I'm going to attempt to do 1,500 words per chapter starting now. I don't know how I'm going to do it but I'll try. I'm also going to do another chapter before I skip the years because, I feel like it would help with introductions more. Thank you for all of the reviews. Keep them coming. They seriously encourage me to update sooner.
"Clary. Clary."
I open my eyes and immediately sit up. Where am I? Oh….
"Nicolette told me not to wake you up, but I thought you would prefer meeting everybody at dinner. Unless you want to go back to sleep, that's fine," says Angelina.
I shake my head. "No, no. You are right. I want to go down there. I can't live in a building full of strangers anyways."
She helps me up and I quickly brush my hair. I don't want to go down there looking like a mess.
We both walk into the main dining, me trailing behind Angelina.
"Hey, Angel, you are late. I would expect you to be early like usual," calls someone.
I peek around Angelina to see it is Nathan. I glance around the table. There are three guys at the table and Nicolette.
"I was getting the new addition to our family," replies Angelina.
Someone stands up. "Wait. What new addition?"
"Thomas, you idiot. You hadn't heard we have a new person."
I walk out from behind of Angelina.
I wave slightly. "Hi. I'm Clary. I came here from the New York Institute."
I look at Thomas, who is blonde with green eyes. He looks pretty built. Actually, he looks pretty hot. Like, Jace hot.
I look at the other one. He catches me looking and walks over. He has black hair and piercing blue eyes.
"Hey. I'm Lucas. Parabatai of Nathan."
I look over at Thomas. He gets up too. "I'm Thomas Stormheart. Nicolette is my mom. That's pretty much it."
I roll my eyes. At least I will have a lot of time to get to know these people. I give Angelina a questioning glance and she drags me to one of the chairs next to her. I laugh and sit down.
We don't get far into the meal before I start getting questions.
"So, how did you get here?" asks Lucas.
"A portal rune," I say, as if it is the most obvious thing in the world.
Apparently Thomas didn't think the same thing. "I'm sorry. A portal what now?"
Ahhh. I forgot. The runes haven't gotten to everybody yet. "Long story short. I can create certain runes. I made the portal rune about a year ago."
Nathan looks impressed. "With that statement, welcome to the team." I smile.
"Okay. How about this one? Why did you come here?" asks Thomas.
Just the question I wanted. Not. "You've heard of me right?" I ask. I get nods from that. "So, you have heard of Jace Wayland/ Morgenstern/ Lightwood/ Herondale right?" More nods. "He was my boyfriend and I thought we were really close. I thought we were in love actually. I loved him. I loved all of them in my own way. They were all fantastic." I stop. How can I go on?
Angelina whispers, "You don't have to tell us right now."
I continue. "But today, I found my boyfriend cheating on me. I heard him cheating through his door. Then I ran, packed, and jumped into a portal and ended up here."
Lucas whispers, "I'm so sorry."
I excuse myself from dinner and head back to my room. It was an interesting first day here, and I don't think I need any more excitement.
The knocking on the door pulls me out of my thoughts. I open it to find Thomas waiting at the other side.
"Hey," I say.
"Hey."
Well, this is awkward.
"Look, I'm sorry about how we started off," he starts.
"No, no, it's fine. I'm actually used to it by now. The speaking whatever is on your mind. You would be surprised about what happens in New York."
"Okay," he smiles, "what?"
"Well, first I was raised as a mundane and find three strange people following a demon in a club. My best friend turned into a vampire and now he is a shadowhunter. You think this one guy you really like is your brother and then her turns out not to be and then you date and then he cheats on you. And, and." I just break out laughing.
He starts laughing too. Walking in and closing the door, he brings me over to my bed to sit down. "Are you okay?"
"I'm as okay as I can be," I reply. "I mean, it has been some rough couple of hours but I am here to start over."
"Okay. You need a new start, right?" I nod. "You and me, training, tomorrow. We are going to turn you into one of the best shadowhunters in the world."
"Thanks, that is just what I need."
