Curious Happenings

by CrossTheWatersWriters

It doesn't make sense to want what you can't have, to be something that shouldn't exist, to have to reley on something that may be your downfall. It was unfair to be something you hated, to keep secrets that caused so much pain and to search for someone with no results. Everyone has their challenges to overcome, but what's coming may cost them all they've gained. JL/OC GL/OC

FULL SUMMARY: Curious Happenings is a story that follows Cassandra Clare's series "The Infernal Devices." The addition of Ellionna Ravenscroft and Elvira Skylock as Shadowhunters to match the Institute's own contribute to the rescuing of Theresa Gray and events that follow in Clockwork Angel. However, there are some curious happenings that could disrupt the chain of being and cause the Shadowhunters to tumble into chaos. Pairings: Jessamine Lovelace/OC Gabriel Lightwood/OC. We hope you enjoy reading as much as we enjoyed writing it and we would appreciate it if you could review =]

-THE INFERNAL DEVICES-

"William Herondale, get your behind back here!" Elvira Skylock chased her fellow Shadowhunter through the halls of the Institute. However, before she could follow him through into the library, she slammed full force into another body. A shapely girl with shoulder length hair crashed to the ground, her dark curls bouncing around her.

"Damnation," Elvira swore, quickly scooting away from the other girl. "Sorry Elliona." The girl in question, Elliona Ravenscroft, merely gave Elvira an appraising look and regally pulled herself off the ground.

"You should watch where you're going," she said, her Irish accent slipping through her words. "You never know where a moment of clumsiness could lead to in a fight." Elvira rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I know, you'd never let that happen, you're a much better fighter, I've heard it all before." Elliona narrowed her hazel eyes, her lips pursing.

"And you'd do well to listen to me." To an innocent passerby, it may have sounded as though Elliona was being haughty but she had good reason to be. She was trained in the Dublin Institute, before moving to London when she was sixteen. The Irish, without all their restrictions, had taught their shadowhunters to fight dirty and fight to win. Ellionna wouldn't hesitate in using these tactics if they would help her win. At her words, the very air between the two girls seemed to ripple with tension. Just before they began to exchange words, and blows, a voice came from a nearby doorway.

"Guess I won then, El," William Herondale intoned, a smirk on his face. His black hair was falling messily over his forehead, obscuring his large blue eyes.

"Guess you did," Elvira replied, rolling her own emerald eyes. Her cropped brown hair was cut almost identically to Will's, a style mostly disapproved by the elder shadowhunters. Ellionna raised her eyebrows at the other two shadowhunters.

"William, do a better job of controlling your little games next time, will you?" she asked flippantly. Ellionna was not amused by the immaturity Elvira and William seemed to show when around each other. "Once the two of you have finished up your game, we have training to get to." Her eyes ran over Elvira in one of her lighter weight dresses. "For once you'll need to change Elvira."

Elvira gave the girl an annoyed look. "Yes, of course -" She cut off the unladylike comment that was at the tip of her tongue. It was best not to fight with her, not unarmed at least. Will stood amused watching the two, tenison visibly flicking between them.

"We'll be up in a moment Ellionna," Will said to which Ellionna nodded curtly and turned to leave. "Oh, Ellionna, would you mind fetching Jessamine? Charlotte wanted a word with her," Will told her, smirking all the while.

She nodded and again turned away, leaving the two as she found them. It wasn't a far walk to the hallway that held Jessamine Lovelace's room. Ellionna could here the girls voice from the end of the hall, complaining to the new maid about something the poor girl had nothing to do with. Jessamine was spoiled. With a sigh she crossed the hall quickly to the door, much faster in the lightweight men's training cloths then the formal wear of woman. "Miss Lovelace, Charlotte wishes to have a word with you."

Jessamine looked over her shoulder a blonde bit of hair falling in her face. The back of her dress was still unlaced, the poor maid completely flustered. "Charlotte can wait. Sophie, can you not get anything right?" She hissed at the girl who mumbled something that sounded like 'sorry miss' as she tried to undo the knots in the string.

