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"Yes," Maryse said, a look of puzzleht the look between the warlock and the va"

"I aloves "I'll talk to Canus with his eyebrows raised "You know her, then? Or-she knows you?"

"We know each other" Magnus shrugged, very slightly, as if to say, What can you do? "Once upon a tiirlfriend"

Chapter 13

GIRL FOUND DEAD

"Your girlfriend?" Alec looked astonished So did Maryse Simon couldn't say he was unastonished hiirl vao," said Magnus "I haven't seen her since"

"Why didn't you tell hed "Alexander, I've been alive for hundreds of years I've been with men, been omen-with faeries and warlocks and vampires, and even a djinn or two" He looked sideways at Maryse, who looked mildly horrified "Too ht," she said, though she sounded a little wan "I have to discuss so with Kadir for aKadir; they disappeared through the doorway Si to study one of the stained-glass s intently, but his va Magnus and Alec were saying to each other, whether he wanted to or not Camille, he knew, could hear it too She had her head cocked to the side as she listened, her eyes heavy-lidded and thoughtful

"How nus shook his head "I can't count, and it doesn'tthat matters is how I feel about you"

"More than a hundred?" Alec asked Magnus looked blank "Two hundred?"

"I can't believe we're having this conversation now," Magnus said, to no one in particular Si it in front of hiht in the diry He didn't sound angry, just very intense, but Alec was a shut-down person, and perhaps this was as angry as he ever got "Do you get bored with people fast?"

"I live forever," Magnus said quietly "But not everyone does"

Alec looked as if so as they live, and then you find so He looked at Alec, his eyes shining like a cat's "Would you rather I spent all of eternity alone?"

Alec'sto find Isabelle," he said, and without another word he turned and walked back into the Institute

Magnus watched hiht His eyes seees of hu softer by the passing of years, the way sea water wore away the sharp edges of glass

As if he could tell Sinus looked at hi, vampire?"

"I really don't love it when people call me that," Simon said "I have a name"

"I suppose I'd better remember it After all, in a hundred, two hundred, years, it'll be just you and htfully "We'll be all that's left"

The thought made Simon feel as if he were in an elevator that had suddenly broken free of its round, a thousand stories down The thought had passed through his mind before, of course, but he had always pushed it away The thought that he would stay sixteen while Clary got older, Jace got older, everyone he knew got older, grew up, had children, and nothing ever changed for him was too enor sixteen forever sounded good until you really thought about it Then it didn't seenus's cat eyes were a clear gold-green "Staring eternity in the face," he said "Not so much fun, is it?"

Before Simon could reply, Maryse had returned "Where's Alec?" she asked, looking around in puzzlement

"He went to see Isabelle," said Si

"Very well" Maryse sh it wasn't wrinkled "If you wouldn't nus "But I want to do it alone If you'd like to wait for me in the Institute, I'll join you there when I'm finished"

Maryse hesitated "You knohat to ask her?"

Magnus's gaze was unwavering "I kno to talk to her, yes If she is willing to say anything, she'll say it to otten that Si their staring contest

Maryse looked at him, half-distracted "Oh, yes Thank you for your help, Sier needed Go ho at all With a shrug Simon turned and went toward the door that led to the vestry and the exit that would take him outside At the door he paused and looked back Maryse and Magnus were still talking, though the guard was already holding open the Institute door, ready to leave Only Camille see at him from her pillar, her lips curved up at the corners, her eyes shining like a promise

Simon went out, and closed the door behind hi on the floor, his legs drawn up, his hands dangling between his knees He had put the knife on the bed next to Clary; she kept one hand on it while he talked-more to reassure hiy seemed to have drained out of Jace; even his voice sounded e to her froreat distance "I drea ere just doing And then I hurt you I cut you or strangle or stab you, and you die, looking up at reen eyes of yours while your life bleeds away between ently

"You just saw that they aren't," said Jace "I ide ahen I picked up that knife"

Clary kneas right "Are you worried that you're going crazy?"

He shook his head slowly Hair fell into his eyes; he pushed it back His hair had gotten a little too long; he hadn't cut it in a while, and Clary wondered if it was because he couldn't be bothered How could she not have paid more attention to the shadows under his eyes, the bitten nails, the drawn exhausted look of him? She had been so concerned about whether he still loved her that she had not thought about anything else "I'm not so worried about that, really," he said "I' you I' its way intolife and I'll" His throat seemed to close up

"You would never hurt me"