"So, I did kill it?" he asked, trying to hide his disbelief. Clary nodded. Jace had just woken up about ten minutes ago, and the two of them sat facing each other, cross-legged on her bed. She couldn't help but notice the way the light from the window behind him shone through his golden hair. It looked like a halo, almost. He really did look like an angel, not that she had ever had the chance to see one.
"We found you just as it was disappearing, and you had a letter opener in your hand with runes carved into the handle. Did you know there were runes on it?"
"Oh yeah," he said, trying to make his sarcasm obvious, "Would you like to see my magical can opener? That has glowing hieroglyphics on it, too. It comes in handy when demons come by for something to drink." Clay started to think this boy would get on her nerves, but then he flashed a smile and her stomach twisted a little. She narrowed her eyes at him.
"Don't give me that look," he joked. Her eyes were so green, he thought, and it reminded him of a cat. She was like a little orange cat.
"Oh, I will give you whatever look I want. After all, you are the guest here."
"Now, that doesn't even make sense. Most people tend to treat their guests with extra respect, not the other way around."
"Well you seem to be the exception to many rules," she replied with a shrug.
"What is that supposed to mean?" he asked. Her cheeks quickly turned pink, and her mouth hung open as if she would answer him, but the door to her room opened and Alec stepped in.
"Oh," he said looking surprised, and slightly embarrassed. His eyes looked from Clary to Jace, and then back to Clary again, where he kept his gaze. "Um," he cleared his throat, "I thought Hodge said to let him know when he had woken up." He motioned toward Jace.
"I know, I just—" she began.
"She was just about to go find him," Jace said, with a smile. He liked the idea of having a secret, even one this small, with Clary.
"Oh," Alec said looking a little relieved. "Well, let's go then." Clary hopped off the bed, and Jace stood up next to her. Alec led the way out, while the other two walked beside each other behind him. Clary gave Jace a questioning look, and he just shrugged in return, as if saying why not. Clary raised her eyebrows in return, and looked away. Jace watched her a second or two longer before directing his attention to the hall they walked through.
It was a dimly lit hallway, with a door every several feet, for which he assumed were more rooms like Clary's. He found himself wondering how many people lived in the institute.
Alec led them to the same magnificent library, where Hodge sat at his desk, writing, with his glasses propped on the tip of his nose. He was so deep in thought as he wrote, he didn't notice the three come in. Alec coughed quietly in a failed attempt to get Hodge's attention. He just sat there writing. "Hodge!" Clary shouted, and he finally looked up, startled. He quickly moved the papers he'd been writing on to the bottom of his neat pile and folded his hands over them.
"I'm sorry, I was lost in thought," he said with a smile. "I see you're awake," he said to Jace.
No, Jace was tempted to say in reply, but he didn't think this man would take sarcasm very well. He simply nodded instead.
"Good, and you're not in pain anywhere?" Jace shook his head. "Dizzy?"
"No."
"Nauseous?"
"Nope."
"Well," Hodge stood, clapping his hands together, "I guess you're good to go then."
Jace didn't know what came over him next, but his hands balled into tight fists. "Good to go? What about my mom? Aren't we going to look for her or something?"
Hodge held his hands up in defense. "No, I'm sorry, you've misunderstood! I simply meant that you're well enough to be up and moving about." He put a hand on Jace's shoulder. "We will do everything to find your mother." He smiled a very friendly sort of smile, but for some reason Jace just wanted to be away from this man. Just the feeling of his hand on his shoulder was making him uncomfortable.
"I'm sorry," he apologized, realizing he had just yelled in front of Clary and Alec. He glanced at the two expecting them to look appalled, but they looked sympathetic, especially Clary.
"We'll find your mom," she said with a small, reassuring smile. He believed it more when she said it.
"Thank you," Jace said quietly with a nod. Alec coughed, breaking the small silence.
"You're probably starving," he said, "There's breakfast is you're hungry."
Suddenly, and quite loudly, Jace's stomach rumbled, and the three of them laughed, while Hodge just walked back to his desk.
"I'm starved."
