CASPIAN'S POV
I am in the training room when they enter. Gideon and Gabriel Lightwood. I have never met them before, but I know that Ella holds them in high regard.
I tilt my head sideways at them, sweat beading down my neck.
"You must be Gideon and Gabriel Lightwood," I say casually, laying down my knife.
"That we are," Gabriel, the taller yet younger of the two says.
"And you are?" Gideon asks in an almost bored tone.
"Caspian."
I am used to acting. The only person who I can't act in front of is Ella. She knows me too well. We had trained together for about twelve years. We both knew what the other was going to do before we did it.
"We've never heard of you," Gabriel says, scowling.
I'm amused, but I don't show it. I simply look confused.
"I've been staying here for a while now," I say.
Sophie enters the room, and I notice the way Gideon tracks her movements. Ella is right beside her of course, grinning as Sophie tells her something.
Sophie falls silent when she realises that Gideon is looking at her, and Ella finally takes note of her surroundings. She tends to miss out on certain details at times.
"Caspian? What are you doing here?" She asks. I can tell from her face that she's remembering what happened between us in the morning. I'm always the better one at hiding emotions.
"I was training," I say innocently.
"Is that why you weren't at breakfast?" Ella frowns.
I smile. "You worry too much. I wasn't hungry."
Ella rolls her eyes and goes over to the Lightwoods.
"That's my Brother," She says simply.
Gabriel's eyes widen, and Gideon raises an eyebrow.
"Interesting," is all he says.
Then Will and Tessa enter. I look over at Ella. As usual, it only takes one look for her to understand me.
"We'll see you two later," Ella whispers to the Lightwoods, then heads to my side.
"What are you two doing here?" Will asks us.
His eyes linger on my sister. How blind she is, not realising that the boy in front of her and behind her both love her.
"Just saying a quick greeting," Ella smiles at Tessa. "What are you doing here?"
"I decided to watch them train," Will says, sneering.
I blink, faking confusion.
"Come on, Caspian," Ella says. "Let's leave them to their training."
I shrug and follow Ella out.
"I'm going to meet Jem," Ella says. "What are you going to do?"
"Just walk around," I say casually, smirking. "I'll see you at night?"
"You know I'll be there," Ella says, laughing.
She has our mother's laugh. Pure, melodious and rich with love at times. Our Mother was a Starkweather. Aloysius Starkweather was her Grandfather. Even so, Ella and I usually dismiss the fact that we're related to the Starkweathers, as do they.
We both take after our Father more. The Nightstorm family originated from Germany. That's where Ella got her blue-green eyes and where I got my blond hair from. My eyes are my mother's, and so is Ella's hair. But we are more similar to our Father.
"If you say so," I laugh.
~
As I walk the streets of London, I'm reminded painfully of the last time I saw my Mother. The day I left. She saw me leaving, and she had smiled.
"Go," she whispered. "You'll come back eventually."
I push open the door to the old house. It's made of dark red bricks, and looks abandoned. To mundanes, it's a family manor. An abandoned one.
I run a hand through my hair as the door closes shut behind me without a sound.
I head up the red carpeted stairs, and then head into the dining area.
The long table has been set up, of course. Members of the Gericht are seated at their respective seats.
I take mine at the right of the head.
"Great. We're all here."
Father appears, smiling deviously, taking his seat at the head of the table.
Everyone else is silent.
"What are the reports?"
"Both of our Schlangen haven't reported anything," the Rabe says. "We have no new information."
"And no one is on the matter?" Father's voice is calm and yet his scowl is vicious. He turns to me. "What about your Sister?"
"If I understood correctly, she isn't a schlange anymore," I say harshly. "We had a deal, did we not?"
Father smiles maliciously. "That we did. You haven't fulfilled your bargain, though."
"Why do you even need the Herondale boy?" I ask. "What is he to you?"
"He is someone in the way of important plans," is all Father says. "Chamäleons, search for the schlangen. I want news. And Krähe, I want the Herondale boy."
I clench my fists, standing. "Then you shall get him. That is, if you break my sister's ring and return her her life source."
Father's eyes widen. "How do you know?"
"Communication, Father," I growl.
"I'm afraid I can't do what you have requested. She needs to do something for me as well," Father says. "You cannot do anything to blackmail me. You die and she dies."
I feel like I'm being stabbed in the chest repeatedly. She is my only weakness.
"And if I do it... you'll give me my life source back? You'll break the tie?" I finally manage to say, covering up my emotions.
Father smirks. "Now you're getting it. Yes, I will."
He is a liar. But he's the only one who can disable the connection and give us back our life source.
"Fine then."
"And I want her there tonight. I already told her, though."
I grit my teeth together.
~
I return to the Institute, the taste of wine still lingering.
I feel giddy. I stumble into my room.
I collapse onto my bed. And I shut my eyes.
"She will pay for what you did."
"No!" I shout, running forward. "FATHER, NO!"
But it was too late. The blade drove its way into her chest, and I heard her cough, spluttering blood onto the ground. Blood soaking her white dress, her face paling. Her blue-green eyes seeming to be slowly losing their life.
Father grinned maniacally. "Your turn."
I run toward Ella, catching her before she falls to the ground, tears streaming down my face.
Suddenly I feel searing pain. My chest feels like it's exploded. I look down, and gasp upon seeing the tip of a knife protruding from it.
Ella somehow could scream as I slumped down next to her.
Suddenly we were wrapped in each other's arms, dying together.
I shoot up, eyes opening, blinking, my heart racing. The same nightmare. It's been the same one for a week now. I thought I'd at least have gotten used to it.
"Caspian?"
My door creaks slightly as it is opened.
I blink and see Ella there. She's dressed in a black dress.
I push my hair back, standing slowly.
"I'll meet you at the gates," I say.
Ella nods simply.
~
I meet Ella and we both head out, undetected.
Father's carriage is outside, hidden. We climb in and the driver takes off.
Ella pulls out her stele, turning to me.
"Turn away," She says.
I turn my head away from her, and on my neck, she draws an Agility rune.
I take the stele from her when she's done, the burn of the rune still stinging my neck. I draw a replica of the one she drew on her neck.
"We address each other the way we're supposed to," I say. "Remember that. The Lightwoods will be there too."
Ella nods. "They know of our involvement. It's how I met with them in the first place. Krähe."
"Shlange," I address.
~
We step out when we arrive at the Lightwoods' house in Chiswick. The house looks awfully quiet, but then again, it's supposed to.
Ella and I both put on our masks, smirking at each other. In our Father's events, we're both different people. Merciless, vicious, powerful and sly. Exactly what our Father wants us to be.
Ella's mask is elaborate, silver, standing out against her auburn hair which is tied neatly in plaits, and her black dress. You can still see the blue-green of her eyes, though. My mask is silver like hers, and my black evening dress is expensive and we match each other.
"Let's go," Ella says.