The Mortal Instruments: The City of Dust

Chapter 6: Memories

  Clary walked silently to her room, not sure what to grab. She had only been to The Silent City once, when she and Simon broke in and scared one of the Brothers, it was epically horrifying. She didn't want to face the graves of Shadowhunters, and the terrifying faces of all The Silent Brothers again, but she knew she had no choice, and she accepted it as best she could.

  "Knock, knock." Simon's voice was the most relieving thing Clary could have possibly needed.

  "Simon!" She flew into his arms frantically.

  "That's my name, and making your life wonderful is my game." He smirked.

  "You have spent way too much time with Jace, and Teegan. Mainly Jace..." Clary rolled her eyes and turned back to her "room."

  "Where you going?" He changed the subject quickly.

  "The Silent City," She paused, "they want to make sure I am not leaving anything out, any key detail to who took my mom."

  "You know who took her Clary." Simon looked down. He spoke the truth, and Clary did know who took her mother, she just didn't know where, "Valentine is--"

  "No match for me." She heaved a weak sigh, "I made a promise to get her back, and I will."

  Clary packed in silence, Simon watching her every move. She pulled on her leather jacket and grabbed a seraph blade, hiding her stele in her boot.

  "Don't wait up." She smiled leaving Simon standing alone in the doorway, blinking rapidly.

  Clary walked down the corridor, wishing there was someway to protect Simon, other then locking him up. She knew her last words wouldn't count, no matter what, Simon was going to be awake when Clary arrived home.

  Jace sat by the elevator, playing with his sensor, just as Clary's bracelet pulsed. It was her fourteenth birthday present, a bracelet with Rune charms and a sensor disguised as a little gemstone. Whenever Demon's were near, it pulsed rapidly, one pulse could mean anything, a small demon in an area near her or maybe a dead demon down the street, nothing to worry about, but something about the quick beat of the gemstone only moments ago, sent her stomach into flips.

  "You ready, little girl?" Jace's voice was mocking.

  "A man who reads nothing at all, is more educated then a man who reads only a newspaper." She motioned to the newspaper in his pocket, "I am very certain I am much more educated then you. The man who originally stated that quote, left out the important fact, that a woman who reads at least one book is much more educated then a boy who reads the newspaper for fun."

  "You just keep telling yourself that, little girl."

  "For your information I will be Sixteen tomorrow, so I'd appreciate it if you went without calling me 'little girl,' or I might have to call you 'little boy.'" She smiled and entered the worn down elevator, pressing a button without waiting for Jace.

                                                        ~***~

   The black vehicle was more of a cage then anything else, drawn by two black steeds, led by one tall man. Clary had never felt so wildly incaged then now, with Jace to her right and Central Park on her left, she felt alone, like an animal at the zoo. Something inside her wanted to reach for Jace's hand, not for any reason but reassurance she was alive. A lump in her throat had formed back at The Institute, and the second she entered the moving jail cell, it grew and grew. The fact that they were literally driving over cars, didn't help her nerves, and the look on some peoples faces as an invisible breeze blew their hair in their faces, was even more unnerving. By the time they arrived Clary realized she had held her breath the whole time, and now gasped for air.