CASPIAN'S POV
"Why does it sound so familiar? That word," Charlotte says, watching me and Ella. "Gericht."
"I assume that our Father mentioned it to yours before," I say, shrugging.
"Court," Henry says. "Gericht means Court."
"'The court of liars, young and old. Snakes to lie, a crow to control, a raven for fires, and chameleons to be liars,'" I laugh. "Ring any bells?"
"You've been betraying us," Jem says slowly, and I see horror in his eyes.
I never wanted any of this. I can feel the white hot pain coming from Ella. Pain at having to do this.
"Schlange," Tessa says slowly. "This whole time. You've been lying to us. How could you?"
Ella scowls. Acting. "How could I what? How could I betray all of you?" She then grins at Jem. "Sins of the Fathers."
Jem's eyes widen in realisation. "He's alive."
"Very," I say. "We are loyal to family above all else."
"No," Charlotte whispers. "No I understand, now. He's blackmailing you."
I laugh. "Why would you think that?"
"Because I remember. My Father called yours a liar. A manipulator. He said that your Father was evil. That he didn't care for blood. He would have raised you two up the same."
"You don't know anything," Ella says harshly, covering her ring.
Suddenly Tessa lunges at her, ripping the chain off her neck.
"No!" I shout, reaching for Tessa as I hear Ella suck in a gasp of pain.
I grab Tessa by the back of her dress, yanking her back.
"Tessa!" Jem shouts, running towards us.
Tessa spins around and punches me. I'm weak. The bond. Our life source.
Ella screams suddenly. It's loud and pained and it's full of anger.
I turn to her, holding her to me. I can't feel her emotions.
"Caspian," She growls out. "I need the ring."
I let go of Ella slowly, eyes scanning around the room. Shocked and angry faces.
I finally turn to Tessa, whose eyes are wide, the ring dangling from the chain in her hand. Jem stands beside her protectively.
"Give me the ring. Give it to me now," I order. "You won't like what happens if you don't."
"No," Tessa says, her voice slightly shaky. "Not until you explain yourselves."
I lunge. And then there's a searing pain at my side. I gasp, stopping short, looking down at the knife plunged into me in shock. I look up and see Will, on his feet, fury in his eyes.
"Caspian!" Ella screams. She's too weak. My hands clutch at the knife in my side, and I pull it out. Blood covers the blade. My blood.
I blink. Then I say, "the ring. Give it to me. Give it to me."
Will snatches the ring from Tessa's hands. "No."
"Ich werde es selbst tun," Ella says, her voice full of anger. I'll do it myself.
She pushes off the wall, throwing herself at Will, who is too stunned to react. She grabs the ring, and rolls to a crouching position.
She quickly slips on the ring, and the colour returns to her face.
She takes in deep breaths, then screams again, having felt my pain. Her hand goes to her side, and she looks at me, pain in her eyes.
She shakes her head. "Don't you dare. I'm fine."
As usual, she knows what I want to do before I do it.
Ella stands slowly, and everyone seems to be frozen in place. She walks up to me, pain making her face scrunch up.
"You two aren't going anywhere," Jem says, his voice cold.
Ella scowls. "Be quiet, James."
Jem looks hurt, and I bring a hand to my side. I feel blood, sticky and wet.
"I won't believe that you're betraying us," Jem says. "I won't."
"Do you need me to prove it to you?" Ella growls.
"Yes. Hurt me."
"Jem!" Will shouts, stepping in front of him.
Ella takes out her stele, and traces an iratze on me. I feel the numbing sensation.
Ella slips the stele back into her belt. She looks over at Jem. At Will.
"What's the point?" Ella says. I feel her pain.
"Ella," I say softly. "Wir müssen tun, was er will."
Ella's jaw tightens. "Ich habe meinen Teil abgeschlossen. du bist dran."
"We should take Herondale," I say, smirking. "Take him to Father."
"Starkweather," Jem says slowly. "He said the ring was a curse. Said it looked as if your father made them. He did, didn't he?"
