I looked up at the scrappy, abandoned church standing before Simon and me. "So this is it." I say with utter finality. "This is the Institute?" I looked over at him questioningly. He didn't say anything, so I figured that meant yes. I stepped in front of him and inspected the torn apart wall exterior, and dead grass all over. "Well this is a dump." I looked over at him again, and caught him staring up at the church. "This is not the Institute. This is an abandoned piece of-"
"Gina." Simon said, grabbing my arm and pulling me back. He turned my head to look at the structure of the building again. "Just give it a minute. Focus on the building. Focus on the edges first, that's how I see it."
I blinked, looking at him like he was some kind of weirdo. "Um, right. Focus on this crap place. Sounds good. Because, you know, I'd much rather stare at this wonderful sight than go to the park or something." I impatiently pushed the hair that escaped my ponytail out of my face and tucked it behind my ear. Simon let out a sigh.
"You're not focusing. All I hear is babbling coming from you."
"Well-"
"Sh. Focus for a second." I rolled my eyes and stared at the building. The bricks were falling off the wall, leaving a bare set of wood panels lining the perimeter of the building. As I looked at it, the dusty windows, the white ripped wood panes surrounding them, they started to become translucent. I opened my mouth to question it, but the translucence through the building grew bigger, only making me more confused-to the point in which I could say nothing. The building now seemed to be transforming in front of my eyes; the windows were no longer dusty, but big and clear and reflective of the autumn sun. The exterior of the church transformed to be big gray stoned bricks, which looked nothing like it was falling apart-as it was just moments ago. The doors came to be two huge ones, made of oak wood. The door handle was metal and slightly rusted, but this was a much bigger improvement than I'd seen moments before.
In complete confusion and the state of actually not believing my eyes, I took a few steps back as the church-Institute grew in front of me. I bumped my back into Simon's chest, and jumped forward, turning to apologize. But it wasn't actually him. It was this other boy; tall-much taller-with black hair and bright blue eyes. He didn't look happy to see me. In fact, his eyes were cold and harsh on mine and his jaw was set as I stepped back uneasily.
"By the Angel, Simon," the boy said, glaring at Simon over my shoulder. I backed up and stood next to him, as if he could hide me from the frightening boy. "Why did you bring her here?"
"She threatened me." Simon said as-a-matter-of-factly.
"With what?Your precious anime collection?" I squinted at the boy. He looked to be around eighteen years old. So, not that much older than me, but his height compared to me made me feel like an ant.
"Yeah," Simon muttered. He looked down for a moment before taking my hand and pulling my towards the Institute doors. "She wants to see her sister."
"No way," the boy started, following beside me. "She's Angela's sister?" Simon gave a short nod and pushed through the doors of the Institute, which gave a loud creek. Loud enough to send shivers down my spine.
The main hall we were standing in had walls painted a cream color, and on the walls were torches for lights hanging from walls every few feet down. There was a chandelier hanging right above our heads and I noticed about a dozen doorways just from where I was standing.
"Whoa," I let out, stepping away from Simon to look around and peer up the large staircase. "How big is this place?"
"It's really not that big." The boy said sourly. I gave him a look before returning my gaze to a connected dining room.
"Alec," Simon said, mock warning in his tone. "Be nice. Jace told me to give you a time out if you weren't welcoming to her." Alec snorted and began to stride away off down one of the large hallways. Simon appeared in front of me, running a hand through his wild hair, tangled from the wind outside. Something looked different about him now, as he stared at me. "So, what do you think?" he asked.
"It's amazing!" I couldn't help but exclaim. The rug below us gave me about a quarter of an inch of height compared to Simon's towering height-without the rug. But why, looking up at him now, did something feel as though it had changed? I gasped as I spotted something on his forehead.
"What's that?" I asked curiously, reaching my fingers up to brush them along a faded black scar of intricate designs on his forehead. Simon paled and took my hand slowly away from his face. I blinked and stared at him questioningly.
"It's called a Mark of Cain." He said finally, beginning to walk down the hallway. Now I could sense the uneasiness in his posture as I followed him down the hallway. I was expecting for him to elaborate on that, but he stayed silent and kept his eyes on the corridor ahead of us.
