Fragile Hearts (TID - Will Herondale fanfic)

Chapter 31: Return Journey

ELEANORA'S POV
  "Eleanora Nightstorm."

  I look up to Tessa's hard voice, blinking as my hand falls from the ring to reveal white. Blinding white. I suck in a breath. My pain and his combined.

  "Yes?"

  "By the Angel," Jem says, hurrying to me. "Ella, why didn't you say anything?"

  I bite my lower lip as Jem takes me gently by the elbow.

  Will looks up and notices, and his eyes go wide. His face whitens. Or am I imagining it?

  "Nora," He breaths out, pushing Jem out of the way. The cloth at my shoulder is torn off, my whole sleeve, revealing the black swirling marks there.

  Will takes out his stele and makes me a quick iratze. I relish in the burning sensation.

  I feel the numbing sensation of me healing. I exhale softly, and Will straightens, watching me.

"I'm fine," I say, waiting for the wound to heal up. Or at least for the pain to dull. It'll take more than a day for that to heal.

Will opens his mouth but I clamp my hand over his mouth, shutting him off.

"We'd better go back," I say, and Jem looks amused. "Before they come with reinforcements."

~

"Are you cold, Will?" Tessa asks in the carriage, but Will only shakes his head, his eyes still staring, unseeing, at the passing countryside. I simply watch Will, my shoulder aching, as Jem draws yet another iratze on me.

Jem speaks, his voice clear and direct. "Will," he says. "I thought . . . I thought that your sister was dead."

Will draws his gaze from the window and looks at them both. When he smiles, it is a ghastly one. "My sister is dead," he says.

And that is all he says.

~

"Me specta, me specta," Jem is saying to Will, but he isn't listening. Not exactly.

Jem finally looks at me. Tessa seems to be half sleeping, Will is barely paying attention to anyone.

"Talk to him," Jem says softly. "I'll be back soon."

"Jem, wait," I say, standing as he does. "Jem, I'm sorry about yesterday. Starkweather mentioning my father and everything."

Jem gives me a small smile. "We'll talk about this later, Ella. Please, talk to Will."

I shake my head stubbornly. "Tessa will talk to him."

Jem nods slowly. "Follow me then."

We both head out, and I wet a cloth while Jem gets a glass of water.

We head back to the compartment and Jem opens the door, revealing Will, leaning forward, as if he were going to strike the window. His eyes are on Tessa. It's clear that Tessa did manage to talk to him.

He looks toward the both of us, leaning back again.

I hesitate, feeling Caspian's concern for me through the ring.

I toss Jem the cloth which he catches expertly.

I tune them out as I take a seat in a solitary corner, thinking back about my visit to Magnus's.

Suddenly, I'm not sure how long after, Jem coughs.

I'm on my feet in an instant, alert. So is Will. He looks to me for a split second, his eyes conveying a hidden message.

Its over in less than a second. My attention returns to Jem, who wipes a hand over his mouth. There is no blood visible. My shoulders relax, the look of concern gone from my face.

"Just some dust in my throat," He reassures.

I relax, moving to seat myself next to Will.

"Will—" I start, but he cuts me off.

"Don't say anything," He says harshly. Then he sighs, and lays his hand out. "Just... just hold my hand, Nora. Please."

I'm startled, but I do as told. I take his cold hand in my warm one and hold it. He clutches at my hand tightly but I don't mind.

~

The train begins to slow as the platform comes into view. Will is already on his feet, hand detached from mine, reaching for the compartment door latch. He swings it open and leaps out and down.

He lands lightly on his feet and begins to run, pushing his way among the crowding porters, the commuters, the gentility traveling north for the weekend with their massive trunks and hunting hounds on leashes, the newspaper boys and pickpockets and costermongers and all the other human traffic of the grand station.

Jem is on his feet, hand reaching for the door—but he turns back and looks at Tessa. Then he looks at me and I shake my head at him. A small gesture. Jem seats himself back down.

"But Will—," Tessa begins.

"He will be all right," says Jem with conviction. "You know how he is. Sometimes he just wants to be alone. And I doubt he wishes to take part in recounting today's experiences to Charlotte and the others. Will can take care of himself, Tessa."