Quotes from work
The Mortal Instruments

Cassandra Clare

The Mortal Instruments is a series of six young adult fantasy novels written by Cassandra Clare, the last of which was published on May 27, 2014. The Mortal Instruments is chronologically the third series of a proposed five in The Shadowhunter Chronicles but it was the first one published. It follows Clary Fray while also discovering her own heritage. The Shadowhunters protect the world of mundane people, who are also called mundanes or "mundies", from dark forces beyond their world.

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“I can't wait 'til you draw something really complicated, like the Brooklyn Bridge or a lobster. You'll probably send me a singing telegram.”

Cassandra Clare The Mortal Instruments

Jace to Clary, pg. 325
The Mortal Instruments, City of Bones (2007)

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“In future, Clarissa," he said, "it might be wise to mention that you already have a man in your bed, to avoid such tedious situations.”

Cassandra Clare The Mortal Instruments

Jace to Clary, pg. 317
The Mortal Instruments, City of Bones (2007)

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“Shadowhunters. They get in your blood, under your skin. I've been with vampires, werewolves, faeries, warlocks like me-- and humans, so many fragile humans. But I always told myself I wouldn't give my heart to a Shadowhunter. I've so nearly loved them, been charmed by them-- generations of them, sometimes: Edmund and Will and James and Lucie… the ones I saved and the ones I couldn't. And Clary, too, I loved, for I watched her grow up. But I've never been in love with a Shadowhunter, not until Alec. For they have the blood of angels in them, and the love of angels is a high and holy thing.”

Cassandra Clare The Mortal Instruments

Magnus Bane, to Luke Garroway, about Alec Lightwood, pg. 428
The Mortal Instruments, City of Heavenly Fire (2014)

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“"I suppose you don't have much time for enjoying music," Clary said, thinking of Simon, for whom music was his entire life, "in your line of work."
He shrugged. "Maybe the occasional wailing chorus of the damned."”

Cassandra Clare The Mortal Instruments

Clary and Jace, pg. 172
The Mortal Instruments, City of Bones (2007)

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“I was trained to be an evil mastermind from a young age. Pulling the wings off flies, poisoning the earth's water supply - I was covering that stuff in kindergarten. I guess we're all just lucky my father faked his own death before he got to the raping and pillaging part of my education, or no one would be safe.”

Cassandra Clare The Mortal Instruments

Jace to Imogen, pg. 79
The Mortal Instruments, City of Ashes (2008)

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“Does he normally just lie on the floor like that without moving?”

Cassandra Clare The Mortal Instruments

Magnus to Clary, pg. 135
The Mortal Instruments, City of Ashes (2008)

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“I want to see Brother Zachariah."
"He is well. You need not worry yourself about him."
"I want to see him. I nearly killed him at the Citadel--"
"That was not you. That was the heavenly fire. And it did anything but harm him."
"He said when I met him that he believes a debt is owed to the Herondales. I'm a Herondale. He'd want to see me."
"And then you intend to depart the Basilias?"
"There is nothing wrong with me. I don't need to be in the infirmary. Surely you could be using your resources more fruitfully on the actually wounded. Look, you can either bring me to Brother Zachariah or I can wander around yelling for him until he turns up."
"You are a great deal of trouble, Jace Herondale.”

Cassandra Clare The Mortal Instruments

"So I've been told."
Jace Herondale and Brother Enoch, pg. 229-230
The Mortal Instruments, City of Heavenly Fire (2014)

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“"Sometimes it comes down to a choice. Between saving one person and saving the whole world. I've seen it happen, and I'm selfish enough to want the person who loves me to choose me. But Nephilim will always choose the world. I look at Alec and I feel like Lucifer in Paradise Lost. "Abashed the Devil stood, And felt how awful goodness is." He meant it in the classic sense. 'Awful' as in inspiring awe. And awe is well and good, but it's poison to love. Love has to be between equals."”

Cassandra Clare The Mortal Instruments

Magnus Bane, to Luke Garroway, about Alec Lightwood, pg. 428
The Mortal Instruments, City of Heavenly Fire (2014)

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“Herondales. I had almost forgotten. No other family does so much for love, or feels so much guilt for it. Don't carry the weight of the world on you, Jace. It's too heavy for even a Herondale to bear.”

