Memories Are All She Has

32.The final battle

Jace's POV

We're all set with our plan. The plan isn't all that great or even fully completed, but its all we have for now and we're running out of time, so we have to make do with this. Every second we are sitting here, is making my skin crawl with worry. I feel impatience bubbling inside me.

I can't even imagine what would happen if we are late. What if they kill Clary...? No! Don't think like that, I chastise myself. Too late, an evil voice in my head says. Suddenly I get an image of me holding her corpse in my arms. Her skin is too pale and too cold. My body is racking with pain and my howls hold pure anguish. I shake the gruesome image out of my head and try my best to convince myself that that won't happen.

Izzy and Simon found blueprints of the warehouse and now we know all the secret paths and rooms in it.

I'd wager that we're quite ready. Everyone is either packing their weapons or...writing their will. Just kidding, about the second part. Although I have a feeling that we won't get out of this alive, I take Izzy's advice to try and stay optimistic, even though I'm sure the same thoughts are running through her head. All of ours, actually. So I decide to be optimistic, if not for myself at least for Clary because I'm sure that that's what she'd want.

"Jace," Alec's voice echoes and I sigh.

Its time to leave. Just before we enter Magnus's portal, we all embrace each other, in a... This is highly embarrassing, but we did a group hug. Yes, I know what you're all thinking. Your bad boy reputation is down the drain. But, what's the point of a reputation if I die today. So, on that encouraging thought, I enter the portal.

We exit just outside the warehouse and Magnus puts cloaking spells on all of us. It won't last long, but its enough to get past the soldiers standing at the entrance, looking beyond bored. They sure as hell must be confident in their power because not a single ward stopped us. That thought scares me more than I'd like to admit.

We enter as stealthily as we can and hurry into the warehouse because even Magnus's cloaking spell can only last so long.

The group splits in pairs. Izzy and Simon, Magnus and Alec, and Vanessa and I.

We spread out so that we can find Clary in the most efficient way. The eerie silence as we walk is disconcerting in the least. The bleary grey walls are a constant repetition. My entire body is tightly coiled with tension and every cell in my body fizzes with impatience.

Then my eyes widen upon seeing a brown door a few steps away. Finally! I nearly smile and share a relieved and hopeful look with Vanessa. Then we walk to the door and I give her a nod. She understands and goes to stand on one side of the door. I stand to the other side and use an opening rune to open the door.

We wait a few seconds before pushing the door open all the way and charge in, weapons at the ready.

The hopeful glow of our eyes dims as we take in the sight of the empty room. We sigh and move on to the next, trying to keep that fire of hope alight in our hearts.

This same process continues until we're extremely tired and more than a little disappointed if the slump of our shoulders is anything to go by. Vanessa and I turn to look at each other, both of us frowning. We stand there for a few seconds, unwilling to believe that she isn't here. That we couldn't find her.

Until...suddenly, I hear a noise. I gesture for Vanessa to listen. Her eyebrows crease in concentration and then her eyes widen. I see hope and excitement shining in them, that is surely mirrored in my eyes too.

We both stand stock still, our ears straining to catch the conversation and the direction that it is coming from.

"This way," Vanessa whispers and starts walking. I follow quietly, still listening to the conversation.