ELEANORA'S POV
The carriage ride is mostly quiet. Jem talks to Tessa, pointing out areas of interest. Will, on the other hand, drums his fingers on his black-trousered knees, eyes distant. I sit next to him, Tessa and Jem across us.
I watch Jem. He's different around Tessa. His eyes lightening up, looking at her as if there's no one else in the room.
I finally grab Will's wrist, scowling at him.
"You are making me more nervous. Stop," I say.
Will rolls his eyes but rests his hand on his knee. I can tell he's filled with energy, though.
"Shall we go in, my betrothed?" Jem says to Tessa once we've reached.
"Let us beard the lion in his den together," Tessa jokes.
She puts her hand through his arm. They make their way up the steps of the church; Tessa looks back at the top, and sees Will gazing up after them, apparently unheeding as Gottshal taps him on the shoulder, saying something into his ear.
I nudge Will gently. "Are you alright?"
Will nods, flashing me a grin. "Let's go."
He offers me his arm and I loop mine through it.
The inside of the church is wall and dark compared to the London Institute's. Pews dark with age runs the length of the walls, and above them witchlight tapers burn in holders made of blackened iron. At the front of the church, in front of a veritable cascade of burning candles, stands an old man dressed all in Shadowhunter black. His hair and beard is thick and gray, standing out wildly around his head, his gray-black eyes half-hidden beneath massive eyebrows, his skin scored with the marks of age.
"Young Herondale, are you?" he barks as Will steps forward to introduce himself, detaching himself from me. "Half-mundane, half-Welsh, and the worst traits of both, I've heard."
Will smiles politely. "Diolch."
Starkweather bristles. "Mongrel tongue," he mutters, and turns his gaze to Jem. "James Carstairs," he says. "Another Institute brat. And you. Nightstorm. Shameful. Your family is quite messed up now, I heard, with your Father and all—"
I cut in, unable to help myself. "Don't talk of my Father."
Starkweather eyes me. "An interesting man, if I do say so myself."
I clamp my mouth shut.
"I've half a mind to tell the lot of you to go to blazes. That upstart bit of a girl, that Charlotte Fairchild, foisting you all on me with nary a by-your-leave." He has a little of the Yorkshire accent that his servant has, though much fainter; still, the way he pronounces "I" does sound a bit like "Ah." "None of that family ever had a bit o' manners. I could do without her father, and I can do without—"
His seems to finally notice Tessa then, and he stops abruptly, his mouth open, as if he had been slapped in the face midsentence. I glance around, and both Tessa and Jem seem shocked at Starkweather's sudden silence. But there, in the breach, is Will.
"This is Tessa Gray, sir," he says. "She is a mundane girl, but she is the betrothed of Carstairs here, and an Ascendant."
"A mundane, you say?" demands Starkweather, his eyes wide.
"An Ascendant," says Will in his most soothing, silken voice. "She has been a faithful friend to the Institute in London, and we hope to welcome her into our ranks soon."
"A mundane," the old man repeats, and breaks into a fit of coughing. "Well, times have—Yes, I suppose then—" His eyes skips across Tessa's face again, and he turns to Gottshall, who is looking martyred among the luggage. "Get Cedric and Andrew to help you bring our guests' belongings up to their rooms," he says. "And do tell Ellen to instruct Cook to set four extra places for dinner tonight. I may have forgotten to remind her that we would have guests."
The servant gapes at his master before nodding in a seeming daze. I was almost sure that he'd send us back. I keep my face friendly though, smiling politely as I look at the rest. Only Will, blue eyes wide and face as innocent as a choirboy's, seemed as if he had expected nothing else.
"Well, come along, then," says Starkweather gruffly. "You needn't stand there. Follow me and I'll show you to your rooms."
~
"What's going on?" I ask, leaning on the doorframe.
"What?" Will turns and notices me.
My eyes narrow. "You were all... grumpy on the train."
"As I said, too much to drink," Will says.
I roll my eyes. "You're not fooling anyone, Liam."
Will goes a slight white. "What do you mean?"
I shake my head. "Nothing. It's dinner. Are you coming?"
