowhunter?" I interrupted him.

"No. You can't become one. You are born a shadowhunter. Many downwolders helped him during that time. They thought that if he could actually find a way to become one, he might turn others as well. But Ragon was too selfish for that. He wanted the glory for himself."

"Why other downworlders wanted that too?"

"If you have leaved your whole life in fear and humiliation by us, then I am sure you would have considered it too. At first it was just him but he considered the help of them and accepted it. Of course he lied to them about helping them to turn and he actually had a plan to kill them after they had done their part, except from one. He got away."

"Did you found out who was it?"

"No." He simply stated, "It would be really helpful to have known who he was but I am sure he was afraid. The Clave would probably lock him up."

"Did the Clave knew?"

"They had no idea," he sighed, "they found about it after he was gone."

"Who found out what he was doing?"

He fixed his eyes on the clock opposite us, "My parents. They were the one that to found out what he was doing. They didn't like him from the beginning. They had tried to warn the Clave that something wrong was him, but they didn't believe them so they needed to get proofs. Ragon of course knew that my parents were after him. My parents though weren't alone. They had gathered other shadowhunters as well. The Lightwoods were also in that group."

"What happened? Did they get the proofs they needed?"

"They were close to getting his secret out," Jace continued like he didn't heard me, "but Ragon knew about them so he decided to get rid of them," he said still looking that clock.

I could see that he was lost in thought. Remembering this facts, but he couldn't remember them, could he?

"How old were you when this happened?"

"16, almost 4 years ago." He said turning to me and looking me with unreadable eyes.

"So what happened?" I tried to learn more, he looked outside the window.

"Ragon lured them into the Moira Forest," he turned briefly and looked at me before returning to the window, "he was supposed to be looking for something and my parents wanted to get it first. He lied to them so they could get them there but now I am not sure if he actually lied about it. So far the facts show that he is still looking for something but we have no idea."

"That's why you need me." I stated.

So that's what I had to do. To help them find out what he is looking for and get it before he does. Sounds easy but it's not. Not when I don't have any idea how to control my power. Because that's what it was. A power. Something that was given to me without my will and now I had to help to save people I care and a world I have barely met. I had to do it for Simon.

"Yes. When we first met you, we thought that you were the answer we were looking for but..." he hesitated and I added,

"But I wasn't exactly what you expected." I felt a little disappointed by myself. I wanted to help them but I just didn't know how.

"Clary you must understand that finding you was the most exciting thing that had happened for a while and when I saw the drawing and realized what you were my hopes went up. I thought you might help me find my mother."

"Your mother?" I realized that I had never seen his parents or knew anything about them.

"A lot of people died back there at the Moira Forest and among them were my father and the Lightwoods."

"I am so sorry, Jace." I said and placed my hand on his. He looked me with warm eyes.

"It's ok. It was years ago."

"And your mother? Is she ok?"

"Well I hope so. You see she disappeared after that fight. They didn't find her body which was weird since she was the only one missing."

"Maybe she didn't go."

"No, Clary you don't understand. I haven't seen my mother for 4 years, and if she's not dead then Ragon took her."

"For what? Why would he want..." and I found the answer myself. He would use her for his experiments.

I looked him with terrified eyes, "Oh, my God! I will help you Jace," I said to him confident for myself, "I will do the best I can," he looked me with sadness in his eyes.

I would do whatever I could to help him find his mother.

Did this chapter explain some things? I hope so! :) others things will be explained as well in the next chapters... Hope you liked this one! And don't forget to REVIEW! ! :) I haven't got any review lately... :(