Victoria began pacing back and forth as she waited in the library for Will and Jem. If she told them the truth, everything would be messed up. If she didn't tell them the truth, they wouldn't rest until she did and perhaps hate her for a long time. Victoria couldn't think of a decent lie. What if she ran? She had nowhere to run except for back to Wales and she couldn't do that because she needed to save Jem and Will and Tessa! Letting out an unladylike groan, she fell back onto the armchair. She shut her eyes tightly, thoughts and consequences turning in her head.

"Something wrong?"

Victoria opened her eyes immediately and flinched at the closeness of Will's face.

"I scared you, didn't I?" Will said with a smirk. "How are you going to be a Shadowhunter when your senses are so weak?"

Victoria muttered some unflattering words under her breath before sitting straight and proper in the chair. Jem was right behind Will, a suspicious look on his face.

"Are you going to tell us what's wrong or sit there until the sun rises?" Will asked.

Victoria looked up, her now blue eyes shining with frustration. Why wasn't Oliver here to help her out? He would have punched Will by now. Her eyes began to water at the thought of Oliver. Oliver was alive – that's all that mattered, right?

Will's eyes widened at the sight of Victoria's tears and he wisely stayed quiet. Victoria took a shuddering breath before speaking. "Victoria Herondale doesn't exist," she said.

No one spoke. However, it was obvious that Jem and Will had the same thought: She's gone mad.

Victoria continued anyway. "Originally, there were three siblings – Ella, Will and Cecily Herondale. Starting from Jem and Will's hunt for a certain demon, everything in this Institute was documented into a book. You both are fictional characters."

Now Will's face was getting frightened. No one dared to speak. "Will – you think you're cursed by the demon Marbas. You think whoever loves you will be doomed to death. Jem – you are forced to take yin fen every day to survive because of Yan Luo. Charlotte is insecure about her relationship with Henry. Henry is insecure about his relationship with Charlotte. Charlotte is the leader of this Institute while Henry is an inventor. Jessamine longs for a regular human life, but cannot truly become one for her parents were lost to a fire. She keeps a dollhouse still. Sophie was once a maid for a rich man, who gave her the scar on her face. Thomas has feelings for Sophie. Ask me a question, and I'll know it."

"How would you know?" Will asked.

"I read the books. Several times, actually," Victoria shrugged. "I know everything that's going to happen, but I want to change it."

"Change it? Why would you change a book?" Will said. "Books are…"

"Do you want Jem to become a Silent Brother, abandoning you? Do you want this entire Institute to hurt? If you don't, then let me fix things," Victoria interrupted. Words were beginning to pour out of her mouth and unfortunately, Victoria began to rant. That was one of her many flaws. Oliver always said that she had a tendency to go on without letting others speak.

"I'm dead right now – in the real world," Victoria said. "My best friend, Oliver, was at my funeral. We should have been touring England right now, but instead I'm stuck here, so if you would please refrain from questioning me. I don't know if I'm me or Victoria Herondale. I'm having a huge identity crisis. I have to solve your fu*king problems. I'm not attending university. My parents are alone now, without their only daughter. I have enough to deal with without your little commentary, Will."

Will looked taken aback.

"And now I'm telling you all of this, and I really shouldn't because… I don't even know why anymore!" Victoria threw her hands in the air for exaggeration and sighed. She paused, allowing them to speak.

Jem and Will didn't move. They simply stared at her, disbelieving looks on their faces. "All I wanted was the truth," Jem said simply. "I did not need you to make up this extravagant story. If you would excuse me…" and Jem left.

"You believe me right?" Victoria asked Will.

Will looked at Victoria with somber eyes before turning as well and exiting.

Victoria stared at the empty doorway before burying her head in her hands and she sobbed, descending into an uneasy slumber.

…

"Miss Herondale? Miss Herondale? Please wake."

Victoria groggily woke up, her back and neck sore from sleeping in an armchair all night. Sophie looked at her with her curious eyes before offering a mirror. Victoria looked at her reflection and gasped. Her eyes were swollen and red, her hair a hideous mess. Dried tears streaked down her face.

"Perhaps you should take a bath," Sophie suggested, asking no questions.

Victoria nodded and stood uneasily. "Thank you, Sophie," she croaked.

As Sophie drew the water, Victoria lied on her bed – in the room across from Jem's. What were they up to? Were they whispering about Victoria? Were they planning to send Victoria to a mental asylum or something?

"Your bath is ready, miss," Sophie said, her eyes lowered respectfully.

"Call me Victoria, Sophie. You've seen me at my worst. What is the use of formalities now?" Victoria asked, a slightly bitter edge to her words. Sophie did not speak. "Please, Sophie. Call me Victoria because you and I are equals."

Victoria left an astounded Sophie in her room as Victoria went to the bathroom, sinking into the warm waters.

Sophie was waiting patiently for Victoria to finish up. She helped Victoria lace up her dress without a single word. Victoria bit her lip as Sophie braided her hair. Was she too forward? Probably.

"Sophie, can you help me with something?" Victoria asked.

"Of course, miss."

"Victoria," Victoria corrected. "I want to find the Codex. Might as well learn a few things before I'm shipped off to a hospital."

"Why would that happen?" Sophie asked.

"I said things that I shouldn't have. I should have known they wouldn't have believed me," Victoria sighed. "Any chance someone can train me while I'm here?"

