Fallen Angel

viii

Jace rolled over in bed. He hadn't been sleeping very well since Clary first got taken. Even though she wasn't far, he still couldn't sleep.

"There you are. Is it done?" He heard Sebastian ask.

"It is." Clary responded.

"I'm assuming you want to see Jace?" Sebastian asked.

"I'd like to, yes." Clary said.

"Well he's sleeping," Sebastian said. "He's been sleeping since you left."

"Well it's a good thing I'm not asking for your permission." Clary snapped.

"Fine, go stare wistfully at his sleeping face. I don't understand-"

"No. You don't understand. You could never possibly come close to understanding how I feel about Jace. You never have and you never will."

Jace couldn't see Sebastian's face but he imagined it was a look of utter shock. Even though Clary and Sebastian bickered like siblings, he knew that Clary would never speak to Sebastian like that.

Jace heard her footsteps coming closer and he rolled into his side as the door opened and shut.

"Jace." She whispered.

"Babe, I'm trying to sleep." Jace said.

"Jace. It's me!" Clary said. Jace turned to face her and her eyes were wide.

"What did you just say?" He asked.

"It's me." She whispered. Jace sat up and touched her cheek, gently, almost as if he wasn't gentle, she'd go away.

"Oh my god-"

"No. Don't say anything. Meet me in my room in 5 minutes." Clary said. She stood up and all but ran out of Jace's room and up the steps.

The minutes felt like hours as Jace waited. After 5 minutes had passed, he got up and silently walked up to Clary's room.

He opened the door and saw her standing on the other side, biting her nails.

"Clary." He said softly. Clary turned around at the sound of his voice and smiled.

"Jace." She said softly. She ran across the room and Jace picked her up, hugging her tightly.

"Oh my god I've missed you." He whispered into her hair.

"I missed you too." Clary said. Jace looked at her and noticed she was covered in blood.

"You're bleeding." He said.

"It's not my blood. It's Seraphina's." Clary said. Jace looked at her.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Sebastian. He had me kill Seraphina instead of paying her." Clary said.

"Why? What do you mean? What's he planning?" Jace asked.

"Remember the old clock in the square in Madrid?" Clary asked.

"Yeah of course, the king had the clock makers eyes removed so he couldn't make something as beautiful ever again." Jace said.

"Same thing here. Sebastian wanted Seraphina dead so she could never make anything like that ever again." Clary said.

"What is the cup's purpose?" Jace asked.

"That cup he got. He's going to use it to turn Shadowhunters into soulless warriors called the Endarkened. They'll fight his war against the Nephilim and they will win." Clary said.