City of Heavenly Fire

Chapter 8

Isabelle

Isabelle stood next to Alec and in front of Mayrse. Her mother had called her here for a reason, and the tension between the three of them at the moment was unbeievable. "I don't want to drag this on" Mayrse said, as she pulled their father from behind the bookcase.

"So, Alec was right" Isabelle stated not even bothering to go up and hug her dad.

"I never said he was wrong" Mayrse said. "Robert is here for a short time only, he's not here on business, he's here for us."

"Yeah right" Isabelle, "He probably is here for work, but the Clave told him to keep quiet about it." Mayrse opened her mouth to say something and then shut it again.

Maia

"We should leave" Maia said leaning against the kitchen table. "Get out of here, see the world"

Jordan laughed and handed her a beer, which she took thirtsly. "Why?"

"I don't know, it's just dull here" She said.

"This doesn't have anything to do with that 'creepy' thing that happened to you today does it?" Jordan took a swig of his beer.

"No," Maia said defensivily. "But it was creepy, and strange" Maia added. Jordan just laughed, "you don't believe me?" Maia said taking a sip of her own beer.

"You have to admit, that it's pretty unlikely" Jordan said. Maia put the bottle of alcohol on the bench.

"I'm not lying, why would I lie about something like this?" Maia raised an eyebrow.

"I never said you were lying, I just said it was unlikely" Jordan said. "But I think it's a mistake to leave now, especially with everything that's happening."

"But we don't have to be apart of that" Maia walked up to Jordan and put her hands on his shoulders. "Just think about it, leaving means we don't have to worry about Sebastian or the Clave-"

"We'll always have to worry about the clave" Jordan interrupted.

"But we'll be away from all the chaos, we could travel and then settle down and raise a family" Maia looked into Jordan's eyes with pleading one's.

"I thought you didn't want children" was all he said.

"I don't recall saying that" Maia took her hands off his shoulders and left them to rest at her sides.

Jordan looked at her, studying her "no matter how fast we run, or how far we get away. While Sebastian's around he'll always be right behind us" Jordan lent down and kissed the top of Maia's head. "We have to fight, or the life we'll try to rebuild won't be worth living in."

Maia leaned into him, feeling for the first time his lips on her skin and the burning spark of passion between them, that's when she realised she loved, and just how much she really did.

Clary

Jace and Clary walked into the library, greeted with Isabelle and Alec on one and Mayrse and Robert on the other. "Whats going on here?"

Isabelle turned to them, her arms folded across her chest and her black hair sitting on her shoulders. "Dads back." Isabelle said.

"Robert?" Jace looked at Isabelle.

"No, Frankenstine!" Alec rolled his eyes, and Jace looked at him.

"I didn't pick you for the joker type Alec." Jace smiled, looking past Isabelle and Alec and at Mayrse who was standing in front of Robert.

"I thought he wasn't allowed back, unless for official work." Clary set her green eyes on his figure. A black cloak set on his shoulders, and he looked older from the last time that she saw him. He had a growing beard which was greying in small streaks, as was his hair.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Isabelle said, "but mom says, he's here on fatherly business, and that it'll be the last one for awhile."

"I'm just repeating what the note said." Mayrse said.

"You speak as if I am not here." Robert said, coming out from behind the defences of Mayrse. "Your mother speaks truth."

"You wouldn't know what the truth was, if it bit you in the face!" Alec snapped.

"Alec!" Mayrse widened her eyes, "what has gotten into you? Seriously?"

"This family." Alec muttered, turned to walk out of library.

Mayrse sighed and turned to her husband. "What news of Idris?"

"Survivors have come from the Los Angeles insitute." Robert said, "it was attacked, everyone taken or dead."

"By who? Why haven't we heard about this?" Jace demanded.

"Sebastian." Robert said, "the survivor of kids told us that he turned one of their brothers into a cold blooded shadow hunter killer."

"We've seen that before." Isabelle muttered.

"How many survivors are there?" Clary asked.

"They are all children, they go by Tavvy, Dru, Julian, Ty, Livvy and Emma."

"Family?"

"Not all of them, but they are close." Robert said.

"How did they escape?"

"I'm sorry, I can give you no further information." Robert sighed, "but we know for a fact Sebastian is involved and is using the mortal cup to make an army."