Black || Jace Wayland [1]

| 11. city of bones

******

"YEAH, THIS PLACE ISN'T creepy." Simon sarcastically commented as he took in the surroundings. "Not at all."

"Don't tell me you're scared."

"Are you kidding?" Simon scoffed, looking up at the bridge. The time of day added to the dark stains along the concrete brought a shiver down the mundane's spine. "I was born afraid." He paused. "...which sounded better in my head." Asher chuckled before stepping forward into the long grass to take a look around. The booties that she threw at Isabelle when they were running were now placed back onto her feet. Asher didn't want to wear them, but Alec insisted that it was better to have her feet covered in case she stepped on anything.

"Let's check it out." Alec ordered. He followed Asher and soon enough passed her due to his long legs. Clary took a step forward when Jace held his arm out to prevent her from proceeding. "Wait here a minute. I want to see if it's safe."

Alec stopped a few feet in front of everyone else and waited patiently for them to reach his spot. "Hey." He whispered, drawing the attention to himself. The other Shadowhunters huddled close so that they could hear him. "If something goes wrong, if something happens to her, that's on us. You know that don't you?" Alec looked between Asher and Jace.

"And you know what'd happen if Valentine gets the Cup," Asher threw back, slightly harsher than she intended. Guilt filled her as she saw Alec clench his jaw and look away. "I'm sorry. I just-" Asher took a breath and looked over at the two waiting for them in front of the van. "She lost everything, Alec." She looked back at her childhood friend. "I know exactly what that feels like." There was a sense of brokenness that Jace picked up in the way she answered.

"Don't compare your experience to hers." Annoyance seeped through Alec's words as her glanced over at Clary momentarily. "We both know her predicament isn't even close." "Alec." Isabelle scolded her older brother. "She's suffering all the same." Jace felt like he was missing out on something as he watched both Lightwood siblings bicker. He raised his voice slightly to get everyone's attention. "Is there something I should know?"

"It's not important." Asher narrowed her eyes at the Lightwood siblings, silently communicating to drop the subject. Alec, however, looked like a lightbulb flickered above his head. "Is that what you were talking about with Julian on the phone?" He questioned, remembering he had mentioned her parents.

Asher's eyes widened: she forgot that Shadowhunters had better hearing than mundanes. "That was nothing." She brushed off his question casually. "Regardless, she needs our help. Same experiences or not, Clary is suffering and if there is a chance that we can bring back her mother alive, then we take it." Alec huffed in annoyance at Asher's stubbornness, glancing at his younger sister. Isabelle's shrugged nonchalantly.

Jace's suspicions dwelled for a moment as he thought about the possibilities of what the other three Shadowhunters were talking about. All he could come up with was that Asher lost both of her parents and decided to voice his own opinion on the matter. "I agree with Asher." Jace piped up, making Asher perk up in surprise. His kinder approach towards her is somewhat making an appearance multiple times that night. "I understand where she's coming from."