Fear

Ashes

Chapter 12- Ashes

Jace POV

When I awake, the first thing I notice are the manacles- and then the blood. The smell of it is so strong that I cannot help but be revolted; no matter what my upbringing. Instinctively, I jump to my feet, only to be yanked violently back onto the ground by the heavy chains circling my wrists.

Testing their strength, I pull against the manacles and a searing pain envelops my wrists. I grunt in frustration and try pulling on them again. That's when I realise: the blood on the floor is mine, created from the roughness of the chains.

I hear footsteps echoing through the stone halls of the hallway beside my cell. I strain my eyes to see who the figure approaching me is. The first thing is notice is the dirty blonde hair, shining like a torch in the dark tunnels. As he gets closer, I can see his pale blue eyes standing out against his deeply tanned skin. He unlocks the prison door and walks towards me. The boy leans down and uses a stele to unlock my cuffs. They open with a satisfying click.

"Jonathan," he says in condescending a voice.

"It's Jace," I reply in one just as stern and commanding.

"Come with me," he says turning to walk out of the now open prison door.

"Why? What do you want?" I question, refusing to leave.

"You're wanted," the boy says simply.

"What for?" I ask again. When the boy doesn't move to answer me, I chuckle. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what you want with me."

The boy just exhales deeply and closes the door- shutting us both inside. "Well then, it looks like we're going to be here for a long time."

"So it does," I reply nonchalantly, ignoring my sweating palms. For a few horrible moments, we sit there observing each other.

"Who are you?" I ask finally, shattering the awkward silence into pieces.

"That is none of your concern," the boy says stiffly before sitting down and playing with a ring full of jagged keys.

"Okay..." I mutter under my breath and – once again – we fall into silence, but the boy eventually speaks up.

"What does he want with you?" He asks, shoving his keys into his pocket. "Sebastian, I mean."

"That is none of your concern," I say mockingly, my eyebrows raised. The boy snorts and rolls his blue eyes.

"Ashley Fortistone," the boy says completely out of the blue.

"Excuse me?" I ask, puzzled.

"My name," the boy answers. "You asked me who I was. I'm Ashley Fortistone, but please call me Ash." He holds his hand out for me to shake and I take it.

"Jace..." I hesitate. Who am I? Am I a Lightwood or a Herondale? What do I say?

"Herondale, I know." Ash says wide eyed, bobbing his head up and down. "You're like shadowhunter legends, you and Clarissa Morgenstern are!"

Wait. What?

"Excuse me?" I say again. "Who's Clarissa Morgenstern?"

"You really don't know? Short, cute, red hair; I'm pretty sure you came in with her," he says and then his eyes widen in shock before he mutters curses under his breath.

"You mean Clary? Clary Fray?" I ask.

"Yes? I mean, no. I..." Ash trails off, clearly fighting a war within him.

"What has any of this got to do with her? She only just found out about the shadow world! She can't be a shadowhunter legend!" I demand, slowly rising to my feet, despite the slight dizziness.

"I don't know," Ash replies, frustrated with himself; I almost feel sorry for him. Almost.

In two quick paces I am already across the room, right in front of him, his blood-red shirt bunched up in my fist. "Tell me what you know," I growl threateningly through gritted teeth.

"I can't," he spits back at me, his face hardened and emotionless.

"Why not?" I ask him. He sighs deeply and closes his eyes. Surprised, I raise my eyebrows at his weakness. "I'll give you one last chance to answer me before I kill you and leave. Why are you working for him?"

"Because..." He begins, and when he hesitates, I move my hands up to his throat- preparing to cut off his breathing. "Because he has my family."

When he opens his eyes, I can see the pain he is going through; the dozens of sleepless nights reflected in the purple bags under his eyes. I stumble back suddenly as if he had hit me and stop as my back hits the wall.

"Why?" I choke out, suddenly scared: for my family, for my siblings, for Clary. No, I scold myself. I shouldn't be scared for Clary; she betrayed me, she's the reason I'm here.

"I don't know," Ash hisses at me. "Why are you here? Why are any of us here? The whole thing is stupid: Sebastian Morgenstern failed the first time; he's not going to win this time. Not if I can help it." He begins to pace up and down in the cell nervously, as if it were a habit.

"What do you mean failed the first time?" I ask, looking up at this unstable boy.

"I mean, that he has fought against the shadowhunters before and has lost. I can't say anymore; not now," he says, wringing his hands due to his nerves.

He rushes over to the door to the prison and pushes it open. "We better get going, he's waiting for you."

He walks through the door and begins to make his way down the dark corridor. Releasing a sigh I follow him out, standing right behind him. After just a few steps Ash suddenly turns around and whacks me in the nose.

"What the-" I begin, but Ash cuts me off.

"Sorry about that, man. We need to an excuse for taking a while and now it looks like you put up a fight," he says.

"If you and I were actually in a fight I would most certainly win and still look absolutely dashing," I reply sharply.

Ash sighs and shakes his head, "Let's go."

A/N

So what do you guys think of Ash? I, personally, really think I could (hopefully) make him a really strong character- but he should come into the story later anyway. So please vote and comment- and now, I'm signing out