Searching for Safety

Chapter 11

 Clary and Izzy took Ryder's car and went to Izzy's house for the night, I stayed with Ryder and Alec at Alec's house. I explored the house while Alec and Ryder tried to talk, it sounded more like arguing to me though. The downstairs was a simple layout, the front door opened into the living room and the main hall, the main hall stretched back to the stairs to the second floor, and opened up to the kitchen, opposite the living room. On the other side of the living room was the bathroom, and a doorway back into the main hall, right in front of the stairs. I was quickly done with the first floor so I moved on to the second, hoping to muffle their voices with the distance. The second floor was mostly a hall that branched of into different rooms, there were four doors on each side, counting the bathroom door. I sighed and paced the length of the hall, trying not to eavesdrop. I headed back downstairs and noticed a door next to the stairs, I slowly opened it, revealing another set of steps. I looked toward the living room, wondering if I should interrupt their 'conversation' or not. I shrugged and started down the steps, leaving the door open behind me so they'd know where I was. I started looking for a light switch as I reached the bottom of the stairs, but my eyes seemed to be adjusting fairly quickly. Then I started focusing on being able to see clearly, I held that thought and only that thought in my mind and concentrated on it. Suddenly it was bright in the room, like the light turned on, and I quickly looked around expecting to see either Alec or Ryder at the top of the steps, but neither of them were there. I turned back around smiling to myself in accomplishment, feeling slightly excited.

I walked around slowly, looking at all the bookshelves holding countless numbers of books. There was a long table in the center of the room, accompanied buy two wooden chairs. Books and papers were sprawled across the table, open and unorganized, with pencils and pens scattered about. Most of the books were bound in thick leather, and none of them were in a language I could even identify. I gently ran my fingers along the page of one of the open books, studying the characters on the page, trying to identify their language, and failing. I noticed that on all the papers, everything that had been written was also in the mystery language. I started sifting through the papers, looking for something that made sense, my head had started hurting and I thought it was because of all the confusing mess in front of me. I sighed and walked away from the table, over to the bookshelf, rubbing my forehead gingerly. I ran my fingers along the backs of the books until I started feeling off balance, I held one of the shelves to steady myself and rubbed my head again, it was really starting to bother me. I stumbled slightly and knocked one of the books off the shelf. I jumped as it hit the floor and quickly picked it up, hitting my head on the shelf as I stood back up.

"Ow, shit!" I hissed rubbing the back of my head. I put the book back and leaned against the bookshelf. I was feeling dizzy and lightheaded now.

"Elaina? Are you down here?" I heard Alec call hesitantly. I nodded and squeezed my eyes shut.

"Yea." I said. I heard his foot steps coming down the steps and suddenly the room was blindingly bright, making me flinch and cover my eyes.

"What? What's wrong?" He asked confused, I kept my eyes covered and slid to the floor.

"It's too bright." I said strained. I heard the flick of a switch and I slowly uncovered my eyes. Alec was standing by the bottom of the steps, looking me over carefully.

"You need to focus on seeing normally." He said quietly. I looked at him confused for a second before realization hit me. I started concentrating on seeing normally, and I noticed immediately that the room was growing dimmer. As my vision became normal I sighed and rubbed my temples, willing the migraine I had to fade also.

"Could you not find the light switch?" Alec asked softly. I shook my head, glancing around the room as I did.

"I just wanted to try... I forgot I'd done it." I said slowly. He nodded and sighed quietly.

"Well, I guess we need to figure out where you're sleeping tonight." He said taking my hand and wrapping his other arm around my waist. He slowly lifted me onto my feet, waiting until I was steady to let go of my hand. I put my arm over his shoulders and he kept his arm around my waist as he started walking, helping me up the stairs.

"Ryder's spending the night here too, but Clary and Izzy are gonna stay at Izzy's for the night. I'd offer you Clary's room, but since she's not here..." He said as we got to the top of the steps. I nodded, my eyes still mostly shut. I heard Ryder walking over to us, but kept my head down, the lights were bothering my eyes too much.

"Oh. Am I interrupting something?" Ryder asked, his voice sounded sarcastic and cold. I looked up at him, squinting hard against the light in the hall. His eyes were focused on Alec's hand around my waist, and his jaw was locked. Alec cleared his throat and took a deep breath.

"I'm not gonna comment on the fact that I have a girlfriend, who is not Elaina, and instead I'm going to encourage you to look at something other than my arm before you start making assumptions." Alec said flatly. I took my arm off of his shoulders and pulled away from him, immediately stumbling over to the wall. I groaned and rubbed my head, trying to steady myself enough to walk to the stairs.

"Elaina what- Are you okay?" Ryder asked, his tone had completely changed. I rolled my eyes and started up the stairs.

"Yep, just a bit dizzy from my make out session with Alec, because that's 100% what was going on and I'm totally not into you at all, and I wasn't being stupid and trying to use my powers while I was alone downstairs." I said harshly. Neither one of them spoke, and I continued up the stairs. I stopped at the top and sat on the final step, catching my breath and sighing.

"Her powers?" Ryder asked quietly. I contemplated going into the bathroom so I couldn't hear them talking, but decided to sit and listen.

"Her father is a warlock Ryder, and possibly her mother, I'm not sure. Either way, she's at least half warlock." Alec said slowly.

"How do you know her dad's a warlock?" Ryder asked. I rolled my eyes.

"I've met him before." Alec answered flatly. I heard the floor creak as one of them shifted their weight.

"Did she... Did she say she was into me?" Ryder asked slowly. Alec chuckled and sighed.

"God you're slow. No, technically she didn't, but it was implied." Alec said, I could hear him walking away. I sighed heavily and tried push myself up off the step, my knee didn't like the idea of standing however, and I had to sit back down so I didn't fall.

"Ryder? You still down there?" I called down the steps. He suddenly was at the bottom of the steps.

"Are you okay?" He asked starting up. I nodded and waited for him to get up to me. I reached up to him with both arms.

"I need help... I can't get up." I mumbled, suddenly feeling sheepish. I was expecting him to take my hands and help me up, but instead he bent down and wrapped his arms around my waist and picked me up. My legs instinctively wrapped around his waist and my arms around his neck. I hesitantly put my head on his shoulder and he slowly started down the hall.

"Do you want to lay down?" He asked quietly. I nodded, closing my eyes. I heard a door open and shut behind us, and I slowly opened my eyes.

"You're sleeping in here too?" I asked quietly. He carefully put me down of the edge of the bed and sat next to me. I laid back and watched his face, the corners of his mouth were starting to turn upward, but his eyes seemed sad still.

"I will if you want me to." He said, finally looking at me. I could feel the color flooding my cheeks as I nodded. His eyes seemed to lighten as he nodded.

"Do you need anything, or do you just want to go to sleep?" He asked standing up. I shook my head and closed my eyes.

"Sleep." I mumbled quietly. The bed shifted as he laid down beside me and I rolled onto my left side so I was facing him. After a while I was close to falling asleep when I felt his arm wrap around my shoulders. I realized he thought I was sleeping. I took advantage and shifted so my head was on his chest and breathed out. I quickly fell asleep, feeling comfortable and, for the first time in what felt like forever, safe.