Page 32 (1/2)

Clary shrank back "I do not want the gifts of your lady," she said, "for they cohted with lies and expectations I will not owe the Queen anything"

"It is not a gift," Kaelie said iives you for your earlier stubbornness She expects there is a ti to offer it to you, should you choose to ask Si that bell, and a servant of the Court will co you to her"

Clary shook her head "I will not ring it"

Kaelie shrugged "Then it should cost you nothing to take it"

As if in a dreaers hover over the bell

"You would do anything to save him," said Kaelie, her voice thin and as sweet as the bell's ring, "whatever it cost you, whatever you ht owe to Hell or Heaven, would you not?"

Remembered voices chimed in Clary's head Did you ever stop to wonder what untruths ht have been in the tale yourit? Do you truly think you know each and every secret of your past?

Mada person

He is not beyond saving But it will be difficult

The bell clanged as Clary took it, folding it into her pallass beads "A wise choice"

Clary hesitated But before she could thrust the bell back at the faerie girl, she heard so her way through the croard her She turned back hastily, but was not surprised to see that Kaelie was gone, havingaway in theher, "I was looking for you, and then Luke pointed you out, just standing over here by yourself Is everything okay?"

Just standing over here by yourself Clary wondered what kind of glaht to be able to see through ht he was co"

Of course she would think of Sih Jace had been supposed to coht to even have been there early "Mom," she said, and then paused "Do you think you'll ever like Jace?"

Jocelyn's green eyes softened "I did notice he wasn't here, Clary I just didn't know if you'd want to talk about it"

"Ihe could do to make you like him?"

"Yes," Jocelyn said "He could htly, and Clary clenched her own hand, feeling the bell press into her skin

"He doesin the world, Mos happen-" She fumbled for words How could she explain that it wasn't Jaceto hi what that was?

"You love hiently "It scares me I've alanted to keep you protected"

"And look how that worked out," Clary began, and then softened her voice This wasn't the tiht with her, not now Not with Luke looking over at theht with love and anxiety "If you just knew hiuess everyone says that about their boyfriend"

"You're right," Jocelyn said, surprising her "I don't know him, not really I see him, and he reminds me a little of his mother somehow I don't knohy-he doesn't look like her, except that she was also beautiful, and she had that terrible vulnerability that he has-"

"Vulnerability?" Clary was astonished She had never thought anyone but herself thought of Jace as vulnerable

"Oh, yes," said Jocelyn "I wanted to hate her for taking Stephen away fro to protect Celine Jace has a little of that" She sounded lost in thought "Or s are so easily broken by the world" She lowered her hand "It doesn't matter I have my memories to contend with, but they're ht of theh If he didn't love you like he does-and it's written all over his face whenever he looks at you-I wouldn't tolerate hi angry with me"

She waved off Clary's protestation that she wasn't angry with a smile and a pat on the cheek, and headed back toward Luke with a last appeal for Clary to get out a, looking after her ainst the inside of her hand where she clutched it, like the tip of a burning match

The area around the Ironworks was hborhood that e for Jordan and Si space Simon jumped down out of the truck, only to find Jordan already on the sidewalk, looking at him critically

Simon hadn't packed any nice clothes when he'd left his house-he didn't have anything on hied to his dad-so he and Jordan had spent the afternoon prowling the East Village for a decent outfit for hinlitter platform boots and sixties Pucci scarves Siot most of his clothes

"What?" he said now, self-consciously pulling down the sleeves of his suit jacket It was a little too sh Jordan had opined that if he never buttoned it, no one would notice "How bad do I look?"

Jordan shrugged "You won't crack anyif you were arer, maybe?" He opened his own suit jacket just a bit, and Siainst the inside lining

"No wonder you and Jace like each other soarsenals" Simon shook his head in weariness and turned to head toward the Ironworks entrance It was across the street, a wide gold awning shadowing a rectangle of sidewalk that had been decorated with a dark red carpet with the gold ihtly a up the awning was Isabelle She had her hair up and earing a long red dress, slit up the side to show ht arm They looked like bracelets, but Simon knew they were really her electrum whip She was covered in Marks They twined her arh, necklaced her throat, and decorated her chest, a great deal of which was visible, thanks to the plunging neckline of her dress Simon tried not to stare

"Hey, Isabelle," he said

Beside hi not to stare "Um," he said "Hi I'noring his proffered hand "Maia was trying to rip your face off Quite rightly, too"

Jordan looked worried "Is she here? Is she okay?"

"She's here," said Isabelle "Not that how she feels is any of your business"