Ellionna walked over taking the strings gently from the poor girl who gave her a small nod, understanding by the gesture that she was to leave. Silently Ellionna fixed the strings and tightened the bodice of the dress, securing it in place. "You should be kinder to that girl. From what I understand she's new to this world of ours. It must be a bit of a shock."

Jessamine swiftly picked up the ruffles of her skirt, swinging herself around quickly giving Ellionna a harsh disgusted look. "Your world. Not ours. This," she said, gesturing to Ellionna's male attire, "is not my world."

"If that's how you wish to see it Miss. Lovelace." Ellionna nodded, and turned leaving Jessamine to fume in her reluctance. It was an on going battle, from what she'd been told. Jessamine was stubborn as a mule. If she used that toward her Shadowhunter life she'd go far, but first she'd have to accept that part of her.

Meanwhile, Elvira and Will had made their way up to the training room. It was adjacent to the attic and about double the size. Elvira walked out into the middle of the polished wooden floor and began stretching, while studying the various patterns on the floor. Will opted to scurry up one of the long flexible ropes hanging from the beams supporting the ceiling. Elvira smiled as she watched him, the room lit only by torches along the wall. Elvira finished her stretching and moved over to a large wooden rack, holding the many knives and weapons the Shadowhunters used. She picked up a rapier, a long, thin sword and twirled it through the air before walking back out onto the floor. She took a fighter's stance and allowed her gaze circle the room. There. A movement in the far top corner made her watchful eyes dart as a body swung down from the opposite direction to where she was looking. And so commenced the mini fight that began most training sessions. Will knocked Elvira to the ground but she immediately rolled back, climbing to her feet and grinning at him, holding the sword gracefully beside her. Will was a better fighter but Elvira had a slight advantage, having always been brought up in the Shadowhunter culture. A sliver of metal appeared in Will's hand, a steele. The metal clashed as he ran forward, yelling a battle cry. Elvira laughed and spun, her blade sliding up the length of his. Just when it looked like it was about to sever Will's arm off, he pushed his weight forward and ducked out of the way of the blade. Elvira followed his movements, laughing as she tried to defend herself. However, Will began spouting what was in Will's prerogative to spout, and that was absolute nonsense.

Silly little girl began to fight

Little did she realise I could bite—

Before he could continue his song, Elvira pulled herself up onto one of the ropes and flung her rapier at him, as hard as she could. Will caught the hilt easily with one hand.

"Touchy about the height jab, are we?" he asked with a smirk. She glared at him and moved her weight around on the rope, causing it to swing forward. She flew through the air before knocking him to the ground and pinning them there.

"Don't call me little," she whispered menacingly in his ear. He tried to respond but found he was unable to with his face pressed into the ground.

"Dear me," came a voice from the doorway. "You two always seem to be at each other." Elvira jumped up and spun to see the last Shadowhunter of the London Institute, James Carstairs. She grinned at him. The light reflected off his silver eyes and hair, the gear making him so much whiter, so much more pure than he was.

"Maybe if your parabatai wasn't such a clot, I wouldn't have to be at him constantly."

"And maybe if you listened to my fighting instructions, you'd beat him more often." Ellionna stepped into the room, the flickering light of the torches casting shadows over her face. Elvira rolled her eyes and turned away, holding her hand out to Will to help him up. He appraised it, sniffing it before ignoring it and lifting his weight off the ground.

"Miss Lovelace has decided against attending," she announced to the group. "Charlotte wished to speak with her."

"Thank the Angel," Elvira muttered. She wasn't sure if she could handle two smug girls at one time, and she certainly wouldn't be able to release her frustration on both of them at once. Despite her reluctance to partake in activities, Jessamine was just as skilled a fighter as the rest of them.

"That's a shame," Jem said, barely concealing a grin. When his eyes met Elvira's, the grin surfaced, a twin smile appearing on her face.

"Indeed it is, Carstairs," Will said, having somehow moved through space without being seen and appeared behind Jem, nudging him with his leg. Jem rolled his eye and batted it away without even turning. Elvira looked over to the other girl.

