Raising Hell

17. Scheming isn't My Specialty

I ended up staying behind while Alec tried to talk to his mom about Lydia's whereabouts. We originally checked in her room, assuming that she was packing for Idris. When she wasn't there, we started searching the common areas of the Institute. After establishing we suck at hide-and-seek, we went started asking around. I made the very wise decision to stay behind while Alec tries to talk to his parents.

Nervously, I pace the hallway until Alec emerges. "How'd it go?" I ask him, but regret it when I see the annoyed look on his face.

"I've never seen mom so angry," Alec states.

"Maybe your dad was right," I say softly. "Maybe Maryse needs more time."

"After what I did, I don't think she'll ever forgive me." Alec begins walking down the hall and I fall into step beside him, silently cursing my heels.

"You forgave me," I counter. "And we all thought that was impossible."

Alec chuckles softly but doesn't say anything.

I stop walking and Alec faces me with furrowed brows. "You don't regret it, do you?"

He lets out a sigh, shaking his head. "Everything happened so fast. I didn't have time to think. I just wanna make sure Lydia's okay. Now I owe her so much."

"We both do," I correct him. "I mean, we've known her for such a short amount of time and she has already risked so much for us."

"How do you do that?" He asks me.

"Do what?" I furrow my brows.

"How do you forgive people so easily?"

"I guess I just understand why people do the things they do." I shrug. "I mean, sure, I'll be pissed at first, but then I realize that a lot of people do the wrong things for the right reasons. It's human nature to make mistakes. We shouldn't be held to impossible standards."

Alec gives me a thoughtful look. "What about those people who make the same mistake twice?" He turns to open the door of his father's office.

"If a person makes the same mistake twice, it's not a mistake. It's a choice." My eyes slide past Alec and go to Lydia. She is laying on the ground, her hand outstretched. Her unconcious state causes me to gasp. "By the Angel. Lydia!"I rush to her side, followed by Alec. My fingers go to her neck to feel for a pulse. The pulse is faint, but it's there. I give a sigh of relief and give Alec a nod. "She's alive."

Alec pulls out his stele, tracing over the healing rune on Lydia's forearm. When she takes in a breath, Alec looks up at me. "I'll go get help." He gets to his feet and rushes out the door.

I move so that I can see Lydia's face. She tries to move, but I place a light hand on her shoulder to stop her. "Don't try to move. You're going to be okay."

"H-Hodge," she whispers weakly. It's so faint that I almost miss it.

"Hodge?" I question before realization hits. "Oh my--"

A couple of Shadowhunters enter the room, followed by Alec. I stumble to my feet to get out of the way as the Shadowhunters tend to Lydia's wound. Alec gently grabs me by the elbow and pulls me aside. As soon as his hand touches me, I whip around to face him. "Where's Hodge?"

Alec gives me a confused look. "Hodge? Why?"

"He did this," is all I say before I exit the room and charge down the hallway. I pat down my dress to try to find my phone, my panicked self forgetting that I had left it with Julian. Alec rushes to keep up with me as I make my way out of the hallway. "We need to get everyone here. We need to find Hodge."