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"Clary, it's all connected." Jace's voice filled my ears when I walked through the Ops Center of the Institute. I had just woken up from my nap and showered— I was completely restless— I always was. I got dressed in the clothes Isabelle had left me on a chair in my room— a white cropped thermal tank top and black ripped jeans. At least she remembered what I did like from her closet. "The vamps want the Cup."

"Why?" Clary questioned while I came to a stop a few feet away from him because they had caught my attention. "It makes new Shadowhunters."

Alec's voice— made my blood boil. "Nobody wants Valentine forming an army loyal to himself."

"Plus, it controls demons." Isabelle added.

"They'll propose a trade." Jace said to her, leaning against the wall.'"Simon for the Cup."

"So, vampires will trade Simon for the Cup and Valentine will trade my mother for the Cup." Clary sighed heavily and put her hands in her hair. "Either way, I lose someone I love— what if I just toss it up in the air and let them fight it out among themselves?"

Alec scoffed immediately and narrowed his eyes. "So, this doesn't matter to you?"

"Yes, of course, it matters!" Clary cried out, standing up straight and looking at Jace. "Listen, when you saved my life— I put my trust in you, now, I need you to put your trust in me."

I take this as my cue and walked over to them while adjusting the hem of my tank top slightly— I needed to be part of them to earn my place here. I had to exert myself into anything and everything that had to do with Clary Fray to complete my mission. Even if it meant saving the mundane. "Wow, you are so dramatic."

"Dramatic?" Clary whirled to look at me, her eyes wild. "I'm dramatic?"

"Yes, you are." I placed my hands onto my hips. "You lost the mundie already?"

"He was kidnapped." Clary said stiffly.

"You ought to keep a closer eye on him— he seems very expendable." I clicked my tongue and then noticed Alec's stare burning into me. His face was blank— trying to conceal his real reaction, but his eyes were raking up my bare skin— observing my scars here and there. I didn't have many— but they were there. "What?"

Before Alec could speak, Isabelle beat him to it. "You wear it well— I'm glad they fit."

"Yeah— I would've been devastated if I had to wear another pair of Jace's pants." I ran a hand through my straightened hair— another perk of what Isabelle left in my room for me. I didn't know why she was doing all of this— maybe because she was hoping to befriend someone that was actually a woman and not screwable. But— I wasn't here to make friends.

"Oh yeah?" Jace crossed his arms. "Fine— next time you drench yourself in blood, I won't offer up my clean clothes for you to wear. You can walk around in a towel instead."

I scoffed instantly and narrowed my eyes at him. "I'm sure everyone would enjoy that."

Alec finally teared his eyes away from me and looked at Isabelle. "Couldn't you have given it a jacket or something?"

"It?" I repeated in disbelief and stepped closer to him, inclining my head upwards so I could look at him better. He was ridiculously tall— I would develop a permanent crick in my neck if I kept letting him snatch my attention. "Did you just call me an it?"

Alec looked down at me— unamused. "I did."

"I'll have you know, Chass—" I began immediately, pointing a finger up at him.

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