Cassandra Clare The Mortal Instruments

Brother Zachariah, to Jace Herondale, pg. 233
The Mortal Instruments, City of Heavenly Fire (2014)

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“You said not to do anything that might accidentally contribute to the apocalypse. I know you were joking. But it's less funny when I can't rid myself of the feeling that the apocalypse is coming, somehow. Valentine Morgenstern nearly wiped out the Shadowhunters, and his son is twice as clever and six times as evil.”

Cassandra Clare The Mortal Instruments

Magnus Bane, to Catarina Loss, pg. 136
The Mortal Instruments, City of Heavenly Fire (2014)

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“"I want to be mad at you."
"Oh? What for?"
"Risking your life. Except you didn't, really. You were just standing there and the demon grabbed you. Admittedly, you were being obnoxious to Simon."
"If a demon grabbed me every time I was obnoxious to Simon, I'd have died the day you met me."”

Cassandra Clare The Mortal Instruments

Clary Fray and Jace Herondale, pg. 405
The Mortal Instruments, City of Heavenly Fire (2014)

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“"Maybe you should have thought about that before you kissed me," he said.
"I kissed you?"
"Don't worry, it wasn't that memorable for me, either."”

Cassandra Clare The Mortal Instruments

Jace and Clary, pg. 318
The Mortal Instruments, City of Bones (2007)

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“You guessed? You must have been pretty sure, considering you could have killed me."
"I was ninety percent sure."
"I see," Clary said.
There must have been something in her voice, because he turned to look at her. Her hand cracked across his face, a slap that rocked him back on his heels. He put his hand to his cheek, more in surprise than pain. "What the hell was that for?”

Cassandra Clare The Mortal Instruments

"The other ten percent."
Clary and Jace, pg. 83-4
The Mortal Instruments, City of Bones (2007)

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“I'm sorry. It's just-- you know me. I only have two reactions to bad news. Uncontrollable rage and then a sharp left turn into boiling self-hatred.”

Cassandra Clare The Mortal Instruments

Jace Herondale to Clary Fray, pg. 277
The Mortal Instruments, City of Heavenly Fire (2014)

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“"I really was sick. I swear. I almost died back there on the ship, you know."
"I know. Every time you almost die, I almost die myself."”

Cassandra Clare The Mortal Instruments

Clary and Jace, pg.449
The Mortal Instruments, City of Ashes (2008)

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“I'm not sure anyone can make Jace do anything. But I think you can remind him that he has something to live for.”

Cassandra Clare The Mortal Instruments

Alec to Clary, pg. 101
The Mortal Instruments, City of Ashes (2008)

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“"What does she want?"
"Constant meetings. Depositions. The Clave keeps wanting to hear what happened when we fought Sebastian at the Burren. We've all had to give accounts, like, fifty times. How Jace absorbed the heavenly fire from Glorious. Descriptions of the Dark Shadowhunters, the Infernal Cup, the weapons they used, the runes that were on them. What we were wearing, what Sebastian was wearing, what everyone was wearing… like phone sex but boring."”

Cassandra Clare The Mortal Instruments

Simon Lewis and Isabelle Lightwood, pg. 34-35
The Mortal Instruments, City of Heavenly Fire (2014)

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“If you flinch from it, you give it power over you. Take it, and cut your brother's throat with it, and take back the honor of your blood.”

Cassandra Clare The Mortal Instruments

Diana Wrayburn, to Clary Fray, about the Morgenstern sword Heosphoros, pg. 146
The Mortal Instruments, City of Heavenly Fire (2014)

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“"Admiring yourself? You won't look so pretty when the Clave gets through with you."
"You do seem obsessed with my looks. Could it be that all this is because you're attracted to me?"”

Cassandra Clare The Mortal Instruments

Imogen and Jace, pg. 302
The Mortal Instruments, City of Ashes (2008)

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“I always thought cab drivers didn't pay attention to traffic, but this is ridiculous”

Cassandra Clare The Mortal Instruments

Clary to Jace, pg. 172
The Mortal Instruments, City of Bones (2007)