The Lost Book of the White (The Eldest Curses #2) - Cassandra Clare Page 0,102
Boiling Soup with Human Dumplings.
“It was the top of a tower, a little platform surrounded on all sides by a thousand-foot drop onto metal spikes,” Isabelle said conversationally. “They hung me from a chain and strapped a metal rod around my neck, with spiked forks at both ends. One end poked into my throat, the other into my chest, so if I spoke, or even nodded my head, I would be impaled on both. Demons watched over me and laughed while I struggled.”
“Oh,” said Jace.
Simon drew Isabelle even tighter to him.
When Alec had first met Simon, he would have laughed uproariously at the suggestion that his sister would someday hold on to him tightly, that she and Simon would find affection and reassurance in each other. Of course, at that time he would have laughed at the suggestion that he and Magnus Bane would be raising a child together too. They had all changed so much, in such a short time.
“I was only there for a few minutes,” Isabelle went on. “Tian found me. The demons watching over me let him get close, and then, uh, then a giant tiger showed up and killed them.”
“Once Sammael’s eye was no longer on me, I called upon Hu Shen for assistance freeing Isabelle,” Tian put in.
“That must have been so cool,” murmured Simon.
“I made sure we brought the tiger,” Isabelle said. “I knew you’d be disappointed if you missed it.”
Simon kissed her on the cheek. She blushed a little—very unlike Isabelle, Alec thought with amusement. Very unlike Isabelle most of the time, anyway.
“You know the rest,” Tian said. “Sammael’s probably planning to spend today moping around Diyu, complaining about how terrible it is and ordering his two warlocks around. And now he knows I’m his enemy too.”
“Believe me,” said Simon wearily, “when Sammael decides to be demonic, he has no trouble bringing the evil.”
Alec nodded. He had been startled by his first meeting with Sammael; he had been so friendly, and so unthreatening, but the sight of Sammael’s face as he sliced up Simon’s body had reminded him of who they were dealing with. “He’s still the most dangerous thing here.”
“He also seems to have a strange interest in you, Magnus,” put in Tian. “I suppose it’s because you were thorned by Shinyun, but it seems to me if he wanted more warlock minions, he could probably find willing ones.”
Magnus shrugged. “I guess I’m already here?”
“So Sammael is here preparing,” said Clary, “but what’s he preparing for? What’s his plan exactly?”
“Sammael is prevented from entering Earth by wards put in place by the Archangel Michael long ago,” said Tian. “As near as I can tell, he’s got Jung and Fell working on finding something in the Book of the White that will let him get around the wards.”
“Is that possible?” said Jace. “Is there something in the Book of the White that could do that?”
They all looked at Magnus. “Probably,” Magnus said grimly. “Yes. No wonder the Portals on Earth are all malfunctioning. Sammael’s minions have been fiddling with the walls that keep dimensions separate.”
“So why haven’t they figured it out yet?” said Clary.
Tian looked thoughtful. “It seems to me that Sammael thought Diyu would be a much better source of power. It used to be, under Yanluo, of course; by design it is a dynamo that transforms human suffering into demonic power. But the machinery has been broken for almost a hundred and fifty years. Not only is it difficult for Jung and Fell to draw on its power to fuel their magic, but the demons who used to run Diyu have grown used to freedom and chaos. Sammael can’t whip them into shape by himself.” He shook his head. “Shinyun thinks that with enough power granted by the thorn, she could hold the entire host of Diyu under her magical compulsion, but she isn’t there yet.”
“So we have a little time,” said Alec. “Are we safe here?”
Tian nodded. “Sammael doesn’t think we’re any real threat, and he’s dependent on his underlings to keep Diyu under observation. Demons don’t like coming to churches, even in demon Shanghai.”
“Okay,” said Jace. “So what’s the plan? Rest up and then go after Sammael?”
“Or go after Shinyun and Ragnor,” said Clary. When she saw Magnus’s face, she said, “We can’t let them figure out how to allow Sammael to enter our world. We just can’t.”
“Would getting the Book away from them stop Sammael’s plans, though?” said Simon doubtfully.