Fragile Hearts (TID - Will Herondale fanfic)

Chapter 36: Schlange

ELEANORA'S POV
I lead Will into a small room far away from the drawing room so Caspian and Magnus won't be able to listen in.

Will and I lean against opposite walls, a leg up on the wall, watching each other warily.

"You shouldn't have been there tonight," I finally say.

"I was doing my duty as a Shadowhunter," Will says, voice ragged. Something had happened to him.

  I scan him, my eyes narrowed. "I won't speak to you unless you let me deal with that arm of yours."

  Will blinks in surprise, clearly not having expected that. I walk over to him and gently pull his sleeve up, shaking my head.

  "It's not important," Will says, and I grab his arm before he can pull away.

  Will's forearm bears a long, deep, and bloody gash. Blood bracelets his wrist and drips from his fingers. Embedded in the gash, like a crystal sunk into the wall of a cave, is a single white tooth.

  I wince. "How?"

  "That stupid demon," Will says. "I—"

  "Get it out, Herondale. It could be poisonous. Don't you think?" I say, concern flooding through me.

  "Not a lot," Will says.

  I scowl and reach for the tooth and yank it out. Will sucks in a gasp of pain.

  "That," I hiss, "is for not thinking."

  "I need my answers."

  I draw out my stele and make an iratze for his arm. The bleeding slows, but it's too deep of a gash.

  "I was forced to go with Caspian," I say. "Did you not see Gabriel and Gideon? Like them, Caspian and I had to be there."

  "What did that man call you? Schlange," Will says, watching me as I take out a piece of cloth and clean the blood off his fingers.

  My hand is encircled loosely around his wrist and his slim fingers are all bloodied.

  "It's German," I say. "Unless you didn't know, the Nightstorm family originates from Germany."

  "That explains the eyes," Will says.

  I take Will's hand, having finished cleaning it. "Care to explain why you went after a demon and got this?"

  "It's the demon," Will says, staring at our hands. "It's the demon that cursed me. I found it."

  I blink. Then suddenly Will sways forward. I catch him in my arms.

  "Will?"

  "You were right. That blasted thing was poisonous."

  "You are so stupid, Liam."

~

  I wake up in a familiar room. I have my own room in Camille's house. I've stayed here countless times. I stand slowly and head out quietly.

  Camille. She's back. I can tell instantly.

  The presence in the house is different. Where is Will?

  I head downstairs, and Camille sees me, of course.

  "Ella?"

  "Camille," I smile. "Is something wrong? Where's Magnus?"

  "He went out with his lover," Camille says, scowling. "That Shadowhunter. I don't suppose you know him?"

  I realise instantly what Magnus had done.