"Oh hi, I'm Clary" I say, taking Sebastian's outstretched hand.
"Clary…"
"Fray" I say with a smile. He nods.
"So, I was noticing that your throwing technique was slightly off" He walks back and takes a knife from the table. "What you want is the power from the wrist-flick to drive it forward" He explains, taking a knife and deftly chucking it at the target, hitting dead centre.
"Oh okay" I take a knife and try to copy but it only just hits the bottom of the target.
"No, no, no" He scolds, taking out another knife and handing it to me. "You need to have more power in your arm" He says, dragging my arm out to demonstrate. "See, look there's no tension here, it's too floppy. You need to have a steady powerful arm for a proper throw" I tense my arm. "Better" I throw it and it hits the centre.
"Yes!" I celebrate, high-fiving him. He looks a little startled, but smirks all the same. An arm snakes around my waist and pulls me against a body. I jump, but relax as I realise its only Jace.
"Hello?" He greets Sebastian, but it sounds more like a question. "I don't believe I've seen you around here before"
"Oh, I'm Sebastian Verlac. I just got here a few days ago"
"Right, where were you before then?"
"With my family, institute 5"
"France?"
"No America - we migrated after the uprising."
Jace nods clearly satisfied.
"Well, I was just about to give Clary a tour, if you don't mind?" He asks.
"Of course not" He says, letting us go past him. As Jace passes he squeezes me closer to his side.
"Jealous?" I tease him when as exit the training room.
"Of course, I don't want frenchie thinking you're single" He says nonchalantly. I smile.
"Are we really going on a tour or was it just an excuse?" I ask.
"We are, I thought you should see how the Institute works. Unless you had something else in mind…" He suggests, wiggling his eyebrows.
"No! I mean, a tour would be great, thanks" I blush, flustered. He laughs and leads me down the winding stairways, pointing out various rooms.
"You saw the library before…training room….infirmary…" He leads me out to the front doors.
"The Institute is just were we sleep and train indoors, but outside is where most of the action takes place" He explains, throwing open the doors to reveal a whole host of activity. There were tents set up for all kinds of things, Jace continues forward into the full throng of activity, occasionally greeting people as they pass. Even nodding at a few of the burlier looking men.
"What's the nod for?" I enquire.
"The nod means 'I am a badass, and I recognise that you too, are a badass." He explains simply, demonstrating it again towards another man.
"This is the tent for battle strategy and other war shenanigans…" He points to a tent with a bunch of important looking adults studying a map, I recognise Maryse amongst them.
"Assault course" He points to a very hard looking winding obstacle course being scaled by big burly men. "We tend to use the smaller one, only a few under eighteen have the skills I have to complete it"
"Right" I say, choosing not to comment on his arrogance.
"The marking tent" He points to a tent where a woman is marking various different Shadowhunters for them.
"They need a tent?" I ask. "Can't they just do it themselves? "
"Not on the back they can't"
"Oh right"
"This here is the iron sister's mage, no-one is allowed to enter" He says, pointing to a secluded tent that has racks of weaponry stationed outside it.
"Why not?"
"Lets just say they're very protective"
"Okay…"
A few children run out from under our feet and Jace swings one of them up onto his shoulders. The little boy has black hair and bright blue eyes, rimmed with lopsided glasses.
"Hey!" The kid protests. "I was playing a game!"
"And you couldn't spare your brother a few seconds?" Jace questions, offended. The kid sighs and notices me.
"Who are you?" He asks straight away.
"Clary"
His eyes grow wide.
"Are you Jace's girlfriend?" he whispers. Jace chuckles.
"Yes" He answers for me. I roll my eyes.
"Are you gonna be my new sister?" He asks, getting excited.
"Yes and we're going make you be our bridesmaid for the wedding" Jace answers seriously. I glare at him.
"But I'm not a girl!" He whines.
"Just kidding Max, go catch up with the others" Jace clarifies and sets 'Max' down on the floor again. Max hugs my legs and charges off in the direction of his friends.
"That's Max, my brother."
"Aww you guys are cute"
"I'm cute?"
"No he is" I say, exasperated.
"But you said guys. Plural" He points out.
