Clary groans, viewing herself in the mirror and glaring balefully at her new attire. Since coming back and complaining about the dress being too short, Izzy had offered her an incredibly tight, revealing shirt and black leather jeans, with the same ridiculously heeled boots

"Is this the most modest thing you had?"

"Oh, come on. You look hot. And trust me, those jeans are stretchy, you'll have no problem fighting off demons. I would know."

Clary sighs, "To think, a few days ago, all I had to worry about was getting into art school"

"Which you should still go to" I add, giving her a pointed look

"Really, Cami?" Clary huffs, "The way Jace has made all this sound, this world, this new life...this is our job now. No art school, no college. This is our world, the world we live in."

"It's true" Izzy smiles sympathetically, "As much as I wish I could have a life outside of this world sometimes, this is a full time job. This is our duty, our destiny. Mundane jobs don't exist in our world."

The silence sinks through the room, heavy and sad.

"Girls" Izzy breathes, gripping both our hands in each of hers, "Just remember you were born to do this. No matter what has happened...this is who you are"

"Not exactly feeling that" Clary sighs

"Yet" Izzy remarks, smirking, "Come on, let's go. The boys are waiting"

***

"Let's just get out of here, just us three. Get Dot ourselves" Simon suggests, throwing his jacket over his shoulders

"Simon, there are demons out there, okay?" Clary sighs, straightening his jacket, "Actual demons with tentacles that wanna murder us. Do you know how to kill a demon?"

"I'm an internet search away" Simon sasses

"I really don't think it's that easy, Simon" I chuckle as Izzy makes her way around us, pushing her fingers into a hidden panel, revealing a long rack of swords

"I bet you it's not that hard"

"Simon, take it from someone who actually killed one" I whisper, so no one else could hear me, "It's hard."

I still didn't know if Jace had told anyone about my slaying the demon but I still wanted to keep it quiet. I don't think anyone with a natural talent to kill things is any good - even in this world.

Being back in the training room, I was starting to feel sick again, weaker. I wasn't swaying around and fainting, but I definitely didn't feel all that great. It was odd.

But, then again, what wasn't odd about the last 24 hours?

"Woah" Clary gasps as she spots the swords

Izzy reaches out to take one but almost instantly, Jace is by her side, slapping at her hand "No, Izzy"

Izzy rolls her eyes and raises her hand again, stroking her finger along one of the steel blades, "Fifty bucks says he doesn't approve this mission"

I don't have time to ask who 'he' is before Alec storms into the training room, face full of anger, "I don't approve of this mission"

I chuckle with Izzy and we both turn to look at Alec.

"I spoke with the Clave" Alec begins, "They're sending Seelie scouts to search for Valentine, but they made it clear, the little girls do not leave the premises"

"Oh ho ho" I guffaw, "Call me a little girl one more time, dude. I dare you."

"Yeah, we don't care what that Clave thing or you want, we are going to find Dot" Clary agrees, taking a hold of my hand and I smile at her warmly.

"Alec, this warlock could have the answers we need" Jace reasons, "And with Valentine's people out there searching for Clary and Cami, they're not safe outside alone"

"Jace has a point" Izzy admits, an apologetic tone in her voice

"Et tu, Izzy?" Alec huffs, betrayed, "All right, since you two have all the answers, where do you suggest we search?"

"We should start at Dot's apartment in Greenpoint, and there's this thrift store that..." Clary begins, habitually touching the chunky necklace on her neck with her free hand...and then we both gasp.

It was like being sucked into a different world. I felt like I was flying above the sky...and then I spotted Dot. Panting, stressed, scared...and running into a closed club called the 'Pandemonium.'

"What? What is it?" Alec speaks, breaking through the vision and I blink my eyes, coming back to reality. Alec's close by me, a hand on my face. He immediately straightens and takes three steps back as I come to.

"I know where Dot is" Clary and I say in unison

"Where?" Jace asks, looking at the both of us suspiciously

"Pandemonium" Clary sighs

"Great. I'll drive!" Simon voices, before rolling his eyes when everyone looks at him strangely, "What? Unless you have, like, a Shadowhunter mobile or something?"

Izzy giggles. Everyone else stays silent.

Simon looks at the floor, concern dawning on his face, "You were kidding about the runes on the floor killing me, right?"

"Possibly" Jace whispers teasingly, playfully smacking Simon's cheek before moving away to the door

"Wait...Am I gonna die?!"

***

We had barely gotten within one block of the club before Clary touched the necklace on her neck again.

Then she freaked out.

"Dot!" she screamed, moving from a fast walk to a run

I picked up my speed and kept pace with her, an incredible feat in these heels, and continued after her, "Clary? What is it?"

"Two men...Circle members" Clary breathes, stopping in front of the glowing Pandemonium sign, "The same ones who came to our house...who took Mom. They have Dot. They're gonna hurt her or kill her, we have to stop them!"

Clary picks up at a run again, running in through the door and I follow her, entering the fluorescently lit club. It's deserted but the music continues to pump through the speakers as if there were a crowd of people dancing to it and half consumed drinks littered the surrounding tables.

People had been here...a lot of people.

But they'd left in a hurry.

Clary stops suddenly, in the middle of the floor, staring at a spot on the ground where Dot was supposed to be, her voice shaking, "No...She was just trying to help us"

She turns on the spot, gripping the necklace to attempt to see Dot again, but sighs a second later, dropping her hand, "She's gone"

"Clary, I'm sorry" Simon sighs, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder

I bite my lip, trying not to cry. Dot had been like an aunt to me, she was close to my age and I used to talk to her about everything. She helped me with guy troubles, braided my hair when I failed to learn, gossiped with me and helped me sneak out to clubs when I was 19 and now...she was probably dead.

"It's not safe here" Alec announces, voice hard, but when I look at him, I notice his eyes are already on me, a sad, pitying look in his eyes, a look that seemed like he was wrestling with himself, trying to stop himself from doing...something, "We have to go back to the Institute, right now"

"So, what now?" Clary snaps, "Valentine has my Mom and Dot and we're just gonna give up? What about our memories? They can't just be gone!"

"There is another option" Jace eases

"Don't even"

"Absolutely not!"

"I'm not afraid of the Silent Brothers" Jace scoffs

"Silent Brothers?" I echo

"They're Shadowhunters with superior powers" Jace explains

"Who posses the ability to recover memories" Isabelle continues

"A process that can also kill you, so there's that" Alec points out

"Your bedside manner is abysmal" Simon points to Alec and I suppress a laugh

Alec rolls his eyes, ignoring Simon before turning to Jace, "We've broken at least 18 Clave rules and now you wanna go to the City of Bones? There's no way. I won't allow it."

"This is not your choice to make" I bark and Alec turns to me, eyebrows raised, "Our memories are gone, we have no way of finding our mother, this is our last option and you're telling us you won't allow it? No fucking way, you may be able to boss your brother and sister around but if you even dare think you can boss me around, or Clary, or even Simon for that matter, you have another fucking thing coming!"

With that, I push past him, juvenilely knocking into his shoulder as I pass.

"Damn" I hear Izzy praise from behind me, "I like her"