Smoke and Mirrors ▹ Alec Lightwood [1]

CHAPTER THIRTY

CHAPTER THIRTY
ROSEWELL BAKERY

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

     "Izzy wants to be your parabatai?" Alec asked ten minutes later, surprised. "I didn't even know she wanted one."

"I didn't know she did, either," Adrian responded. They were walking through the city. It wasn't as crowded as Adrian thought it would be. A bunch of Shadowhunters hadn't arrived yet. Even though the streets were empty save for a few people here and there, Adrian and Alec still didn't hold hands. In Idris, it was better to be safe than sorry. Adrian didn't know if his father had people watching him, but he wasn't going to rule out the possibility.

"What did you say to her?" Alec asked after a moment, when it was clear that Adrian had descended into his own thoughts. Adrian blinked and tried to clear his head.

"I told her to think about it a little more." Alec shot him a disbelieving look. Adrian shrugged his shoulders. He had his reasons, but that didn't mean Alec didn't feel defensive. Isabelle was Alec's baby sister; Adrian could already see protective anger rising up inside of him. "If she still wants to be parabatai when we get back to New York, then I'm going to say yes." Adrian grimaced at the look forming on Alec's face. "I didn't say no, don't look at me like that. I didn't reject her."

"If you want to be her parabatai, then why not just do it now?" Alec asked, sounding exasperated. Adrian held in a small, indignant huff. Usually Alec reserved that tone for Jace.

"Because I don't want her to make an impulsive decision and then regret it," Adrian admitted. His walking slowed slightly, and a frown twisted his features. They were almost to the square, and it was more crowded than the actual streets of the city. He glanced at Alec out of the corner of his eye. "I don't want her to hate me, you know?" Alec scoffed at that. Adrian turned his head fully, raising an eyebrow when Alec shook his head in mild disbelief.

"Izzy could never hate you," Alec said, still in that exasperated tone. "No one could hate you." The last sentence came out softer, as low as a whisper. Like Alec hadn't even meant to say it out loud. Judging by the embarrassed look suddenly on his face, that was the case.

"Well, you'd be surprised," Adrian drawled, amused, though most of him only felt like making Alec comfortable. He didn't want Alec to feel uncomfortable on their first date. "I have a lot of resentful exes. Not all of them can be an Ollie." Alec didn't respond to that. Adrian didn't think anything of it. They were nearly to the square, and Adrian could see a shop sign up ahead. He nodded toward it, reaching out to touch Alec's arm. "There's Cartway's. They always put out new gear whenever there's a big Clave meeting. It's when they get the most business. You can find a jacket in there."

It was only when Adrian started forward and Alec didn't follow that Adrian realized how quiet he suddenly was. Adrian twisted on his heel to face Alec, frowning in confusion. Alec was staring at the sidewalk, a troubled frown on his face. Adrian stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets and tilted his head, taking a step closer. Alec glanced up, met his gaze, then quickly looked away. Adrian released a soft sigh.

"What is it?" he asked, though he had a feeling he knew. Alec shook his head, crossing his arms over his stomach.

"Nothing," Alec murmured. "I just..."

"It was the mention of my exes," Adrian said, "wasn't it?" Alec immediately grimaced and turned his face away, cheeks slowly turning red.

"How did you know?"