Ella nods at me, ignoring Jem. I walk forward, to Will.
Will scowls viciously. He makes no move to fight me off, though.
I take his shoulder roughly, shoving him to Ella.
Ella takes Will's arm, and I notice a slight tenderness. I didn't expect that.
"What is going on?" Will demands.
"We're bringing you with us," Ella says coldly.
"Will!" Tessa exclaims. Will doesn't fight back though.
Predictable. He wouldn't hurt Ella.
"Will, fight back," Tessa urges.
"No," Will says softly. Then, more firmly, "No."
~
ELEANORA'S POV
I lead Will out of the drawing room. I shove him into a room, shutting the door behind me quickly.
"What's going on?" Will demands. "Why are you doing this?"
"Shh," I say, covering his mouth with a hand. "You need to listen to me."
Will raises an eyebrow.
"This will only take a while," I say quickly. "All I need you to do is listen to me and Caspian, and not aggravate him."
"Him?" Will says in a muffled voice from under my hand.
I shake my head. "You just have to trust me."
"Trust you?" Will says incredulously as I remove my hand from his mouth.
"You'll understand soon. Now we need to go," I say, glancing down at my ring. I felt it earlier. When Tessa ripped it from my neck. More than half. Just to lunge myself at Will almost made me pass out.
I turn, about to leave.
"Nora?" I turn to Will's voice.
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry," Will says. "About your Brother."
"You were defending Tessa," I say coldly, then swing the door open. Will follows me out, and I grab his arm roughly.
~
CASPIAN'S POV
"We brought him," I say, and Ella shoves Will down to the ground. His hands are bound behind him.
"I'm shocked."
Father materialises in front of us, smiling viciously.
"We are your children," Ella says. "How are you shocked?"
"I did not think that you'd have the guts, Eleanora," Father says, examining Will. "Afternoon, William."
Will looks up and scowls at Father. "Who are you?"
"I'm their father," Father says, smiling evilly. "Did they tell you how much trouble I had to go through to get you here?"
Father bends down, cupping Will's chin, forcing him to look up at him.
"I had to make those rings for my children, have someone deliver them, place the curse on them, and finally track them down and blackmail them," Father says, and grins.
"What curse?" Will demands.
"Why don't you children tell anyone anything?" Father says to us, sounding exasperated. He turns back to Will. "They are dying. Do you understand that? Those rings I gave them suck up their life source."
Will turns his head so quickly that I'm surprised it didn't snap. He looks only at Ella.
"That was why you were so weak when Tessa ripped it off you," He says, realising. "Why didn't you tell me?"
I can hear the pain in his voice. The way he looks at my Sister is so strange. Men usually look at her with lust and desire. But Will looks at her like she's his whole heart.
Father realises too, of course. He looks between the two, a grin forming on his face.
"I couldn't," Ella says, keeping her voice cold and detached. But I can feel her anguish.
"Either way," Father says. "Let's get back to business. William, I need something from you."
"No," Ella says softly. Father's head snaps up. He looks directly at Ella, and I feel a wave of fear pass through me for Ella.
"What did you say, girl?" He demands.
Ella steps forward, next to Will, though he's on his knees. "You give us back our life sources. We had a deal."
"Or what?" Father laughs, amused. "You have no leverage over me.
Ella laughs. "What leverage do you have over us? So long as the ring is on us, we're fine."
I immediately undo my chain and quickly slide the ring onto my finger.
"You can't take it off our fingers," I say. "You can't threaten us."
Ella licks her lower lip. "Do it. Give us back our life sources."
"Fine," Father says. "But all I need is one thing more."
I scowl, moving to stand beside Ella.
Father grins. "Ella, remember when I told you, after your Mother died, that pain brought out anger? I was thinking of a way to hurt you, but you're my daughter. It will be hard. But I finally found a way."
"What?" Ella says, and I'm confused.
Then he grabs me, and I can't even fight back.
He pulls me forward and takes out a knife. It all happens in a flash to me. My eyes widening, the glint of silver. Then the immense pain.