Alia Miller

“Because that which was new was almost always temporary. And that which was temporary broke your heart.”
― Cassandra Clare, City of Heavenly Fire

“Hello? This is Clary Fairchild.”

“Clary? It’s me, Emma.”

“Oh, Emma, hi! I haven’t heard from you in ages. My mom says thanks for the wedding flowers, by the way. She wanted to send a note but Luke whisked her away on a honeymoon to Tahiti.”

“Tahiti sounds nice.”

“It probably is — Jace, what are you doing with that thing? There is no way it’ll fit.”

“Is this a bad time?”

“What? No! Jace is trying to drag a trebuchet into the training room. Alec, stop helping him.”

“What’s a trebuchet?”

“It’s a huge catapult.”

“What are they going to use it for?”

“I have no idea. Alec, you’re enabling! You’re an enabler!”

“Maybe it is a bad time.”

“I doubt there’ll be a better one. Is something wrong? Is there anything I can do?”

“I think we have your cat.”

“What?”

“Your cat. Big fuzzy Blue Persian? Always looks angry? Julian says it’s your cat. He says he saw it at the New York Institute. Well, saw him. It’s a boy cat.”

“Church? You have Church? But I thought — well, we knew he was gone. We thought Brother Zachariah took him. Isabelle was annoyed, but they seemed to know each other. I’ve never seen Church actually likeanyone like that.”

“I don’t know if he likes anyone here. He bit Julian twice. Oh, wait. Julian says he likes Ty. He’s asleep on Ty’s bed.”

“How did you wind up with him?”

“Someone rang our front doorbell. Diana, she’s our tutor, went down to see what it was. Church was in a cage on the front step with a note tied to it. It said For Emma. This is Church, a longtime friend of the Carstairs. Take care of this cat and he will take care of you. —J.”

“Brother Zachariah left you a cat.”

“But I don’t even really know him. And he’s not a Silent Brother any more.”

“You may not know him, but he clearly knows you.”

“What do you think the J stands for?”

“His real name. Look, Emma, if he wants you to have Church, and you want Church, you should keep him.”

“Are you sure? The Lightwoods —“

‘They’re both standing here nodding. Well, Alec is partially trapped under a trebuchet, but he seems to be nodding.”

“Jules says we’d like to keep him. We used to have a cat named Oscar, but he died, and, well, Church seems to be good for Ty’s nightmares.”

“Oh, honey. I think, really, he’s Brother Zachariah’s cat. And if he wants you to have him, then you should.”

“Why does Brother Zachariah want to protect me? It’s like he knows me, but I don’t know why he knows me.”

“I don’t exactly know … But I know Tessa. She’s his — well, girlfriend seems not the right word for it. They’ve known each other a long, long time. I have a feeling they’re both watching over you.”

“That’s good. I have a feeling we’re going to need it.”

“Emma — oh my God. The trebuchet just crashed through the floor. I have to go. Call me later.”

“But we can keep the cat?”

“You can keep the cat.”
― Cassandra Clare, Lady Midnight

“I am here to determine my relationship."
Simon goggled. She couldn't be talking about him. Could she?
"Do you see that man?" Isabelle asked, pointing at Simon. Apparently she was talking about him. "That's Simon Lewis, and he is my boyfriend. So if any of you think about trying to hurt him because he's a mundie or--may the Angel have mercy on your soul--pursuing him romantically, I will come after you, I will hunt you down and I will crush you to powder.”
― Cassandra Clare, Welcome to Shadowhunter Academy

“It’s not your fault,” Alec was saying. He sounded weary, as if he’d been through this sort of thing with his sister before. Clary wondered how many boyfriends she’d turned into rats by accident. “But it ought to teach you not to go to so many Downworld parties,” he added. “They’re always more trouble than they’re worth.”
Isabelle sniffed loudly. “If anything had happened to him, I—I don’t know what I would have done.”
“Probably whatever it is you did before,” said Alec in a bored voice. “It’s not like you knew him all that well.”
“That doesn’t mean that I don’t—”
“What? Love him?” Alec scoffed, raising his voice. “You need to know someone to love them.”
“But that’s not all it is.” Isabelle sounded almost sad. “Didn’t you have any fun at the party, Alec?”
“No.”
“I thought you might like Magnus. He’s nice, isn’t he?”
“Nice?” Alec looked at her as if she were insane. “Kittens are nice. Warlocks are—” He hesitated. “Not,” he finished, lamely.
“I thought you might hit it off.” Isabelle’s eye makeup glittered as bright as tears as she glanced over at her brother. “Get to be friends.”
“I have friends,” Alec said, and looked over his shoulder, almost as if he couldn’t help it, at Jace.
But Jace, his golden head down, lost in thought, didn’t notice.”
― Cassandra Clare, City of Bones