I smack him on the chest.
"Clarissa!?" I turn to find a breathless Maryse running up to me.
"Yes?" I answer politely.
"We were wondering if you could find any way to get the cup out of this" She says, producing the card she showed me before. "It's very important"
"Okay, I can give it a go" I agree, taking it from her
"Oh good" she says and takes off again.
"She's always running around, busy making arrangements. After Salt Lake City was raided, security on the compounds have been stricter and we fear we're going to have to make the first move against Valentine soon."
"I don't really understand this."
"What do you mean?"
"First of all, why is this card so important? Secondly, why are you hiding? What's so wrong with Valentine and his reign? As a mundane it was fine, what's so different about Shadowhunters? And you never told me why it was so bad for you!"
He stares at me for what seems like forever, doing what-I don't know. I start getting worried until he decides to finally open his mouth.
"I'll tell you everything you want to know. Meet me in an hour on that hill" He says pointing to secluded hill a few hundred metres away. "I have to go right now, but I promise I'll be back" He says, sprinting off into the distance. I look around, wondering what I should do now. I decide on grabbing my sketch book from my room and sitting out on the hill Jace pointed to. I let my mind control my actions, just letting the lines flow onto the paper. When I finally focus on the drawing, I see it is an intricately designed rune. Although I have absolutely no idea what it does. Better save that for later… I let my mind wander again and conjure up another image. My hand flies across the page as it depicts the dark prince sat astride his black steed, his sable cape flowing behind him. A golden circlet bound his blond locks, his handsome face cold with the rage of battle, and...
"And his arm looked like an eggplant," I mutter to myself in exasperation, deciding take a breather. I put the pencil down to stare out at the open fields before me, wondering how the institute stays so safe and secluded. Maybe they have some kind of shield woven from runes or it's probably the work of a warlock…I suddenly have a burst of inspiration and reach for my pencil to start drawing. I pat around the area where I thought I'd left my pencil but frown when I can't find it. I look around, even lifting up the sketch book but yet I still can't find my pen. I do a double take as I look at my sketchbook to see an exact replica of the pencil drawn in. I didn't draw that…
"What?" I wonder, swiping at the drawing. I feel stupid, but sort of reach into the paper. My mouth hangs open as my hand goes right through and closes around the pencil, bringing it back out.
"That was… impressive" Jace complements, coming to join me on the hill. He sits behind me and pulls me backwards so that I'm resting against this chest. I would say something, but at the moment I just stare at the pencil in shock.
"What? How?" I ask, looking from the pen to the sketchbook.
"Don't ask me, but you should definitely try it out on the cup"
I reach into my jacket for the card, but Jace puts his hand out to stop me.
"If you take the cup out now, you'll have a swarm of greedy Shadowhunters around you. Do it later, I want to talk to you now, no distractions"
"Okay" I breathe out, relaxing a little. Still a little shell shocked from the pencil incident.
"So questions?" He asks, his breath tickling my neck.
"Right. So, I know Valentine staged an uprising in and then spread his influence around to other countries. From a mundane perspective, nothing much has changed, apart from the wrist bands and stricter security. Oh and education. What are the wrist bands actually for?"
Jace takes my wrist and holds it up, pointing to the different information displays.
"The name so that they can document who you are at all times. Location: so that they can control town population and make sure mundanes are where they're supposed to be. Occupation: so that each person has the job they are best suited for. Family: to calculate and control blood lines. Age: that ones fairly obvious. Criminal record: so that Valentine can eradicate any potential threats to the system. For a Shadowhunter these are all still relevant, but he keeps a much tighter control and personally knows each member. The mundanes are just monitored by Valentine's men, as they hold no real threat or power, they just keep living as usual. The wrist bands are just a way to get quick control and gain power faster"
"And the soul mate thing?"
"Ah yes, that's slightly more complicated. Those are so that the mundanes can reproduce and produce optimum offspring. Thus, creating a strong population, recently Valentine has been looking into the mortal cup. (This is why it is so important that we get the cup first). Undercover Shadowhunters have revealed that there are plans to use the new stronger mundanes to convert them into Shadowhunters. Valentine is living in the hope that the newborn of the soul mate couples will withstand the effects of the cup. This is far flung, as we are only in generation one."