"We should start practicing," Ellionna said, glancing at the clock on the wall that slowly ticked around Will smirked, straightening his gear as he selected a particularly vicious looking throwing knife off the rack.

"We should but are we really going to?" he asked. Ellionna narrowed her eyes at him before launching herself at him, snagging a weapon from the wall in one movement. She moved just a fluidly as Elvira but in a different style. Her every move wasn't controlled or perfect but it seemed to flow naturally from her. The other Shadowhunters stood silently, watching the dance unfold as they waited for their turns.

-THE INFERNAL DEVICES-

With a huff, Ellionna turned once more, restless and sleepless. This was becoming an annoyingly, tiresome, sleepless spell. She closed her eyes again, trying once more to slip into the sweet warmth of rest and dreams. But it was of no use, sleep was being an elusive mistress. Mistress. Ellie groaned at the word burying her face in her pillow. This was getting too much. It was always 'mistresses' or 'madams', never 'masters' and 'sirs' as it should have been.

She sighed as she rolled from her bed and donned her Shadowhunter gear. There would be no chance of sleep now, she thought. She might as well make use of her time. Quietly, she made her way through the halls toward the training room. As she past one hallway she paused at the soft sound of music glided through the air to her. Jem couldn't sleep either. She kept going, all of them needed their nightly ritual.

As her hand landed on the knob, she paused. Someone was inside. Silently Ellie listened to the soft movements coming from behind the doors. The movements were soft sounding and uncontrolled, definitely not one of the boys nor Elvira, their movements were always measured and controlled. Charlotte was in her study, she'd seen the light on as she'd passed, and Henry- well he was always with his experiments. After a moment or two of listening, Ellionna slowly opened the door and quietly slipped inside. In the center of the room, a small golden haired figure was practicing some sort of swinging motion with a throwing knife.

"You'll never hit anyone swinging like that," Ellie said stifling a laugh. The girl, Jessamine Lovelace, spun around quickly, the knife in her hand slipping and sailing straight toward Ellionna. In one fluid motion Ellie side stepped and caught the knife. "Impressive."

Jessamines face seemed to heat up like a kettle on the stove, her cheeks instantly burning red. "What are you doing in here?"

"I could ask you the same question, but your answer seems obvious." Ellie stepped farther into the room closer to Jessamine. She held the blade out to the girl, handle pointed out. "You're not that bad, Miss Lovelace."

Jessi eyed her curiously and took the knife. "Thank you but I don't need your opinion. What are you doing up so late?"

"Same as you. Came here to practice a bit." She made her way to the wall of weapons pulling down a slick sharp throwing knife. She kept her attention on the knife as she heard the blonde girls footsteps coming up behind her. She willed herself not to look at her, the gear the blonde so rarely wore did wonders for her figure, wonders Ellie wished she didn't notice. The movement of a small delicate hand hanging a glinting knife back on the wall caught Ellionna's eye. The hand was so small and smooth looking, the thought of how it would feel to reach over and touch it crossed Ellie's mind. Before she could stop her own hand, it was also placing the knife she was holding back on the wall, brushing the other girls hand discreetly as she did so. Just as she thought, smooth and warm.
Jessamine glanced at their hands before withdrawing her own. "I'll be turning in for the night then. Let the real Shadowhunter get her practice." With a curt nod that cause a blonde curl to escape and tumbling against her cheek Jessie turned to leave.

"You're one of us as well Miss Lovelace. You have the talent as we seen when I walked in. If you'd like to perfect it I-" Ellie paused unsure for a moment if she should really make this offer. "I would be happy to assist you in your training."

Jessie paused, keeping herself turned away from the brunette. After a moment she nodded. "Meet me here tomorrow night, same time. Tell no one." She began to walk away before pausing again. "And you can call me Jessamine." With that Jessamine left the room, leaving Ellie alone once more.

"Jessamine." The word was whispered and amused, the hint of a faint smile playing on her lips. But as quickly as it had appeared it was pushed away. She should not be so happy about this, about being around her. But she was and she couldn't deny it. With a frustrated noise, Ellionna grabbed a blade from the wall and throw it fast at a target, hitting just off center. She left it there and silently stormed from the room and swiftly out of the Institute. The cold London air hitting her as she made her way to find some demon to kill.

