City Of Bones

Chapter 22

"I was under the impression that you were leaving with the others," Hodge assumed, his eyes looking down on her with a weary and tired feel. She couldn't tell if his hair was specked with more gray hair than usual or if it just shone in the lighting. Clary, itching to push past him and escape, attempted to calm down her nerves. Yes, Hodge caught her in his office but it didn't mean she knew he read the letters.

"They told me they didn't need me." Clary sputtered out, suddenly feeling a cold breeze pass over her. Hodge watched her carefully, taking in her words.

"What brought you here?" He asked next, waving to the library. He moved past her further into the room. She turned to watch him walk, refusing to let him out of her sight. She noticed a faint smell of rain, a window somewhere must've been left open. She felt sweat gather on her palms and she wiped them on her jeans roughly.

"Y-your books," she stammered and pointed to the rows and rows of novels lining the walls. "I couldn't sleep so I thought I would come here and read something."

"Ah, did you have anything in mind?" Clary was taken back at his question and her eyes quickly searched for the first novel in sight.

"The Grey Book." She responded, her eyes trained on the table near the door where the oversized book lay open to a random page. "But I should be getting back to bed." Clary turned to the door and took a step forward when Hodge spoke, louder this time.

"Actually, Clarissa, I wish to speak to you. Take a seat," he waved to the chairs by his desk, the chairs she sat on the first time she arrived at the Institute. It felt odd now, like it's been ten years since she first arrived here. Since she first met Jace. Clary's mind burned with the desire to run away from this building that screamed danger but there was a small shred of hope that Hodge was still uncertain about her identity. Slowly and cautiously, she followed Hodge to the desk and gingerly sat down.

"A strange night it's been," Hodge sighed as he took a seat, Hugo departing from his shoulder to sit onto his large cage by the window. The light from the lamp lit Hodge's old ravaged face and body. A ring engraved with the letter W glimmered on his finger that she hadn't seen on him before but it looked so deeply familiar to her. She concentrated on it, but her memory snagged. "The forsaken at your home, the attack on your way from Takis, the sudden random attack on you and Jace on your way back and the battle between at Hotel Durmont. I'm afraid someone may be after you and your family." Clary felt a lump form in her throat and her stare moved away from the ring to meet Hodge's pale grey eyes.

"I don't know who is trying to hurt me."

"Ah, it seems like no one does." Hodge murmured sadly and opened a drawer to his right. He rummaged through it before revealing two papers. "What is your last name again Clary?" She licked her lips that suddenly went dry and cautiously spoke in a straightforward, confident voice.

"Fray." She responded, controlling her expression. As Hodge speculated her response, she attempted to calculate how fast she could get to the exit.

"Interesting...Clary your safety is important to all of us and I feel as though if you do not entrust me with the truth of your identity, figuring out why someone is after you will be quite difficult." Clary pushed back a strand of her tangled damp hair behind her ear, waiting for him to continue.

"The Clave confirmed to me they received notice that an Aline Penhallow was staying at this Institute." Hodge explained, leaning forward on his desk. His look screamed, I know you're hiding something. Clary felt vulnerable without Jace by her side that was capable of bluffing any story without a hesitation. Here she sat, facing the consequences of Jace's lie with his whereabouts unknown to her. "As you have just confirmed, you aren't of the Penhallow family." Swallowing hard, Clary didn't respond.