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He choked, his throat burning

Valentine laughed "For God’s sake?" he said "Is that what you were going to say?"

Si Valentine reached over his shoulder and drew the heavy silver Sword fro down a sheer silver wall, like sunlight itself refracted Si and he turned his face away

"The Angel blade burns you, just as God’s name chokes you," said Valentine, his cool voice sharp as crystal "They say that those who die upon its point will achieve the gates of heaven In which case, revenant, I a you a favor" He lowered the blade so that the tip touched Simon’s throat Valentine’s eyes were the color of black water and there was nothing in theer, no compassion, not even any hate They were erave "Any last words?"

Simon knehat he was supposed to say Sh’ma Yisrael, adonai elohanu, adonai echod Hear, oh Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One He tried to speak the words, but a searing pain burned his throat "Clary," he whispered instead

A look of annoyance passed across Valentine’s face, as if the sound of his daughter’s name in a vampire’s mouth displeased hiht the Sword level and slashed it with a single sesture across Simon’s throat

17

EAST OF EDEN

"HOW DID YOU DO THAT?" CLARY DEMANDED AS THE TRUCK sped uptown, Luke hunched over the wheel

"You ainst the seat, his eyes half-closed There hite bandages tied around his wrists and flecks of dried blood at his hairline "First I climbed out Isabelle’sand up the wall There are a nuood handholds Also, I’d like to note for the record that er where I left it I bet the Inquisitor took it on a joyride around Hoboken"

"I meant," Clary said, "how did you jump off the cathedral roof and not die?"

"I don’t know" His arm brushed hers as he raised his hands to rub at his eyes "How did you create that rune?"

"I don’t know either," she whispered "The Seelie Queen was right, wasn’t she? Valentine, he--he did things to us" She glanced over at Luke, as pretending to be absorbed in turning left "Didn’t he?"

"This isn’t the time to talk about that," Luke said "Jace, did you have a particular destination in et away from the Institute?"

"Valentine’s taken Maia and Simon to the boat to perform the Ritual He’ll want to do it as soon as possible" Jace tugged at one of the bandages on his wrist "I’ve got to get there and stop him"

"No," Luke said sharply

"Okay, we have to get there and stop hio back to that ship It’s too dangerous"

"You sahat I just did," Jace said, incredulity rising in his voice, "and you’re worried about me?"

"I’m worried about you"

"There’s no time for that After my father kills your friends, he’ll call on an arine After that, he’ll be unstoppable"

"Then the Clave--"

"The Inquisitor won’t do anything," Jace said "She’s blocked the Lightwoods’ access to the Clave She wouldn’t call for reinforcements, even when I told her what Valentine has planned She’s obsessed with this insane plan she has"

"What plan?" Clary said

Jace’s voice was bitter "She wanted to trade me to my father for the Mortal Instruo for it, but she didn’t believe h "Isabelle and Alec are going to tell her what happened with Sih She doesn’t believeto upset her precious plan just to save a couple of Doorlders"

"We can’t just wait to hear froet to the boat now If you can take us to it--"

"I hate to break it to you, but we need a boat to get to another boat," said Luke "I’m not sure even Jace can walk on water"

At that e from Isabelle Clary frowned "It’s an address Down by the waterfront"

Jace looked over her shoulder "That’s where we have to go to nus" He read the address off to Luke, who executed an irritable U-turn and headed south "Magnus will get us across the water," Jace explained "The ship is surrounded by protection wards I got onto it before because et onto it This tis"

"I don’t like this" Luke tapped his fingers on the steering wheel "I think I should go and you two should stay with Magnus"

Jace’s eyes flashed "No It has to be oes"

"Why?" Clary asked

"Because Valentine’s using a fear demon," Jace explained "That’s hoas able to kill the Silent Brothers It’s what slaughtered that warlock, the olf in the alley outside the Hunter’s Moon, and probably what killed that fey child in the park And it’s why the Brothers had those looks on their faces Those terrified looks They were literally scared to death"

"But the blood--"

"He drained the blood later And in the alley he was interrupted by one of the lycanthropes That’s why he didn’t have enough tiet the blood he needed And that’s why he still needs Maia" Jace raked a hand through his hair "No one can stand up against the fear deets in your head and destroys your rah the windshield His face looked gray and pinched

"Yeah, that’s what Valentine called it"