-THE INFERNAL DEVICES-

Footsteps in the outside corridor woke Elvira. Only Shadowhunters lived in the institute and normally Shadowhunters were quiet, using every opportunity to practice their skills. Elvira listened for a moment longer, before deciding that the footsteps were angry, explaining the volume. She glanced at the clock on her wall, lit by a witchlight. It was early. Far too early to be awake. Elvira preferred to be asleep. It was easy enough to distract herself, with training and various other interests but her mind was like clockwork, always ticking, always working. She groaned, sliding out of bed and rolling onto the ground. It was cold there and she pressed her cheek against it, hoping the icy feeling would maybe fascinate her mind for a minute. It did, but a minute was its only contribution. With another groan, Elvira pulled herself up, leaning against the bed. Her eyes scanned her bookshelf.

"Where is it?" she asked herself, standing and walking over to it, running her hands over the smooth mahogany. The room had been her room in the institute since she'd arrived there. Her fingers danced over the titles of the various plays until they selected the one they wanted: Macbeth. She pulled it out and walked over to her door, pulling the heavy oak open. Her tread, unlike the one that had woken her, was light and she soon arrived in the training room. She sat in the middle of the floor, soaking in her surroundings before she opened the play and began to read. Her lips formed the words on the page silently. Without her even being aware, her eyes grew heavy and the words blurred. They were so imprinted in her memory that her brain barely realised she was falling asleep as she folded into a small pile on the ground.

"Out damn'd spot, out I say," was the next thing Elvira heard. She curled herself even tighter before opening her eyes and squinting. Will's face came into view and she was sorely tempted to close her eyes again, as attractive as he was.

"One; two: why, then 'tis time to do't—Hell is murky—Fie, my lord, fie, a soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our pow'r to accompt?" Elvira replied, her voice rhythmic, forming the words as they were meant to be spoken. Will's lips curved into a rare grin; he also appreciated the art of playwriting.

"One has a better memory than they let on when Charlotte asks us for information," he said, teasing. Elvira rolled her eyes. "You know, it might be a foreign concept to you but there are such things as beds. I hear they're more comfortable than the floor."

"I also hear your voice and it makes me want to gouge my eyeballs out."

"Such violence for such an early time" Will said, sighing dramatically. Elvira studied him.

"And why did you feel the need to wake me from my slumber?" she asked.

"To see how hell is," Will responded, quick as a demon's tongue. "It's murky, apparently." Elvira stared at him.

"Do you ever wonder if people would have far more wholesome lives without you in it?" she asked, standing. She bent down and picked up the leather bound play, running her fingers over the cover before tracing the gold inlaid letters.

"I try not to worry myself about such things, Elvy. You should try it sometime," he said and she glared at him for use of the nickname.

"Don't call me that," she said, pushing past him and walking back down to her room. She pulled off her nightgown, staring at the inky runes covering her body in the looking glass. She wasn't like Jessamine, who covered hers up, but nor was she like Ellionna who wore hers with a certain self righteous air. Elvira couldn't imagine her body without the runes. They were part of who she was now. They represented who she was going to be for the rest of her life.

-THE INFERNAL DEVICES-

Everyone gathered the next morning in the dinning room. Ellionna entered clean and well dressed, any evidence of her night out erased by runes and water. She took her seat next to Jem, as far from where Jessamine sat as she could. How was it she could look so well rested and normal here, amongst all of their strange things she detested so much? Ellie shook the thoughts away, she needed to stop thinking about her and focus on something different. Her eyes swept the room stopping on William Herondale. That is who she should be having fancied thought of. Every other girl did, why not her? She studied him, his smooth muscles visible under his shirt as he reaches for a piece of toast. His face was perfect, smooth and beautiful. Her eyes moved from Will to Elvira who sat beside him. In no way was the crazy creature at all her type but she couldn't keep her eyes from traveling over the contours of her dress. It outlined her shape perfectly, her curves and her bosom. Ellie looked aways shaking her head again. This was getting ridiculous. She focused her eyes on her food and nothing else.

