Heline: Helen and Aline After City of Heavenly Fire

Chapter 1

(єαяℓιєя тнαт ∂αу)

I get on the plane, a Shadowhunter guard in black standing by to make sure that I don't try to escape. She shoves me into the small vehicle as I look around for Aline. I know she's coming, but... Where is she?

I know I'm just overthinking it, but as I sit in the plane she's the only thing on my mind. The only good part of this being exciled thing is that I'll get to be with Aline, at least sometimes.

I wait impatiently for the plane to start, then impatiently for the flight to end. I'm anxious to see Aline, and the sooner we get to my new imprisonment the sooner I can see her. Why wait out the inevitable?

We finally land, leaving the tiny plane as my guard escorts me towards a large, sort of domed shape building that is wider in width then height, although it is fairly tall, about the height of the average plane. We enter large glass doors in the front of the building, my guard speaking briefly to the people at the front desk, telling them of my arrival.

She then pulls me into along, cold hallway of shining metal. Wondering where exactly I'll be staying, I follow the guard through the hallway, several doors of similar make and simple design (just slabs of metal with small rectangular pieces of glass for looking in, although I have a bad feeling that they don't look anywhere but in), and then... /Aline!/ In the hallway, a guard ensuring that she's going into her room but not herding her quite as much as mine is me. "Aline!" I say, happy and relieved to see her.

She turns, smiling. "Helen!" My guard pushes me along faster, and she must see my look of puzzlement as she then continues. "It's fine; later!" I sigh, and grudgingly allow my guard to lead me.

We go far down the hall, then farther, making various turns and such along the way, an almost dizzying amount. I wonder if my guard somehow memorized this route or is just making it up as she goes along. I would guess the latter. Finally, we make a stop at a door seemingly no different from all the rest. She unlocks the door with a card key, and shoves me inside, following close behind and allowing the door to close and lock behind her. I stand there, unsure of my growing feeling of unease, as the guard crosses her black-sleeved arms and seems to stare daggers at me.

"Now." The guard starts. "There are going to be some rules." /Rules?/ What does she mean, /rules?/ Am I truly being held captive to the point where I am now under control of the administration and faculty of this unknown building? "First, you do not leave this room without first alerting me or another guard. Second, you will not go to meals without me or another guard present. Third, any and all items that you receive and have must be checked with me or another guess as being acceptable. Is that clear?"

Anger welling up inside me, I can no longer keep down my fury. "What happened to innocent until proven guilty?"

The guard smirks. "In the Dome, you are guilty until proven innocent."

That's it. "I'm sorry, but I would like you to clarify why I'm here in the first place. My blood, something that I cannot control. And yes, I have the power to lie, but so doesn't any other person here, Shadowhunter or not-"

The guard slams me against the wall. I hear Aline call my name, but the air has been knocked out if my lungs and I am afraid of what will happen to her if I reply with the guard pouncing on me.

"Listen closely." The guard whispers harshly. "You. Will. Not. Talk. Back. You got that?"

I shake my head slightly side-to-side. "I don't know what there is to understand."

The guard slams me against the wall again, and this time I cry out, pain stabbing into my spike like fire lighting my vertebrae. I hear Aline call frantically, but I still fear what will happen if I attempt a response. "Do you understand?" She whispers vehemently. When I don't answer, she throws me onto the floor, knocking down a nearby lamp.

Not knowing what else to do, my back aching for relief, I nod, ashamed that I gave into her. She smiles, and gets off of me enough that I can sit, leaning my back against the wall. She slams my back into the wall one last time for seemingly good measure, and then she stands, heading towards the door.

Before leaving, the door open in her hand, she turns to me, an evil glint in her eyes. "Just so that you are informed, in case you get any ideas," she says, "this door locks on both sides: in and out. So don't try to escape." She walks out, the door slamming behind her.

I cough, the air knocked out of my lungs from when the guard gave me a final slam against the wall. Aline calls, and this time I answer.