"That's it?" I asked finally, when I realized he wouldn't say any more.
"What's it?"
"You're just leaving me with 'Mark of Cain'?" I peered at him curiously, but he kept his gaze down, watching his sneakers and my boots as we strode through the unusual hallway. Many different paintings of sorts hung on the walls. And quite frankly, this place didn't believe in using any type of actual electricity.
"It's nothing to worry about." Simon said. I kept my gaze on him as we took a left down another hallway. He caught me looking at him, his eyes cold and his tone defensive. "It's nothing."
"Fine." I said. "Be that way."
We made our way down another staircase in silence.
"Okay, Simon, how many rooms are we going to pass before we see Ang?" Simon laughed, as if remembering something-his eyes were distant for a moment; as if he was going back through a memory in his head-and then he smiled at me.
"I know. There are rooms everywhere. I still don't even know my whole way around here." He admitted.
"Then why do you come here? Is it just because of Angela?" Simon shook his head, pulling open a door, and allowing me to step in first.
"Not quite." He said. "When you get introduced into this world, you also become a part of it." I walked through the door and saw weapons on tables, and training dummies. I was guessing this was where they trained, but for what, exactly?
I found Angela right away. She was in some odd black training gear of sorts. Her red-brown hair was tied back up into a high ponytail, a look of hard determination on her face. She hadn't realized I came in yet; and so she kept at whatever she was doing. She was with someone else-a boy-fighting with each other, it seemed like. They both held glowing silver blades in their hands. He, I noticed, was also wearing the black training gear.
"Ithuriel." Angela whispered, and the blade shone to life. It illuminated up the whole room with such brightness that I squinted slightly. She was about to swing her blade down, but the boy smacked her sword to the ground. He had curling blond hair that ended near his ears. His eyes were bright gold, and his skin was the color of honey. He tackled Angela down and they started laughing, wrestling to get the sword. The gold-haired boy just pinned her down by her shoulders when Angela smiled. So they…weren't trying to kill each other?
Uh, clearly not, because the boy started kissing her. I let out a sigh of annoyance-apparently it was audible-and Simon cleared his throat. She had a boyfriend-a very handsome boyfriend-all this time, and she never mentioned him! Not once! We were sisters, for God sakes. I thought we told each other everything! She lied to me about our whole world!
The boy pulled away and looked at us, at me. Angela sat up quickly when her eyes landed on me. "Simon, what the hell?" she said angrily, pushing the boy off of her to stand up. He didn't take offense to it, and Angela crossed her arms over her chest.
"Good morning." Simon said, trying to look nonchalant and happy. "Well it's more noon now, actually, but still-"
"Why the hell did you bring her here?" Angela said, pointing a finger at me. It was weird, seeing her like this, all in black, hair tied in a ponytail, sweat pasted across her face. Her nails were short and squared off; different than when she would always paint them a different color practically every week.
"I don't know what you mean." Simon said defensively. "You said I could bring her here."
"Not now! I said that maybe we could introduce her to the Shadowhunter world. I did not say now!" Angela exclaimed. Simon shrugged inwardly.
"Well, better now than later, that's what I say, right?" Simon said nervously. "Besides, she's here now. She would've seen it all anyways at one point. How unnoticed do you think you could be around her with him?" Simon jabbed a finger in the direction of the gold haired boy. Yup, it was definitely dyed. There is no way anyone's natural hair color could be that glowing.
"Watch it, Daylighter." The boy said, glaring.
"Simon," Angela let out, pushing his hand down away from the boy. "Take her home, stay with her. I'll be home by dinner."
I took a step forward and threw my hands up in frustration. "For God's sake, stop talking about me like I'm not even here!" I yelled to everyone. The training room went silent. "Angela, stop yelling at Simon because he brought me here. I threatened him to or I told him I'd burn his anime collection."
"It's true." Simon said quickly. I shot him a glare over my shoulder, and he put his hands up, level with his shoulders, in defense. "Just sayin'."