After a minute, Will coughed to catch everyone's attention. Charlotte and Henry weren't present. "I found a lead on Emma Bayliss, the little girl from the alley," he announced. He wasn't granted the reaction he was after, however. Jessamine picked up a napkin and patted her lips. Jem gave his parabatai a sideways glance while Elliona ignored him.

"Don't you mean we found a lead, Herondale?" Jem asked jokingly. Will rolled his eyes.

"Give a man credit where credits needed!" he protested.

"And?" Elliona asked, apparently expecting there to be something more. Will groaned.

"Must you all be dim-witted? We must 'investigate' it!" he proclaimed.

"Oh because that will really increase any standing I have with the Clave. After you came along, it's really not a lot," Elvira said sarcastically. "Is that why you were up so early this morning?"

"And how is it you know I was up so early?" Will retorted, mockingly. Elvira narrowed her eyes before Jem held up a hand, sensing the argument was about to escalate.

"Will. What exactly do you hope for us to achieve? Do you think Charlotte won't notice five Shadowhunters missing from the institute she runs if we do go after the girl?" he asked. Will frowned.

"I was thinking we could explain after. The Pandemonium Club was a most helpful source of information."

"Oh, because ''explaining after' went so well last time, William" Ellionna said haughtily. She'd been roped into one of his schemes before. They all had. They'd all agreed because a Shadowhunters's purpose was to hunt demons, and when there were no demons, one got bored.

"There would only be four Shadowhunters going. Because I'm not" Jessamine announced, placing her knife and fork down and standing. The stiff material of her gown clung tightly around the bodice and try as she might, Elliona couldn't stop herself from briefly staring. As Jessamine swept out of the room without another word, she was sure Jem caught where her gaze was going. Ellionna lowered her head back down, her lips pressed together.

"Look, it's simple! We get in, we snoop around, we find something useful, our worth is proved," Will said, his voice taking on a bored tone, as if he was talking to imbeciles. "And if we don't,then we'll just pin the blame on the eldest," he said, wiggling his eyebrows at Elvira. She glared back at him as Jem sighed.

"Why is it that we all always agree to your hair-brained schemes?" he asked.

"Speak for yourself, Carstairs," Elvira said, a teasing smile on her face before she turned back to Will, rolling her eyes dramatically. "Fine. When do we leave?" Will's smirk was triumphant. Elvira was eighteen, only a year older than him but it made her legally an adult Shadowhunter. Will would have done the mission without her but it made him more at ease to know that he had someone to fall back on. What he didn't like was how she constantly lorded the fact over him.

"Sundown."

-THE INFERNAL DEVICES-

Ellionna pulled on her stiff black gear, readying herself for the night ahead. She was just a good a fighter as both the boys and she could keep her cool. She slid a stele into her belt and a seraph blade into the other side before pulling her curling hair back. She crept out into the hallway, her footsteps much quieter than they'd been that morning and she met the boys on the step just outside the institute. Will had an unsettling smile on his face but the thing that shocked Elliona even more than that was the lack of his parabatai. Will's smile immediately vanished and he stiffened when she asked.

"James isn't well enough to come with us." His tone only let emotion through when he was talking about Jem. Ellionna heard it and as much as she didn't like Will, she'd developed a respect for Jem, and in a way, because of their bond, Will.

"Where's Elvira?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Late, obviously. I would have thought, even with your observational skills, you'd be able to figure that one out, Ellionna." Apart from Jessamine, Ellionna had barely made an effort to be civil and friendly with the other shadowhunters. She had to be trusting of them and she'd developed a respect to Jem at times but Will and Elvira just infuriated her. The sound of feet darting along concrete made them both turn, and Elvira appeared in front of them, flushed.

"Sorry I'm late," she said. "Sophie was outside my room. We ready to go?" she asked, bright eyed.

"The carriage is just around the corner, if that's what you're asking" Will said impatiently, burning with a fevered energy. His eyes matched Elvira's, and Elliana's did too, but with a darker passion. They moved as one, their footsteps silent, their bodies lithe.

