
Clary was in Jaces room when he and Sebastian returned to the house. She had found very little during her search. There was nothing in Sebastians room that could be considered interesting except some books written in Latin, and her Latin wasnt good enough to read them. There were pages that looked like they were torn from old guidebooks, illustrated with black and white pen sketches, pinned to the walls, but there seemed no connection between them. In the fireplaces were chunks of ash that looked like the remains of burned photographs, but they crumbled away when she tried to pick them up.
 
Jaces room was next, neat as a pin, containing almost nothing of his belongings. There were weapons, but she didnt recognize them, or the books on the shelves either. His closet was filled with clothes, but like the clothes in the master bedroom, they were largely new: he must have bought them in the past week or so, since price tags still hung from several of them. They were not what she thought of as Jaces style. He had always dressed simply  things that were plain, solid colors, clothes that fit well but didnt catch attention. He was gorgeous enough that it didnt matter, she had always thought; he looked amazing in just jeans and a t-shirt. And he had plenty of those in his closet now, but the shirts had designer labels, the coats and jackets were Burberry and Hugo Boss and Dolce & Gabbana. 
 
Like the clothes in Sebastians closet.
 
Like the expensive clothing Valentine had always worn.
 
She closed the closet door and sat down on Jaces bed, telling herself she was being stupid. Designer clothes were nothing to get worked up about. There were other things in the room that spoke of the Jace she had always known  the neatness, the arranging his weapons on top of his dresser in order of size, the books on the nightstand. He always used a thin dagger as a bookmark; that hadnt changed. The photo of the two of them, stuck to the wall. Even the citrusy soap in his bathroom was the same soap he always used 
 
She heard steps on the staircase, voices. Sebastians rose: Where is she? 
 
She barely had time to switch off the light, fling herself down on the bed and curl up with her head on the pillow when the door opened. Jace stood there framed in the hallway glow, Sebastian behind him. She raised herself up on her elbow, blinking sleepily at them despite the racing of her heart. Did you guys just get back?
 
Jace gave Sebastian a look  a look that said clearly: I told you shed be here. Didnt you hear us come upstairs?
 
She shook her head. Sorry, I got tired. I think Im still exhausted from staying up till dawn the other night. She looked at Jace demurely. I was feeling a little lonely, so I thought if I curled up in your bed  
 
Do I sound like I mean it? His face had relaxed, but Sebastian was looking at her as if his gaze could piece through her like clear glass, and he was amused at what he saw.
 
She sat up, shaking her hair back, and reached for the lamp on the nightstand. Dont  Jace began, but she had already flipped it on.
 
She stiffened. The two boys looked down at her, Jace with some concern and Sebastian with his usual quirky edge of half-amusement. His dark eyes met hers with the message they always held, the one she tried not to read: We know, you and I. We know the truth.
 
But none of that was what had made her stiffen. It was that both of them were was splattered with blood  there was a smear of it across Jaces cheek, staining his sleeves, and a rent in his shirt, its edges dark and stiff with dried blood, though the skin underneath was unmarked. Sebastian, though  Sebastian had blood even in his white-silver hair, and on his clothes, and on his hands so thick it looked as if he were wearing red gloves. The silver bracelet he wore around the wrist where his hand had regenerated was spotted with red.
 
Clary heard her own voice as if from very far away. What happened?
 
We ran into a little trouble, Sebastian said. Nothing we couldnt handle. He tilted his head to the side. You look as pale as a ghost, little sis. Dont tell me you havent seen worse. Were Shadowhunters. This is what we do.
 
Of course. Clary spoke mechanically. I just wouldnt want you to get hurt.
 
Then youve nothing to worry about. Most of this isnt either of our blood. 
 
She swallowed against her dry throat. So whose is it?