"And you!" I said, taking a step toward the boy. "You're just some dyed-blond-hair wannabe who's just shacking up on my sister." I glared at him.
"Gi, he wasn't 'shacking up'. I don't even know what that means." She said quietly from beside the boy.
"And my hair is naturally blond." The boy pointed out. "Just for the record."
"Whatever," I said, rolling my eyes. "My point is I don't even know who you are."
The boy took a step forward, spreading his arms apart. "I'm Jace Lightwood. The one and only." Jace winked and I let out an irritated sigh and stepped back next to Simon.
Angela stepped toward me, uncrossing her arms and letting out a breath of air. "Look, Gi, maybe you should just go home and I'll explain everything later." I raised my eyebrows.
"If you think I'm just going to go home and pretend like I didn't see a building transform in front of my eyes, and my sister kissing some boy who I've never heard of, then you're out of your mind. I'm not leaving!" Jace looked slightly taken aback, maybe a little shocked. He probably never saw anyone yell at Angela like I am right now.
"You really never heard of me?" Jace asked, squinting at me as if I were alien.
"Jace," Simon said. "Let her alone." Jace only lifted an eyebrow and took a step back.
"Whatever you say, Daylighter." He replied, crossing his arms in front of him. Simon seemed to be genuinely surprised Jace obeyed him so fast.
"Really?" he asked, his eyes wide. Jace snorted and walked up next to Angela again.
"Of course not. Just because you have that silly mark, it doesn't mean you have the power to tell me what to do." He said. Jace lifted his chin and took a breath.
"You're underestimating the powers of my Mark." Simon said, pointing at him. I could easily tell they really didn't like each other. Simon never fought out with many people. "You're just angry you can't retreat into your tree house."
"My what?" Jace asked incredulously. Simon lifted a chin and jabbed a finger in his direction.
"You know. Every time I insult you or say something, you retreat into your 'No Mundanes Allowed' tree house. Well now you can't do that, so you just underestimate my Mark's ability. Go ahead, Jace. Come at me. And see how you end up as dust at my feet. I dare you." Jace narrowed his eyes and let his crossed arms drop. I looked at Simon oddly, secretly applauding the fact that I wasn't the only one who didn't like Jace, and also wondering what ability his Mark had on other people.
"Jace, Simon, enough." Angela said, taking Jace by his shoulder and pulling him away from Simon, closer to her. "Calm down."
"Me?" Jace asked, stopping his death stare at Simon to look at Angie.
"Both of you." She replied to him, taking a moment to glance at Simon. Just then my phone rang from inside my messenger bag. Everyone's eyes turned to me as I backed away and pulled my phone out.
"It's Amanda." I told my sister. "I have to take this." I backed away and took the call, which mainly consisted of Amanda asking to hang out.
"I'm sorry, I'm pretty busy at the moment." I told her. Amanda sighed but said it was okay.
"It's just, I haven't seen you in a really long time. I thought we could hang out. Go to Subway or something." She replied.
"Well, maybe tomorrow or something. I have to go, sorry." I murmured into the phone. "Bye." I flipped my phone shut and turned to Simon, Angela, and Jace, who were quietly discussing things among themselves. Simon stole a glance at me and quickly looked away, acting as if he didn't see me. I'm not that stupid. I know when you're talking about what to do with me.
"You know guys," I started, adjusting the scarf around my neck. "I think I'm going to head home for the night. I'm, ah, tired." I turned on my heel and without a glance, disappeared out of the training room door.
I stomped angrily through the hallway of the Institute. If Angela won't tell me anything, I'd have to find out for myself. At first I was just trying to find my way to the front door, but then I came across this room with a big black grand piano. God knows I love the instrument so much, and could never resist. I inched my way into the room, checking both ways to see if anyone was down the hallway, before I went in and closed the door behind me. I let out a breath and set my bag down. This room was probably the most modern-looking room in the Institute. It had lights and a bunch of music papers stacked on the paper holder above the keys.
