"This is the least revealing thing that you have?" I ask Izzy, looking at the incredibly short black dress with a deep plunging neckline that showed off more cleavage then I'd ever consider revealing...at least, that was before I'd met Izzy.

"What?" Izzy chuckles, appearing behind me in the mirror, "Next to Clary's, that's the most modest dress I have. Come on, all the naughty bits are covered...a little too much in my opinion"

"And is this thing really necessary?" I gesture to my head chain and Izzy smiles

"Well, no" she pouts, "But I thought we could match. I'm wearing a similar piece tonight"

"I'm guessing you're dressing the boys, too?" I laugh

"Not Jace, he can handle himself" Izzy ponders, "Alec, however...he does need a little help in that department."

Alec.

The very prospect of wearing this dress in front of him was enough to make me blush tomato red but, thankfully, Izzy had caked so much makeup on my face, it just looked like the tiniest rosy tint to my cheeks.

However, somehow I still think Izzy noticed because she gave me the slyest wink from the corner of her eye. I glare back at her.

"So, um..." Clary spoke, clasping her hands together. Uh oh. I knew her well enough to know that this was the kind of thing she did when she was trying to pry information from someone, "You, Alec and Jace are...what, like, family?"

"Translation" Izzy chuckles, seeing right through her, "You want to know if Jace and I are a thing"

Clary scoffs quietly, "Why would I care?"

"Oh, come on, Clary, you're so obvious" I laugh, sitting down on the bed next to Izzy, pulling the hem of the dress down as I do so.

It really is incredibly short.

"True" Izzy smirks, "But I know you've got the hots for my brother, too...the biological one, that is"

"What?" I raise my eyebrows, trying to play it off, "No, I don't"

"Oh, come on, Cami, you're so obvious" Clary teases, echoing my words

"Shut up" I roll my eyes and Clary giggles

"Oh, girls" Izzy sighs, shaking her head, "Not even 24 hours and you've both developed crushes on both my brothers. How will you ever survive this world?"

We all laugh in unison. It felt good, to be happy, to laugh, to feel carefree.

I had been beginning to believe I'd never feel that way again.

"But, seriously, don't worry, Clary" Izzy reassures her, "In every way, Jace is like my brother. Our parents took Jace in when he was 10. We trained together. Learned to fight side by side, you really have nothing to worry about"

"Good to know" Clary smiles softly

"Now, what are you thinking of wearing to the Downworlder party?" Izzy questions Clary

"I really can't just wear this?" Clary asks, gesturing to her simple washed out black jeans and green t-shirt

"Oh, sweetie, no" Izzy scoffs, "No Downworlder would ever be caught dead in that. They have a flair for the dramatic...besides, it's a rave, not a poetry slam."

"You know, some day you're gonna have to tell us where and when" I speak up, laughing at Clary's half-offended face

"Where and when what?" Izzy sings, rustling through her closet for something Clary could wear

"Where in the world you get your spending money...and when you're letting us go to the store. I do have my own style, you know" I clarify

"Clary" Izzy smiles, producing a short, tight leather black dress

"Okay, no, that is way too tight!" Clary objects, eyes wide

"It's stretchy" Izzy complains, handing her the dress, "Put it on."

"Jace will love it" I tease her and she glowers at me, Izzy giggling enthusiastically

"Shut up" Clary scolds me, disappearing behind the partition to change

"And these" Izzy adds, placing a pair of ridiculously high heels that rivalled my own ones, which were a good 7 inch at least, down by the partition

"I don't know, guys" Clary whines from behind the cloth, "I think I'm more of a jeans and t-shirt kinda girl."

"Hey, if I have to do this, you do, too" I object, "Solidarity, sister!"

"This doesn't feel right" Clary cringes, coming out from the partition to stand in front of the mirror. She looked good, her cleavage was on show, her long alabaster legs made even longer with the heels and the black contrasted well with the large purple crystal hanging from her neck.

"Ugh, you guys are so lucky to have such flat chests" Izzy sighs wistfully and we both turn to her, insulted expressions on our faces, "I could never wear those dresses without a bra."

"Someone's looking badass" Jace says, emerging in the doorway. Clary's head turns so quickly, I'm sure she must be suffering from whiplash right about now. I turn to Izzy, a smirk on both of our faces as we exchange amused glances.

"Oh, thanks" Clary chuckles nervously as Jace gives her the up-and-down

"She cleans up well" Izzy compliments, "They both do."

"Yeah, um, wow, Cami, you look good, too" Jace stammers. He had totally not seen me until now.

"Thanks for the afterthought" I wink at him knowingly, "Compliments are always welcome"

"I'm gonna go see Alec" Izzy cuts in, exchanging another knowing look with me, "Like I said, he never knows what to wear to these parties, either"

"Okay" I sigh, standing from the bed and hurriedly pulling the hem of the dress down, "I should go, too. Get some form of rest before the rave"

I wink at Clary, who glares back, joining Izzy in the hallway on the way to my room, pulling the dress' hemline down each time I take a careful step.

