Ok, first of all, shout out to Alice- thanks for your comment regarding Magnus. ;) And speaking of Magnus…though I'm sure you all already know, Cassandra Clare and some of her fellow writing friends are in the process of publishing The Bane Chronicles. That's right guys- several short stories about our favorite warlock! I screamed AND cried when I read that on Cassie's blog a couple of months ago…figured I'd let you guys know so you could fangirl with me! :D
Ok, we've got Chapter 9 here today. I know you guys are dying to read it because I was evil and left you with an awful cliffy in the last chapter! So here ya go!
Tessa's POV
"Stupid Shadowhunter," a voice said. "You should not have come here."
I broke away from Will and we both looked to the entrance of the alleyway.
No.
Oh no.
Mortmain.
Will stood up and dragged me with him, but only to push me behind him. Always trying to protect me…
It was the first time I had seen Will speechless. It may not have been because he didn't have anything to say, but maybe perhaps he knew that his temper could very well get us killed. Or him killed. Then he really wouldn't be any help to me at all.
"It would have been so much easier if you weren't here, Herondale…" Mortmain smiled cruelly. "Though perhaps I could use you to my advantage."
"Rot in hell," Will muttered. I noticed his eyes flickering around, looking for an escape. "How did you find us?"
"I have many resources, Shadowhunter. Many."
"How many?"
"More than you know."
"Which is exactly why I asked you in the first place." Will reached behind him, towards me. I thought he was trying to hold on to me at first, but then I realized he was handing me something. A dagger.
I took it from his hand quietly. It was similar to the ones Gabriel had me train with. I was not perfect with it, but I had proven potential overtime.
Now Will did hold on to me. And he did something unexpected.
He started to walk forward. Towards mortmain.
Mortmain thought this unexpected as well. "You cannot over power me, William. You think me such a fool as to come without protection?"
"I never said that," Will said. He squeezed my hand- the one with the dagger in it. He glanced back at me, then at Mortmain, and squeezed again.
Oh. Oh, dear.
He wanted me to throw the knife…at Mortmain. But I wasn't that good at it, he had to know that…
"Will," I whispered. "I don't think I can-"
"Tessa," he whispered back. "You can."
He said the words with such confidence and respect, that I believed it myself. But I had to be quick. And once I was finished, Will and I needed to run. Fast.
I positioned the dagger in my hand the way I was taught to. With one quick, swift movement, I moved my arm and released it.
I had been aiming for his chest, but it hit him in the shoulder. Still, it had been an excellent throw and the dagger was buried deeply into his flesh. Mortmain obviously wasn't expecting it, and it looked like he was in pain. I was almost positive that Will would have praised me if we hadn't been in a very dangerous situation.
So I grabbed his hand and ran. Will shoved Mortmain out of the way as we swerved around him. We were doing much better than I thought we would have until…
We ran directly into a wall automatons.
Will's POV
"For the Angel's sake-" I gasped. I had not expected this many automatons- though it was foolish for me not to. I was raised to always expect to be outnumbered.
Tessa clutched my arm. "What do we do now?"
I looked around. The rain had cleared up, and I was able to recognize where we were. And suddenly hope flared up inside me.
We were standing almost directly outside of Woolsey Scott's flat. The same flat where Magnus was residing for the time being.
"MAGNUS!" I shouted, so loud that Tessa flinched. "MAGNUS BANE!"
"Will, what are you doing?!" Tessa exclaimed, looking around. The automatons had started to stir, and some were approaching us.
"Trying to save our lives. MAGNUS!"
A light flickered in one of the windows on the second floor. Someone pushed it open. "William Herondale, do you want me to kill you-?" Magnus peered out the window and froze. "And now I really might. Because there is no good reason why you would bring a hundred automatons to my current state of residence."
The mechanical creatures were closing gin. "Magnus," I started. "Your help might be of extreme use right now!"
Magnus now looked serious. And troubled. Quite seriously troubled. "There are too many, Will. Damn it, I can't just stand here…"
"Then don't!" Tessa said desperately, clinging to me. "Magnus, please-"
One of the automatons lunged forward and seized Tessa. I tried to pull her back, but others attacked me. I gripped her hand, panicking now. I couldn't let go, I couldn't lose her, no, I wouldn't-
Her hand slipped out of mine. "WILL!" she screamed.
"Tessa!"
"Will!" That was Magnus's voice. "Will-"
And that was the last thing I heard before everything went black.
Magnus's POV
I raced down the stairs. Damn Woolsey and his love of many stairs and landings. I ran into a lamp on one of the landings and tripped, causing me to roll the rest of the way down the stairs. Damn, it hurt, but Tessa and Will needed me. God, did they need me.
The door handle was in my hand and I pulled it open, rushing out into the cold, wet…
Empty street.
There were no automatons anywhere. No Will or Tessa. No sign that anything had ever occurred on this street. I approached the alleyway, searching for anything…and found something that did not make me happy.
Blood.
I didn't know whose it was. It could have been that bloody Mortmain…but it also could have been Will's or Tessa's.
My heart sunk. This was very, very bad. I rushed inside to grab my coat, and took off in the direction of the London Institute.
Tessa's POV
My head hurt. Very much. It was dark wherever I was. Dark and cold. I was lying on a stone floor- it was wet. Wet with water, I hoped.
I stood and instantly regretted it. There was an intense pounding on the right side of my skull. I touched it, and there was more searing pain. My fingers were wet. With blood. My blood.
As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I saw that bars made up one of the walls. And through the bars I could see another cell, similar to mine. And in that cell…
"Will!" I flew to the bars and pressed my face up against them. "Will!" He stirred slightly. I called him again. "Will!"
The third time he heard me, and jumped to a start "Tessa?"
"Will!" I felt tears sliding down my face. "Will, are you alright?!"
Will joined me at the bars, and stuck his hands through to hold my face. "I'm alright. You? Are you hurt?"
"My head…it's bleeding, but not too bad." Will stroked my hair. "Where are we?"
"I don't know." He looked around. "I-"
The door to Will's cell opened, hinges squeaking. He didn't move from my side, but from the light that shined into the room, I could see his jaw clench.
Mortmain entered with an automaton by his side. "I see you both have come to," he said. "Tessa, I need you're assistance with something."
"No," Tessa snarled. "I will assist you in nothing."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Very."
Mortmain nodded. "Very well." He gestured with his hand, and two other automatons entered the room. "Hold him."
They lunged towards Will and tore him away from the bars. Will struggled and fought, but the automatons' iron grips were unbreakable. They held him still.
Mortmain took something from the automaton by his side. A long object, that was glowing at the end. An iron rod used for fixing fires. He approached Will.
Will's gaze was terrifying. Any other man would have run from him, but Mortmain had his mechanical creatures to aid him. He had no fear.
"Tessa, dear, I'd like you to see what will happen every time you decide not assist me."
And he stabbed the hot iron rod into Will's chest.
