The Dark Artifices- Lady Midnight

Chapter 14

Hi guys! The majority of the comments said 1, so here we go... This is going to be sad... - C

Clary shivered as she entered the institute, though it was a warm evening. Dread and grief washed over her in tides, hitting her with such force that she wanted to hunch over and collapse. I can't do this! she thought. But she had to. With a deep breath, she knocked on the door.

"Now, Clary, I want you to smile and pretend that you're relieved to be back. Remember your cover up story. You managed to knock me out and escape through a portal with a stele that you found on me." Sebastian said. He had forced her to create a telepathy rune so they could communicate. "Got it" she replied, trying to keep her voice from catching. The institute's doors opened, revealing Isabelle. Guilt panged in her chest. "Clary!" she yelled, pulling her into a hug, "Clary! Are you ok? How did you escape? What did Sebastian do to you? Clary! Jace! Alec! Simon! Clary's here!" She said this all very fast, wiping tears away from her eyes, mascara smudging. Clary smiled, but, as Sebastian had told her, kept it distant and stony. "I'll tell you later. I need to see Jace." I replied, feeling worse as Isabelle's eyes flashed with hurt. "Clary?" said a voice from the stairs.

My heart felt as if it had been cut in two. His voice. Jace's voice. Isabelle moved aside. I stared, longing to run into his arms like I always had. He was looking thinner than usual, his hair matted and dark shadows circled his eyes. "Jace" I said, desperately trying to communicate with him with my eyes. Don't believe what I say. Sebastian is making me do this. Don't let me hurt you.

"Sebastian! Don't make me do this! Please!" I beg frantically in his mind.

"Don't worry, little sis, you don't have to do this. Though you do know the consequences. Let's just say that I'll be running the institute pretty soon, and its inhabitants won't be so lucky" he mockingly reminded me.

Knowing that there was no choice, I beckoned for Jace to follow me with my eyes. He hesitated, as if he sensed that something was wrong, then followed me into the library as if in a trance, not daring to believe that I was actually alive, well and here with him.

"Jace. Jace, I need to talk to you" I told him, fighting to keep my voice level, and stony. I felt as if my whole soul was melting away. "Clary, what's wrong?" He asked, sensing that not everything was well. "Jace," I said, reciting my lines for the millionth time, "I've been meaning to talk to you about this for a while. I though things would change, that my feelings would change back to how they were five years ago. But they haven't." Jace's face turned grey, his features melting into shock and grief.

"W-w-what d-do you m-mean? I-"

"When Sebastian kidnapped me, brought me back to him, my old feelings were renewed. I remembered my love for him. I love Sebastian, Jace, I always have since the Infernal Cup ceremony. At first I thought it was wrong, so I convinced myself into loving you, even marrying you. There may have been a time when I loved you. But I can't anymore. I love Sebastian."

At that moment, Sebastian appeared by my side - as planned - and put an arm around me.

"I'm sorry Jace, but I belong with Sebastian"

Jace was ashen-faced, his eyes empty and lost. He sagged against a shelf. I could tell he was holding back tears. I looked up at Sebastian, who was smirking, his eyes wicked and glinting. A wave of hate for him hit me. Hate for his games. Hate for his tricks. Hate for his everything. It stops there. Sebastian began to twist his ring. I opened my mouth to shout to Jace, to tell him that it was all a lie. To tell him I loved him. Too late. We appeared again in my 'room', the picture of what I had done and left behind imprinted on the backs of my eyelids.
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Dramatic writing lol😂😝. Hope you liked this chapter! Remember to vote, comment and recommend! Thanks so much for 600 reads😊!