clace jealousy

48. Where are the Rest of Them?

"Reporting for duty!" Julian and Emma stood in front of Jace, their backs stiff, their hands in salutes as if they were in the army.

"What are you two doing here?" Clary asked.

"We're here to help you with Valentine's Followers!" Emma said cheerfully.

"How'd you get here?" Jace asked. "Is anyone else with you?"

"Malcolm portalled us here and no, we're here by ourselves," Julian answered.

"Who's Malcolm?" Clary asked. "You know what? Never mind, we have to go."

"That's our help?" Izzy asked, coming down the steps and seeing Emma and Jules. "That's it?"

"I told you the rest wouldn't be coming until later," Jace said.

"Whatever, let's go, Magnus's source says it should be starting any minute now," Izzy said.

"You guys are staying here," Clary told Emma and Jules as the rest of them started to come down the stairs.

"What?" both of them complained. "We want to help!"

"You will be helping," Jace said. "We need someone to stay here and protect the Institute and Brianna and Stephen."

Jace leaned in closed to them as if he were going to tell them a secret. "I only trust the best and bravest people to watch over my children. Think you're up for the job?"

Emma and Jules nodded excitedly.

"Good," Jace smiled and winked at them.

Emma couldn't help the blush that crept up onto her cheeks, to which Jules narrowed his eyes.

"I trust that you'll keep them safe," Jace said, straightening up. What he didn't tell them was that Luke and Jocelyn were upstairs in the nursery with the twins and Amatis, watching over them.

"Be on alert!" Jace told them as Magnus prepared the portal. "One of Valentine's followers might try to break into the Institute."

Emma and Jules nodded, their hands on their weapons, and began pacing up and down the entrance to the Institute, taking their job very seriously.

"You shouldn't tease them like that," Izzy told Jace quietly. She could tell just from looking at Emma that the girl loved using the blade she had strapped at her waist.

-

"It looks awful!" Izzy crinkled her nose at the abandoned building. "And smells awful!"

"It is an abandoned building, Izzy," Jace said. "It's not like they have maintenance. . . or air freshener."

"Well, they should!"

"Shh!" Alec shushed them. "Do you hear that?"

They all quieted and listened. There was a faint tapping noise, almost like light footsteps. It was so light you'd have to strain your ears to hear it.

Jace beckoned them forward, and motioned for them to have their weapons ready. He looked around the corner and drew his blade.

"It's just us!" a rather young sounding voice said quickly.

"What are you doing here?" Clary asked, coming around the corner and seeing Emma and Jules.

Jace sheathed his knife. "We told you to stay and watch the twins!"

"Yeah, and you forgot to mention that you already had Jocelyn and Luke doing that!" Emma told him, her arms crossed. "You lied!"

"We didn't lie, we never told you Jocelyn and Luke weren't there," Jace said.