Shadows--Shadowhunters (1)

VIII

''The very same,'' Hodge confirmed, making the younger boy's frown deepen with confusion. He could understand the fact that Magnus had removed Clary's memories, but what he couldn't understand was that why would Magnus Bane kidnap Olivia? What did he need from her?

Jace didn't have the answer to that question. But he had a feeling that all of it was, somehow, connected to something that none of them were aware of.

''We should probably send a team at Magnus's loft to get Olivia back. In fact, you know what? You should head that team and-''

''-Hodge,'' Jace cut in, sucking in a breath sharply and running his hand through his hair again. ''What is really going on over here? What is so different about Olivia? Why-why did you tell me to look after her? Why did Magnus kidnap her?'' he asked, looking at his teacher in an extremely frustrated way. He was tired, tired of not having any answers, of being clueless about the truth.

Hodge sighed. He could understand the younger boy's frustration, and it was justified. And as much as he wanted to tell Jace the truth, he couldn't. He was tied, restrained by a particularly regrettable action that he had committed in his past.

When Jace noticed that his teacher wasn't saying anything, he gritted his teeth together in annoyance. ''Hodge, come on,'' he began, hoping that the older male would give him the answers that he needed, ''You gotta tell me somethin'. ''

''I can't.'' Hodge spoke, and before Jace could open his mouth to again interrupt him, he further added, ''But there is something you need to know.''

''What?''

''Everything that has happened to Olivia, everything that is happening to her, and everything that will happen to her is because of him.''

Jace frowned. ''Because of who?''

''Valentine.''

~*~*~*~*~

Olivia was walking in a seemingly unending cycle of darkness. Every turn that she took, every direction that she looked in, everything that she touched, was covered in pitch-black darkness. 

After a few minutes of walking in circles, and not seeing any signs of an exit,  she was getting surer and surer that she was in some sort of cave that, by the way, lacked any and all forms of light. However, within a few seconds, a bright light suddenly flashed before her, causing the brunette to flinch and, for the second time, put out her hands in front of her as a shield.

Once the light's intensity reduced, she moved her hands away from her face and frowned in confusion when she noticed the scenery in front of her. The darkness that had surrounded her a few minutes ago had evaporated, giving way to a different view altogether.

No longer was Olivia standing in a cave, but in a park, that had lands of greenery and trees running in every direction possible. The sun was shining down brightly, but surprisingly, the warmth of its rays never reached Olivia. 

In fact, she was feeling unusually cold. Very, very cold. 

It was weird, to say the least.

The sudden giggling of a child made Olivia spin around on her heels, and she saw a boy of about ten or nine years old, with light red hair and bright green eyes, standing behind her. Weirdly enough, Olivia felt like she was somehow connected to the boy. She felt as if the little boy was someone she should have been familiar with.

''Who are you?'' she asked him warily, ''And what is this place?''

''A dream,'' he replied, plucking a flower from a nearby bush and handing it to the older girl with a smile decorating his innocent face. Olivia looked at the boy for a few minutes, noticing that he didn't appear to be frightened at all, if anything, he seemed relaxed and satisfied.