"You really need to stop that" Izzy complains, "You'll stretch the fabric"

***

"Alec and Izzy are securing the perimeter" Jace informs us as we arrive at the 'Hardtail.'

I was glad in the fact that I hadn't had to see Alec in this dress yet, and had been pulling the hemline down methodically for hours now. Izzy would probably kill me if she saw how much I was doing it.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Clary asks, her strides confident. How my baby sister could feel so confident in a dress that short was beyond me. Though, to be fair, hers was good 2 inches longer than mine, "Last time you and I were here, this place was crawling with vampires."

"Relax, all Downworlders hang out here" Jace shrugs confidently, "We just happened to come on vampire night last time"

"Right" Clary scoffs, "And when is this going to start sounding normal to us?"

"I don't know" Jace admits

"All clear"

The sound of his voice behind me sends a shiver up my spine...and not from the cold wind.

I instinctively turn to him and notice the pale navy blue button up Izzy must of wrestled him into. It was the first time I'd seen him not wearing all black...and colour looks good on him. Really good.

He gives me a once over, some unreadable emotion in his suddenly widened eyes before he looks away from me and towards Jace.

"Do you girls think red's my colour?" Izzy asks Clary and I, linking arms with us as she gestures to Magnus' necklace she was wearing.

"Are you kidding, Izzy?" I scoff, unwillingly turning away from Alec, "With a body like yours, everything is your colour"

"Good point" Clary agrees and Izzy smiles proudly, touching the necklace fondly

"Damn, I make this necklace looks so good" Izzy whines

"Will you take it off?" Alec demands brusquely, "I'm certain Magnus Bane doesn't want drool on his ruby when we make the exchange"

"You know, I wouldn't be so sure" Izzy says slyly, "Most men like it when I admire their jewels"

"Can you just give it to Jace?" Alec scoffs as Isabelle, Clary and I giggle

"You're such a buzzkill" Izzy mewls, but as she does she reaches behind her neck, unclasping the necklace and handing it to Jace.

The loud, techno music pounds even harsher through my brain the second we enter the club and I suppress the urge to turn straight around and leave again.

I'd never liked clubs, it was one of the main reasons I had no friends, save for Simon. Once you leave high school and lose touch...all you've got is the people you meet outside.

And I tended not to leave my bedroom.

"Blend in" Jace instructs, "Keep your weapons ready"

I feel for the seraph blade I had taken earlier, making sure it was still tucked into the sheath only barely hidden by my short dress, then follow Jace and Clary through the crowd.

"Magnus" Jace shouts over the music and a man with messily styled black hair streaked with red and a load of eye make-up and glitter turns his head at the sound of the name before gracefully gliding from the seat to stand before us.

Izzy was definitely not exaggerating the Downworlders flair for the dramatic. Almost everything Magnus was wearing was encrusted in jewels and rhinestones and his blazer was stylish, matching his expensive looking shoes and jeans nicely.

"Clary Fairchild" Magnus addresses her, before his eyes land on mine, "And Camille Fairchild, what a pleasure."

"Wait, you know me?" I ask, frowning. Clary had said in her dream-memory of Magnus that I wasn't there...so how did he know me?

"Of course" Magnus smiles kindly, "Some of my best work."

Before I can question what he meant by 'best work,' Clary pushes herself forward.

"So you're the one who stole my memories" she accuses, glaring at him

"At your mother's request" Magnus reminds her, "She knew the risks when she asked me to take your memories...and to do what I did to Camille"

"What?" Jace, Clary and I all say in unison

"Yes, your mother had no clue what to do with you...oh, it must've been 4 years ago now. Very complicated spell, an old one, unique. As I said, some of my very best work" Magnus praises himself and it dawns on me.

Maybe Magnus had the answers for what was happening to me. Why runes didn't kill me but also didn't completely work. Why strong runic energy could kill me if I got within mere feet of it.

Why I was a mundane, but also not.

"What did you do to me?" I snarl through gritted teeth

"Show me the jewellery, Shadowhunter" Magnus speaks directly to Jace, ignoring my hostile comment

Jace unfurls his hand, allowing the necklace to drop from his finger and dangle before Magnus, who smiles deviously and reaches to grab it.

"Ooh" Jace winces, pulling it out of his reach. Magnus glares at him. "Give Clary her memories, give Camille her answers, and you'll get the jewellery"

"I have to confirm it's authenticity" Magnus voices, beckoning for Jace to hand the necklace over, which he does. I bite back my comment about him just running away with it as Magnus flips the necklace over, looking at something on the back, "'Amor verus numquam moritor'...'True love cannot die' Oh, how I missed this jewel."

"It's your turn to pay up" I bite and Magnus looks to me, somewhat impressed and somewhat annoyed

"I wish I could retrieve Clary's memories, but I no longer have them" Magnus admits, and I notice how he sidestepped the question about what he did to me, but for some reason, I don't care what's wrong with me, but about Clary's memories.