"Your brother and Master Jem, perhaps?" Sophie said. Victoria couldn't help but notice the red tinge to her cheeks when she said Jem. Victoria didn't want to talk to them. They didn't believe her. They didn't trust her. Anger filled Victoria as she thought about the pair of parabatai more and more.

Victoria would have to train alone. She'd watched enough kung-fu movies to successfully land a kick or two. Maybe. Perhaps. Probably. Victoria gave up. She had watched one martial arts movie in her life.

"Do you have a piano here?" Victoria asked.

…

Victoria asked Sophie to tell the rest of them that she wouldn't be eating. It was rude, and she knew it, but Victoria just needed to get away.

She sat in front of the sleek grand piano, her fingers dancing over the keys. Victoria never liked classical music. She was a fan of jazz and soft rock and some pop music – the modern songs that required lots of emotion. The slow songs.

Victoria sang as she played, knowing that everyone was probably eating breakfast still. The dining room and the music room were on opposite ends of the Institute. They would never hear her. Music. A magic far greater than anything anyone has ever known. For such a long time, Victoria wanted to become a singer. A performer. Her parents allowed her to learn the guitar, the piano and Victoria even took some vocal lessons. But her parents still put their foot down when Victoria said she wanted to become an singer.

It was for the best, Victoria sighed. A job in the arts was very unstable.

"You are very talented on the piano." Clang. The sound of clashing notes filled the air. Victoria cursed herself for making such a mistake.

Charlotte Branwell stood at the doorway, her arms crossed and eyes light. "You didn't come down to breakfast," Charlotte said, taking a seat near the piano.

Victoria sheepishly stared back at Charlotte. The woman was only a couple years older than her, but it felt like Charlotte was decades older. Her eyes bore into Victoria's with the same questioning look.

"I was not hungry…" Victoria was cut off with the sound of growling coming from her stomach. Victoria blushed. "I just wanted to get away. Your piano is gorgeous."

Charlotte smiled. "I used to play the piano, but I discovered the adrenaline of fighting. The rush that comes whenever you slay a demon. I feel like I'm making a difference in the world whenever I kill a demon."

"Why… why are you telling me this?" Victoria asked.

"You said you wanted to become a Shadowhunter. So a Shadowhunter you will be."

…

Charlotte had offered to train her. Victoria felt horrible for making Charlotte train her while she was already a busy woman, but it was Charlotte or Jem and Will. A girl had to be selfish sometimes, right?

As Victoria sat in the training room, feeling oddly out of place with the bows and arrows, the swords and knives and most of all – the glowing seraph blades kept in a glass case on the wall.

"Sorry I'm late," came a voice. Victoria looked up. "I had some business to attend to," Charlotte said. Charlotte then tossed her a wooden sword.

"What is this for?" Victoria asked.

Charlotte looked surprised. "For sparring of course!"

"Wait, Charlotte! I thought you were going to teach…" Victoria was cut off when Charlotte swung at her. Victoria backed away quickly, holding her sword awkwardly.

"Not too tight, Victoria!" Charlotte said, seeing that Victoria was holding the wooden sword in a death grip. "Not too loose either!"

Victoria almost groaned. Charlotte came at her again and deciding to be brave, Victoria met her swing with her own sword. Unfortunately, Charlotte was a lot stronger. And she had a lot more balance. Charlotte pushed against Victoria's sword and Victoria moved so her sword wasn't touching Charlotte's anymore. Still holding the sword awkwardly and out in front of her, she waited for Charlotte to make a move. She wasn't disappointed. Charlotte charged forward, her blade aiming straight at her.

If you haven't seen Charlotte in battle, you haven't been afraid.

Victoria was tempted to drop the sword but willed herself to stay strong and point the sword at Charlotte. However, an easy maneuver – or it looked easy when Charlotte did it – allowed Charlotte to slip past Victoria's defenses and Charlotte's blade struck Victoria's hilt. With a twist of her wrist, Victoria was disarmed with a dulled tip of a wooden sword at her neck.

"Maybe that could have gone a little better," Charlotte said, a hint of a smirk on her face.

"Just a little bit," Victoria shrugged.

…

Victoria continued to skip meals, getting some stale bread and meat from the kitchens after meals. Agatha, the cook, was nice about it. She would give Victoria some extra servings. "Herondales – all of them are the same," she would mutter as Victoria exited the kitchen. Agatha would still give her food the next day, however.

All of Victoria's time was spent in the kitchens, sneaking food, in her bedroom, contemplating her decision, in the training room with Charlotte or in the music room, playing the piano and singing along with it.

She had no contact with anyone except for Charlotte. Victoria was beginning to see Charlotte as her surrogate mother and Victoria loved Charlotte for being there and helping her.

Sometimes, Victoria thought the Institute was too big – especially when she got lost. And unfortunately, she got lost often. The hallways all looked the same, so Victoria decided to leave a trail. At every turn, she would put a coloured rag in either the right or left direction. Red signified the kitchen. Blue meant the music room. Yellow was the training room. Victoria had marvelled at her brilliance after thinking of that. She obviously wasn't that bright. Victoria had forgotten that Jem was in the room right across from hers – meaning every time he went to the training room or the music room or the kitchens – he would see the coloured little rags.

Victoria had forgotten that Jem was capable of following the trail of rags.

This chapter was rather boring. Rather mundane. I was just laying out the setting for you, I guess. Victoria's descending into a "pattern". That pattern will change by the next chapter. ;)