Chapter 2
The sky had begun to lighten when the brunet girl's eyes began to open. It had been a long time since she had slept this well. Waking up well rested was a welcomed thing. She shifted in bed as the room came into focus and bolted straight up when the room was not her own. Panicked only for a slight moment when realization hit her on where she was and what had happened.
"I'm in the New York Institute." She reminded herself.
Getting up and dressing in her gear that she had originally arrived here in. Her weapons were gone. She hadn't grabbed them when she left the house the night before. Everything had been done in such a hurry; she had even forgotten her stele. The attack had happened so fast she had little time to react or get away. She shook her head clearing her head of the memories. There was no time for that. She was in an institute for the first time in ages. I wonder what all they have here. They must have a training room. I could clear my mind there. Fighting was the only thing that made her feel alive, whole, or even important. Magnus would be here sometime soon and she knew that she would be taken away again just like normal, might as well make the most of a stay here as she could while she could.
She slipped out into the hallway quietly closing the door behind her. She didn't want to wake anyone up. It was too early for that. She proceeded down the halls slowly taking in her surroundings. The architecture of the building was amazing so ornate and detailed. No matter where she walked she couldn't find the training room. She stopped in her search and sighed.
"Wondering the halls this early in the morning normally means that you were up to something with someone." A male voice said from behind her. She spun on her heels so fast, turning around, with her face flaming red.
"I-I just woke up early in my room alone I swear!" She stuttered. Her eyes connected with an amused blonde, Jace, if she remembered correctly, leaning up against the wall with his arms crossed. Why am I stuttering and acting like a child caught with their hand in a cookie jar? She thought annoyed with herself. Jace laughed at the look of frustration on her face which annoyed her even more. "I was just looking of the training room. I figured there would be one here." She added gaining her composure.
"There is. It's in the attic." He answered pointing to the ceiling. "Need a partner." He more added than questioned as he righted himself from the wall.
He walked forward passing her than turning a corner. She cautiously fallowed behind not sure what to make of him, first teasing her now joining her. He opened a door as she approached where he was revealing stairs. Raia fallowed in silence as they climbed the stairs. He opened another door at the top that opened into a large open room, standing to the side to let her in.
Raia looked around the spacious room taking in the large amounts of weapons. She walked towards a wooden recurve bow beside a holder of arrows and ran her fingers along the bow. It had been so long since she last touched a bow. She picked it up and notched an arrow and drew back. Aiming at the target on the other side of the room she let it fly, hitting true to her mark, the center of the bull's-eye. She smirked, determination in her eyes. Reaching for another arrow her actions were interrupted.
"So you're an archery girl." The male she had forgotten about being in the room observed. "You would get along with Alec."
Placing the bow back where it had been she shook her head. "I can use just about anything. I tend to lean more towards either seraph blades or archery though. It's been years since I last held a bow though." Raia replied looking around the room. Everything was here, any weapon you could think of and more. Not just weapons but beams for practicing balance too. She sprinted for the wall and jumped hitting the wall with her feet and pushing off, twisting in midair to grab one of the rafters and pulling herself up to sit on it.
Jace watched, learning what he could about her. He noticed the ease that she had with the bow even after 'so many years' as she had put it. She had good agility too, watching her abilities to get on the rafters with ease. It was interesting to see someone else his age being a shadowhunter that wasn't someone he already knew. He walked over to the training sword rack and picked two up, holding one in each hand. He tossed one to Raia who was sitting in the rafters. "Catch" He stated. She reacted just in time to catch the sword with her right hand.
"You want to fight?" Raia questioned.
"Just a quick spar, you did want to come to the training room to train right? Or was it just to get some alone time with me? I will warn you my girlfriend can have quite the temper." Jace responded prodding her with his words and smirk.
"As if I would go for someone like you." Raia retorted flipping off the beam and landing gracefully to the ground. She heard a chuckle come from him as they both took a stance both waiting for the other to act first.
Raia spun the sword in her right hand and acted. Lunging for him to see which way he would move. Left, just like the hand he held his sword with. She blocked the first swing of his sword at her. He blocked her attack right after. She twisted dodging his attack by ducking, swinging her weapon at his legs, he jumped. Both attacked head on this time, swords clashing between them
"Do definitely know your way with a sword," Jace commented, "although I'm better."
"You're so full of yourself." Raia interjected.
"I take that as a compliment." Jace thanked her. She rolled her brown eyes in response.
They jumped backwards creating distance between them. Jace lunged forward first, this time faster than last. His speed is quite notable. Raia thought to herself. Rolling out of the way of his first attack she stopped just beside the rack of swords. She grabbed another with her left hand and lunged at him, striking first with her left hand then with her right. He blocked both. She narrowed her eyes in determination as he jumped over her and retrieved another sword for himself. The playing field was even again. Swords clashed against swords as the met again blocking each other's swords. Raia pushed off his swords for a little added speed and flipped backwards landing on her feet away from Jace. They were well balanced for each other. It was odd.