"What? Where are they, then?" I demand to know and Magnus smiles a knowing smile, as if he knew something I didn't, like my response to his comment was something he'd expected.

"I fed them to a memory demon for safekeeping" Magnus confesses and Jace groans

"And why the hell would you do that?"

"To protect Clary, Camille...and the Cup." Magnus defends, "If Valentine ever captured me, he could torture Clary's memories out of me. Just like he tortured Dot."

"Dot?" Clary breathes, horrified, "Tortured? Wait, is Dot, okay?"

"You don't know?" Magnus frowns, "Dot is dead."

"What?" I gasp, covering my mouth, "How-How do you know?"

"I can't feel her magic anymore" Magnus sighs sadly, "Valentine killed her because she would not betray your mother."

"Oh my God" Clary cries

I had always known, deep down, that when he had failed to find Dot whilst searching for her at the Pandemonium that she was dead. But to hear it, to have it be confirmed was a completely different feeling.

"Come with me, girls" Magnus offers, extending a hand to Clary and I, "My lair can offer you protection no Shadowhunter ever could"

Jace scoffs, but I consider it.

Magnus knew what was happening to me...he'd done it to me.

This could be my way to get the answers I needed.

"No!" Clary exclaims before I can accept, "No, we're not going anywhere with you!"

"Don't be fools" Magnus growls, "Your mother would want you both to live. And Camille...don't you want to know why runes don't kill you, despite being mundane?"

I suck in a sharp breath.

He really does know what's wrong with me.

"Help me get my memories back!" Clary shouts, hysterical now, "Help me get them back from whatever demon you gave them too!"

"Valentine is hunting you both, too" Magnus points out, "And every moment we are outside my lair's protection, is a moment Valentine gets closer to finding us. Clary, do you not care about your sister's curse? I have the answers, but I will not stay here a minute longer!"

"Curse?" I echo, terrified as Magnus moves his hands, from behind him and conjures up a red, swirling portal

"Come with me" Magnus offers, again extending his hand out to us, "I have the protection you need and the answers you want. I won't offer again"

I look at Clary, who looks at Jace, who shakes his head.

"I'm not going anywhere without you" I tell Clary, "Answers be damned. This is your choice."

"Then no" Clary says, facing Magnus, "No, we won't hide from our problems, and neither should you!"

"And you, Camille?" Magnus turns his gaze to me, jaw tight, some kind of expectant look behind his eyes

"No. I'm not going to leave her behind. I don't care what curse my mother made you give me, but I will not leave Clary behind"

"Truly my finest work" Magnus sighs

"Look out!" A woman shouts just as an arrow flies through the air. We all duck quickly as the arrow flies over our heads, landing in the chest of a man behind Magnus...a man with a seraph blade and a circle rune.

Alec suddenly pushes through Magnus and I, moving towards where the man lay, checking his pulse to be sure he was dead.

"Who are you?" Magnus inquires, hungry eyes on Alec and I feel my nostrils flare as I let out a frustrated breath of air. Magnus tears his face from Alec and faces me, a teasing smile on his face, "Sorry, Buttercup, didn't realise he was taken."

Magnus doesn't linger much longer and instead makes his way to his portal. Clary rushes after him, grabbing onto his hand.

"Magnus, wait!" she urges, "You're our only hope!"

"Valentine found us" Magnus growls, "I warned your mother this might happen."

"Wait!" Clary gasps, but Magnus wrenches his arm from her grip, and steps through the portal. It closes instantly.

And he's gone.

My answers, Clary's memories...gone in a second.

"The area's secure" Izzy says, emerging through the crowd, whip in hand, "He was the only assassin"

"He has a Circle rune on the base of his neck" Alec mutters, crouched over the dead body, clearly oblivious to the warlock's attention to him just seconds before.

"They found us. It's not safe here" Jace snaps into action, taking Clary's arm, "Clary, we have to go"

Clary and I are still frozen, her by a table and chair near where the portal had been and me mere inches from Alec and the dead body.

I couldn't pull my eyes away from the rune on his neck.

"Cami" Alec's voice speaks but it sounds waterlogged, as if he were speaking through a tunnel of water, "Cami!"

I snap out of it as Alec shakes me and I look into his worried eyes, "Cami, we have to go!"

"I'm cursed" I gasp, shaking violently as Magnus' words ring through my ears,

"I'm cursed. And my mother made it happen."

***

OOH GUYS MAGNUS KNOWSSSS!!!

Ya'll can guess what the curse is but you won't get it, because I made it up myself haha. I would be genuinely surprised if someone guesses it, because as far as I know I made this up completely.

Within the next two chapters, you will find out all there is to know about Cami, her curse, and what the frick frack she is! Are you excited?

Once Cami's storyline is explained, the whole romance of the book can really begin so for all you Alec stans, trust me, the romance is coming. I just don't like when characters jump into relationships super fast *cough cough Climon cough cough* so i wanna drag it out.

Hope you're enjoying the story so far!

Happy Reading!