"There won't be enough room in the carriage and I think it best Thomas stays behind. It's better not to involve mundane in something we aren't sure about." Ellionna's words were low and very irish, the night's plan running through her head over riding her dislike of the accent. "I already sent him back to bed."

This got a rather heated reaction from her companions. "You did what?" Elvira, of course, was the first to speak up beating Will by merely seconds. "You can't just make decisions for the group, Ellionna, you're not the leader."

"So you'd wish for him to come along and risk his life?" Ellionna asked blunt and openly as they came to a stop in front of the carriage.

"She has a point, we don't know what we are getting into. We drag Thomas into enough danger." Will spoke up, thankfully on Elliona's behalf for once. "I'll take the reins-"

"No you won't, I will. I'm not sitting inside the carriage with either of you." Ellionna cut Will off and stepped up onto the front of the carriage grabbing the hat from the sit and donning it with almost a grin.

"You just wanted a reason to lead the carriage. Thomas would be fine, he knows how to fight," Elvira said more to herself then the other girl as she stepped up into the carriage.

Ellionna turned her eyes to Elvira's. "Are you really that irresponsible?"

Elvira opened her mouth to respond but thought better of it and settling into the carriage, turning her emerald eyes out to the window. Will followed in behind her. Once they were all settled Ellie bustled the horses into motion and out of the gates of the Institute into the dark London night. It took around thirty minutes before the carriage pulled to a stop in front of tall Iron Gates behind which loomed a large dark manor house. The Dark Manor. She sat outside for a minute, enjoying the cool breeze on the only exposed skin, her face before she elegantly slid off the front and rapped on the window.

-THE INFERNAL DEVICES-

At the rap on the window, Elvira rolled her eyes, cutting herself off mid sentence. "What, does she just think she can summon us?" she mumbled, getting out of the carriage, to see Elliona striding up towards the door of the manor.

"Of course she does," Will told her, grinning, his teeth flashing in the darkness and followed Elliona up, catching her before she could go in the door.

"I'm going in the back way," he said with a wink. Elvira and Elliona stared at each other silently. After neither of them said anything, he added, "and I'll be fine on my own" before slinking into the shadows.

Elvira cursed silently. As annoying and distracting as Will was, she would have rather been with him than her. She followed Elliona up the steps, and through the now open door, into the gloom of the manor. Her hand was on her seraph blade, it's name on her lips should it be needed. They moved together through the house. There was a noise behind them and they both turned.

"Little Shadowhunters should wait to be invited in," came a malicious voice from the darkness. Elvira stiffened, her hand pulling her seraph blade out, weighing it in her hand. Her body automatically moved to the regimented fighting stance that was taught at the institute, whereas Ellionna's was more relaxed, holding her blade loosely, but still alert.

"Come out, Warlock." It seemed Elvira's voice, like the rest of her, was unable to grasp the gravity of the situation. It was a smirk made into noise. A woman stepped out of the blackness, her clothing bright against the suffocating darkness. It was a deep red, made of velvet. She wore an evil grin on her bony face, her eyes so large against her pallor.

"I'm afraid you're never going to reach our little shapeshifter," she said. Elvira froze for a moment. Shapeshifter? They were only here to get a girl. She quickly brushed the thought away and took a step towards the warlock.

"Ezekiel," she shouted before spinning in the air, her blade causing a downwards arc towards the warlock. It blazed in the darkness, illuminating the squalor the house was in briefly. Mrs Dark, for indeed it was she, let out a cackle and quickly moved out of the way of the petite shadowhunters blade.

"By the Angel," she yelled, frustrated, forgetting that shadowhunters were supposed to rely on stealth. Ellionna pushed her aside and they continued to attack the warlocks.

-THE INFERNAL DEVICES-

Making his way down to the cellar, Will heard Elvira's yell. However, he didn't stop or turn back. He knew the girls could handle themselves but he would never admit it to their faces. He reached a long narrow corridor, framed by doors. Will began moving along, kicking the doors in and searching the rooms for anything they could use.

