Dusk Till Dawn [ will herondale ]

11 - shattered glass

"It was a lonely, cold thing to live without expectations."

Kiersten White, And I Darken (The Conqueror's Saga, #1)

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Arabella should've know Will and Jem would follow her. She had barely made it halfway down the corridor when they caught up to her, casually walking on either side of her. Will opted to linger on her left side, leaving Jem to walk to her right. "You didn't really think we weren't going to come along, did you?" Will asked, raising his eyebrow at Arabella in amusement. Arabella narrowed her eyes, still reeling from his bold statements at the table. Why did he care so damn much? Charlotte and Tessa walked ahead of their group, conversing quietly together.

"I know you can't leave anything well enough alone." Arabella replies, looking straight ahead. Will cast a sideways look at the girl, trying to stop himself from smirking. "But I thought better of you, Jem."

"Where Will goes, I go." Jem didn't even hesitate as he responded. It was meant to lighten the tense air between the three, but only succeeded in multiplying it. A flicker of jealousy jumped into her chest, begging her to blurt what her mind was thing; What about me? Why didn't you follow me? "And besides, I'm as curious as he is."

"I'm glad you're just curious about the affairs of my life, James." Arabella snapped snidely, the feeling in her chest multiplying. She tried to swallow the fear building in her stomach, but it kept gnawing at her. She didn't mean to be snide, but she was still adjusting. Arabella figured she hadn't quite gotten over their bond as well as she had thought. As they continued to walk towards the room holding the vampire, she couldn't help but feel sick. She didn't mean to be, for the lack of a better word, racist towards all vampires. Arabella just had horrible memories involving vampires, and other creatures.

Arabella cast a glance at Jem, before tossing her hair behind her shoulder. The act caused Will to grin at his best friend. Arabella quickened her pace until she was able to catch up to Tess and Charlotte. "Did they become too much?" Tessa asked, noticing the flicker of anger pass across Arabella's face.

"No, not at all." She responded, continuing to walk with the two women. After a couple minutes of walking, they reached the end of the corridor and turned left. The next hall stretching away behind them into unprepossessing shadows.

"Have we turned the wrong way?" Tessa asked, bewildered. Arabella nodded along, just as startled. She had trouble finding her way to her room, let alone exploring the Institute for a hidden doorway. Arabella jumped when she felt Will's breathe across her cheek. It was like a burst of cold air, lightly kissing her cheek, as he passed. The brush of his hand against her shoulder causing goosebumps to arise across her arms. 

"Patience is a virtue, Miss Gray," Will responded, smirking at Arabella's reaction. The girl fascinated him to unspeakable ends. In order to get away from the overwhelming urge to kiss, or slap, Will, Arabella briskly marched forward. Charlotte, followed closely behind before taking the lead. They reached a long corridor that sloped precipitously downward. The walls were bare of tapestries or torches, and the dimness made Tessa realize why Will had carried his witchlight stone.

"This corridor leads to our Sanctuary," Charlotte explained. Arabella nodded absentmindedly. "It is the only part of the Institute that is not on hallowed ground. It is where we meet with those who, for whatever reason, cannot enter hallowed ground: those who are cursed, vampires, and the like. It is also often a place we choose to shelter Downworlders who are in danger from demons or other denizens of the Shadow World. For that reason, there are many protections placed on the doors, and it is difficult to enter or exit the room without possessing either a stele or the key."