✓ | Hushed Whispers ⋆ Will Herondale [2]

CHAPTER FORTY THREE: SACRIFICING

◤Well, James. I thought you'd never ask. I just so happen to have a marvelous dress prepared in the closet of mine. It had waited long enough for this occasion, I suppose.◢

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CHAPTER FORTY THREE: SACRIFICING

THE hood of her crimson cloak hid her face.

Even though she was tucked away in a chapel of St. John, she kept it on. At first, she assumed it was because of the darkened skin under her eyes, but it took her seconds to realize that she was only trying to fool herself.

A lone tear glided down her cheek as she allowed her mind to recollect the events from that particular morning.

It all started bright and happy. With the sun's rays peeking through Institute's windows, Tessa's eyes fluttered open. She was in a fairly good condition, much to everyone's surprise.

Marie couldn't lie and say that embracing Tessa and talking to her friend again didn't make her heart jump in happiness. It did.

However, not even a wide grin on Tessa's face could compensate for the fact Will was, once again, missing. The night before, she had been more than grateful to see him awake and well, but she had let her jealousy and worry get in the way. She had abandoned Will's side when things became too much, allowing him to leave the Institute without even bothering to try and stop him.

It was foolish of her; she would be the first one to admit. At that time, it had seemed like a good idea. But now? She wasn't as sure.

And as if her tiny spat with Will wasn't enough to shake her mood, Marie had also discovered that Tessa had caught Sophie and Gideon together. Namely, the Gray girl returned to the Institute for a brief moment before their mission, only to witness Gideon proposing to Sophie. Of course, Sophie declined, blaming him for mocking her.

Despite Tessa's slight prejudice against the Lightwoods, Marie didn't think that Gideon was an... unfit choice for Sophie. Marie had the opportunity of meeting the older Lightwood and he had proved himself to be trustworthy and honest in his intentions, graced with a sharp mind and a big heart.

One would think that the particular happenings were enough to make Marie's morning interesting, but her problems didn't stop there. Adding salt to her wounds, the Wayland girl caught Charlotte writing a letter of resignation. The very woman who thought of Marie as a little sister was determined to freely give away her position to no other man than Benedict Lightwood.

Now, Marie didn't directly witness the scene, but she had surely heard the shouting matches exchanged between the woman and her husband. Tucked away behind the door of the library room, the couple argued, Henry - for the first time - being determined to win a fight against his wife.

That was when Marie decided to leave. Intruding someone's private conversations wasn't something that brought immense joy to the girl, so she found herself snatching away her cloak and heading toward the exit of the Institute.

"Are you all right?"

The Wayland girl couldn't help but smile as she felt a hand rubbing her back. She had almost forgotten that her parabatai had been keeping her company, seated next to her in one of the seats of the old church.