Change [Book 1 of The Elemental Marks]

Chapter 18

It was just past dusk by the time Lina made it back to her room. She lit a candle and took a long look at Charlie's bookshelf. All the books looked similar, none sticking out as what Lina needed. Her only option, she knew, was to go through them all.

She started by picking a book from each division, hoping Charlie had some sort of organizational system. Lina only ended up disappointed. Maybe by subtopic, or relevance, or date Charlie had read them. In any case, the journals Lina was seeking could be anywhere.

She kept a lot of journals here, always reading or writing, Carson had said. He just didn't specify where. Still, something was telling Lina that she needed to hear Charlie's thoughts, needed insight on the Institute and what it meant to be a waterbender and, a little bit, what she thought of Carson.

So Lina started digging.

It took half the night and an energy rune. All Lina had to show for it was a pile of books that Charlie had made occasional notes in. There wasn't a single journal by the girl to be found.

Carson had mentioned that the Clave had taken some of Charlie's journals, but was it possible that they had taken all of them? Either that, or Charlie had a different place to keep them. For now, Lina had these books to go through. She skimmed through each, trying to decide where to start. There was a standard Codex, a book on the genetics of the Elemental Marks, a waterbending training manual and a book of names, possibly of previous benders.

Lina opened the genetics books first. She wasn't particularly interested in the field of study, but there were some notes on eyes that had intrigued her when she skimmed through. 

She spotted notes from Charlie before she could get to anything about eye color. Good reference, Charlie wrote in her distinctive handwriting. She used all caps and, if she had been writing very fast, the letters would connect where she hadn't picked up her pen. This occurred more often than not.

Lina decided to read the entire page below the note.

Elemental connections on a personal level is not something seen in any other aspect of Nephilimism. Certainly there are fire runes, and bodies of water affect ones tracking abilities, but the Elemental Marks are truly different. In every way, they are darker and more dangerous than any other ability Shadowhunters possess.

There are genetic consequences to such runes. They possess more similarities to a werewolf bite than to any other rune available to us. More than anything else, these marks will change you.

Lina shut the book quickly, not wanting to think too much about what she had just seen. The word dangerous stuck with her, even as she decided she needed to get out of the room, at least for a minute.

"So, there's more." Tommie looked into Dex's eyes. It wasn't a question.

"Just the details. The general outline was true, and I still don't understand the rest. But yes, there's more," Tommie admitted. The other Shadowhunter rested on the doorframe of his room in the Philadelphia Institute, looking for information.

The boys stared at each other for a long moment. "You don't have to tell me," Dex started. "But if you want my help, you need to talk to me."

"Sit down," Tommie said. Dex took a seat on his bed and the other sat next time him. "I'm not going to tell you this so you'll help me--or, not just so you'll help me. You told me a lot about your life. I don't have a lot to tell, but this should start to get us even."

Dex nodded and waited.

"Lina met that Kelpie the night of our last mission. Vic and a bunch of young Shadowhunters were there, too. The Kelpie kept saying that Lina was a Water Girl. At the time, I thought it was a ploy to get her in the river, but Vic reacted totally differently. That night, Lina told me that she had to leave, that she was a danger and that she would be back when she could."