Runes and Seraph Blades - Book 1 {Mortal Instruments}

Chapter Five - Orion

"I told you it was the same girl." Isabelle glanced between her brother and Orion. The latter seemed to be tuning the Lightwoods out as he focused on the girl.

"I know. Little thing, isn't she? Jace said she killed a Ravener." Alec commented.

"Yeah. I thought she was a pixie the first time we saw her. She's not pretty enough to be a pixie, though." Isabelle looked back at her sleeping figure.

"Well, nobody looks their best with demon poison in their veins. Is Hodge going to call on the Brothers?" Alec inquired.

"I hope not. They give me the creeps. Anyone who mutilates themselves like that—" Isabelle was cut off by Orion.

"We mutilate ourselves." Orion spoke up for once.

"I know, Orion, but when we do it, it isn't permanent. And it doesn't always hurt ...." Isabelle defended her point

"If you're old enough. Speaking of which, where is Jace? He was with Orion, they both saved her, didn't they? I would have thought he'd take some interest in her recovery." Alec said.

"Hodge said he hasn't been to see her since he brought her here. I guess he doesn't care." Isabelle sighed softly.

"Sometimes I wonder if he—Look! She moved!" Orion exclaimed.

"I guess she's alive after all." A sigh from Alec. "I'll tell Hodge."

The girl sat up and glanced around. She seemed to take a minute to gather her surroundings before she looked back at Orion and Isabelle.

"So, you're finally awake," said Isabelle with a dry voice. "Hodge will be pleased. We all thought you'd probably die in your sleep."

"Isabelle Lightwood!" Orion exclaimed at the girl's rudeness.

"Sorry to disappoint you." Clary's voice rasped like sandpaper. "Is this the Institute?"

"Jace told you everything, did he?" Orion commented with a sigh. That boy could be so impulsive sometimes.

Clary coughed. "This is the Institute, right?"

"Yes. You're in the infirmary, not that you haven't figured that out already." Isabelle commented.

Clary clutched her stomach in pain and gasped.

"Are you okay?" Orion asked worriedly.

"My stomach," Clary answered him.

"Oh, right. I almost forgot. Hodge said to give you this when you woke up." Isabelle grabbed for the ceramic pitcher and poured some of the contents into the matching cup, which she handed to Clary. It was full of a cloudy liquid that steamed slightly. "You haven't eaten anything in three days," Isabelle pointed out. "That's probably why you feel sick."

"What is this?" Clary asked after she took a hesitant sip.

"One of Hodge's tisanes. They always work." Orion answered for Isabelle, "I'm Orion Roseheart and this is Isabelle Lightwood, we live here."

"I'm Clary. Clary Fray. Did Jace bring me here?" Clary asked.

Isabelle nodded. "Hodge was furious. You got ichor and blood all over the carpet in the entryway. If he'd done it while my parents were here, he'd have gotten grounded for sure." She looked at Clary more narrowly. "Jace said you killed that Ravener demon all by yourself."

Clary shuttered slightly, which Orion picked up on. He rubbed her shoulder comfortingly, feeling slightly protective over her. She smiled gratefully at him.

"I should go tell everyone you're up. Hodge'll want to talk to you." Isabelle commented and got up to go do that.

"Hodge is Jace's tutor, right?" Clary asked.

"Hodge tutors us all." She pointed out. "The bathroom's through there, and I hung some of my old clothes on the towel rack in case you want to change."

"What happened to my clothes?" Clary looked between the two Shadowhunters.

"They were covered in blood and poison. Jace burned them." Orion told her.

"Did he?" asked Clary. "Tell me, is he always really rude, or does he save that for mundanes?"

"Oh, he's rude to everyone," said Isabelle airily. "It's what makes him so damn sexy. That, and he's killed more demons than anyone else his age."

Clary looked at her, perplexed. "Isn't he your brother?"

That got Isabelle's attention. She laughed out loud. "Jace? My brother? No. Whatever gave you that idea?"

"Well, he lives here with you," Clary pointed out. "Doesn't he?"

"Why doesn't he live with his own parents?"

For a fleeting moment Isabelle looked uncomfortable. She glanced at Orion for support.

"Because they're dead." Orion told Clary.

Clary's mouth opened in surprise. "Did they die in an accident?"

"No." Isabelle fidgeted, "His mother died when he was born. His father was murdered when he was ten. Jace saw the whole thing."

"Oh," Clary said, her voice small. "And what about you, Orion? Why do you live here?"

"I'm on my travel year," Orion responded with a shrug, "My mother's friends with the Lightwood's, thought it was best to spend my travel year here."

Isabelle got to her feet. "Look, I'd better let everyone know you've woken up. They've been waiting for you to open your eyes for three days. Oh, and there's soap in the bathroom," she added. "You might want to clean up a little. You smell."

Clary glared at her. "Thanks a lot."

"Any time." Isabelle replied with a chuckle.

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I'm really excited for Clary and Orion to interact once they've found out that they're cousins. Orion is probably going to be her biggest source of info on the shadow world

- MadKat101