Unhappy? I Was Lucky. So, So Lucky.

His Beauty Did Not Blaze Like Will's Did In Fierce Colors And Repressed Fire, But It Had Its Own Muted Perfection, The Loveliness Of Snow Falling Against A Silver Gray Sky.

The Only Way You Would Have Failed," She Said, "is If You Had.

She Looked Up At Him With A Smile. The Smile Broke What Was Left Of His Resistance - Shattered It. He Had Let The Walls Down When He'd Thought She Was Gone, And There Was No Time To Build Them Back Up. Helplessly He Pulled Her Against Him. For A Moment She Clung To Him Tightly, Warm And Alive In His Arms. Her Hair Brushed His Cheek. The Color Had Come Back Into The World; He Could Breathe Again, And For That Moment He Breathed Her In - She Smelled Of Salt, Blood, Tears, And Tessa.

Part Of Clary Wanted To Lean Sideways And Put Her Head On Her Mother’s Shoulder. She Could Even Close Her Eyes, Pretend Everything Was All Right. The Other Part Of Her Knew That It Wouldn’t Make A Difference; She Couldn’t Keep Her Eyes Closed Forever.

Sometimes The Newly Marked Go Into Shock. The Good News Is, If This Happens To You, You Are Unlikely To Notice, Because You Will Be In Shock.