Disclaimer: All characters belong to the wonderful Cassie Clare!
The Baltimore Washington International airport is so huge. What if Sebastian really was here. How would we ever find him? Clary thought to herself as she waited for her bags. Just two days before, Clary got an email from her mother.
My dear Clary,
I hope this note finds you well, I miss you lots! In Baltimore, Luke and I have found a clue as to Jonathan's whereabouts. Please come ASAP!
xoxo, Mom
Clary took the next flight into Baltimore, which so happened to be late at night. Simon, Maia and Jordon insisted on coming along. Alec decided to wait for Jace and Isabelle to return from their assignment in London. There were some Shax demons that none of the other Brits could kill.
Maia looked peaceful taking a short nap on Jordon's shoulder while he and Simon talked animatedly about band names.
"I'm telling you, Sour Patch Kids sounds killer!" Simon whisper-shouted, trying not to disturb Maia.
Jordon, not convinced, rolled his eyes. "It makes us sound like five year olds! We need to make a good first impression and Sour Patch Kids," he said, putting air quotes with the band name, "is not going to make a good one."
Luke's head was bobbing up and down as he was trying not to fall asleep, but when he saw the last of our bags, he moved forward and lifted it easily off the conveyor belt.
"Okay kids, let's go." he grunted.
"So where are we staying?" Jordon asked as they all piled into Luke and Jocelyn's car.
"Well, our apartment would never fit all of you comfortably, so I contacted the Baltimore Institute and made arrangements with them. Maia and Jordon will be staying at our place, but the rest of you, and Isabelle, Jace, and Alec when they come, will be staying in the Institute." Jocelyn explained.
"You'll probably meet my nephew, he's here." Luke added as he looked in the rearview mirror.
Clary rubbed her eyes and groaned as she woke up from her little nap. She saw the doors to the Baltimore Institute. It looked pretty similar to the one in New York. She felt a pang in her chest as she remembered Jace. It felt like forever since she had been wrapped in his arms.
"C'mon, guys. We're here." Luke said as he unloaded the trunk. "We're dropping off Clary and Simon first."
I give Luke and Mom a hug before Simon and I leave.
"I love you." She whispers in my ear.
"Don't worry, Mom. I'll visit tomorrow after we get settled in." I reassure her as I make my way to the huge door of the Institute.
Simon knocked twice. "Are you sure this is the right place?" I remember that he can't see what it really is because of the glamour.
"The glamour'll fade when you go inside." I tell him
A young man opened the door. He was about Simon's height, with brown hair cut short. His green eyes scanned over all of us, lingering on mine.
"Welcome to Baltimore," He says with a smile and a British accent. "Please, do come in."
I turn around to wave to my Luke and Mom one last time, but they already left. Someone's excited. I take Simon's hand and walk in.
"I'm Aiden Graymark, Luke's nephew. Make yourselves at home." He tells us as he leads us towards the residental wing. Another boy, about Jace's height, walks in but stops immedietly seeing Simon.
He gives me an incredulous look. "You brought a mundie to the Institute?"
I stare at him. Arrogant bastard. Who was he to tell us what to do? "Yes. Why? Do you have a... problem with that?"
He stares back. "Yes, little girl. I have a big person problem. I don't expect you to understand, though." He crouches down and is only five or so inches shorter than me. "You see, we, Shadowhunters, do not-" I slapped him hard across the face and his mouth forms into a perfect 'O'.
"Do not ever call me little girl. But please continue on, Aiden. I am tired and wish to rest." I say as I turn.
"Gladly." Aiden laughs.
Simon and I hold hands as we follow Aiden to our rooms.
Aiden's loud guffaws echoed on the walls of the empty halls. "I ... I can't believe you did that Oh! His face..." He sighs happily and turns to us. "My parabatai, Julian, is a cocky arrogant womanizer that I suggest you stay away from if you wish to keep your sanity. He's a bloody nuisance, but I love him all the same.",
"So you're both from London?" Simon asks.
"Nay, my family is friends with Julian's and he visited frequently. We spent most holidays together. He grew up in Baltimore here until his parents... passed. Then he came to live with me."
"A ydych yn rhoi i ffwrdd bob un o'n cyfrinachau?" I hear Julian's deep voice behind me and decide to ignore him. Not like I could understand him anyways. I'm about to ask what he said, but then Aiden smirks, and I remember what he said before. He probably said something extrememely perverted. Boys.
"We're here." Aiden stops by three doors.
"We have three rooms for you guys. One for the girls, one for the Lightwoods and one for the ... mundie." Julian spits.
"Thank you Aiden." I say as I go into my room. "Good night Simon."
"Don't let the bed bugs bite." He mutters as he walks in a mummy-like trance towards his room.
I wash my face and change into a tank top and some shorts and lay down on the bed. I missed Jace and his tall body and long arms and warm embrace. I felt empty without him and Izzy, like a part of my heart is missing. Julian reminded me of him, his sarcasm and his shoulder lengthed hair. Julian's was black, like the depths of his soul. I loathed that insolent boy with all of my being. I screamed into my pillow. Why couldn't Sebastian just accidentally run into a wall and crack his skull? My life was so complicated.
A knock interupts my thinking and I hear an evil voice. "Someone wants to see you... if you're not sleeping." He adds.
I grab a pillow and throw it at the door. "I was until you woke me up." That wasn't true, but it could have been.
Julian opens the door and I prepare to throw another pillow at him until I see who's standing next to him. I drop my pillow and squeal as I run over to my angel.
"A ydych yn rhoi i ffwrdd bob un o'n cyfrinachau?": Are you giving away all our secrets?
Fyi, I'm writing it in later, but for the record Julian is 6'2" and "he has blue eyes with a ring of yellow around the iris. His hair is wavy and rests just above his shoulders." (Chapter 4)