Change [Book 1 of The Elemental Marks]

Chapter 5

This time, inside the portal, no other thoughts troubled Lina. She had no problem thinking the words Alicante, Idris, but a visual was hard to achieve. What did this city really look like, outside the history book pages? Was it as beautiful as everyone promised?

In only a second, the question was answered. Her feet landed on the ground, and she found herself before a shining, silvery gate. Grass appeared under her feet, and fresh air filled her lungs. The sky was a blue black color and Lina could see the sun coming up off in the distance. They were far from Philadelphia now.

By her side was Carson and Damian. The older man stepped forward first, approaching a guard by the gate Lina hadn't taken note before.

Looking around now, she realized that they were just outside Alicante. She could see the city within, which hardly looked protected besides the pegs of steel the made up the gates before her. She knew it was protected by something far greater. The cities wards protected it from demons and anything else that wasn't meant to pass into it.

The trio was let into the city with no problem. Damian led the way through the city. Lina took it in. It was nothing like Philadelphia in the best way. Every building and gate seemed to have its own shine. It was clean and quite, and there wasn't a car, cab, or bus in sight. Far too soon, Damian stopped.

They arrived outside a light blue building. It was nothing grand and looked in need of a new coat of paint. It fit in perfectly alongside the other manor houses on the block and was nothing like any institute Lina had ever seen.

Despite this, the trio walked around the back of the house to the door of a glass sunroom. From what Lina could tell, the room was used as storage. Targets and dummies littered the walls and ground in no particular fashion.

Damian unlocked a glass door and lead the way inside. He cut through the sunroom without stopping and crossed into another room. This one contained a modern facing an empty fireplace. Candles sat on various tables, reminding Lina that there was no electricity in Alicante. She realized these upcoming months would be long ones.

"You can have a seat," Damian offered. Lina nodded, placing herself on the edge of the couch. She wasn't sure if it was the time to get comfortable just yet. "Carson, would you get Wyatt and Alia?"

"It's six in the morning," Carson reminded him. She nearly forgot they had changed time zones.

Damian frowned. "Wake them up then. Lina's going to need to sleep too, and I want her to meet them first." Carson nodded without further argument and walked out of the room. She heard his heavy footfalls has he climbed a set of stairs.

"This is your institute?" Lina asked, still not believing it. "It's not what I expected."

He smiled. "Do you understand what this institute is for? Why other Shadowhunters live here?"

"Not exactly, no. Carson told me what a waterbender was and showed me how to make...whatever happen. But other than that..."

"This institute is dedicated to housing people with the waterbending rune, like you have. It also houses all other Shadowhunters that have what we call the Elemental Marks. There are four total, but water is just one of them."

Four other runes? Elemental Marks? The words swirled in her head. Before she could ask even one question, the footsteps picked up again. This time, Carson came back with a boy and girl trailing behind him.

Lina stood up from the couch, though she didn't know if it was to greet these two or to get a better look at them.

The boy, who stood the closest to Carson, was hardly a few inches off his height. He was clearly of Indian descent, with a russet skin tone and dark hair. Despite the fact that he was pulled out of bed at 6AM, he was wearing an easy grin. She summed up that he was Wyatt.