City Of Lost Souls | Page 9

mention that I have no idea where Tibs and Livvy have gone.�
�They were eating wax,� the boy�Jules�supplied helpfully.
�Oh, God,� Helen groaned, and then looked apologetic. �Never mind me. I�ve got six younger brothers and sisters and one older. It�s always
a zoo.�
Jules looked from Alec to Isabelle and then at Clary. �How many brothers and sisters have you got?� he asked.
Helen paled. Isabelle said, in a remarkably steady voice, �There are three of us.�
Jules�s eyes stayed on Clary. �You don�t look alike.�
�I�m not related to them,� Clary said. �I don�t have any brothers or sisters.�
�None?� Disbelief registered in the boy�s tone, as if she�d told him she had webbed feet. �Is that why you look so sad?�
Clary thought of Sebastian, with his ice-white hair and black eyes. If only, she thought. If only I didn�t have a brother, none of this would
have happened. A little throb of hatred went through her, warming her icy blood. �Yes,� she said softly. �That�s why I�m sad.�
2
THORNS
Simon was waiting for Clary, Alec, and Isabelle outside the Institute, under an overhang of stone that only just protected him from the
worst of the rain. He turned as they came out through the doors, and Clary saw that his dark hair was pasted to his forehead and neck. He
pushed it back and looked at her, a question in his eyes.
�I�m cleared,� she said, and as he started to smile, she shook her head. �But they�re de-prioritizing the search for Jace. I�I�m pretty sure
they think he�s dead.�
Simon looked down at his wet jeans and T-shirt (a wrinkled gray ringer tee that said CLEARLY I HAVE MADE SOME BAD DECISIONS on the front in
block lettering). He shook his head. �I�m sorry.�
�The Clave can be like that,� Isabelle said. �I guess we shouldn�t have expected anything else.�
�Basia coquum,� Simon said. �Or whatever their motto is.�
�It�s �Descensus Averno facilis est.� �The descent into hell is easy,�� said Alec. �You just said �Kiss the cook.�
�Dammit,� said Simon. �I knew Jace was screwing with me.� His wet brown hair fell back into his eyes; he flicked it away with a gesture
impatient enough that Clary caught a flashing glimpse of the silvery Mark of Cain on his forehead. �Now what?�
�Now we go see the Seelie Queen,� said Clary. As she touched the bell at her throat, she explained to Simon about Kaelie�s visit to Luke and
Jocelyn�s reception, and her promises to Clary about the Seelie Queen�s help.
Simon looked dubious. �The red-headed lady with the bad attitude who made you kiss Jace? I didn�t like her.�
�That�s what you remember about her? That she made Clary kiss Jace?� Isabelle sounded annoyed. �The Seelie Queen is dangerous. She
was just playing around that time. Usually she likes to drive at least a few humans to screaming madness every day before breakfast.�
�I�m not human,� Simon said. �Not anymore.� He looked at Isabelle only briefly, dropped his gaze, and turned to Clary. �You want me with
you?�
�I think it would be good to have you there. Daylighter, Mark of Cain�some things have to impress even the Queen.�
�I wouldn�t bet on it,� said Alec.
Clary glanced past him and asked, �Where�s Magnus?�
�He said it would be better if he didn�t come. Apparently he and the Seelie Queen have some kind of history.�
Isabelle raised her eyebrows.
�Not that kind of history,� said Alec irritably. �Some kind of feud. Though,� he added, half under his breath, �the way he got around before
me, I wouldn�t be surprised.�
�Alec!� Isabelle dropped back to talk to her brother, and Clary opened her umbrella with a snap. It was one Simon had bought her years
ago at the Museum of Natural History and had a pattern of dinosaurs on the top. She saw his expression change to one of amusement as he
recognized it.
�Shall we walk?� he inquired, and offered his arm.
The rain was coming down steadily, creating small rills out of the gutters and splashing water up from the wheels of passing taxis. It was odd,
Simon thought, that although he didn�t feel cold, the sensation of being wet and clammy was still irritating. He shifted his gaze slightly,
looking at Alec and Isabelle over his shoulder; Isabelle hadn�t really met his eyes since they�d come out of the Institute, and he wondered
what she was thinking. She seemed to want to talk to her brother, and as they paused at the corner of Park Avenue, he heard her say, �So,
what do you think? About Dad putting his name in for the Inquisitor position.�
�I think it sounds like a boring job.� Isabelle was holding an umbrella. It was clear plastic, decorated with decals of colorful flowers. It was
one of the girliest things Simon had ever seen, and he didn�t blame Alec for ducking out from under it and taking his chances with the rain. �I
don�t know why he�d want it.�
�I don�t care if it�s boring,� Isabelle