City Of Bones

Chapter 15

The strange but slightly familiar feel of falling through a hurricane annoyed Clary. She didn't like transporting through portals even though they were much faster than any other type of transportation. Simon, on the other hand, had only transported through a portal once a few years ago and ended up receiving four painful cuts stretching across his elbows and knees. When Clary suggested to go through the portal to get away from Jace, she had read the fear in Simon's eyes but she knew there was no other way. Jace was just too hard to slip away from.

Clary tried to remember the tip Luke had given her about moving through portals. She kept her knees bent, ready to land on the grass on Luke's lawn that was filled with dead grass. Finally, with a pop, her body fell, her feet landing with a thump. She grinned at herself as she finally landed gracefully after being hurtled through a portal. She looked around hastily to see Simon a few feet away from her, groaning on the grass where he lay.

"Simon?" Clary called and hurried over to him, grabbing his glasses off the grass beside him. "You okay?" She knelt down and handed him his glasses. Simon sat up, rubbing his back.

"I hate traveling through portals," he groaned and slowly got up . Clary stepped back as he stretched his arms then she looked around herself once more. They stood in front of a small gray row house, nestled among the other row houses that lined the Williamsburg waterfront. In front of the house that was used as a store stood a sign that read'Garroway Books. Fine used, new, and Out-of-print. Closed Saturdays." The most important part about where they were was that there was no sign of Jace.

"Yes!" She exclaimed happily, grinning proudly. "We got away from him." Simon grinned at her behind her back, clearly amused and content. Clary opened her mouth to ask Simon if he knew if Luke was home when suddenly, a large circle of mixing colors appeared a few feet above her head.

"Look out!" Simon yelled and Clary whirled around just as a figure was thrown out of the portal. The figure slammed into Clary, pushing her onto the grass causing her back to slam against the hard dirt. Clary's eyes whipped open and recognized the boy lying on top of her, frowning down at her disapprovingly.

"Jace?" She groaned and threw her head back against the grass.

"Glad to see you too," he smirked and hefted himself up off of her then helped Clary up after him. She brushed off the grass that was sticking onto her back then glared at him angrily.

"No offense but that was a horrible attempt at escaping from me. Was my company really that bad?" He said and Clary shook her head in exasperation.

"Why did you follow us?" She whined. Jace faked a shocked look at her.

"Do you really think I'd let you get out of sight? You're my responsibility," he spoke firmly in an annoyed tone.

"You're not my brother Jace! Couldn't you have taken the hint that I didn't want to stay with you guys and just left me alone?" She exclaimed, suddenly feeling extremely angry at herself for being unsuccessful at escaping from the other shadow hunter's and at Jace for following them. A chilly breeze flew around Clary, sending Goosebumps up her arms but the anger inside her distracted her.

"You're lucky we haven't reported you to the Clave," he snapped, leaning down towards her angrily as she glared at him with her beautiful emerald green eyes that suddenly went cold. "If I were you, I'd be grateful and stop pushing it." White anger flared in Clary's small body and a sudden fierce desire to slap Jace filled her but using all her will power, she restrained herself. Instead, she started to yell at him when a sudden screeching cut her off. All of their heads whipped to the left where a truck that Clary recognized as Luke's swerved and stopped in front of Luke's store. A man stumbled out of the car and started towards the store then froze when his eyes caught sight of Simon, Clary and Jace on his lawn.