"Raia." A male voice said from the doorway. She spun around to face the door upon recognizing the voice, Magnus Bane. "What do you think you are doing?" He added.
"I.." She breathed; sweat dripping off of her as she caught her breath. Jace took this moment to attack, swiping her feet with his leg, knocking her down and pinning her to the old wooden floor, holding his blade against her neck for added satisfaction.
"Never lose focus in a battle." Jace calmly stated. "I told you I was better." He said getting up off her and extending his hand out to help her up. She glared at him and got herself up.
"Nice win, Jace." Magnus added crossing his arms and leaning against the door frame, knowing that it would irritate Raia even more. He had walked in on the two clearly locked in a spar. They hadn't noticed him and it could have gone on for hours if he hadn't spoke up.
"As glittery as ever, Magnus…" Raia retorted.
"You don't seem happy to see me and here I hurried back from my vacation with Alec to see you." Magnus said gleefully, enjoying Raia's mood. It wasn't very often that he saw her this way and oddly enough it amused him given the circumstances. Raia just turned and glared at him, a loss was a loss and it irritated her to no end. She never got beat, not since her families deaths. "Jace, Alec is down stairs, I need to speak with Raia." He added seriously, seeing as Raia was clearly not having any of his nonsense.
Jace looked from Raia to Magnus, there was some connection, and he could see that. He wasn't sure what it was but it seemed he wasn't supposed to know yet. He would find out in time though. He nodded and headed towards the door. "Nice spar, Raia." He added catching the girl off guard.
"You too." She added humbly, this boy brought out things in her that she never thought anyone could. He nodded and exited the room.
"What are you doing here?" Magnus sternly said to her once he was sure Jace was out of ear shot. "You have clearly been told not to come here."
"They were killed last night, Magnus. I had no place to go." She retorted still irritated at her loss.
"What do you mean killed? The family you were put with?"
"Yes there was a break in. I had been in my room when I heard the door crash down. I grabbed my gear and left when I heard the first gun shot. I'm not getting involved with mundane affairs." She told him crossing her arms. "Besides, Tessa told me that if I were in a desperate circumstance that the Institute would be a safe haven for me."
"She told you that in one of her letters didn't she." Magnus stated. Raia nodded. "Do they know your name?" He sighed clearly not able to win this one.
"They know me as Raia Nightwolf."
"Keep it that way." He responded.
"Why?" She questioned.
"You'll find out in time, young one." He said smiling at her and putting his ringed hand on her head then quickly removing it shaking the sweat off of it. "I'll make arrangements with Maryse for you to stay here for the time being. I'll contact Tessa in the meantime."
"She won't come, she never does." She said turning away from the glittery warlock in front of her. "She won't leave that prison she has become so accustomed to." A pang of hurt hit her like a ton of bricks. This woman Tessa was always talked about but never here. She wrote letters. She felt that was enough.
"She'll come this time." Magnus promised. "I'll take care of this. You just go down with the others. Just, take a shower before then." He acted like her father from time to time although he was just a friend. Magnus was always there to get her out of trouble, always.
"Thanks." She said smiling at him and heading back towards her room.
"If only she knew." Magnus sighed, watching the young shadow hunter move down the stairs.
Raia walked down the stairs. The loss she suffered wasn't on her mind anymore, the thought of actually staying here, in the institute was. She was heading back to her room when Isabelle stopped her outside of her room.
"Alec, Jace, and I are going to go pick up Clary and go out for breakfast if you want to join us." Isabelle commented like it was a normal thing to ask someone you had only known a day.
"I would hate to make you guys wait for me, I still need to get cleaned up." Raia replied trying to get out of it.
"We can wait." The male beside Jace said as the two came down the hallway.
"I don't have anything but my gear to wear." Rai tried this excuse instead.
"I'm sure I could find something that you could wear." Izzy waved her hand dismissively.
"I'm not getting out of this am I?" Raia replied leaning against the door with a sigh. She didn't like spending time with people she knew she would eventually have to leave. She hated getting attached.
"Think of it as your punishment for losing to me this morning." Jace said crossing his arms with a smile on his face.
"You're loving this aren't you." Raia retorted with a glare. Jace just beamed back at her in response. "I didn't lose, Magnus interrupted us." Raia sternly insisted.
"On that note I am getting you clothes before Jace can come up with some inappropriate response that I am sure he was about to say." Izzy interjected as Jace went to say something in reply. "Alec, Jace we will meet you down stairs."
"Am I that predictable?" Jace sounded hurt in response as Alec and Jace walked away.
