Change [Book 1 of The Elemental Marks]

Chapter 23

"I need to know what else you found out from Charlie. Withholding information is dangerous for both of us. Would you please tell me?"

Lina threw her face into her hands. She was so stupid. She stayed like that, sulking over the boy that Carson would never be for a long moment. "Lina?"

"The answer is and always will be no," she told her, looking up. He looked hurt, more hurt than he would've been if she had said anything about their relationship.

"I probably already know it," he pleaded. "Just let me know what--"

"Don't you get it? Charlie died because she had this information. I'm this close to getting out alive, and I need you to let me do that. I don't care how close you think you are to Damian or the Clave or the Consul. They will punish you for knowing this. I don't know why, but I know it's already happened."

"I'll find it out myself," he argued. "Whatever you did to know, I'll do it too. It's only a matter of time."

Lina shook her head. "You had time to figure it out, but you didn't. Obviously you were the wrong person. It's gone now."

The anger on his face was evident. She knew he wanted her to share it. He didn't understand that she stopped trusting him. "So you're the only one left that knows?" he said.

Lina thought of how she handed the book to Alia. "Yes," she lied.

The boy shook his head. "I don't think you're doing the right thing."

"It doesn't matter what you think anymore." And when she said it, she believed it.

Carson straightened up. "I'll just go then," he said. He didn't move for a minute, waiting for her to argue, or maybe even taking her in one last time. Then he turned and went.

"I should be going, too," Lina said, more to herself than him. She grabbed her bag and glanced at the room. Charlie had made it a nice place to live, but it would always be her room.

Downstairs, Lina found Wyatt training in the back room. She was hesitant to disturb him but knew this would be her last chance to say good bye.

Lina entered the room just as Wyatt was tossing polished rock into a target. His face was hardened over in concentration to the point where he almost looked angry. The rock exploded into the wall. Wyatt was still frowning in a way that Lina had never seen before. It didn't seem like something his face should do.

"Wyatt?" she asked softly.

The boy turned and his face immediately changed. He was back to full on grinning at her. The change had been so automatic that Lina wondered if it was out of habit or actual happiness that it occurred.

"I'm about to leave," she explained. "I just wanted to say good bye. And thanks for being a friend."

He smiled a little wider and ran over to her. He gripped her in a sweaty hug that she didn't mind at all. "Aw, Lin, I'm gonna miss you around here. We'll keep in touch, right?"

She waited until he let her go, then she looked at his near green eyes. In her heart she knew he must've been born with brown eyes, but she couldn't picture it. She wondered how things would've changed if she had fallen for those eyes instead of Carson's.

Couldn't have happened, a voice told her. It was always Carson.

"Definitely. Keep up the good work."

"You too," he said, and then the moment was over. Lina went out, letting him continue throwing rocks. She was met with Damian in the kitchen. He carried papers in a manila folder.

"Everything is squared away. The Consul had approved your departure and the Philadelphia Institute is awaiting your return. The only thing that's left is to go over the terms of your release," Damian explained.

"Sure," Lina agreed, trying not to sound too surprised. It all sounded too easy. But maybe these terms wouldn't be.

He sat down at the kitchen table, so she followed. He had notes in front of him. He glanced at her and then at the page. "First off, within the walls of this institute is the only place you are ever permitted to waterbend. If you are found to be using these powers at any other time, you will have to return here and will not be allowed back home. Second, you can tell no one of the information you learned here or of your Mark."

None of it was totally shocking, but Lina found it hard to imagine herself pretending this part of her life had never happened.

"What will I say instead?" she asked.

"Exactly what you said when you were leaving. We discovered that any fay with interest in you were isolated and likely not even targeting you specifically. They have been handled, you are completely safe."

Lina nodded, trying to imagine repeating the words to Tommie. She could make up more details for him.

"Anything else?" she asked.

"You can't reach out to the rest of the benders. It would be too suspicious. If you need me, I'm accessible through fire message. Lastly, if for any reason you feel you are losing control of your bending abilities, come to me about it. I can help. I want to be a resource for you." The last words held a gentler tone. He stopped reading his notes and was looking at her very seriously.

Lina managed to nod. She wasn't sure if she would take the offer or not, but if the time came, she could decide then. "Thank you. For everything."

Damian smiled at her. "I've been happy to help you control your powers. You've come far."

And with that, Damian drew Lina a portal rune.

"It's noon there," he reminded her gently. Lina had forgotten the time difference. The day would just be starting there when it felt like she had done all she could already. Nodding, she stepped up, thought of home and dove into the portal.

The moment she spent in magical suspense was a time of disconnect and in between. It related a lot to Lina at the moment, though she didn't realize it until she was back on solid ground. She found herself exactly where she imagined, on the steps of the Philadelphia Institute. It was pouring rain. 

She stayed there for a minute, a little too far from the doors for them to open. Her hair was quickly soaked, but she took in the feeling. This felt like the most real thing that had happened in two months. Finally, she stepped up.

The doors answered her angel blood by creaking open. She was invited into the gloomy light of foyer of the Institute, greeted by a statue of Raziel. It looked like home. She thought it might've felt different, but of course, nothing changed around here. Except maybe the people.

A single thought beat in her mind after that, the only thing stronger than the need for sleep: Tommie. 

She headed straight to her best friend's room, ignoring the fact that maybe she should find Vic, maybe she should unpack, maybe he wasn't here, and knocked on the door.

The light haired Shadowhunter opened the door, and the change on his face was evident. At first, nothing, then full recognition. He grinned and pounced on her. 

"Lina," he breathed into her hair.

"Tommie," she breathed back.

They stayed like that for a minute. "We have a lot to catch up on," he said.

Lina nodded into his shoulder. "Let's just stay like this for a little, okay?"

And so they did.