She's My Parabatai

Chapter 38

I sprinted off after Jace down the sidewalk. We had passed Max and Robert on their way in but completely ignored them. We didn't have time to explain what was going on nor did Alec or Sebastian. As I was collecting my blade from my room Jace told me something else: if we weren't there in an hour they'd both be dead.

I watched Jace closely as we ran, seeing a new look upon his face. He was more determined than I had ever seen him but there was also a hint of something else I couldn't quite place my finger on.

I had a panging sense of regret for what I did to Izzy but there was nothing else I could have done. I knew she'd have kept arguing with me and there was no time for that. I knew she'd hate me for it but it had to be done.

"Here," Jace came to a sudden halt. We were in front of what looked to be an abandoned office building of some sort.

"Did Jonathan happen to tell you where inside?" I questioned. The building was huge, it'd take us much longer than an hour to search the entire thing.

"No." My heart fell. "But I trust in our bond." I realized he was talking about his Parabatai bond. "I'll always find Alec." With that he strode inside and I followed him.

He started running again and I ignored the pain in my lungs as I matched his pace. We had to find them. We didn't have time to slow down.

Jace suddenly skidded to a stop, me almost running into him. "Alec!" He banged on the door of the room opposite us. "Alec!" He pulled out his stele and drew an opening rune on the door. It didn't open. After punching and kicking the door repeatedly proved fruitless he frustratedly ran his fingers through his hair. "We have to find another way in. I know he's in there."

"Jace!" I exclaimed as I ran after him. He was acting erratic. Jonathan was so obviously leading us into a trap but if we wanted the people that we loved back we had no choice but to play along.

Around the corner we found a window facing into the room but the blinds were closed so we couldn't see inside. Jace threw a discarded chair at the window but it bounced off like it was bulletproof.

He banged on the window with his fist. "Dammit Jonathan! Let us in!"

"Jace, calm down!" I shouted at him. "Jonathan's playing a game with us. Get a cool head so we can figure it out."

Jace turned from the window and looked at me. And before I could even comprehend what he was doing he had stepped forward and was kissing me.

"Clary, I want you to know how I feel in case-"

"I'm not dying here today, and neither are you," I told him. "Tell me later." Without waiting for him to respond I started walking back towards the door to the room. I couldn't let him tell me right now. I wasn't so sure I'd be able to focus on the task at hand if I let him.

I stared at the door as I stopped in front of it. There had to be some way inside. I had thought of the air vents but they were too small for even me to fit not to mention Jace.

"Maybe we can both ram it together," Jace suggested.

"I don't think brute strength is going to open that door," I told him.

"Then how about..." Jace's voice faded as I stared at the door. Something suddenly sprang to mind in my head and before I knew what I was doing I had my stele out and I was etching a rune on the door.

I stepped back as the rune activated, as if I knew what was coming, and the door blew apart. Once the dust settled I saw a body lying bleeding in the center of the room.