Valentine's Arrow

25: Innocence Lost

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

REBECCA

Jace was prowling the room like a cat. The rest of them watched him, Simon with one eyebrow cocked.

"There's no other way to get there?" Jace asked. "We can't try to Portal?"

"We're not demons. We can Portal only within a dimension," said Alec.

"I know that, but if Clary experimented with the Portal runes-"

"I won't do it," Clary interrupted, putting her hand protectively over her pocket. "I won't put you all in danger. I Portaled myself and Luke to Idris and nearly got us killed. I'm not risking it."

"I've got an idea," Rebecca said. "Clary, you can make a Portal to the Seelie Court, right?"

"Yes," she said. "That I could do - I've been there; I remember it. But would we be safe? We haven't been invited, and the Fair Folk don't like incursions into their territory-"

"There's no 'we' here," Rebecca said firmly. "I'm going alone."

Alec sprang to his feet and said loudly, "I knew it, I bloody knew it, and absolutely not. Not a chance."

She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Since when do you say 'bloody'?"

"Since the situation bloody warrants it." He crossed his arms over his chest.

She sighed. "Guys, I have to do this alone. I started this whole mess, and I have to fix it."

"Sebastian started this mess," Isabelle pointed out.

"And exactly how do you plan to take him down yourself?" Jace's voice was steady, but Rebecca could see the tension in his shoulders when he spoke.

"Because the Queen knows me," she said, crossing her arms too. "I've visited her more times than I'd want to admit, and she still thinks I'm on Sebastian's side. If we all show up-"

"She'll know you're on our side." Clary exhaled slowly.

"Exactly. She'd probably try to kill us. Even if we do get past her, she'll definitely warn Sebastian."

Everyone was silent; Rebecca knew she had hit them with a good argument. "Besides, I-I can't stand putting you guys in danger. Not again."

"That's not your choice to make," Isabelle said firmly.

"By the way," Jace said dryly, "How exactly did you plan on killing him without me?"

"I don't need you-" Rebecca began hotly.

"You said that heavenly fire was the only thing that could kill him."

She gritted her teeth. She knew when she was beaten. "Okay, fine. But the others-"

"Becca, you are NOT doing this on your own," Alec cut in firmly.

"Is it because you don't trust me?" She didn't mean to yell, but she did.

Alec looked stunned at her outburst; he opened his mouth to respond, but she didn't let him.

"I'M STILL A TRAITOR TO YOU, AREN'T I?" She wasn't even yelling anymore, she was screaming. She could feel the demon blood flowing through her, fueling the rage.

Then, as quickly as it had come, it was gone. All the rage left her, and she was nothing but a puppet whose strings had just been cut. Everyone's eyes were on her, and she could see bewilderment in their faces, and more than a tinge of fear.

"Sorry, I-" The words caught in her throat. "I'm sorry." She left the room before anyone could say anything.