"Your friend isn't really smart, is he?" Jonathan asked me.
Levi had already been gone and the two of us were walking towards my house. I had no idea where Jonathan lived, but I knew I wouldn't let him to come into my house. He needed to know where I lived in case he was in trouble, but I had no intentions to let him too close.
His question spoiled my mood at once. I frowned.
"Watch your tongue. He's my best friend."
"You should find a new one, then." Jonathan answered, completely cold and indifferent.
He didn't even look at me while speaking, like the ground beneath our feet was more important than me.
"Why should I?" my voice became louder, anger streaming through it.
"The room that can feel when someone uses runes." Jonathan laughed ironically. "I still can't believe he bought that."
Since I had also believed that Jonathan's words about the room were true, I had no answer. Jonathan noticed my silence.
"C'mon, Sam. Don't tell me you've believed it too. I would expect it from a Penhallow, but not from a Carstairs."
"And why is it so?" I asked, wanting to change the subject. "As I said, now even the Penhallows have more power in the Clave than the Carstairs."
"But once they didn't." Jonathan said thoughtfully. "Don't you know anything about your family's past?"
I blushed. He obviously knew more about my family than me. Until now, I hadn't really cared about it. I had no time to think about the people who had died a long time ago. My life was happening now and I had other things to spend it on, like trainings. It took all of my time, because being a Shadowhunter was my job, but also my greatest entertainment. There was almost nothing else I wanted to do, except for sleeping. That was the only thing I had enough strength for after six or seven hours of hard training.
"Not too much." I said, ignoring surprised look on Jonathan's face.
"I can't believe." his voice was surprised, almost shocked. "You have never heard of James Carstairs?"
I shook my head, staring at the top of my shoes. I had never heard of that ancestor of mine. I had no idea when he had even lived. I didn't want to look at Jonathan, suddenly ashamed of my ignorance.
"You should study your family's history, Sam." Jonathan said like a teacher in history classroom. "You could find it very interesting."
"Why Fairchild?" I asked suddenly, just wanting to find something else to talk about. "Why that surname?"
For few moments, Jonathan didn't answer. I noticed he stopped walking and I turned around after making few steps more. I looked at him, but he avoided my gaze.
"No special reason." he said at last. "I've chosen a family with a lot of members, so another name won't be so suspicious. The Fairchilds are a big family, but I could have chosen another one as well."
He's lying. This is something personal. But I said nothing. I knew Jonathan wouldn't tell me. Although he was my parabatai, we both knew it was just a necessity for both of us. If the situation was different, we probably wouldn't even consider each other as parabatai. He had fought alongside demons once. But, I had no choice but to give him a chance to prove himself worthy of my trust. It was my only chance to stay Shadowhunter myself. I couldn't pick, not in the last seconds.
"You said before you needed a parabatai in a short time." I said, trying to find out at least something personal about him. "When's your birthday?"
He turned towards me, his black eyes staring at mine again.
"It's begun five minutes ago." he smiled gently, like he didn't expect my curiosity about himself, like nobody had asked him such a simple question for a long time.
"O." I didn't expect such answer, but then I remembered to stretch my hand out. "Happy birthday, Jonathan."
He accepted it with a smile. But, that wasn't Jonathan's ordinary ironic or mocking smile, nor surprised one like moments before. This smile was warm and friendly, like he was really glad because of the congratulation.
"Thank you, Sam."
We shook hands. I didn't expect his skin to be so warm. In the back of my mind still stood a rumour that he had demons' blood in his veins. I imagined I could feel that from coldness of his touch, see spots on his skin like on ordinary demons'. But, despite it paleness, it was normal human skin through which I could feel his pulse.
When our hands separated, we continued to walk towards my house. I put one foot in front of the other in silence. I waited for him to talk if he wanted to. I didn't mind silence. After all the things I had said and heard today, silence seemed like a blessing.
But, Jonathan interrupted it after all.
"Where would you like to go, Sam?"
I looked at him, puzzled. I had no idea what he was talking about.
"What do you mean?"
"Do you want to stay in Idris or go somewhere else to hunt demons?" I could see curiosity in his black eyes.
I shrugged my shoulders.
"I don't know, I've never thought of that." I said. "I suppose you'd rather go somewhere far away from here. Somewhere where nobody knows who you are."
"Somewhere where nobody knows who my father was." he corrected me, but gently, and then nodded. "But, you're right. I'd rather we ask the Clave to go out of Idris. Anywhere but here and New York."
"Crap, I've always wanted to see New York." I laughed.
Have I just joked with him? I asked myself in surprise. I didn't joke with anyone except for Levi. Only around him I was relaxed enough. And now I had said something like this in front of Jonathan.
But, Jonathan didn't even notice my joke. His face was serious. That made me serious again.
"Why not New York?" there was no laugh left in my voice.
"Please, just not there." he said and I could hear in his voice he would say no more about it.
Maybe I should beat it out of him. I thought, but remembered how he had beaten me before. Not today, then. I'm too tired. Maybe tomorrow.
"Okay, where do you wanna go?" I asked, having no particular place in mind.
I wanted to leave Idris because, before Valentine Morgenstern's army, no demon had attacked Idris in twenty five years. I didn't want to grow old waiting for some demon to collect its courage and attack. But, I had never thought about which city would be good to visit. There were Institutes all over the world, so we could apply for any of them and hope they would accept us. I had no doubts about the latter.
"I would like a city somewhere in Europe." Jonathan said thoughtfully. "A city with history. They're always more interesting. And a capital, of course. More demons to slaughter."
"Sure." I agreed. I didn't want some city in the middle of nowhere where the only demon is some mad countryman. "I want a city where some famous Shadowhunters lived. I want to see what we can do compare to them, to add a new chapter."
"Then I have the perfect place for you, Sam." Jonathan grinned secretively. "It's famous for, among other things, Carstairs name."
"Which one?" I asked curiously, not just because of the place itself, but because of him mentioning my family.
The grin didn't leave his face.
"London."