The Lost Book of the White (The Eldest Curses #2) - Cassandra Clare Page 0,104

into the center. Jace hopped along with his spear as a cane, keeping his weight off his foot. Magnus had come along too, Alec thought in order to let Simon and Isabelle have a little time to themselves, not because he cared at all about weapons. Alec stood against the wall and watched with vague interest while Tian got down on the ground and knocked on a few of the stone floor tiles, listening. After a few false starts, he reached down and carefully lifted the largest tile out of the floor, revealing a chamber below it framed in wood. In the chamber was a pile of oilcloth bundles.

“It’s nothing like you’d find in the real cathedral,” said Tian apologetically, “and they won’t be runed, so you can hurt demons, but you’ll need to make the kills with seraph blades. But…”

Jace made a happy noise. Tian started retrieving the bundles from the chamber.

Alec said quietly, “Tian, why didn’t you tell us that you had been forced to work for Sammael? You trusted us enough to tell us about Jinfeng.”

Tian looked at Alec with surprise. “I would think that was obvious. I knew you wouldn’t disapprove of a relationship with a Downworlder, but there was always a chance that the connection between me and Sammael could get back to the Clave and they’d step in, and Jinfeng would be harmed. My family might be harmed too.”

Clary snorted. “What?” said Tian.

“It’s just… we’re the ones who keep stuff from the Clave,” she said.

“It’s true,” said Alec. “We’re not exactly known for keeping the authorities up to date on our plans.”

“For instance, we didn’t tell the Council we were coming to Shanghai,” agreed Clary. “I thought we had an understanding.”

Tian looked amazed. “Alec, your father is the Inquisitor. I think I’ve trusted you all quite a lot considering I only met you yesterday. Wow, today has been a long day.”

“He’s got a point,” said Jace. With the handle of his spear, he had pushed the oilcloth aside, uncovering a two-handed sword with an immense broad curved blade, like a cross between a scimitar and a machete. He gingerly nudged the tip with his good foot. “As does this. Clary? Dadao?”

Clary took it and went to the other end of the room, where she stepped through a few two-handed sword forms, her bright red braid whipping around her head as she spun through a series of forward cuts, ending with the sword elegantly held downward. She flashed them a smile. “I like it.”

Jace was staring. Alec patted him on the shoulder.

“There’s something about a tiny girl with a gigantic sword,” Jace murmured.

Clary came back over. Jace visibly restrained himself from grabbing her and kissing her, and instead went back to the pile of weapons at their feet.

“It just bothers me,” Alec said to Tian. “The distrust, the secrets. Mine, yours.” He furrowed his brow. “The Shadowhunters are supposed to be this ironclad institution, the bulwark between humans and demons, the first and last line of defense. But instead we’re just riddled with secrets. I used to think it was just me and my friends who were keeping things from the Clave, but you know what I’ve realized? Everyone is keeping things from the Clave.”

“Are you saying I should have trusted you more?” Tian said, sounding nettled. “Even though I’d just met you?”

“Yes,” said Jace, and both Alec and Tian turned to see what he meant, but it turned out he’d just uncovered a weapon—two hardwood sticks linked with a length of iron rings. One of the sticks was clearly a handle, while the other was much shorter and was covered all over in short iron barbs. He looked up at them with glee. “Morning star.”

“Okay, that’s definitely a flail,” said Clary.

“Let me have this one,” Jace said. “It’ll be good in case I have to fight before my foot heals completely. I can spin this around and keep demons off me.”

“You’re not useless in a battle with a broken foot, you know,” Clary said. “You’re good at strategy and tactics.”

Jace shook his head, smiling. “We all know the main thing I have going for me is my sumptuous, lithe physicality. Without that,” he added, “who am I?”

Clary rolled her eyes. “You are the guy who figured out how to break us into Sebastian’s fortress in Edom. For one thing.”

“Sure,” Jace said, “one thing.”

Clary smiled. “Remember, your most sumptuous muscle is your brain.”

Tian watched this interaction with amusement. “I don’t think you should have trusted