The Dark Side of the World (TDA)

*Chapter 9*

"So?"

Amy sits on the chair just outside the door, and the moment we exit the room, she stands up eagerly.

When James remains quiet, she continues, "Okay, I didn't even listen outside the door this time, and you're really not going to tell me anything?"  

"Shut up, Amy." James tells her quietly, a sort of tiredness in his voice. 

The comment, as well as his tone of voice, raises even more questions than I already have, only half of them about the crazy world I've found myself in in. I want to ask him more about my mother, her relationship with Clary and even Isabelle as well as if he had ever met her. I want to know why he even thought of the idea of who my mother is at all. How did he even recognize me at all? Did he?

But I know that now's not the time. If everything goes as I looks like it might, I should have more than enough time to ask him every question the comes to me. The thought warms me, and for a moment some of the grief over my mother lessens. I instantly feel guilty.

Amy looks confused and rather hurt, a look that surprises me. She hadn't seemed to have taken any interest in what James said to her, why now? I realize suddenly that I still don't know his relation to Amy, if there even is any.   

"What happened" she asks, her tone softer.

James a takes a deep breath before answering, unwrapping his arm from around my shoulders.

"Well, I convinced Mom and Izzy that Livia was a shadowhunter, and it didn't take much to convince Mom that her Mother's Emma Carstairs." there's a gasp from Amy that, in any other circumstances would be comical. " Izzy was harder, but after this there wasn't much she would say"

He pulls the letter back out of his pocket, and hands it to her. Amy rips it open and reads it, her eyes filling with tears.

"Oh by the angel." she says, her voice thick with sadness. "How'd Clary take it?"

"As well as expected, I guess" he shrugs with an air of indifference, thought I know there's something more to it. 

Amy then turns to me, "I'm so so sorry, really. I hope you feel like you can unload any of this on us. We know more about this sort of stuff than you might think."

I nod, trying to fight back tears. Now's not the time to cry.

"But," she turns to James "There's still hope right? I mean surely they're not just giving up. She might still be alive."

I don't see James's reaction, because a small sob escapes me, and I bury my face in my hands. James puts his arm around my shoulder, just like he did before, and pulls me close. As I feel myself relax a bit, my tears stoping just as fast as they started, I fully realize how much trust I've really put in him. How much I believe nothing will happen with him here, and how reluctant I am to let him out of my sight. 

Once my breathing steady's, I tune back into James and Amy's conversation.

"-are we doing now? Is she telling anyone" Amy asks 

"I don't know" James sighs "Right now she seems pretty insistent to not telling the Clave, which might be a good idea honestly. They might just stomp on down here and take her away for questioning. But who knows how far she's going with that. She must know she can't keep it a secret from everyone. Someone will find out."

"Hmm. Maybe Jace'll talk some sense into her."

James snorts. "I doubt it. Anyway, I'm gonna go find an empty room for her, and then we'll see what happens next I guess."