Our Fate ➰Shadowhunters➰ [Jace]

➰Chapter Eleven➰

➰Chapter eleven➰

Clary's phone rang, and I elbowed her to quickly get it. Everyone around us had been searching in their pockets, obviously unaware that we were standing there, thanks to the glamours.

"Why did you sneak out? And what's the point of an invisibility rune if you don't silence your phone?" Alec said, startling me. "That was childish, running away like that."

"Simon!" Clary finally answered.

We kept our distance so she could talk to him. "I'm sorry, but we had to find that box. If there's any chance it'll lead us to Jocelyn—"

"Not without permission. Let's go," he said, bumping into my shoulder as he started leading us back to the Institute.

"Why do you always look so freaking miserable?!" I asked in annoyance.

"I'm not."

"Yes, you are. I know it must be hard being in love with Jace, since I think he's straight and stuff—"

Alec narrowed his eyes at me. "Excuse me, what?"

"What's the big deal? We were all there when the memory came out," Clary said, joining our conversation. Apparently, she had finished speaking to Simon and heard what we were discussing.

"We're parabatai, alright?"

"Alec, for crying out loud! Just say it. You'll feel better." I assured him. "You're in love with Jace, so what?"

"Know what? Forget it. You're in love with Jace," he snapped back, making me roll my eyes.

"Are you serious? The middle school comeback? Real mature." I said.

"Alec, we have a real problem to solve," Clary said in a serious tone. "Come with us."

➰➰➰

"Remind me why Simon is here?" I asked, staring at him blankly.

"He wanted to help," Clary shrugged, why we climbed down the wall to get to Clary's apartment.

"Besides, you may know the Shadow World, but I know Brooklyn. I used to take this shortcut to see Clary back in middle school." Simon defended himself.

We then hurried to climb up the emergency fire escape outside the back of the building, and I was kind of impressed at how easily and quickly Simon managed to climb on top. "Woah there. Are you on steroids or something?"

We continued climbing up the stairs, until we reached the wall, which was filled with different symbols and some runes I'd never seen before.

"I don't remember these," Clary said.

"These are runes and wards cast by a warlock for protection," Alec explained.

I touched one of the runes and sighed. "My mom must have drawn these to protect the loft from Valentine."

Clary then tried to open the door unsuccessfully. Simon told her to step aside and then pulled the door literally off the frame, making all of us widen our eyes. "After you."

We then walked inside, and I heard Clary gasped when she saw the scorches that were left of her room.

"Holy crap, who torched your room?" I asked out loud.

"There's nothing left of me here," Clary said with a sad sigh.

"Of course there isn't. Your mother was trying to erase any trace that you existed," Alec said. "So that you couldn't be tracked. She was protecting you."