Fragile Hearts (TID - Will Herondale fanfic)

Chapter 51: Consul's Visit

ELEANORA'S POV
  Magnus enters the library again, and looks from Will to me. Then he looks at me, and our eyes meet. Secret understanding passes between us.

  I nod and smile at Will. "I'll let the both of you talk now."

  I head out of the library, moving back to the drawing room. I don't go in though, opting to wait outside. I can hear the muffled voices of Woolsey and Tessa.

  Will and Magnus appear not long after, and the three of us head inside.

  Will looks from Tessa to Woolsey and laughs. I hide my own grin as I move to Tessa, taking the poker from her and laying it back down.

  "We should go," I say, looking out the window.

  Woolsey grins at me. "You tell your Brother that you're alright?"

  I nod. "Yes. You'll write if he comes here?"

  "Of course I would, darling," Woolsey says. "You need not worry."

  I nod. Then I walk over to Magnus.

  I give him a short hug, and as I do, I whisper to him, "there is nothing that can help him, is there?"

  "No," Magnus whispers, and I pull away.

  Magnus stares at me as I secretly compose myself, shifting away my pain and replacing it with a certain lonely blankness.

  Will walks up to me and takes my hand.

I squeeze his hand briefly, then let go of it, moving to Tessa. I hook my arm with hers, smiling at her as we walk out the house.

"Don't worry, Tessa," I say.

Tessa gives me a sad smile, and Will walks beside me as we head into the carriage Cyril had driven here.

~

  Breakfast is absolutely dreadful. Gideon and Gabriel come down together, both subdued, Gabriel barely saying anything, aside from asking Henry to pass the butter. Cecily has placed herself at the far end of the table and was reading a book as she ate; Will, across from Tessa, has the dark shadows of sleeplessness below his eyes, a memory of our eventful night; Tessa pokes unenthusiastically at her kedgeree, keeping silent.

  I sit next to Cecily, and she puts her book down, looking at me gravely.

  "Where were you?" She demands, speaking in hushed tones.

  I shrug. "At Magnus Bane's house."

"Are you alright?" Cecily asks. "Back at the garden—the demon had bitten your arm, hadn't it?"

Gabriel looks at me, concern crossing his features.

I shake my head slightly at him.

"I'm fine," I say to Cecily. "Few iratzes did the trick."

Will looks over at me, and something reprimanding in his look makes me look away.

Then suddenly Jem enters. I feel a surge of relief. He looks pale, and also tired. He slides into the seat beside Tessa.

"Good morning."

"You look much better, Jemmy," Charlotte observes with delight.

Charlotte calls me Jemmy sometimes. I don't mind, though, I remember Jem telling me once.

"I am, quite," Jem says. "The Silent Brothers were of great assistance." He reaches to pour himself a cup of tea, and meets my eyes for a second.