Inflexible | Fated Four: Book 1

Chapter Fourteen

We all pulled into the college parking lot the next morning. I wore a baseball cap and a pair of dark sunglasses, trying to hide my sleek hair and bright eyes. No doubt Hannah and Ruby would notice the changes in appearance and I knew that I'd never be able to give them a proper answer. At least not without telling them that Greek Mythology was real and I knew that I couldn't do that. They wouldn't be able to handle it. Besides if they saw me, they were going to tear me apart. I'd been so busy with training and figuring out my relationship with Arrow, that I hadn't been texting them.

"You don't need to hide behind those glasses," Arrow told me as Nemesis and undid her seatbelt in the back seat.

"Yes I do," I replied, "It's either this or have two angry friends demanding answers that I can't give them because it would mean exposing all of us."

"Come on Clary, we've got to go to class," Nemesis told me.

I nodded and the three of us got out of the car.

Soren, Calix, and Ryder joined us and the six of us walked through the parking lot. Everyone stopped and stared. People began whispering and I couldn't help but bury my face in Arrow's chest, wanting to get out of the spotlight.

We were almost inside. I was almost out of the spotlight everyone had placed on me. But it seemed that Fortuna, the Goddess of Luck, Chance, and Fate, wasn't on my side, since I was stopped by a familiar voice.

"Clary?!" I heard the familiar voice ask. Hannah. And where there was Hannah there was Ruby. I cursed under my breath.

Sure enough I spotted Ruby standing next to Hannah. Darn. Now what was I supposed to do? Should I keep walking, pretending I didn't hear them? Should I respond and say that I wasn't Clary? Should I reveal myself?

"Do what you think is best, agápi mou," Arrow told me, perfectly pronouncing the Greek words for my love, making my heart pound in the process, "We're all here for you if you need us."

I swallowed hard. Arrow's words gave me some comfort and courage.

I took off my baseball cap, letting my long sleek blonde hair tumble down past my shoulders. I took off my sunglasses, revealing my bright blue eyes. The shock on Hannah and Ruby's faces was evident as they took in my new appearance.

"Clary?!" Ruby asked, trying to make sure it was really me.

"Hi you guys," I greeted them.

"What the hell happened to you?!" Ruby asked, "Where have you been?!"

"I moved into my birth Mom's place," I told them, trying to stick to the story that I'd given my Mom, "I'm okay you guys."

"Why haven't you answered our texts?" Hannah demanded.

"I've been really busy," I admitted, that wasn't a lie, "It must have slipped my mind."

"Why are the Mortanes here?" Ruby asked.

"They're here with me," I replied.

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked.

"Their Mom is friends with my Mom," I explained. Again that wasn't a lie.

"That still doesn't explain what you're doing with them," Hannah told me.

"They're protecting me," I replied.

"Protecting you from what?" Ruby asked.

"Someone's after my Mom and she's asked the Mortanes to watch my back while she figures out who's after her," I explained. Not a total lie, since the Mortanes were protecting me from Eris.