I took a seat on the bench and glanced at the hand-written sheets. It was messy, but nothing I couldn't read. The Light That Eliminates The Dark was the title in neat, fine-tipped handwriting. I glanced at the notes, reading them over in my mind once before I began to play it. I was slow at first, but the rest of the song just came and flowed to me, and my hands slid down and up the piano keys as a very fine, soft melody echoed throughout the room. I closed my eyes and smiled. The song, it was beautiful.
"I wrote that one recently." A voice said. I stopped abruptly and flushed a dark red. Why did I have to get caught? Why couldn't I stay in this sweet eternity of music and chords bouncing through the white painted room?
I slowly turned around on the bench and craned my head to look up at a smiling Jace, leaning against the door frame, arms crossed. He was out of his training gear now, and in a pair of jeans, and a dark navy blue V-neck shirt. "Oh, I-I'm uh, sorry." I said, standing up and getting my bag. Jace said nothing as he strode into the room and took a seat on the bench where I once had just been sitting. He played it softly now, looking at me. "It's really pretty, you know." I said, watching his lean fingers. "The song, I mean."
"It was for your sister." He said, glancing once at the sheet. Of course. She's the light that eliminates Jace's dark. I slowly walked over to him and sat beside him on the bench. "Because she's the light-"
"That eliminates your dark." I finished, looking up at him. Jace nodded quietly and finished the rest of the song. My eyes absently trail up his hands to his arms, which reveal his golden skin. But wrecking the pure gold of his arms, are these black intricate designs. One that looks like a sort of eye is plastered onto the back of his hand. "What's that?" Jace narrowed his eyes and stopped playing the piano. "Don't you close me off too now." I said with a sigh.
"I can't tell you anything, Gina." He said softly, not looking at me. "Your sister is just trying to protect you." I rolled my eyes and stood up.
"I knew you would be just as useless as her." I said, irritated.
"I'm not doing this to be mean. I don't think Angela wants you to get involved, okay? I'm just trying to be helpful." I glare at him and tug out my phone from my bag.
"If you want to be helpful, then you'll tell me what my sister is, and what she's doing at this church." When Jace said nothing, I spun around and stomped away from the piano room, and out of the Institute doors.
I yanked the door shut hard behind me and just as I turned to continue my path to get home, I walked into Simon. I let out a sound of surprise; I'd thought he was still with Angela. But then I just closed my eyes and hugged him. Simon was reluctant at first to put his arms around my back and pat my shoulder softly.
"Why won't anyone tell me anything?" I asked, muffled, against his chest. Simon tilted my chin up with two of his fingers so I could look him in the eye.
"Don't blame them." He said softly, searching my eyes for a sign of tears. But I wasn't crying. I was merely frustrated and angry. "Angela wants to keep you away from this world. She's just scared for you." I snorted and rolled my eyes.
"What does she think I'm going to do?" I asked, pulling away from Simon's arms and beginning to walk beside him to my house. He lightly shrugged.
"She just doesn't want you to get involved with anything. Knowing all of what's happening now is just too dangerous." I sighed and tightened my scarf around my neck. It was midday out, but it there was a chill under the clear skies. Wind tossed my hair side to side, leaving me to push it back impatiently.
"Where do you fit into all of this?" I asked curiously after we walked quietly down half the block. He glanced at me once before tucking his hands in the pockets of his jeans. We kicked and stomped over the leaves that flew around us, listening to the occasional crack and crunch from the ones that had scrunched up on the sidewalk.
"I'm the friend." He replied with a shrug. I hooked arms with Simon and smiled.
"You're not the friend." I corrected him. He glanced at me, a flicker of worry crossing over his face as I continued. "Don't underrate yourself. You're the best friend." I reached up and ruffled his hair as Simon let out a nervous laugh.
"Yeah, right."
"I mean it!" I said, noticing his unconvinced tone. "You're a friend to me even though you're just here because of Angela." Simon looked down at our feet again.
"She needs someone to keep an eye on you for now." Simon glanced at me sideways. "I actually volunteered."
"You did?" I asked with a light blush across my cheeks. Simon let out a nod and we continued down the sidewalk with small side conversations as we reached my house.
