Fragile Hearts (TID - Will Herondale fanfic)

Chapter 67: Take the Leader Out and his Pack is Yours

ELEANORA'S POV
On foot, I manage to reach Cadair Idris by early early morning the next day. I believe it is adrenaline that is keeping me up at this early hour. Or maybe the rune on my arm that keeps me awake.

Nonetheless, I am glad for the strength I have currently.

Where could my dad be? I know him best. I look up, to the hill, knowing how exhausted I would be.

Nonetheless, I must do it for Will. For Tessa. For Jem.

~

It is sunset when I get to the top. I feel the burn of my arms from the Agility, Endurance, Sure-Footing and Stealth runes.

The ground is torn where automatons had walked down the mountain, and I follow them up the path of ruination toward the peak of the mountain.

Their tracks leads up past a tumble of massive boulders. They formed a partial wall that protected Cwm Cau, a small valley atop the mountain in whose heart rested Llyn Cau, a clear glacial lake. The tracks of the clockwork army led from the edge of the lake—

And vanish.

I make an annoyed noise.

The lake. Of course my life has to be so difficult.

I don't hesitate, plunging forward into the icy waters of the lake. They seem to be pulling me in, like quicksand—I barely have time to gasp in a breath before the freezing water drags me down into darkness.

It is dark for only moments. The icy water sucks me down, and then I am falling—I don't have time to get myself in the right landing position, and the ground rises up to slam into me, knocking the breath from my body.

I choke and roll over onto my stomach, pulling myself to a kneeling position. I shiver from the cold of the water, my hair soaked and my clothes just as wet. I reach for my stele and draw out a Night-Vision rune on my arm.

My sight sharpens and I can see that I am in a rocky cavern. I look up and I see the swirling waters of the lake, held in abeyance as if by glass, and a blurred bit of moonlight. Tunnels lead off the cavern, with no markings to show where they might lead. I sit and wait. My Father would be coming soon.

He would sense me. He would know.

I blend into the shadows as the occasional few automatons walk by. At some point, they all stop coming. I had let down my hair to wring out the water, and my clothes are partially dry now, thanks to the heat from my runes.

He comes then. My father is dressed in a black cloak that covers everything underneath. I don't hesitate. I pull out a dagger and lunge forward.

I catch him by surprise, as I crash into him, flinging him back against the wall. He grunts, shoves me off him, and runs.

He is running from me.

I hesitate, then run after him. My tired legs don't help but they're good enough.

Dad disappears into a room and I halt at the entrance. Dad smirks at me.

"You step past that entrance and you'll be trapped in here with me. There's an invisible barrier, you see," Dad laughs at me. "Your choice."

You have to save Will.

I grit my teeth together and look for what's making the barrier. It's hidden too well. I don't have time for this. I pull out a whip and a dagger from my belt.

My dad's eyes widen as I lunge into the room, at him.

"You bitch," He says.

My whip lashes out. My dad, though, is a Shadowhunter. He has runes on him—Agility, Strength, Sure Footedness and Night Vision—and has had the training of a Shadowhunter. He and my mum taught me, after all.

"You can't possibly hope to kill me," Dad says. "You won't be able to. I am your Father."

I grit my teeth. "We shall let the fight decide that."

I slash out with my dagger. But he keeps managing to jump back.

I'm getting exhausted. Tired. We've been fighting for almost an hour. Me attacking, dad blocking.

Dad sees this.

He isn't my Father anymore. He stopped being my Father when he left us. When he got my Mother killed.

I take a deep breath. My dagger is released, and my free hand immediately goes for my seraph blade. Dad, of course, steps out of the way of my dagger, laughing.

  I'm moving so fast I'm sure he doesn't see me. I feel the burn of the Endurance rune. I'm already lunging.

  I bring the blade forward.

  I hear that terrible gasp of pain. The shock laced with it, and I close my eyes as I hear his body hit the ground.

  I drop the seraph blade, panting. I look down and see his body. The bloody wound at his chest, right at his heart.

  Ave atque vale.

  I whisper the words in my head.

  I see the life leave his eyes and that's when the impact of the past week hits me. The sore muscles from the riding, the exhaustion from climbing up Cadair Idris and all that battling.

  My runes seem to give out all at once, and I manage to get to the barrier wall, still barricaded. I lean heavily against the invisible wall as a Downworlder suddenly is standing at the entrance of the room, staring from me to my dad.

  I recognise the Downworlder from a party or two.

  I look over at him. "You're free. Leave, now, before I have to unleash the wrath of the Nephilim on you and the rest. You will be the first to face it if you don't go, Werewolf."

  The Downworlder nods quickly. He will spread the word. I know he will. He leaves, and the last bit of my remaining strength fades.

  I fall back to the ground, letting myself rest.