The Mortal Instruments | Morgenstern Blood

The Missing Ring:

Once I get inside I sit down on my bed and pull off my boots. I slip the necklace off my neck and leave it on my nightstand, planning to confront Clary about it tomorrow.

I'm surprisingly tired. I don't normally get tired. I'm used to constant training, always ready to fight so even when I do sleep I'm half awake, prepared to attack the second my eyes open.

Yet these past few days with Clary have drained me, more emotionally than physically. I don't know why. It's stupid. I've said it before. She makes me weak. But I need her.

I pull off my shirt and lie down on the cool sheet of my bead. I glance around my room, it's almost completely empty. There's a wardrobe in the corner filled with Shadow Hunter gear, jeans and the same familiar shirts.

Opposite that there's a stand where my stele and weapons sit. I dumped both of my blades in there on the way in. Next to that there's a desk, that's probably the messiest object in my room. It's covered in papers and a few books open on random pages. I'd been doing some research on Clarissa and my blood, the demon side of mine and the angel side of hers. The off-spring I could only imagine the potential of...

By the papers there's a quill left on it's side with a drop of ink left on the nib and the ink pot sitting next to it.

Above the desk are two wooden bookshelves. Each bookshelf is neatly stacked with books such as the shadow hunters codex or some slightly more illegal books on demons and demon poisons. Subjects which interest me. I'd been considering for a while, a way to coat my sword in demon poison to make it even more effective in it's killing abilities.

Next to the books there is one photo. It is of Valentine, Jocelyn and I. It's Valentine that holds me because you can see that my mother hates me from the disgusted look she gives me, as if I'm a repulsive creature.

My bed is a double one. It's sort of a requirement seeing as I use it a lot. Generally not for sleeping. But tonight is an exception.

Examining everything helps me sleep. I empty out all my thoughts from my head so my mind is still when I shut my eyes.

A few minutes later my door opens slowly and the light flows in through the crack between the door and the wall. A figure slips through the gap and tiptoes over to me. They don't seem like a threat so I don't jump up to grab my sword, but I tense my muscles.

Once they're close enough to me in the dim light my eyes have adjusted to I recognise the figure. Clary. I keep my eyes shut and let her carry on, wondering how this will play out.

She sits down on the bed next to me. Half of it's still empty despite that I've stretched my legs out under the thin sheet to make the most of my extra bed space. Clary smiles a little then curls up on top of the sheet next to me.

She places her head against my bare chest and I move my arm to wrap it around her small figure. I don't ever want to move. Her chest moves in rhythm with mine and I keep my eyes shut, pretending to be asleep because I feel that if I move she'll be gone.

What if I'm asleep? I ask myself. It's likely. Clary wouldn't just come visit my room in the middle of the night in real life. But I want it to be true. I don't want to wake up even if it is a dream so I don't think too hard about that.

I move my hand up to her face and I stroke her cheek very softly with my forefinger. Her skin is so soft and delicate and I can feel the warmth of her blood flowing.

I'm so tempted to kiss her but I stop myself. I don't want to scare her away. I want to show her I can be compassionate and caring.

I shut my eyes, holding her against my cool chest. She smiles and shuts her eyes too, her arms slipping around my waist.

"Jonathan..."

"Yes?"

Her breaths are slow and deep. She's already fallen asleep.

I open my eyes in the morning and sit up, glancing around my room. To my disappointment Clary's not on my bed and my bed is in fact exactly as it was before I fell asleep. It seems highly likely that Clary being here last night was a dream.

She wouldn't do that. Not to Jace and not for me.

I sigh and take a cold shower. The cool water calms me. Then I get dressed and walk over to the desk where I left the ring I found in Clary's room, planning to confront her about it and the sword.

I know exactly where I left it. I remember the precise direction it faced and the precise angle at which it sat. The angle wasn't wrong though, or the direction. The ring wasn't there.