When we got to my home on Lincoln, it was just before suppertime. Simon walked me up the steps to the front door as I let go of his arm-which we had hooked together for the whole walk-and pulled out my key. I looked at him as began to quietly walk down the steps, ducking his head as he pulled up his hood.
"Simon," I called after him. He looked over his shoulder at me and smiled. I let out a small smile and mouthed thank you. With that, I turned the key in the door and stepped in.
The air in my home was much warmer than it was outside, and in the Institute. I turned the lock on the door, and took off my boots. I set them on the floor beside our dark brown wood coat rack, and removed my blue pea coat next, hanging it on the rack. Angela's belongings weren't there, which made me imply the fact that she didn't come home yet and was still training at the Institute. Training for what, though, I didn't really know. It's really not that often these days do you see people trying to kill each other with glowing swords. But maybe that was just me.
I left my bag slung across one shoulder as I made my way upstairs and to my room for the night. There wasn't much I could do now, considering I'd just canceled out on my only free friend and it was already almost time to prepare dinner. Many people were gone for break, which happened to also have been the majority of my friends.
After I wrote a little in the story I was working on, I went downstairs to help my dad prepare for dinner. It wasn't often that I did this anymore, but I had a lot of open time right now. Maybe I'd go read my favorite book in a little while.
The kitchen was filled with nice stainless steel appliances and cherry wood counters and cabinets. Our walls were a warm yellow color, and the countertops had a marble sort of appearance. I stepped around the island to greet Dad.
"Hey Dad," I said, rolling up the sleeves of my blue long-sleeved shirt and fixing my hair, which had many strands falling over my face after escaping my ponytail.
"Hey Gias." He said in the voice that we always spoke with. It was one of those bonding things you have with your parents. I joined him in the kitchen, glancing up at the bright three lights hanging over my dad who was hard at work on rolling out pizza dough.
"Anything I can help with?" I asked him, washing my hands and smoothing my hands with the flour.
After a half an hour of my dad and I hard at work making pizzas-it was Friday, we always made pizza on Fridays-the front door opened and shut. There was a hallway that led to the open room where my front door stood, so I didn't see who was here. I assumed it'd be my mom, who always got home from work at around six-thirty, which was the time now.
Instead it was Angela, her hair slung back in a messy bun, a few bags around her shoulders. Probably filled with the odd gear that she was training in .When she practically kicked me out of the told me nothing at all.
I rolled my eyes as she greeted Dad and me and she disappeared upstairs. And that was really the only time I saw her until eight o'clock, when I went up to her room myself.
I stepped quietly up our wood stairs, thankful that my slippery socks made no sound as I crept up and down the small half-hallway to her room. The hallway was pretty plain, with nothing on the way to Angela's room except the door to our laundry room. Then on the opposite was not even a wall, but the railing overlooking the stairs.
I slowly inched my way to her room, peeking through her door as she threw a few things into an old duffel bag of ours from when we shared them when we were later. It was plain and black, but the things she stuffed in there couldn't have been more odd. A few blades-like the ones I had seen earlier when she was training with Jace. A few shortened swords, almost like knives but more fancy and decorated with odd gems at the hilt and covered with more odd black inked designs.
Then Angela pulled out her phone and dialed a number. I heard someone say a muffled greeting into the receiver and Angela paid no attention to the laziness in the person's voice. "Simon," she said, pacing. I ducked back, hoping she wouldn't see me. "I'm going now. Remember, don't tell Jace I'm leaving yet."
"Yeah, yeah." I heard Simon say. "Angela. Be careful, okay?"
"I know. I will. If things start getting too dangerous, I'll call you." She replied, and shut the phone, pocketing it. With that, Angela lifted the duffel bag over her shoulder, and picked up a sort of silver stick looking thing. I almost snorted as she picked it up in an artistic manner, as if she were drawing in the air. That doesn't look like a pencil, sis! I wanted to yell at her with a sneer, but I refrained. She traced an odd pattern that wavered in the air before it brightened and faded. A whirl of colors and light and brightness filled the space in front of her, leading into some other completely new place, ripples running through it as if it was water. Angela pocketed her stick and without a glance back, disappeared into the thing. It looked to be a sort of portal. In complete curiosity, I grabbed her sweatshirt hanging on her bed post and pulled it over my head before following her.
