The Dark Side of the World (TDA)

*Chapter 16*

The next few days go by in a blur of craziness. James stays true to his word, and Clary and Jace go on several outings to ask any allies they have about any information they might know. But everyday they come back with the same answer. Nobody knew anything.

The afternoon of his return, Alec calls me up to his office, a little room with a fireplace, to ask me questions about my journey here. Clary accompanies me as well, sitting in an armchair by the fire and adding little details where she see's fit. She also seems reluctant to let him drill me about anything related to my mother.

"Just leave it alone, Alec" she says tiredly

"Well if you won't let me ask people who might have insights into all of this, then I have to try and do this myself." he snaps back " And you know this is nothing compared to what the Clave would do if they found out. They'd make her hold the mortal sword."

Other then that, my conversation with him is fairly mild. We talk extensively about the woman, subtle details about her that seem to make his forehead crease in worry. We talk about my Mom a bit, and I find that I really don't mind much. Of all the people I've met so far, he seems to know the least about her already, and maybe that should bother me, but instead it puts me at peace. Maybe not everyone knows more about my mother then I do.

Still, he seems tense just like everyone else. Afterwords, I talk with Tess about it and she doesn't seem surprised. She nods along with everything I say.

"Everyone's like that these days. And now with the added stress of everything that's happening with you and your Mom, not that it's at all your fault, it just emphasizes it. Don't judge him or anyone else too harshly." she says.

But there are some people who don't seem stressed. Or if they are they definitely don't show it, namely Jace. 

After my first encounter with him, my impression remains much the same. He seems to calm down Clary just by being in the room, and has a generally easy going personality that seems to both annoy and calm down people around him.

My days consist mostly of hanging out with Tess and Sophie, and sometimes James, while they train and such. One afternoon, we actually go out for lunch at a place called Taki's Diner. It's not far down the road, but when Tess tells Simon about our little outing afterwords, he seems worried.  

The waitress, a girl named Kaelie, seems to know the group well and stares at me for a moment too long. When she comes back with our food, she even asks James who I am.

"Who wants to know?" James asks, bringing a knife from his pocket.

Kaelie scowls at him. "Nobody, Herondale. And put that thing away before you scare people."

She stalks off back towards the kitchen.

"What was that?" I ask Tess

"Oh, Kaelie doesn't like James much." Tess grins at her brother. "Or at least she doesn't like Dad, and James reminds her of him. I think they had a bit of a thing going back when he was young."

Sophie chokes on her burger.

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We have a whole week of peace before everything goes to hell. I guess it should be expected. I don't have the best luck. Still it's a bit jarring.

The morning that marks a week since Alec and Jace's return, there is one person missing. Clary.