Deranged

Chapter VI: Too Many Questions

We've decided to change our updating time to every Friday. So you'll be getting this early. ;)

I hope you enjoy this chapter, it'll be a little clearer on Hana's issue.

This chapter is written by Hana.

It might seem surprising, but Hana did not like this Andrew character at all. However, if she was going to work with the Nephilim, her own kind, to find out why the demons attacked then and there, she was supposed to make peace with as many Shadowhunters as possible.

The shunned girl was sitting in the bedroom that she slept in, going through the Shadowhunter's Codex to find anything that would help support her at the next Council Meeting. Over time, she couldn't find anything.

Maybe she shouldn't go; maybe they wouldn't even let her look at the city of Idris. Hana was on the verge of just giving up.

She heard a distant voice in her head again. It started to happen more often, as if her mind was trying to tell her something, but she was supposed to already know it.

Are you ready? The voice echoed.

Keep going, it added.

The Shadowhunter sighed as she lay back in her pillows. She heard a knock on her door, and she replied with, "Go away."

A chuckle sounded, and Hana sat up. It wasn't immediately recognizable, though the voice was familiar.

"I think you would want to let me in."

Oh, it was that Shadowhunter from the London Institute.

"Oh. Then you can come in. The door's open," Hana said and rubbed her head as she sighed. The door gently opened while the boy she knew as Maximus slid in. He closed the door behind him then looked at her.

At that moment, she realized how ridiculous she must have seemed. Her research was all over the bed, and her position was not friendly-looking at all. Her face flushed from embarrassment, and she gathered all her papers with her posture straightening.

"Why did you close the door?" Hana asked once Max settled in a chair.

"I don't exactly want our conversation to be... heard," he said with an unreadable expression.

Hana frowned.

"Why did you come here? Don't you hate me like all the rest?" She mumbled, and added louder, "And why do you seem so interested in me? Why did the London Institute send you?"

"So many questions." He laughed and took a book from a table beside him, examining it as he spoke. "Too bad I have more. Why have the Nephilim banned you from Idris?" Maximus looked up from the object in his hand.

She was, again, taken by surprise because of his eyes, but it didn't take long for her to ignore their strength over her. "They accused me of something I didn't do. That's the most I'm going to tell you."

"No, you're going to tell me more." He showed her a letter with cursive writing, and Hana read it briefly. The London Institute allowed him to ask her questions, and it was approved by the Clave that she had to answer. She still seemed suspicious.

"I still don't know why you're interested. Or your Institute."

"Hana," he said as he let out a sigh and stared intensely at her. "I really need for you to tell me. I think there might be hope for you."

Then Hana was confused. What was he saying?

"Hope? Why would you say there's hope for me?"

Maximus looked like he didn't want to say more, but his expression showed that he was really into this. "Because they might forgive you."

Hana sat back, blinking slowly as she took that in. The Clave? Forgiving her? At first, she had a bit of anger. She didn't do anything! Why did they banish her in the first place?

Then she looked back up at the Shadowhunter with narrowed eyes.

"How would they ever forgive me? Apparently, I set fire to a home containing people of my own race. Their race. I'm a threat, aren't I?" She demanded.

He rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged. "I don't know."

Hana was getting frustrated. Frustrated with Maximus, with the Clave, and with her life. What was she supposed to do? Just disappear from a time that they actually needed her help? It was obvious that there was someone behind the demon attack. They wouldn't just burst into a school of mundane children and disappear after a few of them were slaughtered.

She took a deep breath, and let it out.

"But what I do know," Maximus began, "is that a Council Meeting is being held place in Idris in a few days. I want you to come, under the order and protection of all Shadowhunters of London, and possibly more."

Hana felt torn apart. Should she shun the Clave like they did to her, or should she ask for the removal of her banishment and show humility?

The answer to his request was clear to Hana, although she might have not liked it one bit.

"If what you say is true, I'm going to the Council Meeting. I'm convinced that there's something wrong with what has been going on, and maybe, just maybe," she held up a finger and looked at him pointedly, "I'll beg for their forgiveness."