The City of Fallen Angels (Mortal Instruments 4)(67)

“His name’s really Jonathan—”

“Jonathan is Jace’s name,” said Isabelle tightly. “I won’t call that monster by the same name my brother has. He’s always going to be Sebastian to me.”

Clary had to admit Isabelle had a point. She had a hard time thinking of him as Jonathan too. She supposed it wasn’t fair to the true Sebastian, but none of them had really known him. It was easier to slap a stranger’s name onto Valentine’s vicious son than call him something that made him feel closer to her family, closer to her life.

Isabelle spoke lightly, but Clary could tell that her mind was working, ticking over various possibilities: “Anyway, I’m glad you texted me when you did. I could tell from your message that something weird was going on, and frankly I was bored. Everyone’s off doing some secret thing with the Conclave, and I didn’t want to go, because Simon was going to be there, and I hate him now.”

“Simon is with the Conclave?” Clary was astonished. She had noticed that the Institute had seemed even more empty than usual when they’d arrived. Jace, of course, wasn’t there, but she hadn’t expected him to be—though she hadn’t known why. “I talked to him this morning and he didn’t say anything about doing something for them,”



Clary added.

Isabelle shrugged. “It has something to do with vampire politics. That’s all I know.”

“Do you think he’s all right?”

Isabelle sounded exasperated. “He doesn’t need you to protect him anymore, Clary. He has the Mark of Cain. He could get blown up, shot at, drowned, and stabbed and he’d be just fine.” She looked at Clary hard. “I notice you didn’t ask me why I hate Simon,” she said. “I assume you knew about the two-timing thing?”

“I knew,” Clary admitted. “I’m sorry.”

Isabelle waved her confession away. “You’re his best friend. It would have been weird if you didn’t know.”

“I should have told you,” Clary said. “It’s just—I never got the sense you were that serious about Simon, you know?”

Isabelle scowled. “I wasn’t. It’s just—I thought he would take it seriously, at least. Since I was so out of his league and everything. I guess I expected better from him than I do from other guys.”

“Maybe,” Clary said quietly, “Simon shouldn’t be dating someone who thinks they’re out of his league.” Isabelle looked at her, and Clary felt herself flush. “Sorry. Your relationship is really none of my business.”

Isabelle was twisting her dark hair up into a knot, something she did when she felt tense.

“No, it isn’t. I mean, I could ask you why you texted me to come to the church and meet you, and not Jace, but I haven’t. I’m not stupid. I know something’s wrong between you two, passionate alley make-out sessions notwithstanding.” She looked keenly at Clary.

“Have the two of you slept together yet?”

Clary felt the blood rush into her face. “What—I mean, no, we haven’t, but I don’t see what that has to do with anything.”

“It doesn’t,” said Isabelle, patting her knotted hair into place. “That was just prurient curiosity. What’s holding you back?”

“Isabelle—” Clary pulled up her legs, wrapped her arms around her knees, and sighed.

“Nothing. We were just taking our time. I’ve never—you know.”

“Jace has,” said Isabelle. “I mean, I assume he has. I don’t know for sure. But if you ever need anything . . .” She let the sentence hang in the air.

“Need anything?”

“Protection. You know. So you can be careful,” Isabelle said. She sounded as practical as if she were talking about extra buttons. “You’d think the Angel would have been foresighted enough to give us a birth-control rune, but no dice.”



“Of course I’d be careful,” Clary spluttered, feeling her cheeks turn red. “Enough. This is awkward.”

“This is girl talk,” said Isabelle. “You just think it’s awkward because you’ve spent your whole life with Simon as your only friend. And you can’t talk to him about Jace. That would be awkward.”

“And Jace really hasn’t said anything to you? About what’s bothering him?” Clary said, in a small voice. “You promise?”

“He didn’t have to,” Isabelle said. “The way you’ve been acting, and with Jace going around looking like someone just died, it’s not like I wouldn’t notice something was wrong. You should have come to talk to me sooner.”

“Is he at least all right?” Clary asked very quietly.

Isabelle stood up from the bed and looked down at her. “No,” she said. “He is very much not all right. Are you?”

Clary shook her head.

“I didn’t think so,” Isabelle said.

To Simon’s surprise, Camille, upon seeing the Shadowhunters, didn’t even try to stand her ground. She screamed and ran for the door, only to freeze when she realized that it was daylight outside, and that exiting the bank would quickly incinerate her. She gasped and cowered back against a wall, her fangs bared, a low hiss coming from her throat.