I followed as discreetly as I could behind Angela, but it wasn't very much good. I stumbled forth and crashed to the ground with a gasp as soon as I passed through the portal-looking thing. I winced as I bumped my chin on the pavement, surely scratching it fairly well. I rubbed it, smearing away blood and gravel, and I got to my feet, following behind Angela. I put a good amount of distance between us, and watched as she disappeared into an abandoned looking building.
"What is it with these people and abandoned buildings?" I asked myself aloud, following quietly, my sneakers screeching slightly as I kicked up the steps. When I got into the building, a rain of action was already happening. Two things were chasing my sister, and she whipped out two blades, severing their heads all at once. They looked like gigantic scorpions, with four arms or legs-they both looked the same to me. They hissed and growled a short time and let out a scream before turning to dust and a pool of black, gross looking blood that reminded me of tar seeped out onto the floor of this place.
Angela didn't see that there was one more-one more big one-coming towards her from behind, growling and drooling a gross yellow color. I screamed at her so loud that it made my own ears ring. "ANGELA! WATCH OUT!" She whipped around, facing me in confusion at first, and then white rage. But her attention quickly shifted to the huge scorpion charging at her. She whipped out a dagger from a hidden pocket in her boot and slashed out at the monster's knee. It growled in pain and limped forward, slashing at her with its claw.
I ran towards her, but stopped short and watched in horror as she severed its claw from the rest of its arm. It let out a scream of agony and Angela took this time to stab it in the heart. She screamed in rage and spun around the scorpion as it fell to its knees, stabbing it between where shoulder blades on a human would normally 's scaled green skin rippled as it curled over itself, collapsing to a pool of black blood. I pulled back surprised as I felt something hot hit the exposed skin on my arm. I looked down. From the little light that I had, I could see a dark splotch begin to grow over my skin. With my other hand I tried to quickly wipe the stuff off my wrist but let out a hiss as the black goo stung my skin.
Angela shot a glare at me as I stood motionless, watching the monster squeal and writhe in pain. "You just don't know when to stop." She muttered, grabbing her bag and putting her weapons back in them. I bit my lip and watched as she stomped across the room towards me.
"You owed me an explanation-"
"I owe you absolutely nothing!" she yelled. "Why couldn't you just listen! For once?" she grabbed my arm with an impeccable force, hauling me back to where we had originally come from.
I rolled my eyes and yanked my arm away.
"Do you even get what you've done!? Do you get what could've happened to you!?" She looked at me, rage in her eyes. I looked down at my arm and saw that the black splotch had not disappeared, and actually began to really hurt. Angela must have noticed because she looked down at my wrist where I had been looking. Her eyes widened and she stepped toward me, taking my arm in her hands.
"Gina, when did you get this?" She asked, was that fear in her voice?
"I don't know I felt it when you killed whatever that thing was that you killed. But—ouch," My arm was tingling now and I felt my stomach twist. What is this? I looked up at Angela's face, to try and see what she was thinking, but my vision was slightly blurred.
It seemed as if Angela was swaying back and forth now, but I couldn't tell. I squinted my eyes, trying to focus on her in front of me but I couldn't. My stomach felt nauseous now. What is going on?
"Ang!" I called out to her. My head suddenly felt as light as a feather and I hadn't realized it before I felt a pair of arms wrap around me that my legs had given out underneath me.
"Gina! Gina!" I heard Angela call my name. I wanted to call out to her, to fight off the blurriness and pain, but black was consuming me. I tried to reach out in front of me but I couldn't feel my arm. Then the darkness took over.
When I first became conscious again, all I saw was a foggy gray blob of nothing in front of me. I didn't even try to open my eyes yet; I was still weak and unable to lift my heavy eye lids. I tried to say something without fully being awake yet, and it was a mistake. Everything came out in a scratched up voice that sounded foreign to me.