"You really are." The other male responded.
"Raia, I will be in with cloth for you in a minute." Isabelle told her and then turned and walked to her room, opening the door and closing it before a response could be given.
Raia opened her door as the others walked away, closing the door behind her she leaned against it and sighed. She was trying really hard to keep distance between herself and the family that lived in the institute but it was hard when they wouldn't let you. She never allowed herself to become fond of anyone she lived with, not even the families that raised her throughout her life, not anymore anyways. They all always left and she was always alone. Raia had found it hurt less if you weren't attached to the people that were gone.
She pushed herself off the door and walked over to the nightstand that she had placed her hair comb on last night. Picking it up she traced her fingers along the heron that was embossed there. It had been her great great grandmothers, or so she was told. She always wondered what her birth family was like. She didn't know them. Tessa was the only family she knew and that wasn't saying too much seeing as she was just a letter she would get once a month or so. Placing the hair comb back on the night stand she walked to the back room.
A few minutes passed as she took a shower to clean up. Raia had heard the door to her room open and then close a minute ago so she guessed that Isabelle had brought her clothes and was probably waiting on her. Raia dried off and then wrapped the towel around her and entered her room. She had been right, Isabelle was sitting on the edge of the bed admiring Raia's hair comb on the night stand. Hearing Raia entering the room Isabelle looked up.
"You really don't have any marks on you." She said standing up and walking over to get a better look at Raia's skin. "And very few faded ones too. Do you just not use them?"
Raia held the towel tight to her, she wasn't used to being examined this closely. She didn't quite like it. "I don't use them much anymore because I live with so many mundane families." Raia replied.
"Any permanent marks?" Izzy questioned further.
"Just my voyance mark." Raia replied showing her the back of her right hand. "I never had the opportunity to get any others; I left Idris at a young age." She said moving towards the bed to where Isabelle had place clothes for her.
"I'll let you get dressed. I'll wait in the hallway. By the way, nice hair comb, you should show it to Jace sometime, his family symbol is a Heron in flight. It reminds me a lot of it." Isabelle commented, moving towards the door and heading to the hallway, closing the door behind her.
Raia stood there for a moment. It was rather ironic that Jace's family symbol was a Heron in flight. She didn't think much of it. She looked at the clothes again. Isabelle had brought her some black leather leggings with an emerald green loose fitting sleeveless tunic top, with some black lacy fingerless gloves. She quickly changed and finished the outfit up with her black knee high leather boots. She French braided her hair across the back of her head ending in a messy bun below her right ear, her long bangs swooped to the right side of her face; her normal hairstyle. She picked up her hair comb and placed it in her hair right above her bun. Quickly looking herself over in the mirror she exited her room and met Isabelle in the hallway. They met up with the boys and left the institute heading down the street.
Raia walked quietly behind the three as they walked down the street. They talked like they had known each other for years. The dark haired male, who had been introduced as Alec, talked about the places he and Magnus had been visiting. Jace and Isabelle would add comments from time to time and tease Alec. Raia felt like she was a third wheel or well forth wheel in this case.
"Oh Jace, you should see Raia's hair comb." Isabelle suddenly remembered, looking back at Raia.
"Why is that?" Jace asked looking confused. "I already look perfect."
"Honestly, Jace." Isabelle sighed. "It's a Heron and it reminded me of your family symbol."
"Wouldn't it be your family symbol too then?" Raia thought out loud.
"Not exactly." Isabelle started after a second.
"The Lightwoods took me in when the man I thought was my father was killed." Jace added.
"I'm sorry." Raia quietly said. She knew it wasn't her place to push.
"It's fine, The Lightwoods are the best thing that happened for me, well outside of meeting Clary." Jace assured her.
"So you two are Alec and Isabelle Lightwood then." Raia commented. "What's your family name Jace?"
"Herondale." Jace simply said in reply.
Raia paused for a moment. Shock ran through her, quickly hiding it. "My family was Nightwolf." She said composing herself.
"You ok?" Jace asked feeling her pause in response.
"Ya." Raia replied. "My family was killed when I was younger too. You seem to have found a great family to take you in. That would have been nice."
"Whatever did happen to the Nightwolf family?" Alec asked the dark haired girl that was walking behind him.
Raia stopped in her tracks, memories of lightning flashing, demons descending on her family, being picked up by her mother, jumping out a window, lying under a broken body, and an evil growl of a laugh. "Raia?" Jace turned towards her. He recognized the look in her eyes, the look of being haunted by nightmares. He grabbed her shoulder, snapping her back to reality. Their eyes connected for a second, she knew he saw the dark memories in her eyes. She looked down breaking the connection.
"They were murdered by demons in the night." Raia stated and walked forward.