Chapter 3: Retrieving the mundane
Summer had gotten halfway through the papers when Jace grabbed her arm. She looked up arching an eyebrow in question. He pointed at Clary who had noticed them.
Summer stood fluidly and curtly walked out the door with Jace beside her. Jace started figiting with his sensor, and Summer grabbed her phone to check her texts.
Peter had texted her, she realized sweetly. She opened it and smiled. "I'm missing you so much right now, I'm coming over to see you tonight but I have to leave tommorow afternoon :(", it read. Jace glanced at her phone and rolled his eyes.
"Now you two are sending text faces, such mundanes", Jace teased. Summer slapped him playfully, and Clary burst through the door.
Jace looked up. "Your friend's poetry is horrible", he declared. Clary blinked and tilted her head. "What?", she asked.
"I said his poetry was terrible. It sounds like he ate a dictionary and started vomiting words at random."
"I don't care about Eric's poetry." Clary's face flushed red with what appeared to be anger but it looked so silly on her Summer had to stifle a laugh with her hand. "I want to know why you're following me", she demanded.
Summer smirked. "Who said we wre following you?", she asked. "Nice try. And you were eavesdropping, too. Do you want to tell me what this is about, or should I just call the police?", Clary sneered.
"And tell them what? That invisible people are bothering you? Trust me, little girl, the police aren't going to arrest someone they can't see", Jace said arragontly.
"I told you before , my name is not little girl", she said grinding her teeth. "It's Clary."
"I know", Jace said glancing at Summer.
"We simply choose not to care", she added.
"It's a pretty name though, like the herb clary sage. In the old days people people thought eating the seeds would let you see the Fair Folk. Did you know that?", Jace drawled.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"You don't know much, do you?", Jace asked. He glanced at Summer, who smirked. "You seem to be a mundane like any other mundane, yet you can see us", Summer said getting closer to Clary curiously.
"It's a conundrum", Jace declared.
"What's a mundane?", Clary asked Summer, ignoring Jace.
"Someone of the human world. Someone like you", Summer explained.
"But you're human", Clary said.
"She is, but she is not like you", Jace said nonchalantly.
Clary glared at Jace. "You think you're better. That's why you were laughing at us."
"I was laughing at you because delarations of love amuse me , especially when unrequited", he said. "And because Simon is one of the most mundane mundanes I've ever encountered. And because Hodge thought you might be dangerous, but if you are, you certainly don't know it."
Summer smiled. "What a long list you have there Jace", she remarked making him laugh. "Oh yes and because you now send text faces to your boyfriend", Jace added.
Clary ignored them. "I'm dangerous? I saw you kill someone last night. I saw you drive a knife up under his ribs and-", she trailed off.
"I may be a killer, but I know what I am. Can you say the same?"
"I'm an ordinary human being, just like you said. Who's Hodge?"
"Hodge is our tutor", Summer said.
"And I wouldn't be so quick to brand myself as ordinary, if I were you. Let me see you're right hand", Jace said swiftly.
"My right hand?" Jace nodded. "If I show you my right hand, will you leave me alone?", she asked.
"Certainly", Jace said trying not to smile. She gave him her hand. Jace examined it and looked at Summer. "Nothing." He sounded dissapointed.
"You're not left-handed are you?", Jace asked.
"No, why?"
"All shadowhunter childen get Marked with the Voyance rune on their right hands- or left, if they're left handed like I am- when they are still young. It's a permanant rune that helps us see the magical world."
He grabbed Summer's right hand and put it next to his left hand, palms down. "I don't see anything", Clary said. "Let your mind relax. Wait for it to come. Like waiting for something to rise to the surface of water", Jace suggested.
"A tattoo?", she asked. "I thought you could do it. And no, it's a rune. Different runes do different things and only some are permanant, others wear off", Jace lectured.
"That's why you're arms aren't all inked up today, even when I concentrate."
"That's exactly why, I knew you at least had the sight", Jace said proudly. Summer looked at the sky. "We should go, it's late and Peter should be getting here by now", she said to Clary.
"We? I thought you were going to leave me alone", Clary complained.
"I lied, Hodge says we have to take you. He wants to talk with you", Jace said.
"Why would he want to talk to me?"
"Because you know about us now."
"You mean people who believe in demon's."
"People who kill them. We're called shadowhunters", Summer said cutting in.
"At least that's what we call ourselves. The Downworlders have less complimentary names for us", Jace added.
"Downworlders?", Clary asked. Summer groaned impatiently.
"The magical creatures of the world", Summer snapped. "Hodge will explain more at the institute", Jace said.
"What if I don't want to see him?"
"That's your problem you can either come willingly or unwilingly", Jace said.
"Are you threatening to kidnap me?"
"If you want to look at it that way, yes."
Clary opened her mouth to say something but her phone went off. "Go ahead and answer that, if you like", Jace offered. Summer squealed impatience which made Jace laugh.
Jace smiled at her and Summer felt like smacking him. "Mom!", Clary shrieked.
"Clary, what's going on?", Jace asked. She ignored him, and messed with her phone. She dropped it. When she retrieved it she cursed making Summer jump.
Jace pulled Clary to her feet. "Stop that. Has something happened?", Jace asked.
"Give me your phone", she said and grabbed Jace's sensor. "It's not a phone, it's a Sensor. You won't be able to use it", he told her.
"But I need to call the police!", Clary screamed. "Tell me what happened first. I can help you", Jace said.
Clary's face turned red again and she slapped him, her nails leaving a mark on his face. Jace jumped back startled, and Clary turned and ran.
"Go to the institute and tell them that we had a small problem and that I will be back soon", Jace said turning to Summer. "Where do I meet you?", she asked.
"At the institute I got this one", Jace said. Summer arched an eyebrow, hesitating to leave him. "Just go, tell Peter I said hi."
Summer's eyes lit up. She flashed him a grateful smile then turned and ran back towards the institute.