The mortal instrument : Jace§Clary (Romeo~Juliet)

Fooling the enemy

Chapter 15

It was the middle of February and true to his promise Jace had kept in touch. Clary got at least one letter, if not two or three, from him every week and she made sure to answer every one of them. From what little Jace wrote about the war in his letters it didn't sound as if there was much fighting going on, especially with the new foot of snow that had just fallen, but they were still strategizing and trying to find the quickest way to end the war. But what Jace wrote the most about was how he missed her and how things were going with him. He also wrote about how he would confront her father once the fighting was over and try to talk things over with him. Jace was dead set on marrying her and he didn't care at all about a dowry, he just wanted to have Valentine's blessing, if that was even possible. Clary didn't think it was, but she wasn't going to tell Jace that.

Much to Clary's dismay, however, Sebastian had also sent her a few letters. Letter's that remained unopened and shoved in the bottom of her desk. She knew she should just burn them, but for some reason she just couldn't throw them into the fire.

Clary touched Jace's ring and smiled a little as she sealed the letter she had just finished writing for Jace. She had also written one for Luke as well, she missed him deeply as well and hadn't heard from him in a while. Satisfied she blew out her candle and went to bed.

....

Clary woke with a start and sighed in disappointment as her dream faded away. She was about to turn over and go back to sleep when something caught her eye. Sitting up in bed, Clary saw a figure standing in the shadows on her balcony, a little bit of moon light shining off of light colored hair. Clary smiled as the figure opened the door to the balcony. Jace.

Clary opened her mouth to call his name, but the word froze in her throat as the figure stepped into a patch of moon light entering her room and Clary saw that the figures fair hair was not golden, but pale.

"What are you doing here?" Clary asked, surprised by how steady and normal her voice sounded even though she was somewhat alarmed.

Sebastian looked at her with questioning eyes. "You haven't been drinking the tea I sent have you?"

"What tea?"

Sebastian's eyes hardened for a second and then softened again. He almost seemed agitated. "I sent you tea." He said finally. "I take it you didn't receive it."

"I haven't received any tea." Clary said, confused by why this seemed to bother him so much.

Sebastian moved closer to her and Clary had to force herself to stay where she was and to not move away. He paused at her writing desk and his face seemed to harden even more. Looking back at Clary, Sebastian's eyes gleamed with hostility. Clary's heart started to pound faster in her chest as his gaze settled back onto her.

"Why have you not written me back?"

"I haven't received any letters from you lately." Clary lied.

"Really. I don't believe you." Sebastian's voice was cold. "I made sure my own men saw personally that the letters I sent you found their way into your hands."

Clary's chest tightened a little. "I couldn't send you any letters back. You should know that."

"Yes, I suppose it would be difficult for you to send one to me. But that doesn't explain why you have been writing Jace, now does it." Sebastian said with scorn as he held up the letter I had just written for Jace a few hours ago.

"He is my friend." Clary replied calmly, her stomach now tying itself into knots. How she wished he would just leave.

"Your friend." He said with his eyes burning with anger as he threw the letter back down onto the desk. "And I suppose it is only natural for a... friend... to send another friend their own family ring."