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.That's the Lightwoods and their friends inthe Clave." Valentine paused."Seeing you like this-how they've treated you, and yet you remain stoic-I'mproud of you." At that, Jace looked up in surprise, so quickly that he felt a wave of dizziness.His hand gave aninsistent throb.He pushed the pain down and back until his breathing eased."What?" "I realize now what I didwrong at Renwick's," Valentine went on."I was picturing you as the little boy I left behind in Idris, obedient tomy every wish.Instead I found a headstrong young man, independent and courageous, yet I treated you as ifyou were still a child.No wonder you rebelled against me." "Rebelled? I-" Jace's throat tightened, cutting offthe words he wanted to say.His heart had begun pounding in rhythm with the throbbing in his hand.Valentinepressed on."I never had a chance to explain my past to you, to tell you why I've done the things I've done.""There's nothing to explain.You killed my grandparents.You held my mother prisoner.You slew otherShadowhunters to further your own ends." Every word in Jace's mouth tasted like poison."You only knowhalf the facts, Jonathan.I lied to you when you were a child because you were too young to understand.Nowyou are old enough to be told the truth.""So tell me the truth." Valentine reached through the bars of the cell and laid his hand on top of Jace's.Therough, callused texture of his fingers felt exactly the way it had when Jace had been ten years old."I want toCreate PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) trust you, Jonathan," he said."Can I?" Jace wanted to reply, but the words wouldn't come.His chest felt as ifan iron band was being slowly tightened around it, cutting off his breath by inches."I wish.," he whispered.A noise sounded above them.A noise like the clang of a metal door; then Jace heard footsteps, whispersechoing off the City's stone walls.Valentine started to his feet, closing his hand over the witchlight until it wasonly a dim glow and he himself was a faintly outlined shadow."Quicker than I thought,"he murmured, andlooked down at Jace through the bars.Jace looked past him, but he could see nothing but blackness beyond thefaint illumination of the witchlight.He thought of the roiling dark form he had seen before, crushing out alllight before it."What's coming? What is it?" he demanded, scrabbling forward on his knees."I must go," saidValentine."But we're not done, you and I." Jace put his hand to the bars."Unchain me.Whatever it is, I wantto be able to fight it." "Unchaining you would hardly be a kindness now." Valentine closed his hand aroundthe witchlight stone completely.It winked out, plunging the room into darkness.Jace flung himself against thebars of the cell, his broken hand screaming its protest and pain."No!" he shouted."Father,please." "When you want to find me," Valentine said, "you will find me." And then there was only the sound of his footsteps rapidly receding and Jace's own ragged breathing as he slumped against the bars.On the subway ride uptown Clary found herself unable to sit down.She paced up and down the near-empty train car, her iPod headphones dangling around her neck.Isabelle hadn't picked up the phone when Clary had called her, and an irrational sense of worry gnawed at Clary's insides.She thought of Jace at the Hunter's Moon, covered in blood.With his teeth bared in snarling anger, he'd looked more like a werewolf himself than a Shadowhunter charged with protecting humans and keeping Downworlders in line.She charged up the stairs at the Ninety-sixth Street subway stop, only slowing to a walk as she approached the corner where the Institute hulked like a huge gray shadow.It had been hot down in the tunnels, and the sweat on the back of her neck was prickling coldly as she made her way up the cracked concrete walk to the Institute's front door.She reached for the enormous iron bellpull that hung from the architrave, then hesitated.She was a Shadowhunter, wasn't she? She had a right to be in the Institute, just as much as the Lightwoods did.With a surge of resolve, she seized the door handle, trying to remember the words Jace had spoken."In the name of the Angel, I-" The door swung open onto a darkness starred by the flames of dozens of tiny candles.As she hurried between the pews, the candles flickered as if they were laughing at her.She reached the elevator and clanged the metal door shut behind her, stabbing at the buttons with a shaking finger.She willed her nervousness to subside-was she worried about Jace, she wondered, or just worried about seeing Jace? Her face,Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) framed by the upturned collar of her coat, looked very white and small, her eyes big and dark green, her lips pale and bitten.Not pretty at all, she thought in dismay, and forced the thought back.What did it matter how she looked? Jace didn't care.Jace couldn't care.The elevator came to a clanging stop and Clary pushed the door open.Church was waiting for her in the foyer.He greeted her with a disgruntled meow."What's wrong, Church?" Her voice sounded unnaturally loud in the quiet room.She wondered if anyone were here in the Institute.Maybe it was just her.The thought gave her the creeps."Is anyone home?" The blue Persian turned his back and headed down the corridor.They passed the music room and the library, both empty, before Church turned another corner andsat down in front of a closed door.Right, then.Here we are, his expression seemed to say.Before she couldknock, the door opened, revealing Isabelle standing on the threshold, barefoot in a pair of jeans and a softviolet sweater.She started when she saw Clary."I thought I heard someone coming down the hall, but I didn'tthink it would be you," she said."What are you doing here?"Clary stared at her."You sent me that text message.You said the Inquisitor threw Jace in jail." "Clary!"Isabelle glanced up and down the corridor, then bit her lip."I didn't mean you should race down here rightnow." Clary was horrified."Isabelle! Jail!" "Yes, but-" With a defeated sigh, Isabelle stood aside, gesturing forClary to enter her room."Look, you might as well come in.And shoo, you," she said, waving a hand atChurch."Go guard the elevator
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