In the morning, I took a quick shower which was refreshing. Then I quickly threw on a tank top and some basketball shorts. After I put my hair up into a ponytail, I head off. It took me about an hour, which was pretty disappointing, to find the training room. I should really ask for a tour around this place. Once I get there, I am in awe. This is way bigger than the one in New York. There are punching bags next to each other, racks of seraph blades and then more racks of various weapons.
I one of the punching bags more towards the center of the room. I get warmed up by punching one of the bags. Then, I remember some of the moves Jace showed me and start working on them. Going back and forth between those two for an hour, I finally leave to have some lunch.
I walk downstairs to see Lucas, Thomas, and Angelina.
"Hey Angelina," I greet.
"Oh come on. We have known each other for a day now. You can call me Angel now."
"Alright Angel. What is my schedule around here? By the looks of you guys you have already thought about how this is going to work with me here."
"I see that red-head has a brain." I look at Lucas.
"Yes, and red-head also has a name."
"Fine. Clary has a brain, and likes to snap back.
I roll my eyes. "As I was saying, what is on the agenda?"
"Well," starts Angel, "we usually go clubbing on the weekends. We also go demon hunting in the middle of the week/Wednesday."
Thomas cuts in, "And, since you are going to be somebody completely different by the time we are done with you, you are going to be training three hours a day for the first six months you are here"
I interrupt. "I already practiced for an hour today."
Thomas smiles. "I was actually counting on that. You will practice for one hour in the morning and in the afternoon we," gesturing to both of us, "will train for two hours."
"Anything else?" I ask.
Everybody shakes their heads at the same time. It was a little creepy. "Not really. You will soon be so used to us we will be family," says Angel.
"I hope so. I don't want another situation like my past to happen again."
"Trust me. It won't. As long as you stay with us it won't."
"Thanks."
I eat my lunch and make small-talk with the other shadowhunters. After I finish, I head back up to the training room and sit on the floor. I figure, I have nothing to do but wait. Might as well wait at a place where Thomas can see me.
When he walks in he stops immediately.
"Okay, did not expect that."
"Fair warning. Do not expect anything from me."
"Thanks. I'll take that into account."
I laugh. "So, what are we starting off with first?" I ask.
"I think we can start off with me learning what you know."
"That does not narrow down the subject."
"Well," he says, "how about sparring? No weapons."
I agree.
He walks into the middle of the room and helps me up. Almost immediately I get knocked back down.
"Rule One: Don't trust anybody except for your team."
"I thought you are my new team," I argue.
"In this situation I am not."
This time, I bolt to my feet and try to take him by surprise, but my motives were in vain. I got one hit before I was flipped back onto the floor.
"Rule Number Two: watch your opponent carefully. Who trained you back at home anyways?" he asks.
"Mainly my ex," I answer bluntly.
"Raziel. I thought that he is supposed to be one of the best shadowhunters in this generation. Now, I am not so sure."
I shrug. "Maybe I am just a lost case. That is why."
He laughs half-heartedly. "Now I know that he is not one of the best shadowhunters. The best wouldn't put someone with potential down. Especially like you."
"He didn't put me down," I argue.
"Oh. So now you are defending him?"
I shake my head. "I don't know. Maybe I want some dignity. He was my boyfriend after all. For a while actually."
"Sorry. Don't mean to offend you, but he does sound like an asshole. I don't see how you could have ended up with a guy like that."
"He was the one who introduced me to this world. He has been there the entire time." My voice grows softer with each word I utter.
He walks over to stand right next to me. I am shocked by his next move because he puts his arm around my shoulders.
"Well, now you will have us. Whether it is Angel, or Lucas, or Nathan, or even my mom. And you will especially have me. The entire time," he reassures.
I sigh. I know one thing for sure. I am going to be here for the long run.
There we go. I caught up on the word count to average about 1,500 words per chapter. This chapter might be the second or third longest item I have ever typed. The first ones are probably book reports. Thomas's last name was not off the top of my head. I had some assistance from "The Shadowhunter's Codex". The next chapter will jump a couple years. See you soon!
