How It All Goes Down
High and Dry
- Jace starts off this chapter by making sure we know what a big deal it is that the werewolves have invaded the vampires' lair: "We're about to be in the middle of a war" (15.4).
- It seems like the war might be about Clary.
- As the werewolves and vampires clash violently, Simon escapes Clary's arms and races for the curtains.
- He leads her to a hidden door, but before she and Jace can escape through it, a werewolf attacks.
- Clary hurls a dagger at it, and they race through the door, locking it behind them with a magical rune. Jeez, those things are handy.
- They traverse some rickety staircases and end up on the roof of the Hotel Dumort.
- There's nowhere to go but down. Jace hijacks a vampire bio-bike and, with Clary clutching his waist, plummets off the side of the building. This sounds like a horrible idea.
- Thankfully, this is one of the flying bikes, so they don't just go splat on the pavement. Clary finds the trip both beautiful and terrifying. It's the Tilda Swinton of motorcycle rides.
- Clary even gets to see the gorgeous sunrise over the city.
- But only for a second because sunrise and demon energy don't exactly mix. The sunlight causes the demon bike to fail, and Clary and Jace skid across the asphalt of a parking lot.
- Somehow she manages not to squish rat Simon during her painful, bloody tumble.
- Sunlight must cause Simon's spell to wear off, too, because he shapeshifts back to human form. What a relief.
- Lucky for Simon (and his dignity) his clothing shapeshifts with him.