✓ | Hushed Whispers ⋆ Will Herondale [2]

CHAPTER EIGHT: DARK

◤If anything tears this family apart, it will be your own selfish heart.◢

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CHAPTER EIGHT: DARK

ENDLESS, shivering darkness almost felt comforting on Marie's skin. The way its hand outstretched to take the Shadowhunter girl in, Marie Wayland swore that she could have mistook the gesture for a warm and kind welcome. Except that it was neither of the two; it was simply a charade put up in order to fool the girl into surrendering herself to the enchanting and rather captivating powers of the black infinity.

The brunette's eyes opened more quickly than they have shut, hoping to magically erase the embrace of nothingness. Unfortunately for Marie, the soundless, black ocean was replaced with a swirling rush of skin-cutting breeze. It buzzed in the girl's ears, tying together the unruly locks of brown. It made the girl lift up her hands to form a shield, but alas - it did not help much. Marie's arms and cheeks were mercilessly bitten by the mad gushes of wind.

"Celine," Will's silhouette appeared before Marie's hazel eyes. He stood tall and proud, dressed in his finest shirt and trousers. A rare and most sincere smile decorated his face.

"Will!" Marie couldn't believe that she was finally seeing him. It felt like she hadn't glanced at the boy in months, but now - he was there with her. Will was greeting her with a smile, opening his arms for her. He had wanted her to come home, to the place she had belonged to.

There was nothing that was preventing Marie from running straight into the Herondale's warm embrace; she couldn't deny that he was always the one she kept on returning back to. No matter what.

So, she did that. She sped up and as she was about to feel the heat of his body and melt in his sweet and strong arms, Will dissolved into thin air. He simply disappeared, as a little flicker of red flame who was brutally murdered by a wave of ice cold water.

"Will?" Marie hectically turned around, her eyes desperately searching for her childhood friend. "Will!"

"Marie?" This time, it was Gabriel who spoke Marie's name. The brunette boy she had grown to like was tightly gripping onto his stomach. His hands and torso were bloody, his face painted with pain. But it wasn't that sight that had scared Marie the most. It was his eyes.

The green irises that had presented an escape from reality to Marie - a safe place from all the worries that were trying to catch up with her - were laced with fear and disbelief. They watched the girl as if she were a beast and a simple glimpse of that look had left the brunette speechless, shattered.

What did she do?

"Gabriel?" The brunette warrior stumbled clumsily toward the boy. "Gabriel, are you okay?"

"No, no, no," the stepped backwards, unexpectedly hitting the ground. He groaned loudly. "Please don't kill me. I didn't do anything to you."

"What?" Marie's eyes widened. She felt defeated. "Why would I do that?"

But instead of answering to the girl, Gabriel's gaze was fixed solely on her hands. Marie followed the boy's eyes, a shriek leaving her mouth as soon as she caught a sight of a bloodied sword her right palm was gripping tightly.