"Wow. But…what's so bad with everyone becoming Shadowhunters?"
"There would be mass slaughter of Downworlders, who are no less human than we are, demons would completely disappear, and…the whole world would be at the mercy of Valentine and" He looks pointedly at me "his future successors"
"Me."
"Well, I suspect Jonathon will be the next in line, but Valentine will be itching to get his hands on you. Especially after he discovers your rune powers. We can't let that happen." He shivers. "I won't let that happen to you." He hugs me closer.
"What did he do to you? What does he do to the others?"
Jace sighs and nudges me forward, disentangling himself to stand up. I look in surprise as he takes his shirt off, still facing me. I try not to look below his chin, but….
"Like what you see?" He teases, but his smirk doesn't quite reach his eyes. He turns around, staring at the sloping fields before him, lit by the sunshine. It's not the fields that make my eyes grow wide however, it is the long ragged striped scars across his back that catch my breath. I stand up and run my fingers over them, causing him to shiver. He turns to face me again.
"What happened?" I whisper, concerned. He pulls me into a hug, my face gets awkwardly pressed up against his bare chest, however I don't protest and wrap my arms around him. He pulls back after a few seconds.
"Valentine believes everyone should grow up with the proper training and disobedience is harshly punished. My father, Stephen had no problems with this idea and disciplined me as he saw fit. That's the kind of society it is in New York (where Valentine has set up his base after the fall of the demon towers of Idis). There is no freedom, people do what they are commanded and there is no other option. Us out here have the freedom to move and breathe, Max has the opportunity to play and not worry about the nightmares that scare him at night because Valentine marked him too early."
I nod, finally understanding.
"So this is your safe haven?"
"Exactly, but we're being hunted by the minute. Just this week Institute 4 was destroyed and our comrades either taken or killed. For Downworlders it is much the same, although they are becoming increasingly endangered. If we don't take a stand soon, they'll be no-one left to fight"
"I'll fight." I decide in a heartbeat.
"No-you can't-" Jace protests.
"Besides, I have to save my mum." I point out. Jace smiles and stoops down to kiss me. When our lips connect, he lifts me up and I wrap my legs around him. Our kiss conveys all the emotions that we cannot communicate: my determination and Jace's strength and also his vulnerability. Jace pulls away first and smiles against my mouth.
"That's my courageous mundane"
I roll my eyes.
"Stupid Shadowhunter"
He sets me down, and rests his forehead against mine.
"Ridiculous redhead" He breathes, rubbing my nose in an Eskimo kiss.
"Egotistical Egg head"
He chuckles, and pulls away.
"I think I'm better than everyone else. An opinion that has been backed up with ample evidence."
"And ample arrogance"
He simply chooses to ignore the last comment and instead digs into his pockets.
"By the way, I got you this" He says, chucking me a stone, I fumble and drop it, groaning in frustration as I bend to pick it up.
"Not the best Shadowhunter reactions I've ever seen" Jace comments.
"Shut up"
"Never"
I roll my eyes, yet again and examine the…rock he gave me.
"You know, when most girls say they want a big rock, they don't mean, you know, literally a big rock."
"Very amusing, my sarcastic friend. It's not a rock, precisely. All Shadowhunters have a witchlight rune-stone."
"Oooh cool...what exactly does it do?"
"Lights the way, the path to wisdom, shining new opportunities…"
"You sound like my old headmaster"
"That's what they all say" He says with a wink.
"You are disgusting"
"And yet you still love me"
"It's sad because it's true" I mummer.
Jace looks at me fully, like with that smouldering look that makes my stomach to a 180.
"I love you" He states, chaste kissing me. When he pulls back, I look at him in shock.
"Look there's no pretending." Jace says with absolute clarity. "I love you, and I will love you until I die, and if there is life after that, I'll love you then."
"I'll love you till the end as well" I state certainly, sealing it with a kiss that would melt the hearts of even the coldest of people. Jace responds with an equal measure of passion and it almost as if we can feel as string tying our hearts together as everything comes together, just as it was meant to be.