Shadowhunters: City of Possibilities

Chapter Three

I make it to the library without putting myself on display for the whole institute to see that Isabelle Lightwood does in fact cry. I find a seat in the corner, twisting the sparkling serpent that is wrapped around my wrist. The bite of the metal tearing at my skin is just enough to stop my tears, so I keep twisting it as I think about how weird it would be for me to be a mother. Would I even be good enough? That question is the last one that passed through my mind until a delicate hand places itself upon mine. I look at her expression as she takes in my bleeding wrist that had begun to drip on the floor. As if by reflex, she reaches for her stele that is stashed away in her boot just the way I taught her. She presses the tip to my flesh and belts out an iratze before I can even bat an eye, relief washing over me as the skin melds back together right before our eyes. As she reaches down to stash her stele away into its rightful place, I catch a glimpse of a glittering tear on my leg. Sure I had been a snot-nosed mess earlier but I hadn't cried hard enough to let them run down my leg. As Clary lifts her face I can see where it came from, her soft eyes are leaking tears down her cheeks, crying for her friend that is pushing her away rather than allowing her in. "Clary please don't cry, okay? Because if you start so will I with all these crazy-", I begin, breaking off before I can finish what I was just about to confess to. "Iz?" Clary sniffles, "Why are you pushing me away? We promised we wouldn't keep secrets from one another-I-I thought we were sisters." I look at her sympathetically, "Of course, we're sisters Clary," I say placing my arm around her back, "I just don't know if I can do this." Clary pulls away from the embrace, wiping at the stray tears that are still creating damp streams across her pale cheeks, "Izzy, whatever it is I'm sure you can do it. Just let me in okay?" I look at her, the far wall then finally, I let my gaze land on the vaulted ceilings, "Not here Clary. I just want you to know, okay?" Clary nods just as the sound of my name being belted throughout the halls of the institute snaps the two of us to attention. We give each other a look, then she extends her palm towards me, "Come with me. I know of a place where we can go that's quiet and away from all this noise. What do you say?" She says waiting expectantly for me to place my palm within hers. With the voices of my brothers and Simon coming closer, I take it, letting Clary pull me away to someplace safe, somewhere I can talk to my sister about all the things that I need to get off my chest and out into the open. The gesture is motherly and sweet and so Clary it makes me smile as she pulls me along after her.