Living Like Legends [Alec Lightwood]

{Chapter Two}

Ashe

Ashe slowly opened her eyes and then closed them again.

Open.

Close.

Open.

The ceiling was high and sloped.  A bright white that physically hurt her head.  The walls were white, the floor was white, the bed sheets were white.

Where-

Her arms were restrained.

Startled, she bolted upright in the bed and jerked. The bonds held and a person to her right jumped at the same time she did.

"Hey-hey, calm down." It was a guy sitting next to her, with dark hair and blue eyes, that were the color of the sea on a crystal clear day.

Suddenly her shoulder gave a burst of pain and she gasped, falling back on the pillows.

"Yeah, you're gonna rip your stitches if you do that again." His voice was rough but somehow gentle at the same time.

When the pain faded enough she asked, "Where am I?"

He raised his eyebrows and apparently decided not to answer her question before calling down the hall, "Guys-she's awake."

There was a clambering before two more figures appeared in the doorway. The first was a blonde haired guy with a square jaw and wide eyes.  The second was a willowy dark-haired goddess looking girl with gorgeous brown eyes and red lips.

"She asked where she is." The boy sitting next to her bed told the blonde- haired one. He looked at Ashe. "You're at the Institute."

The Institute. She'd made it.

Ashe breathed out slowly. "Are you Shadow Hunters?"

They seemed taken aback. "How do you know what Shadow Hunters are?" The girl asked quizzically.

"She appeared on our floor out of nowhere, Izzy. She's obviously not a mundane." The dark-haired boy folded his arms. "Why are you here? And who are you?"

"My name is Ashlyne Malov.  But just call me Ashe."

"Jace." The blond haired one said slowly, naming himself. "This is Alec and Isabelle."

Alec folded his arms.  "You think that's wise, Jace?  Telling her who we are?"

"Shut up, Alec."  Isabelle slapped Alec lightly on the shoulder and leaned forward.  "Are you a Shadow Hunter?"

Ashe shook her head, dark tendrils of hair floating around her face.  "I am not from this realm."

"What is that supposed to me?"  Alec asked skeptically.

"It means she's not a part of this world."  Jace answered.  "She travelled here by portal.  That's probably the sound we heard.  Am I right?"

Ashe nodded again.

"If you aren't from this dimension, then why are you here?"  Isabelle tucked piece of hair behind her ear.

Ashe sucked in a deep, painful breath.  Fresh images of the throne room flickered through her mind.  Atlas and her father and the others-
She abruptly shut down that train of thought and fiercely told herself she wasn't going to break down in front of these three, especially not Alec who just seemed to rub her the wrong way.  "My realm is in grave danger."

"Okay so what does that have to do with us? Why are you here, in this Institute now?"  Alec's tone was accusing.

Ashe leveled him with a glare.  "A few weeks ago we fell under attack from an enemy we could not defeat.  My dimension began to crumble; piece by piece. As our enemy grew in power, we in turn shrank in number." She shook her head. "I can see now, we never stood a chance. My father decided we would need to look outside our realm for aid and allies. However we never got that far. In a matter of days the enemy had overwhelmed us, burning our remaining buildings and laying siege to our fortress.
"Many sacrificed their lives but it was still not enough. My father was one of those. With no other choice, I came through the portal, landing here."

"Okay, but I still don't see what that has to do with Shadow Hunters." Jace folded his arms. "We never even knew other dimensions existed- much less yours."

"You came to ask us for help, didn't you?"  Isabelle's dark eyes were wide.

"Yes.  While you three may not have known we existed, your Clave does.  We have been in contact with them for centuries."

"But no one is here now."  Jace murmured.  "They're all at the Gathering."

Ashe's heart sank.  "It's just you three?"

"For now."  Isabelle said.

Alec shook his head.  "What makes you think they would even listen to you anyways?"

"My father did not plan on asking you for aid." Ashe grimaced. "He said it was owed to us."

"Why?" Alec demanded.

"Because," she said, glancing up at him. "The man destroying our realm was once a Shadow Hunter.  His name is Valentine. And once he's finished with my dimension, he will be more powerful than you can imagine. He will come here and destroy the world."