"Levi!" I whispered through the open window. "Levi!"
I heard few steps making their way across the room like they were produced by somebody drunk. Then I heard a 'click' and light turned on. I could see Levi in front of me, his brown hair tousled, his blue eyes blurred. He was wearing a pyjama and was barefoot. He stared at me for few seconds like he wasn't sure who was in front of him, but then his gaze focused.
"Sam!" he said in surprise. "What are you doing here? It's the middle of the night!"
"I've found it." I said, trying to keep my voice neutral. It would be suspicious if I was too happy, but also if I was too nervous, considering who was going to become my parabatai.
Levi rubbed his eyes, like he couldn't believe my words.
"You've found a parabatai? Who is it?" I could hear curiosity in his voice.
"You'll see." I answered, not sure what to say. "Get dressed, then. You must draw the rune."
He was surprised again.
"Why me? Why didn't you go to the Clave?"
I knew he was going to ask me that. I came up with the first excuse that crossed my mind.
"I don't have enough time to go to the Clave. Please, hurry up."
"But, I can't draw it. Someone from the Clave ..."
"Yes, you can." I said, nervous about the time I had left. "C'mon. We only have few minutes. We're waiting in the garden."
He sighed, reconciled with the end of this discussion. He got back into the room to change his clothes. I left him alone and jumped from his window. It was only two meters tall, so it wasn't a problem neither to climb nor descend. I jumped down on the ground and went back in his garden to join Jonathan. We were hidden from gazes of Levi's family by big apple-tree. I didn't bother to keep my footsteps inaudible, sure nobody would hear us, so Jonathan knew I was there before he saw me. His black eyes looked for my gaze the second I noticed him.
"Is he coming?" he asked, whispering.
I nodded.
"It will only take few minutes."
"We don't have too much time." he said indifferently, like we were discussing tomorrow's weather.
"I know." I answered. I looked at my watch and noticed it was 23:56. We had only four minutes, even less.
Hurry up, Levi. If you want to keep me in Idris, hurry up. I didn't say a word out loud, but my feet kept beating the ground. Jonathan noticed my behaviour, but said nothing and I could see no reaction on his face, if he was amused or irritated.
After two and a half minutes, which seemed like a whole eternity, Levi showed up in front of us. He was wearing his Shadowhunter gear, like he considered this event to be a proper ceremony.
"Levi, this is Jonathan." I said, keeping Jonathan's surname to myself. "Jonathan, this is Levi."
They nodded at each other, without a word. It was good enough for me. When the introduction was made, I turned to Levi.
"Let's begin."
Nevertheless how much Levi wanted it to be a real ceremony, it was done quickly and without delaying. Jonathan and I said our vows about keeping each other's back, being closer than brother and sister, not by blood, but by friendship, defending each other until the final breath. While we were speaking, Levi was drawing the rune on our hands. I put my left hand next to Jonathan's and the line went from my hand to Jonathan's and back. When Levi was done, Jonathan and I had each a half of a rune that made us connected forever. There was no other line, but that on Jonathan's palm that matched mine perfectly.
The second silence fell on the three of us, I could hear the cry of Idris' bells, announcing midnight. I felt relief falling on me, carrying my worst worry away.
I have a parabatai. I'll be a Shadowhunter. I will kill demons for the rest of my life, having someone skilled enough to help me. I looked at Jonathan, who stared at the dark skyabove us. If he will help me free willingly, that's a whole another question.
"Are you going to the Clave now, just to confirm you have a parabatai?" Levi asked me.
I turned towards him to answer, but Jonathan's voice cut in.
"There's no need. The Clave already knows."
Levi and I both looked at Jonathan in surprise. He noticed our gazes, but didn't seem like he cared about our confusion. It looked like it entertained him.
"The rune that made you my parabatai, Sam, is a special rune. There is a special room here in Idris that can feel, so to say, when that rune is used. That's the way how the Clave can find out if you've got a parabatai in time."
I guessed he had found out that from his father too. But, his knowledge was suspicious to Levi, who didn't know about Jonathan's origins.
"How do you know that?"
"My family has been in the Clave for a long time." Jonathan answered without précising. "They've told me some secrets."
"What's your surname?" Levi asked, his voice not as quiet as before.
I froze, not knowing what to say. Levi would never accept Jonathan after everything he had heard about Jonathan's reputation and he would definitely disown me. He would never understand, I knew that.
"Fairchild." Jonathan said without any trace of fear or doubt in his voice. "I'm Jonathan Fairchild."
There was a silence for few moments and then Levi's face relaxed.
"I've heard of the Fairchilds. They're one of the most powerful Shadowhunter families. Now I see how you know all this stuff."
"What's your last name?" Jonathan asked him and real interest sparked in his eyes. I couldn't say if he was just curious or he saw something useful for himself in that piece of information.
"Penhallow." Levi said. "My family has been part of the Clave for a long time too, but we don't have as much power as you do. I can't say I'm not happy with that. I've never liked politics."
I saw Jonathan's eyes glancing at me just for a blink of an eye and then I remembered he didn't know my last name. I smiled like I was having fun in this conversation, so I had a chance to say it out loud.
"At least you have some power in the Clave. The Carstairs have been forgotten a long time ago. Now the Clave's just ignoring us."
"The Carstairs were powerful family in the past." Jonathan sounded like he was surprised by my surname, like he had expected that surname less than any other.
But, I ignored his surprise.
"And they will be again." I smiled confidently. "I'll make sure of that."