Muffled noises echoed around me, my hearing going in and out with the banging of my heart within my ribcage. Someone picked me up, and my body was suddenly in the air. My green eyes tried to stay open, but I had just as much control over my body as a racecar driver did when he hit a bump in the track. I tried to spit out a question, but my words were slurred and incomprehensible.

“She’s going into shock.” Alec’s voice echoed in my ears, the vibration against my ribcage hinting that he was the one who had picked me up. A hand in my hair suggested Maryse, brushing it out of my face. A crashing noise, a slamming door, and then I was surrounded by darkness.

---

And then, all the sudden, I could breathe. I gasped for air, my heart flying into action in my chest, and I bolted upright.

“She lives.” A dry voice came from the corner, followed by the sound of skin on skin. “Ouch! Was that really necessary?” The voice protested, and I recognized Jace’s arrogant whisper.

“Thanks.” I said, trying to stand up. My legs were a little wobbly. “Why is it so dark?” I tried to walk forward, putting my hands out in front of me.

Someone grabbed my wrists. “Because we put on a blindfold to protect your eyes. You were reacting badly to the light and it was causing you to seize, so we just tied this around your head.” I felt something give around the back of my head, and all the sudden I was blinded by the sun.

“Ah, geez.” I slapped my hands over my face and turned away, blinking rapidly.

"How are you feeling, otherwise?" I saw a figure step into my line of vision and recognized Alec.

"I'm a little dizzy, but otherwise I'm okay." I looked at him with one eye squeezed shut. "What happened while I was out?"

He nodded towards the door. "You should come with me and see." Jace prodded me in the back and I slapped at him, tentatively walking forwards. Alec held the door open for me, and I walked out into the hallways of the Institute, and realized I was on a level that I hadn't been before.

"What part of the Institute is this?" I asked, reveling at the vaulted ceilings and huge corridors.

"It's a level that's protected by different spells and glamours to keep us safe," Alec answered, his hands behind his back as he glanced up around him. "Mother says that it's of good use to us right now, considering what's going on in the shadows and the underworld right now."

"Interesting..." I wandered over to the windows, looking out over the city. "Why didn't she ever say anything?"

"She wanted to keep it secret in case we were captured and pressed about it." Alec joined me, pulling me along. "Apparently it wasn't just meant to house people from the other side." He added cryptically.

"That's helpful." I said. Alec stopped abruptly in front of two huge doors. "In here." He said, pushing one of the doors open. I stumbled in, my head still reeling a bit. I saw Percy sitting inside the room with his head in between his knees as he was sitting on the ground and not really paying that close of attention to the outside surroundings.

"Hey." I said, trying to catch his attention. He looked up, noting our presence, and I cocked an eyebrow. "You look worse than I probably do." I cracked a ghost of a smile, and he returned it.

"I'm just worried." He said, pushing himself up onto his feet and dusting his legs off.

A door to the side banged open just as the door behind me shut, and I jumped, my headache returning with an unrelenting pain. Maryse walked through, her hands clothed in gloves. Percy snapped to attention like soldier on the front line. "How is she?" He demanded, looking at Maryse.

She sighed, stripping the gloves off into a trash can. "She's healing." Percy visibly relaxed against the wall, his chest loosening up. "But, that's the least of our worries right now." She looked at me, as serious as I've ever seen her. "I'm glad your're awake - war is just starting to unfold, and we're going to need you to help us stop it."

Notes

Sorry for the late update :| Better now than never, though :)
Happy reading!
<3 Adler