I somehow found a way to slowly open my eyes. The first person I saw sitting beside me was Angela, sitting in a chair, her eyes closed. She looked exhausted and young. So much younger than she seemed in ages. I watched her in a peaceful sleep for a few moments before I looked around the room and saw Simon, wide awake, staring at me.
I had opened my mouth to say something, but I could grasp no words. He moved and sat at the edge of the bed, taking my hand. First, it sent prickles of pain all over my hand, and as I looked down in confusion, I saw a white bandage wrapped around my forearm, and part of my hand. Something faint and black was just barely visible underneath, but I figured it was the darkness threatening to consume me again.
"Simon," I said softly, beginning to sit up. He swallowed and ran a hand through his hair.
"As soon as I found out, I came here as quickly as I could. What did you do?" I looked down at my arm again, still momentarily distracted that Simon's hand held mine firmly.
"I followed Angela." I croaked, craning my head to look at her again. The door to the room I was in opened softly, and Jace walked in, light circles under his eyes. I hastily pulled away from Simon's hand and turned on my side. I observed the place around us; it was a white room, filled with beds and apothecary supplies all over. A infirmary of sorts.
"Well I'm glad you're alive." Jace said softly, sitting in the chair beside Angela. I watched her quietly for a moment and then returned my attention to Jace.
"What happened?" I asked, trying to remember any part of what happened before I woke up.
"You followed your sister." He replied, glancing over at her.
"I know that. But what happened afterwards?" I asked. Simon sat back to his chair and watched quietly, saying nothing.
"You got demon ichor on your arm, and she brought you here. She saved your life." Jace replied, his voice calm and soft, so as not to wake up Angela.
"Oh." I replied. As if I had a clue as to what he meant by that. What was demon ichor? "That thing-"
"The Ravenor. It's a demon." Jace said hesitantly. I sat back in my bed, now feeling uncomfortable. I stared at the far wall. Ravenor.
"Is that what tried to kill her?" I asked. "A…a ravenor?"Jace let out a slow and reluctant nod. He began to stand slowly, kneeling beside Angela, and whispering something to her. She blinked slowly a few times, but drifted back to sleep. He gently brought an arm around her, shifting her head over to his chest. He brought his other arm carefully under her legs and lifted her up off of the chair. He let out a nod to Simon in a sort of farewell, and walked soundlessly out of the room, carrying Angela in his arms, who remained sound asleep.
"What were you thinking?" Simon asked as the door shut. "You were so curious, you had to just follow her through that Portal?" I drew the thin sheets on the bed closer to me and sighed.
"I didn't know what it was, Si." I replied softly, wrapping my arms around my knees. Another wave of pain trickled up my arm and I winced, pulling my arm back.
"Then you shouldn't have even followed her. I told you she was just trying to protect you. And you didn't listen." I rubbed my forehead and looked away from him, rolling my eyes.
"If you've come here to chew me out, then you can go." I said, waving him off with my uninjured hand.
"I came here because I was worried about you." Simon said softly, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. I blinked and stared at him. "I was worried because I thought you were dead." I looked down at my pale hands, playing with the frayed edge of the sheets. Simon stood up and sat directly in front of me now, bringing his arms around me. He pulled me roughly against him at first, but his grip around my back loosened and softened, and I let my hands trail up his chest to his neck, curling around the back and resting my head against his chest.
"I'm sorry, Simon." I whispered. I closed my eyes and waited to hear the steady beating of his heart; the strong boom boom sound I normally hear.
But I heard nothing.
I pulled my head away, lowering an eyebrow at him as I peered up into his dark brown eyes. He looked away quickly, momentarily distracting himself with the nightstand beside my bed.
"Si?" I asked softly, resting my hand over his heart. Nothing. Simon pulled away and turned his head, his face turning pale now. I sat up in the bed, letting the sheets drip off of me as I stood to follow him. "Simon, what's wrong? Why can't I hear your heart?" Simon froze, halfway to the door. I swallowed and watched him slowly crane his head over his shoulder to peer at me.
"I... Have to go." He said softly, barely audible. "I'm sorry." He hurried out of the doors and shut them behind him, leaving me wide-eyed and staring after him in utter confusion.