Room after room he found nothing of interest, until he finally opened the last door, more apprehensive than the others. A figure on the other side leapt forward, swinging something at him. Will felt something smash into his hand, before a warm stinging sensation. He yelled, swearing like a sailor as he hit what he realised was a china pot into the far wall, ignoring the noise of it smashing against the stone. He turned to see who his attacker was and was surprised to see a tall, slim girl with wide fearful eyes. She moved back from him, before making a dash for the door. She pulled on the knob frantically but it wouldn't budge. Will calmly pulled out a werelight, letting the phosphorescence fill the room. The girl squinted as the light hit her eyes- it was bright to those who weren't accustomed to it. When her peculiar grey eyes met he stopped cursing.

"You cut me," Will stated, always one to start with the obvious. "It might be fatal." Her eyes grew wider when she heard him speak.

"Are you the Magister?" she asked. Her voice wasn't fearful or shaking, it was steady with an American accent. It curved richly around the words. Will smirked at her, unable to grasp how important the question was.

"Dear me," he began, tilting his hand and letting red blood splatter to the floor. "Massive blood loss. Dead could be imminent."

"Are you the Magister?" Her voice had taken on an urgent tone, raising in volume slightly. Will raised his eyebrows, surprised.

"Magister?" he queried. "That means 'master' in Latin, doesn't it?" Elvira was always the one who'd been good at languages. He never had the ear or patience for them.

"I suppose it does," the girl replied uncertainly, like she had no idea what relevance the question had to her own question.

"I've mastered many things in my life," Will continued, somewhat cheerfully. "Navigating the streets of London, dancing in the quadrille, the Japanese art of flower arranging, lying at charades, concealing a highly intoxicated state, delighting young women with my charms..." He trailed off, grinning at her expression. "Alas, no one has actually referred to me as 'the master' or 'the magister,' either. If Elvira ever did, it was highly sarcastic." He sighed. "More's the pity."

"Are you highly intoxicated at the moment?" the girl asked before looking slightly horrified at the fact she'd asked a complete stranger that question. Will chuckled, amused by her.

"How very direct, but I suppose all you Americans are, aren't you?" Will laughed again. "Your accent gives you away. What's your name, then?" He figured he should have probably ascertained if he had the right girl before he began conversing with her, but what Ellionna didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

"What's my name?"

"Don't you know it?" Will asked, raising his eyebrows. The girl assumed a highly indignant expressions.

"You- you've come bursting into my room, scared me nearly to death and now you demand to know my name? What on earth's your name?" she asked irately.

"My name is Herondale," Will said cheerfully. "William Herondale but everyone calls me Will. Is this really your room?" he said, glancing around, more for effect than anything. He'd taken every major detail in when he first lit the werelight. "Not very nice is it," he commented as he wandered over to the stack of books. "Do you often sleep tied to the bed?" The girl blushed a deep red colour, and not for the first time since seeing her, Will thought she was very pretty. "Here. Hold this," Will said, passing her the light. He glanced out the window. "Pity we're on the third floor. I could manage the jump, but it would probably kill you," he informed her in a regretful tone, as if it was nothing more than his favourite type of beverage being unavailable. "No, we might go through the door and take our chances in the house, perhaps run into my friends."

"Go through the - what?" the girl asked, frown lines appearing in her forehead. "I don't understand."

"How can you not understand?" asked Will, reaching out to grab a book off the pile. "You read novels. Obviously, I'm here to rescue you. Don't I look like Sir Galahad?" He raised his arms dramatically, assuming what he thought was a pure and noble expression. "My strength is the strength of ten, Because my heart is pure-" Before he could finish the close, the sound of a door slamming echoed into the room, followed by a scream. Will froze for a moment before swearing. He crossed the room over to the door, ignoring the fact the girl's eyes had widened further.

"Come along now..." He trailed off, looking at her expectantly.

"Miss Gray," she said, her voice faint. "Miss Theresa Gray."

"Miss Gray," Will repeated, glad that he'd found the right girl. "Come along then Miss Gray, we should probably depart before my friends are unable to handle themselves. It often happens without my presence.

-THE INFERNAL DEVICES-