Allina exited the room and touches her face, looking in a mirror in the hallway. Her tan has gone a chalky white, like the outside of an egg. She looks like she's seen a ghost. She goes to wash her face, walking down the faded old Institute corridors. She heard something downstairs, the bell outside ringing. That meant someone was coming to the Institute. "Dammit" She muttered under her breath as she wiped her face down with a towel and some cold water. Liquid dripped and dropped down her nose and cheeks in rivulets and her hands were shaking. By the Angel, why did whoever they were coming now? She hurries down the staircase, her boots sliding down the tiles and her hands gripping the banister so hard that her knuckles were white. "By the Angel, this better be important!" She demeaned, furious and red-faced by what the Clave had told her. The doors to the Institute open and a girl stumbled into the Institute, tears streaming and streaking her face in wet trails. She stumbled in and almost fall to her knees in front of Allina. The girl bore no runes. The only thing that covered her body was a thin jacket, ankle boots that were too small and a faint scarlet red t-shirt soaked to the vine with water. It was two sizes too big for the girl and it hung off her wet frame.
Her long dull blonde hair was soaked and hanged down her back in wet tangles. She was shivering and her eyes were darting around the room with fear. Allina was scared to approach, hoping to not scare her more than she already was. Her eyes were a beautiful light blue, the color of the sky.
She had no idea why Jace and Clary led her here. She sees Allina and her eyes are wide and fearful. "Who are you?" She backed away, crawling as far as she could in her wet clothing. "I'm Allina Carstairs" She says, looking at the girl. It was forebidden to bring a mundane into the Institute. She must have the Slight, that would allow her to see Allina and the others. "I'm the leader of the Institute" She looked up, some of the fear disappearing and replaced with interest. "We're going to get you some clean clothes, okay?" She kneeled down and tucked a strand of the girl's blonde strands behind her ear. "Your going to be okay" She looked into the girl's eyes and girl's eyes met her sliver ones. "What's your name?"
"I'm Serena Lewis. They say my brother is a... Downworlder?" Downworlders were what the Shadowhunters called werewolves, warlocks, fairies and vampires. The Accords had been signed when a lot of the Downworlders had been killed by the Circle. They protected them. She nodded and hurries toward her room to pick up some clean clothing. She knew who Serena was talking about:Her younger brother Simon who was turned into a vampire. He was at Clary's, recovering. She returned and looked away as she changed."Simon has another sister named Rebecca whose a mundane" Allina said, turning back to her.
"Is Bec here?" Serena asks. Allina sits in a chair and shakes her head. "She's with her mother. Her mother.. She bites her lower lip and noticed that pink has returned to the girl's cheeks. "She kicked him out" She finishes with a pitying look in her eyes. She looks worried, biting the inside of her cheek with a slight frown. "Wonderful" She muttered, not quite meeting her eyes. "He's staying with Clary" She adds, getting up from the chair. The black t-shirt fit Serena perfectly as did the jeans. "You look much better" She says, climbing up to reach another book on the higher shelf. Serena watches her with a sly grin. "What are you looking for?" She reaches for a book with her thin and caressed hands, well worn from years of playing the violin. She had been playing since she was sixteen. "A book on demonology" She explains, craning her neck to peer at another shelf. "Through it seems to have disappeared" She's tall and able to look over the smaller shelves, barely reaching 5'8. Serena smiles, watching her with a amused grin. She finally finds it on the highest level of the shelf and holds the leather-bound tome to her chest. Serena grinned and watches her climb down, her long legs hitting the rungs when she finally reached the bottom.
"You treat these books like their your children" She smiles, knowing that their alike. "They are, this library is huge" She explains, playfully bumping shoulders with her. "Maybe you should give me a tour sometimes" She smiles and tries to hide a faint pinkness creeping up her cheekbones. She noticed the blush and smiles, covering a smile with her hand. "Are you blushing?" She tries to sound shocked, giggling behind her hand. She shoves her shoulder with her own, causing her to tighten her grip on the book. "Don't be a ass" She replied, joking with her as they start down the corners of the Institute. "I'll try to not be" She said to her as she entered her room, winking at her
She blushed as the door closed behind her with a click. That's one point for her.
She hurries down the steps and removed the book from the slip, reading until she fell asleep.