"It won't be very charming if I didn't," Will says. His eyes scan me then. "You're not wearing gear."
I look down at myself. I wear a simple blood red dress, simple but elegant enough.
I shrug. "It won't be very charming if I did."
Will looks away for a moment. "Shall we go?"
I nod. "We shall."
We head down together.
"Hopefully we will be out of this place by tomorrow," Will says, leaning in close to whisper into my ear as we enter the dining hall. I can feel his hair tickling my skin.
I laugh softly, noticing that Starkweather isn't here. I also notice Tessa watching us.
"Hopefully," I say, my lips barely moving.
We take our seats across from Tessa and Jem.
"By the Angel," Will says, scraping his fork through the brownish mess on his plate. "What is this stuff?"
I fiddle with the ring around my neck, thinking about what Starkweather had said. Your family is quite messed up now, I heard, with your Father and all.
"What is this?" Will goes on, spearing an unfortunate object on a fork and raising it to eye level. "This . . . this . . . thing?"
"A parsnip?" Jem suggests.
"A parsnip planted in Satan's own garden," says Will. He glances about. "I don't suppose there's a dog I could feed it to."
"There don't seem to be any pets about," Jem—who loves all animals, even the inglorious and ill-tempered Church—observes.
"Probably all poisoned by parsnips," says Will.
"Oh, dear," Tessa says sadly, lying her fork down. "And I was so hungry too."
"There's always the dinner rolls," Will says, pointing to a covered basket. "Though I warn you, they're as hard as stones. You could use them to kill black beetles, if any beetles bother you in the middle of the night."
"Are you alright, Ella?"
I look up and see Jem leaning over the table, whispering to me as Will says some sort of a "poetic" poem.
I don't answer. Jem always knows.
Jem lays a hand over mine. "When we get back to London, I'll take you demon hunting, okay?"
I give a small smile. "I would like that."
Jem smiled radiantly. "I've missed it."
I laugh softly. "Me too."
Just then, Starkweather enters. I sit up, hand covering the ring around my neck.
I don't realise that I'd tuned everyone out until I'm called out.
"Nightstorm?"
I startle back into present time.
I blink, looking at Starkweather. "Yes?"
"Is that a binding ring?"
I clutch the ring which is a flashing white now, fear clouding my thoughts. Fear for Caspian. What is he dreaming of?
"Yes," I say curtly.
"Who gave it to you?"
I hesitate. "Does that really matter?"
"Was it your Father? He's still alive, isn't he?"
I blink in surprise. Everyone else looks at me in shock.
"No. Not my Father," I say slowly. "Why would he want to be bound to me?"
"So your Brother," Starkweather nods slowly. "Your Father gave it to you? It looks like one of his works."
I finally manage to collect myself, stamping down my shock and the white pain in my head. I clear my face and frown.
"I haven't seen my Father for four years," I say clearly. "This was a gift from my Brother."
"A gift, you say? That's not what I would call it," Starkweather says, eyes narrowing on me. "More like a curse. To feel all that he feels."
I stand. "How do you know all this?"
Starkweather seems surprised by my reaction.
"Your Father—"
"I remember," I snap. "I remember. But how. Only me and mother knew."
"Mind your temper, Miss Nightstorm," Starkweather makes an annoyed sound. "Your mother told me."
"She what? Why would she do such a thing?" I exclaim.
Starkweather shrugs. "I have something for you. Main reason she told me. You should know why I have it."
My eyes narrow but I nod.
Starkweather digs into his pocket and tosses me a black box. It's familiar. Too familiar.
"I trust you know how to open it?"
I nod, clutching the box tightly. "I'll go, then."
"It's best if you do."
I grit my teeth together and walk out.
"Nora!"
Will grabs my arm, making me stop, just as I reach the door. I look up at him.
He hesitates. Then says, "what is Starkweather talking about?"
I shake my head. "Nothing you need to know of." Then I lower my voice. "Liam, make sure when he shows you his collection you watch out for Tessa. Trust me. I'll be gone for a while. I'll be back by tomorrow, though. Don't worry about me."
Will nods, then releases me. I dash out and to my room to change.