Brothers by Blood (Alec Lightwood twin)

Chapter 63

*In the Seelie realm*

JACE'S POV

I was standing on the bridge which was over the creek in which the entrance to Seelie realm was situated.
"Just be prepared, 'cause Jace is not going to be happy you're here." I heard Clary say. What the?
"When is he ever happy to see me?" I heard Simon's voice reply. Ugh.
"Well, that's true, but-" She said, but I cut her off before either of them could say anything else.
"What is he doing here?" I asked, very displeased at this.
"Well hello to you. I'm joining the mission." Simon announced.
"No, you're not. You weren't invited." I said factually.
"I already told him that." Clary told me in a very matter-of-fact tone.
"But then I pointed out that you can never have too much backup. You've seen my fighting skills firsthand." He said proudly.
"There will be no fighting. If you hurt anyone in the Queen's realm, she has every right to hurt you. This is a sensitive political mission. It takes a certain charm." I warned him.
"Well, I'll have you know, I was voted vice president in eighth grade, and you do not win an election without charm." He said, looking at Clary and then back at me. I didn't smile.
"Simon, this isn't middle school. This is life or death." I said seriously.
"Have you been to middle school?" Simon asked. Clary chuckled and Simon looked at her with a smile.
"Look, Seelies have the beauty of angels, and the viciousness of demons, and those opposing qualities makes them unpredictable. A vampire or a werewolf, they prefer to attack you head on, but Seelies, they want to trick you into your own self-destruction." I explained.
"I mean, that's a little dramatic, don't you think? I mean, aren't Seelies like woodland hippies who eat berries and ants?" Simon asked.
"I thought the same about Kaelie." I said.
"And who saved Clary from her?" He asked more of a statement than a question. Seriously? Is he ever going to let that go? I mean, I get that he saved her, and for that I am grateful, but he doesn't have to rub it in my face.
"Jace, you're not gonna get him to change his mind." Clary said. "We have to go. Where is the entrance?" Clary asked. I looked at both of them. By the Angel, this is going to be even more of a headache than I first thought.
"There." I said, I looked over the railing at the river below.
"The Seelie Court is in a creek?" Simon asked skeptically.
"Not in it. Through it." I told them. I backed up and ran towards the railing, jumping over it and falling to the river. I landed on the ground and looked around. The first thing I noticed is that it was lightly snowing. There was hardly any wind, but the air was still crisp and cold. A few moments later, Simon and Clary appeared.
"Whoa." Clary breathed, looking at her surroundings in awe.
"After you, Mr. Vice President." I said to Simon, gesturing forward. He had a chuffed look on his face as he began walking. I rolled my eyes and followed both of them.

*Half an hour later*

We had been walking for a while and I had managed to tune out most of Clary and Simon's mindless chatter.
"You know, for a dangerous mission, the Seelie Court's pretty romantic." Simon commented.
"It's like being dropped inside a fairy tale. Which makes sense. Faeries do live here." Clary added.
"Is that blood?" Simon asked, almost as if to himself. I turned around to see him touching a tree. Oh no.
"Simon, get away from the tree! Get away from the tree!" I exclaimed. I ran over to him, ripping him away from the tree.
"What the hell are you doing?" He demanded, standing up and brushing himself off.
"Saving you. As usual." I snapped.
"From a tree?" He asked doubtfully.
"That is called a kill tree. It would have wrapped its vines around you and torn you limb from limb." I told him.
"Jace, what the hell are you talking about?"
"That tree almost tore Simon's pretty face off." I said.
"You think I'm pretty?" Simon asked. I ignored him.
"Look, in the Seelie realm, it's not just the creatures that are deadly. It's everything. If you want to survive, don't touch, eat, or smell anything. No matter how small." I warned them, before walking off.

CLARY'S POV

I gazed after Jace in shock. What had we gotten ourselves into?