The Lost Book of the White (The Eldest Curses #2) - Cassandra Clare Page 0,78

a moment and then said, “They will.”

“Great,” said Alec with a sigh of relief. “Thanks, Tian.”

“And now the Jiangshi will come to take you to your individual torments,” the woman went on.

Through all six doors began to pour a crowd of humanoid creatures, green-skinned with long white hair, their arms extended before them. Their mouths opened to reveal rows of sharp yellow teeth, and they began to emit a low, plaintive wail.

“So, zombies,” Clary said. “Now we have to deal with zombies.”

“Jiangshi demons,” corrected Tian. “But yes, they are very like zombies.”

“Oh, come on!” shouted Magnus in exasperation, startling Alec. His eyes flashed in fury, and Alec, who had begun reaching back to draw Black Impermanence, stopped and stared as beams of mottled pinkish-red light, the color of watery blood, fired from each of Magnus’s fingers. The beams pierced the Jiangshi, bursting them apart into ichor and ash. Magnus turned, an angry twist to his mouth, and fired beam after beam at the encroaching creatures. Within seconds, they were all destroyed, leaving only a burned smell in the air and the sound of Magnus’s hard breathing.

“Well, damn,” said Isabelle after a moment.

Magnus turned and caught Alec’s eye. For a moment, there was no recognition in his expression. His upper lip was curled, revealing teeth that seemed strange, longer and sharper than usual, and then he seemed to come back to himself. When he saw Alec’s expression, he hesitated. “I… I’m sorry. I got… impatient.”

Jace said, “All right. Now that we’ve—” He was interrupted by a new round of the low, keening cries of Jiangshi. “Oh no.”

More Jiangshi appeared in the doorways, moving inexorably and mindlessly toward them. Alec was about to speak, but Magnus’s fingers lit up with that cruel red light again.

“Wait!” the woman in the painting cried out. Alec thought perhaps Magnus wouldn’t hesitate, but he did, breathing hard but holding himself back as she went on: “They will keep coming,” she said, “forever, until they are given a soul to take. At least one.”

“Call them off!” shouted Alec.

The woman shook her head. “I cannot. I am a servant, no less than they are. We must serve our functions.”

“I’ll let them take me,” said Tian.

“No,” said Jace sharply. “You’ve studied Diyu, you know more about it than we do. We need you to have any chance of getting through this place. I’ll go.”

“You will not,” said Clary.

“I’ll go,” said Isabelle loudly, in a commanding tone. Her voice rang through the room. Even the Jiangshi stopped moving for a moment.

“Isabelle, you can’t —” Alec started.

“I’m going,” Isabelle said. “I’m going, and I’m going to find Simon. I swear I will.”

She turned and held her arms out to the Jiangshi. A sort of sigh swept through them, like an exhale of relief. They ceased pouring through the doorway.

“She has chosen,” said the Hua Zhong Xian.

Jace whirled to face Alec. “They’ll kill her—”

“No,” said Magnus in a tense, low voice. “This is already a place of the dead. They assume she’s dead. Whatever they do, it won’t be killing her.”

Tears ran down Clary’s face. She didn’t even try to wipe them away. “Isabelle, no.”

“Let her go,” said the painted woman. “Her choice is irrevocable. Should you try to take her back now, worse will come than the Jiangshi.”

“You stay out of this,” Alec snapped at her. He started toward Isabelle, but it was no use—in the blink of an eye, three of the demons had seized his sister. She put up no resistance. Her eyes were fixed on Alec as the Jiangshi marched her toward one of the doors they had come through. Don’t follow me, her gaze said. I love you, but don’t follow me.

“Isabelle,” Alec said desperately, “don’t do this. Please. We’ll find Simon—”

Magnus caught hold of Alec’s shoulder. Isabelle was almost at the door. Jace was gripping the spear in his hand so tightly his fingers had gone white. Clary appeared to be in shock.

“Remember, Lightwood girl,” said the Hua Zhong Xian. “Go to your torment with your head held high.”

Isabelle turned and regarded her. “I swear upon the power of the Angel,” she said in a clear voice, “that I will return. I will return, and we will tear down this place. We will scatter the undead to the winds. And I will, personally, tear you into ribbons.”

Then she was gone.

CHAPTER TWELVE Ox-Head and Horse-Face

A LONG, TERRIBLE TIME PASSED after Isabelle disappeared through the doorway. Magnus was vaguely aware that the Hua Zhong Xian had faded and